Zaine

I find that it's easy to become stagnant as a black belt, especially since I don't have a dojo at the moment. The biggest challenge for a black belt is finding a challenge. We find that we're often cocky, what you said about your Dai-Soke pulling you off your pedestal is funny to me because we find that we need to be humbled. There's a certain cockiness that even as black belts, who know that we should handle it, we get because we're higher than others. To answer you're main question: it's hard for me to answer since I don't have a dojo. However, as a black belt there's a certain bar I set for myself that I keep on pushing higher and higher. It is necessary for a black belt to continue finding the next level and finding new and interesting way to push yourself in ways that make you uncomfortable because uncomfortable is good in this sense.

I can't lie. This topic makes me blush a little. You guys flatter me. What I mean by this is all of those things you listed. For me Martial Arts isn't just physical, it's mental and a strong mind is a strong body is a key concept for me in every aspect of life, not just martial arts. For a person to be a good martial artist they should study in every way that they can possibly imagine for me.

Not really.. it's a lot like cracking your knuckles. I may go to a doc... would this be a general doctor? It might not be that big of a deal if it doesn't hurt, but it might still be worth the trip. Yes, just whoever you usually would go to.

Does his personal life affect the truth value of his argument? Don't let someone's bad personal life get in the way of learning something that could genuinely help you.

Welcome to KF!

You probably need to go to the hospital, you might have some fluid in your knee.

Does the cracking hurt? It might be worth the trip to the doctor to try and get it checked out.

Lol that's a great way to look at it.

I disagree. Adrenaline can over power the bulk of the pain from a strike to the testicles, in which case all you've managed to do is anger the attacker even more and make them more determined to attack you. A better thing would be to go for the throat.

That makes a lot of sense - we had a continuous kumite session 2 weeks ago, only 34 rounds but enough to shake off the cobwebs, and I really noticed the difference. I wish I knew more about the mechanics of this, but all I can really say for sure that it has to do with the speed of extension that your limbs have.

Also, as an add on, when you're doing it, make sure that your technique is tight even when you're tired. You don't want to develop bad habits, and exercising when your body wants to stop is a really easy way to develop bad technique.

Doing those things until you're tired, and then continuing to do them. Speed as far as striking goes is governed by tendons, and by doing those things until you're tired your working those tendons more than when you're going from an at rest situation. Also you can always do the conventional wrist and ankle weight training, that does well to work the same tendons.

That sounds amazingly intense. By which I mean awesome.

My sentiments exactly. Who cares if they're not a great fighter, as long as they're teaching me right I'm all good.

On the one hand yes, you want something that's going to last. On the other, I prefer middle weight. It's a little more maneuverable, cheaper, and if you take care of it, it will last just as long.

I have a hard time saying that you were wrong. Yes, it probably would have been better to bring it to the attention of a teacher or school official, but if a former student of mine had done that, I would have explained to them how there were better ways of handling that, but there probably wouldn't be any further repercussions.

Nor will you I think. If I remember correctly Muay Thai is very much a "no wasted movement" martial arts. They would probably as something like "Why go on your hands to kick their heads when I can do that right side up?"

A Grandmaster once sent a letter to my instructor about our entire school's performance in one of his tournaments. About the same thing.

Welcome to KF!

Mine goes White, Blue, Green, Brown and Black, with Blue, Green and Brown receiving two stripes each in between.

Agreed on both counts. You can learn from this instructor and separate yourself from his personal doctrines and such, but, why learn from a jerk when there are other able instructors out there.

Work and study and distractions (KF).

I personally love it. I haven't taught in awhile, but I love to teach people something that I love. For me it's just a passion to teach someone something I'm so passionate about, even the boring drills (which are so useful and I do them, but they still suck).

What's wrong with bikes?

How come Western minds are weak? The rank systems were created and used in the East FIRST, so I don't see how it really has anything to do with "Western" minds. There are thousands of Western athletes that train in Martial Arts without any need or desire for rank; they are Boxers and Wrestlers. Very true. I believe that there are more western fighting systems without a belt system than eastern systems.