Monday, October 01, 2007

Martial Art Stupidity.



Memnoch's head would explode if he saw the following article. Had I an address for him I would send it immediately.

Observe , from today's Sun.

"LITTLE Archie Gray shows the style that has made him Britain’s youngest taekwondo black belt — at the age of just SIX.
Archie, of Salisbury, Wilts — who is just 2ft 4in — took up the martial art aged three.

He said: “It’s hard work but lots of fun.”

Teacher Rachel Houston said: “He’s a natural talent.”

He might be a natural talent, but he's no black belt. A black belt should mean something, that you have fought your way up through the ranks over the years, that you have taken your knocks and your bloody noses, that you have sparred repeatedly and fought against true competition.
Doling them out to six year olds is ridiculous and just embarrassing.
Memnoch was right, most martial arts schools are jokes now.

Labels:

30 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

I think there should be marital arts schools for youngsters. Wouldn't that be better?

11:03 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Sure, let them learn, let them spar against each other, let there be actual contact. But no black belts.

11:09 a.m.  
Blogger Kim Ayres said...

You are seeing only with your eyes. Remember Yoda was even smaller...

11:19 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

That's true Kim, perhaps I'm being too harsh on a 2 foot 4 black belt. I mean, even though I"m not a black belt I keep thinking I just might be able to take him, but if if he has Yoda powers, well that ups the ante somewhat.

11:27 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just 3 years to get a black belt. It took me double that just to get my red in origami. I gave it up after that because the local club folded.

11:29 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Bada Boom Tish! Well in Sneezy. I"m hungover like a goat and you made me laugh like a wheezy goat.

11:32 a.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

Damn you, Sneezy, I didn't even get a snarf for my 'marital' arts! Or should I blame the hangover?

11:57 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Oh god Conan, I didn't even notice, yes, we can blame the hangover. We can blame that for EVERYTHING.

12:15 p.m.  
Blogger Pat said...

Sometimes its difficult to distinguish between a typo and wit.

12:26 p.m.  
Blogger Cycles Goff said...

I could fucking take him.

12:27 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Pat, it really is, especially when you're slightly cross eyed with the suffering.
Gimmie, you only THINK you could take him, coz unless you have a black belt you're shit out of luck. I mean his inner chi must be AWESOME.

12:35 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

I guess he could easily bust knee caps.
I think in order to gain a black belt you should at least be past puberty.

2:17 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's the point of someone having a black belt if they can't tie their own shoelaces?

3:44 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

He could bust knee caps if he could reach them I suppose. I have an image of a bigger by holding him at bay with just one arm on his head.
BB indeed. Personally I think no dojo should allow anyone under the age of 16 to gain a black belt and even then they should be retested. Seriously the whole thing smacks of keeping the parents happy.

4:43 p.m.  
Blogger Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

And everyone having to be a winner. Everyone wins! We all get black belts! Hurrah! Now how excellent and special can we all be changing back into our clothes? My word, Kevin, well done on putting these socks on! Here, have a badge. Look everyone - look at the super job Kevin's done! Hooray!

4:52 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Nothing dies Sam and the world is fair and equal to all. Huzzah indeed!
I imagine the first time our little black belted tyke tries out one of his patented moves on a bigger chap he's going to learn a whole lot about function over form.

4:55 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FMC, I can see a "...but I'm a black belt.." tantrum coming when he meets his first yellow-belt-but-large-big-Mac-and-fries 9 yr old.

5:31 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

FMC, saw this and thought you'd like it:

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20068689,00.html

7:38 p.m.  
Blogger FINN said...

at least yer boy is doing something instead of sitting in front of the boob tube drooling. good on yah archie, i say.

7:41 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

It's not him I'd be sniffy about, it's the school and their belt policy.

7:46 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Medbh, that is a SWEEEET photo of him.

7:47 p.m.  
Blogger Gayé Terzioglu said...

