I nearly punched my friend in the head!

[white owl]

I agree learn to control your punches and kicks with out hurting each other.

[WireFrame]

Everyone's saying that she's needs to go full speed but control it, but doesn't it take years to develop that control? Shouldn't we be encouraging white belts and really all the lower kyu ranks to not use so much power until they develop that control?

I understand your point, although Blade96 states he's mostly partnered with dan grades meaning he's probably one himself or at least close. This, to me, would mean he is capable of controlling his movements to a certain degree.

White belts on the other hand can vary massively in ability, speed, strength and control. Where I train, white belt training is mostly centred around muscle memory and body conditioning. Exercises that require an expert amount of control aren't practiced much until a few grades later. 5-step sparring requires some control but it teaches control as well, especially to those with less co-ordination at the beginning. I was forever bruised during my first few grades haha.

Side note: On the rare occasions I'm partnered with a white belt or even beginner to intermediate grade, I use it just as much as a teaching opportunity as a training one, and we're encourage to do so. Mainly in terms of helping out to fix any particular thing a beginner needs to work on. My favourite point to help anyone with is when, in organised sparring (like 5 or 1 step) some beginners get into a rhythm and go on auto-pilot. So I vary the timing of those attacks so they learn to react instead of going through the motions.

[Lupin1]

I understand your point, although Blade96 states he's mostly partnered with dan grades meaning he's probably one himself or at least close. This, to me, would mean he is capable of controlling his movements to a certain degree.

Well, from her previous posts, I know she's a white belt testing for yellow next month, otherwise I wouldn't have assumed that.

[Kuma]

It sounds like sanbon or ippon kumite, I'm guessing? If so then if you don't actually execute the technique at the target you're supposed to (i.e. you execute a chudan tsuki at their pectoral rather than their solar plexus) you're only doing them a disservice because then they don't really learn how to block the technique that's coming at the target.

There is something to be said for control though. When I'm training with some of the guys who are newer to the art than I am, much like many other posters here I probably start off slow to let them see what they're doing, pick up the pace a bit to their own level, and then maybe a couple times give them one a bit beyond their abilities so they can see how to react to it. Control is still definitely needed though, which takes time to develop.

Just start off slow with other students and either let them dictate the pace or try to stay in their own ability level.

[WireFrame]

It sounds like sanbon or ippon kumite, I'm guessing? If so then if you don't actually execute the technique at the target you're supposed to (i.e. you execute a chudan tsuki at their pectoral rather than their solar plexus) you're only doing them a disservice because then they don't really learn how to block the technique that's coming at the target.

There is something to be said for control though. When I'm training with some of the guys who are newer to the art than I am, much like many other posters here I probably start off slow to let them see what they're doing, pick up the pace a bit to their own level, and then maybe a couple times give them one a bit beyond their abilities so they can see how to react to it. Control is still definitely needed though, which takes time to develop.

Just start off slow with other students and either let them dictate the pace or try to stay in their own ability level.

I'd agree with that.

[Blade96]

It sounds like sanbon or ippon kumite, I'm guessing

its ippon

and me being thought of as close to a dan? Haha, i'm sorry but thats the funniest thing I've read in a long time! =]

The reason I sparr mostly with black belts is because sensei wants me to be with them, he doesnt want white with white. So I hardly get chances to sparr with other white belts. Good idea I suppose, if we didnt sparr with black belts how would we get better? I love black belts anyway, I'm not one of the people who shy away from paring with them, I'd RATHER be paired with them. besides its open season on black and brown belts! LOL. Kidding.

I am white belt, but very close to being a 8th kyu. nearly shed the white belt now, my test is next month, as Lupin said.

and btw, I'm female.

[KarateGeorge]

The reason I sparr mostly with black belts is because sensei wants me to be with them, he doesnt want white with white. So I hardly get chances to sparr with other white belts. Good idea I suppose, if we didnt sparr with black belts how would we get better? I love black belts anyway, I'm not one of the people who shy away from paring with them, I'd RATHER be paired with them. besides its open season on black and brown belts! LOL. Kidding.

Yeah, generally at my school we also put white belts with black belts when sparring. For the black belts, its not so much about sparring at that time, they'll get other chances to actually spar, its more about instruction and teaching the newer students how to apply the techniques they've been learning in class into a sparring situation. The white belt is learning to spar...the black belt is gaining to opportunity to teach and hopefully learn through instruction.

