Belt test questions for 12 year old.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Its great that he has been doing so much sparring. Does he focus just as much on the rest of his training (Basics, Combinations, kata, Pre-arranged Sparring & Bunkai)?

I ask because you want to be well rounded out and not just be focussing on sparring.

Don't try and have him "burn out" as DWx mentioned. Cause as much as sparring is important you want him to have excellent technique as well that is effective. He will find executing techniques and patterns easier if each technique is better and well trained instead of having sloppy technique.

In terms of getting those extra classes added, i'd say not to worry about it. If he is at a standard (from the perspective of the sensei/chief instructor at that school) that he worthy of being promoted then he should grade. Cause the chief instructor may just see him as taking the initiative to do extra training outside of class time

[AdamKralic]

Its great that he has been doing so much sparring. Does he focus just as much on the rest of his training (Basics, Combinations, kata, Pre-arranged Sparring & Bunkai)?

I ask because you want to be well rounded out and not just be focussing on sparring.

Don't try and have him "burn out" as DWx mentioned. Cause as much as sparring is important you want him to have excellent technique as well that is effective. He will find executing techniques and patterns easier if each technique is better and well trained instead of having sloppy technique.

In terms of getting those extra classes added, i'd say not to worry about it. If he is at a standard (from the perspective of the sensei/chief instructor at that school) that he worthy of being promoted then he should grade. Cause the chief instructor may just see him as taking the initiative to do extra training outside of class time

Well I wanted it it to fight better fighters. They have since bumped him up...but he still needs better fighters. We do not care about the belt...it's about finding a better fighter than himself.

I'll answer to the best of my abilities but understand that I have little to compare to. Mostly we practice by exercising, footwork, technique and trying to string useful combinations. This helps him tremendously with the basics, technique and of course sparring. He likes the bo and is self teaching/learning his own creative form with it. He has competed before using a bo in traditional style. (what I prefer) He is attracted to the flashier creative style.

Best way to not have sloppy technique imho is to get hit really hard. Everything is talk, talk, talk...you get hit hard because you were sloppy? You'll remember that.

He is a 2nd degree brown belt now and they have in the 1st and 2nd degree black belt sparring class. He is killing them. Sensei will put him against black belts much larger than himself so as to avoid the smaller kids (kids his size) from taking the shots. That doesn't work because big people tend to be slow. But I suppose they also can absorb more punishment.

Most kids tend to take karate not too seriously from what I've seen. I was shocked to see horseplay in the black belt class...but it's there. IDK. There is a massive gap in talent between the kids he regularly fights and the national tournament kids. <--- THAT is a huge issue for us. IDK what to do about it at all. I am not a pushy person...and even if I was...there isn't anything to push against/for.

I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing to do but keep on keeping on. We might change schools once he hits black belt though. IDK.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Its great that he has been doing so much sparring. Does he focus just as much on the rest of his training (Basics, Combinations, kata, Pre-arranged Sparring & Bunkai)?

I ask because you want to be well rounded out and not just be focussing on sparring.

Don't try and have him "burn out" as DWx mentioned. Cause as much as sparring is important you want him to have excellent technique as well that is effective. He will find executing techniques and patterns easier if each technique is better and well trained instead of having sloppy technique.

In terms of getting those extra classes added, i'd say not to worry about it. If he is at a standard (from the perspective of the sensei/chief instructor at that school) that he worthy of being promoted then he should grade. Cause the chief instructor may just see him as taking the initiative to do extra training outside of class time

Well I wanted it it to fight better fighters. They have since bumped him up...but he still needs better fighters. We do not care about the belt...it's about finding a better fighter than himself.

I'll answer to the best of my abilities but understand that I have little to compare to. Mostly we practice by exercising, footwork, technique and trying to string useful combinations. This helps him tremendously with the basics, technique and of course sparring. He likes the bo and is self teaching/learning his own creative form with it. He has competed before using a bo in traditional style. (what I prefer) He is attracted to the flashier creative style.

Best way to not have sloppy technique imho is to get hit really hard. Everything is talk, talk, talk...you get hit hard because you were sloppy? You'll remember that.

He is a 2nd degree brown belt now and they have in the 1st and 2nd degree black belt sparring class. He is killing them. Sensei will put him against black belts much larger than himself so as to avoid the smaller kids (kids his size) from taking the shots. That doesn't work because big people tend to be slow. But I suppose they also can absorb more punishment.

Most kids tend to take karate not too seriously from what I've seen. I was shocked to see horseplay in the black belt class...but it's there. IDK. There is a massive gap in talent between the kids he regularly fights and the national tournament kids. <--- THAT is a huge issue for us. IDK what to do about it at all. I am not a pushy person...and even if I was...there isn't anything to push against/for.

I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing to do but keep on keeping on. We might change schools once he hits black belt though. IDK.

It is frustrating when the kids who are in the black belt class don't take things too seriously. I train in the advanced adults class at my school (it is meant to be green belts and above but in reality it is only 1st kyu and black belts who train in it) and we will have a good laugh but we do focus when it comes to what we are actually doing.

But in terms of the difference in skill level of those in his school and the national team is obvious in the names themselves. Even if he is helping the kids in his regular class in terms of their skill level for sparring they will learn so much from him and will improve the overall challenge that he has in general.

As we have two guys who are in the national team and even though they destroy us everytime the spar with us, they will be taking the time to ensure we get better.

And also what you said about big guys tending to be slow, which I am overweight and i take that as an insult. As not all bigger guys are slow, we can be rather fast and agile. I fight against state and national competitors on a regular basis and i often am able to hold my own and often have been able to score and beat them.

If you do decide to move schools once he reaches black belt, look for ones that have a specific kumite class. Which would be good for him. As my old school, we had our normal classes, but on the 1st floor at the same time we had sparring classes where it focuses only on sparring.

[AdamKralic]

I of course did not mean to insult big people. I wasn't even thinking of weight when I posted it...merely height. Often when Zach and I train I reference basketball players.

EX: As a Chicago Bulls fan Joakim Noah is my favorite Bull. For a center he's very fast, very coordinated, very hard working and has as great of a will to win as one could hope for. Every team in the NBA would be happy with a player like Joakim. But in a race of one step or a race or a 1/4 mile...Derrick Rose would destroy Joakim in the speed department. That is even more true when you take a average speed center and compare them to an average speed guard. The guard wins 100% of the races.

Zach and I work on that one step speed that Derrick is so famous for. Going from zero to Gawd Dang in one step. Also remember that these people that I refer to are children and not adults. Tall children have never had to rely on speed...they are big. Being big has helped them tremendously in most athletic endeavors. In karate however a small fighter can beat a tall fighter...over n over n over again too. Two reasons: speed AND the tall child has a massive target zone while the small one has a small zone that is far away from the tall child's "comfort area."

You combine all that with the fact that my son is very disciplined with a perfectly sideways stance and a extended guard...well 99% of the taller fighters that MY son faces...are at a big disadvantage before the fight even starts.

I have seen one tall, fast, coordinated fighter. He is 18 or 19 though. Ross Cooke. He is now on Team USA. He has every unfair advantage you can name. He can slide axe kick across a ring. He has that very quick first step. He is tall and has a huge reach. He is strong.

I am glad that he is much older than my son. I would not like to have to train my son to beat him as it'd be next to impossible. If I did though? It be to get inside Ross instantly and throw that reverse punch combo as fast as you could. Maybe one could score some points in that way.