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I enjoy a variety of teachers and styles I am not experienced with. One seminar I attended was when I studied Hapkido and we had a day of training with three other schools, one was a TKD school, another a TSD school, and a Judo school. All four schools had their students at the seminar. It was a fun day of learning and working on stuff with people who we were not used to and techniques from styles we had not seen before. This was a free seminar. I also attended a seminar when I was in TKD that was strictly a point sparring seminar, though I found this less beneficial because we only had one instructor, and it was my TKD instructor, so it wasn't much different than our weekly sparring class other than working with students from other schools. Now if I was new to the instructor and/or teachings I would have been more interested even though it was focused on a singular martial art instead of spreading out among four. When I was in TKD we attended a Hapkido seminar which was new to me, I had never heard of it at the time, but after two hours of studying the wrist locks and what not, I was fascinated and wanted to learn more. I ended up joining a Hapkido school a few months later and cross trained both styles. A two-hour seminar, I did not know what I was doing at all, but I understood the value of what was being taught and wanted more. To answer your question, I think it would be A: learning something new and doing things that are outside of usual training and B: the experience of the instructor and C: how useful it would be for what I want to get out of my training. Of course, cost and location are factors. I am much less likely to attend if it is expensive or requires going out of town. Thanks for asking.

I’m a firm believer that Kata without bunkai is nothing more than an empty dance; an exercise of ineffectiveness.

I would look for something new I can learn from a trusted Martial Artist, or a trusted Martial Artist from within my style that might have a different skill set than I do and could open those doors to my students.

I think bunkai came to used as a retention tool to keep students interested in what lay beyond the black belt level. I agree with you, it's a terrible idea, and a disservice to students that are wanting to learn self-defense sooner rather than later.

Awesome experience! Awesome work!

19 this May. 6/30/2025 Aikido: 8:45 - 9:45 am. Family morning class. We did aikitaisos on our own, then got right into technique work. Katatori ikkyo ura: Did this to stretch instead of takedown. I need to turn my hips with the wrist, then step deep behind for the ura spin, and while doing the C-step, don't cut back into them, but more away while staying connected to the hips with the belt knot circling away from them. This is a 7th kyu technique. Katatori sankyo (variation on 5th kyu technique): done from ikkyo omote (entry from above technique). After the cut, the foot that stepped front stance draws back in line like a back stance, then the remaining foot draws back, transition to sankyo. Then we added the cut down which leads to the finish. Katatori gokyo from ikkyo omote: Same entry again, front stance foot adjusts closer to uke to apply arm bar, keeping wrist pressure. Other foot adjusts like a back stance, then rear foot angle steps forward and toward uke a bit, turn belt knot toward uke slightly for lock. These all worked together well as a series, each feeding of the same entry. It was fun seeing the applications of various finishes based on the stepping and spacing after the initial entry. It's cool to see all the options.

Thinking back on past experiences, bunkai applications and practice was reserved for shodan and higher. This resulted in people reaching shodan with no idea of the purpose, meaning and use of kata. Much like learning swimming step by step, yet not knowing/understanding that it is meant to be done in water and never actually going in water. Never mind the frustration for students, it does not make for a very interesting or effective way to teach. When and why did this become the norm? This is in sharp contrast to personal experience where Okinawan and Japanese instructors would teach the meaning and application step by step for each part of kata from the very beginning.

When performed this way, the Motobu Naihanchi stance is very sturdy! Being higher, it also lends itself to increased mobility out of the stance. Many exercises and drills we practice are done from some variation of Naihanchi stance, with the direction of the feet changing as required but the core concept in tact - knees slightly bent and knees pushed out. You can see this demonstrated to a certain degree in Motobu Choki's Twelve Kumite.

Very interesting indeed. The particular stance of Motobu Naihanchi is different from most Okinawan styles, but shares the same emphasis on developing strength and stability in the lower body and twisting power for short range range techniques in front and left/right sides. Contemporary first-hand accounts tells of a time period before established ryuha, when both Naihanchi and Sanchin were taught/practiced in Shuri-te and Naha-te. Many of the known experts/teachers of that time were acquainted with each other and likely trained together or at least exchanged skills. Some even had solid friendships like Itosu and Azato. Then later at some point Shuri-te kept Naihanchi while Naha-te retained Sanchin. How, why and when is uncertain.

I am a current practitioner of Motobu-Ryu and Motobu-Udundi in the only existing dojo in North America, so I believe I can shed some light on how we practice Naihanchi as well as some insight into what other styles refer to as Sanchin (in Motobu-Udundi this is called Motode Ichi). The stance of Naihanchi should be more narrow than traditional kiba dachi, perhaps only slightly wider than shoulder width. The feet should be pointed straight ahead, and the knees pushed outwards. The hips should be pushed back slightly. This is the way we have been taught by the Motobu family. Regarding Sanchin, or Motode Ichi, the stance we take is called tachi gwaa. The leading foot is tilted inwards while the rear foot remains straight, to form a triangular shape if a line was drawn along the insides of the feet. Additionally, the heels are slightly lifted - seemingly a characteristic trait of Motobu-Udundi as I have not seen this in other styles. This tachi gwaa stance is more narrow than say, the Sanchin performed in Uechi-Ryu, about shoulder width. I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any more questions!

