karatekid1975

I have a plain uniform for those occassions when I visit sister schools or my old school (which I still train at twice a year for a few days). I'm not big on patches. I have the school's patch on my uniforms, but that's it. We are allowed to put whatever we want on the right shoulder. Some have an American flag, some have a Korean patch (or the one that's half and half), some of the kids have a kiddie type dragon patch, ect. I chose not to have any extra except for the school patch only because it's required.

When I spar, I have a grin on my face most of the time. When I spar a few people, I laugh. Not because they are bad, but because I just can't stop laughing (my boyfriend is one of them LOL). Plus I like to have fun while sparring. It's a game, basically, for your mind and body. If a person is stiff and tense, what is that going to get them? Frustration, mainly. So I stay relaxed, have fun, and enjoy it. It throws a few people for a loop (the ones that are stiffies, mainly), but hey. It works for me

When I was in a self defense situation, I was scared (I'm not going to lie), but I kept my cool (somehow ... thank God). I used just enough force to put the guy down, and get away unhurt. That's all I needed.

I can say from my experience in a self defense situation that I used three hand techniques and one kick. I guess it fit the situation at the time. If it were a different situation, it would have been different. But it worked. That's all I care about

Yea, I agree. It's hard to tell really. We have people reach black belt, leave, then return (gee, we have color belts that do that LOL). Some 18 year olds go off to college, then come back. I really couldn't tell you how many BB's are at my school. I'm not there yet, and BB class is on one of my off-training-nights. I can say that 5 of the BB's are my friends, then there are the instructors. But I know that there are, at least, 30 in my dojang alone (there's more in the other two dojangs, also).

I came from a TSD dojang, and I did Shotokan for a bit. I found that they are very similar (give or take a technique or two). The forms are the same, also (except for a couple of techniques), just pronounced in Japanese instead of Korean LOL.

We don't use sweeps during sparring, but we do train them (drills, combos, ect). My old TSD school does use them in sparring, one steps, drills, ect. I love sparring there when I visit

Same here. We are taught different ways, depending on the target.

Thanks

My instructor says funny stuff that he doesn't mean. He is asian with a heavy accent. He tries to say stuff in english that he either forgot how or it comes out wrong. I forget what he was talking about one night, but he tried to say something and it came out as the word s**t. He stops and smiles realizing what he said. He laughed at himself. You could here little giggles thoughout the class. It was funny, but you had to be there.

I agree Kicks. This is what I was trying to say LOL. But in class, I can get away with kicking to the head. Outside of class, kicking to the head is suicide in my opinion.

Same here Scottnshelly. Thanks everyone for keeping this topic interesting. I enjoyed reading it. Even the opinions of each person were pretty interesting. And thanks for keeping it civil

It depends for me. If it's a real situation, no higher than the waist or ribs (again depends on the situation, timing, ect). Low Thai kicks are good for that. In class is a different story Like thaiboxerken said, if they are dumb enough to drop their hands ... Whap! *Boot to the head* hehehehe

Good advice. Thanks

Cool. I think I will get mine (the real thing, not just probationary BB) after 6 years of training. In my dojang, you have to be red belt for a year. Prob BB for 6 months. But most get it then chill there for a year as well. I will more than likely do the same thing.

okc, I don't know why, but I'm kinda at the point too. I have been doing a lot with my dojang, which has been fun (we have regular outtings, cookouts, ect). I help out with testing, and the kids. I'm having a blast. BUT with the training part ..... I don't know the word for it. I don't hate training .... But I think I'm just stuck in a "slump" again.

AngelaG, good site. I like the bunkai part of it. Are you going to put the bunkai up for other forms/katas? I like to see ones for Pyung ahn e dan (Heian Ni dan).

I started in Tang Soo Do as a beginner (of course, because I had no previous training). When I moved and started TKD, I started at white belt. BUT I progressed faster to about green belt level. I could have progressed faster after that, but I chose not to. To me, I thought it was too fast. If I were ever to go back to my old TSD dojang, even after recieving my BB in TKD, I would still where my old rank or start over.

Sorry, but it drives me nuts to see the cross-over in the back. I know "It's not a fashion show" but to me, it looks sloppy. I guess it's just my personal preference. I was taught early in my MA training that the belt should look like "one" in the back, so it kind of stuck, I guess.

Depending on the instructor, there is some ground fighting/throws in Shotokan. If I were you, I'd take up one art for, at least, a year to get a good base. Then try/add something else. But the two are fairly different, so it wouldn't be difficult to study both.

I totally agree. I've been training for four years, and there are people in my dojang that got their BB's in three years. Do I care? Nope (I'm just a lowly color belt). I see some BB's in some dojangs that are no better than a yellow belt (low standards from the instructor, I suppose). I do hold myself at a higher standard. If I don't think I'm there yet, I won't test. That goes for my BB as well (when I get there that is).

Wow. Cool site Lots of video clips on there. It will take me all day to download all of them LOL.

Pretty much the same here. For green belt, I learned Taegeuk 4 (?), but I had to know all previous ones, one step sparring, self defense, and sparring. I don't remember much of my green belt test, so I could be wrong.

I agree with Jade. Plus, if she doesn't like the teacher and the dojo, why doesn't she just find somewhere else to go? I would have (not that I would cause any problems like her .... I'd be ashamed of myself).

I wasn't training for a couple of months, but I'm back now (as of 4 months ago).