TKD master paralyzed from chest down...

[Bolverk]

Actually, I can believe it. At least in the WTF, you have to be a fourth degree to start a school. I was looking for a place to train after moving to FL from Korea. I had never heard of Songahm TKD (American Tae Kwon Do Association). I walked into an ATA school because the sign said TKD. I had all of my paperwork to prove my rank (at the time, second poom) and some work out clothes. The instructor sitting behind the desk looked at my certificates and told me he was excited to have me start. And without even asking me to show him some of my technique, he tells me I would enter class as a white belt because such was the policy of the ATA. Then he stood up and I saw his belt. The guy was a first degree black belt. He OWNED the school and I outranked him. Needless to say I walked out. So if you can churn out first degree certified instructors who in turn churn out more and more, your organization will spread like wild fire. I don't believe in knocking any martial art or derivations as useless. I believe that every system has shortcomings and advantages. I will also say that Songahm students that I have known generally tend to be excellent technicians. But it wouldn't suprise me if Songahm was the largest. Just my opinion of the situation, I might be wrong.

Some excellent observations sir. It is true that 1st Degree Black Belts can own schools and teach, it is part of the philosophy of our Eternal Grand Master that when you reach Black Belt, it is time to start teaching others what you have learned. They still continue to get instruction from their instructors, and progress through the ranks. But I see no problems having a first degree teaching color belts. By the time their first color belt makes it through the ranks they would be a second degree on their way to third. And they can not become masters until they are sixth degree.

I can understand your reasoning behind not taking instruction there though. Although you would have progressed quickly, you would be required to know all of the lower rank material. Songahm forms are unique to Songahm Taekwondo, which is the reasoning behind starting at white belt. But the same would be true if you went to another Martial Art other then Taekwondo. However, that explanation in now way should remove the possible frustration you would have felt at learning such a thing, and taking instruction from someone who was a lower belt then you.

Have a good day sir.

Sincerely,

Knowing it is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough, we must do.

The tax laws are written by men with considerable net worth, and with little understanding of what wage-earners must do to make ends meet.

[Haksaeng]

Bolverk, I hope all is/went well with your father.

I have overstated my frustrations. I don't believe that there is anything wrong with a first degree teaching color belts. I do believe that when you become a black belt is when your true learning begins. You are no longer learning basics, you have mastered them. Only at Red and Black belt does one truely beginning to grasp the full application of the technique they have finally perfected. I am not saying that first degree black belt should not help teach color belts, I am merely saying in MY opinion they should not yet be opening schools and being heads of dojangs until they are a bit more mature in the art. I also believe that I can learn from anyone of lower rank than I. We all have unique perspectives and a complete martial artists sees more than their own view whenever possible. But starting a second degree black belt at white belt just to learn some forms and maybe some higher chambers or lightly adjusted foot work is a scam to get more testing fees out of them. It's also way for a tournament-heavy school in a tournament heavy style to get some serious competition trophy placing a 2nd degree BB in a sparring ring with a bunch of green belts.

I have learned two styles of TKD, some Hapkido, and BJJ. Only in BJJ where the technique has not even a remote resemblence was I asked to start at white belt. I am not saying that rank should just be handed to me. If I had started anything else, wing chun, shotokan, BJJ (I gladly started at white belt) I understand. Hell, I was suprised when my instuctor in Hapkido said I could start at Red belt.

I appreciate your respectful explanation, Sir. In the end my response is nothing but my own opinion. I mean your style no disrespect. I just don't feel that nine forms was justification for taking a decade of work away from me.

[Bolverk]

Thank you for the reply sir. And thanks for asking about my father. He is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.

I understand your point of view completely. After all, it is very expensive to go through each testing. I am not sure how each school handles it, some may allow you to keep your rank but require you to still learn the lower rank material. I will talk to my instructor tonight about how a situation like yours would be handled at our school.

Having said that, I would hope that the motivation of the instructor would not be to gain an advantage from your skills in the color belt ranks. I am sure that my instructor wouldn't, but not everyone is as honest as he is.

My instructor is a second degree, who will be a third degree soon. He still has to attend class at the school he was trained in. Our instructors also have to go through regular training outside of the class room to keep up on current training methods. However, I can understand why you would have concerns about a first degree owning a school.

Anyway sir, I respect your opinion. After all, it is part of what makes us unique. And I did not detect even an iota of disrespect in your post towards me or the style I study. I enjoyed reading your first post, as well as this one.

Have a good day sir.

Sincerely,

Knowing it is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough, we must do.

The tax laws are written by men with considerable net worth, and with little understanding of what wage-earners must do to make ends meet.

[Toby Christensen]

I have seen spina bifida affected savate masters. They do well.

Blind judokas? Yep.

Intellectually impaired boxers? Yes

But a person paralysed from the arms and chest down doing a kicking based art? :-(

A 6th dan black belt in bastardry.

"Damn you! You dirty fighter." My sparring partner, also disabled, recovering from being bitten.

[SifuAbel]

Mission impossible theme: dum, dum, dum-dum, dum dum,dum-dum, dum, dum, dum-dum, dum dum,dum-dum, pikachooooooooooo, pikachoooooooo, pikachooooooooooo, dumdum.