I taught for over 7 years, saw my students grow up and get their belts "eventually" after going through kids curriculum.
The rule is "you don't give a black belt to someone you can pick up with your thumb and index finger and put away in a drawer."
The one thing to wonder, what does this kid have to achieve now in the martial arts, as he already has a black belt (!) at 6... Schools like these are just in the money making, handing out ranks and possibly has a huge turnover of students.

FMC: thanks for the suggestion few weeks ago, I bought a pair of jeans from topshop, they do have many different styles there. :)

10:03 a.m.  
Blogger jukebox said...

My daughter achieved her black belt aged nine, after over four years on the FULL Tae Kwon-Do Association(TAGB) - biggest martial arts organisation in Europe - syllabus. She trains with adults and children, and her first degree black belt was not achieved through any diluted kid's programme. She started just short of her 5th birthday - few students START tae kwon-do younger than, say 6, so how Archie got his black belt at six I just don't know. Our students, young and old have to learn their theory and history as well as all the practical. Some TKD schools often dish out belts just for fun....I've seen so called black belts from other organisations who are not even up to yellow belt standard and certainly don’t know the first thing about the history of tenets of tae kwon-do.

4:12 p.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

qihang0616burberry outlet online
michael kors handbags
christian louboutin outlet
fitflops sale clearance
ray ban sunglass
michael kors handbag
true religion outlet
abercrombie
burberry sale
michael kors bag
coach outlet
oakley sunglasses outlet
michael kors outlet online
burberry scarf
oakley sunglasses wholesale
cheap oakleys
chanel outlet
true religion outlet
oakley sunglasses
gucci uk
michael kors outlet
coach factory outlet
burberry outlet
toms outlet
pandora jewelry
ray ban outlet
pandora outlet
q

9:55 a.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

2015827dongdong
louis vuitton handbags
gucci
true religion outlet
longchamp bags
coach factorty outlet
longchamp handbags
michael kors outlet
abercrombie fitch
ray-ban aviator
gucci outlet
ugg outlet
louis vuitton
pandora charms
christian louboutin
cheap ugg boots
air max 90
air jordans
hermes
oakley sunglass
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors
coach outlet
oakley sunglasses outlet
nfl jerseys
jordan 11s
michael kors outlet
michael kors uk
michael kors bag
abercrombie
louis vuitton outlet
burberry outlet
caoch outlet
louis vuitton handbags
burberry outlet
lebron james shoes 2015
oakley vault
kobe shoes
ugg boots
michael kors handbags

7:13 a.m.  
Blogger قمم التميز said...

شركة نقل اثاث بالباحة
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالباحة
شركة جلي بلاط بالباحة
شركة تسليك مجاري بالباحة
كشف تسربات المياة بالباحة

1:08 a.m.  
Blogger chenmeinv0 said...

goyard handbags
canada goose jackets
burberry outlet
converse
lebron 11
swarovski
beats by dre
timberland boots
celine
asics
2018.2.26xukaimin

3:27 a.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

vibram fivefingers
oakley sunglasses wholesale
kate spade outlet
nike outlet
christian louboutin shoes
nike outlet store
mulberry uk
ecco shoes
ralph lauren outlet
coach outlet online

7:57 a.m.  
Blogger qqqqqq said...

0822jejeL'avantage des baskets adidas zx flux kw chaussures pour l'homme n'a pas changé de manière significative depuis ces premiers jours, les baskets d'aujourd'hui peuvent également protéger de tous ces air jordan 4 homme dangers, mais ils serviront également la mode ainsi que fournir une protection contre les chaussures running asics pas cher dangers de jour ouvrable moderne. Comme la Chine en Asie, la Grèce en Europe est nike basse femme fleur prise en compte compte tenu des héritages historiques. Nike définit que Flywire est constitué de filaments chaussure nike roshe run homme solde stratégiquement placés qui fonctionnent comme des câbles avec un pont suspendu et offrent un soutien précis là où basket nike dunk sky hi c'est nécessaire.

2:53 a.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

www1107






soccer shoes
supreme clothing
reebok outlet
coach outlet online
oakley sunglasses
asics shoes
michael kors outlet
canada goose outlet
pandora outlet
coach outlet online





5:52 a.m.  

Post a Comment

<< Home