I just wanted to share...

Hi!

I'm very excited right now because I just got my second stripe on my red belt tonight!!!!!! I've been out from Tang Soo Do for over a year and it's a great triumph because I'm finally back in Martial Arts and I'm very happy!!! I've had to earn my own money to pay for the classes and I only just got back into it 2 months ago, and I go 3 times a week and I try to practice at home when I can. I was very surprised that they told me that I could try to test for my 2nd degree red so soon! I was quite nervous since it had been so long since I had last tested (2 or 3 years ago) but my teacher assured me that he thought I could pass. When I tested this last Saturday, I felt like I passed but I thought I didn't get a high score. The last time I tested I got a 67. something but tonight at the awards ceremony I found out that I got a 74.2!!! That's the highest I've ever gotten!!! I can't wait 'til I learn my new stuff so I can start to prepare for my 3rd degree red!


Thanks for letting me share.

Brittany

[arnisador]

Congratulations!

How are those scores calculated, by the way?

Woo Hoo!!!! Feels good, doesn't it?

Congrats.

Lorrie

[Rich Parsons]

Originally posted by arnisador
Congratulations!

How are those scores calculated, by the way?

Congratulations

[Seigi]

Congrats

You should be very proud of yourself for working so hard.

[TallAdam85]

wow sweet midnight blue or black (depening on what ur system uses) is very close keep going and go where so few go

Hi!

Thanks everyone who congratulated me! I'm sorry that it's been so long since I've been on. I can't get onto the computer often.

Arnisador--I'm sorry, I'm not sure how are scores are caculated but I'll try to find out and if I do, I'll try to let you know.

Tall Adam--Our system has the Black Belt.

Tonight's class was fun but very painful because we did a lot of conditioning exercises (mostly for our legs). I get to go back Wednesday and we're going to do conditioning with our arms and hopefully we'll be able to learn some grapples and throws!!! Next week, we'll start learning our material for our next belt tests!

Thanks again!

Brittany

[Tony]

Hi Sapphire

Just read your post! well done with your grading! i was going to learn Tang Soo do as it was the closest i could find to Kung Fu but luckily I managed to find a good Kung fu class.
I'm not all that familiar with the belt system in Tang Soo do, how far is you red belt from black?

Tony

[The Opal Dragon]

Hey Tony,

I was talking to Brittany two days ago and she was going to reply to your post yesterday (Wednesday). However, yesterday afternoon I got a call informing me that Brittany was having terrible pains in her side and had to go to the hospital for emergency surgery (appendicitis, I think?). I don't know how long it'll be for her to recover but I'm sure she still wants to write you back so I won't answer your question for her.

Unfortunate timing for this surgery is that she's been working for her 3rd degree red belt test and a belt test is coming up next Saturday (27th). We weren't 100% sure if her name was going to be on the list to test but we were pretty sure. The surgery might throw it all off and she might not be able to make it up as her mom was planning to take her out of Tang Soo Do (after this month) again for awhile. I hope it all works out for my friend.

Robyn

[Rich Parsons]

Originally Posted by The Opal Dragon

Hey Tony,

I was talking to Brittany two days ago and she was going to reply to your post yesterday (Wednesday). However, yesterday afternoon I got a call informing me that Brittany was having terrible pains in her side and had to go to the hospital for emergency surgery (appendicitis, I think?). I don't know how long it'll be for her to recover but I'm sure she still wants to write you back so I won't answer your question for her.

Unfortunate timing for this surgery is that she's been working for her 3rd degree red belt test and a belt test is coming up next Saturday (27th). We weren't 100% sure if her name was going to be on the list to test but we were pretty sure. The surgery might throw it all off and she might not be able to make it up as her mom was planning to take her out of Tang Soo Do (after this month) again for awhile. I hope it all works out for my friend.

Robyn

Keep us posted on her state of health.

I wish her a complete and speedy recovery

Originally Posted by Tony

Hi Sapphire

Just read your post! well done with your grading! i was going to learn Tang Soo do as it was the closest i could find to Kung Fu but luckily I managed to find a good Kung fu class.
I'm not all that familiar with the belt system in Tang Soo do, how far is you red belt from black?

Tony

Hi!

I'm back and doing well. I'm sorry I haven't written to answer your question until now.

This is our belt system

White belt
1st degree Purple
2nd degree Purple
1st degree Green
2nd degree Green
3rd degree Green
1st degree Red
2nd degree Red
3rd degree Red
1-10 degrees Black

I'm 2nd degree red and I was supposed to test for my 3rd degree but I had to miss it because I was recovering from my surgury. Tony, I hope that answers your question.

