How far is to far?

[MountainSage]

You folks seem to be pretty norm people on this forum. I ran into my TKD instructor in the local food store and after seeing the items in my cart he made the statement that I would have to change my eating habit if I wanted a black belt. I told him that I chose what I eat, not other people. He retorted that other people aren't holding a black belt in front of your nose. I got pissed off, I mean kick a grizzley bear mad. Is my instructor off base? He is a health nut; he runs 50 and 100 mile races for fun at 60 years old. I understand that I do need to lose weight and get in better shape, but isn't the true martial arts about self-discovery and personal growth.

"it is the journey, not the destination the builds character"

 

[Blindside]

I guess I'm of two minds about this.

Our school does not demand that you eat right, be in shape, etc. That being said without being in shape you won't ever get your black, you simply won't be able to handle the test. One of the students wound up dropping 25 pounds when amping up to test for black, not because we required it of him, but because he knew he needed to.

There are two ways to interpret what your instructor said, the first is that he is trying to control your diet (which is what you apparently did), the second is that he is giving you a recommendation of what would help you accomplish your goal.

Lamont

 

[MinnieMin]

well..... I don't know what kind of tone he was using when he talked to you, but from what I read your instructor is a nice guy and quite normal, like one of us. :asian:
... to me, he is not forcing you to eat what he eats; he simply cares about you.

Just my thought,

 

[Bod]

I have to be very careful about what and when I eat and drink, to keep myself fit enough to train as much as I do.

If my instructor made a suggestion I'd listen to it, even if I didn't act on it, and I certainly wouldn't tell him to mind his own business.

 

[7starmantis]

Maybe he was simply testing you to see how you reacted to hearing things you dont like, or how you react to anger, things to think about.

I would deffinatly listen to my sifu if he said anything about what I was eating, he deffinatly knows more than I do about it all!!

7sm

 

[MountainSage]

I guess I am more redneck than most of you folks . I tend to bristle up when people try and control my life. I do understand that there is a level that must be reached to achieve black belt. My green belt (6th gup) test was 11/2 hours with 1/2 hr sparring and I completed that test without dropping dead, but close to dead. Bod, I'd never talk back to my instructor, i come from a background of respect for my elders. I learned to hold it inside until it give me ulcers, but this time I was close to blowing up. If he is testing me, I hope he dosen't push it much further because I will fail the test. There is a limit for any person will take, a line each of us will not let others cross over into our personal lives; I guess I feel my instructor is walking that line for me. A better question would be to define what being in shape for a black belt test would be. I've got 2 years before my test.

 

[tarabos]

if he was being a jerk to you, you probably had the right to go upside his head with a slab of frozen meat or a nice solid honeydew...depending on your location in the market...

 

[brianhunter]

I think sometimes it is good to get advice. It is easier to get bad advice. Even if his was good advice a honorable instructor should not "hold a black belt under your nose".

I'm sorry blind loyalty and devotion keep you inside the box. Since when does being a martial arts instructor make you a qualified nutritionist? Some of you would seriously change your food intake or what you buy in a grocery store out of blind loyalty to a martial arts instructor?

Most any adult in modern society knows what is good food and what is bad food. It is force fed through media and other avenues (even school) over and over. You are an adult and can make your own decisions as to what you would like to eat. Sometimes martial arts "sifu's" take themselves too seriously. Blind devotion is just that blind.

Show respect, be a good human being, but make your own decision. Don't fall for mystical trash and don't take yourself too seriously guys. If you want a T-bone EAT it....one of the joys of living in a free nation.

 

[jeffkyle]

That are so out of shape that they couldn't run a mile if they had to. But they look at their belts as something that they have received, and i guess they decided that they don't need to train anymore since they already got it. Some of those as well couldn't even out run me, a lower ranked belt, in a mile run, or outswim me in a friendly little competition at a pool. But they were Black Belts nontheless. And there are a couple of them that, even though they were out of shape, it wouldn't be fun fighting them even now.
I have also seen a first degree black belt get knocked on his butt when trying to perform a self defense technique on another person who was attacking him. And it wasn't even a street situation.
I feel that i am in decent shape, but i always try to push myself as hard as i feel that i need to. But i think part of it is due to my body type as well. Everyone has different ideas of how "in shape" they need to be for what they are doing, regardless of what it is....karate, weightlifting, working at a job, etc. And everyones Martial Arts training is going to be different. Just because you can't run 100 miles shouldn't mean that you are not "qualified" to be any level in Martial Arts. Just my opinion.

 

[lvwhitebir]

Amen to brianhunter's advice. While a Sifu can and should dispense helpful advice, it isn't proper to abuse it and "hold a black belt under your nose" if you choose not to follow it. Besides, if Sammo Hung can be large and perform his feats, perhaps you can too.

Are there weight requirements to your test? I would hope not. Are there physical requirements (running, pushups, etc)? I would think so. People of different shapes and sizes can pass those requirements. Just because you choose to eat what you want, shouldn't dictate whether you're black-belt material.

WhiteBirch

 

[MountainSage]

White Birch, I have not been informed that are any stated physcial requirements. I have seen two black belt test and there were none during the test. The only measure I have is the tests are three or more hours with 30+ minutes of WTF sparring. This is done pretty much non-stop, maybe 30 seconds of rest every 20-30 minutes. Intensity depend on wether you are doing forms, basic, or combinations. My green belt test was 1 1/2 hours with 20 minutes of sparring. Our dojang really doesn't have a 1st degree test as such, before you are reccomended to the master an indivdual is judged able to complete the test by the instructor.