One small step closer...

[TrueJim]

From my own experience, once my brain understands, if I remind my body to focus on it every time I focus on said technique, my body will obey it...

I wish that were true for me. I think it depends on a number of factors, such as:

• How good a person's proprioception is. Like, do you know precisely in space where all your limbs are located.
• How good a person's gross-motor control is. Like, does your foot go exactly where you tell it to in space, or does it only go approximately where you direct it.
• How strong a person's stabilizing muscles are.
• How good a person's sense of balance is.

My brother-in-law can watch a movement in a martial-arts film, and then just from having seen the movement once, he can then mimic it perfectly after just 2-3 practice attempts. It boggles my mind when I watch him do this.

The point is, I think there's a big neurological component to martial arts. Some people are wired so that their "kinesthetic intelligence" is quite high. Sadly, I am not one of those people.

 

[KabutoKouji]

congratulations - so do you just have to do 'black tip' grading and then 1st Dan now?

 

[serietah]

congratulations - so do you just have to do 'black tip' grading and then 1st Dan now?

We have one more belt of learning new material after this one, red with a black stripe. We learn Taegeuk 8 then and the last set of one step sparring and self defense, then test for red with a double black stripe. That belt is not for learning anything new, but all about preparing for the black belt test. We review *everything* from white belt and up. This is where I have a huge advantage since I started "teaching" while I was still a white belt. I haven't forgotten anything. So double black stripe for me will be "easy". I'll be working on really polishing technique rather than relearning anything. I am hopeful that I will test for double black stripe in December, but we'll see if I can continue testing every 3 months.

Today I learned steps 11-13 of Taegeuk 7 after class. I'd already learned 11 last week, but two of our red belts hadn't yet and we usually try to stay together, so the two of us who went to class today learned it today, and the others will learn it Monday. We've also been practicing the scissor block for 12 and 13. I got it faster than the others and was having a blast practicing it last night. What a weirdo I am, haha.

So anyway...up to 13 now! This form is fun. Every step we learn I'm like "oh the next one is so cool" haha. Forms are my favorite.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

My brother-in-law can watch a movement in a martial-arts film, and then just from having seen the movement once, he can then mimic it perfectly after just 2-3 practice attempts. It boggles my mind when I watch him do this.

To me that would be a gift like a photographic memory.

Does your brother in law do martial arts, or is it pointless for him because it's just doing moves that aren't hard to do?

 

[TrueJim]

Does your brother in law do martial arts, or is it pointless for him because it's just doing moves that aren't hard to do?

He doesn't do martial art...but not because it would be pointless. He doesn't do much of anything -- he's not a person who likes to put effort into things.

 

[Cooltkd]

Good job keep it up!

 

[serietah]

We finished Taegeuk 7 this week, so we're working on polishing it to hopefully earn tips tomorrow. I'm not going to hold my breath, but hopeful. My goal is still to test every 3 months so I need to start working on step step sparring soon if I'm going to make it. As much as I want to stay on track to achieve my goal, I want to be "perfect" more, so if I can't test in September, it is what it is. Taegeuk 7 is sooooo fun! I love the end...actually the whole thing, but the end is so fun. It's crazy to think that I only have one form left to learn before black belt.

My spinning kick is still improving slightly. We practiced today and it's still not as smooth as I would like, but it's not terrible anymore. My right leg anyway. My left leg is just horrible at anything but back kick lol.

 

[TrueJim]

The only forms I know so far are T1-T8, Palgwae 1-7, Koryo, Keumgang, and Taebaek...but I can honestly say that I think none of those are any harder than T7. Some are as-hard, but none are harder, in my opinion. You're definitely in the "big leagues" now when it comes to practicing poomsae. T7 is very challenging.

 

[serietah]

I got my tip for Taegeuk 7 tonight! I was surprised because I know it’s not perfect. But it’s good enough to pass, and we’ll continue working on it.

Such a fun form. Challenging but cool techniques. My master always tries to tell us how certain techniques would be used in real life, which just makes everything even more cool.

Time to start working on tornado kick for one step sparring!

 

[serietah]

Friday I earned my tip for one step sparring! That was my goal but I didn’t think it was going to happen. Apparently it was my masters goal too because it happened. I am hoping to test for black stripe, the final color belt, this month. It’s possible but I’ll have to work hard on my self defense techniques. I can do it!

