Breaking Requirements for Testing Change

[TKD USA]

You will never see that in my class. Only a few people will push themelves to do that last pushup or run that extra lap. It's mainly because the kids at my dojang do it because they have nothing better to do with their lives.

 

[TKD USA]

Sorry we kind of got off topic Tiger woman

 

[TigerWoman]

So I suppose 6000 front kicks to belt level in an hour would be a bit much too? I stopped doing them past 1000. It was okay once when we built up to them in a year's time but just to do 3-4000 on a whim hurts the hamstrings. Its called overuse.

I remember once he lined us all up (as a blue belt) and informed us that if we have an injury, too sore or whatever, don't come to class. In other words don't complain or even mention it or you can't come to class. Gosh, that would have X'd out most of us 40 plus which was basically his class.

But the last two years, when he asked for an exercise that I knew would not be good for me, I either did less or substituted it. I tell him my injuries and why I can't though. Didn't seem to matter that I had a bad hamstring, we would be asked to do double front jumps or all high kicks that day - hundreds of them. I got wise real fast. Do what you can - healthwise.

But I had a GOAL, to get the 2nd dan that he was actually discouraging me from going for. So THAT is why I bit the tiger by the tail and hung on. What would you do if someone denied you your right on personal reasons-wrong reasons, and you had just a hairbreadth more effort in the break to get to your goal? I cracked that top board three times but no, he wouldn't take it as broken but then he substituted it for a blind fold jumpspin heel for the next people testing. Hey, I already do that without looking. TW

 

[terryl965]

{what would you do if someone denied you your right on a personal reason\wrong reason} finish, tellhim off and leave for a higher ground. GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[MichiganTKD]

Tigerwoman,
Unfortunately your Instructor reminds me of the drill sergeant Instructor from Karate Kid-no excuses, no pain no gain.
An Instructor should be looking out for the well-being of each student, not just pushing them to the point of exhaustion. It's one thing to take a 22 year old athletic student and beat their *** physically. It's quite another to take a 45 year old mother of two who has to worry about going to work and helping her family and working her over to the point of injury and exhaustion.
I'm not saying students shouldn't practice hard, but Instructors can't treat all students like fresh inductees to Ft. Bragg. My Instructor did that when he first taught in this country because that's how he practiced. He learned, after 99% of his students quit, that you can't teach like that over here.

 

[Tae Kwon Doughboy]

TW,

How did this turn out? I just read one of your posts in the General Martial Arts Talk section (http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16212) saying you are a 2nd Dan. Congratulations! FWIW, I think you earned it.

 

[TigerWoman]

Not well. I'm considered a 2nd dan by everyone in my class, jury of my peers, except the master. But no, I haven't done the break or gotten the belt. But since I tested, all I can do is review and do parts better. I started teaching myself the next form, because I'm bored. I've been out of class a month. I will go back eventually, or go someplace else, I don't feel like going back right now. Thanks for your vote. TW