I have attended plenty of seminars over the years (mainly BJJ ones) and usually i find the following things important : The level of the instructor delivering the session is important (eg i went to a couple of Rickson Gracie seminars which were superb and i signed up straight away based on who was teaching without even asking what the material to be covered was). He was also extremely personable when he delivered his seminars and genuinely cared that people were learning - i have never forgotten him asking a quite new white belt if he was ok with a technique, getting the usual mumbled "yeah it's fine" response and then calling the guy out and personally drilling it with him for 5min (both performing the technique so the student could feel what it felt like and being uke) until he was comfortable that the student was getting a handle on it. In most cases (after all most people aren't Rickson etc.) then the material to be covered is by far the most important thing to me. I don't attend every seminar that our BJJ school puts on (or my judo class) as while i know that the person teaching is infinitely more skilled than me and i would no doubt learn something, if it is something i don't think would be a good fit for me or something i would be able to use then i don't attend. e.g. i am reasonably large (6'4" and 105kg) so if the seminar is something on ultra flexible inversions and LW style BJJ then i am unlikely to attend, but the second i saw we had Jon Thomas teaching a Collar & Sleeve seminar (which was great!) i signed up instantly. Also what i think i would get from it in relation to the cost factors in - for me i am pretty new to judo so anything any good teacher shows me will be an improvement, i am not probably good enough to benefit from a seminar properly so it doesnt feel like a good use of money (though as i improve i am more likely to look into it over time) If it is someone who will be teaching regular seminars then it could also be good for the potential student body at the hosting school to have an input into what is being taught - that would definitely lead to a lot of buy in i think! Credentials are important too if someone isn't a famous name - eg if there are two black belts offering seminars in De La Riva and i have heard of neither of them but one of them is a black belt under the De La Riva lineage directly then i would opt for them - similarly a seminar on fundamentals of jiu jitsu and someone is under the Roger Gracie tree etc. etc.

Sunday 13 July Lifting session It was 30C (which for us is epically hot - so i was pleased i got full session done!) Deadlift 60kg x 5 80kg x 3 95kg x 8 95kg x 8 95kg x 8 95kg x 8 95kg x 10 The lift felt fine though my grip was struggling at the end of each set. Had noticed the same at BJJ the day before that my grip was a little weaker than i am used to. Will start using grippers again i think to try and help with this ABF double KB oh press 2 x 16kg kb x 75 reps Cablr neck extension 9kg x 14 9kg x 14 9kg x 14 Cable neck flexion 9kg x 14 9kg x 14 9kg x 14 Fat bar biceps cable curl 18kg x 10 18kg x 10 18kg x 10 This felt pretty easy but not going to jump up in weight too quickly as want to build it gradually since it will get taxing on forearms quickly. Felt good though 18kg x 10 18kg x 10 This felt pretty easy but not going to ju

Saturday 12 July BJJ Session This session revolved around closed guard. First we worked at breaking top players grip and trying to get an arm secured; then built on this with more games / drills to get the arm trapped against body and more of an angle. Reminded myself of a couple of grip breaks i had forgotten whilst doing it which i was pleased with! Drilled triangle from this position a few times but would need a lot more work to be usable as was quite clunky freeing my leg to get it over the shoulder. Then drilled pendulum sweep a few times and finished class with some rolling

More than you think. Some seminars are not private to individual schools, but open to the public. What do you find most important for a seminar, that would likely compel you to attend?

Another question for everyone: Whichever of the two kata you practise, what would be the most accurate, detailed(finer points like tension etc) and comprehensive description of how the stance should be done correctly?

Very satisfying to go from the first pic to the last one! Thanks for sharing, Ken.

Congrats!

Very much so!!

Very cool!!

