What does a brown belt look like in your world of Uechi? What does it mean?
Do you build strength above flow?
Patterns above comprehension?
Conditioning above application?
Are they copying the letters of the alphabet or writing their own words in print...or in cursive?
Happy training,
Dana
a brown belt
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Dana Sheets
- Posts: 2715
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:01 am
a brown belt
Did you show compassion today?
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Stryke
A karate brown belt to me is a strip of usually a couple inches wide or so and about yay long . Quite boring ...
the people inside them are unique and complicated , and they usually all bring a different perspective and skillset to there karate .
some comprehend but cant execute
some technically proficeint but lack understanding
some are weak but have good from
some are crude but are strong in application
and every variation and combination is probably out there .
the true art has to be fitting the art to the individual or is the approach fitting the person to the art .
it`s a question thats always cropping up in the back of my mind ... maybe a little of both .
the people inside them are unique and complicated , and they usually all bring a different perspective and skillset to there karate .
some comprehend but cant execute
some technically proficeint but lack understanding
some are weak but have good from
some are crude but are strong in application
and every variation and combination is probably out there .
the true art has to be fitting the art to the individual or is the approach fitting the person to the art .
it`s a question thats always cropping up in the back of my mind ... maybe a little of both .
Dana, if I may reply to this...I happen to be a brown belt in Uechi, but with a twist:
The Brown Belt in Uechi, for the readers' benefit, is normally issued with a black stripe, to conform with the ten-rank system.The rank is Sankyu.
My brown was issued "naked", with no stripe, on Nov 2004.
There is no rank-name for this particular level. You are not yet a Sankyu, but you are training the brown-belt material and Kata (Seisan).
I trained like this until March 2006 when I was given my 1st black stripe (Sankyu.)
***********************************************
As a brown belt I feel I am on my last leg of the preparatory material for my Shodan test: my last chance to get everything right.
I know that many have come this far and never faced the challenge of the Shodan test.
I can't address your categorical questions directly since my training is not the same as the mass-dojo model.
But still, I feel the same pressures mounting as I advance.
I feel suddenly weak, stiff, and incompetent since I am doing all new material.
I feel that I am rapidly getting worse, not better.
I rarely have good nights training, and I am starting to wonder if I'm really cut out for this at all.I can't believe I got this far being this bad.
I wonder how I will ever catch up with all my deficiencies in time.
It will be eight years in October for me.
I cannot imagine doing a Shodan test given my abilities as I perceive them, and if my Sensei suggests a test I think I will decline.
The test would mean a trip to Massachussetts entailing lots of money and time, and I frankly don't see the point in myself.
Other students of my Sensei have gone before, and they have all been very successful, but I don't see that in me.
So from my perspective as a brown belt, I would say it's a time to really take a good hard look at yourself and do a thorough self-evaluation.
NM
The Brown Belt in Uechi, for the readers' benefit, is normally issued with a black stripe, to conform with the ten-rank system.The rank is Sankyu.
My brown was issued "naked", with no stripe, on Nov 2004.
There is no rank-name for this particular level. You are not yet a Sankyu, but you are training the brown-belt material and Kata (Seisan).
I trained like this until March 2006 when I was given my 1st black stripe (Sankyu.)
***********************************************
As a brown belt I feel I am on my last leg of the preparatory material for my Shodan test: my last chance to get everything right.
I know that many have come this far and never faced the challenge of the Shodan test.
I can't address your categorical questions directly since my training is not the same as the mass-dojo model.
But still, I feel the same pressures mounting as I advance.
I feel suddenly weak, stiff, and incompetent since I am doing all new material.
I feel that I am rapidly getting worse, not better.
I rarely have good nights training, and I am starting to wonder if I'm really cut out for this at all.I can't believe I got this far being this bad.
I wonder how I will ever catch up with all my deficiencies in time.
It will be eight years in October for me.
I cannot imagine doing a Shodan test given my abilities as I perceive them, and if my Sensei suggests a test I think I will decline.
The test would mean a trip to Massachussetts entailing lots of money and time, and I frankly don't see the point in myself.
Other students of my Sensei have gone before, and they have all been very successful, but I don't see that in me.
So from my perspective as a brown belt, I would say it's a time to really take a good hard look at yourself and do a thorough self-evaluation.
NM
The music spoke to me. I felt compelled to answer.
Did the trip in 1989...for shodan and Neil it`s worth it.The test would mean a trip to Massachussetts entailing lots of money and time, and I frankly don't see the point in myself.
Brown belt to me was good times running the last sprint before the Dan grading(s)
If only I could recapture that crazy energy again...oh well...different energy now
Léo
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Stryke
Neil this is normal , Ive been here many times , I`d suggest your perception and evaluation of yourself may be getting better , and the pressure your applying may be in fact a little stifeling .I feel suddenly weak, stiff, and incompetent since I am doing all new material.
I feel that I am rapidly getting worse, not better.
I rarely have good nights training, and I am starting to wonder if I'm really cut out for this at all.I can't believe I got this far being this bad.
I wonder how I will ever catch up with all my deficiencies in time.
Ray Dalke a very highly ranked Shotokan practitioner took a group of us through a drill before my shodan , he got us to do a white belt syllabus and pick faults with each other .
No one failed to find errors , he then smiled and said , if thats what you see imagine what I do after 40 years experience .
at some point it must become mindset , decide your there , perform as a blackbelt in your heart and it will show .
forget the thumb checks the second guessing , enjoy training , and dont let the goals/ranks be the objective . They become a noose if you let them .
