Question

[TeaL]

Teal, out of curiosity, is the Dojang you're talking about a place in Monterey, California called Bodyworx?

 

I know it's a long shot, but the place you're talking about sounds a lot like Bodyworx.

 

hahah, nope, i live in PA

 

anyways, i dont blieve instuction is nessisary for inprovement... Well if your talking a strict tequinque sense, then yes, but im not doing it for that, its just a form of self defense/meditation...

 

BTW i pratice judo on my friends ahhahah. (in a safe way)

 

anyways, i feel i came off the wrong way, im not trying to boast or brag in anyway.... or "inflate" my ego or somthing.. im just asking is it really worth it to be treated like a moron for a few years before i actuily learn anything? I mean i cant stay with this for more then a year anwyays im currrently a junior at HS... so ill be leaving

[dear john]

i have to tell you the most important thing you will ever hear in the martial arts world.

 

Mcdojos are fun, im in a McDojo and im addicted. i have way too many friends in them. but i think thats why people join, for social purposes.

 

in a year when i am more advanced in my jujitsu training i would like to beat the crap out of all my instructors.

 

today was a sad day today in my taekwondo.

 

i realized that nearly everything she said about self defense was a horrible lie. i use to think i knew so much about martial arts and then i started to to mix my martial arts and holy crap i found out that i am a * in a MA IQ test

[gcav]

Teal - If you studied karate (Japanese) and then join a TSD school (Korean), then you will very much likely start out as a white belt. Even though TSD is the most "karate" styled Korean MA, there are some differences in the two. As far as TSD being fake, if your instructor teaches it the way I learned it in Korea, then there is nothing fake about it. When properly taught, TSD is a good self defense style. But just like every other MA, there are some TSD mcdojos out there so just be careful.

[WapCaplet]

i want to know if all my research and pratice at home would allow me to start at a higher level then a 7th ryu

 

We're all white belts anyway. The goal is not the color of your belt. It's to learn. And keep learning. My Sensei says that eventually you will realize that the best belt rank is white belt. The highest level is the lowest. The "best" martial artist is the one who recognizes that there is so much more to learn.

... i dont want to learn the basics for the 4th time...

 

We should ALWAYS be learning the basics. Never stop learning the basics. This goes with the white belt philosophy as well. If you want to own something, practice it 10,000 times. And then practice it 10,000 more times. Then repeat. Then do it again. And again. And then keep doing it some more. Martial arts isn't a videogame that you can "finish". It's constant and life-long. It's a circle, not a line. There is no destination in martial arts, only a journey.

 

Wow....I'm really philosophical today...

 

Wap

[TeaL]

I just wanna make this clear,

 

i dont care about the color of my belt.

 

its not about that.

 

its just they have crappy low belt training sessions where you just sit around and do punches for an hour.

 

Id rather be sparring, contact training, and more advanced things that i enjoy...

 

i had originaly 1 year of karate, then 1 year of TSD/hipkido.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I just wanna make this clear,

 

i dont care about the color of my belt.

 

its not about that.

 

its just they have crappy low belt training sessions where you just sit around and do punches for an hour.

 

Id rather be sparring, contact training, and more advanced things that i enjoy...

 

i had originaly 1 year of karate, then 1 year of TSD/hipkido.

 

Some instructors, such as myself, don't have white belts (or any other belt for that matter) do white belt techniques over and over again until they get promoted. I toss them into the middle of class (the 'ol sink or swim method) and they do whatever the entire class is doing that night. It might be pretty basic techniques..or rather advanced. Sure, they don't do well sometimes..but you'd be surprised at how fast people can catch on a lot of times.

 

Anyway, look around your area. There might be something like this out there. As for wearing a higher belt when you start...don't count on it.

[Master Jules]

WAP......great post.

[aefibird]

im just asking is it really worth it to be treated like a moron for a few years before i actuily learn anything?

 

Well, if any school that you go to treats you like a moron then you should leave.

 

As for relearning the basics "for the 4th time", it sounds like you need to. I'm not trying to be cruel, but if you've only had limited experience of training in martial arts then basics are where you'll start.

 

In ANY martial art basics are vital for correct training and being able to do the other stuff that you think is 'cool'. Freestyle sparring, fancy kicks and using deadly looking weapons (or whatever you wanna do) will only come when you've nailed the basics.

 

Even if your instructor throws you in at the deep end on your very first lesson he will expect you to work on your basics and better them all the time.

[Drunken Monkey]

you don't want to keep have to keep practicing the basics?

 

so.... does that mean that once you've learnt how to do one punch,

 

you won't practice it ever again?

 

or when you've learnt how to do a particular kick, or throw or lock or whatever?

 

has it ever occured to you that you don't do much contact drills or sparring cos well, your basics aren't up to scratch?

 

maybe if you put as much effort into doing your basics as you do copyinmg things from books/vids,

 

you'd be getting on with more different things.

 

in my old class we never did any of the basic in class.

 

that was expected of you to do at home.

 

the class was where you got to cross hands with other people and try things that you've been working on by yourself on a live opponent.

 

but if you haven't been doing your boring punching drills

 

(and our friend aefibird knows them well)

 

the instructor, as well as other students, will know/see/feel.

 

that's when someone more senior will ask to see your form and punches and stuff

 

and if you haven't practiced, it will be blindingly obvious.

 

and this thing about mcdojos.

 

well, i know that they are everywhere

 

but

 

is the converse also true?

 

is it really that hard to find a good school?

[scottnshelly]

Teal, you shouldn't worry about the color of your belt. Eventually, if you stay with it long enough, you'll come to realize that the color of your belt doesn't matter. I don't look at the color of anyone's belts, i look at their level of skill. I think that is probably how most Black Belts do too.

 

If you go into a new school and tell the Instructor that you want to be a green belt - or whatever - he could take that as an insult; i would.

 

If you have previous experience and have gone through "the basics" three times before, then advancing shouldn't take as long as someone who is new. If it does take you as long, then you haven't "gone through the basics" three times before.

 

By the way, these "basics" that you are worried about, what are you refering to? Do you mean kicks, punches, blocks and stances? I can tell you that if you attend an actual school with a real instructor, you'll never stop doing kicks, punches, stances and blocks. If you take a computer class for two years, you can't just stop typing and go onto the 'fun stuff'.

 

I hope that this makes sense to you, and everyone, and hope that i'm not the only one with these opinions.