Bizarre grading requirements

[RichardZ]

Well, who is to actually state that strength of pushups was a original grading concept? Who is to say that a requirement has to be pushups? And, who is to say that doing pushups for a grade might not be bizzare also?

[Ichi_Geki]

Well, who is to actually state that strength of pushups was a original grading concept? Who is to say that a requirement has to be pushups? And, who is to say that doing pushups for a grade might not be bizzare also?

If you do not have a physical requirement for Kuro Obi, any dan ranking, I think that its safe to say that the condition of the martial artist will be weak. How many people with a weak core do you know, that can survive a full force punch to the stomach? I know of none. So for my students I want them to survive the fight.

And for it being a bizarre requirement?...A push up is a very common thing that can be done daily without much mental pain...I would have to fight with myself a slight bit to put tacks in my mouth and doing my pushups...that would make it bizarre.

[RichardZ]

Well, who is to actually state that strength of pushups was a original grading concept? Who is to say that a requirement has to be pushups? And, who is to say that doing pushups for a grade might not be bizzare also?

If you do not have a physical requirement for Kuro Obi, any dan ranking, I think that its safe to say that the condition of the martial artist will be weak. How many people with a weak core do you know, that can survive a full force punch to the stomach? I know of none. So for my students I want them to survive the fight.

And for it being a bizarre requirement?...A push up is a very common thing that can be done daily without much mental pain...I would have to fight with myself a slight bit to put tacks in my mouth and doing my pushups...that would make it bizarre.

Are we to conclude, the ability to withstand such impact, is a criteria?

I have seen many people who cannot take a hit.

Does this make them less applicable to receive grade or promotion?

There is a term of a person's weak area(s) and this is called "Glass_______ (fill in the blank)

[Ichi_Geki]

Many people become dansha when they shouldn't. I wish to avoid this mistake. I dont want my dansha going out and starting a fight and losing it by getting a shot to a weak spot that could be strengthened

[RichardZ]

Many people become dansha when they shouldn't. I wish to avoid this mistake. I dont want my dansha going out and starting a fight and losing it by getting a shot to a weak spot that could be strengthened

We have to face a reality, that not everyone can be strengthen exactly the same and in the same areas. We have to come to a reality, that training has to curtail the physical ability of said practitioner. That this should improve the individual, not what it should do in comparison to others.

Simply, not everyone can do like another. If this was so, everyone could be atheletes, artists, etc.

[Ichi_Geki]

But with proper training they can choose to be as best as they can. And this is the goal that I try to set forth to my students, to atleast attempt to achieve a status of conditioning that you can take the strike, that you can break the bat with your fore arm or shin.

It wont happen unless they work at it. I for one dont want to be a fifth dan (My next rank) and not able to do what I have to do to achieve that status. I dont want to be the fourth dan that I am now and get into a fight and lose it because I was not conditioned enough...not that fighting is the correct thing either. But at times you have to deal with it, and hope your as conditioned as you need to be.

[RichardZ]

But with proper training they can choose to be as best as they can. And this is the goal that I try to set forth to my students, to atleast attempt to achieve a status of conditioning that you can take the strike, that you can break the bat with your fore arm or shin.

It wont happen unless they work at it. I for one dont want to be a fifth dan (My next rank) and not able to do what I have to do to achieve that status. I dont want to be the fourth dan that I am now and get into a fight and lose it because I was not conditioned enough...not that fighting is the correct thing either. But at times you have to deal with it, and hope your as conditioned as you need to be.

You cannot teach such thing to everyone-anyone. Proper training is a misnomer only to those who can achieve certain areas.

Breaking such objects is no true test of fighting-defense ability, and many, no matter the traning, will not be able to do it. Besides, a bat, like boards and bricks are subjected to physics and material seletion.

[Ichi_Geki]

Bat breaking is for nidan and up. If they cannot do it then they will not get any where past shodan.

My standards for my martial arts is high and I leave it that way to weed out those that are not suitable for my style. I let them train for one month free before I accept payment to ensure that this is what they want. And if they do not like it I give them half their money back when ever they want to discontinue their training.

Physics is needed in martial arts because the body itself is nothing but physics as well.

[Blade96]

I learned how to do pushups in the kenpo school. Before, I could not get off the ground.

Now I can manage about 7.

we do them in shotokan as well, just not as often and they arent required to advance in belts.

I'm not against learning how to do them, I'm not sure what the physical requirements are in your school, Ichi, like for little white belts but the kenpo one is strict too. I think i already wrote what little white belts have to be able to do. I just dont really agree with having to be able to do a lot of them to get a belt....especially for little white belts.

One thing I did take from that school though, and shotokan too, is the benefit of having strong arms....I still do a little pushups couple times a week....so I've kept it on.

[RichardZ]

Blade96, has only being able to do 7 pushups, reflect in any way your training to achieve other skills and/or ability?