IcemanSK

To add to what Tallgeese said of the idea of reasonable force is the question of "what is reasonable?" Many of us have seen (or even trained) the "Master Ken-like" ideas (although his is comedic) of severe responses to an attack (groin stomps, throat rips, & the like). Certainly such a big over reaction would beg the question, "where did he learn THAT response?" So yes, I can see a time when rank, or time spent training might come up. But at the end of the day, "reasonable force" is still the question asked. Might an opposing lawyer bring it up to make you seem as if you over-stepped, or were a tough guy looking for an excuse to use your training? Sure. That's what lawyers do. So consider that BEFORE you restomp the groin.

I'm going to take a bit of a different take on the question & bring up boxing trainer Freddie Roach. Freddie was a tough-as-nails hard-headed fighter who didn't back up often during his career. He retired very early from fighting after, while earning respect, never won a world title. He then began training fighters under his mentor, the late great Eddie Futch. He now trains fighters to fight a smarter fight than he ever did. I think there's value in experience. But sometimes, there is greater value in being able to take a step back & analyze a better way to fight. I don't always think that it's necessary to have to have fought in order to train folks well.

That's fantastic news!! I'm glad she's enjoying it.

I wouldn't be so quick to rule out a style that you did as a younger person. A wise instructor will take the student into account & not expect the same from a healthy 20 year that they would of a more mature student. The folks above are spot on with that. Since you've trained before, you have a bit of an idea of what might interest you today. If you have physical limitations that concern you, perhaps try Tai Chi that is more low impact. Welcome to the forum.

In Taekwondo, the length of a BB test can vary greatly. Some instructors believe that they know the capabilities of their student (or they can tell the capabilities of a student quickly) that a BB test can be done in roughly an hour. Others feel that it should be a marathon-type test that can last several hours or even broken up over several days with the thought that we are to test a student's fortitude, as well as technique. Within your style, your org., your school, what do you think is the ideal length of a black belt test? Why do you believe in your answer? I'm not not looking for a correct answer, I'm just looking for how it's done where you train & why it's done that way. Thanks.

I recommend buying the most expensive mouthpiece that you can, honestly. If you can have your dentist make one designed for MA, do so. I spent $200 on my current one from my dentist simply because one tooth replacement can be $900 or more.

I contacted my friend who runs the school shown in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the video. Ironically, he's out of the country on a Christian mission. He'll connect with me when he gets back.

I'm a Kukki-Taekwondo guys in the Los Angeles area. There are MANY near me. The closest school to me is about a mile up the road in one direction & 2 miles in another. (Although the school 2 miles from me is new since I closed my school in July. I've had several friends who own schools in other towns, but I've never met any of the school owners in my town. Basically, I haven't met them because I hadn't had a reason to meet them. They were not any any of the tournaments that I'd been to.

The Christian folks who buy into that video you mention are a minority. For every church that buys into this video there are 20 who actually think for themselves & who know better. I'm watching the video now. He's using footage of school in my organization while he talked about the evil of MA. The school that he's showing in the 1st 5 minutes is a Christian MA program. Something tells me that the school owner didn't know this at the time it was filmed. He does now that I've emailed him. This guy has either a lot of nerve or an ax to grind against my friend.

There's a stereotype that all MAists do only intensely physical things and are "hard" people. What do you do that is counter to that stereotype? Paint? Write poetry? etc. As for me. I've been in Christian ministry of some sort for most of my adult life, despite training MA for even longer than that. I have fairly pacifist tendencies.

This.

I'd discuss that that kind of being lied to happens in Christian circles also. Benny Hinn comes to mind. Perhaps making that connection & that neither Hinn nor bad MAists aren't the majority of those in the business.

I'd say that if you have a bad experience (if an instructor is uncomfortable having you there) move on. It's that person's issue, not your's. Since closing my school since starting grad school, I've met a few masters that didn't want me to train with them. They seem nervous or oddly unwelcoming to me for whatever reason. We'd had a good relationship when I ran my school. There could be lots of reasons for this, but it's nothing I've done. I go to places where I'm welcomed & that I feel comfortable, as my schedule allows. If you can find someone who welcomes you, it is like finding gold. I'm sure you've discovered this. I wish you well.

The longer I train, the more I believe that it has more to with attitude & intent more than skill. Without trying to sound the morbid old guy, our bodies fail & we can't do at 50 what we did at 20. Some can never do what we once did. I'm not as good on my best day as others. That is why martial attitude (or martial spirit, as the Koreans say) is so valuable. I've met too many great technicians who are terrible humans beings off the floor. The most important part of training was not important to them. I neither want to train with, nor teach them. But give me a room full of imperfect technicians who pour their heart & soul onto the floor every class & are kind, generous & humble off the floor & I've done my job as an instructor.

