bushido_man96

I guess we should decide what "rank" means here. If rank is a correlation to ability within the style, then I think that would mean that time in grade is only part of what you would take into consideration when considering what rank someone is. Normally, I don't think there is anything wrong with the amount of time set between ranks. But, when you decide to force someone to work through the required time in rank for each rank, and you don't evaluate their skill level in comparison with your other students, then you really aren't doing anyone any justice, and you take away the main point of the rank system. In my opinion.

This is one of those times when "rank doesn't matter," until it does. I agree with DWx. We don't know what the set up of the school is like, so we can't jump to a McDojo label right away. Like my school, we have a recommended black belt, but its still called a 1st dan. But if other schools choose to do it differently, then who cares?

My knees were killing me for a time from doing TKD for so long. I started doing squats at the gym, and my knees got better.

In my organization, instructors get a solid stripe around the collar on the dobok.

I've taken shots there a few times. If it became a habit, like 10 times, then I would wear a cup. I can't imagine ever getting used to that.

You could look into getting a pair of athletic glasses, with the strap to keep them more securely attached to your face.

heh I was just looking at it as an excuse to eat more I don't even need an excuse.

You need to look at what your goals are, and see how you can use your diet to affect those goals. If you are working out a lot, and want to get stronger, you will likely need to increase your caloric intake. If you are looking to drop some weight, then decrease it. Eating fresh foods is always good, but depending on your level activity and metabolism, you can get away with less than healthy stuff from time to time.

They are usually smaller meals, and the protein shakes can act as a meal replacement. However, I don't think there is that much evidence against 3 meals a day, either.

7/19/2012 TKD Did 15 minutes of basic work in my living room. Blocks and hand techniques while moving in stances; no kicks today. Worked up a bit of a sweat, but my shoulder is not responding well to the minimal work I have done. I hope its just soreness, and not something else at this point. But it probably is.

My current form, Yoo Sin, is a pain in my side. I just don't like the form. However, I've probably found myself liking some of the self-defense applications I can pick out of it.

That would be a great time!

So should someone with this much skill go to a tournament in his new style and be allowed to trounce the colored belts he is competing with? Who is that fair to? This is just one example of when skipping belts can be beneficial to all involved. Also, it has to do with an instructor's ability to recognize the skill level of the students he has. If you have a white belt doing black belt level technique, then that white belt probably isn't learning a whole lot from hovering needlessly in that rank, unless the material is so radically different that it affects his ability to learn it properly. And again, this is on a case by case basis, depending on the evaluation of the student. Not everyone will skip ranks. Some may be capable of skipping more than others. And some schools and instructors won't allow it at all, and that's fine. I think it can be a bit of a narrow-minded approach at times, but its a personal decision for each to make.

It does sound odd, but I can see what they are doing. The TKD styles I have been in have "recommended" black belt ranks, but we still called them 1st dan. This could just be a different way of doing this same thing. Although, I don't think it makes sense to call one a black belt but not a 1st dan.

I agree dedication is something you can't have too much of. But, if you find yourself always run down and unable to shake the soreness, you might need to take an extra day off to recover. But you might not feel that, either. As time goes on and life changes, you may find you don't have as much time available for training as you once did. So take advantage of it while you can.

This is a tough deal. I feel badly for you. Make sure to take it slow coming back. Take the time off the doctor says to, and don't try to come back early. Once you are cleared, maybe start with some walking to see how that works for you. If you do start MA up again, take things easy, and don't put full power on anything until you know you won't aggravate your injury again. Best of luck to you on your recovery!

I can give a view of both worlds; I hold a 2nd dan in ATA TKD, and a 3rd dan in my current style, which does the ITF forms. In the ATA, we did more of a level-legged chamber, more parallel to the floor, with the knee tucked back toward the belt, the heel tucked to the butt, and the chamber up like a table top; I can remember drills with a pad placed on the kicking foot while holding it in chamber, and kicking slowly out and back, making sure the bag didn't fall off. Now, I do a chamber with the heel pointing down, the leg up high and tight, but perpindicular to the ground. Then, when I kick, I pivot and use my hips to propel the side kick out. But its not like a snap kick; I use the pivot and the hips to drive the kick out. I have to say, I never did like doing the kick the ATA way. I have big legs, and its hard to get them up high and back toward the belt knot like that. I prefer the way I do it now, and don't feel as I've lost any kind of power in doing it.

I think the collar looks strange, too. I'd like to see it all the way down, too. The colors are different, but not too bad.

Keep at it, and your attitude should take you a very long ways!

So do I, Bob. I am actually hoping to get back to training regularly at the end of this month, when things slow down a bit. Then, maybe we can look at getting something done about another get together.

I consider myself more a Martial Artist than necessarily a TKDist. I do love TKD, but when I do other styles, I don't try to look for the TKD aspect that might be in it, or how it fits with my TKD concepts. Instead, I look at how I can make the various skills work together so I can be a better Martial Artist. Along the MMA comment, however, I don't think I would call myself that, either. I think that it is to the point where MMA really is its own style, and in that style they train the standup and grappling to the point where they don't do one or the other; they do both, and know how to range it all together.

Welcome!

Very good word analogies here. They made me smile. I also agree. I think over time, we just learn how to make things a bit tighter, and more compact, while still retaining the integrity of the technique. I think this is something that comes in time with so much training. It would be nice to learn how to do it all right up front in our MA careers, but you have to crawl before you can walk.

I'm a bit confused as to what you are asking here, Bob. Do you mean one that doesn't show the technique, but only speaks of it? Or of the lack of "real world application?" I'll answer to the real world application part. In this area, I don't think if you, or me, personally have applied it in the real world, isn't terribly important. What is important is that its been resarched in class and in scenarios to show that it is applicable or not.

This is what I had to do in my new TKD style. I thought it fair, and when it got to the point that I thought I was going to be overwhelmed with too much material, I asked to back off, or take more time between testings.