Rateh

No, I know the kick, and I've often thought it would be good in point sparring...but I have yet to try it. I'm not very good at trying "new things" while sparring.

Six weeks ago I started a Martial Arts program at a community school in my area. I have eight students aged 6 to 13. They sign up in six week sessions, so I set it up to have them test at the end of every six weeks (I devided the ranks down for more stripes, so that everyone has an opportunity to advance). The six week sessions is set up by the community school, not me. So today they tested, and it turns out I added wrong and gave the wrong rank. (My calculator was broken so I added the scores by hand). A boy of seven should have gotten a stripe on his White belt, and instead ended up with a Yellow belt. It was a few points difference, but enough to change the rank I gave him. This wouldn't be too big of a problem (I could just grade him harder the next test to even it out...) except a girl in the class aged 9 got nearly identical scores, and only got the White belt with one stripe. So now I have to decide what to do about it. I won't see the kids for another two weeks, when the next session starts again. I see three options. Option 1 - Take away the boys rank and give him his rightful White belt with 1 stripe. I don't see this as a good option, because the boy is seven and its hardly his fault I added wrong. This is however the most honest option. Option 2 - On the first class of the next session, tell the girl and her parents that I added the scores incorrectly and she really earned a Yellow belt. This is not totally true, I did add them incorrectly, but she didn't earn a Yellow belt. This is the fairest option that I can see. Option 3 - Don't say anything to anyone, at the end of the session come testing it won't make any difference anyways. This is the easiest option, however its not being honest to the two students involved, they simply will have no idea that anything occured. I have two weeks to find a solution, any ideas will be appreciated. PS. I make the score sheets on excell. I already set up excell today to add up the scores for me next time. I'll just bring my laptop to the test and enter them on site. This will eliminate the problem occuring again.

AAAAHH, thats the kick that we call the inverted roundhouse kick. (Which doesn't really make any sence as a name now that I think of it). Love that kick, it can be quite sneaky.

In our dojo, if kids rush to be in the front of their rank in line, I make them go to the back of their rank. If they continue to do it, I make them go to the back of the line with the lowest ranks. Perhaps if your Sensei did this, then there wouldn't be that problem.

You could always try going to a gymnastic training place. They have stuff set up so that you could practice the kick in the air without having to worry about the landing, or so that you could get more hight so more time to do the kick before landing. I do have two questions for everyone though. 1. What is a twist kick, is that a roundhouse kick? 2. Is the sine wave a tkd thing? I've never seen it before. I find it odd because in my style we emphasize NOT bobbing ever.

Oh, n poisendhearts, I'm not sure when different competitions are this year, as I'm not competing so I haven't been paying attention. Usually when I do compete though, I go to the san deigo open tournament. Its generally around February I beleive. Once you go to one tournament, you'll find out when all the others are just because there are always fliers. Also you could try going to a naska website and seeing when their tournaments are, or another major circuit. (Naska is the only one I can think of atm) The most major tournaments are also often for more than one circuit, so they will be listed on more than one webpage. Edit: heres the naska listings (the only one I've done is "Compete) http://naska.com/html/2007_world_tour.html and heres a website you might be able to find more through... http://www.sportmartialarts.com/index.cfm?action=maslinc.home

Yes, there are generally three catagories for sparring; point sparring, continuous sparring, and tkd sparring.

Most major open tournaments now also have tkd sparring devisions, bushido.

Why are you punching a brick? :/

I also have breathing trouble and was worried for my black belt test. My sensei assured me as well but i was still very worried. He let me get drink breaks all throughout the test (because sipping water seems to help me). Let me stop after every kata. Let me stop whenever i needed during sparring (which was around every thirty seconds) and i only had to run down the shopping mall block and back till i got winded, instead of the usual 5 miles.

The poll only has two options, which are nearly the same. It doesn't take into account all the other time frames. I'd say three years to a billion years, depending on the student. Three being the minimum, three to five being the average.

If you read the classes, you get your first degree after 2 year, 2nd after four years. If you start out with a black belt in that style, you can test to start in higher classes, thus getting up to 4th degree i think it was, through the course of the program.

Too bad its all the way in conneticut. I went to the website of the university and read up on it. Here is the website, also if you look around you can read about each specific class you have to take for the degree. Looks very interesting. http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/3868.asp

I looked up on the web "fighting stance" because I wasn't sure what the stance I use would be called. Seems new students are taught something similar to the kempo fighting stance, but in practice we follow more of a tae kwon do fighting stance. Distinctly odd, I had noticed that there was a difference between them before though. As far as hands in a boxing position or not, sometimes that is taught, especially to punchers (ie people who punch much more than they kick).

I only teach private lessons as an addition to group lessons. Naturally what I offer in private lessons will be limited to things that take a maximum of two people. I use private lessons for students who want more help because they are having difficulties, and for students who want more personalized training. Private lessons is also very good for students who are going to be competing in a tournament to get extra individual help.

I charge $20 an hour.

When you spar for testing, then you always fight someone better than you, and usually bigger than you. The goal is to try to hold your own, and not give up. So long as you continue fighting back then you pass. If you give up then you fail. This is how it is done at my dojo.

I was 20 years old when I earned my 1st Degree.

Last night someone asked me "so I hear you do karate". I responded with "yes". And he said "so, your a ninja then?".

I like it when people think that all martial artists do a "judo chop" while making strange noises. It's especially fun when people act out this scene.

Welcome

I'm not sure what to vote, as it was about a month before my 13th birthday. Should I then vote 10-12 as I was technically 12? Or should I vote 13-15 as I was nearly 13?

I don't understand the size issue when it comes to promoting or not promoting junior black belts. I'm 22 years old, 5 foot 3, 120 pounds. When I tested for shodan I was 20 and 105 pounds. Currently I work in a middle school with students ranging in ages from 11 to 14. Over 50% of the student population is bigger than me. With nearly all 8th graders being larger. If size is the only reason not to promote someone to shodan, then I shouldn't be a shodan. Now maturity is a whole nother ball game imho. If maturity is the reason not to promote to shodan (and I agree it is a good reason), then I totally understand that. But if size is the only reason for holding a 12, 13, 14 or 15 year old back? That I don't understand.

I wasn't aware that you could be "done" with ckd Congrats on your orange belt btw.

The theory is, since point fighting is a game of tag, then if your light on your feet then you will be faster. We call it bouncing but that doesn't mean jumping up and down, it means being on the balls of your feet moving slightly back and forth. I'd say it works since our students always do really well in competition, both point and continuous.