bushido_man96

This is a perfectly valid reason. No one is obligated to train in only one art or at only one school. Like it or not, students are customers of the dojo. If a school doesn't offer the services they want, they will find one that will. It's a simple marketing fact. Whether the loss of those students matters to the dojo owner or sensei is a different story. I agree with the Baron here. I don't feel that, as a student, I am obliged to continue my training with someone if I don't enjoy the training, or think it is beneficial to my training, or otherwise. Likewise, if an instructor doesn't offer something that a student wants to learn, then they should be able to seek it out elsewhere, if he/she can. I think that the hallmark of a good, capable instructor, is the ability and willingness to admit what they can and cannot do for a student, and offer his blessings in seeking help where ever a student can find it.

It is really hard to know where you are at, self-defense wise, if you have never had to defend yourself. I think that if you are enjoying your training, then stay with it. It sounds like your instructor has a good blend of things going. If you do want to train elsewhere, then do so. Look around, and see what is available. Watch the classes, and then TALK TO THE INSTRUCTOR! Find out what his goals are, and compare them to yours. Go from there. Although you may feel weird around your old instructor, it will pass in time. Don't let that kind of thing get to you. Life is too short.

Doing some plyometric types of exercises can help to build that muscles' explosiveness...thus improving your kicking speed.

I would have to agree with Shorin Ryuu about the goals of the martial arts being to fight. I don't think that means one should go looking for fights, but it does mean that being able to defend yourself should be a side-effect of the training. James, you make a good point about the mentality of being in a fight as well. It is a very important trait, and not one that is easily trainable. There are many good fighters out there that have no technique. However, they know what the fight itself is like, and know what to expect, and how to deal with it. This is very important when it comes to self-defense.

Maybe so, though I don't really have a place to do it. I checked one of those books out from the library, the one for beginners. It's pretty good, but it doesn't say exactly how to do the different moves and it stops short of some of those that I remember. It was a good refresher but I will look for the other book. Thats cool. Let me know how the next book is. I didn't really think about not having a place to practice. That is an inconvience.

I don't think that the McDojo should be the catch-all for everything that is wrong with the martial arts. Lets not forget that when fighting arts came into being, it was in a military aspect, and the goal was killing the enemy. Therefore, traits like agressiveness will have a place in the arts. Whether it comes down to arrogance or confidence has more to do with the individual instructor's attitudes and beliefs, and the person receiving the training. I think that Shorin Ryuu made some good points. Always being aware and ready has its advantages.

My organization uses 1 stripe on each side of the belt per dan grade. We use gold lettering.

My answer is yes to all of your questions. Continue to improve your kicking techniques, and also work on your punches and strikes. Change your weaknesses into strengths. Also, work on your footwork. Side step, cut, etc. to create space and give yourself advantages angles from which to work. Something else you might do is go outside your usual group (if you can) and finds some other people to spar and workout with. Changing your environment can help to open your eyes to new ideas and help you change things up a bit. Everyone has caught onto what you are doing in your group. So now, you have to change it up.

Reminds me of the saying: "Jack of all trades, master of none." I am not concerned about being "master" of TKD, or of any other system. It is like when everyone says that "black belt is the beginning." You can also say "you never truly master anything." I am not going to argue which is right or not. That is not the point here. What I am arguing is that there may be some aspects of fighting that an instructor has no experience in, and it can be learned elsewhere. I have been doing TKD for over 13 years now. I think I have the basics down. I don't need to be drilling my punch over and over again. I want to learn how to punch, block/slip a punch, and then apply arm bars, takedowns, or escapes from there. Likewise, if I get taken down to the ground, I want to be able to get out of that situation. Learning grappling would help out with that. "Mastering an art" would take years. I am not terribly interested in that. I want to learn to be able do defend myself in a fight. That doesn't take as long as it does to "master" an art. It can be done efficiently. That is my goal.

This is a good suggestion. Give it a go, perhaps.

If the art has built-in grappling and joint manipulation techniques, then why doesn't the instructor just include them when he teaches classes? I can appreciate your analogy of learning two languages to martial arts. I would link this to being similar to learning TKD and Karate at the same time. What I refer more to is learning striking and grappling, which would be different enough to not confuse.

I wonder what the price tag on that bad bot would be?

Well done!

I have seen some that don't spar until they get their second or third belt. I have also seen those like lordtariel describes. It is usually up to the descretion of the instructor.

I never had a costume, but I bought a lot of the toys! My mom still has them at home.

Nice stuff, so far. I would like to see a review on this one...... Hard Target!!! One of my all-time faves. I would review it, but I don't want to steal your thunder, man! Besides, you do a great job.

I thought that was what you meant. I have read enough on karate styles that I have picked up a few nuances here and there. We call it a natural stance instead of neutral.

I watched some Cung Le MMA fights. He looked pretty good. I like seeing him branch out to MMA, and other venues. He threw some good spin side kicks, but his lead leg side kicks did left him very exposed. he just wasn't taken advantage of.

Well done, Tom!

No problem, and thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work, too!

Good explanation, James. Yup! I agree 100% also. Overall, the type of instructor you have influences when you begin to learn to use them in a "soft" manner. Often they are taught as "hard" at first. I think you make a good point here, ps1. I think it is easier to teach it this way in the beginning. As humans, we find it natural to meet force with force in the beginning, and therefore it is easier to learn initially. Then, later on, we can adapt it.

This has been quite an interesting explanation and comparison of forms. I like it, although I am not very familiar with these forms systems. It is still quite enjoyable.

Very nice. That form seems very simple, but effective, too.

I think if you just got into it, Baron, you would be surprised at what comes back to you. You may surprise yourself.

I still have a temper, but the MAs have helped me to control it better. I have also learned better patience through the MA practice, and especially from teaching.