Martial arts discussion thread

[Bartrim]

Woo Hoo.

Found out that I'm eligible for grading next week Kinda funny since I don't even have a gi yet.

[GoktimusPrime]

Awesome. Good luck.

Kinda funny since I don't even have a gi yet.

I hope this means that it must be because they think you're good enough to grade so they're pushing you ahead.

I prefer this attitude over other schools that force you to stay at white belt for like a really long time (sometimes up to a year or more) regardless of the frequency and dedication of your training - and most importantly - regardless of your actual skill level. I think if a student exhibits the competency to go up another grade, then why hold them back? I think some schools purposely make students wait a really long time to go up grades just so they can make more money off them.

And the fact that they're letting you grade even without a gi sounds like a positive sign to me because it sounds like they're more concerned with your training as opposed to superficial things like your uniform; which is ultimately another money-making venture... there's no reason why you can't train in comfortable and reasonably tight fitting plain clothes. I always train in plain clothes (at most on a _rare_ occasion I might wear gi pants - but I never wear the top or belt). I prefer training with plain clothes as it feels more realistic (cos I'm unlikely to be attacked by someone wearing a gi or pyjamas IRL). I remember once training with a Judo black belt who had trouble grabbing me because I was just wearing a cotton T-shirt. He had become so reliant on holding onto a gi (i.e. the sleeves and collar) that he had trouble just gripping my arms and shirt.

Anyway, glad to hear that you're progressing well at your school and best of luck with your grading.

[Hot Rodimus]

good work Bartrim!
How are you feeling about it? Nervous? Excited?
I was very nervous before my first grading.

[Hot Rodimus]

And the fact that they're letting you grade even without a gi sounds like a positive sign to me because it sounds like they're more concerned with your training as opposed to superficial things like your uniform; which is ultimately another money-making venture...

totally agree with this, I have a black and a white gi that I obtained over the years from training in different schools. A few times I have tried out a new school and when the time has come for me to wear a gi (never do for the first few weeks as a sign of respect, just a personal thing and has saved me a beating too lol) and when I tell the instructor I already have one you can see it in their face they are dissapointed at not being able to make a few more bucks from selling you a cheap gi at an inflated price.

[GoktimusPrime]

My instructor only asks for the following as far as dress code is concerned:
* Something light fitting and comfortable, but not baggy (cos baggy clothes can get caught, snagged etc.)
* No uniforms or shirts from other martial arts schools - simply because it can mislead/confuse newcomers.
* No watches, rings, bracelets, dangling earrings, necklaces or any other kind of jewellery/ornaments that can get caught/snagged or damaged.
* Closed footwear (sneakers)[1]. Because our footwork is based on Monkey the most ideal are sneakers designed for rapid/sudden stopping and turning, like tennis shoes. I've been wearing runners and my soles have become so worn that they're as smooth as a baby's bottom! (I need to buy new trainers )

Other than that we can pretty much wear whatever we want. When I train I usually wear:
+ Football shirt - I prefer it over cotton because it has that breathable fabric and feels more durable than cotton too.
+ track pants
+ runners

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[1]Different kinds of shoes are more ideal to different kinds of fighting styles. While court-sport shoes like tennis, basketball, badminton etc. are more suited to styles with rapid turning (e.g. Monkey-based footwork), other kinds of shoes like runners and those "Kung Fu slipper" shoes are more suited for styles with linear stepping, like styles with Snake-based footwork (e.g. Wing Chun, Bagua etc.). A lot of people like to use those Taekwondo shoes - but I've never tried them so I can't comment. One reasonably decent brand of shoes commonly used by martial artists these days is Feiyue. Their soles are hard enough to be used outdoors but soft enough that you can use them indoors (as they won't scratch up waxed floors and mats etc.) -- I personally dislike training barefoot, so I have a pair of Feiyues which I use if I need to train at a barefoot school. I ask the instructor first of course, and usually they're cool with it because they're not considered "street shoes." I recently did a demonstration with a colleague who goes barefoot - and during our practice I accidentally stepped on his toes a few times with my sneakers which really hurt, so for the actual demo I wore my Feiyue. I bought mine from a martial arts shop, but I know someone else who buys his online.

[Bartrim]

Thanks guys. I don't have a gi because they don't have one in my size. It's on order. We get graded 4 times a year (at the end of each term) if the instructor thinks you are up to it.

To answer your question Hot Rodimus I was feeling really confident I've been practicing heaps at home but now I found out about the grading I just tried to practice a bit and really stuffed up... so I guess you could say I'm nervous. It's cool though I have one more training session before my grading so I think I'll be fine.

Also they actually encourage us to wear loose fitting clothing if we don't have a gi. At the moment I prefer not wearing a gi as I am so out of shape even though it's cold as at night I'm sweating pretty hard in t-shirt and shirts I don't want to have to wear long pants

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah... that's another good point. Gis are DAMN HOT and you sweat like a pig in them! And you think Karate Gis are bad? Try wearing a gi from a grappling art like Judo, Jujutsu, Aikido etc. - their tops are a lot thicker than a Karate gi (because they're constantly being grabbed and thrown about they need to be hardier)... those are really freak-ing uncomfortable!

[Hot Rodimus]

To answer your question Hot Rodimus I was feeling really confident I've been practicing heaps at home but now I found out about the grading I just tried to practice a bit and really stuffed up... so I guess you could say I'm nervous. It's cool though I have one more training session before my grading so I think I'll be fine.

Mate you will ace it for sure. Look at it this way, your instructor seems to be a good one who runs a reputable school, his students are a reflection on how good he and his school are (nothing says dodgey more than a school with students wearing belts they are not good enough to have actually earnt). You would not get asked to grade if you were not ready. Sure it's your first belt but I have seen plenty of people held back from gradings even for their first one. You've done the hard work and it has been recognised by your instructor, I have no doubt you will pass.

[Hot Rodimus]

Yeah... that's another good point. Gis are DAMN HOT and you sweat like a pig in them! And you think Karate Gis are bad? Try wearing a gi from a grappling art like Judo, Jujutsu, Aikido etc. - their tops are a lot thicker than a Karate gi (because they're constantly being grabbed and thrown about they need to be hardier)... those are really freak-ing uncomfortable!

haha if your not sweating Gok your not training hard enough
A good quality gi that has been fitted properly should never be uncomfortable.

[GoktimusPrime]

well we don't wear gis at our school so it's a moot point for me.