If One Man Can do It...

[Martialart]

Even at 2nd dan you're still just beginning to understand the true essence of your art and there are still techniques and basics that one still must work one. I know a quite a few black belts (in karate) and they seem to have a specialized interest in one area be it kata, kumite, one of the kobudo weapons, but don't have a well rounded knowledge in all areas needed to run their dojo. Lee made his own style after years of development, sighting specific wide spread problems in martial arts and its practitioners. He not only focused on the physical aspects of training, but also the mental and lifestyle aspects as well.

I'm curious, brokenswordx, you list a lot of styles that you do in martial arts. How can you be good at all of them? I mean, I train three days a week in Taekwondo; I wouldn't have the time to train in three other styles as well. And I'm not trying to be argumentative; I see it a lot in here, and I'm just wondering how a person accomplishes that. Do you actually train in all of those different martial arts?

My point is, if one person can do it, another can. If you can train in all those styles, why can't I be good at kata, weapons, and sparring?

[brokenswordx]

Remember you asked for opinions, so I really don’t know why you’re bringing my martial arts background in this. Granted I did state about what I saw from the black belts I’ve come across. While you may not trying to be argumentative, the tone of your post seems (in my opinion) very skeptical of what I’ve written . . . like a just made the post to make you mad and get a laugh out of it. That wasn’t my intention, you asked for opinion and I gave mine. As far as my training maybe I have the time to train in karate, iaido and kendo because that’s all I do. Maybe I train on a rotating schedule, alternating iaido and kendo practice in the morning and karate in evening.

I never said you weren’t good at kata, and etc, it seems silly for me to judge the skill of someone I’ve never trained with and don’t know. I was talking about the black belts I’ve come across and have trained with for years. This is what I’ve noticed during my time with them that, they have a strong interest or higher skill level in certain areas but not overall. We all have our favorite area but to solely focus on it and neglect the others will hamper our progress.

If you’re serious about running your own dojo talk to your sensei about it and ask to be his/her to be an assistant instructor so you can learn the ropes of running a dojo from teaching yours tyle to the business aspect of it.

[algernon]

My point is, if one person can do it, another can. If you can train in all those styles, why can't I be good at kata, weapons, and sparring?

I can agree that "if one person can do it, another can," but that does not mean "if one person can do it, anyone can." Now, I know nothing at all about your abilities, but people aren't all equally capable. Also, no one is saying that you can't.

[GeoGiant]

I guess what puzzles me is why you continue to train at a dojo you seem to have so much distain for. You mock the place you train, the people you train with and the instruction. I in no way intend this to be an attack, I just can’t image wanting to get BB from someone (that your describing as) unqualified to properly assess what skills are required to earn a BB or someone that is more interested in students buying BBs.

Again, I have limited experience and I’ve only been associated with one dojo but my impression of my instructor and the people that he has elevated to BB is at the opposite end of the spectrum from your experiences. Honestly, I feel bad for you.

Why not train somewhere else?

Why do you feel bad for me? I'm getting what I want. The curriculum is fine. I can train as hard as I want. I've said that the instructors are good at what they do. I'm getting a taekwondo education. That's what I'm paying for, that's what I'm getting. I don't need it to be a cult. I don't need to feel undying loyalty to the owner/masters I write a check to every month. I need to learn taekwondo and work out, and if down the road I want to open a school and do things the way I think they should be done, then I'm going to need a black belt from an established school in order to feel confident in doing that.

Besides, there is nothing else here. There are three other schools, and they are all part of the ITA TKD Puls franchise. But again, I have no complaints about what I'm being taught. It's just that it's a McDojo that nickle and dimes you to death.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your posts from several threads but you haven't painted a positive image of your dojo or the BB that train there.

I don't idolize anyone at my dojo or feel that I'm part of a cult. I feel that my instructor set the bar high for someone to achieve BB status and I'm surrounded by people have reached that status... its an impressive achievement. I feel the same way about someone who gets a PhD.

[Martialart]

I don't know, I suppose I'm just toying with the idea really. And at any rate it's a long way off. For all I know, by the time we are black belts, we might be good friends with a lot of people at the school and not want to part ways. Setting up a dojang is expensive and paying the rent on commercial space is expensive. Insurance is expensive, and it could just as easily turn into a daycare center if one isn't careful.

White belts come and go. There have been three start since we started, and we haven't seen them recently. For all I know, the nickle and diming and contracts and multiple gradings per colored belt, patches, doboks, pads, etc., may be the only way a dojang can stay afloat these days.

And what am I going to do when 90% of my students can't live up to my expecations? Kick them out? Fail them at their gradings? Not allow them to grade? And let's not forget the economy and the rising number of out of work people. Martial arts isn't cheap.

I'm working toward my black belt. That's all I know right now. There is no telling how we will feel about it when we get there.

[Toptomcat]

In the meantime, avoiding overambition and setting your mind on incremental goals will help you get there.

Right now it seems to me that you're jumping from one grand castle in the air to another: are martial artists noble? Why do people learn martial arts? Should I found my own style of martial arts?

Try thinking about, say, how to improve your roundhouse kick and I suspect it will bear more fruit

Edited May 22, 2010 by Toptomcat

[algernon]

Toptomcat is right. "Take care of the days, and the years will take care of themselves."

[still kicking]

algernon wrote:

"Take care of the days, and the years will take care of themselves."

Oh algernon, you are so wise.

Martialart wrote:

And what am I going to do when 90% of my students can't live up to my expecations? Kick them out? Fail them at their gradings? Not allow them to grade?

Kick them out, no. Fail them at their gradings? Not allow them to grade? Yes! Without integrity and high standards, in my opinion, a martial arts school is worthless.

[ps1]

There is no reason why the two of you should not open your own school once the two of you have developed the technical expertise in your style. Especially if you don't care about being under your current organization.

I don't think you should create your own style. If your rank is in TKD, than you should teach TKD.

[Martialart]

There is no reason why the two of you should not open your own school once the two of you have developed the technical expertise in your style. Especially if you don't care about being under your current organization.

I don't think you should create your own style. If your rank is in TKD, than you should teach TKD.

Well, let me ask you this. If a person learns TKD. And then they decide to go and teach it on there own, is there some limitation on whether or not you can teach ITF forms or WTF forms? I know that TKD is a fairly generic term, like karate. Can a person teach WTF forms and not be part of the WTF?