bushido_man96

If a good form has a couple of good, well placed kihaps, then it is great. But too many, aye.

See, that's what I'd like to go to. White-Yellow-Blue-Brown-Black, or something. If we Americans weren't so needy and always seeking a pat on the back, I'd go to white-brown-black. I don't know if it is so much about needing a 'pat on the back,' but more about haveing that many ranks to help with setting short term goals, and then establishing objectives to reach those short term goals. The rank systems make that a little easier to manage. All of the colored belt ranks add up to the long term goal of black belt. Also, if you have curriculum for each of the belts, then no matter how many you have, as long as something is being taught and learned, then it is beneficial. Exactly. Everyone always says "Oh, the rank doesn't matter as long as you have the knowledge", but everyone loves to bash the belt system. If I had a belt testing every month, people would absolutely SCREAM "McDojo!!". But, if I had 36 different belts and took 3 years to get to BB, what's the difference between 36 belts and 6 belts with 6 stripes each? Aodhan Exactly.

Congratulations!

I agree. The yell is supposed to surprise and emphasize a technique. There is no surprise and no emphasis if it is done on every technique.

If you feel that you and everyone else is working hard, but not getting cut slack, and you feel good about your progession, and the instructor points out errors and helps to improve them, you should not be worried.

UseoForce is right, I think you are wanting wingspan instead of reach. Spans are usually close to height, but vary at times.

Not sure what to think of that. They weren't impressive, not the little that I saw. Their punches were more like flails.

Grappling is a great idea, and UseoForce has made very good points. Your karate training will help you implement striking, so don't worry about the wrestling's lack thereof.

ps1: Things like indominable spirit, respect, honor, trustworthy, critical thinking, strategy and so on. I say once a black belt (or tan or whatever belt) always a black belt. There are many grandmasters who aren't able to do what they used to do...does that mean they are no longer grand masters? I understand what you are saying here. And I agree, to an extent. As long as the mental attitude is carried on, then I agree. But there are people who do not do this.

I know exactly what you mean. I have the same problem. What I try to do is draw them in, bait them with a feignt, and then see how they react. Set the bait again, and respond accordingly. I had a post on sparring tall people a while back. It can be frustrating, but it can be done. Working your angles and using your timing will be your biggest assests. When I spar in class, I do a lot of blocking, and let them move in on me, and then I just start slugging away. I am not much for countering, but I like to block.

Thanks, White_Tiger.

Gotta love governing bodies, don't ya? Nothing but red tape and jumping through hoops to get things done. Oh, and the waiting.... Not to mention the politics involved.

I figured it out. In the ATA handbooks, it is written as neh-reyo chagi, and the translation is axe kick. Hope this helps!

I am sure you are not doing it wrong; it is likely an organizational difference. That is the only problem I have with this group of forms, is that EVERYONE has taken them and messed with them, making them their own.

Thanks!

This is how many medieval stylists have to recreate medieval systems. Also popular in ancient Greece for the games were boxing and wrestling. Likely, pankrationist would have combined the two styles, and formed a hybrid style....the first MMA events in history!

Me and my instructor agree that if you say you are a Black Belt, but don't practice anymore, then you aren't one anymore.

Well, this wasn't really anything the ATA engineered. This is something my school owner did as a program in school only as part of her Master's preparation. Aodhan Yeah, I understood that. But, don't you imagine that is where the ATA comes up with some of it's ideas? It is great networking.

Welcome to the forums.

I know it is early, but I found out this week that I will be eligible to test for my 3rd dan in April of 2007. I am excited, because I can now see it in the distance. I will have to test for 3rd recommended first, and then I can test for 3rd decided between 2 to 6 months after that. I am excited, and can't wait!

You make a good point here. I think the problem is that so much physical improvement has taken place between white and black belt that one thinks he is not impoving anymore. What the student needs to realize is that the improvements are going to come in more subtle ways, like improved timing, better stamina in sparring and forms, and the development of fighting strategies, and things like this. These little things tend to slip through the cracks, I feel. It is important for the instructors to help the students realize these subtleties, so they can continue to improve on them, and show them how to realize them, so they can be proud of them.

I agree.

Hey, Sohan, I hear you. I ran a school for a couple of years, and knowing what I do now, I would do it differently. But for right now, I am more than happy being a student, and getting the opportunity to teach a limited number of classes to help out my instructor. I am greatful for the experiences that I got running the school, both good and bad. In the future, I will be better prepared, and a better instructor.

Of course, in a one off situation its helpful to use english. But if i decided to dedicate myself to a korean style i would expect to use the korean terminology and using it would most likely make the techniques easier to talk about. I think thats what most of the other posters are getting at. I agree with you here. However, I don't think tradition is lost just because a teacher wants to teach in English. Yeah, we want to use the Japanese/Korean titles of forms and such, but the English language commonly adopts words like this into use, so to me, it is not a big deal. I agree. The english langauge is always adding words. If you looked "karate" is probably in the english dictionary. In my school we use mostly english, though for lining up we sometimes use korean. And for kata as well as a few basic terms, we use japanese (dojo, gi, obi, uke, etc). Our style isnt exclusivly japanese or korean, hence the mixture. I do like it that most people on the forums use english words for techniques. I find it confusing if they use japanese or korean, and while I do enjoy learning more of each language, I dont know the names of every technique in both. -.-The way you describe it is the way I used to do it our ATA school. The school I am in now uses more Korean terminology. However, common words like dojang, and chareot, kyung-ne, and there Japanese counterparts, will always be standards in the martial arts communities.

Happy birthday, Shotokan-kez. Hope you have many more!