|
|
Post by Bob Davis on Feb 13, 2013 10:06:03 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by malk103 on Feb 13, 2013 10:47:11 GMT
Validation, recognition, passports.... each of the steps seem to cost a lot of money so are they really going to be fair when you send in a video and fail you if its rubbish?
In theory someone can perform "dance" routines infront of a camera, send it off and have "a team of experts" say well done you have shown you can perform the moves, click on the next colour to pay and download the next package.
I would say that I would be okay with it for beginners and upto maybe Green/Purple belt but you can't tell from videos if they have the right spirit, in the Dojo you can't click pause and take a break.
Around Purple/Brown level we like to see lots of spirit, to build up adrenaline and train in freestyle sparring - not something you can do in your back garden on your own.
If you've already attained your Black belt then maybe training on your own can work but I think there will be a big part missing from this training program. A good Sensei will also push you to train harder so you will need a lot of self discipline to train alone.
I have the feeling that people will train through this routine and then have a shock of their lives when they turn up for their first intensive training course, unless that is fabricated as a glossy money making scheme.
|
|
|
|
Post by jimlukelkc on Feb 13, 2013 11:32:44 GMT
I was singularly unimpressed with the promotional video. I cannot see this working but then again there are gullible people out there who will happilly pay for the illusion of martial arts mastery.
|
|
|
|
Post by malk103 on Feb 13, 2013 12:01:32 GMT
..... and another thing....
In the Dojo it nurtures things like respect and humility, help between students if some are struggling, the chance to spar with a BB to see how far you need to go.
Things like drilling a Kata over and over as some students were struggling with it, purely to help them out so they could improve before their grade.
Also, if you had the school bully turn up then you would hope you could mould them into a better person as they went through the basics, or show them the door if they intended to sharpen their bullying skills.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rob S on Feb 13, 2013 12:13:39 GMT
Well, what can we say? It seemed a little like a Shotokan kata but without the Shotokan techniques. It seemed a little like a ... well I don't now what to say.
Mal, you stated "the chance to spar with a BB to see how far you need to go". What do you mean by that?
|
|
|
|
Post by kensei on Feb 13, 2013 12:26:50 GMT
First impressions....HOLY CRAPPERS! Thats $190 to go to a yellow belt! and with out an instructor or a partner...which makes that whole Kumite thing so much easier! ;D You can only test twice a year...unless you go and have a "Special" intensive course to earn the next rank. The black belt in the video had horrible form and was doing some weird changes to the Heian Yondan that we dont do, this WTF is different. Oh, and the voice said that 100% of all those that train get their black belt...lies! What if you leave the program when you see the price of TESTING and training for Shodan...oh, and what happens at Shodan...are you don? now McDojos dont even need to be in a building, they can be virtual McDojos  We've come a long way man! |
|
|
|
Post by malk103 on Feb 13, 2013 13:01:55 GMT
..... Mal, you stated "the chance to spar with a BB to see how far you need to go". What do you mean by that? Just one bit of Dojo experience that I've had from both sides, I remember occasionally partnering up with one of the BB's and it helped me assess how far I had come from a beginner and how much more work I needed to put in to even come close to sparring effectively with a good BB. Now I am the other side I occasionally spar with all grades, they are well pleased if they get a punch in but happily frustrated that they need more work. |
|
|
|
Post by Bob Davis on Feb 13, 2013 13:56:02 GMT
I particularly liked "You can also start your own dojo and we will help you set up as an affiliate." |
|
|
|
Post by malk103 on Feb 13, 2013 15:21:31 GMT
I particularly liked "You can also start your own dojo and we will help you set up as an affiliate." Just like a franchise by the sounds of it.... You "buy" into the company, pay to open up a Dojo, they throw a few general customer leads your way and bung you a Black Belt. (so long as you have paid to go on all of the intensive courses!) I've just watched the video and wasn't too impressed either, it may have been showing (bad) form first but the speed was way off. Anyone following that would make good dancers. Not saying i'm good but you can tell when someone has performed a Kata properly by hearing/seeing/feeling it performed near you and not just watching it. |
|
|
|
Post by Rob S on Feb 13, 2013 15:29:02 GMT
I think we have to be careful about comments .. slander/libel laws etc. So I can't comment. I do not see it having resemblance to Shotokan even though they performed the kata somewhat in the Shotokan sense. I have not viewed their website, as I do not trust their cookies not to invade my system and change my perceptions ....
