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[tommarker]

Tangsooguy,

 

I think we're both in the same boat. I was being a little cute in my post in that I didn't really tip my hand as to how I felt about her particular points of arguement.

 

I think it is her brashness that appeals to a lot of people. She certainly doesn't pull any punches, and while it might piss off quite a few readers, maybe some of them will in the process think about what they've just heard. I remember the first time I heard a Master instructor give his "Real Opinion" on something and how shocked I was by it.

 

Sometimes this is a good thing, because a good dose of rudeness might be just what it takes to get someone's attention.

 

After awhile though, it does just become that unpopular, disagreeable voice that no one wants to listen to... even when they are 100% correct.

[aznkarateboi]

She is correct on many points, but she is angry and bitter.

[tommarker]

Not an entirely uncommon attitude in the martial arts community... and it's an attitude that one must work around or with at one point or another.

[Reklats]

Your limited knowledge of the schools that the members of this forum attend give you no right to make that statement.

 

I didn't mean for that statement to be all-inclusive of everyone that posts here. However the martial arts practicioners who I do know make this relatively clear to me.

Again you conveniently fail to provide evidence as to why you disagree with our disapproval of her writing style.

 

Do you disagree that she is arrogant and disrespectful? If you posted an article written in such an extreme manner you can expect people to comment on it.

 

Did you read my post before you replied? I disaprove of your attacks on her writing style because in doing so you ignored the points she was trying to make. However, in re-reading the thread from the beginning I'll admit that I overemphasized teh amount of personal attacks on her. She is arrogant, but I think something has to be deserving of respect before you can disrespect it.

 

 

You are defending a person that is almost the embodiment of your criticism. She uses personal attacks numerous times throughout her articles, especially her reviews of martial art schools.

 

My first post was about the top four articles. She doesn't use personal attacks to take away from someones otherwise good point. That's the difference.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I can't argue that the woman in question is very blunt, but I found her writings written with a humourous intent, and as was said, brutal honesty.

 

I don't know how many of you out there take the opportuity in your travels here and there, to visit other dojo's in the world?

 

personally, I've taken the opportunity to visit dojo's in California, Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Minnesota, Florida, Washington state, Idaho, England and France during my travels. Some of the schools were nothing short of excellent in my opinion, while others...well, let's just say...I didn't have many good thoughts about them. I formed my opinions of the the sensei I met, the dojo they were in, and in some cases, the art they were practicing.

 

Without going back and re-reading her storys, as I recall, she had recently moved into a new area and was seeking what she considered suitable training by a suitable sensei...correct? Keep in mind that a suitable dojo and sensei will be defined differently by everyone, and what I would look for isn't the same as what you would look for. I think that is what her point was in her storys. She didn't find anything, that in her mind, was suitable! And she was rather vocal about why!

 

Is this a bad thing? No, not since free speech in this country came about some 200+ years ago.

 

I applaud her humor and sense of writing style. Sure, it grates a bit, but that's what I liked about it.

[Kai_Hwarang]

While I can understand that there are some shady buisnessmen type Instructors, etc. the way she describes them and comes off is that they are TRYING to teach all they know, but to her it still isn't satisfactory.

 

Yes, there are bad instructors who try to scam you and just give you belts, but she wasn't just attacking them, she was attacking the methods of teachers as a whole through those people.

 

It was disrespectful, regardless of her "good" intentions by many of you. And any traditional Master, Sensai, Shifu, etc. would have her try to prove them wrong before she mouthed off like that...and then she'd probably be in the hospital for her ignorance and arrogance.

 

-Kai

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Well, I've seen a multitude of instructors out there that..in my opinion of course..didn't know their rear ends from a hole in the ground, and were teaching such worthless, ineffective and basic techniques to belts of all levels, it was a shame! Fortunately, this is a minority of the dojos I've seen, but still, a disturbing trend in the arts I fear.

 

The problem with these sensei isn't probably with them personally, as I honestly don't think they any of them knew any differance, but rather I think the problem is with whoever taught them...or on up the ladder somewhere. Somewhere along the line, somebody is dropping the ball and allowing very weak instructors to teach others, and the line just gets weaker and weaker.

 

It's an unfortuante result that there are no laws or rules governing these people, regardless if they're in an association of some sort or not.

 

Getting back to the lady in question that wrote the articles...I feel that she was just expressing her frustration at what I just mentioned. Bad/weak instructors tecaching bad/weak technique, and turning out bad/weak students as a result. What I fear is those students are going to go out and do the same thing, and with each generation, the technique gets worse and worse.

 

To bad none of you got to watch a Montana Freestyle class that was in my area for a while. All you would need is ONE class by a good teacher to recognize how truly pathetic they were. And yes, I knoiw I'm bad-mouthing another system and instructor...but you have no idea how bad those people were, and yet turned out 5 or 6 black belts in a little over a year. Fortunately, as far as I know, none of them are teaching around here any more...thank God!

[ninjanurse]

Wow, such arrogance! Not even worth commenting on.

 

Wow, it only took two sentences for you to be a hypocrite.

 

I don't pretend to be anything, nor do I find the fact that I feel she is arrogant a virtue. This is merely my opinion. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Drunken Monkey]

well, i specifically asked about her straw man comment because it is another way of questioning the use of kata, forms, and drills.

 

she says that any way of training a move other than full on in a realistic manner is a straw man.

 

but if you are only learning to defend in a full on manner, you won't really be learning the mechanics of the move, right?

 

i mean, if you get one person to repeatedly swing at you, you will learning to block his swing/hit. if you get another person, you will adjust to block his swing/hit.

 

you could in time, learn to block against a lot of people's swings/hits but does that mean you have learned the move?

 

my point is, don't you first have to learn to do the move properly first before putting it under pressure?

 

really old saying:

 

don't try to run before you can walk.

 

maybe oneday, people will learn that kata/form/drills aren't just for learning/practising the moves.

 

my t'pence.

 

feel free to rip my post to shreads.

 

i'm feeling in a kinda messy mood anyway.

 

had a really bad sparring session today.

 

elbows were drifting too much and i kept on getting popped in the middle gate section...

 

i think too many late nights are catching up with me!