MatsuShinshii

I'm afraid I agree with Sensei8. If it's been in there for any amount of time it will still show. I wanted to try out a new art and joined but did not want to buy a new Gi so I used one of my older gi's and removed the embroidery. These are the things I noticed. 1. it would be better to have a professional do this but it's not exactly cheap. The reason I say this is I ended up snagging the uniform a few times. Where there was tension around the edges you could see where the material was separated due to the stitching. 2. as Sensei8 said, no matter how many times I washed it or ironed it it still was there under the new embroidery. 3. it just looked bad. I ended up just buying a patch and covering it. Not the best look but it worked. Unfortunately I only trained in that art for two years. I attempted to have it re-embroidered and it looked terrible. The top went into the trash, I was out the money and had to buy a new top and pay for the embroidery again. I would recommend you just purchase a new 12 oz Gi top and have the new embroidery put on it and save your existing one as is.

A cult? Now there’s a new way to look at the martial arts. I guess we all do look alike in our uniforms, and we do have a leader that we follow of sorts. Hmm... I guess you could make that analogy but without the koolaid and end of the world apocalypse. Oh and I’ve never heard my Shinshii proclaim to be the Messiah or to know little men on spaceships that will take us all to a new world. Soooo... Not sure I would call it a cult.

As it should be.

I actually get asked this a lot. Students tend to build up events in their mind to the point where they feel it's almost insurmountable and impossible. The way I explain it is this; if you don't do well, if you don't pass... is it the end of the world? Are you never going to get another chance to do it? Is your sole reason for being here this or is it to improve yourself? The secret to managing stress and anxiety is simple... look at it from 10 years from now and ask yourself how important will it actually have been. Time is the secret. Through time the impossible becomes possible. The daunting becomes manageable. I have failed tests and at the time it felt like the world would end. It didn't. In fact it made me better. I wouldn't go back and change a thing. Sometimes failure is the best thing that could happen to you because it highlights your weaknesses and give you a chance to improve them. Building things up in your mind to the point that you almost feel paralyzed by it is purely created by you. If you look at it for what it is and realize its just one more challenge in your life long journey, it looses it's control over you. If you fail the world doesn't end, time doesn't stop and no one, despite what you may think at the time, will think badly of you. We all fail. It's what teaches us to be better. Failure is the best teacher in the world. To put it another way... It is what it is. Nothing more. Don't let something become more important than it actually is. Trust me you'll look back in 10 years and wonder why it was so important and realize that it was just one step in millions that helped you to get where you are. As Sensei8 said, let it take care of itself. Just do your best and if you fail come back better.

No. We have never dealt with these types of criminal issues within our organization. However there was an individual in another organization that had done the exact same thing (many counts) and it pretty much destroyed them. Unfortunately you automatically become guilty by association, especially if you teach kids. Parents just don't want to take chances. I can't blame them. His senior grades opened another school under a different name and they are still around after 30 some years. If this happened to me, I'd start a new organization the next day and would never claim this man as part of my lineage. I have nothing but disdain for people like this and want nothing to do with them. There is not a punishment harsh enough in my mind. It's unfortunate for instructors under the accused, as they too have lost any semblance of trust. But when you look at it from the students and parents perspective it's easy to understand. The worse thing in the world to me and something that is unforgivable is hurting a child. As a parent, I too would loose all trust with the organization and anyone connected to it whether guilty or not. Call it over protective but I call it being a parent. Unfortunately once this happens, it would be my suggestion to distance yourself so it doesn't take you down with it. I can guarantee you that as a parent I'd be removing my child from any classes as soon as I heard even a rumor of this type of behavior.

That pretty much says it all. Treat other with the same respect you expect them to give you. I'm just wondering when it became so bad to have different idea's? Didn't we use to celebrate this?

I agree. They were not talking during class. The way it was explained to me was one individual, probably the angry young man I spoke with on the phone, said "I'm sorry but I can't hold my tongue, was that you I saw going into the " " rally?". The instructor said yes but lets get back to training, we can talk after class, at which point this "man" and his three amigo's decided to have a temper tantrum. I couldn't agree more. That is the common sense I associate with. Again, I couldn't agree more. We are there for a purpose not to be indoctrinated or preached to. Thanks for your post and your views. They are appreciated.

Agreed. I, like you tend to listen and research both sides of the coin. I definitely align myself to one side because of my beliefs and moral back ground but I look at both arguments and make an informed decision. Having said that I do not hold another's beliefs against them. And your right it is all about respect. The way these students acted showed no respect for their long time teacher nor for themselves IMHO. I feel this way of thinking is very narrow minded to say the least.

