From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #754 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Wed, 6 Dec 2000 Vol 07 : Num 754 In this issue: the_dojang: Dan Rank the_dojang: from 'The WTF News' the_dojang: stuff the_dojang: Re: Dan Rank/Shaun M. Fortune the_dojang: Black Belt the_dojang: sig files, keep'em short the_dojang: . ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~1200 members strong! Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ken Barrett Date: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 15:45:54 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Dan Rank Hi - I am an new-bie here, so please pardon any breach of etiquette. I take the opposite view of many regarding rank in the martial arts. I feel that rank, specifically Dan rank is not something you give yourself - or should even strive for. Dan rank is bestowed on you by others as a sign of respect and recognition of your abilities as well as your contribution to the art. Because of this, it must be accepted humbly, and not flaunted or abused. A test then is just a chance to show your abilities to those who may not know you well. Often times it does not encompass many important aspects of character that are key to success in the arts (and in life as well). Because of this, I view the test itself as just a formality in the process of rank promotion. I do not believe rank should be pursued. Rather I feel that rank and titles will come to you when you are ready for them. - -- Ken Barrett ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 13:37:22 PST Subject: the_dojang: from 'The WTF News' Two items noted in the most recent issue of 'The WTF News'... - Korea Taekwondo Association opened a site on the Internet to provide its monthly magazine as an electronic format on November 1. Latest news and various information about Taekwondo are available at http://webzine.koreataekwondo.org. - USTU held an education for 8th and 9th Dan holders in Chicago on October 6-7. WTF Vice President Chong Woo Lee was a special instructor for the education attended by over 100 people. According to the Sports Act, the USTU has been authorized to issue offical instructor's diploma through education. Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 13:44:49 PST Subject: the_dojang: stuff > The USTU is a business, which makes millions of dollars a year, basically > selling rank ... FWIW, 1st Dan is $70, 2nd Dan is $90, with half of that going back to the Kukkiwon... > I myself have been to a couple of these schools, which is why I phrased it > the way I did. Perhaps a larger sample size is warranted. :) Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ From: "Lasich, Mark D." Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 16:23:23 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: Dan Rank/Shaun M. Fortune Shaun, I fully understand your question regarding the need/desire to achieve higher Dan Ranks. I have been involved in the Korean Martial arts for 20 years, between TangSooDo and TaeKwonDo - I very recently resigned my positions and involvement in our school, and essentially placed my training on hold. I did this in the shadow of two unsuccessful testings for Sa Dan. Some may feel that it is a sign of defeat, so be it. What I discovered is an inner strength that I never felt before. Yes, I know and *can* perform all the material, but what occurred to me was that the belt, the rank, the extra recognition that would have come with it, just was not worth it, nor was it consistient with who I am, and who I want to become. Yes, I may not be learning any new techniques at this point, BUT, my training DOES continue. Funny, all the formalized training in the world seems to focus, almost entirely, on the physical aspects. What I now hope to accomplish is a discovering of my "self" - to analyze how I treat people, how I respond to them, in a word, how I live my life. Yes, it may be a fault of my local school, or my organization, or myself, but what I need most at this point is the opportunity to focus on the mental, growth. Making my decision to leave was that first step. Next steps are yet to be defined. So, for some, the idea of rank really IS irrelevant. However, it is good to have goals, and to achieve them. In doing so you are learning a LOT more than just technique. You learn perseverance, honor, integrity, etc. At some point, though, there may, just may be more than a new form! Please bear with me. These emotions are all so new to me, and as I said, my next steps are yet to be defined. However, as training only begins when you achieve your Cho Dan, my story will continue after the last chapter! Thanks for listening. Mark Lasich mark.lasich@alcoa.com ------------------------------ From: joseph@home-school.com (Joseph Pride) Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 15:38:41 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: Black Belt >There are as many answers as there are people pursuing rank. Some reasons >are honorable, some less so. A true martial artist is forever a student, >always seeking to add to his/her treasurehouse of knowledge. In ranked >systems, sometimes knowledge is withheld, for