Two questions.

[Dirty Dog]

It won't be proper for you to bow to any foreign flag even if that foreign flag is on the wall of your MA school.

Showing respect to the flag of the country from which your art comes is never improper.

 

[Dirty Dog]

teacher < father < country < earth < heaven

During WWII, if you are an US citizen and train Karate, would you bow to the Japanese flag if that Japanese flag was on the wall of your Karate school?

Did my art have anything to do with the war? No? Then yes, I would show respect. I do not blame an entire culture for the actions of a small percentage.

 

[RTKDCMB]

It won't be proper for you to bow to any foreign flag even if that foreign flag is on the wall of your MA school.

If it would not be proper to bow to it then why would it be on the wall of your MA school?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If it would not be proper to bow to it then why would it be on the wall of your MA school?

I don't hang any national flag on the wall of my MA school.

 

[Tez3]

Well I'm British. I think we have a more relaxed attitude to flags than some other places.

That is certainly true, for us it's just a flag we have other things that are much more important. we also have a lot of flags, there's the Union flag, each country has a flag so does each county, lots of organisations have flags as well. It's just cloth.
I've been to TKD places where a Korean flag has on the wall and it's never a problem, it would never be an issue as we've not been at war with Korea anyway. Karate places tend not to fly flags as far as I've seen anyway plus in the UK we tend to train in places where you can't put stuff on walls anyway.

I don't hang any national flag on the wall of my MA school.

That's your choice, others can choose what they want. A bow is just an expression of politeness.

 

[FlamingJulian]

Okay for the dojang etiquette: Don't bring food, bow before entering and leaving the mats, don't be loud or curse. Patterns: Easy to learn, they all have the same idea and they do have ruled to follow that makes them easier. You'll see.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tez3]

Not so much etiquette but it is my pet hate...don't chew gum while training!

Just an aside...does anyone else always bow when entering somewhere people are training martial arts whatever style or for whatever reason you are there? For me it's second nature now.

 

[Dirty Dog]

The best way to improve your forms is to stop practicing them.
Seriously.
Learn the rough movements and the sequence.
You'll notice particular techniques or combinations are more difficult for you than others.
Practice those little bits till they're awesome.
Boom. Your form improves.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Just behave and practise. I can do both of those.

 

[tubby]

learning patterns I find it easiest to learn a few steps well, then add a couple more until I've got the whole thing. Then once you have the basic sequence down, look at the details you inevitably missed or need to refine.
As for etiquette, just ask if you are lost about anything (when do I bow, which way do I face, where do I stand). These things change for each school and no-ones going to expect you to just know this stuff

 

[Tez3]

Don't get hung up on details that you can easily ask about, just enjoy your training.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Ok, I have two more things. I kind of get my first pattern. As in I can do it, but not perfectly. But I always get stuck on where to start. Once I'm doing it's not too hard, just remembering the first couple of moves then I get into the swing. I spent the past few days watching various videos on Youtube and I think I've got it. I just need to practise a bit more which is hard because I live in a tiny apartment with no space. Hopefully I'll be moving into a house in the next month or so though, so that should help.

Secondly. Putting your feet together when bowing. This seems to be a big deal. My first week I didn't know and was corrected. My second week I tried to remember but I didn't put them together enough and was corrected again. I'm going to have the permanently right next to each other all times from now on.

 

[Flatfish]

I just need to practise a bit more which is hard because I live in a tiny apartment with no space. Hopefully I'll be moving into a house in the next month or so though, so that should help.
.

Go to a park and practise......you will be very attractive to females passing by......

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Go to a park and practise......you will be very attractive to females passing by......