Okay, strange issue popped up and want your opinions... Last weekend I was performing my quarterly check in and talking to one of our instructors in another state. After the usual reports I asked him if he had any issues that I or the board could help out with. He laughed and said he did have some issues but did not know what anyone could do to solve them. After prodding him a bit more he finally said that he had been having issues with four of his students and they had started screaming at him in the middle of a class and all walked out. I immediately became concerned as he was saying this but when he explained why, my mouth hit the floor. He said that it was because one student that was outside of a political rally protesting, saw him enter the rally. He said that in the middle of class one of them asked if it was him he saw going into the rally to which he answered yes. At that point, he said they became hysterical and started screaming and calling him names and accusing him of things I can not repeat here. I asked him if he had ever expressed his political views in class to which he answered never. I asked, then why would this have anything to do with you teaching them and did anything else outside of this happen that may be the underlying issue? He had no answer but said that he always viewed these students as friends and that they never had a cross word until this night. He had been to one of their weddings, to two of their college graduations, helped one move and considered all of them as friends. I didn't believe this was the whole story so I asked for their contact information and called all four, but only two answered. I asked what made them leave and why they were so angry at this instructor. One said a difference of opinion and would not elaborate. The other told me that he could never learn from someone that could vote for "fill in the blanks" or anyone of that party. I didn't know what to say to that but asked him why this would effect learning in his class? He said that he could not learn from someone like this. He went on to say that he had been training for the last 14 years and asked me what I was going to do about it? I asked him what he expected me to do, to which he answered that I should remove and replace him. I said that based on what he and the other student had to say, I had no reason to remove or replace him as there was nothing criminal about going to a rally and that the only factor I judge instructors on is ability to teach and the only reason I would remove an instructor would be for breech of the by-laws or criminal action. To this the young, angry man started yelling that he was a criminal and that I was as well for not doing something about him. Then he started in with some very unwelcome radical views and some very unwelcome language so I bid him a good day and hung up. I'm very single minded in my views and lean hard to my side of the spectrum but that does not stop me from speaking with those that do not share my beliefs, debating (friendly) with them, working with them, learning from them, teaching them, or even being friends with them. Politic's are just that. I don't bring them in where they don't belong. And IMHO they don't belong in the Dojo. This is not about which side of the fence you are on nor is about politic's so please do not go into the political arena of (republican, Democrat or anything else) This post is not about the politic's themselves nor which side you're on. It's whether you think that politic's belong in the Dojo. So I ask you; What if you found out your teacher was of a different political leaning, would you quit? What if you had known them for 14 years and were friends?

Valid points. However I'm not sure with the advent of the internet that availability plays a role as you can order just about anything your heart desires if you have the money to buy it. As far as characteristics go, you are right. You can make a weapon out of any wood but that doesn't mean it will be useful. You wouldn't make a Rokushaku Bo out of basswood. There are many grades of wood based on weight, toughness, etc. If your going to make "usable" weapons, make sure you do the research first so you know what your getting. Nothing worse than spending money on equipment or spending the time to make something, only to find out it's useless because it was not made out of the right material.

Welcome to KF. Glad to have you here.

I'm from that era and a bit beyond. I remember adds like this. One that comes to mind was Count Dante claiming to be the deadliest man alive and to teach the deadliest art back in the 60's and 70's. There were many back then who claimed this or that. Until someone figures out how to shoot fire balls from their finger tips or laser beams from their eyes, all of the techniques and ways to fight have pretty much been established. Sure there are twists but the techniques are the same. There are just so many ways to punch. Having said that I am not much on fantasy so I dismissed them as quickly as I saw them.

Very true. Those around the time of Matsumura were in close proximity to the Satsuma Samurai and many learned the sword. You also point out a good point that debunks the myth of peasants developing MA's. Only the noble class had the time and money to learn and develop the Okinawan MA's.

Again, I believe that many use who are the sole instructor of said MA school, use the name/initials to become important; to fill a void of some type. I didn't coin the phrase; Saitou Sensei did, as his right being the Soke of Shindokan Saitou-ryu. Under some definition, I suppose I do fit into the CI category, some how and some way. Please don't misunderstand... I have no issue with the term nor those that use it. My personal opinion, after studying in a few arts with some using different titles, is it's much easier to have every one call you teacher or as you said by your first name than inject many titles. However if this is what the man responsible for the art/organization instituted, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Years back someone in our organization petitioned the board to include Shihan (which is purely a Japanese title) as a title to differentiate Senior instructors from their students/instructors. They did enact this but very, very few of us ever used the title nor did our students ever call us by that title. Its always just been Shinshii. I'm of the mindset that first names would, as you say, be even easier. Unfortunately traditions are hard to change after decades, centuries of use. I guess I look at this the same way I do belt colors. No matter the color, if you are good then it will show. Students and even other instructors will know what grade (or close to it) you are because it will show through your abilities, skill and knowledge. Belts and titles are irrelevant compared to these. No one would enter my Shinshii's Dojo as assume that he was a student or that any one of his instructors were in charge. But to each their own. As long as your learning to defend yourself it matters little what the title is that your instructor holds. As you always say, proof is on the floor, and a title does not change that. I do however feel that those that are not what they purport to be use these titles as a way to hide behind and elevate their ego's without having to prove what they claim to their students. If the title is legitimate and it's your arts tradition to use it as a sign of respect for your accomplishments and contributions then there is nothing wrong with these titles. Personally the only title I have ever had an issue with is "Master" for reasons I have outlined in other posts.

First, welcome to KF Jetrail. I agree with the others. Home training, if that is the only alternative is a solution but not a good one. Nothing replaces a live instructor who can guide you, correct you as you make mistakes and teach the nuances that you just do not get training on your own. Having said that, if this is your only option then it's better than not training at all. Either way we are glad to have you here.