Shorinryu Sensei

I get invited to maybe 10-12 tournaments a year. About half of those are from people I know and trust, the others are people I don't know, or don't like. I used to attend quite a few tournaments, but they have changed over the last 10 years and I don't like them, or the rules that they go by, as much as I used to. We're not a tournament oriented dojo or system. We get together with other dojo's occassionally for a workout/sparring session, but generally I'm not real crazy about what most other schools teach in my area, so there's not a lot of interaction between our dojo's. I, and a few of my students, went to a local tournament a few months ago, and it was terrible. I doubt if we'll go to another held by that same instructor.

Yeah, a 3.2 megapixel camera is pretty much "behind the times" now. I used to work for HP troubleshootinbg the all-in-one's", but not the cameras. If you've only had it a few weeks, then it's still under warrenty. Call up tech support and see what they say. If you've changed the batteries, then it has to be something wrong with the camera. they should tell you to take it back to point of purhcase and get it replaced, or send it in. Trust me, it's easier to take it back to where you got it.

Can you explain to me the difference between a "knock down tournament" and "modified full contact" please? Knock down means just that..know them down or out. What is modified full contact? Isn't full contact the same thing? Somebody tells me we're fighting full contact, and you're dang sure right that I'm going to put them under as quickly as possible.

Something else you need to consider is that not everyone is interested in full contact competition. Some like their faces the way that they are, or because of work, can't risk injury to themselves because of an opponent that pushes the rules a bit to far and intentionally injures you. Myself, we put no emphasis on tournaments at all, so light contact, or full, I don't "send" anybody to a tournament...ever. However, if one of my students wants to enter a tournament of their own accord, they certainly are welcome to, but not as a school we don't.

Agreed. Also, the best person to ask this questions is your instructor. As you said, it can vary from instructor to instructor, so he's the person you need to talk to.

There's been some very good replies so far, and I'm glad to see them! For me, my actual black belt has little meaning. It's the experiences and knowlege behind what it represents that are a source of pride for me. They are things that are intangible and can't be taken away. If somebody came up to me and waved a gun under my nose and said "Give me your black belt"...I'd give it to him withoput hesitation. I can replace the belt (I'd sure miss one of them though...had it a long time), but I can get another in a week or two. Yes, there's a certain amount of prestige that goes along with a "legitimate" black belt. I've seen so many black belts over the years, and not just on kids, that I feel aren't deserved or earned. Like everyone else I'm sure, I feel that I earned that belt, worked long hard hours to attain it, but it was the knowlege along the way and the experiences that happened that are important...not a piece of dyed cloth.

I used to be an elementary school teacher, so have a bit of back ground with kids. The youngster probably was nervous and couldn't concentrate during the demo and the worst thing the instructor couyld have done was to pull him off. Any spectators to the demo would have understood if he wasn't doing waht he should have been doing, the same as they would during a school play or concert. Another thing to consider is that the child, being just 7-8 years old, might have had to pee!

30+ years and counting.

Just a quick comment here. Bill Wallace origionally studied shorin ryu, not TKD. After a severe leg injury he started training his good leg for high kicks, which at the time (early/mid-60's) were relatively a new inovation in the martial arts.

I also have a very small school...maybe 8 students if they all decided to show up at the same time, which they never do. However, I don't consider myself "struggling", as I'm not trying to make any money from my teaching.

Being the simplistic person that I am, and since your sensei tells you to throw a certain kind of a punch...I would think the best/place you should go to answer your questions would be to your sensei, since he's the one asking you to do something. What I, doing Shorin Ryu, or someone else doing another system, would classify as a roundhouse punch, is not necessarily the same thing your system/sensei classifies as a roundhouse punch. A good example of this is the roundhouse kick. The end result is about the same as most systems I've seen, whereas the top of the foot strikes the target and comes from the side, but it's in the execution of getting that kick to the target that varies within different systems. Ours is quite a bit different from many that I've seen, especially the Korean systems.

Mine will be probably the most boring and least exciting of those that post, but it will give you a different perspective on how we test. My shodan test was on June 19th, 1978. Shorin Ryu Master Yuichi Kuda was visitng my instructor in Montana for 3 weeks. During the last week, Sensei Kuda had us all sit in a line against one wall according to rank, and starting with my instructor, Sensei Dennis Miller, had us one at a time stand and perform whatever kata he assked us to do. To this day, I can't remember what I did when it was my turn. Pinan godan and Passai Sho I think, but I'm not sure. I had no clue that we were being tested, as Sensei Kuda had done this twice before already during his visit. Once I had completed the two kata he had qasked me to perform, I returned to my spot along the wall, then Sensei Miller leaned past Pat Wright, the senior student, shook my hand and said "Congratulations...shodan!" I said..."WHAT???" Well, I guess I had tested without realizing I was being tested. Sensei Miller had his first black belt under a towel on a table in the dojo and he said I could wear it until I got my own. Soooooo...no running, no pushups, just a normal class (with the exception that it was run by the head of the entire system of course). My 2nd dan test was similar in that I was working with a 6th Dan in Minnesota by the name of Sensei Greg Ohl, and he presented me with my Nidan without my knowing I was being tested as we worked out. 3rd and 4th Dans weren't any big deal either. In general, we don't make a big production out of tests. They are just a natural progression of skills developed, time accrued, and effort acknowledged.

No huff here...sorry. As long as people understand that the flasshy stuff is just for fun, and doesn't work other than for show, I have no problems with it. My issue with it is instructors TEACHING flash as legitimate, good technique.