 

[JR 137]

Friday I earned my tip for one step sparring! That was my goal but I didn’t think it was going to happen. Apparently it was my masters goal too because it happened. I am hoping to test for black stripe, the final color belt, this month. It’s possible but I’ll have to work hard on my self defense techniques. I can do it!

I love your enthusiasm. Keep at it!

 

[serietah]

I got my third tip tonight, for one-step sparring! It's not perfect yet, but belt testing is Friday and we are trying to make it, so tonight was a "pass" but we still need to practice. Tomorrow and Thursday we will review everything, so we should be good to go for Friday. Then it'll be time to learn my last color belt curriculum!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I got my third tip tonight, for one-step sparring! It's not perfect yet, but belt testing is Friday and we are trying to make it, so tonight was a "pass" but we still need to practice. Tomorrow and Thursday we will review everything, so we should be good to go for Friday. Then it'll be time to learn my last color belt curriculum!

What kyu are you testing for friday?

 

[JR 137]

What kyu are you testing for friday?

I think TKD calls it gup, and I think 1st.

Then again, I should let her answer

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I think TKD calls it gup, and I think 1st.

Then again, I should let her answer

I think you're right on all three points.

 

[JR 137]

I think you're right on all three points.

I should shut up. It's the school teacher in me. It's really hard when I'm at the dojo to not start answering questions when other students ask them. I do that all day at work, so sometimes it's pretty hard to switch that off and let my teacher do his job.

The few times I slipped, my teacher smiled as I said sorry while I was half way through answering for him. He gets it.

 

[KenpoMaster805]

Congrats and welcome to MT

 

[serietah]

Haha, thanks all! We don't use the term, though I can make an educated guess and say 1st since this will be my final color belt. I passed everything tonight (basically a mock test) and got my final tip. Belt testing is Friday! Saturday I should start learning Taegeuk 8...crazy. We were talking tonight about my goal, which was to be double black stripe in December, but we are kind of thinking that's a little TOO ambitious given shorter months for Nov and Dec due to holidays. January is the more realistic goal. Then it will be double black stripe, which is basically just preparing for the black belt test, until we have enough ready to test for black. Since I already know all of the curriculum, I'm a little worried about maintaining my motivation during what could be 6-8 months of one belt. Then again, I know I have moved super fast compared to others, so I am trying not to really let it bug me.

What blows my mind is that I will see black in my belt. It really doesn't seem like long ago that I was telling you guys about a tip on my white belt. It's pretty cool to think about how much I've learned...and even more cool to think about how much more I still have to learn.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I should shut up. It's the school teacher in me. It's really hard when I'm at the dojo to not start answering questions when other students ask them. I do that all day at work, so sometimes it's pretty hard to switch that off and let my teacher do his job.

The few times I slipped, my teacher smiled as I said sorry while I was half way through answering for him. He gets it.

I have that disorder, too. Fortunately, so does my instructor. We both had trouble sitting on the bench watching classes and not correcting things and answering questions, once we knew enough to do so. So, if I was observing a class, he just ignored me "guiding" whatever group was closest to the bench.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Haha, thanks all! We don't use the term, though I can make an educated guess and say 1st since this will be my final color belt. I passed everything tonight (basically a mock test) and got my final tip. Belt testing is Friday! Saturday I should start learning Taegeuk 8...crazy. We were talking tonight about my goal, which was to be double black stripe in December, but we are kind of thinking that's a little TOO ambitious given shorter months for Nov and Dec due to holidays. January is the more realistic goal. Then it will be double black stripe, which is basically just preparing for the black belt test, until we have enough ready to test for black. Since I already know all of the curriculum, I'm a little worried about maintaining my motivation during what could be 6-8 months of one belt. Then again, I know I have moved super fast compared to others, so I am trying not to really let it bug me.

What blows my mind is that I will see black in my belt. It really doesn't seem like long ago that I was telling you guys about a tip on my white belt. It's pretty cool to think about how much I've learned...and even more cool to think about how much more I still have to learn.

Don't worry about how long the belt sits at your waist - you'll find motivation in the learning. That's how we keep going once we hit the "long belts" - whatever that is in each person's system. For some folks, the belts help with motivation early on, but that motivation isn't the long-term type, anyway.