What is was your hardest years of training?

[MARSHALLS KENPO]

What do you consider to be the hardest years in your training?

As a white belt when you started learning to walk?

As a yellow belt when you started to learn to talk the talk?

As a orange belt when you learned to walk the walk, and talk the talk?

As a purple belt when you started to challange others with your talk?

As a blue belt when you started to show others how to walk?

As a green belt when you understood that you could run?

As a brown belt when you found that you do run?

As a black belt when you found the mirror?

[Mikael151]

For me, it's the Brown Belt. I'm still learning, and still yearning. This is where I know how much I don't know and soldier on.

[Brother John]

Brown Belt, by far!
Injuries
let downs
set backs
opposition

abandonment

apathy


....hope....


Your Brother
John

[John M. La Tourrette]

What do you consider to be the hardest years in your training?
As a black belt when you found the mirror?

Well,

I think, RIGHT NOW, as a senior 10 black belt that is offended by older people with high ranks no longer being able to do what they used to do.

They get fat, uncoordinated, and lose their speed, power, coordination and skills.

That is the hardest thing for me to do is to stay in shape to the high standards that I took for granted in the early to mid 90's.

Unfortunately parts seems to break, tear and be much more brittle and less flexible after they've aged 60 + years.

No more 2,000 kicks and evening since the very early 90's.

UGH!

DOC JOHN

[Brother John]

Unfortunately parts seems to break, tear and be much more brittle and less flexible after they've aged 60 + years.

UGH!

DOC JOHN

That's OK man!
Chicks DIG scars!



Your Brother
John

[amylong]

My hardest year is whatever year I'm in.

It's also the best year of training I'm in.

This question is sort of like asking what age is your kid's cutest age? (Whatever age they are.)

I've found training coming in different phases, depending on who I was training with, how much, etc.

Right now, the last few years, I've been training the hardest. I don't think this has been my hardest time though.

My years of NOT being in kenpo were probably the hardest. I'm so much darn HAPPIER when I'm training.

--Amy

[MARSHALLS KENPO]

For me this is the hardest year.

Knowing that at my rank I have a lot to share, understanding that I have so much more to learn about the material and its applications. Also knowing that It will take many many more years before people really want to know what it is that I have to share with them.

This is a time in rank when I just look into the mirror, and wonder what may lay ahead, so I continue to prepare for that day.

My Respects

[jjpregler]

Actually this year is the hardest. When i was 20, it all came easy. I could kick, jump, spin, move gracefuly, whatever I was asked. But over the last 20 years, I left kenpo for a wife, gained 100 pounds, smoked, drank, took drugs asnd was not getting any exercise whatsoever. Now, my marriage is over, I am borderline diabetic, have troubles breathing and I am trying to get back into kenpo. Things that were so easy before are grueling now. My life was so unhealthy for the past 20 years, I don't know if can ever be "healthy" again. I've quit the smoking, drinking, and drugs a couple years ago. But I never did anything about my weight.

But I feel great that I am doing this again, even though it seems 50x harder than it did before, I think I feel all that much more pride about myself for doing it.

[Hunter]

Brown Belt, by far!
Injuries
let downs
set backs
opposition

abandonment

apathy


....hope....


Your Brother
John

Well, this is probably the last time I will put it out there, but a training partner is a phone call away, has been for awhile.

[MARSHALLS KENPO]

Well, this is probably the last time I will put it out there, but a training partner is a phone call away, has been for awhile.

Think about 7 x 70 more offers

[Wanderer]

As with many others here, my hardest year of training has also been this past year, when I began training with Doc LaTourrette.
Not the most physically demanding, but the most demanding mentally; in patience, awareness, application, and acceptance.

Anyone who has done something for years likes to think they do it right, in the most effective way.
It is much harder to notice new keys that make the difference between looking good or looking good AND being effective (moreso(but much more))
It is much harder to change something you thought you already knew how to do, and have done for more than a decade.


It is much more rewarding to know that you have faced and are crossing barriers that many others lack the courage for.

[Celtic_Crippler]

There are new challenges and hurtles each and every year. I don't know that any one particular year was harder than another; definately each was different.

I've had many challenges this year, but I just keep on keeping on. Schedule conflicts, family concerns, financial issues....at the risk of sounding negative...it's always something! I just try to keep my nose to the grindstone the best I can and get my Kenpo fix when possible.That always makes me feel better.

[amylong]

I think this last year for me has been the most interesting.

Since Tara and I opened a school and have branched out on our own, I've been growing more into the instructor position and have, in the interest of bringing new information (for myself) and for the students, have made it a point to go to more seminars, camps and other schools to visit and gather new information. I've also watched more dvds and interacted more with other kenpoists.

Since we have our own school, it has been pretty much up to me to bring in new information, new ways of teaching, etc., which I'm finding to be a fascinating challenge.

How do you keep things fresh and interesting for everyone? How do you make sure people are getting what they need? How can I make sure that my own skill level is improving?

I wouldn't call it the hardest, but it's certainly the most challenging.

--Amy

[Hunter]

I think this last year for me has been the most interesting.

Since Tara and I opened a school and have branched out on our own, I've been growing more into the instructor position and have, in the interest of bringing new information (for myself) and for the students, have made it a point to go to more seminars, camps and other schools to visit and gather new information. I've also watched more dvds and interacted more with other kenpoists.

Since we have our own school, it has been pretty much up to me to bring in new information, new ways of teaching, etc., which I'm finding to be a fascinating challenge.

How do you keep things fresh and interesting for everyone? How do you make sure people are getting what they need? How can I make sure that my own skill level is improving?

I wouldn't call it the hardest, but it's certainly the most challenging.

--Amy

Sounds like your on it! It can be pretty rewarding in the long run doing it the way you are though!

[jfarnsworth]

My hardest training time would have started around oct/nov. of '90 & continued through most of all of '91. I came across 2 instructors in 2 different styles of martial arts training. Every day I got beat up. Some beat up sessions were worse than others. However, eventually the longer I stayed in the less I got hit, and the better my defense became. To this I was thankful that my instructor allowed these 2 gentlemen in to train us.

My hardest kenpo time is probably now. There are many things I need to refine and learn. Each class with one of our kenpo seniors reminds me of this. Making sure I'm passing the art along like it is supposed to be is a challenge.

[John Brewer]

I would have to say the last year (blue belt working on green). It can be difficult having others count on you and trying to move towards "spontaneous" at the same time. Well I'll let you know I'm testing for Green on Thursday.

[MARSHALLS KENPO]

I would have to say the last year (blue belt working on green). It can be difficult having others count on you and trying to move towards "spontaneous" at the same time. Well I'll let you know I'm testing for Green on Thursday.

I will think of you