I appreciate that it's harder when it's a family member. I'm sorry that you're in this hard position. Perhaps ask them to listen to your experience with MA. If they're not willing to be in dialogue with you, there is nothing you can do. There are cults of personality in MA where instructors have demanded way too much from their unsuspecting students, but most likely, that's different from what is in those videos. You could ask to see the video, if you haven't already. You could go through it item by item with them (or just over their biggest concerns from the video) & try to alleviate their fears. If you do it in a loving manner, it will go a long way. If you're defensive, sarcastic or dismissive of their concerns, it will be unproductive. Think of how you'd want to hear them tell you about their faith, & then tell them about MA. I hope that helps. It's not an easy spot to be in.

For me lineage matters because I've met a few of my Seniors in my lineage. I've studies & heard of their talent on the floor & their character off the floor. They give me something to aspire to & something to pass on to my students. When I meet someone of great character (kindness, humility, integrity) they're are someone I want to hold up to my students.

For TKD, in the last 50 years, my list is the following in no particular order. General CHOI (ITF & Oh Do Kwan founder) Dr. Un Yong KIM (1st President of Kukkiwon & WTF. Got TKD into the Olympics) H.U. LEE (ATA head) Designers of Tae Guek Poomsae with their Kwan affiliations: 1) KWAK Kun Sik (Chung Do Kwan) 2) LEE Yong Sup (Song Moo Kwan) 3) PARK Hae Man (Chung Do Kwan) 4) HYUN Jong Myung (Oh Do Kwan) 5) KIM Soon Bae (Chang Moo Kwan) 6) LEE Chong Woo (Jidokwan) 7) BAE Young Ki (Jidokwan) HAN Yong Tae (Moo Duk Kwan)

I'm a seminary graduate & was a long time professional Christian. I've also trained & taught MA for more than 30 years. My grandmaster, the late Edward Sell, was an ordained Pentecostal Christian minister. These things have been leveled at me & the Art I practice. I get your frustration. These folks, sadly, are frightened of what they've heard, but as you said, have no knowledge of. There's nothing that you can do to help the masses who may have seen this video that you don't have no connection with. However, you do have the opportunity to speak with folks that you do have a connection with. Talk about what your Art is, & alleviate their fears. When/if they express fears what they've heard "X, Y, or Z happens in ABC Art" tell them that, in your knowledge of MA over many years, that you've never heard of that happening. I'd encourage you to be kind & patient with anyone who has these concerns. In the same way that you would with a child who is afraid of the boogeyman in their closet. These folks have heard & believed something. You can discuss that calmly & politely, like you would if someone said, "I heard MA teaches you to levitate off the ground for hours." The questions are odd, but their concerns are real to them. I hope that helps. I wish you well.

Robert Downey Jr. is a Wing Tsun student.

When I was a gup student in the 80's, class was 2 hours long with a 2 minute break in the middle. That was fine when I was a teen. We did warm-up/stretching, basics, poomsae & sparring every class. I teach one hour classes & encourage my teens to attend 2 classes back to back. It's a different world today.

I look at these folks like Dave Kvor, Ernie Reyes, & Tom Callos, who have taught their base Art while also training & getting proficient in other Arts out of love & curiosity for what else is out there & what they can do. It's not about racking up rank, but gaining experiences & challenging oneself.

As mentioned above, teach the gross motor (big movements) of blocking & striking on the affected side as well as the non-affected side. Balance is important for all students. Some of you know, I have Cerebral Palsy that affects only the right side of my body. I have limited use of my right hand & arm. Working both sides of my body the same way has been the way I've strengthened my left side, while also bolstering my deficits on my right. In terms of the way you treat this student...set expectations as high as you do for other students. Anything less is unhelpful to the student.

That would have been extremely frustrating when you found out he was bogus, clearly wanted to just make money and to get payback on his old instructor whilst making students suffer at the same time. Here's the weird part of the story...he charged $15.00 per month in the 1980's when everyone else was charging $35-$50. Belt testing was roughly the same as others at the time. I think it was more ego than anything else. His wife (who also taught as well, but was also blindsided by his lies) made great money at her job & was the face & personality of the school. They could afford to break even on the school. I honestly think that doing what he did made him feel like a man, when he was couldn't get that respect in the rest of his life.

Congratulations!!

My dojang was rented space at my church, so I couldn't have mirrors. As the CI I struggled to be able to correct students quickly without them. After several years, I figured I'd worked around it. Then 5 years ago, I started training at the Y in the aerobics room in prep for my next belt test. The 1st day, it was like I had opened my eyes while training for the first time in years! I'd forgotten how wonderful it is to be able to see myself as I trained. I've certainly seen folks loose themselves in the mirror as they tried to train, but I think the value in mirrors for correcting one's own technique can't be overstated.