jaymac

Chaz, that is how it was when I took Kung Fu. I am in Karate now and I sort of enjoy the testing. It is challenging and rewarding. It is just a formality, but I actually like testing better than not testing and just receiving rank.

After classes at night, the last class always cleans. It is part of having respect for the training area. Many dojo's practice this. However, I know for a fact that it is not a requirement in our dojo in order to receive rank. And as for the community thing, I would be mad. I work a full time job at night, sleep in day, and train as often as possible. When the heck would I find time to add community services so that I could get a BB. No way. Not that I wouldn't want to help others. But I would like to do it on my own free will.

No. I couldn't imagine doing anything else, training or my career.

Extremely well put Sensei Mark. I wouldn't think highly of an instructor who did this. In fact, I would probably lose trust in him/her if it was done to me.

Personally, after that much time away from the art, I would go in as a white belt. Try not get discouraged though. Let the head instructor know that you once trained and earned Brown belt. You may find that you remember more than you thought and advance quickly.

I agree, all you have to do is prove them wrong by continually working and training hard. Don't worry about what others think, it will only inhibit your own progress.

I was scrolling through different posts and came upon this one. People mostly (and unfortunately) care about ranking. In order to prevent people from feeling as though they arent achieving any type of rank, we give stripes on belts for learning requirements in that belt level. It is really just providing positive reinforcent and short term goals. You would think that it would only work on little kids, but it works for adults too.

It is a rule in our dojo that everyone must wear sparring gear. No it isn't going to completely protect the head if someone struck it hard. It should provide protection if falling to the floor. Mostly it is a liability issue. Everyone is supposed to have good control. Doesn't mean they always do though.

My most experience is Shotokan karate, but I trained for several years in HunGar Kung-fu. I am confused and interested at the same time. We called our instructor Sifu. But he had 5 red lines on his belt. I know it is not considered "dan" but what was it? He said he was 5th degree.

The only time I wore my uniform was when I was going to train and then when I left and went straight home. I did not wear it around in public. It was comfortable enough though that I would have, but non Martial Arts people see it as a form of boasting about your training or in some odd way may see it and want to try to pick a fight. Not really worth it I think.

I am not part time. I train and teach everyday. However, I work nights and if I do not have to go into the dojo for a particular reason, i do not move around much at home until I have to go into my nightly full time job.

I didn't just sit and watch a class. I actually went and took trial memberships with different dojo's. It took awhile but I found the school I was after. Know specifically what you are looking for. I did not want a garage dojo instructor. I wanted to go to a well established dojo that would not close up after I had gotten my blue belt. (Unfortunately, it happens too often). I did not want an instructor who took a few years of this style, a few years of that style .... and then incorporate it into his/her own version of a Martial Art. Ultimately I found a well established shotokan school, with a very experienced 7th dan instructor who only ranked in shotokan. Now I am not saying he didn't dabble in other styles, he only teaches traditional shotokan. I am very happy with my decision. I was lucky to have several places to go and participate in their trial memberships before making a wise decision.

I would have to agree, that would annoy me to have to teach a teacher. But we have to remember that Sensei is literall "teacher" in Japanese. Anyone who is teaching can be a sensei. We just use it in terms of higher rank in the states to recognize black belts and higher dan levels. I do not agree however that a person learning themselves should wear a black belt with a white stripe. If it was me, I would rather wear the belt that I had earned whether it was a white belt or a yellow belt or whatever.

We say "Hai" it supposedly means Yes in Japanese. I have heard many different things about "Osu". So I am not exactly sure of its meaning. We had a Japanese teacher tell us that it was considered very disrespectful and that Westerner karate practitioners overuse it, misuse it, and do not even know what they are talking about. He never went into the exact meaning of the word because it made him mad.

You should never stop doing your basics. You should practice all you have learned often. That is if you are serious about your training and stepping into the dojo on a weekly basis. If you don't then that white belt who is trying so hard will end up setting a better example doing basic techniques than the Black Belt who isnt practicing at all.

Go for it. It is a learning experience and very good for your training. Definitely have more confidence in yourself. Just go and have fun. Cause tournaments are a blast.

You are right fairfax, it is a good motivator. However, I am not over the hill yet and unless I fall off the face of the earth, they can't pass me

Practice EVERYTHING!

Does anyone have an Instructor who completely keeps his or her private life completely away from their students? I have recently run met a couple of instructors whom share nothing personal with the students in their dojo and only provide a tiny insight of who he/she might be through their karate teaching. It is interesting to me in a way. I think that it is a different way to keep things very traditional at the school. On the other hand, I think it is odd to keep your life completely secret from everyone other than your own family.

My training means everything to me. If I didn't get up everyday and go and train, I would be a slug on the couch. My belt is important but not as important as the training. However, there have been times that I thought I left my Black Belt in another bag and I freaked a little. I would not want to tell my instructor that I left my belt. Thankfully, I haven't forgotten it yet. (Watch, I'll leave it behind tonight just for saying that )

Pretty, but not effective.

Very well written. I think that it is very unfortunate for that man to disregard Aikido in this way because the instructor stated that he did not believe that his art is the best. That instructor is humble is his style, but accurate in his statement. In this day and age, people are only interested in MMA because that is what is being put on TV. I have found that MMA is not a true style. It is a mixture of many styles. I am not saying it isn't effective, it just does not have the Traditional teachings of so many of the other styles. I have been disgusted lately with my subscription to Black Belt magazine. It focuses heavily on MMA and is leaving behind the Traditional styles of MA. Had I known that was going to happen, I would not have renewed.

That is one thing to train from a DVD after you have taken the course. It will definetly help to refresh your memory. It is another to train only and try to rank to Black Belt using just DVD's.

Stretching should be done to increase flexibility and to prevent injury after you warm up your body with push ups, sit ups, and other calisthenics.

I think that I would still be sleeping.