G95champ Posted May 20, 2002 Posted May 20, 2002 Thanks KickChick. Yeah I do a gree a lot of teens slack. Heck I slack when I get a chance LOL. My point was as you saw that the lady in question just did not put forth max effort mostly because she looks at herself as older and not as physical. If you think you are goign to loose you will. Thats what Im trying to get out of her. I have class tonight I expect she will be back. Just took a week off to celebrate. Plus Star Wars came out TR the last class date. LOL. (General George S. Patton Jr.) "It's the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory."
G95champ Posted May 21, 2002 Posted May 21, 2002 Just to let you know the lady I spoke of was back tonight. She said she wanted to rest last week. LOL.... (General George S. Patton Jr.) "It's the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory."
Bitseach Posted May 21, 2002 Posted May 21, 2002 Good for her! My old Sensei used to give a probationary rank if a person was borderline. Seemed like a good idea at the time, although he often susequently forgot they were probationary and graded them as normal the next time! LOL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~My karma will run over your dogma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KickChick Posted May 21, 2002 Posted May 21, 2002 You must remind the "old lady" that she needs to build herself both physically and mentally. She is obviously not fueled up enough... she may be in it for entirely different reasons ... maybe she had preconceived notions of getting into martial arts .... it's not what she thought it was going to be. You got to want it bad ... you have to see a goal and aim for it and beyond it! Physically at our age (over 40) we are at a disadvantage at times .. but mentally we are strong and sometimes that can compensate for alot! _________________ KarateForums Sensei 1st dan Tae Kwon Do (ITF) Cardio/Fitness Kickboxing Instr. [ This Message was edited by: KickChick on 2002-05-21 13:25 ]
G95champ Posted May 21, 2002 Posted May 21, 2002 I agree with you. I think your mind can make up for any physical loss or disadvantage. If you think you can you will. IMO..... (General George S. Patton Jr.) "It's the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory."
SaiFightsMS Posted May 22, 2002 Author Posted May 22, 2002 Well said KickChick. Even though we are over 40 we can do things we never thought possible with the right training and mental fortitude.
Sinbad Posted May 27, 2002 Posted May 27, 2002 Surely the best way is for the instructor to invite students to test when he feels they are ready. Also, particularly at coloured belt levels, is it really so important to do a technique perfectly and to be able to defend yourself? Lots of older people (or even not so old) aren't well coordinated or flexible enough to achieve this. It is their attitude that is important. For these people, I think that the coloured belts are to help them realise their own true potential and develop the right attitude that 'I will be the best MA that I can be'. If someone never moves past white belt because they can't do a good roundhouse kick, they may lose motivation before their eyes can be opened.
KickChick Posted May 28, 2002 Posted May 28, 2002 On 2002-05-27 19:11, Sinbad wrote: Surely the best way is for the instructor to invite students to test when he feels they are ready. Also, particularly at coloured belt levels, is it really so important to do a technique perfectly and to be able to defend yourself? Lots of older people (or even not so old) aren't well coordinated or flexible enough to achieve this. I'd like to focus a bit on this .... Is it so important??? What if an "older" person cannot do a jump spin kick or even throw a round waist high .... does he pass .... or because he has a great attitude ... does that make up for it?
ckdstudent Posted May 28, 2002 Posted May 28, 2002 We have someone in our school who can't kick above his own knee height, and I mean that he physically cannot kick higher than that due to bone growth in his hips. So he can't do a round waist kick, jumping spin kick or any of those. However he is one of the fastest and most powerful people in the class. He has been dedicated to the art for years and while his kicks are low they are technically near-perfect. So, just because he can't do flashy kicks is there any reason he shouldn't grade? ---------Pil SungJimmy B
Bon Posted May 28, 2002 Posted May 28, 2002 Also, particularly at coloured belt levels, is it really so important to do a technique perfectly and to be able to defend yourself? Lots of older people (or even not so old) aren't well coordinated or flexible enough to achieve this. It is their attitude that is important. For these people, I think that the coloured belts are to help them realise their own true potential and develop the right attitude that 'I will be the best MA that I can be'. If someone never moves past white belt because they can't do a good roundhouse kick, they may lose motivation before their eyes can be opened. I strongly disagree.. Just because relative to others it takes them longer to do something doesn't mean they should get promoted for trying & the fact they haven't given up yet. They will give up if we don't give them this belt, so we better give it to them! They end up getting their black belt when they may reaally be no better than a 4th/5th level. When I had my first grading and got yellow belt, orange tip when I wanted my orange belt, I was dissapointed, yes. But, that only made me train so much harder, a lot harder than I would have if I had gotten my orange belt. Only, and when ONLY can you do what is required of you should you be promoted. We can't make a special case for Jonny because he's got a x, y, z which others don't normally have. Yes, their attitude is important. The 'right' attitude would not be so concerned with the belt, but their own personal achievement and have intrisnic motivation! They would want to accomplish something for themself, not to get a pretty belt to show off to others or say I'm a such and such in whatever. I don't know about you, but I don't train for that pretty belt that goes around my waist. Inside you, the belt means nothing if you haven't earnt it, and if you don't know how much you do have to learn and what 'reality' (reality is whatever we define it as) is for you, then I really do not know what to say. Off this board, apart from people at my dojo, very rarely do I talk about my MA. That's because most people fail to see why I train and love feeling sore afterwards. I used to talk about MA when I started because I wanted people to know what they were missing out on and join with the arts with me! Now, what other people say means nothing. My family & friends may not understand, but it doesn't worry me. The only person I train for is myself, to make me a better person It takes sacrifice to be the best.There are always two choices, two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it's easy.
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