jaymac

I like to practice my reaction time with a partner. I have someone punch at me and practice my blocks and strikes against them, asking them to increase their speed each time and not do me any favors by aiming away from me. If I get hit, I need to move faster. It not only helps me with reflexes, but I noticed that it has helped my focus and control.

Just focus on you only. Instead of worrying whether this guy is going to pass you, take extra classes. Train hard, and achieve your black belt with the thought behind that you worked very hard to earn that rank and you deserve it.

Talk to your instructor. It can be the difference maker here. I like what was said earlier, if you use it , you clean it. Dojo clean ups happen regularly at our school. It is not for rank, it is just to help keep our training area clean. We love our dojo so much, that we often ask what we can do in our spare time to assist the head instructor with maintanence. Think about what is going on at your dojo. Is it really the cleaning thing, or is it the social politics and the fact that you are getting bored. It is ok to get bored. Just talk with your instructor. I know I said earlier you should look for another school, but it is important to talk to him first. You may still find that you would rather train elsewhere, but be sure you are leaving for the right reasons.

Ok, went to the Sabres vs. Sens game. Sabres won! Thank god. WE are in the Playoffs!

Clark and Logan are great names. Much better than green lantern. Ha Ha, last night I was watching Smallville and i thought what a great name Clark would be for a son.

There is alot too blame. Video games and television for instance have become babysitters. Rising costs require both parents too work so fast food becomes easier. We live in a society where we want everything done for us and at a rapid pace. That is why MA is so awesome. you can put your whole family in it and lose weight and train together.

I try not to tell people that I have a black belt. I don't want to seem like I am bragging about something they didn't ask about. If someone asks, I tell them and I still get the same comments "So I guess you could kick my butt?" etc....

Talk to your instructor. It is important to let him/her know when there is something you need help with. Keep in mind with your shotokan training that there are alot of kata. Practicing them often is important.

Are you sure you didn't just pull some muscles training. It is easy to do and not remember. Take a hot shower, apply some muscle relaxer like asper cream or something and take some motrin. 600 mg every 6 hours or 800 mg every 8 hours ( if you weigh more than 180 lbs. ) See if this helps, if it does, don't sweat it, it was muscular. However, if your breathing becomes impeded, go to the closest ER.

I am confused about your question. When I am sparring whether it be training or competition, there is allowed only minimal contact. I do not feel that I am helping my opponent train by hitting him/her in the face and possibly injuring them. yes they should have blocked it, but I should have had control. By injurying them, I may have knocked them out of training for awhile and how does that help. Alot of people training have professional lives also that they personally do not want to go and sport a broken nose or some missing teeth. On the street however, that is a different story. If someone was trying to attack me, I am not worried about his appearance. Besides, adrenaline and your training will take over and any hesitance you may have had against a friendly opponent will dissolve against a potential attacker.

If you live in LA, the possibilities must be endless. Shop around. Decide if you are interested in a sport MA, grappling art, traditional, etc... Then go from there by visiting schools and talking with the instructors about your goals. Try some classes. Good luck. You are lucky to be in an area where the options are limitless.

I think Shotokan is an excellent choice, but I am biased However, most school allow a trial membership. Talk to the instructors and take a few classes at each school and make your decision after attending and talking to instructor and his/her students.

All in all, MA is different for everyone. For many, it is a lifestyle. If you have a child who started taking preschool classes at age 4 and has stuck with the school for over 7 or 8 years and advanced in rank and then all of a sudden, he/she cannot test for black belt even after knowing the requirements and maybe putting more time and effort in than older students, then you will probably lose their business. If Black Belt is the beginning of true learning, then even if they receive their black belt as a child, everytime they come to that dojo, they are going to improve. Teaching someone MA and their learning the system, their enjoyment of the Arts, and their constant improvement should mean something. I guess I would rather have a child grow with the MA and love it and have him/her as a student forever, than turn them away because I felt they were too young to wear a black belt. This was a good post.

Talk to you instructor. He/she may really not encourage cross training at this point. Some do not like their students cross training at all. If you like the dojo you are with, stick to it for awhile and really learn the system. Then decide if you would like to begin your cross training.

I agree with lordtariel, convince them to train with you at your school. Maybe you can become friends. Listen, it is so hard to not get mad and want to hit, but you just can't. I went to school with this guy. He is a big guy and really never provoked any type of fighting with others, so I don't know why everyone always wanted to fight him. I guess cause he was a jock and big. Anyways, one night after a game, he was drinking and someone was messing around with him, trying to get him to fight. He punched this kid and the kid fell back and hit his head on the curb and died right there. Can you believe it? I mean we live in a small town. Who would of thought this could happen. My friend lost his football scholarship, his future, his whole life because he finally got mad and acted on it. He is still in jail. It isnt worth it. Trust me. I know alot of people here could probably tell you similar stories. Be mature and find a different way to vent your anger.

My Instructor is a 7th Dan in Shotokan Karate. He is the only instructor, but has several Shodans and Nidans assisting.

I understand your thought blackbeltblonde, but look at it from a business stand point. You have a school with large glass windows so that others could watch from the outside. You do this in order to interest others and hopefully get them to try some classes. Now you are watching 2 or 3 men who have their black belts, you think they are ranked in the style that you are watching, and they are awful. Completely misrepresenting that school. How would you feel as a potential customer. It is obvious they do not know anything about this style. Obviously this instructor must not mind, but now we are hearing feedback at our school from new students about this other school and how they are just handing out black belts, when the truth is these guys earned their black belts somewhere else in a completely different style. Had this MA been similar to what they trained in, I would say OK, but it is completely different. It is actually helping the student increase at our school, so I guess it is good for us, but truthfully, it is hard to keep a dojo open, so I sort of feel for this guy.

My advice would be to shop around some. Take some trips to local schools and see about doing a trial membership. I wouldn't immediately limit yourseld to TKD or Muay Thai, although both are good for work out and self defense. Also, most dojo's offer different classes for ages. You probably do not have to worry about being in the same class with 10 year olds.

I agree with others. I don't think martial arts is the place for you. You are not interested or serious about the training it takes in Martial Arts. Maybe gymnastics is a good place for you. They are extremely acrobatic, flexible, and strong.

Their are some pretty nice ones for a decent price in Asian World magazines.

I have a pair of pine tree shoes. I like them and they are comfortable, but I only use them at demonstrations. I prefer barefoot because that is how I trained for years. Besides, the shoes mark up the dojo floor.

It has been at least two weeks. What kata did you do and how did you do?

Are you kidding me?? Too old?? Trust me, you are young and will be for quite awhile. Do not let age begin to limit you already. When you are 40, you will be looking back and saying, why did I think I was too old at 21? Go, compete. Even if you cannot enter because of your rank with the Univ. club, enter under your other school. Also, I think it is honorable that you do not really care about rank. But as you can see, tournaments take rank very seriously. If you begin to compete, you are going to want to be ranked in your respective styles.

kata, kata, kata!! Kata slow with mirrors and good technique. Kata fast. Is also a great work out!

We all have opinions and everyone goes through what you are. When we have a long break, I too sometimes think I enjoy the rest, catching up on reading etc... Then when i go back, I think "this is way too fun to allow myself to slack off." I think your real issue is the dojang itself. You are having second thoughts about stuff going on there. Give it some thought, but maybe finding another school or another completely different style might be what you are looking for.