Black Belt Requirements For The Karate Institute Of America

 

Karate Institute of America
Image: karate-institute.com

The owner of Ben Perlin Photography, Benjamin Perlin is focusing on growing his Nashville, Tennessee, studio. Outside of his work, Benjamin “Ben” Perlin is a musician and also is training to attain his black belt in karate.

According to Karate Institute of America (KIA) testing standards, a candidate must be at least 16 years old and have completed a minimum of 300 class hours over a minimum of three years to be eligible for a first-degree black belt. In addition, candidates must be able to demonstrate first-degree black belt form in their chosen KIA style, as well as in one additional style taught by a non-KIA member, in an eight- to 12-minute program. This program should highlight the candidate’s performance skills, technical knowledge, and leadership.

A candidate for a KIA black belt also must have class log sheets endorsed by a Class A Certified Instructor. Lastly, they must have placed in the top three places in at least five tournaments since their previous belt test.

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Essential Knots Every Sailor Should Know

 

Essential Knots
Image: asa.com

Benjamin (“Ben”) Perlin is a dedicated philanthropist, talented photographer, and passionate robotics and engineering scientist in Nashville, Tennessee. Outside of his various creative and service activities, Benjamin Perlin enjoys a huge range of hobbies, including sailing.

An important part of sailing involves knowing how to tie a variety of knots. Following are three essential knots that every sailor should know:

1. Bowline. This knot is one of the most useful to know when aboard a sailboat because it is used to attach a post or fixed object to the boat firmly. To make this knot, sailors form a loop near the end of their line and run the tail back through the loop. Then, the tail is brought around the standing end of the line above the loop and put back through the small loop it created. Sailors then grasp both the tail and the edge of the loop and pull them tightly to finish the knot.

2. Clove hitch. Sailors should know this quick-tying knot because of its ability to secure fender whips to a lifeline temporarily or a dock line to a piling. For this knot, sailors wrap the end of the line around a post. The line is then crossed over itself, wrapped around the post again, and the tail is slipped under the last wrap and pulled tight.

3. Cleat hitch. Many sailors use a cleat hitch to secure dock lines to a cleat. Making this knot begins at the cleat edge that is farthest away from the beginning of the line. From here, sailors wrap the line around the cleat’s base and then make a figure eight on the cleat. This figure eight should be made a few times if the cleat size can handle it. Finally, sailors should make a loop with the tail end of the line and hook it around the cleat before pulling it tight.

Three Tips for Better Sparring in Martial Arts

Sparring Martial Arts
Image: martialartsguy.com

Benjamin “Ben” Perlin volunteers for multiple charities and organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Second Harvest Food Bank, and the Tennessee State Veterans Home. Outside of his volunteer efforts, Benjamin Perlin practices karate and is close to earning his black belt.

Whether you are just starting out in martial arts, or on track to become a black belt, sparring is one of the most important aspects of learning. Here are three tips to get the most from your sparring sessions.

1. Relax – Your body’s natural reaction to a threat is to pump you full of adrenaline and emotion, which often helps in fight or flight situations. While you know you are in no real danger, your body might not realize that. Keeping your cool will help you avoid mistakes and prevent a sparring session from becoming an actual fight.

2. Be Serious – While sparring is not a full-on fight, it should be taken seriously. One of the goals of sparring is to encourage good habits and form, while also challenging you to think on your feet, as you would in a fight. Do not be afraid to try combinations and tougher moves, as sparring offers the perfect opportunity to try them out and develop your technique.

3. Let Go of Your Ego – If you have ever sparred with somebody at a far higher skill level, it can hurt the ego more than the body. Instead of looking at it as a superior showing you up, see it for the learning opportunity it is.