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Thread: Importance of gradings/sashes

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Cloud View Post
    BTW I have had two hernias while training.
    ??? What are you doing that you get hernias? I've never heard of this before. ???

  2. #17
    yes . . . makes sense.

    Getting into a discussion about whether or not MA should use color ranking systems, however, does not make sense. Some people think so and others don't. What we can say though, is that traditionally Chinese martial arts did not have this ranking system, so matter how many student. Again: NOT passing judgement, cause I think its always dependant on the instructor. The bottom line is that there is no governing authority on all martial arts, so no one is going to come up with and incorporate the definitive answer

  3. #18
    Maxwang, I'd say go to another school . . .

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxwang View Post
    The reason I am thinking this is I have been in a lot of fights and know I can pumel at least 3 Shifu/ balck sahes in my school who have never really been in a fight but have the rank. I have also beaten them in forms competition as well. So a lower belt beat a higher belt. What does this mean??
    Belts have nothing to do with fighting ability in most MA. I think Judo and BJJ are the exception.

    Belts usually just mean you have done N number of katas and have tested, or N number of fighting techniques, etc.

    So just because you can pummel the black sashes (I mean, some guy off the street can pummel black sashes in most MAs), just means that you're at a normal school.

  5. #20
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    I was taught that sashes are used like weight belts for support.
    You don't win silver, you lose gold.

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Helena Handbask View Post
    I was taught that sashes are used like weight belts for support.
    No, this weight belt thing is nonsense (at least I never heard of it). If anything, there is a Chinese tradition that you should cover your stomach and keep it warm. So you can find Chinese out in the cold sometimes with a bare chest but the belly covered.
    Last edited by lunghushan; 09-16-2006 at 06:53 PM.

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxwang View Post
    We should treat all students with respect as potentially superior performers of our art?

    It is like the saying, "treat your people as they potentially could be rahter than as they are?"
    It's a ranking. I mean, they used to have older brother, uncle, etc., thing no matter the person's martial skill.

    It's a Confucian thing, show respect to the elders. So if somebody started before you , then he is your older brother, irrespective of his fighting ability or even the number of forms that he's done.

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by lunghushan View Post
    ??? What are you doing that you get hernias? I've never heard of this before. ???
    I'm sorry I wasn't being specific, At the time I was carrying weights while doing plyometric type exercizes to build power. I was squating in a low horse than jumping over objects to built explosive power. And onother time I simply sneazed Both times I wasn't wearing a sash. Personaly I don't like to wear it but now I do if I'm going to be lifting squating or doing dynamic tension exercizes.

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Cloud View Post
    I'm sorry I wasn't being specific, At the time I was carrying weights while doing plyometric type exercizes to build power. I was squating in a low horse than jumping over objects to built explosive power. And onother time I simply sneazed Both times I wasn't wearing a sash. Personaly I don't like to wear it but now I do if I'm going to be lifting squating or doing dynamic tension exercizes.
    Okay ... I never heard of that before. I thought they just wore the sash in cold weather to keep their belly warm.

  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by lunghushan View Post
    Belts have nothing to do with fighting ability in most MA. I think Judo and BJJ are the exception.

    Belts usually just mean you have done N number of katas and have tested, or N number of fighting techniques, etc.

    So just because you can pummel the black sashes (I mean, some guy off the street can pummel black sashes in most MAs), just means that you're at a normal school.
    lunghushan,
    If you consider this a normal school, I suggest you start to look for a better school.
    A. If all your school needs for sashes is "N" number of taolu (kata is japanese BTW) then you are being cheated. Especially at the higher levels. The taolu are useless if you cannot use them. AND, if you are not being taught to defend yourself, then you really should switch to contemporary wushu and call it a day.
    B. If you expect some guy off the street to be able to pummel your black belts, that doesn't say much for them, OR your sifu (or more importantly, your opinion of your sifu).
    Max,
    It may be time to look for a new school, unless there are extenuating circumstances which may have impaired these black sashes (physical or mental disfunction, etc.)

