DWx

That's a great attitude to have. But what if your integrity tells you that an under 18 truly deserves a bbelt? Then I'll present that student, who's under 18 years old, a Junior Black Belt, not, a full-fledged Yudansha until that student reaches 18 years old because I'd still be under the umbrella of the Hombu! My Hombu won't allow it, it's just that plain and it's just that simple. Oh sure, I can issue any certificate I want that's under my authority, but, I might as well've done the certificate on toilet paper because the Hombu would send it right back to me with a big INVALID stamp affixed upon the certificate, as well as a nice reminder letter. Is that true integrity then? You think the person deserves to be a fully fledged blackbelt, equal to all the other over 18s with the same ranking, but because your Hombu says you can't you won't give them the full rank but settle for the lesser(?) rank of junior blackbelt. And lets' face it, it really is a lesser rank otherwise why distinguish between the junior and senior ranking at all? Is it true integrity to know that a student deserves a rank but then deny them it because your leadership says so. Not getting at you Sensei, just throwing this out there for a bit of discussion

Welcome Bartrum Sure looks like a nice facility from the photos on their site. Not so sure about the actual Karate watching one of the videos but you can't really tell from these things. Best thing to do is just to go along to a class and try it out, see if you like it. That association name and logo seems familiar to me but I can't remember where I've seen it before..

Taekwon-Do ITF goes: White White/Yellow-stripe Yellow Yellow/Green-stripe Green Green/Blue-stripe Blue Blue/Red-stripe Red Red/Black-stripe Black

I think you handled that well. I think what happened in the end would have been what I'd personally have been comfortable with too. I think its a bit much asking you to teach a lesson that you haven't prepared for especially given your circumstances you explained above. And since they were kids. Maybe in the future you could teach though?

That's a great attitude to have. But what if your integrity tells you that an under 18 truly deserves a bbelt?

Interesting topic Joe My boys are 8 yrs. old. If I shave my beard, will they still see Daddy, or will I not be "me" to them, just as I feel that I won't be "me" to myself? Whilst not totally the same thing, my mum wears glasses. Always has done to me, she never wears contacts either. When she takes them off she is my mother but then again she isn't the same person to me. To me, the glasses are an integral part of her face, in the same way a beard could be considered a part of yours. Without the glasses she is still the same person but then again she she isn't because all of my memories of her are associated with a face that has glasses. And its not just the individual pair glasses themselves. She actually has several pairs of different colours and styles she switches between but that doesn't affect the way I see her as much as when she takes them off. I don't know whether she perceives them to be part of her face but I certainly do.

I'm not sure if we employ the idea of finishing techniques in the strictest sense. In practice, we emphasise on being able to get to a position where you are ready guarding and are able to either run or strike again if necessary by any means possible. Doesn't matter if you got there by a break, throw or whatever.

Welcome Sensei Buxton

Might have to try that

Welcome sojobo

My bad. From your original post it seemed as though you had a system where the kid got a jnr belt first because they were a kid then could test again for an adult belt. And since you said the reason for this was because they can't hit as hard as an adult, in my book that's not a good enough reason on its own. But to be fair, with your son, if he competed in a weight class would he fare well? Because he certainly seems to do ok even if he is smaller. I think you have to take into account a kid's size and adjust for that just as you would do for adults. Or are you expecting a 5 ft 100 lb woman to fare as well as a 6 ft plus guy who is twice his weight? because to me that's the same line of reasoning as saying a kid can't have a belt because they're smaller than adults.

I get what you guys are saying about bending the pinky fingers and being able to control someone, I've seen it done and had it done to me, but this is in the dojo. No-one is really going to want to let you break their finger if they have to go to work tomorrow. Just like I wouldn't let anyone kick me full force in the head. So there is always going to be a great deal of compliance when you apply these techs in practice. I guess we can't say for every would-be attacker, some are going to want to hurt you or steal from you more than others. I guess that was kinda what I was getting at in my question.

That's great for him. I'm sure you're proud

We sometimes use them. Not so much the instructor but between us all. I get called "Hightower" (as in Police Academy) or Big D because I'm about a foot taller than the rest of the women. Most of the names I'm shouldn't repeat on here...

JJN, you could give away free lessons or bits of equipment/t shirts instead for the referrals. That would be a more immediate reward and might get more people actively going out to recruit. A non-MA club I belong to does something like this. Unless your lifetime membership is really special.

If I'm at a tournament that does forms I'll enter them. As a warm up for the sparring j/k I kinda like doing them because I'll have to spend weeks refining each and the movements as the majority of marks get awarded based on technical accuracy. So I don't compete in them so much for the competition but for myself. I don't really expect to win anything in them anyway, sometimes I do but there are far better people than me.

In ITF Taekwon-Do its about 3 to 3.5 minimum for first dan. 3 months between kup (coloured) ranks until 2nd and 1st kup where its usually about a 6 month gap. At first dan you have to wait 18 months to get to 2nd then after that you have to wait the same number of years as dans you hold. So 3 years minimum for 3rd to 4th. You can cut the time down by attending these 3 day intensive seminars.

Congrats Does your son still train?

It might just be that particular tournament circuit doesn't do it or his Sensei doesn't enter them for other events. They probably do have other kumite.

The side kick does need some element of side splits flexibility. The kicking leg needs it otherwise you're going to be limited to low level kicks or bad technique. That is if you want the edge of the foot to be horizontal or (as we do it) rotated over slightly so the heel is more prominent. If you don't have that element of side splits flexibility you'll end up rotating the leg over to compensate so the knee is either pointing up or pointing down (down is what I see most people do). The best type of split for the side kick IMO is doing a half-and-half type. One leg in a front split position, the other in a side split.

Good luck judjohns Which form(s) do you have to do for your test? I practice the same set

I don't think that's a fair judgement to make. Kids can hit and kick as hard as an adult if you train them properly. This'll be evident if you have a breaking requirement for grading. Sure they wont break as much as a 200 lb man but neither is a smaller woman. But kids are definitely capable of breaking one board, a lot I know can go through two pine ones easy. Think this goes back to not allowing kids to have a belt purely because of their size.

Writing a book or making a dvd series would sure fill your time and help fill the Karate void. Maybe its even time to write your memoirs

Welcome Marcin

Good luck GeoGiant