No, Belts should be an indication of real progression. We have a minimum "in belt" time, 3-6mos depending on the belt, and a minimum of a year between dan ranks, there is no maximum. It's not just knowing the form, it's knowing it well.
Our belt testing is progressive, to advance, you have to perform your current belt form, and everything previous to it, and the previous forms had better look better than they did the last time. In addition, we have prescribed kick combinations for each level, that must be performed, add to that, free sparring and board breaking combinations, and whatever else Master Gonzalez decides to throw in, and you have a test that shows where your at, mentally, physically and performance. He has the option to stop the test at any point, and have you retest at a later date My 1st dan test, lasted almost two hours and I knew that when I was done I earned that belt. -- Scott Stewart ColdFusion Developer SSTWebworks 7241 Jillspring Ct. Springfield, Va. 22152 (703) 220-2835 http://www.sstwebworks.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/sstwebworks -----Original Message----- From: Dana [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 12:11 PM To: CF-Community Subject: Re: New Orleans/girl/karate questions ok, opinion noted. More than noted actually; I am giving it serious consideration. A question though -- I thought the belts were primarily a matter of how many forms you were familiar with? On 7/15/07, Scott Stewart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Doe she enjoy martial arts? If she enjoys it, she'll return to it. As far > as competition goes, the coach/sensei is absolutely everything, if her > sensei is being accused of impropriety the demise of the school probably > isn't to far behind. If she really doesn't want to go, then don't make her, > it'll result in a mediocre performance and do nothing for her future. > > In regards to the USKA, I'd question a "World Championship" for any > under-belts. The WKF (World Karate Federation) and the WTF (World Taekwondo > Federation) Worlds are for black belts only. It really gives underbelt > competitors something to strive for. At USA-Taekwondo Nationals, the > National Champions are black belts, there's a large underbelt tournament, > but it's not a national championship per se. > > Check out some other schools in the area, especially those associated with > the USANKF. Take note of something, if her sensei has created his own > curriculum she may have to start over again from the bottom (most schools > will look at her skill set and determine rank from there). This is the other > advantage to a large national organization, my 1st Dan Black Belt is > certified and recognized by USA-Taekwondo and the WTF, so I can walk into > any USA-Taekwondo or WTF member school (there's thousands) and my belt is > recognized. > > -- > Scott Stewart > ColdFusion Developer > > SSTWebworks > 7241 Jillspring Ct. > Springfield, Va. 22152 > (703) 220-2835 > > http://www.sstwebworks.com > http://www.linkedin.com/in/sstwebworks > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dana [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 11:39 PM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: New Orleans/girl/karate questions > > thanks -- I was hoping to hear from you, which is why I labeled it a > karate question. Cause one thing I am wondering is how big a deal it > is anyway. I rather suspected the thing about not too big. But > still...small or not, it would still be some sort of a credential, no? > At a minimum, resume material? > > The other thing is that I suspect part of the problem is > disenchantment. The person who is accused of impropriety is her > teacher. Was her teacher. So I am also thinking along the lines of > getting back on a horse if you fall off. If she skips this, will she > just drop the karate and become a giggle-head like her friend? > > On the third hand Deanna has identified another issue. You can't MAKE > someone compete. Even if you are Mom. Can you? > > On 7/14/07, Scott Stewart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Dana, > > > > First how old is your daughter? I've coached young kids in competitive > Taekwondo. Up until their about 16 or 17, things like "National Champion" > and "World Champion" don't mean a whole lot. Secondly, how well does she get > along with her sensei and teammates? If she gets along better with her > friend than her teammates, then I can understand wanting to go with her > friend. With the conflicts you've described she may not be getting the > training or attention that she needs, she may not feel ready, and sees her > friend's trip as an "out". > > > > Speaking as a competitor myself, the USKA is not a large organization, > their "World Championships" is just another national tournament. She might > be thinking "I'm gonna fight the same people I fought at the last > tournament" > > And with 175 divisions she may not have any competition. That can put a > real damper on your competitive drive. I'd go to USTU (now USA-Taekwondo) > Nationals, just to fight someone I hadn't fought before. At my age that was > the end of the path, there were no world championships for those of us who > were over 35. > > > > If she's serious about competition you might want to look into the USA > National Karate-Do Federation. (http://www.usankf.org/)They're recognized by > the US Olympic Committee and the IOC. This is the path to real world > championships and the Olympics. > > > > One of the problems with the Martial Arts industry is there's no > regulation. I can create my own federation and declare myself a grandmaster > and world champion, and if people buy into it I can make money at it. > > > > With the financial problems in the school, this may be the time to switch > schools, and find a sensei who can take her to the next level. If she > chooses to go that route. > > -- > > Scott Stewart > > ColdFusion Developer > > > > SSTWebworks > > 7241 Jillspring Ct. > > Springfield, Va. 22152 > > (703) 220-2835 > > > > http://www.sstwebworks.com > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/sstwebworks > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Dana [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 4:31 PM > > To: CF-Community > > Subject: New Orleans/girl/karate questions > > > > so now I have a family question of my own. > > > > My daughter won Grand Champion at the USKA Nationals. She is eligible > > for the World Championships, to be held in New Orleans in early > > August. > > > > So far this has been primarily bragging material. Her dojo has made > > the travel arrangements for the tournaments she has been to. I have > > contributed towards gas. > > However, it seems that the dojo has been the subject of some sort of > > very bad management dispute coupled with allegations of financial > > mismanagement and a move to another location. The dojo is saying that > > they will *not* be sending a van. > > > > So. I am looking for ways to make this work, so here are the questions > > about that: > > > > The Hilton -- is this right downtown? OK neighborhood? My daughter is > > turning 15 and we have very little street crime in Albuquerque. I do > > not think she is ready for New Orleans by herself (in answer to can > > she be put on a plane). I am sure the French Quarter is ok, but it is > > close to some bad areas, yes? Easy to make a wrong turn? > > > > I need to research airfares. Driving is out as I figure, well San > > Antonio is a tough two-day drive from Albuquerque, so we are looking > > at three days minimum four to be safe. Double that and it's too much > > time off work. > > > > Other questions: > > > > She has been invited to go to Mexico with a friend and the friend's > > family. They have a condo in San Carlos. The dates conflict. > > > > She says she would rather go to Mexico. I say that if you are eligible > > for the Worlds in anything, you really should go. She says she will > > always have her belt (blue) but that her friend might not always be > > there. > > > > I don't understand..... She has been to San Carlos before. The friend > > lives right over the mountain pass. The friend's family cannot move > > the Mexico trip back because she is starting school ::eyeroll, see > > previous comments:: My take on this is that if Lara is willing to give > > up a World competition and the friend is not willing to give up a few > > days of school at the beginning of the grade 10, Lara is putting a lot > > more weight on this than the friend is. > > > > So perhaps the situation is a bit unhealthy anyway and I should not > > allow the Mexico trip in any event. > > > > Supposing I should change my mind about this, is there such a thing as > > an airplane from New Orleans to the San Carlos area? > > > > All thoughts and suggestiosn appreciated, cause I am kinda floored... > > > > thanks > > Dana > > > > > > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Create Web Applications With ColdFusion MX7 & Flex 2. Build powerful, scalable RIAs. 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