To often have I seen unfit and lazy martial artists. I personally could stand to lose a few pounds, but I have found for the most part my weight hasn't impacted my martial arts. This post wont go into fat martial artists, but I will cover my thoughts on lazy martial artists. Lazy martial artists will half ass everything they do, saying to his or herself or to others that they will do it for real when the time comes. This is as false a statement as one can say. I train just about every day, but it is not a full work out. I rarely get a full workout in due to lack of sufficient area, but forms are one thing a martial artist can do just about anywhere. Preforming a form half-assed is negating the purpose of a form. A form is for muscle memory and to train your body in a combination of techniques. Throwing lousy punches or just throwing semi-kicks just wont cut it. You need to perform each movement with intent and sound off when you need to kiyap. Kiyaping is to stiffen the muscles and channel ki. It can also be quite intimidating to your opponent. When you don't kiyap in practice, you wont kiyap when it counts.
One of my Hap-Ki-Do instructors, KyoSaNim (2nd Degree), gave me some great advice when punching. I was punching with little intent or power and he told me to punch harder. I neglected to punch harder and so he stood in front of me and told me to punch him. I punched him continually and he continually told me to punch harder. Finally he punched me and knocked the wind out of me and said "Punch Harder! Like this! Understand?". I nodded and attempted to catch my breath. The point he was making is that if you don't give it your all in training you wont give it your all in life. So please, if you are a martial artist give it your all when you are training! Or hang up the dobok and belt!
JoKyoNim Tim
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Redbelts, my favorite color
I recently watched the movie Redbelt and it got me thinking about the rank of red belt and how it has many different meanings in different martial arts. In my art, taekwondo, it is most often the rank before one achieves their probationary black belt or even 1st degree black belt.
Lets look at the traditional emotions associated with the color Red; anger, passion, love, boldness, and different forms of rage. Red is also traditionally associated with blood for obvious reasons as well as fire. Red could mean you have committed your blood to your art or that you are truly passionate about your martial art. In one case, a Shorin-Ryu Renshi (4th Dan), told me that the Koreans had Red come before black to insult the Japanese, as they traditionally have Red as the final rank, usually achieved at 9th Dan. I find the validity of this statement to be false, but it certainly added fuel to my intrigue.
In Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Red belt is the highest rank one can achieve. Which is somewhat part of the plot of what the movie Redbelt is about. While this post is not really about ranking in martial arts, it does describe a little bit about Red Belts. Red Belts in any martial art are generally one of the top ranks. As I learn more about the rank of Red Belt I will post part two.
JoKyoNim Tim
Lets look at the traditional emotions associated with the color Red; anger, passion, love, boldness, and different forms of rage. Red is also traditionally associated with blood for obvious reasons as well as fire. Red could mean you have committed your blood to your art or that you are truly passionate about your martial art. In one case, a Shorin-Ryu Renshi (4th Dan), told me that the Koreans had Red come before black to insult the Japanese, as they traditionally have Red as the final rank, usually achieved at 9th Dan. I find the validity of this statement to be false, but it certainly added fuel to my intrigue.
In Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Red belt is the highest rank one can achieve. Which is somewhat part of the plot of what the movie Redbelt is about. While this post is not really about ranking in martial arts, it does describe a little bit about Red Belts. Red Belts in any martial art are generally one of the top ranks. As I learn more about the rank of Red Belt I will post part two.
JoKyoNim Tim
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Women and Children first
Okay this is a big topic for me and people around me. Opinions on women and children black belts. First off I have nothing against women black belts, but I will be covering my thoughts, but children black belts is where my opinion differs slightly.
