...A hand, please.

[Ke?poFist]

Ugh.

While I realize that my topic title can sound somewhat suggestive to the trained ear (apologies for the horrible pun), I fear I must post this.

So I know this girl, and she's just getting into MA for her first time, taking Tang Soo Do.

Now, forgive me for sounding idiotic here--perhaps I should have seen it sooner--but this seems more and more like, well, Bullshido.

Evidence.

Here, I'll compile.

She's taking a Korean art similar to TKD. You expect anyone here to not call it Bullshido based on simply that?

Okay, first off, the owner's last name is Flame. I'm not sure if this was his birth name, but holy feck, does it sound cheesy. "Master Flame?" Ouch. I don't know if this is an unfortunate genealogy accident, or whether he changed his name to sound more "hardcore," but at least his brother shares the same last name (they head the studio together).

That's funny

Now, this girl, she was telling me some of the stuff Flame is able to do, and he seemed somewhat legit. While this is completely impractical, he was able to snap fourteen boards piled up and knock the wind out of the guys behind it, so I suppose that's to his credit.

Can he swallow a sword and pull a rabbit out of a hat?

So I stopped in to see her test for Orange belt.

Here are a few things I noticed.
--The girls have to paint their toenails to match the belt they're testing for. Urgh.
--Only the leetest of the black belts have the right to wear black gis...okay. I walked in with my (beltless) black gi from To Shin Do (form your own opinion here), and was immediately regarded by all the sub-12-year-old students. I put a hoodie on. Heh.
--When the girl got her testing scoresheet back (yes, they have them), there was a comment written about her forms. "Make ki-haps louder."

Most traditional schools focus alot on the importance of "Kias/Kihaps". Also Gi color many times is an important factor for traditions sake. (ie: only master level can wear a red gi etc...) As for the toenail thing....the guy sounds like he's got a foot fetish.

Then, I checked the website. http://www.tangsoodouniversity.com/index.cfm?
--The owner was apparently rated the #1 sparrer in California. Whatever that means.

He's teh deadly point sparrer of Cali. What else does it mean?

--Going to the "Programs" button on his website, the first one listed: Lil' Dragons. I kid you freaking not.

What's so strange about that? Alot of MA schools of any style have "lil dragons" classes. At my school the 4-5 yr old class is called "Little Tigers."

--And here was the final blow:
"Xtreme Martial Arts
Xtreme Martial Arts is the fusion of martial arts techniques, gymnastics, and acrobatics, taken to the extreme with explosive energy and "Hollywood" theatrics!"

XMA. Yes. XMA.

There's nothing wrong with XMA unless they try to pass it off as self defense. Most XMA guys I've met admit they can't fight their way out of a wet paper bag.

Okay, I don't know, guys. I'd hate to completely wreck her perceptions, but at the same time, it's just so damn cheesy. Oh, and Krav Maga.

What about Krav Maga?

But agh. I just had to get that out there. Sorry.

Now, I'm not that great of an MA person myself--a bit of TKD (quit because it was too questionable), then some To Shin Do, and I mean, I don't have all that many training resources. I do some crap on my own though, just kind of experimentation, I suppose...

But this is why, despite overwhelming evidence, I pass the jury decision to you folks. What do you guys think?

Well, that was a long first post. Hopefully I won't get trashed too hard.

I like waffles.

[Nehemiah]

Whoa, lots of responses about the toenail thing.

I'm pretty sure it's expected, though not sure if this girl is just doing it on her own. I considered it pretty minor. I think she said something about a requirement, though...

[Plasma]

Whoa, lots of responses about the toenail thing.

I'm pretty sure it's expected, though not sure if this girl is just doing it on her own. I considered it pretty minor. I think she said something about a requirement, though...

Just do what Hayes Sensei taught you.

Go up to her and yell "stop it"