various reasons, until the >preceding level is completed with competency. Also, within an organization >or school, many times a particular rank must be achieved in order for one to >hold a position such as Instructor or Head Instructor, or to open their own >school. I'm a relatively new Taekwondo enthusiast to most of you... I'm at blue belt (5th geup, I believe) and I've practiced Taekwondo about a year. I've never written to the Dojang Digest before, but I've subscribed for most of the year I've practiced TKD. My reason for wanting black belt is the same as my reason for forever wanting the very next rank after the one I have. I get to learn all the cool stuff. ;) I mean, my instructors won't forbid me to learn something new if I want to try it, but there's a certain sequence to go through. Easier things first. First things first. You have to learn back kick before you can learn jump back kick. You have to learn hook kick before you can learn back spin hook kick. You have to learn roundhouse kick before you can do tornado kick. You have to practice for a while and get stretchy before you can do axe kick. A new belt is a sign that now, not only can I try new skills ... but I'm ready for them. It's a jump up from where I was before. A sign of improvement. An affirmation that I'm more skilled now than I was before. I still remember what it was like to start as a white belt. Completely unbalanced, uncoordinated, unstretchy, and unskilled. Started right in with the front kick and roundhouse kick and worked up from there. Looking back, I wonder how I (or anyone!) could live without being able to balance on one foot, or jump without flailing arms... The black belt is a cool outside sign, true, but I could just call up Champion Martial Arts Supply and order one. What good would it do me? I could have done that a year ago and shown it off. I'd know, and everybody else would know too, that there wasn't any change inside, and that's where it matters. It's one thing to watch Bruce Lee backfist somebody, practice in front of a mirror, and come up with all sorts of dumb ideas about what I'd do in a fight if I were Bruce Lee... You've all been there, haven't you? I can't be the only one ... But it's another thing to be able to jump three feet in the air and back-kick somebody to the chest. There's something about that which is just so undeniably cool! Back to the black belt... I want it because what it really signifies is that martial arts isn't just something I do for fun, but instead it's now part of me. It's like the difference between banging on the piano and being able to perform. Not just "doing" an art, but mastering it. The black belt, I understand, is the start of a journey itself... But it's also the end of one. On the one hand, you're only beginning the lifelong journey towards becoming a master. On the other hand, you've finished the journey of learning your basic kicks, your stances, your forms, your sparring techniques. You know how to use all the tools of your trade. Now it's time to start becoming a master craftsman. You're done studying and now it's time to innovate. It's almost like growing up. Why is the year 18 so important? The year 21? Why are people anxious to get there? So others will recognize them as adults? Partly. But expectations change, lives change ... by then, for all practical purposes, they'll BE adults. It's the same with most Taekwondo practitioners. You don't devote hours of your life to an art just for bragging rights. You don't want to HAVE a black belt. You want to BE one. I look forward to joining the rest of you who call yourselves "dan." ... And maybe some day knowing a few words of Korean to end my posts with. - --Joe ************************************************* ** Joseph Pride ** ** Op in #teens4jesus on the DALnet ** ** Member of AGOGG ** ************************************************* _________________| Curious? |__________________ | Feel free to write me. | |___________ _____________| ___________| Not curious at all? |_____________ | Write me anyway. | |_______________________________________________| || http://www.home-school.com/Joespage/JoesPage.HTML __________||__________________________________________________ |º__º__º__||=================================================/ || (Make sure it's capitalized right.) -- ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 15:24:10 PST Subject: the_dojang: sig files, keep'em short Folks, just a reminder to please keep those signature files short. A signature file is the tag at the end of each of your msgs that includes your name, address, etc. A maximum of five or six lines is recommended so as to not bombard folks with constant 'ads' or other such info. (Note my two line sig below.) Thanks. Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 15:25:06 PST Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V7 #754 ******************************** It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 405, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.org To unsubscribe from the_dojang-digest send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. 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