IcemanSK

In the 80's, they discovered that people enjoyed full contact karate. So maybe they'd like movies w/ world champions in them. Anthony Elmore (who? you ask) that's right. The "Amp" himself made one of the worst straight video flix ever. I know, cuz I rented it. Cuz if it had martial arts in it in the 80's I'd rent it

Usually a Century canvas uniform & a very old belt. I have Macho hand pads (when I do point) Reyes 16 oz boxing gloves when kickboxing. Macho boots & Ringside shin guards. A dentist made mouth piece! Ringside cup!

First of all, Heidi, you're my new hero Mine: Pre-Olympic Chung Do Kwon TKD 1982-1986 1st dan (Instructor sold school). "ITF" TKD school 1986-1993 2nd dan (Instructor gave us bogus rank!) Same style TKD (Instructors brother-in-law tried to start a legit school & failed) 1993-1994 Competitive kickboxing school 1994-1999 (Instructor died of brain tumor) Boxing 1999-Present Helping out in a Kang Chuan Do Karate class presently.

Betrayal is a harsh word, most folks train at a plain old dojo/dojang not a Shaolin Temple or have been taught "Teh deadly" ninja secrets. just my .02$ I'm not saying it is betrayal (or meant to be by the student) but can be perceived by the instructor as such. That's all I'm saying.

Maybe its not that you'll find out what you're learning there is worthless or no good, persay. But that you may like it better. They've invested (hopefully) themselves in you. If you go away (worst case happens) it may seem like a betrayal to some.

Does anyone know of one? I've googled & searched but found none. Does anyone know of one?

Mike: I'm praying for you & your family. Its a tough situation you all are in. You're just being a stand-up guy doin' the best ya can. I won't pretend its easy. Hang in there.

I'm jealous that some of you have black gi/doboks. I want one (insert little girl voice begging for it hehehehe). But my sensei said I can buy black pants for Jujitsu WHOOHOOO! What is it with us Tae Kwon Do folks. We're so starved for color that a black uniform excites us to no end. The Okinawan folks I train w/ now wear black. I just bought a few Century canvas uniforms. I'm like a kid at Christmas...

This is true. In the end, MA is a commodity like anything else.

Thanks skot! I emailed him RE: my situation (See "bogus rank" in "Politics" Forum) to see if he could help me. I've read this about him, but I don't know of anyone who knows 1st hand. Thanks for the info.

Laurie: Do ya remember which issue? I'm really curious. Thanks.

but I'm pretty confident that I could hold my own agianst a strong breeze ). That's the martial arts spirit we all love to see.

Uh, maybe

He's a 9th Dan in Chung Do Kwon Tae Kwon Do.

I really like the "diamond" style uniforms that I believe is worn by Moo Duk Kwon black belts. But I've seen them in Hapkido & Tae Kwon Do, too. Can anyone tell me if there is a certain BB rank that one is allowed to wear this dobok top (ie. master's level) or is it just a BB thing?

Willanem has it right. If Cage's character in the film calls himself "sensei" its only to make himself feel better about what he does. Martial arts sensei are builders of character, not destroyers of it. Martial arts senseis are so called because they teach the art of fighting, techniques of attack and defense. By profession, they are neither therapists nor preachers whose main job is personality development or character formation. If ever shaping of character is attempted by a MA sensei, usually the traditional type, it is only incidental or vicarious to his principal task, as the main bulk of his work as sensei remains to be still teaching technical skills of fighting to his students and making them highly efficient in SD or sports fighting competition. So, by profession, they are "lords of fighting" or in more dramatic term, "war", not lords of peace. In contrast, priests, rabbi, monks and the like are "lords of peace". While I agree with you that they hold a different purpose than rabbi, priests & monks, I disagree with you that MA instructors are "lords of war" as you put it. The principle behind every martial art I've ever heard of is self-defense rather than training a miltary force for military purposes. The martial arts themselves follow a moral code that instructs its members not to go looking for fights. I train students that, for some, I'm the only positive male figure in their lives. My goal is to get them to be great people, not great fighters. The boxing trainers at the community center where I teach & I all have that same thought. The kids who come to us aren't fighting on the streets anymore. They have something better to shoot for in their lives.

I got my BB from a strict white uniform TKD school at 17. So my big thing was ANY other color uniform. I had seen a red w/ black stripe Century uniform in a catalog before I started. I vowed I'd have one, someday. A gorgeous BB at our school had a black w/ white striped one just like it that she wore demos. I wore mine to one tournament (& stuck out like a sore thumb at a TKD only tourney) & never wore it again. My instructor said I could wear "whatever I wanted." But also said, "notice I don't wear a black uniform." I took the hint. When I went for my 2nd Dan (at a different school) my best friend & I trained together for it. We had a ritual that that we'd eat Korean food the night before. We did it w/ our jr rank friend when they tested, so it was good for us too. The thinking was "If you have Korean food in your system, it made for better TKD." It was great friendship building, even tho it occasionally made for ....gassy down blocks.

Willanem has it right. If Cage's character in the film calls himself "sensei" its only to make himself feel better about what he does. Martial arts sensei are builders of character, not destroyers of it.

I've heard good things about him. Does anyone here train under him or his students? I've only read a book he wrote in the 80's. But I'm curious about what its like to train under him.

A student after my own heart.

Congratulations! Remember how this feels. The feeling will diminish over the years, but I hope you never get over the excitement of teaching your art!

I've looked into one of those German-engineered racing spines, but I've been told they're hard to come by in the states. Martial arts sure does help rack up the mileage. Its been good for me. But I fear the day when I'll have to take up Aikido because my body won't allow me to do a hard style anymore.

I paid $250 back in 1985. $100 for the "school rank" & $150 for Kukiwon. $500 does seem a bit steep to me.

I'm really curious to know if refering to someone as master, other than Christ, bothers anyone with a faith background. I also would love to hear from high ranking black belts if it would bother them if a student came to them & said, "I prefer to not call you Master_____. But Mr/Ms instead." I'm quite serious about this. I appreciate your input.

I see that an instructor might be upset for fear of loosing a student. I can also see jealousy (as in "why would my student need X art, too? I don't need it.) I experienced it when I was a young black belt. My master wasn't interested in hearing that I liked kickboxing & joint locks, too. It is a difficult line for an instructor to walk between encouraging student's curiosity & teaching them what YOU know. I think MMA (where one has to be a "well-rounded" fighter) makes it more difficult for a student to appreciate the style in front of them. But then again, its quite "American" to want it all, too.