Ahahahaha. I'm not sure this would be true where I live. But it's an idea. I also work 12 hour night shifts, 4 on four off. So when I'm working I generally sleep and work and commute. It'll have to wait until Tuesday now.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Ok, I have two more things. I kind of get my first pattern. As in I can do it, but not perfectly. But I always get stuck on where to start. Once I'm doing it's not too hard, just remembering the first couple of moves then I get into the swing. I spent the past few days watching various videos on Youtube and I think I've got it. I just need to practise a bit more which is hard because I live in a tiny apartment with no space. Hopefully I'll be moving into a house in the next month or so though, so that should help.

Secondly. Putting your feet together when bowing. This seems to be a big deal. My first week I didn't know and was corrected. My second week I tried to remember but I didn't put them together enough and was corrected again. I'm going to have the permanently right next to each other all times from now on.

The bowing thing will become habit quickly enough. Just keep reminding yourself (and listening for others reminding you).

As for starting the form, try building a picture in your head with a checklist: head, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, hips, knees, feet. You may not need all of those, but you get the idea. If you make yourself start by thinking through that sequence of body parts every time (or, in reverse), you'll soon be able to put yourself in exactly the right position to start. At that point, you just need to remember what moves first, and in what way, because you've said you already remember okay once you get moving.

 

[Tez3]

Go to a park and practise......you will be very attractive to females passing by......

Nah I wouldn't recommend that where he is lol.

I just need to practise a bit more which is hard because I live in a tiny apartment with no space

Once you know them a little better visualise doing them, it helps learn them plus it's a good almost meditation thing.

 

[Flatfish]

Nah I wouldn't recommend that where he is lol.
.

You mean to tell me seriously that Leicester lasses will not swoon upon encountering a Martial Artist? Must be a different subspecies.....

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

The bowing thing will become habit quickly enough. Just keep reminding yourself (and listening for others reminding you).

As for starting the form, try building a picture in your head with a checklist: head, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, hips, knees, feet. You may not need all of those, but you get the idea. If you make yourself start by thinking through that sequence of body parts every time (or, in reverse), you'll soon be able to put yourself in exactly the right position to start. At that point, you just need to remember what moves first, and in what way, because you've said you already remember okay once you get moving.

Yes, this makes sense to me.

Nah I wouldn't recommend that where he is lol.

You mean to tell me seriously that Leicester lasses will not swoon upon encountering a Martial Artist? Must be a different subspecies.....

Leicester isn't that bad. It's actually a really nice city. Although it does have it's bad parts like everywhere. I'm from Kent originally anyway. I'm not local.

Once you know them a little better visualise doing them, it helps learn them plus it's a good almost meditation thing.

Thanks, I'll try doing this.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Ok, I have two more things. I kind of get my first pattern. As in I can do it, but not perfectly. But I always get stuck on where to start. Once I'm doing it's not too hard, just remembering the first couple of moves then I get into the swing. I spent the past few days watching various videos on Youtube and I think I've got it. I just need to practise a bit more which is hard because I live in a tiny apartment with no space. Hopefully I'll be moving into a house in the next month or so though, so that should help.

You can practice in pretty much no space at all. You just have to shuffle your feet rather than step forward into stances. It's not perfect, but it works.
My wife and I do a lot of SCUBA diving. If we're going someplace in winter or early spring, when you KNOW we haven't been out in the sun here in Colorado, I will use a standup tanning booth to prevent burning. I spend the time in that booth practicing forms. No, I cannot extend kicks or punches, but it still helps.

Secondly. Putting your feet together when bowing. This seems to be a big deal. My first week I didn't know and was corrected. My second week I tried to remember but I didn't put them together enough and was corrected again. I'm going to have the permanently right next to each other all times from now on.

Don't do that. Most places I've been, you're mostly in some variety of ready stance when you're not actually moving. There are very few ready stances that have the feet together.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Yes, this makes sense to me.






Leicester isn't that bad. It's actually a really nice city. Although it does have it's bad parts like everywhere. I'm from Kent originally anyway. I'm not local.



Thanks, I'll try doing this.

There's a town near me (North Carolina, USA) named Leicester. I don't think it would be a good option there, either.