Now I have some questions for you!

How old were you when you started Kung Fu and how long have you been doing it? What style of Kung Fu do you do? I like Tang Soo Do as a martial art but I also like the arts with the throws, grappling, pin points, and doing techniques with my hands more than with my feet. Because of that, I'm wonding if someday I might find a different art to try (one that might be better suited for me). One art that I'm interested in is Kung Fu. I heard that in Kung Fu they don't have belts but sashes. What is the order of sash ranking? Also what do you do in your Kung fu classes? Conditioning? Exersices? What kind of techniques? How do you fight (hands? feet?)? What is the goal in the fight? Like in Aikido the goal is the use the other person's balance against them and get the person to the ground and I think in Judo it's something like using the person's size and momentum against them and get them to the ground and fight them from there (not sure if that's right).

I have a lot more questions but for not I'll stick to these for now. Thanks!

Brittany

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tony]

Originally Posted by The Sapphire Ping Dragon

Hi!

I'm back and doing well. I'm sorry I haven't written to answer your question until now.

This is our belt system

White belt
1st degree Purple
2nd degree Purple
1st degree Green
2nd degree Green
3rd degree Green
1st degree Red
2nd degree Red
3rd degree Red
1-10 degrees Black

I'm 2nd degree red and I was supposed to test for my 3rd degree but I had to miss it because I was recovering from my surgury. Tony, I hope that answers your question.

Now I have some questions for you!

How old were you when you started Kung Fu and how long have you been doing it? What style of Kung Fu do you do? I like Tang Soo Do as a martial art but I also like the arts with the throws, grappling, pin points, and doing techniques with my hands more than with my feet. Because of that, I'm wonding if someday I might find a different art to try (one that might be better suited for me). One art that I'm interested in is Kung Fu. I heard that in Kung Fu they don't have belts but sashes. What is the order of sash ranking? Also what do you do in your Kung fu classes? Conditioning? Exersices? What kind of techniques? How do you fight (hands? feet?)? What is the goal in the fight? Like in Aikido the goal is the use the other person's balance against them and get the person to the ground and I think in Judo it's something like using the person's size and momentum against them and get them to the ground and fight them from there (not sure if that's right).

I have a lot more questions but for not I'll stick to these for now. Thanks!

Brittany

Hi Brittany

Let me start by saying I was sorry to hear that you were ill and I hope you're better! Well in my Kung Fu classes we do a lot, warmups, some conditioning, sparring, some really fun drills, forms, weapons and stance work! The stance work is the real killer as we have to sit in these low deep postures which really hurt the legs. Kung Fu I believe is also a spritual Martial Art with deep philosopies and not just for self defence but helps us think deeper. In kung fu we do everything, puches, kicks, throws, locks, holds ( the locking art within Kung fu is known as Chin na and is similar to Aikido) weapons and sparring.
The belt systems of Kung fu vary because I started off as a beginner with no belt then red up to my present grade of Yellow. White sash is actually a hight grade. But this does vary with different Kung Fu styles.
In fact there are so many Kung fu styles, it would be like trying to count grains of sand! I practice Shaolin Long Fist which incorporates long flowing movements, with techniques from the Preying Mantis which is a purely striking art with no defence because The Preying Mantis attacks and defends simultaneously. We also have the Eagle claw system with its kicking techniques and clawing techniques. One good system of Kung Fu is Wing Chun, mainly for close in fighting. It has very few kicks and blocks and strikes are delivered at the same time. Some Kung Fu style have a lot of acrobatics in them especially Wushu that is practice in mainland China. This is the art that Jet li learned but I don't doubt its practicality. It is however breathtaking to watch and very entertaining.
You'll find a lot of theories from Judo and Aikido in Kung Fu, especially using an opponents strength against him.

Hope that answers soem of your questions! otherwise I woudl be happy to answer anymore you have!

Tony

Hello Brittany:
Congratulations on your achievements as well as your speedy recovery. Hope you can soon resume your lessons, such enthusiasm deserves good training. We could all use more studnets like you. Best wishes from your friends at the National Korean Martial Arts Association.

congrats on your accomplishment. the biggest step was jumping back into the dojang. my hats off to you.

earning a new rank is a big deal. and you should feel good about it. it is where you are, and where you are going in your life and training. keep up the great work!

TANG SOO!