IcemanSK

Welcome to KF.

I had a student who would get nearly sick to his stomach just mentioning the word "test." This was an adult student, a talented artist, & very confident in his career. In class, he did really well. This man was (& is ) a dear friend of mine for many years before he was my student. I'm not sure if he was afraid of looking bad, letting me down (somehow) or what. I think showing kindness & understanding of the student's feelings as you continue to stretch the student's comfort zone. MA is merely the current opportunity for the student to help them grow past what they think they can do. As instructors, we need to be understanding of how hard this is for them. We are there for them. We won't push them to do something that we don't think they can do. But also want them to do more than they think they are capable of doing. I think the best way to do that is to make the test the obstacle, rather than me, the instructor, being the focus as the person who gives the obstacle. I, as the instructor, have been through many tests. I get it. They're hard, anxiety-producing events. "Student X, I'm here to help you through the same thing I've been through the same thing you're about to go through. I will help you." Sadly, I know too many instructors who love being the bad guy at belt tests. "You're going to have to take this belt from me. And you're going to have to suffer to get it." This is a turn off to even confident students. I hope that helps.

Given your experience, I'd continue to take classes & train & see how things go. It would be really hard to put all your eggs into that basket without more experience under your belt...so to speak.

Those are very kind words Patrick. Thank you.

Yeah, those work.

I know who they are. Fantastic!! Very cool, indeed!!

Those are excellent ideas!

I'm sorry that I was not clear. The time that I wore a cast and had the difference in leg length because of it has passed. But I had that cast on for 6 months in 2010. It's funny that you should mention a sharpened end of the cane. One of the canes I have has a sharpened end on the crook. I took that with on an airplane when I had my cast on. Went through extensive screening due to the cast, yet not one TSA official said a word about this cane. Anyone looking at it would notice and say, "THAT it a weapon!" But no one noticed. I've been in conversation with some Hapkidoan about this and they agree with me that this is a hole in curriculum of their cane SD. I think I may have some help from them. Thank you so mych for your help.

Fantastic!!

It sounds like you've found something fantastic for you. Flexibility, better balance, a great sweat...all great reason why hot yoga would be a great asset to your Karate training. I know a lot of folks do it & fall in love with it.

I know I'm in Los Angeles, but I'm about to break a cardinal rule about living here. The rule says that celebrities are normal people & we shouldn't mention that we've seen them at the grocery store. But I've met more of these folks when I lived in Chicago, so it doesn't apply. Boxers, MMA fighter, etc. are also celebrities. It doesn't mean we're unique that we've met them. Just in the right place. I met Chuck Norris at a signing of his 1st autobiography in the 80s. Don "The Dragon" Wilson at a kickboxing event in Wisconsin Bridgett "Babydoll" Riley Lily Rodriguez Bill "Superfoot" Wallace Dr. Un Yong KIM (1st President of Kukkiwon) Kyu Hyung LEE (8th President of Kukkiwon) Who have you had the opportunity to meet?

There are a few folks of the era (Bruce LEE, Norris, Dan Inosanto, to name a few) that weren't afraid to go outside the box of their own Art & try something new. Unique for their time.

There is that thought one's instructor shouldn't be the one to test their own direct students, especially at black belt levels. The idea is that one's instructor might be too biased & expect a lot more from the tester or let the tester slide as having an "off day." Only one of my BB tests were done by my instructor at the time. I have had the same person test me for 3rd & 5th Dans, but she was not my master & has only seen me perform on the floor at those tests. I like the idea of someone else testing my students for BB rank. However, it gets harder to find someone to test someone as the student becomes higher rank. For Kukki-TKD, one has to travel to Kukkiwon in Korea to test for 8th & 9th Dan. I know some American masters whose master has died so they travel to Kukkiwon to test for rank.

Here's another from the same man on Tae Guek Sa Jang (4).