[Blade96]

i did do better! yay!

Got paired up with a brand new white belt who's just learning, while the nidan was helping us get ready for our test. I knew he was totally new to shotokan and I know my stuff already for that level, just waiting to test now, so when i was paired with him, NiDan told me to go slow and i said 'oss' so i did. He punch and I'd block, then I'd punch and he'd block. and I had control I dont wish to frighten anybody. So I went real easy on him. I'm helping him to learn, just as black and brown belts help me to learn. So I have responsibility, as I'm a senior student now, too. to brand new studnts who join.

then friday i got paired with a brown belt. sensei said to all of us, 'aim right between the eyes, go hard, and if you get hit its your own fault cause you should have blocked - this is a contact art like hockey its just we dont wear all that equipment' of course we were practicing jodan age ukes (upper rising blocks) well for me its open season on black and brown belts, (haha) so I went hard on her lol. She has great reflexes so i couldnt hit her, but i think once i managed to graze her skin lightly though she denies it =]

I told her to try and hit me too. I never got hit though. so i guess my reflexes aren't that shabbie either. afterwards she was talking to another white belt about how strong i am cause her arms were sore from my blocks and my punches! she was like Great crow, she's some strong and powerful for a white belt!

But I did exercise control for the brand new white belt earlier, though.

So I'm learning!

btw i remember being with the white belt i almost punched in the head. he glanced down at the ground and sempai caught him. He told me 'if he does it again punch him right between the two eyes' Haha. It reminded me of watching hockey, where the players must keep their heads up or else they'll get nailed a good one into the middle of next week.

[tonydee]

It's good to partner white belts with senior ranks. White belts don't know what they're doing, so they're unpredictable: starting an attack at completely the wrong time, using the wrong technique, following an unexpected trajectory, breaking with a formal stance to try to nail you one - because they still understand that to be the objective rather than just delivering a technique per se, not telegraphing as their seniors do because they can't imagine that it's necessary to coordinate their attacking limb with any other part of their body, flicking out explosively without the deliberate methodical muscular motion that students tend to get as they gradually develop power and body-mechanical movements and condition their bodies. Consequently, handling a white belt can be harder than handling a mid-colour-belt rank. But, white belts shouldn't get over-confident about it... you might hit hard enough to hurt, and unknowingly break the "rules" of body mechanics to surprise someone and get a hit in, but you haven't learned yet how to hit hard enough to stop the fight, or block firmly enough to stop a hit that isn't pulled. Too many students - especially talented ladies - rush through the first half of the colour belt ranks only to hit a brick wall when some seniors start standing their ground. Don't let that happen: be humble, pay attention, do techniques the right way so there's more there than just aggression, speed and an abuse of the leniency extended to juniors.... I'm not saying all or any of this applies in this particular case, but Blade96 - do have a good think about it - if nothing else, it's a good thing to recognise in others, and an important thing to steer your own students away from should you teach one day.

Regards,

Tony

[Blade96]

It's good to partner white belts with senior ranks. White belts don't know what they're doing, so they're unpredictable: starting an attack at completely the wrong time, using the wrong technique, following an unexpected trajectory, breaking with a formal stance to try to nail you one - because they still understand that to be the objective rather than just delivering a technique per se, not telegraphing as their seniors do because they can't imagine that it's necessary to coordinate their attacking limb with any other part of their body, flicking out explosively without the deliberate methodical muscular motion that students tend to get as they gradually develop power and body-mechanical movements and condition their bodies. Consequently, handling a white belt can be harder than handling a mid-colour-belt rank. But, white belts shouldn't get over-confident about it... you might hit hard enough to hurt, and unknowingly break the "rules" of body mechanics to surprise someone and get a hit in, but you haven't learned yet how to hit hard enough to stop the fight, or block firmly enough to stop a hit that isn't pulled. Too many students - especially talented ladies - rush through the first half of the colour belt ranks only to hit a brick wall when some seniors start standing their ground. Don't let that happen: be humble, pay attention, do techniques the right way so there's more there than just aggression, speed and an abuse of the leniency extended to juniors.... I'm not saying all or any of this applies in this particular case, but Blade96 - do have a good think about it - if nothing else, it's a good thing to recognise in others, and an important thing to steer your own students away from should you teach one day.

Regards,

Tony

i will do!

and this is a good post - thanks