ramymensa

A rank can be doubled in my opinion if a person is indeed skilled. I have seen some awesome MAists who were awarded a double rank since they were indeed great. This can be done at lower ranks quite well and if the instructor is a picky as mine, then you can be sure till BB is all blood, sweat and tears

I am not an instructor yet, but I had some issues like this .. people younger who liked me. The way I chose: be natural and friendly, but just FRIENDLY. I try to leave all traces of "attraction" aside and act as if the person is just another pal. in my case it worked. The person "sensed" I am not offering more than my friendship and it was oK. No hard feelings

I made such a come back after 8 months off (also because back problems). It was a great thing to get back in the dojo, 8 months after my doctor said I won't be able to practice Karate anymore .. well I am back I am glad you can also do this and I wish you all the best. Make sure you don't go full force until you are really recovered

Congtatulations .. great move

Kill Bill

Although I love Katanas, I think I'd rather have a pistol in my pocket for using it. .. Still I live in a nice neighbourhood and don't need any.

Wow. .. this is indeed a great job I worked as a radio DJ and it was nice. People said it's an easy job, but it is only after you are getting some experience ...

Played some guitar 5000 years ago (was in high-school). Now I just talk about music

MA made me look better and feel awesome. I see the difference after resuming classes. Had a 7 month hiatus due to back problems and it seems like civil/sedentary life is not good for me. did 3 classes already and I feel great again ... Am I addicted?

My instructor has nothing agains me wanting to cross train or even try another similar dojo. In the end I am the ONE to do whatever I want with my time and money.

Tokaido Kata Master ... the karategi. Kamikaze ... my kumite gloves.

We don't have probationary BB. People in our dojo get the black after 7-10 years of training. They have killer exams to pass. Once they are awarded the BB we all know they do deserve them.

I eat 1 hour and a half before the class. If I eat to early I feel like fainting, if I eat too close to the class time I get sick ...

What happened to KU? Hosting issues? What?

I am no longer in school, but when I was there was a lot of homework to be done. 7 hours of homework and learning was someting quite oridinary (i came back from school at 14 in the noon and studied till midnight in many cases.

welcome. you have a lot of reading to do, but there are some awesome topics, so it's worth the time. Have fun

I also think this is something to be avoided. An instructor cannot promise a BB in a certain amount of time since there are so many "variables" along the way. And 2 years to BB is way to fast (unless you are training for 6 hours a day, 7 days a week). I'd consider another dojo too.

kheb3350 glad you like it The gi can be bigger, some use huge karategis and they are still OK. I have one that could be better for a bigger frame than mine (1.70 m and 50 kg), but it was still OK. It will shrink a bit, and become just a bit softer. Anyway ... best of luck in your MA journey and thank you for sharing this with us

tobiasboon2 any style can be good for SD even TKD. I cannot uunderstand why people like to bash styles out of the blue, just because they met some crappy instructors or saw some bad performances. Any style can be good, as long as you find a good dedicated instructor and you are able to learn the teachniques annd put enough work into your training to make it worth the effort. Doing 1 hour of class every 2 months cannot make the style work. It's about you and the instruction you receive. To answer your question: I have heard only good things about the style you mention, the idea is to find a good school and instructor.

As an ex-member of the month I know how pleasant this is. Congratulations for the title, you really deserved it

My sensei's favourite phrase: "OK people, Action!" and another one: " I want you to kick/punch so hard that it would make my hair blow in the wind" ... he's bald

I don't watch boxing and I am not that interested in it, but I must confess even a total noob in boxing, as I am, is impressed with this man. Must confess I have a deep respect for him indeed.

4-5 in our dojo .. the 3 instructors included.

