bushido_man96

This is quite good. Something to think about.

I agree with NightOwl. Now, if you were living under his roof, and training with him night and day, etc., then it may be a different story. This doesn't appear to be the case, though. This seems like an extreme case to me, and I think you may have a legitimate arguement, from what I can tell. However, if the first thing you should consider is the quality of training that you are receiving, before considering leaving just to push along the rank awards. If you are happy with the training, then I would say not mess with anything. Perhaps approach the Sensei about your concerns, and see what you can come up with together. Perhaps he is willing to work with you. Also, perhaps he is testing you as well. There are a lot of things to keep in mind.

Great points.

It sounds like things worked out in the end.

I recommend the burpee exercise! I can't do it too well, with my knees (although my knees have been better lately...) but it would help you, I think.

Cross training can be iffy in the Martial Arts community. Some instructors think it is great, and some detest it. Here is a thread you can read to get some different opinions on that subject: http://www.karateforums.com/do-we-need-to-ask-permission-vt29499.html With that said, I have heard that training in both Judo and BJJ can be beneficial, because with Judo, you start from a standing position, and in BJJ you work from the ground more. Both are good ranges to be familiar with. Therefore, if you can swing it, I would recommend cross-training in the two.

Montana speaks the truth. If you are ever confused as to how to do a technique properly, ask your sensei. Personally, I don't think that in shotokan, a blue belt is really qualified to "teach".Yes, when in doubt, ask the sensei. This is one of the downfalls of allowing others to teach that may not have a lot of experience. I think that it is important for instructors to spend time with their assistants doing forms and evaluating how each of the moves are done, so that when this kind of circumstance arises, then everyone can expect to be on the same page. Another thing to consider, playing devil's advocate here, is that when you ask someone else how to perform a technique, they may do it differently because the different way works better for them. Martial Artists will adjust techniques all of the time to better suit their body style. Just something to consider. They may not be wrong. In the end, however, talk to your sensei to avoid all confusion.

Perhaps doing some plyometric leg exercises would help to build your quickness for takedowns.

It takes time to accomplish this. As the moves become more natural for you to do, you will be able to relax more easily. The more repetitions you do (correctly), then the more familiar you become, and then the more relaxed.

You are never too old to learn something new. Do it, and you will be glad you did.

Hey there, A-Train. I actually lent my book to a co-worker, because I got him a tad interested in it. So, when he gets done with it, I will be back on the ball.

If you don't have solid proof, then prosecution may be tough...but not impossible. Even if you don't prosecute, I would still remove him from the school.

Hello, and welcome to the Forums, and to the Martial Arts! I think that BJJ or Judo would be a good choice for you. You said that you are leaning toward BJJ, and I don't see any reason why you shouldn't go with it. From watching instructional videos online, BJJ seems extremely interesting but watching some UFC and Pride however, the fights seems unnecessarily brutal, putting me off a bit. This is the MMA rendition that you are seeing, I am guessing. BJJ in itself will not involve any striking, really. BJJ itself is all grappling, so it will be like Wrestling, but just with different rules and goals. I don't expect you to do much striking. The reality here is that NO Martial Art is effective against multiple opponents. When you are outnumbered, it is always bad. I wouldn't lean away from BJJ or Judo because of this. I think you would learn lots and enjoy it. Best of luck to you!

Our college here actually has an Aikido club now, with around 22 students active in it right now, according to one member. I asked about his class set-up: 30 minutes of breathing, followed by 30 minutes of stretching, then 1 hour of working technique. At the early stages they work on falling a lot, then into technique. It sounds ok, but I am not into the 30 minutes of breathing. I'd take 30 more minutes of application any day.

That is quite the run of bad luck, NightOwl! I feel for you!

In my eyes, there is only one option; immediate termination and explusion, followed by criminal prosecution. If you let the guy get away with it, and keep him on, what kind of message does that send to the rest of the students?

Perhaps having some fruit on hand, like bananas and apples, would be more in your direction. Perhaps some granola bars or power bars, and drinks like Gatorade and Powerade would be good, too. I understand your dilema; serving junk at an athletic event does seem contrary to the purpose of the event.

Talk with the college first about the priorities involved in running a club at their college. Safety issues will definitely be a concern. Any information after that would probably be whatever you think necessary.

Sliding in while kicking may help you to close the distance. Also, feinging a technique, like a round kick, may cause them to counter, and allow you to move accordingly. Stepping forward at a 45 degree angle can be helpful footwork, too. I have troubles with this myself, and I am trying to work on it.

This weeks episode looks to be U.S. Armed Forces combatives. I don't know if they will do the Marine course, or the new Army Combatives, but either way, it should be good.

9-20-07 Traditional Class: 6:00 - 7:00. Tonight, we had several newer students in the class, so the pace of the basics was a bit toned down so that they could follow along. However, I did manage to get some good work in, doing my techniques fast, and focusing on the footwork speed. The instructor spent a lot of time explaining things, so we spent a lot of time in stances while he was talking. Good for the legs.

That sounds great, NightOwl. Have fun in your Judo classes.

That's the whole design of the class and that test though. You don't advance unless you can handle a gang in a street fight. It is kind of strange, because I don't think the gang in the testing was really acting like a gang would in a bar, or on the street. It is good to get some kind of a pressure test like that, though. However, if I was getting attacked by a gang like that, I would be throwing some punches along with trying whatever else the teacher wanted me to. Correct. Thanks, bearich. I thought I remembered that somewhere before.

My command of the Japanese language is pretty much nil, so I can't say. We use English for the most part in class. We call it body shifting, or "Change of Body"...we use it a lot, and stress it as highly important. Thanks, that sounds abouut right, from what I have read and picked up here and there. I am not very high on the foreign language usage either, so I ask often, just to clarify. "Body Shifting" works for me!

If you can follow him, and would like to because of the way he teaches or the experiences you have in his classes, then I think that is the way to go. It sounds to me like they are trying to break away from some political issues. This happens often in the Martial Arts, so don't be too shocked by it. When something of this nature occurs, you have to follow your heart.