IcemanSK

Congratulations to one and all!!

I've thought about this a lot lately and even written about it for classes in my social work program. As many of you know, I grew up with a mild physical disability. Because of this, I was more sensitive to oppression people experience (bullying of all sorts). I started training at 14 in hopes of taking care of a bullying problem of my own. At the same time I began training, my Christian faith began to become very important to me. I find the love I'm to have for those in need that my faith calls me to dovetails nicely with what we as MAists are to be in the world. I'm an introvert by nature. I'm a behind the scenes-type of person. I don't mine speaking to groups, but I don't love it. I've always loved the phrase, "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes." After training for so many years, I've realized that it's my training that gives me strength to be vocal and active in speaking for those without a voice. While my faith gives me strength, my training empowers me in a different (and admittedly strange) way. For a very long time now, I think of training when I'm nervous to speak or to care for a difficult client ( say, homeless and/or combative mentally ill). I actually think to myself, "Well, this is hard, but no one is going to try to kick me in the head. And if they do, I've dealt with that before. It's not the worst thing in the world." And that gives me the courage to speak, and to care for others who don't have a voice and struggle in life. The hard times on the mat aren't nearly as close to the daily struggles of many of my clients. The strength I gain through training empowers me to be their voice. Without my training, I wouldn't have the ability, desire or strength to do what I do.

I couldn't have said it better. Praying for Angela and for you.

I went to my 30th high school reunion last year. Many people knew I trained back then. Several people said to me, "I remember all you talked about was TKD. What are you doing now?" "Running a TKD school," I'd say. But I get that most people can't connect to doing something for life. My passions are my MA & my Christian faith. I'm a theology nerd who is a social worker. Between what I enjoy and what I do for a living, no one wants to a discussion with me about what I spent my day doing. I get that. And I'm completely okay with that. There is a great big world out there of things to talk about.

There is no way for us on a website can assess whether a school is a McDojo based solely on their website. Since it's in your neighborhood, go talk with them and see what it's like for yourself. But you'll never know unless you find out for yourself.

Fantastic!!! Congratulations!!

My 1st Dan test was a huge affair way back when. I was the highest rank testing, but we had 30 testing that day. It was my responsibility to make sure everyone's dobok & belt looked as they should. One 16 year old green belt decided to wear a bikini top under her dobok top, rather than a t shirt. Being 17 myself at the time I had a difficult time saying it, but I told her to find a t shirt to wear. My master never knew about it, as far as I know. I've not worn a t-shirt under my dobok until the last few years. My organization recently okayed it for men. The rule for both genders is, "the shirt color must match one's rank." My preference is to not wear one, but I do occasionally.

This jumped out at me. In my TKD schools, we call our forms hyungs instead of poomsae or tuls. At times, it just depends on where your instructors came from. I would say this about the difference between TKD and TSD. They both generated mainly from Shotokan, and branched out from there. TKD was grabbed onto by a group of Korean instructors/school owners/black belts that wanted their style, their TKD, to be different than the Japanese style of Shotokan (for political and cultural reasons), so TKD began to change more and more. TSD didn't follow along that route, so it tends to look closer to what Shotokan does. ITF TKD looks different from TSD, but more similar to Shotokan than does styles that moved further and further away, like WTF TKD and ATA TKD. Where one's instructor came from, with whom they studied, what they decided to keep or leave behind from how their instructor taught, are huge factors in how different a TSD school is from a TKD school down the road. I know several TKD schools in my area (So. California) who are Moo Duk Kwan schools, but are very strongly Kukkiwon style schools as well. Their lineage is MDK, but they don't identify with TSD in any way. I also know a Oh Do Kwan TKD school that is not in any way affiliated with Chang Hon TKD. They too are Kukkiwon TKD. Even with Kukki-TKD terminology has changed over the years, as has the poomsae themselves. When I started in the early 80s, we called them hyungs. Later, the term poomsae became the term to use. By the middle 90s, if a student used the term hyung, we just assumed her/his master was an older person & current with the new terms.

My instructor I had as a teen was strict, but never mean. The instructor I had in college was cruel and sadistic and verbally & physically abusive to people around him. I've known people who were hard on students because they didn't know any other way to relate to students. The kind of people who the only had a hammer in their toolbox, and to them, the whole world was a nail. Being strict or a hard (not a warm person) doesn't make someone bad or cruel. Abusive or cruel, no one should put up with. But an instructor who is wise, but strict can be a tremendous benefit to a student who is willing.

