Not quite quitting

[matt.m]

quitting tae kwon do and not belt testing are two different things. I have been a blue belt in tkd since dec. of 06. The one step sparring and two poomsea are just too damn hard. Between teaching Judo and working the poomsea the 10 that I had to do just to get blue were next to impossible to accomplish.

Along with the basic moves, one step sparring etc. It absolutely kills me to kick with my back leg.

SoI made the conscience decision to contine participating in class, but not trying to belt up for the time being. I will however continue in hapkido, I am almost to black in that art and it is hard enough. I love the isometrics of poomsea, but I can't do yul-gok, or o-jang with any justice to the poomsea.

So I am going to help the younger belts to get to blue, but I will not continue to belt up so to speak.

I can no longer jump, spin fly, double kick etc. However, I will continue with the art as best as I can. I will also continue belting in hapkido and belting/teaching judo to the best of my ability.

So GKYGIRL please pay attention, do the 1st couple of poomsea as muscle builders. Isometricly. Slow and under tension. Tom, for you to overcome is just masterful on your part.

Oh, of course I will never quit having sword classes. The broadsword scottish katas and the lichtenhour system is just superb for muscle building and toning. I have an l-4 katana that is Highlander style tang. Only 500 made on the planet and it is just a great tool. I never forget my shainai or bokken either.

Thanks all for listening to my ramble.

 

[terryl965]

Matt, maybe in the future your leg woll be stronger and things will change, a belt does not make the man the man makes the belt and you have demostrated time after time this in your quest. Keep up the great work and mold are future, youa are a true aspiration to us all.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Remember, your belt only covers two inches of your butt... the rest is up to you

 

[Sukerkin]

I like that phrase, Fearless :tup:.

Matt, like Terry says, the belt doesn't make the man. I stopped grading when I reached black sash in Lau. It meant I missed out on some techniques and refinements but also meant that I didn't have to participate in the, to me, over-emphasised competition fighting that I had no interest in.

 

[FieldDiscipline]

Agreed with all the above.

I've had to do the same I'm afraid. Due to (possibly permanent) injury I cant maintain the fitness I need to grade at this time. Doesnt mean I know any less...

 

[theletch1]

Matt, knowing the raw grit and determination that you have shown just getting back on your feet ANY training has been miraculous. Not testing up but continuing to help others do so is a testament to the kind of man you are. I applaud your decision and am, as always, proud to call you brother.

 

[Drac]

Remember, your belt only covers two inches of your butt... the rest is up to you

'

What he said.....So ya can't do TKD..Big deal...You are an EXCELLENT Yudo Teacher and Hapkido practioneer, and only an idiot would challenge you while your cane is in your hand..Ya still do sword don't ya???..I refer to what Feep said...

 

[granfire]

uhm....and?

You have a ton of stuff going on....I am dizzy from reading it!

forms, especially a lot of them are a mental workout in itself.

On life's journey there is no set path or timetable. we can choose to take a break and let others catch up with us or wave them a fond farewell as they pass us.

a belt means only as as much as you want it to.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

But what's a belt as long as you're happy?

Not everyone is able to do everything, I like my Silat, and Jujutsu type arts, but I'd self hospitalize in mere minutes if I tried Wushu....

 

[newGuy12]

It absolutely kills me to kick with my back leg.

There is a high ranking black belt in our organization -- he is 4th Dan. He had polio as a child. I do not know about polio, but as I undersand it, he is lucky to be able to walk. He has some difficulty with some kicks. It has to do with the hip girdle bone structure.

I suppose that some very adept surgeon may be able to correct this, but this is not reasonable. He is stuck with this body. He has to modify his side kick -- turning his waist farther than the standard form. When he does the spinning side kick, it is much like what is called the "donkey kick", where the front of the torso (the vector normal to the solar plexus) faces the floor. Such is his life.

Now, he is well respected, though, because he has the Dutiful Mind of a Good Student. I can look back now and see that he was groomed to be who he is now. He was especially taken under the wing of our Original Teacher. This man now knows a LOT of Korean language.

He is also well known to be a tough guy. Any time that a testing comes or some demonstration of some motion full power is in order, this man is on the short list of people to take the blow. Right. He is a tough guy. This guy has been flat out BEAT ON. I am not joking. Broken ribs, the works. But he is always there. No complaining, and he knows A LOT about our ways.

No one likes these limitations in the body, but, the Mind, or I might say, the Spirit, is important, too. The resolve to continue, even though things are hard. This is the Nature of TKD practice, after all.

Regarding some rank, I was brown / red belt (our organization changed the belt color scheme when I had this rank -- 1st Gup) FOREVER. Your form is your form. My form is my form. We all wish to approach some standard form, but only a few can reach the level where it is said to be perfect.

 

[newGuy12]

but I'd self hospitalize in mere minutes if I tried Wushu....