    JMO
    Peace, MB13
    Do - Or do not - There is no try.
    *Yoda*

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Monkeyboy13 View Post
    lunghushan,
    If you consider this a normal school, I suggest you start to look for a better school.
    A. If all your school needs for sashes is "N" number of taolu (kata is japanese BTW) then you are being cheated. Especially at the higher levels. The taolu are useless if you cannot use them. AND, if you are not being taught to defend yourself, then you really should switch to contemporary wushu and call it a day.
    B. If you expect some guy off the street to be able to pummel your black belts, that doesn't say much for them, OR your sifu (or more importantly, your opinion of your sifu).
    Max,
    It may be time to look for a new school, unless there are extenuating circumstances which may have impaired these black sashes (physical or mental disfunction, etc.)

    JMO
    Peace, MB13
    For the record, I don't go to a school. And my sifu doesn't give out sashes.

    I'm just saying what's out there. I used to go to schools, and that was what was out there.

    I mean, a lot of sifus are old and can't fight anymore. Does this mean they're still not a master? Does it mean they still aren't higher than you? No, it does not.

    If you're looking for a school that passes out ranking purely on fighting ability I don't think you're going to find it outside of Judo and BJJ which are more tournament based.

  12. #27
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    Sometimes tradition sucks, when we talk about hierarchy in kung Fu I think it's stupid to have to bow down to someone because they met your Sifu first even though you have been training consistenty longer.

    This is when ranking in the modern day make sense, How can you call someone Si Hing Or Dai si hing if they haven't been training in the system.

  13. #28
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    I missed out on a ood debate last night! **** time differences! My trousers have an elastic waist so I dont even need a belt to hold them up!!!
    I agree with the whole belts arent important thing. Our teacher is becoming less interested in them, correctly teaching us things when we are ready ,even for higher rades ,when we are ready.
    THe club uses a syllabus ,as do many clubs over here (especially Lau Gar clubs) which he is beginning to mix up a bit. It's bringing us on far more as students.
    There is one guy in particular who is really quite hung up on belts, and doesnt like it if a student who hasnt been training as long as he has, but goes to more sessions a week, does loads of training at home and to be honest puts more effort in, overtakes him and gets a higher grade.
    Its definitely an ego thing, and realising that and not concentrating on the grades has been liberating really. My training is definitely coming on now and I really dont care which belt I am.
    I was pretty pleased though when he told me I would be doing my mext grade this time as I have put lots of work into getting back upto a decent standard after being off for a while.

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by lunghushan View Post
    No, this weight belt thing is nonsense (at least I never heard of it). If anything, there is a Chinese tradition that you should cover your stomach and keep it warm. So you can find Chinese out in the cold sometimes with a bare chest but the belly covered.
    2 things.

    1. Been to China have you? Because that last sentence is complete BS. Sashes don't cover your belly anyways.

    2. Worn an actual traditional Chinese sash too? 2 Kinds of them.

    - decorational. These are the satin thingees worn around the waist along with the silk pajamas.

    - funtional. The cotton sash that is about 4-5 inches wide and wraps around your waist several times effectively doing exactly what is claimed. It keeps your waist wrapped almost as tightly as hand wraps do to your hands and not only keeps the pants up but yes, offers a certain degree of protection against injury at the waist.

  15. #30
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    colored belts/rank

    it is an american system of ranking with in the martial arts. any martial arts. started by the japanese to accomodate the american sense of "rank advancement". in the beginning it was only 4 belts ,white yellow brown black. There was no real ranking in CMA, just the acknowledgement of Student and master. or disciple and master.

    in a way the belt ranking system is useful for the instructor, that way he/she can keep track of the students progress(and if you have alot of students you need something to keep track of where they are in their training). if you are a teacher that has but a few students then you really do not need any thing to remind you of where a student is in his/her progress.

    i have always felt that the ranking system in martial arts took away and distracted you from your actual progress as a martial artist. you get so wrapped up in "when am i going to test for the next level?" it becomes an obsession rather than just a simple marker of where you are in the teaching you have been recieving.

    i dont give any real creedance to my 2nd degree black belt, i have always thought of myself as a student, and at one time an assistant instructor.
    TWS
    It makes me mad when people say I turned and ran like a scared rabbit. Maybe it was like an angry rabbit, who was going to fight in another fight, away from the first fight.

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