In Kukki-Taekwondo, Dan rank is given at age 16. Until then, one is Poom, or junior BB. We have Many Poom in the US, and many instructors don't tell them that they are Poom. They tell them "you're 1st degree BB." It becomes very confusing for parents & students. The time in grade requirements for Poom are the same as Dan rank. So, one can become a 1st Poom early (at say 7 or , then eligible to test for 2nd Poom in one year. One can stay Poom rank past 15 years old if they are 3rd Poom & intend on testing for 4th Poom before turning 18 years old. This is very rare. The number who have done this in the US is 404. (These folks are usually children of dojang owners. I know of 2 of them. They are brothers in their 30's & are excellent MAists & teachers). When one who has become 4th Poom at 17, becomes 4th Dan at 18 years old automatically. One who has lower Poom rank can become that Dan rank at 16 years old. This is the Kukkiwon way since it's inception in the early 1970s. A thoughtful master will explain to students & parents the difference between Poom & Dan rank. Many still give the Poom half red half black belt. Although many just give them a solid black belt. I give a Poom belt & have them wear a Poom v-neck dobok. They stand in line alongside Dan ranks (a 2nd Poom would out rank a 1st Dan), but Poom rank do not teach Dan rank. And they are watched closely when instructed to teach anything to young gup students. I will say that 1st Dan or Poom (IL Dan/Poom, meaning 1st Dan/Poom in Korean) means very little in Kukki-TKD. It's treated as if the holder has graduated from elementary school. They have only begun their journey. Movies & dojang in the US make it seem as if it's the end all & be all. Money is often the reason for that. Koreans prize time spent training over rank. I've never been asked by a Korean, "what rank are you?", but rather, "how long have you trained?" Years on the floor matters over rank. Elders are revered over the young. Those young men I mentioned who were 4th Poom in their youth, treat me with the greatest respect, even though they outrank me. In the Kwan era, before Kukkiwon was formed, younger people than 16 were given Dan rank on occasion. But it was rare, & these kids were tough. GM Hae Man PARK, VP of Chung Do Kwan was 13 when he received his 1st Dan. He later went on the be the head of the Presidential bodyguard for the So. Korean president. In his 80s, he's still a bad man behind that cherubic face. I respect & value your thoughts on this Bob. I come from a different perspective.

Congratulations!!

The problem I see with a crescent kick is that in an SD situation, a follow up technique is needed, but rarely trained. We often get the idea from the first Billy Jack movie that an outside crescent kick to the head is all one needs. I don't mean to flippant here, but it's most often taught as a stand alone technique. If it is part of a combo, it's often as part of a tornado kick. Old school in my Art used it as a block with a quick follow up. I haven't trained that in many years.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have video of me at 20, & video of my last test last summer. I fight smarter now, but I don't kick as high. I had a 1 1/2 massage afterward because I could hardly walk after my test. But I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. My best to you!

Yeah, his applications are eye-openers to new possibilities for the same old poomsae. His use of his whole body while blocking. Many Taekwondoin talk about using one's whole body in a block, but this demonstrates it in powerful, but small movement that works.

Happy birthday Alex!! Have a great day!!

I've not had the procedure, but rest & time seems to be the best Rx to me. As for that antsy feeling you have...take time to go over the parts of training you don't often get a chance to. Watch youtubes of your forms to get a different perspective. Watch sparring for the same thing. Watch old PKA or MMA fights for fun. Watch old MA flicks that either you'v always wanted to, or that you haven't seen in awhile. I know it's hard to out for awhile. You'll be up and back at it in no time. Be well.

At the time (2010) that I used a cane, I was also in a cast to just bellow my knee. Because of the cast, my casted foot was higher off the ground than I was with the tallest shoes I owned. The cast was on my right side (which is affected by mild Cerebral Palsy) which added to my limp & my ability to move quickly. I also have limited use of my right arm & hand. I can do gross motor movements. But fine motor techniques are not going to happen. I'd watch videos using a simple backward pivot (on either foot), it was much harder. That's when I realized that, at some point, I might have to use a cane full time. The canes that I have are both designed for SD. If I hit someone with either cane, or blocked a technique with it, it would have the desired result. I know that Hapkido Dojunim GM JI Han Jae is an older man in his 80's. I'd like to see him produce a video showing ideas of mobility.

That sounds good, but it is not that simple. My point is that no one has even addressed the issues of mobility &/or disability with an item used by folks with those issues. So far, we're teaching able-bodied people to defend themselves using an item that they will look suspicious walking down the street with. The people who are selling canes & marketing to older folks who use canes are only talking about using it for exercise. They are not even addressing SD for mobility issues. No, they address every mobility issue. But they are not addressing any mobility issues.

Yes they do. But if you notice, none of the people demonstrating have any mobility issues & move quickly & in quite an agile way arounf their opponents. Those techniques are designed for & by people who don't need to have a cane to get around. I'm looking for SD for people who need a cane to be able to walk.

It seems as though you were a guest in that karate dojo, not the CI's student. There's a difference. Guest instructors from different organizations and styles of MA should wear their belt (and uniform) IMO. In my former dojo we had a Japanese jujitsu 5th dan come in and teach us basics of his art 1 or 2 days a week. He'd also take karate classes alongside us once or twice a week. He was around for several months (he grew up in our area, moved to Japan, and was taking care of family matters here for a few months). We addressed him as Sensei and showed him respect as such. He outranked our CI, but wasn't put above him in etiquette (order of bowing in, lining up, etc.). He and my CI were exchanging ideas in MA and teaching in general. It wasn't a student/teacher relationship. Had he signed up for classes and agreed to be a formal student, he'd have been required to wear our uniform and a white belt. He'd have surely advanced through the ranks quicker, but he wouldn't have been granted any rank without demonstrating all requirements for it. I realized that I forgot to mention the point a which it was an opposite situation for me. The sensei of this school told me that he wanted to give me full BB rank in his system (not honorary) for my help to him. I thanked him, but declined. I told him that, if I were his student, I'd wear a white belt.