I can barely afford the $36.00 to fill up my '99 dodge Intrepid, let alone the cost of filling up my '92 Cevy 3/4 Ton 4x4! I don't drive the truck much and haven't had to put gas in it since the gas went through the roof after Katrina! It's my "Only when I need it" vehicle.

Suggestion, get a baton, light the ends on fire...INSTANT FLASH! As for weapons, forget flash and work on good, solid technique. "Flash" has no place in good technique. *let the flame war begin!*

My suggestion is not to make any drastic changes in the routine for a while. The students are used to doing things in a certain way and order (normally) and as a new owner/instructor, I wouldn't rock the boat until they get used to you. Eveybody has their own teaching style, and yours will be different than your sensei's. For the first few months at least, I would just keep things as they have been. After a while, when the students are used to you, then make some changes and add new things if you want to.

Maybe I need to get out more...I've never even heard of the guy. I saw the "Kill Bill" previews...looked pretty cheesy and dumb to me, so I didn't waste my $'s on them.

Uhhhh...well, me for one, neither of them makes my Top 25 list of those I would like to train with. There's a couple of people in this country I would like to train with. Probably nobody that youy've heard of. Ken Penland, Larry Mason, Greg Ohl, James Knoblett to name a few. What would I like to learn from them? Oh heck, whatever they wanted to teach me!

You know, if the guy can afford to run a stable of exotic cars like that, I would seriously doubt if he's concerned with what sort of gas mileage any of those cars get. Now, if they were VW Jetta's or Ford Escorts, then I could see how that statement would make sense.

I totally agree with 24fightingchickens! Dang good advise! One thing I would add on your car though is that women like cleanlkiness. Meaning, clean the McDonald's french frie boxes out from under the seat, vacuum, clean, dust, wax and in general, make your car as clean as you possibly can. Nothing turns off a woman more than having to get in a car with her nice heels and dress on and have to worry about getting ketchup/mustard on her shoes because of the garbage on the floor or seat. Pay special attention to clean seats and windows also...both inside and out. Wash the door panels throughly, get rid of old bumper stickers that are faded, torn, offensive or out of date (Save the whales.GreenPeace, Bon Jovi Rules:D ). This also goes for you. If nobody's told you yet, bathe daily, use deoderant, shave daily (even if you don't think you need to), keep your leather shoes shined (tennies clean), no wrinkles in t-shirts or any other sort of clothing, brush your teeth often (want to kiss that young lady? She won't if your breath sucks!) Another thing to keep in mind is that a 16 year old girl is generally a whole lot more mature than a 16 year old boy. Showing off your bodily functions is NOT funny to a girl, nor is showing off how tough you are (as in getting into fights). Do some reasearch on how to be a gentleman on a date, such as opening/closing doors for a woman, picking her up on a date by going to the door and meeting her parents (VERY scarey sometimes), BEING ON TIME is very important, be respectful, getting her home when she is supposed to be, even a bit early. Impressing her parents is a good thing because no matter how well the girl likes you, if the parents don't, you're DOOMED! Hey 24fightingchickens, we should write a book on teen dating!

Don't feel embarassed by taking a young lady to the prom in a 1968 car. Heck, I took my girl to the prom in a 1968 car myself! Of course, it was a 2 year old '68 Plymouth Roadrunner with a 383 magnum, 4 speed and about the hottest car in the school at the time (until my friend got a 1970 Charger R/T with a 440 magnum...grrrrr ). Anyway, the whole idea of a homecoming dance and festivities is to have FUN! Not to impress anybody. I wouldn't recommend taking a girl on any sort of date on your bike. Not cool guy. Question...what kind of 1968 car are you driving?

The object of myself, or my senior black belt, sparring a beginner the first time isn't to "beat them". If that was the case, chances are that not one of those beginning students would come back again for a 2nd/3rd class. The object is to let them try a few techniques in a somewhat controlled environment without worrying about defense to much. I seldom will attack a new student unless they are obviously very wide open. Then my few attacks are slight and slow to allow them to see where they are vulnerable.

This is exactly why I, or my senior student (a sandan) spar beginners first. Once in a while youy'll get some guy that trys to knock your block off and I'd rather he try it with me than with someone his own level. I often state in class that the most dangerous person in the dojo is the guy that doesn't know anything. No control, sloppy technique, bad timing, whatever. I like to get them sparring early so that they can see what it's like and understand what we're teaching better through experience, rather than just words of demonstrations.

IMO heightt/weight differences have no bearing in sparring unless you're in a tournament that has such divisions. In a street confrontation, are you going to say to a guy 6" taller and 125 lbs heavier "Sorry, you're to big for me to fight...do you have a smaller brother?" As for sparring to soon, I let beginners spar very soon...even the first night sometimes, so that they get a feeling for what they are doing. I coach them as we go by telling them to try this kick or that punch. I, or my senior student, always spar a beginner the first time. We don't attack much and just let them try a few things on us. And while we're on the subject of size difference, I'm 6'6" tall and 240 lbs (Shorin Ryuu and Sauzin will verify that), so I'm usually quite a bit larger than my opponents. I spar young kids, ladies, or guys any size. They all need to fight someone larger than themselves or they will not know how when they get on the street.

I am absolutely 100% AGAINST doing that. There are to many perverts and child molesters around. I know two sensei in Montana that molested a boy in class, and unfortunately encouraging a closed dojo makes for a per fect opportunity for people such as those. A closed dojo sends up major warning flags to me as to why they don't allow spectators. I encourage parents and family to come watch my classes. I expect them to sit quietly during class, but welcome comments during breaks or after classes. As a parent, I would not enter my child in a class that I was not allowed to watch, nor would I recommend a parent taking their child to one.