jaymac

Alot of good tips, but I go along with Kreza. It is not your place to correct students unless asked to do so. I know that you would not do so anyways. However, if you are noticing it, I am sure your instructor is also. Let him/her handle it. Sometimes instructors do not like to be guided to what they should or shouldn't be teaching by kyu belts.

I think that if your instructor feels that you are ready, then you are ready. You will do great. I know after I tested it took me a awhile to feel comfortable at that rank. It is just the beginning of learning for all of us. Good luck on your test and congratulations!!!!

That was awesome pepto!!!!! I don't necessarily think it is that important to stretch before you leave your house to prepare for a possible attack. Your body will automatically respond to the adrenaline of being attacked. Doesn't mean you might not be sore later. Warming up and stretching out before class is done because you are about to train for several hours and you want to get the most of your training without injuring muscle.

I have to add my opinion because I get so tired of hearing one style is better than the other. What you said shotokanbeginner at the very start of your post that it depends on the practitioner and how they train and their instructor, was the most accurate. I started in MA to gain abilities in many areas. Never did I think, "I am going to take Shotokan so I can beat up that judo practitioner or go into a ring and fight a UFC practitioner." And I am not saying you would either. I just think those individual who whine that there art is better than another is missing the point of taking martial arts in the first place and they are immensely immature. My instructor teaches to never speak bad about other Martial Arts or other Martial Artist. He is a very smart man.

Tell him that you do not want to fight and try to walk away without immediately turning your back on him. Do not attack him first. I would at all cost avoid confrontation unless he actually forces it and tries to strike you. Sorry if that isn't the answer you were looking for, but I believe MA is for self defense only.

I do have an opinion because I have been thinking about this recently also. If you inadvertantly turn your back on your friends and family to train, what is going to happen when you cannot train anymore. I have been doing nothing but karate, work, sleep. My spouse is tolerant but I think getting sick of it. I thought "what if I wasn't married anymore because of my devotion to train, and then something happened that I couldn't train anymore due to whatever" I would be alone and it would be my fault. I love karate, but I have to live my life outside of the dojo too.

This topic has been brought up alot. kenpo is a mixture of chinese and japanese art. It is IMO a very poor idea to try to only train from DVD. The individuals who promote this are really only in it to make money and do not care who they promote in their style, which gives them a bad name. Kenpo is a pretty cool art. Check it out in a real dojo near you.

Thanks for the message mtheiss. I still feel that setting someone up without their prior knowledge of the fight is a poor idea. It is a different situation when you come to class and spar for awhile against students in your dojo. It is another when you align a match against two individuals with great experience. Is the other fighter aware of the match? That would be even more of a disadvantage if he did and was prepared to fight when she isn't. Even boxers have prior knowledge of their opponent and get specific training to fight that opponent before heading into a match. This also doesnt sound like tournament fighting where the first person to 3 points wins. Let me know what happens.

I know it must be hard to know much from many styles, but as others have said, Black Belt really is just the beginning. I thought I knew alot until I received shodan. I am now a Nidan and still think, "man I have alot to learn." I especially think that when I watch and listen to my own instructor explain a technique effectively to his students. I am glad for the last 6 years that I have gotten to teach. I learn something new about my Martial Art everyday. Before you decide to just go and start your own style, ask your instructor about possibly getting some teaching time. It will help you prepare.

I just always put in the search engine - free karate clip art- and I came up with alot of neat stuff.

I just always put in the search engine - free karate clip art- and I came up with alot of neat stuff.

We always teach that MA is for self defense, but why should a student sit back and allow someone to strike them. Unfortunately, one cannot control the punishment that a school system bestows on people fighting, but at the dojo, if the student truly was defending themselves, they are not expelled. I think alot of times, you can trust the character of the child if they have been there for awhile.

I have a couple of goals. 1. To do Martial Arts as long as my body lets me. 2. Just recently, 2 young black belts told me that their goal was to pass me in rank. Now my goal is to not let them.

We have had black belts or actually any rank leave and come back after awhile. We always recognize their rank, but they go through a probationary period before ranking again, just so they can refresh their technique. If we had someone come to the dojo who had never trained with us, but ranked in our style, they too would be recognized at their current rank but go through the same probationary period.

