Habits

I have many bad habits. It certainly hurts my health and well being. For example, I spend many hours on the computer. My eyesight is so poor.

So, what bad habits do you have?

My New Style

Someone asked me if I were to make a new style, what would it be called and what would be its basics.

No, I won't be putting this into action anytime soon.

Name: Victory-Ka

Main Stances: Natural Cat Stance (wider that standard cat stance), Bench Stance (fancy way to call horse stance,

Blocks: Open hand upper block, open hand block cut, flicking lower block

Attacks: Open hand block cut, vertical punch, downward punch, horizontal chop, double ear cut

Well, that's the basics for now.

Poem-ish-ramble: Winning

When you win, everyone else looses, so, does that make you the champion of the losers or the sole winner?

Or neither? What good is it to win over the losers?

Does that mean you really didn't win?

Or were you just lucky? Did your skill really affect the results that much? Or was it your colors or fancy stuff that made this win? Hmm?

When you win, you are the Best of Losers.

Losing doesn't mean you are a loser, it just means that you suck more than the winner. The winner still sucks just maybe not as much. Who knows.

With that said, is winning really winning and is losing really losing? Or is it just a term?

Exercise Besides Martial Arts

Do you guys do anything else outside of Martial Arts?

I don't. It's the only exercise I get. Well, if you don't count PE. Next year, I won't even have PE, so I will be solely relying on Martial Arts. So next year, I must start doing more walking. I look forward to doing so. That documentary inspired me to do so. I will keep my word on this.

Watch This Documentary !

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLQwWKb3l8

This isn't exactly a martial arts topic, but it is worth watching. It's inspiring. This is a documentary called: Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It talks about health. As a martial artist, you must be healthy and fit. So, go and watch it.

Disclamer: I don't own the video, am not related or affliated to this. Also, do this AFTER you consult your doctor.

Black Belts and Minors

Personally, I don't have a problem with a black belt under ten years old.

BUT.  Only if they can pass the following :

How many seven year olds understand how to lead a class? I don't know any. Most at this age are still depending on their parents or the sensei. When you become a black belt, you must be able to lead a class. Teaching a class would be ideal for the Shodan to be able to know how to do. In reality, being a leader is a huge thing already.

How many third graders can organize and direct people effectively? Again, I don't know any.

How many little children can spot errors of themselves and/or others by themselves and be able to correct them?  Still, don't know a single young soul who can.

Can this kid defend themself against a fully grown men?  Or against two or three people that are between 13 to 50 years old ?

Or the alternative question: How many children can think fast enough to avoid a bad situtation? Some Adults can't think fast enough, so, a kid is a huge suprise.

How many kids would be taken seriously enough to keep order in a dojo? This one makes me laugh really hard.

Just to make this clear, I'm not saying that these young children cannot. I'm sure some can. But only a few can. Like I just mentioned in one of the questions, a huge armful of adult black belts can't do this.

So, I guess, the thing is, every single black belt must be able to do this regardless of age in order to pass their first test.

Questions Day

I guess I will make Wednesdays become Questions Day. Where I ask you, my audience questions. And I answer yours.

Only one question today:
What do you do to have faster kicks and punches?

Why do students quit?

There are probably several articles on this already, but I have to state my opinion on this. Personally, as a brown belt, I see a horde of kids who come on the first day of the session and by the third class a few of them poof. Then, as time goes on, more and more poof. For example, the now Shodan Ho, Matt is the only black belt that is in our dojo after about ten years. TEN YEARS. So, I guess, what I was saying about ten students isn't true. I've seen over fifty or sixty kids in my five years at my current dojo. Only about ten are still here after at least four years of training. Half of them are brown belts that are lower ranking than me. We don't have any brown belts that are senior to us (me, Selena, and Laura). So, we are the senior brown belts. It's sad.

Students quit because the beginning is to hard for them. They expect to be able to do the fancy stuff that the higher ranks can do, such as weapons, right away. Unfortunately for them, they have to learn basics first. Basics are critical for being able to kumite, do kata, have good kime and discipline.

Stereotypes also are a factor in what makes people think that it is easy to learn martial arts. Those movies ruined us all. It gives the newbies this attitude of : "I can beat anyone." Of course, this isn't true. For example, at my school, we have a Martial Arts Club. No, I'm not a member, unfortunately. Anyway, on with my story. The club often receive new members. Some of these new members will walk in with their "invincible" attitude. So, they end up having a sparring match with the club's president who has been studying various martial arts since he was in kinder-garden. He beats them all. It's a hit to their pride, but it shows how many people assume that they can, or rather, can't do martial arts like the movies.

Some folks who understand martial arts isn't easy will stay on and continue to work, but it is also a waiting game. So, those who put effort in the beginning often peter out and decide to leave. Some times, these folks leave because _____ is not their martial art. Some leave because the instructor(s) do no suit them. Sometimes, they leave because they do not have enough attention paid to them from the instructor(s). Others, get injured and never return. Some folks have other activities in their life and can't find a way to fit these classes in. And in some undesirable cases, the students are made to feel uncomfortable by the sensei(s) or another student.

There are so many reasons why they all leave. Some, that I can't even think of.

To become a black belt, two things are most critical above all factors: effort and time.

Reflections 4/22

I woke up with a cold this morning. I feel very groggy right now.

Other than that, well I shall continue with reflections and insight to things. (Not ranked in importance, just written as I remember.)

