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Q & A
Got a
question? We got answers!
(But remember - you can always ask your
club instructor any questions you have)
We have two great questions from Joy and Nathan who go to Wu Wei Karate Academy.
Q. I find it hard to do forward rolls but I can do a backward roll. Do you have any
tips about doing forward rolls. I am 7 years old.
Joy Littleoak Price, Wu Wei Karate Academy
A: A lot of people find it hard to do any sort of roll. So you should be proud that you can do a tricky backwards roll already!
A good way to learn to rolls is to crouch down so you are closer to the mat. For a straight forward roll, put your hands on the mat just in front of you, and slowly tuck your head under your legs. Keep going till your shoulders or top of your back are on the floor and let your legs gently flop over!
For an over-the-shoulder roll, pretend you're an elephant! Raise one arm up like a truck, right next to your face. Keep your arm close to you and let it flop down and across your body, you're head will turn to follow it. Then just tuck yourself under again until your shoulders or top-of-back are on the ground and flop over!
When you are learning a roll, and finding it hard, remember to take your time and ask for help! Why not ask some higher grades at your club how they learned? It'simportant your instructor knows you find it hard to, because then they can help you!
Good luck!
Q. Some of the adults in my club have stripes on their black belts. Some have 2 and some have more. What do they have to do to get these stripes and what do they mean? I am 6.
Nathan C. Oceanheart Price, Wu Wei Karate Academy
A: Both junior and adult belts seem to be getting more stripey! (to find out more about the junior stripes, please look at the past questions and answers)
You are right that adult black belts now have different stripes on the ends of their belt. Some are gold and some are red. Just like with junior belts, these stripes help show what level or grade the adult is.
Gold stripes, on the end of a black belt, show what level of black belt (or dan grade) the person is. You can get 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Dan. The higher the number, the more skill you needed. 1stripe = 1st dan, 2 stripes = 2nd dan and so on.
To get these stripes they have to sit a grading, just like the ones you might sit! Because they are going for such a high grade, this grading takes place over a whole weekend and the adults are expected to show a lot of skill and hard work.
You might also have seen Red stripes on someones belt. These are very rare and very special. These mean that the adult is already a fifth dan black belt and has then been given a Meijin (or master) award. There are five meijin awards. 1 stripe = 1st meijin and so on.
The 5th Dan group decides when they want to award someone a meijin. That person does not sit a grading, but is asked to put on a display of their skills.