That's extremely funny, Andy, and very, very true for me! Hahaha! ---> yes, I can see it now... here I go, running across the floor to so that flipping kick motion and then land in the crane stance ..............


.... is newGuy12 moving? Is he alive?


Hahahahaha!!!! someone get the stretcher! Oh, boy!

 

[Marginal]

There is a high ranking black belt in our organization -- he is 4th Dan. He had polio as a child. I do not know about polio, but as I undersand it, he is lucky to be able to walk. He has some difficulty with some kicks. It has to do with the hip girdle bone structure.

I suppose that some very adept surgeon may be able to correct this, but this is not reasonable. He is stuck with this body. He has to modify his side kick -- turning his waist farther than the standard form. When he does the spinning side kick, it is much like what is called the "donkey kick", where the front of the torso (the vector normal to the solar plexus) faces the floor. Such is his life.

That's rough. Dunno how much a surgeon could do with Polio. It wastes away the muscle (doesn't grow back either), which is what leads to the structural difficulties. Bones can be ok, but there's little muscle to hold 'em up, stabilize them etc.

 

[Kacey]

Matt, you can only do what you can do; you have to take care of yourself somewhere in all the activities in which you participate. I know quite a few people who would continue to try to gain higher rank regardless; too many people think time in the dojang is the only thing that matters, and it's not. What you are doing is neither giving up nor giving in; it is a demonstration of personal integrity that few people understand, and that even fewer will ever demonstrate. It would only be quitting if you allowed your difficulties to keep you out of the dojang - and you're not. More than that, you are allowing other students to benefit from your knowledge and your example. :asian:

 

[Sukerkin]

Splendid and utterly true words, Kacey :rei:.

 

[matt.m]

Thanks all for the support. I think the direction I am going is the right path. I tried "Mountain" in Toi Gye and well remember Bambi standing up for the first time? Yep it went like that.

In class I am allowed to do the front leg version of the 10 hapkido kicks that Tae Kwon Do doesn't have. I attempted a jump spinning crescent. Yeah I broke 2 pine. But the entire class in unison to me "Don't ever do that again."

GGM told me I had to see the "Principal" after school. Oh the chewing I took was not good. He told me, "You are a great judoist, hapkidoist, and have a ton of talent fighting with cane, sword aspects, and if you get hurt, that is no good." See I didn't land the most gracefully. Good thing my falling is impeccible.

However, he went on to say "You care more about proper chamber and technique than most people." "So play to your strength and not your weaknesses." "Do you understand me?"

Between he and my father I have never met two better martial artists on the planet, the care they put into instructing is just fabulous. Gee, Dad even told me "So that is a far as you go, big deal......you have accomplished more by accident than most do on purpose. People love you and always ask if you will "Be there for this or that."

So between all the encouragement I have gotten well It is all good. Well Judo, freestyle, Greco, and hapkido, along with shanai and cane are my base.

By the way thanks again to all, especially to Drac, Kacey, my fellow soldier and more importantly everyone who has added their opinion.

Thank you again, I am humbled by all of your friendships.

 

[FieldDiscipline]

By the way thanks again to all, especially to Drac, Kacey, my fellow soldier and more importantly everyone who has added their opinion.

You do us honour sir.

Its great that you have such good people around you.

 

[IcemanSK]

You are a rock, Matt! You already do more than most people. You take your time & focus on what you need to.:asian:

 

[Flying Crane]

well, just be careful: even if you don't intend to "belt up" as you call it, if you stick around and keep doing what you can, you just might find that it happens anyway, even if it takes a lot longer.

The belt isn't important anyway. What's important is what you have learned, and what you can do with it.

I don't know much about TKD, but in Tracy Kenpo, someone of Blue Belt level has plenty of material to be fully effective. All the necessary tools are there, and if someone simply worked on that for the rest of his life, he could be fierce and absolutely effective without ever gaining more rank or learning more of the formal curriculum.

Sounds like you have plenty of other things going on anyway. You can't do everything. So set your priorities, depending on your circumstances, and feel at peace with your decision.

all the best.

 

[FearlessFreep]

My (5yo) son was in a prior class before we switched (and haven't put him back in yet). Most of all he remembers is the first part of a 'fighting' combination. Downblock, Reverse Punch, Front Kick, Roundhouse kick. He practices it all the time. I told his older siblings "that may be all he knows, but if he keeps at it, he'll be a darn good fighter with just those four techniques""

 

[matt.m]

I like that phrase, Fearless :tup:.

Matt, like Terry says, the belt doesn't make the man. I stopped grading when I reached black sash in Lau. It meant I missed out on some techniques and refinements but also meant that I didn't have to participate in the, to me, over-emphasised competition fighting that I had no interest in.

By the look of your signatures my military friend then you are a true martial artist who stood by their basic concepts of military training. I.E. (Be the best you can in every endeavor. However you sir are humble to a fault.)

It is inspiring to have looked at your posts, not only that but I would give you rep. However, the system said I can't just yet.