Empi and Ananku!

[chinto]

Very true that some learn faster than others and thats ok, but that does not mean things should be made easier. I have been in martial arts pushing 24 years and I will tell you that when I started training it was different. People nowadays want to take the easier route, well there is no easy route in karate unless you change it, then in my mind its not karate. I have taught people who have ADHD, are blind, are deaf, or have some other problem that makes it difficult for them to learn or train. Even my own wife has a severe balance problem caused by a birth defect and she is testing for Nidan next month. I personally don't look at just the persons ability but their attitude towards their training, their work ethic, and what kind of person they are. That all factors in to the final decision. But I grade on not only kata but also, Kihon, Tuite, Nage Waza, Atemi Waza, Kyusho, Kumite (various types) and academic knowledge of karate.

as some one with ADHD and some learning disiblilitys and balance problems myself, I have to say that My sensei does not cut any slack about it. I Do NOT expect any either, you know the kata, and the bunkai and can do the techniques and have your head in the right place.. or you DO NOT TEST! It is that simple. That is Karate, I dont expect any slack cut for me. Karate is about what you know and can do. there is NO easy road, but only the path and disiplin of the path to better preformance. I have studied for over 5 years strait in the system I am in.. and about 6 with a brake I had to take. And before that I had about 2 years in the matsumura seito system. I do not expect any brakes for my problem.. just to work till I am asked to test for the next rank. That is Karate. Karate is hard, not easy. that is why I do it, and why I know that as an 'old school style ' and not "sporterized" but tought and trained as it was and is on Okinawa it works and will do what I reqier. the thing I most requier is that it allow me to protect myself and thoes who I am obligated to protect! in short protect me and mine as one man put it. I may die, but I will not quit or back down when or if it is ever requierd. I am not interested in trophys, or any thing else really but the joy of training and that ability...... Besides it does make you a better person, if for no other reason then the effort and disiplin reqiered to train in Karate.