I`d doubt your really getting worse , and if so it will only be in confidence .
A grading is only an oppurtunity , either way youll be better for it , and I think youll probably be pleasantly surprised .
then you get to face the pressure of wearing the rank , then youll realise what i`m talking about , it changes nothing ....
hope my 2 cents is welcome
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JimHawkins
- Posts: 2101
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:21 am
- Location: NYC
I agree with what's been posted...
Neil none of the best ever think they are "good." The more they train the more they see what they are lacking.. The best of the best will always see what they have yet to accomplish--and then they will go work on it if they want it.
If there are specific things you feel you need work on and if it's important to you then work on it. Find creative ways to work on them alone when you have no partner and find partners to help you work on things with them.
I'm sure there are many good ideas to be found here should you be looking..
In the end we will never regret having tried to do our best no matter what the outcome--it's not 'reaching for the brass ring' that haunts the mind later on.
FWIW
Neil none of the best ever think they are "good." The more they train the more they see what they are lacking.. The best of the best will always see what they have yet to accomplish--and then they will go work on it if they want it.
If there are specific things you feel you need work on and if it's important to you then work on it. Find creative ways to work on them alone when you have no partner and find partners to help you work on things with them.
I'm sure there are many good ideas to be found here should you be looking..
In the end we will never regret having tried to do our best no matter what the outcome--it's not 'reaching for the brass ring' that haunts the mind later on.
FWIW
Shaolin
M Y V T K F
"Receive what comes, stay with what goes, upon loss of contact attack the line" – The Kuen Kuit
M Y V T K F
"Receive what comes, stay with what goes, upon loss of contact attack the line" – The Kuen Kuit
Just do it ;)
Pressure oh ya! However, it is a celebration as in reality your instructor recommending you is in reality the "knighting" to Dan rank already. Ok...if you have a "bad day" in front of the board it is normally from mental pressure induced on yourself. The works already done...don`t cram for the exam.2Green wrote:Good advice and encouraging words, all of you.
I have to start building a personal training regimen so I feel prepared when the time comes.
I'm glad to hear others have gone through this. It seems to be the time of "most pressure".
Thanks.
NM
Léo
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Dana Sheets
- Posts: 2715
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:01 am
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Dana Sheets
- Posts: 2715
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:01 am
ok
Last edited by Dana Sheets on Thu May 25, 2006 9:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Did you show compassion today?
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John Giacoletti
- Posts: 448
- Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:08 am
- Location: Largo, FL
Brown Belt
Starting from white belt in Kobudo while holding an Uechi Black belt was humbling and a lot of good folks can't make that transitional step.
I put in a year of 2 classes per week for each of three weapons to reach brown belt learning one kata in three modular units then another year in training in the whole kata.
What I learned was the more experience you have helps to make learning easier. Each belt has its learning tasks and as you move up the ladder learning become easier.
The brown belts in karate are somewhat in awe when the advanced belts do sanseiryu, kanchin, seiru in addition to the five they know.
Now I am ready for Nidan in Kobudo and I have six Kobudo kata to do for the test and they wonder how it's possible
From the brown belts perspective it's more work than they ever imagined, like six days a week.
In addition to learning to learn and putting in the training time to maintain and improve, my sensei regards the extra training as building a more solid base in the fundamentals.
Karate and Kobudo are easier when your grounding is solid. That's why students who teach usually advance faster than the typical twice-a-weeker.
Putting in the time on a quality basis also sets a leadership example for the other students. Those who advance set the pace and the grading curve for the rest of the students.
Time and experience also lead to greater responsibility, assisting other studets, getting the class started and warmed up now and then, preparing the new studens in class to learn the partner drills and setting a good example for attendance and timeliness.
With recommendations and promotions comes confidence. Learning to learn, learning to work and work smart and work hard, gaining the respect of your peers all lead to a greater understaning of your personal self and spirit.
The brown belt is on the threshold of being a more responsible and capable uechika.
I put in a year of 2 classes per week for each of three weapons to reach brown belt learning one kata in three modular units then another year in training in the whole kata.
What I learned was the more experience you have helps to make learning easier. Each belt has its learning tasks and as you move up the ladder learning become easier.
The brown belts in karate are somewhat in awe when the advanced belts do sanseiryu, kanchin, seiru in addition to the five they know.
Now I am ready for Nidan in Kobudo and I have six Kobudo kata to do for the test and they wonder how it's possible
From the brown belts perspective it's more work than they ever imagined, like six days a week.
In addition to learning to learn and putting in the training time to maintain and improve, my sensei regards the extra training as building a more solid base in the fundamentals.
Karate and Kobudo are easier when your grounding is solid. That's why students who teach usually advance faster than the typical twice-a-weeker.
Putting in the time on a quality basis also sets a leadership example for the other students. Those who advance set the pace and the grading curve for the rest of the students.
Time and experience also lead to greater responsibility, assisting other studets, getting the class started and warmed up now and then, preparing the new studens in class to learn the partner drills and setting a good example for attendance and timeliness.
With recommendations and promotions comes confidence. Learning to learn, learning to work and work smart and work hard, gaining the respect of your peers all lead to a greater understaning of your personal self and spirit.
The brown belt is on the threshold of being a more responsible and capable uechika.
There is much to make of every moment.
