Where are your stripes?

[JR 137]

@gpseymour @JR 137

I agree with you. It's one of those things that because it's not too strictly enforced (except when it is) it feels kind of petty to bring up higher. It was more the attitude than anything else. Like Gerry said, it's more the attitude than the rule.

This girl is basically right behind me in rank and seniority. We're the same rank now, but I've been the rank 4 months longer than her. There's only one student above us, out of about 150. So we're pretty close to being equals, and it's kinda hard to pull rank.

It shouldn’t be about “pulling rank.” If she’s in your class, then it’s your rules. If someone else is teaching, then it’s on them to address it or ignore it.

If it’s really bothering you, I’d either talk to her privately or talk to the CI privately.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Pineapple does not belong on pizza.

How do you feel about CORN on pizza? I saw it everywhere when I visited Vienna.

 

[dvcochran]

There is no question at all about how the toilet paper roll should be hung. From the bottom is the only acceptable answer. Especially if you have cats. If it's from the top, the cat smacks it once and it starts unrolling. Instant cat toy.
There are only a relative few absolutes in life. Amoung them are:
TP from the bottom.
Toothpaste should be squeezed from the end of the tube.
Pineapple does not belong on pizza.
If you order your steak well done, you should just order the chicken, you steak hating monster.

Totally with you on 2-4. I just discovered another reason why we have no cats in the house. We have several at the barns for functional reasons. Otherwise, damn I hate cats. Hate the look, the mannerisms, and really really hate the smell. They do keep the mice under control but you cannot leave anything setting on the ground or it will get pissed on.

 

[kitkatninja]

I had to look at a couple of photos... Our stripes/bars are on the left side

 

[andyjeffries]

My stripes tend to go on the left side, but that's out of habit (and the way my belt is worn around the knot) than any requirement that they go that side. My black belt students, honestly can't tell you which side they go - it's not something I've ever considered important.

When I attended the Master Instructor Course the first time at Kukkiwon, South Korea they said that we shouldn't need badges and bars and things on our uniforms/belts - they are for children and not adults. However, in South Korea they use "noonchi" to determine seniority, this is described as being a kind of "reading" of someone's behaviour/attitude to determine if they're senior/junior to you and they line up accordingly. At most seminars outside of Korea, we're more hung up on rank, so knowing where you line up and for others to know too helps. Also with new students joining the dojang, it's helpful for them to be able to easily know who has seniority and what grade people are. So we have them on our standard embroidered belts.

I knew about this Korean aversion to those kinds of things before I went to Korea, so I also took a plain belt with just my name on one end in Korean and my country on the other. On the second trip, I again took that belt, but they didn't even mention it on the second trip and didn't mention anyone's dobok that had loads of embroidery. So I guess they've softened up and know that international black belts and masters tend to do it anyway.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

When I attended the Master Instructor Course the first time at Kukkiwon, South Korea they said that we shouldn't need badges and bars and things on our uniforms/belts - they are for children and not adults.

I remember a visiting TKD instructor from Korea had no stripes on his belt. He was a recent university graduate of TKD and very good. Students would ask him "what dan are you??" because of no stripes. He commented that people in Korea don't tend to wear stripes.

However, in South Korea they use "noonchi" to determine seniority, this is described as being a kind of "reading" of someone's behaviour/attitude to determine if they're senior/junior to you and they line up accordingly.

I wholeheartedly agree with that. Where I train, it goes by rank//test date/age in that order. There was a young athletic adult who would have been after me, but realistically, he was better at demonstrating kicks than me, so I would tell him to line up before me. It just made sense; he was better than me.

Conversely, there was an older lady who would take her higher place without question, then when it came to kicking she would tell the better people to go before her. It seemed inconsistent to me.

 

[dvcochran]

I remember a visiting TKD instructor from Korea had no stripes on his belt. He was a recent university graduate of TKD and very good. Students would ask him "what dan are you??" because of no stripes. He commented that people in Korea don't tend to wear stripes.



I wholeheartedly agree with that. Where I train, it goes by rank//test date/age in that order. There was a young athletic adult who would have been after me, but realistically, he was better at demonstrating kicks than me, so I would tell him to line up before me. It just made sense; he was better than me.

Conversely, there was an older lady who would take her higher place without question, then when it came to kicking she would tell the better people to go before her. It seemed inconsistent to me.

In regards, to you and the older lady, can each of you do and/or teach forms/kicks/sparring/SD/etc... better than the young adults? She may be wise enough to put the class before herself. A sign of experience. I don't get too hung up on where I line up in class all the time either. It comes with age. I cannot do some kicks as well as I used to, but I can teach you how to do the kicks better than I ever did.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

In regards, to you and the older lady, can each of you do and/or teach forms/kicks/sparring/SD/etc... better than the young adults? She may be wise enough to put the class before herself. A sign of experience. I don't get too hung up on where I line up in class all the time either. It comes with age. I cannot do some kicks as well as I used to, but I can teach you how to do the kicks better than I ever did.

I would say the young adult had thought about techniques less then me and was therefore a little less able to answer questions then me. For example, the master asked about which leg moves first when moving forward, and the young adult said "back leg. Always the back leg." Having taken some boxing, I disagreed with the "always" part. He was good at teaching forms and kicks for sure. He was a natural. The older lady was less knowledgable IMO.