I couldn't live up to the title. However, I hope I am a role model for those around me.

Kata improves all aspects of your training. If you really indulge yourself in a kata, even the most simple, you can see your attacker. Kata helps your breathing, timing, control, technique etc.... No you aren't going to have those low stances in sparring like you might in Kata, but what you learn from practicing over and over will improve your fighting skills. It definitely can give you patience. I also believe practicing kata has helped my self defense skills. Kata is the basis of all martial arts.

Edward, I wish you the best in your journey. My advice would be to try different schools and see what fits you best. However, I can give you some advice. I have ranked black belt in both Kung Fu and Karate styles. I love Karate. But, if you really like the tradition and the teaching of Chinese MA, you should go with a Kung Fu. It is primarily Chinese and the usually the instructors stick only to the teachings of the Chinese tradition. You will not advance in rank quickly in a Kung Fu school. There are not several belts in their system. You may be a white belt for years. If that is ok with you and you are not focused on ranking but only on learning a very effective, beautiful MA, then go with a Kung Fu system. And that is coming from a Karate practitioner

Marie Curie is asking if you have gone back to the dojo and if you took any classes and what did you think of it? If the school offers any type of trial membership, you should try it out and see if it fits you. It sounds like you are very intelligent in the way of researching something before trying it. Good job, but the only true way of knowing is actually doing. I bet you will love it. Keep the forum posted and good luck in your training.

Budman, I agree with others, you should check out both schools in order to determine what is best for you. I have to say I am skeptical about the Robinson MA. Maybe I am wrong, but I didn't see what style they actually teach. Also, I too am a Nidan as the instructor is. I believe I have several more years of training needed under my belt before I would attempt to run my own dojo and be as proficient of an instructor as my 7th dan instructor (who has run his own dojo for years, but only after achieving 5th Dan himself). Maybe this head instructor has several years under his belt though. Find out the credentials of the instructors. I am not saying for a minute that this is a McDojo, but feel they emphasize importance of ranking by placing a picture of two young boys sporting Black Belts on their website.

You know, I watched an excellent show on The Learning Channel, The History Channel, or Discovery (sorry I couldnt narrow it down) about several different styles of Martial Arts and one was about the ninja. Only they called it Ninjutsu. The Master taught several students but only shared Ninja secrets (like the "burning powder in eggs" previously mentioned) with one student whom he thought worthy to pass on the history. Excellent program. I have seen it a couple of different times. You might actually be able to go to one of those channels websites and find out more about the program and that particular dojo. (the school was not in U.S. IN fact, the instructor barely spoke english.)

Thanks for the reply everyone. I did go to the doctor, luckily their was no ligament tear. I am still going to the dojo but avoiding sparring at all cost and wearing a brace. It is slowly getting better, but I am going to baby it for awhile and just help out and teach at the dojo.

I am female and have to spar several other black belts alot younger than me and come in hands and legs flailing. Their legs and arms are longer than mine. I learned to circle around and watch them. Watch for openings, mistakes, them tiring because they are flailing about. Then I attack. Work with someone off to the side and work counters back and forth. You can do this. Try not to let yourself get frustrated in your training. Instead remotivate yourself. Take each match as a learning lesson. Before you fight, try not to already in your head be thinking, "this kid is faster than me, he is going to win." Think " I am going to win because I have experience and he is making mistakes."

There was a post similar to this one not long ago. I don't understand why an instructor would allow his student to go into a match without prior knowledge. It can only benefit the student to know the type of fighter he or she will be facing. Does the fighter primarily kick-- with what foot--does he or she primarily do punching---takedowns? This isn't a street fight. It is one experience fighter fighting another. Knowledge is key. He is setting her up to fail. Not fair.

Always be as honest with your instructor about yourself and your training so that you will not become frustrated in your training, because trust me it is easy to become frustrated and it is up to you to remotivate yourself and find solutions to your problems. It sounds to me that you really enjoy martial arts. Good luck and keep us posted on what happened.

Ninjitsu schools are sometimes hard to find. Look online and see where there might be one nearby. What part of Canada are you from? There are alot of different schools in and around Toronto.