|
|
|
|
Post by Rob S on Feb 13, 2013 15:30:09 GMT
Mal, what I was getting at is does being a black belt make you difficult to spar with? I can think of many many black belts who got trashed by yellow belts etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by malk103 on Feb 13, 2013 16:05:39 GMT
Mal, what I was getting at is does being a black belt make you difficult to spar with? I can think of many many black belts who got trashed by yellow belts etc. Just from my experience (which is fairly limited) most of the BB's I know are worthy opponents when sparring and anyone coming up through the grades that is very poor at sparring will get extra help. I wouldn't say we would hold them back if they were bad at Kumite, so long as they put in the effort. We have a range of different strong points in each of our BB's but they can all put up a good fight, our female Nidan just by staring at you and growling..... ;D |
|
|
|
Post by maico18z on Feb 13, 2013 22:32:36 GMT
I would say that I would be okay with it for beginners and upto maybe Green/Purple belt but you can't tell from videos if they have the right spirit, in the Dojo you can't click pause and take a break. As a relative new guy, 4th kyu, I can't imagine this working for a lower level rank. We constantly need correction and explanation. Very often, after we're shown a new technique, we get to incorporate that technique into kumite. It really helps to solidify the new technique but as well, we get to experience it in the correct context that being a "fight". As well, having the opportunity to train with many different black belts, each of them sees something a little different when they are helping the lower belts with kata, kihon or kumite. Besides, you wouldn't be able to experience the "atmosphere" of the Dojo, a bunch of like minded knuckleheads that like to knock each other around just for fun. Guy Coulston |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 7:35:24 GMT
An online mc dojo! Very poor form in the promo video.
|
|
|
|
Post by jimlukelkc on Feb 14, 2013 13:18:04 GMT
Hit things, hit each other, be hit! its essential!
|
|
|
|
Post by th0mas on Feb 14, 2013 13:52:50 GMT
If you get your virtual online black belt you will be a deadly virtual warrior, able to defeat any imaginary opponent you could think of with your lethal imaginary skills...  |
|
|
|
Post by malk103 on Feb 14, 2013 14:47:41 GMT
Hit things, hit each other, be hit! its essential! Best way to learn how to avoid being hit is to have the wind knocked out of you a few times, or a fat lip, or a bruised rib, or a black eye.... ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Bob Davis on Feb 14, 2013 16:24:43 GMT
Having kicked this off, and got the expected result ;D (TBH I felt much the same) I thought I'd expand the thread a little further. I'd very much agree that as a physical skill, karate needs to be learned in the company of others or you end up with the (old story) "nobody ever hit me before" that I got from a 1st kyu I punched in a competition who just froze on the spot, and I doubt that you can even learn to do the "dance" version effectively without some serious direct physical intervention. Having said that I do think there's a place for using new technology as a student resource as an aid (not a replacement) to training. We do spend a lot of time looking for you tube clips or good books to give us a helping hand but how much more useful would a catalog of videos of the fundamentals from your own instructor be to refer to at any time when not in dojo, particularly when you think of how deep you could go with breaking down a technique when not in a dojo situation. A real trick that I feel is being missed by some senior people is making advanced training available to those who are already secure in their understanding of the fundamentals. These sort of things could well be covered (to an extent) as a distance learning interaction and would open up a knowledge base of some very experienced (but not necessarily "big names" who can get a DVD produced) instructors across the on-line community. So, does anybody out here actually use the technology in this way? (either within their group or even at a dojo level) and if so do they do more that just have some demo videos of "this is gohon kumite" sort of stuff with no explanations. I have dabbled, very much in an informal way, with doing specific videos for individuals students in the past on a particular point they are struggling with but never anything serious (this is on the basis that I see them in dojo as well). Anyway, enough rambling from me, do we think that there is a place for using new technology in our day to day training? As demonstrated at the begining of the thread, it is out there so should we all be adopting it as part of our teaching/training? (or at least consider the possibilities  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 17:54:25 GMT
Using technology to advance knowledge is a good thing. Technology is always advancing, first we had books and magazines to learn from as a supplement to real world or dojo experience. Then we moved into video and DVD and then the great online world of youtube and forums and podcasts. To some extent presenting a video of what you can practically do is no different from writing an essay and submitting online for your degree. I guess in the karate world you could. Argue a case for the same treatment, but it just doesn't seem right for kyu grade or dan grade testing.
As a way to demonstrate teaching ability in the dojo for some sort of coaching qualification then yes that would be good.
But their is no substitute for real live practice with and against partners in the dojo in an atmosphere where you have been pushed to the limit rather than the one off video shoot.
|
|
|
|
Post by malk103 on Feb 14, 2013 22:09:55 GMT
As an aid to training is probably the best place for an online Dojo, I think it was mentioned before about sending/posting up videos of your training - in addition to Dojo training - and having them scrutinised by another Sensei. I like the idea of much more advanced stuff, people like Iain Abernethy and John Burke are already doing this. I remember being very disappointed after watching Nakayama Sensei's video series which showed extremely basic Kata applications.
After all we should all train with as many other Karateka and Sensei's as is practical, but that's another topic....
Our club has mentioned doing videos of the 3 K's as a reference point for students, there are some online vids out there but you don't always get a good version....
It is very true to say that different people learn in different ways, some people like to see, listen, do etc. So if someone is struggling to progress with a couple of hours a week of Dojo training then maybe a mixture of Dojo and self study may be the answer for them. It's sad to think how many people have dropped out of training because they didn't get it?
|
|
|
|
Post by tomobrien on Feb 15, 2013 2:56:09 GMT
Looked like a bad heian yondan. We all all know you can't learn on-line. As an adjunct to real training the technology can help tho. I'm so technology challenged I can't even put up a video  Thanks, Tom |
|
We've come a long way man!