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. One of the most discussed topics on KarateForums.com and everywhere in the world is the belt. Why is it important (if it is important at all), why bother with the rank, why so many colors, do we care about it, should we wash it? These are few questions that have put the martial arts world on fire as much as these. If we think about it, this rank and belt problem is one that has given headaches to so many students and instructors around the world. "I don't care about the belt. I use it to tie my pants with." I can't count the times I've heard or read this line. I personally think we are not sincere enough when we say it. First of all, no offense, I use my pants strings to keep the lower part of my Karate uniform tied correctly. If I think of it, the belt is that thing I tie around my waist and it makes me waste some precious time doing it and showing this to others. Why bother? The belt is not important, is it? We don't even need it to tie our pants. Why do we spend money on them and time to learn some proper ways to tie it? Well... because we CARE about it, although many wouldn't accept it in a life time. I'll be sincere and admit it. I care about my belt. God forgive me I care about my RANK. I have worked like crazy for it. I deserve it and the place it gives me in the dojo. I know what I have got to do in order to go further and how far my goal is. I've heard so many times that ranks are irrelevant. They are, but still we need them. It helps us organize the people in the dojo, keep track of tenure and achievements in the class and so on. It is not humble to wear the colored piece of cloth. And we know in MA world, in certain styles, you must be humble. Still you've got to wear the belt. I was very amazed when sensei didn't understand my humble behavior, the first and last time I wanted to show it to the world. I wanted them to know I didn't care about the rank and I would gladly wear a "lower" color just to show how humble I am. That happened when I passed the exam from 9th kyu (yellow) to 8th kyu (orange). Trying to be as humble as possible I came next time wearing my yellow belt, although I had received the superior rank and I was supposed to wear the orange. I was so proud of my humble behavior. I expected congratulations and nice words. Guess what? Sensei looked at me and asked me "Why are you not wearing your current rank? You've taken the exam, wear the belt." I was too ashamed to mention my philosophical reasons and I just murmured I have to buy it, as I didn't have the time. So I got away with it and my ego took it quite well. Why wasn't I allowed to show my modest way of behaving in the dojo? Well I think because it's a rule I accepted when enrolling in the training. I have a rank. I strive for more, I get another, dress accordingly (change the belt) and go on with another cycle. I try to see it as a military thing. In many ways, the MA world is made up of small pseudo military systems. My grandfather, God rest his soul, was an officer and I can't recall the last time I have seen a person involved in the military life who didn't wear the rank because he was feeling "humble" ... I don't think this happens there. Why should it happen here? Martial arts ranks are different. Still they have one thing in common. They "mark" the ascension from beginner level to advanced master level. The modern life requires many compromises and one of them is considered by some the "rainbow" made up by all the color from white to black. Nowadays we need to know how long it is till the goal is reached, how can we set minor goals, reach them and mark the achievement accordingly. We need the colors to see where we stand in the dojo, in our invisible line between beginning and the new beginning (as the Shodan rank is many times referred to as.) People today are more cautious and tend to question everything, not blindly trust whatever someone says. It's good and it means we are educated consumers who want to know what they get for their money. There are still people who put others on a pedestal and blindly trust them. Maybe it's better to judge all the time, to afford a doubt instead of a fanatic idolization. Are the colors relevant? Yes and no. They are relevant in a certain dojo affiliated with a certain organization. In my dojo a certain belt could mean something and in yours it could be "higher" or "lower". One thing is common. The black belt is considered to be the "highest" color. It is an end and a beginning at the same time. It means you have achieved a certain level and now have to work to refine more. For some organizations it means you can open a school, in others you have to earn some "additional" ranks in order to be able to become a teacher. We should understand however that these ranks are relevant in our own "yard". I've heard many people say "This brown belt is not better than an orange belt in my dojo". And that is because in every school things are done in a certain way. Ranks are awarded according to a certain set of values. Some instructors are more "relaxed". Maybe it's a McDojo, maybe the person is just "kinder" and the ranks are awarded after less effort from the student than in other schools. In some dojos you have to go through a real ordeal for a "lower" rank while in others the exam is a breeze or it doesn't exist at all, the rank being awarded when the instructor feels his student is ready for new "challenges". A higher rank is "cool". It means you are more important in the dojo, that you have access to more interesting techniques and mostly it means you've reached a level and have to cope with the new situation. A rank, a "darker" belt means before anything else, more work. More discipline and dedication. An accurate technique, correct stance, more effort. It is a pride and an obligation. Do I wash my belt? I do. If it gets dirty I clean it. It is my PERSONAL choice and I think this is how I should handle the problem. It's nice to see how many people get quite passionate about this piece of cloth. Some are so "mystical" they don't wash it, don't let it drop on the ground because they feel it wouldn't be an appropriate way to handle it. It's almost supernatural. And others come to say I don't think it's good for anything rather than to tie my pants. It would be interesting to know how many of the people who take an almost "religious" care of the belt come to say they don't care about the rank implications of that belt. I would like to end this small article by saluting all the people who have got the chance to wear the infamous belt, who cried in despair because they haven't passed a grading, who caressed their belt with tears of joy after passing a "killer" exam, who felt good in their dojo because they could show their rank, who filled their belt with sweat and blood trying to become better and to all those who offer others the joy of an accomplished goal by handing them their new belt.

welcome here. I'm from romania .. i think you know where it is have fun and come sit with us for an international MA chat