Personal principles vs goals

[OneKickWonder]

Personally, I don't care where I stand in line, as long as I have a place in the line...

I agree with you. Every now and then, I see some students get particular about where they are in line during line-ups, and I always use that opportunity to tell them exactly that.

Its one of the best lessons a student can learn.

Agree, with both!!

The line is just a line, really, it is. There wouldn't even be a line if there was never the first White Belt to stand there!!

Besides, worrying about line positions starkly becomes quite clear when one understands that there's one spot in the line that they'll never ever stand at/on/in...

 

IN FRONT OF THE LINE; that's where the CI's AT/ON/IN, and you, as the student, ARE NOT.

Is the goal of your school to destroy student's aspirations?

Why will they never ever be the chief instructor?

To the bold type above...

I'm speaking in present tense, and NOT in future tense!! I'm the CI of my dojo and our Hombu has a CI as well, so, when I'm in house at the Hombu, even though I'm Kaicho, I'm not the CI of the Hombu; there's no room, or reason, for me to stand in front of the line where the Hombu's CI stands.

Aspirations are find and all, and I wholeheartedly support them, but until the current CI of wherever steps down, that spot in front of the line is reserved, for the moment.

Anyone that knows me on and/or off the floor knows that I'm a staunch proponent for the Student Body, and that I encourage the entire Student Body in whatever their aspirations are, wherever they might be, and that includes becoming the CI wherever that might be.

Sorry. My misunderstanding. I took the bit where you said 'they'll never ever', and took that to mean 'they'll never ever' instead of 'they won't at this present time'.

[JazzKicker]

First off, its clear that you believe board breaking is a very important part of MA training, especially testing.

I'm not sure if this is tongue in cheek or a misunderstanding

For the avoidance of doubt, I believe board breaking to be The single most ridiculous aspect of the traditional martial arts culture.

Pyjamas. OK, strange, but I get it. It's loose fitting and it's a uniform that takes away any class or gender divides by making everyone look kind of the same.

Coloured belts that somehow mean a certain level of skill or understanding? Another bizarre notion but OK, it helps both fellow students and instructors understand roughly how far along you are at a glance.

Screaming at nobody while you kick things air? Yeah okay but there is science to back the rapid exhalation as you perform a technique, and kicking thin air without falling over has value seeing as when you try to kick an actual opponent, he will want to move and counter and you still want to keep your balance.

Bowing and speaking Japanese / Korean to a westerner who speaks the same native language as you and it's not Korean or Japanese? OK. Erm. Yes. OK, it's a cultural thing I guess, and besides, you never know, you might actually one day work with a Korean or Japanese instructor I guess.

Breaking small pieces of soft pine that are being held still for you, as a means of demonstrating how hard you are. ....... erm. .... sorry, got nothing lol.

He was playing along with your riff. We get that you're finding some of the trappings and activities in TSD silly.

Your feminist principles are admirable, I just don't think you'll get very far with that in such a traditional association. They have 10s of thousands of black belts already. I think your best option is to take your own test and not concern yourself with someone else's, female or not.

[bushido_man96]

So why for martial arts? Do we have black belt men and black belt women? Or just black belts?

I know right, always wondered why in tournaments they have female and male kata seperate. No strength differential there.....

There is a different in the athletic abilities, mainly in explosiveness and flexibility, between men and women. There are physical and emotional differences in males and females, and its good to recognize them.

[Patrick]

Hey all,

Just as a reminder, in this community, we can have the conversation of, "I observed a test where men and women were asked to perform in different ways, what do we think about that?"

But what is not appropriate for this community is general observations on feminism, "political correctness" and women's rights. In other words, let's keep it strictly to the martial arts, and what is directly relevant to the martial arts conversation happening here.

Please adhere to that from this reply forward. Thank you.

Patrick