 

[andyjeffries]

I remember a visiting TKD instructor from Korea had no stripes on his belt. He was a recent university graduate of TKD and very good. Students would ask him "what dan are you??" because of no stripes. He commented that people in Korea don't tend to wear stripes.

I've just had my friend Master Jeong, In-choul from Korea over to the UK for a couple of seminars and he wore a completely blank black belt - not even his name embroidered on it.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

As a follow-up, I paid attention when I tied my belt on Saturday, and my stripes always end up on the right (when I start wrapping the belt, I'm holding the stripe end in my left hand). I like it to be consistent, but for no reason other than it's something to pay attention to.

 

[skribs]

As a follow-up, I paid attention when I tied my belt on Saturday, and my stripes always end up on the right (when I start wrapping the belt, I'm holding the stripe end in my left hand). I like it to be consistent, but for no reason other than it's something to pay attention to.

That's what we do. Stripes start on the left, end up on the right.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

That's what we do. Stripes start on the left, end up on the right.

Then, apparently, you do it right.

 

[wab25]

This girl is basically right behind me in rank and seniority. We're the same rank now, but I've been the rank 4 months longer than her. There's only one student above us, out of about 150. So we're pretty close to being equals, and it's kinda hard to pull rank.

I guess I missed the part about why you should care where she puts her stripes. She is another student, just like you. You are a 3rd degree BB if I remember right. That means she was a 2nd degree BB who just successfully passed here 3rd degree test. Apparently, her master is ok with how she wears her belt, stripes and all. If her master is ok with how she wears her stripes, why should you, her fellow student, be concerned?

But there's one girl who's attitude is "this is how I do it". I think she thinks I'm either joking, or that it doesn't matter and I'm just being a stickler.

I can totally understand her attitude. She is doing things in a way that her master is ok with, at a level where she was just promoted to 3rd degree BB and her co-student is correcting her on where her stripes are. If she was a new white belt trying to figure out how to put on her uniform for the first time, thats one thing. But after that, let her master correct her on where her stripes go. If her master is ok with how she wears her uniform, I certainly wouldn't correct her on it. It could be coming off as trying to pull 4 months of rank on her, just because you can... which might explain her attitude.

 

[skribs]

I guess I missed the part about why you should care where she puts her stripes. She is another student, just like you. You are a 3rd degree BB if I remember right. That means she was a 2nd degree BB who just successfully passed here 3rd degree test. Apparently, her master is ok with how she wears her belt, stripes and all. If her master is ok with how she wears her stripes, why should you, her fellow student, be concerned?

I've heard the master correct other students. It's one of those rules that's not strictly enforced, but when it's pointed out, compliance with the rule is expected. The issue is that when the violation was pointed out, her attitude was not "I will fix it", but rather "I am above that rule."

I am one of the staff members and official instructors at the school. So even though we are similar belt, and in that particular class I'm usually a fellow student with her, I am ingrained in the school. At the Master and the other instructor's request, I often am charged with explaining the rules to students, including the dress code.

What you're suggesting would be the equivalent of being at work, and having your shift supervisor tell you to do something, and you ignoring it because it didn't come from your department manager.

 

[wab25]

I am one of the staff members and official instructors at the school.

Fair enough, you have been designated by the master to correct students. I was unaware of your status as official instructor. In that case, I would talk to your master about the attitude when you corrected her and allow him to fix it. He may fix it by having you do things, or by him doing things or by some other way. At least you would be able get alignment on uniform correctness... when it is and when it is not strictly enforced, and by what means that rule is enforced.

 

[JR 137]

Only on the left side, yeah that's the crip side.

When I get to 1st dan, I’m going to wear it on the left this time for this reason. There’s no rule to which side, except this rule. I just wish the belt or at least the stripes were blue.

 

[dvcochran]

I've just had my friend Master Jeong, In-choul from Korea over to the UK for a couple of seminars and he wore a completely blank black belt - not even his name embroidered on it.

Interesting, Our GM Shin, Seoung Eui has worn a totally black belt Saturday and today (Monday). Significant Korean meaning for the period I wonder?

 

[andyjeffries]

Interesting, Our GM Shin, Seoung Eui has worn a totally black belt Saturday and today (Monday). Significant Korean meaning for the period I wonder?

I don't believe so, I did mention it to him and he just said "it's a comfortable belt". We're very close friends so if there was some cultural meaning to it he would have said so and explained (we've talked about LOTS of other Korean cultural differences over the past few days).

 

[andyjeffries]

Interesting, Our GM Shin, Seoung Eui has worn a totally black belt Saturday and today (Monday). Significant Korean meaning for the period I wonder?

Don't suppose you happened to ask your GM or will have the opportunity soon, I'm interested in the coincidence now?

 

[andyjeffries]

I don't believe so, I did mention it to him and he just said "it's a comfortable belt". We're very close friends so if there was some cultural meaning to it he would have said so and explained (we've talked about LOTS of other Korean cultural differences over the past few days).

I was just chatting to him so I asked. He said his reason was "I want to be more humble". I specifically asked if there was any significance to the timing (as @dvcochran's GM also did it this weekend) and he said no, it's just a coincidence and he just prefers it these days.