So...here is what I ask every school:

**Student1980** · Posted On: 9/27/2007 11:52pm

Yeah, I'm a newb, tear me a new one all ye like fellers.

Anyways, like I've said in other thread I'm looking to get back into it (boxed for 2 years as a teenager and willingly express my ineptitude here) . I want to know if you guys agree with the line of questioning I was forwarding to potential groups. I state that, in no particular order, the following are important to me.

1. Live training: I figure that if you have no resistance in training you can't be comfortable with your art in a realistic situation. You need to know how your own body works in contact with someone trying to stop it. If I spend years studying a martial art, I want to know I can depend on it in a situation when an individual wishes me harm. I don't want to ever leave myself in a position where I'm thinking "I hope this works".

2. Respect: No hot heads. I don't want to join a group of self-cultivated egos. I'm primarily there to learn, not to be shown what I can't do (verbally, physically, or emotionally).

3. Flexibility: I played AAA hockey for 10 years, dislocated my shoulder while boxing, and basically felt sorry for myself for another 7 years and let myself get out of shape. I'm fully ready to commit to training, and I want to be pushed again...but not forced. With a group of advanced students, will I be allowed to progress at my own rate without being looked down upon (see question 2)?

4. Tradition: With what little I know and, as student of history, I feel that, however impractical, a certain level of respect must be maintained for the history of the art. Is this in any way provided by (insert group here).

Basically I'm wondering if those four sets of questions will generate bullshido answers if the group is full of ****?

**Student1980** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 12:03am

#2 should be worded better:

**** talking is fine, calling me lazy while I'm pounding the bag is fine, calling me a dog fucker while I'm training as hard as I can is fine....I see that as motivation...guys talking ****. But don't do it seriously if I'm there busting my ass.

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 12:53am

I'm moving this to Newbietown so's people don't spaz at you.

**Student1980** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 1:05am

Sorry, JKDChick, I thought I was being relevant.

Believe it or not I thought I was asking good questions for finding a non-MMA place to train. I don't mind a spaz....****, as new as I am here I assume its coming.

Move my thread back and lemme get torn up.

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 1:52am

Sure.

**Student1980** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 1:55am

All I required was a reason, JKDChick. I was trying.

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 1:59am

I'm not anymore. Done with this.

**Dr. Sleepless** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 2:12am

Originally Posted by JKDChick

I'm not anymore. Done with this.

Oddly enough, this was probably the last thing you said to your ex when he said, "I love you still!"

**Virus** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 3:26am

Originally Posted by Student1980

Yeah, I'm a newb, tear me a new one all ye like fellers.

1. Live training: I figure that if you have no resistance in training you can't be comfortable with your art in a realistic situation. You need to know how your own body works in contact with someone trying to stop it. If I spend years studying a martial art, I want to know I can depend on it in a situation when an individual wishes me harm. I don't want to ever leave myself in a position where I'm thinking "I hope this works".

2. Respect: No hot heads. I don't want to join a group of self-cultivated egos. I'm primarily there to learn, not to be shown what I can't do (verbally, physically, or emotionally).

3. Flexibility: I played AAA hockey for 10 years, dislocated my shoulder while boxing, and basically felt sorry for myself for another 7 years and let myself get out of shape. I'm fully ready to commit to training, and I want to be pushed again...but not forced. With a group of advanced students, will I be allowed to progress at my own rate without being looked down upon (see question 2)?

4. Tradition: With what little I know and, as student of history, I feel that, however impractical, a certain level of respect must be maintained for the history of the art. Is this in any way provided by (insert group here).

Basically I'm wondering if those four sets of questions will generate bullshido answers if the group is full of ****?

1. If they are a bullshido group then they are going to spar very infrequently or not at all. They will answer in a way which downplays the importance of sparring as a measurement tool.

2. Well, this is mostly based on the personalities of the people that happen to be in the group.

3. I don't really have an answer for that.

4. Hmm, you say in question 1 that you want something that is effective and that you don't want to be left thinking "I hope this works", but then you later say "I feel that, however impractical, a certain level of respect must be maintained for the history of the art." So is history of effectiveness more important? The thing is, in the West a lot of "traditional" styles are not very honest about their history. Many styles considered "traditional" are really only less than 100 years old.

Many styles that claim older lineages are actually full of ****. This is the case with most "jujitsu" schools in the west. Real koryu jujitsu is difficult to find outside of Japan as licenses are not just handed out to anyone, especially people that haven't spent at least ten years in Japan and leant to speak the language.