IcemanSK

I agree this is a fundamental problem. I also agree with your other quote, about the instructor trying to establish if the student reaching black belt is their only goal. If our instructor finds out that the student wants to test to black belt and then quit, he won't test them. He feels like they are missing the point, and he will not give a black belt to someone who wants to quit. It makes some parents upset sometimes, but they don't realize that he is saving them money on a testing that wouldn't mean anything after the child quits. That is the irony, isn't it? They'd be upset that you don't test their kid because the kid doesn't want to BE a BB, just have one. A lotta time & $$ can be saved by just ordering one & hanging it on the wall.

This is very true. Its like the "wise old man" who trains the new student in the movies, but never trains, himself. Yeah, I wanna be that guy, too. Its the American Dream, isn't it? Actually I think the American Dream involves a silver platter, or a white picket fence, one or the other... Yes, a BB (complete w/ the wisdom of the MA ages) on a silver platter delivered to the door of your white picket fence house. Isn't America great.

This is very true. Its like the "wise old man" who trains the new student in the movies, but never trains, himself. Yeah, I wanna be that guy, too.

I think folks sometimes leave at 1st Dan because either there isn't a "continuation cirriculum" in place after 1st dan. This was the case at my 1st school. We had a world class fighter there who was only a 2nd dan. There was no real motivation for him to move up, nor was there a process for him. Another reason folks leave then is the "well, I 'mastered' this art, what else is there?" thought process. I had a bit of that when I got mine. I wanted to "spread my wings" a little. At 17, I didn't give much thought to whether my instructor thought it would be disrespectful to look elsewhere. (A very American mindset that my Korean instructor didn't appreciate.) I regret it now.

I motivate myself by taking time off, watching some MA flicks (but not most), talking to my old training partners, talking w/ my instructor or watching old fights on tape. Sometimes, its easier said than done.

Kwon also makes a good uniform. Sang Moo Sa does as well. The problem ya might run into is your need for different sizes. I don't know of any that will break up a v-neck set. Although, a few do it for "traditional" uniforms.

I haven't seen any of these yet. I'm looking for input from that have some good ones to share. THANKS for the list! If anyone has insight on these, I'd love to hear it.

I'm WTF, but I go back to when they kept their hands up. I drill it into my students to keep em up all the time. We may go to WTF tourneys....but what if we go to an "open tourney?" They're gonn need to block. Not to mention "The Street."

Fortunately my current Master Instructor is very proud of his lineage and this is one of the first things he talked about when interviewing me as a new student. One of the precepts of his system is to "revere your ancestors". That's great that your Master does that. My 1st instructor (a Korean) only said, "TKD is 2000 years old." & that he trained at Oh San Air Force Base in Chung Do Kwan. My current instructor goes into great detail about the heritage. Its really great!

I'm looking for videos that have relavent MA drills, games etc for kids. I need new ideas. Any suggestions?

It's ok, most TKD folks don't know their Kwan lineage anyway. When the WTF "swallowed" them all to make the WTF, a lot of instructors stoped caring about it.

He didn't really list Kwans in his list. That goes more to style than does where one's certificate comes from, huh.

Are you sure its the same GM Park? GM Park, Hae Man is the VP of the World Chung Do Kwan. I think the GM Park that you're talking about is a different gentlemen.

Oh man! Lucky you. I wanted to learn the Palgwes, too. But my dojang does the Chang Hon set. Which I do like, also. If ya wanna learn the PalGwes, I'd highly recommend Turtlepress' DvD set by Master Sang H. Kim. They're very helpful. I'm a technique nut like you, Laurie. But I had the thrill & scare of my life in a BB forms class run by GM Park, Hae Man. He helped design the Tae Guek & BB forms. We were doing Koryo thru Pyung Won. But I only knew Koryo! Ya can't bow out of a class taught by GM Park, right! He was very kind to me & didn't kick me out of his art.

I don't think it's necessary, either. I grew up shooting guns & have a lot of respect for them & most of the folks who use them. But I don't see them as an important part of MA. I don't own one, nor do I plan to. Its not my thing.

I'm just curious who has one. Maybe your school was in a 4th of July parade or you were a big fan of that look on Bill Wallace in the early 80's. I don't own one, but I've honestly thought about it more than once.

And of course, this "highly skilled kicking specialist" presented his credentials, right? Especially on the internet, there are many people who will try to tear others down to make themselves appear bigger, moreso when it is something they themselves can't do. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless Chuck Norris or similar appears at your door and says "Hey, dude, that kick won't work in real life". Aodhan Bingo...When you put things out there on cyber space for all to see, you are going to attract trolls and keyboard warriors. Looks like you landed one hook, line and sinker. Maybe you can contract with the KF staff, they do a good job keeping out the riff-raff. In my highly skilled opinion, you hit the nail on the head

To a point I will agree, but as I stated before, the Canemaster system is so large, that someone with physical limitations could pick and choose what he or she is able to do and still end up with a large set of self-defense moves, strikes, or blocks. bat We disagree on this point, bat. While I'm sure that there are things that folks who need canes to get around could use in this system for SD, its really not designed for Seniors & those w/ disabilities that require them to use a cane to get around. My mother-in-law uses a cane to get around. She does not have the strength nor dexterity to use this program effectively. I have trained in MA for 24 years, I can use it well. However, there will come a day when it will no longer be possible for me, either. Its a great program, but its not for folks who actually need a cane to get around.

Point taken

I recently had a conversation with a young TKD 4th Dan who had a very worn belt. (He's in his early 20's & runs his own school. He's a talented MAist & instructor) I asked how old his belt was. He said 3 years. Then I asked how many hours a day he taught & trained. 6 days a week, for 3 to 6 hours a day. Add that to the humidity in Florida where he lives & you have a well worn (yet not frayed) belt. He didn't necessarily like it, but he didn't have a big opinion either way. I'm all for a worn belt, if it happens naturally. Aiding or helping it to wear...not so much.

I started in WTF, then went to the ITF style, now back in the WTF style. Like some mentioned, I liked the Palgwes, too. And the Chang- Hon tul of the ITF. But since my instructor's instructor, GM Park, Hae Man helped design the Tae Gueks, I have learned a fondness for those as well.

That is the only down side (& ironic, I thought) to the program. I inquired about Seniors & others who need canes being able to use the program. And gentleman who teaches it told me that it was really for able-bodied folks. I told my mother-in-law she'd need to buy a gun instead.

There's no reason why one couldn't do that.

A story of 2 people.... One guy, Chris, has a degree from Harvard. He graduates & becomes a non-important person in a field that is far beneath his "status" as a Harvard grad. The other guy, Bill, leaves Harvard without graduating & becomes the richest man in the world. Did it matter who had the prestigious degree? No. It came down to what they did with what they had. All things being equal, I think it does matter that you have an organization behind your rank. For all the blood, sweat & tears we put into our arts, there should be more to show for it than just a certificate from a guy on the corner of 5th & Main in my town. Cuz someday, I might move to where no one knows or cares who that guy is. Yeah, I'll carry the skill (if I continue to train). But I'll want my students to be able to do the same thing when they leave town. My credentials mean as much to my students as they do to me.

I have the organization patch & an instructor patch (particular to our organization, it denotes rank). My dress uniform has my name embroidered on it & black braids on the sleeve that denote time in the art. (1 for every 4 years of training. I have 6 braids). There's an organization patch (big) on the back. My favorite uniform in an Adidas Grandmaster (no stripes) it has no patches at all.