This is more of a HEMA (Historical European Martial Art) topic, but definitely weapons-related. Last week I went down to Kilroy's Workshop in Colorado Springs and made.. you guessed it, a poleaxe! The class was originally designed with the venetian poleaxe in mind, but I had a couple of "happy accidents", and ended up with something slightly different (but very cool). We started out with a chunk of 4140 steel (a chromium tool steel, used frequently in car engines). We punched and drifted a hole in it (for the handle), and then squeezed out the back end which was supposed to be a hammer head: https://i.imgur.com/Ih0CMci.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/SN4kZSA.jpeg Next, we were supposed to start flattening out the larger head, which was intended to be the axehead. I ended up flattening out the hammer end, so I went with it and turned it into a spike/hook. After that, I used a power hammer to forge out the axe head into rough shape: https://i.imgur.com/HvOvX1g.jpeg Next stop: the grinder. In this case, an angle grinder with a flap disc. I ground off the forge scale (magnetite, a specific type of iron oxide that occurs at high temperatures) and ground in the profile shape: https://i.imgur.com/b8XZBqu.jpeg Next came the heat treatment. Heat it up to a reddish-orange heat, let it cool down. That relaxes some of the stresses induced from forging. Then heat to an orange-red and quench in oil. That looked like this: https://i.imgur.com/2Ozi2qB.jpeg After that, I took a 12" piece of 1 inch square bar, used an angle grinder to split it in half down 5" down, then forged the tip out into a spear point, and forged the split ends into a pair of langets that fit over the axe/spike head: https://i.imgur.com/rhJgHGT.jpeg I then took a 6' long piece of hickory, rounded it, shaped the end to fit the eye of the axe/spike head, and drilled a hole through the spear tip + axe head + pole. Attached with one 1/4" iron rivet and 4 3/16" bronze rivets. Add in some mild steel langets to finish things out: https://i.imgur.com/3lfHhL4.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/xUZyxMX.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/tAKawuD.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/Us2dFfj.jpeg

Disappointing. The movie felt rushed and unoriginal. Other than the final fight scene I was bored.

Congrats Brian!

I’ve taught as many seminars as I’ve attended, and that’s quite a lot, in and out of the Shindokan circle. The list found in the OP are each important at any given time based on what I was going to teach and what I wanted to learn at that moment. Choosing what to teach at a seminar or what to learn at a seminar can be akin to buying a car or a house or anything else for that matter; what’s floating your boat. If I’m teaching a seminar in-house, then it’s a no-brainer…Shindokan based all of the way. If I’m teaching a seminar out-of-house I go two ways…what is the hosting school wanting me to focus more on, Kata, Kumite, or Kata?!? Or does the hosting school leave the subject matter up to me?!? If it’s up to me then it’ll be, for example, Space Management and how we in Shindokan strive to get behind our attacker, but nonetheless, it’ll be Shindokan based. Out-of-house…No matter what, put your ear to the ground and find out what is the current trend, then teach that but only if what you’re teaching adds value to what is the current trend but make it effective/practical. In-house…PLAN #1: Listen to your Student Body, then fulfill their need(s). PLAN #2: Teach what you’ve noticed that they in the most need of and teach that whether they like that or not; they’re a captive audience at a in-house seminar. if at anytime that you attend a seminar as the student, be respectful across the board. However, if at anytime you feel what’s being taught is not your cup of tea, for whatever the reason(s) might be, excuse yourself and leave…I’ve done that more times than I can count. Teach but don’t be a bore or impractical. Whatever is taught add to their MA betterment, and if not, then don’t teach at a seminar because we are responsible of what they learn; it’s a matter of life and death. Oh, one last thing…it’s a seminar and not a car or a house. So be practical in what you’re charging for your seminar. Same thing goes if your attending a seminar, don’t pay for the hosts new car or house because no instructor is that darn good.

It is true, that is a thankless job. You need to have bit of a thick skin to do it, but I found that it was great for me to develop it and also to work on how to communicate effectively. People lose their minds on the 50/50 calls or the ones that are difficult to make without video footage that we could technically use. What irked me the most, is the comments by coaches/players/spectators of "how did you miss that Ref?". Now I have one of two responses: 1. "I didn't see it because I wasn't in your position to see it" 2. "I did see it, but didn't have much of an impact on the game let alone on the play" - If we called absolutely everything that was a foul, then there would be no players! - If it impacts a shooter = foul gotta be called I taught my guys and girls that if they let abuse fly at the start of the match, its going to be hard to stop later on during the match. Give 1 warning, after that Tech them or DQ them.. IF it is an issue with a spectator I would throw them out as a Supervisor. The things that make me laugh the most are some violations; where players nearly always go "I didn't do that!"

I always find it funny in the baseball brawls that the pitchers come running in from the bullpen and by the time they get to the mound the fight is over. I'm not aware of what athletes in other sports have studied martial arts, but being able to communicate with people who are angry would be a great tool for refs and players, and managers. I feel there is something wrong with the sports culture that allows so much verbal abuse, there seems to be almost an expectation of being allowed to scream, name call, and swear at each other without punishment. When the players and umpires get up into each other's faces it is good for TV and the fans love it, but it sometimes goes too far, like when Roberto Alomar spit in the face of an umpire. Conflict resolution is a useful skill, sadly sometimes people are so angry they can't be reasoned with, both in sports and in life. Police deal with it all the time. Being an umpire/referee sound like a thankless job, if you do everything right nobody notices but if you get it wrong the scream at you. Or you get it right, but they still scream at you because it went against them. If you are a referee, a cop, or work in customer service you basically get verbally abused for a living.