To start, I have worked for a Martial Arts school and learn some of the tricks of the trade for enrollment. While some schools may not be "McDojos" they may operate under some of the same guidelines. I am 100% against giving black belts to children. That being said I believe there are ways around conferring a BB by giving them a comparable rank. I have familiarized myself with all the schools in my area and have seen what some of them have done. Some Karate schools give a BB with a white stripe through the center and some TKD schools have all white belts with different colored stripes in the center. I support this idea. Having studied martial arts at different ages, I can tell you I was not ready to be a black belt at ten or eleven years old. You might think a child is old enough, but if they can't tie their own shoes they haven't mastered the basics of the martial arts. If your child is a black belt, you should consider searching for a different school.
Women black belts are just the same as men who are black belts, but I believe in most schools aren't given an opportunity to truly test their technique. Most schools have women spar women and men spar men. This is the completely wrong thing to do. I feel the same way about tournament divisions. I believe women and men should compete in the same division. As a real martial artist, must be able to defend themselves in any situation.
That is just a few thoughts on women and children black belts!
JoKyoNim Tim
To start, I have worked for a Martial Arts school and learn some of the tricks of the trade for enrollment. While some schools may not be "McDojos" they may operate under some of the same guidelines. I am 100% against giving black belts to children. That being said I believe there are ways around conferring a BB by giving them a comparable rank. I have familiarized myself with all the schools in my area and have seen what some of them have done. Some Karate schools give a BB with a white stripe through the center and some TKD schools have all white belts with different colored stripes in the center. I support this idea. Having studied martial arts at different ages, I can tell you I was not ready to be a black belt at ten or eleven years old. You might think a child is old enough, but if they can't tie their own shoes they haven't mastered the basics of the martial arts. If your child is a black belt, you should consider searching for a different school.
Women black belts are just the same as men who are black belts, but I believe in most schools aren't given an opportunity to truly test their technique. Most schools have women spar women and men spar men. This is the completely wrong thing to do. I feel the same way about tournament divisions. I believe women and men should compete in the same division. As a real martial artist, must be able to defend themselves in any situation.
That is just a few thoughts on women and children black belts!
JoKyoNim Tim
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
White Belt Post
This post has relatively nothing to do with the rank of "White Belt", but rather that in most systems of martial arts, white belt is the first rank and this is the first post.
I began my study of the Martial Arts in 1997, under the tutelage of 5th Degree Master Brad Tinnon of Action Arts Academy, but I didn't stay with him for long. It wasn't until age 14 that I found Chon Mu Hap-Ki-Do Martial Arts Association. It laid the foundation for the way I perceive and learn about the martial arts. I again didn't stay with them very long due to high school, but I keep in contact with my instructors. I studied independently and with fellow martial artists until June of 2010 when I rejoined Tae-Kwon-Do under the tutelage of 7th Degree Master Bob Zacharias. I did not stay with him very long due to personal reasons, but leaving him enabled me to meet other martial artists and further my education. As of May 20th 2011, I am officially a 1st Degree Belt under the Martial Arts Club; MAMA-SAN Martial Arts.
Through this blog I hope to capture my feelings and thoughts towards the martial arts, help other martial artists young and old, and to reflect on different aspects of the martial arts.
JoKyoNim Tim
I began my study of the Martial Arts in 1997, under the tutelage of 5th Degree Master Brad Tinnon of Action Arts Academy, but I didn't stay with him for long. It wasn't until age 14 that I found Chon Mu Hap-Ki-Do Martial Arts Association. It laid the foundation for the way I perceive and learn about the martial arts. I again didn't stay with them very long due to high school, but I keep in contact with my instructors. I studied independently and with fellow martial artists until June of 2010 when I rejoined Tae-Kwon-Do under the tutelage of 7th Degree Master Bob Zacharias. I did not stay with him very long due to personal reasons, but leaving him enabled me to meet other martial artists and further my education. As of May 20th 2011, I am officially a 1st Degree Belt under the Martial Arts Club; MAMA-SAN Martial Arts.
Through this blog I hope to capture my feelings and thoughts towards the martial arts, help other martial artists young and old, and to reflect on different aspects of the martial arts.
JoKyoNim Tim
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