Does your school use belts?

“	Originally Posted By: sammygirl We finally decided that those with the most beat-up shoes had the most skill.	”

What if they had bought new shoes.

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For as long as one hundred of us shall remain alive we shall never in any wise consent to submit to the rule of the English, for it is not for glory we fight, for riches, or for honours, but for freedom alone, which no good man loses but with his life.

“	Originally Posted By: wingchun warrior What if they had bought new shoes.	”

Or borrowed them from someone else?

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It's all about the nitty gritty.......

Borrowed?? I know hwo things areover that at the Wah Lum school...

Dear Students:

It is well known around here that the better you are, the older and more ratty your shoes. We have had a large incidence of advanced students beating up more novice students and stealing their shoes. We can tell when your kung fu is nicer than your shoes, and when its not. Please stop stealing your younger brothers shoes...

Kung Fu Management

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PlumDragon Herbs: Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm Liniments

"When a handshake passes the elbow, it becomes Judo."

LOLOLOL!!!


You're on to me!! Oh noes!

And no new student ever, ever, ever spent a weekend scraping their shoes on the concrete outside their apt., washing them repeatedly and then dipping them into salt water which would dry and give them that "sweated-in" look, just so they could look like an "older" student to the newbies. Nope, never.

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"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

“	Originally Posted By: Sammygirl Can anyone name drawbacks to belt color groupings in tournaments?	”

If I enter a Karate class, and two weeks later go to a tournament, I'll be against white belts, even though I have a strong fighting ability from other arts. This is what is happening in our club at the moment. We have 2 kickboxers with us, who are very good fighters, they're sat on white belt, but I definately will avoid sparring them

“	Originally Posted By: Sammygirl Can anyone name drawbacks to belt color groupings in tournaments?	”

Yeah, no allowance is made for those who may be a white Sash (beginner) in Kung-Fu, but previously took 5 years of TKD.

When you are just learning balance and the basics of kicks and stances, like how not to fall on your *ss when moving into a snap kick from a crane stance, and are competing against someone who holds perfect balance and has head level kicks because they only have to learn the nuances of adjusting their kicks to a new system........hmmm the sash/ belt system does seem to fall a little bit short.

-aaradia

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I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me & through me.& when it has gone I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.Only I will remain.F.Herbert

“	an anyone name drawbacks to belt color groupings in tournaments?	”

To many to name. Different schools will draw the divisions between beginners, intermediate, and advanced in different way's.

For ex. my brother has been doing Kali for about 5 months, and just test to recieve his white belt. Does that put him on par with other white belts or those who recieved their yellow belt after 1 - 2 months of training. I don't think so.

But for the most part if your are competing within an intra-orginization tourney then their should be no problem, because their will be a semi-unified way to rank students.

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"You're lucky buddhism teaches freedom from desire, because I have the desire to kick your ass!" -Richard Gere- from the Simpsons

Kali belts????????

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We used the sash in one of my kung fu classes. The other we used some weird thing he called a wushu belt. It was a solid piece with some cords coming off both ends. It looked like some weird weight lifters belt. Anyone ever seen these before?

Yep, I don't know exactly why they're called wushu belt. The first time I saw one it was just a "braided sash." We're allowed to wear the wushu belt instead of a cloth sash after 3 level tests or so. Though mainly that's because, so much time passes before people pass 3 levels, there's little "uniformity" left in their school uniforms. (ragged, faded, different colors, different styles -- the logo is the only continuity) If it has any benefit, it's that the rigid piece doesn't fold over/wrinkle like cloth does, so it looks nicer.

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"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

“	Originally Posted By: Sammygirl If it has any benefit, it's that the rigid piece doesn't fold over/wrinkle like cloth does, so it looks nicer.	”

That made me think about a recent change in the way we tie our sashes recently. A few months ago Great Grandmaster Wong Gong came over from China to teach a seminar and celebrate our schools 20th anniversary. Due to conversations with him, our schools learned a different way to tie our sashes. I guess the old way the sash ends hung too low.

I'll be darned, because I had finally gotten to the pont where my sash knot looked perfect and I could do it quickly most every time. Now I am back to having my good knot and bad knot days - kinda like bad hair days I guess!

-aaradia

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I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me & through me.& when it has gone I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.Only I will remain.F.Herbert

Well aqira, they are actually sashes that ZMAA hand makes. It is very innovative in the way he does it. I like it, but think it is too complicated and bogged down with what could be come new tradition.

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"You're lucky buddhism teaches freedom from desire, because I have the desire to kick your ass!" -Richard Gere- from the Simpsons

In Israel there is no standart.
Around 80% of the teachers lavish belts and grades as they see fit - be it of financial interests, educational/encouragement reasons, personal clasification of students etc'.

I prefer the individual way - no belts. One's skill is apparent in his training, sparing and everything he does anyway, to the skilled eye.

To tell the truth I find it works better for the teacher than the students.
If I See a green sash in my school I know what forms he knows and what level she should be at.

When we work out in class. I can have a class of varied level students. Working on the same basic drill with different levels of variation. If I put a yellow sash with a green or brown Hes going to get bogged down, not able to apply the level he's at. Though the Yellow sash will learn a lot(I would hope) There's also a point where as a beginner you get overwhelmed with info and stop learning.

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One hit, see blood.

It's not enough to just not get hit

Some Arnis systems have taken the japanese belt system but its odd because they don't teach in levels the way JMA or CMA works.

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