The sad truth is, many years ago we bought into the lie of "work smart, not hard." Which has meant, " go to college instead of "settling for" some "menial job." As a result, those who work with the hands as well as their heads, are looked down upon. So much so, that a bachelors degree is now considered to be what a high school diploma used to be 40 years ago. The problem with devaluing trade school & working with one's hands is not only that we are devaluing people & work, but it actually handcuffing those who are more educated. By that I mean, many of those with more education will not know how things really work, and how to make simple repairs themselves. We, as a society, are shooting ourselves in the foot by not valuing other ways of learning & working apart from college.

Yeah, I think it's like that a lot of places. Folks just don't think about what might go into training at X school, or what parents might really want to know beforehand about the school, the instructor, or the style. My guess is that the gymnastics & dance places have similar calls, as well.

I think self doubt is a part of any endeavor that take seriously in our lives. Only true narcissists don't doubt themselves. The instructor's job (in part) is to set a bar for the students to reach for. Depending on how one looks at it, the bar can either be just out of reach of the student, or it can one that is always raised when a goal is reached. Doubt &/or burn out (either psychological or physical) are natural parts of working a physical goal for a long period of time. sensei8 has the right thought here. Take some time off. Do something (or nothing) else for awhile. Recharge your batteries and come back refreshed. Life happens around training. Enjoy it. Training will still be there when you're ready again.

My apologies. It's not as well known in the US. It's harder to come by, here.

There is no season in MMA. There are 3 main MMA leagues: UFC, Bellator, & Invicta (an all-women's league). Fights are broken down by weight classes where the fighters can weigh no more than 1 lb over the weight limit. For the men, the weight classes are 125 lbs, 135 lbs, 145 lbs, 155, lbs, 170 lbs, 185 lbs, 205 lbs & (I think) 270 lbs. UFC has only 2 weight classes for the women: 115 lbs & 135 lbs. Invicta has weight classes from 105 lbs to (I believe) 155. For non title fights, there are 3 5 minute rounds. Title fights (or main event fights) are 5 five minute rounds. 4 ounce fingerless gloves are worn. No pads on the feet or shins. Kicks, punches, knees & elbows are allowed. A fighter can win by either decision, submission, or knock out. Some current bigger name fighters are Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Holly Holm, Nate Diaz, Demetrius Johnson, & Jose Aldo. I hope that helps a bit.

Excellent!! Leaving your shoes at the door so you don't walk in with your problems.

I was thinking of all of side benefits & things about the experience of MA that I enjoy apart from the kicks, punches, joint locks, throws, etc. of MA. Things like" The camaraderie of training partners, stretching, wearing a uniform, the different gear for training, the philosophy in the Arts, the history of them, etc. What are the things, apart from the techniques of your Art that love about it? There are no right or wrong answers. Add as many as apply for you.

When I've washed my belt, which is rare, I air dry it outdoors. I live in Los Angeles, so the dry air doesn't take that long. I usually have another belt in my bag just in case.

That's really odd. I've not really seen women act like that around MA. Plenty of guys, but not women. Weird.

Well done, Ken!! Congratulations!!

Congratulations GM Reed!! In Kukki TKD there are many 9th Dan and who have the title grandmaster. The ATA is unique within TKD circles, as they (until now) have only had one grandmaster at a time. There are heads of individual Kwan, but still several grandmasters under them. At Kukkiwon, there is a president, but several grandmasters under them. So, in my experience, the ATA borrowed the idea of one GM at a time from non-TKD Arts.

Happy birthday Noah!!!! Have a great day!!

Gotcha! I'd recommend the Wavemaster XXL in the case of limited space.

I'm a big fan of the Wavemaster XXL for all the reasons JR 137 had. I've see the regular Wavemaster break in a week in a serious gym. I own an XXL & love it. If you have space, this Cornerman bag system is great if you want the benefits of a regular heavy bag, without having to anchor it into a ceiling. Another option to consider. http://www.centurymartialarts.com/training-bags/century-cornerman

I think of all the scenarios I've heard of from instructors over the years that start with, "a guy comes up to you in a bar or pool hall and...." I always thought, "I don't spend much time in either of those places, I'll never get to use this technique." lol But you must be the guy these instructors were with when they came up with applications for their lessons. Just Kidding. all in fun.

The folks I know who are capable of successfully doing one of those things are folks who tend to want to do both. They are used to juggling, sacrificing, & ordering their lives to do the things in life that life worth living for them. Doing less tends to make them uncomfortable, or restless.