1. In order to be a good sensei, you  have to be good with children. I am not good with children. I guess I have to learn and live. 
2. It's amazing how many new people you can meet along your journey of martial arts. Along the way, you also meet people that you previously knew, but never knew that they did martial arts. It can be a humbling and enriching experience. It's amazing how many people in the world do martial arts.
3. Every time that you meet and talk to people, it increases your people skills. Same applies to teaching someone about what you know in martial arts.
4. A lot of the younger children will mirror your actions. So, if you make a mistake, they will make a mistake. Or, if you have a bad characteristic/habit, they will emulate you. That forces you to change to become a better role model.
5. Of course, karate (martial arts in general) makes you more sensitive and observant.
6. At some point in your training, the art gives you this attitude or this mindset that makes you seem a bit arrogant or proud. Not quite sure what it is, but it exists in most practitioners.
7. With martial arts, your personality can be curbed in a sense. It becomes more proper and less wild.
8. Martial arts gives you a deeper insight to people's character and habits. It helps you judge character.
9. It sharpens your "sixth sense".
10. Back to the judgement of character, that can help you judge whether or not this master/sensei/sifu/etc. is worthy of training under. I have been to a few dojos in my life and seen the different styles of each teacher. I've had a sifu who sat on a chair all class long and just chewed gum or was eating the whole time. (Isn't there a rule of some sort that we can't eat or drink in the dojo/dojang/hall/etc.?) He'd have his high ranking students teach the class. They were two girls, maybe 14 or 15 years old who were purple belts. In that system, a purple belt is four ranks away from a black belt. So, they weren't suitable for teaching. This man did not know how to teach. He never showed us proper stances or technique. He even threatened us to give him five stars on the survey that we had to fill about how his teaching was. If we didn't ,he would kick us out. This is an example of a McDojo.
11. This isn't a solid statistic, but it generallly goes like this:  Ten people enter the dojo on their first day. By the third class, about seven/eight are left. By the time that the first promotion comes around four or five are left. And the ones that are left that become a black belt? Often one student. Occassionally two. Kind of a sad statistic, but it's what generally happens.

Black Belt Essay Topics

Knowing that I will be going up for Shodan next year, I shall begin to ramp up the preparations. A requirement to get the black belt is to write an essay.

 

The topics are usually:

• What have I learned
• How has Karate changed my life
• How do I use Karate in my life
• How will I use my knowledge to benefit others
• What is a black belt
• What makes a good student
• What makes a good teacher
• What is karate to you

And probably a billion more topics and variations of this. So here I will begin.

I suppose I'll do reflections first.

What I have learned as a brown belt (so far).

To be a brown belt, it is neccessary to have a way higher standard for everything you do. Mistakes are not tolerated as well as before. You are responsible to keep order in the class where possible if the black belts are occupied. Your kime, form, and concentration must be more sharper than a purple belts.

And so many other things that I shall continue tommorow.

Youth Tournament 2013

Well. I got last place in open hand individual kata. That sucks. I guess I did so poorly was partly because of my belief that I would fail and the other part was because I didn't really care to win and I suppose the third part was because we didn't have any time to practice.

As for Team Kata, we got third place out of three teams. Which is of course terrible. This was partly because we found out that we were in the team THIS MORNING...... So, therefore, no practice at all. And this also has a third reason, because this time, we had a new teammate.

I question Sensei Jon and Sensei Leo's judgement in this. Who makes their dojo attend a tournament with a three/four week notice ??? I know I shouldn't question them, but really? How do you expect us to do well? Geez. I need some chill pills right now.

I also wonder why I did open hand and not weapons... I wonder why I am here complaining and ranting. Yeah, I should stop here before I annoy anyone else.

Three cheers for Ikkyu! HIP-HIP-HOORAY!

Today is a good day.I've passed the test and have been promoted to Ikkyu.
The promotion ceremoney consists of formally recieving the certificate and a belt tying ceremony. For Sankyu and below, there is a belt tying ceremony. As for Nikyu, two strips of red tape are added to the brown belt. For Ikkyu, a piece of tape removed. I have to say, the tape thing is a bit cheesy. I suppose this is still better than some dojos, where the students have their mark/stripe drawn on.

I have to say, I am suprised. There was only one black belt canidate this time. Well, Matt passed. So, that was great for him. And as for the other four, they also passed. Selena, unfortunately had to do Wanshu three times in order to satisfy the judges. There certainly were a lot of other folks who went up for their next belt. I think it was about 35 people from three dojos. The other people passed too.

Lack of Preparations

I have a bit of night before jitters.

I have faith I will pass.

As for our black belt canidiate, Matt, he is showing the effects of being not ready. I think he will pass, but will look way sloppier than the canidates from our sister dojo.

It's amazing how much better our sister dojo is than us. It's mindblowing.

Oh well. Wish the six of us luck.

Two Days Until Ikkyu

     On Saturday, I will hopefully be promoted to Ikkyu. The highest "student" rank in Karate.
    
     In martial arts, even the instructor is still a student no matter how long you have been there. Just, the instructor has mastered the basics and now can be called a sensei or sifu or master.

     Today, we are having one final practice before the Promotion and the tournament that is on Sunday. Why did they make two events in the same weekend???? Why not have the Promotion this weekend and the tournament next weekend? So much stress. Not to mention that I happen to have two sensei's that ALWAYS prepare for a tournament/promotion about five weeks before(9 to 12 classes) . And the last 5 or 6 classes will be totally devoted to the prepartations. I won't be suprised if the black belt canidates do not pass their tests. Not many other schools do that. WHY? Senseis Leo and Jon this is why we never win in the tournaments. We need more practice and stuff...

    Oh well. Wish me luck.

Blog Day One

Well, today's my first day on this blog. I hope I can keep posting here regularly. My journey to black belt will be a long one, but no matter. It begins here. On this blog. Right now.