What is your Opinion on Video testing!

[red_fists]

Hi All.

Recently there is a lot of stuff on the Net, where you can learn a System/Style from Videos you order.

Your grading is done based on a Video you take of yourself and send to the School.

Some of these places even certify their Instructors via Video, without meeting them in Person.

So please, vote above.

[nospam]

How would you learn application?

I could see teaching the movement of a pattern(s) and the basics to a certain degree of ability, but beyond that without in-person tutelage and training partners that are learning with you- you are simply kidding yourself.

If video is the way a person wants to go, then all the power to them. But to say I learned a system from video and became certified up to the higher levels? :rolleyes: Learning a system is much more involved than simply technique.

I'd bite on learning a weapon from video. Nowadays, weapons are just for show anyway, so why not.

nospam.
:cool:

[Shaolin]

What ever happened to the traditional way where the master teaches and the student practices? Now days people are so pathetically lazy they want to obtain ranks in the martial arts while sitting at the key board with "Friends" on the tv in the back ground, stuffing thier face with a pizza and downing a beer, and do they do this because they have a pation for the arts? No, they do it so they can go to work/school the next day and brag to their friends on how they have a black rank. :(

[straight blast]

I think we've managed to discover a newer, less efficient method of "dry land swimming". I mean, this is even worse than never sparring! This is like watching a video on how to swim & then having someone else send you a tape back saying
"Look, your breaststroke is good, but your freestyle tends to strike the carpet too much. Learn to refine this".

Of all the crap...

Fine. If people want to do this then all power to them. Just please don't associate yourselves with the real martial arts world.

Personally I think someone who has done Tae Bo would kick your asses.

[rubthebuddha]

the curtains part as we begin to intrude on a conversation between two coworkers at the water fountain ...

"hey, judy, guess what? i got my black belt last night!"

"wow, steve, that's amazing. i didn't even know you studied martial arts. how long have you been involved in them?"

"well, i bought 10 tapes, and i watch five per week at a half hour each, so about a week and a half of actual practice. when i was done with the last tape, i sent in a check, and there was a fedex box on my doormat with my belt in it when i got home from work last night."


funakoshi shat his coffin when the first mail-order black belt was conferred.:mad:

[IronFist]

I think it's probably decent if performed by competent, non-money oriented schools. For example, I would probably place good faith in video testing done by Wing Lam or Erle Montaigue. However, all these bullshít "get your blackbelt by video in 2 months" are stupid.

One thing I don't like, is when someone asks a question about something and everyone is all "go ask your sifu!" Dámmit, some people don't have Sifus because they don't happen to live near a legit kung fu school. So, for them, video is the only way. I'd rather learn Wing Chun from a video than learn TKD from a McDojo.

So, "go ask your sifu" sometimes sounds more like "haha, I have a sifu and you don't."

Iron

[Ryu]

You guys wanna know something interesting?
All the years I've been in martial arts I've gone through many ranking systems, but for some reason I would always get a rank just under black and purposely move on. :(
I spent time in karate when I was young and recieved a brown belt, but didn't stay to go for black.
In fact, even in judo I'm still a brown belt, and have again "moved on" without going for the black belt. And it's not really too hard for me to get I don't think... I wonder if it's some subconscious thing. Where I am subconsciously afraid of getting a black belt because I'm afraid of success or will be forced to face my own doubts about myself or something...
I was thinking about it. I guess I'll continue the belt ranking in Japan for judo... but I'm just in no real rush to get it.
I want to wait and train more by myself now before I get back into it. Am I nuts?

Ryu

[Colin]

This was briefly discussed recently on another thead so I won't comment here.
But I'm interested to hear from some of the guys here that use video's or run these courses.

So come on FT, you are respected by all of us here, so your comments would be interesting.

regards
Colin.............