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I'm not sure that we'd be having this debate outside of the English language. An example of this: in classical music, we don't translate the word "maestro." We just leave it in Italian. I think we're reluctant to call the conductor a "master." It's taboo in the English language, hence why we're so ready to dogpile anyone who uses such a title. Is it possible to "master" a martial art? If a martial art cannot be mastered, then what can be? Perhaps when the word "master" is used in martial arts, it means that someone has reached a particular level of authority within the art. I think it's fair to say that, in any subject, it's at least possible to do that. I say that if there's a problem with the word "master," then perhaps even a title such as "master instructor" doesn't adequately solve the issue here. Perhaps titles like "senior instructor" and "chief instructor" would be perceived as even less pompous and self-aggrandizing.

We were very similar in this regard! and it's an aspect of my training journey that I regret. I chased that Sandan hard! I was already teaching at this point and felt like I needed that grade to ratify myself in the instructor world... I achieved my Sandan at the age of 21, faster than I should have done. But like yourself I completely gave up on chasing ranks. and the more time passed the more I realised there was no need to chase. 10 years later was the next time I graded when I got my Yondan. To be honest for me, my current training period is the one I want to relive... After covid and becoming a father, I have had to take a step back on the teaching side of things. for the past 18 months I have been training at a friends dojo, it's a different style but they have accepted my grade. I'm just happy being there and training as a visiting black belt, occasionally I help with the teaching, most of the times its a black belt group and the main instructor likes me to teach them something from my style to give them something a bit different to work on. But at the moment it's just nice to be focusing on my training just for the sake of training. One day I'll look into kick starting my club up again, but when the time is right

My answer is sort of bittersweet, I think. I would like to go back and relive my Shodan phase, for a number of reasons, but the biggest one is that my late Sensei was still alive and in good health, and I would love to have all that time to learn from him again. I would ask so many more questions, and workshop so many more things with him. There's also the fact that, for a long time after getting my brown belt, I just figured I would never actually earn my Shodan, both because I didn't really see it as very important and because I didn't think I was good enough.

I also wanted to add - for most belt manufacturers, kanji characters are 2.5 cm tall on a 4.5 cm wide belt, and 2 cm tall on a 4 cm wide belt. Most will reduce them to 2 cm on a 4.5 cm wide belt if you go over a certain number of characters. To determine the proper length of the belt ends, multiply the number of kanji or katakana characters by 2.5. You'll need 5 to 10 cm of clearance above the kanji to prevent the embroidery from going into the knot. You'll also need 8 to 10 cm meters of clearance below the characters on the label side, and 4 cm on the non-label side. So: Length of label side end = 8 to 10 cm + (number of characters x 2.5 cm) + 5 to 10 cm Length of non-label side end = 4 cm + (number of characters x 2.5 cm) + 5 to 10 cm This assumes a 4.5 cm wide belt, so on a 4 cm wide belt, use 2 cm instead of 2.5 cm. Whichever side is longer, that's how long your ends should be. The belt size calculator on the Kataaro website assumes the ends below the knot are 30 cm. So adjust for that if your ends need to be longer. Kuro Obi Ya has a formula on the site as well, but it doesn't tell you how long the ends are when using that formula, so it's not of much use.

I look it at more as being a 'master instructor,' like how one might earn a master's degree in a field at college. I don't truly feel that I'm a "master" of the martial arts, but I do feel that I can competently teach another person at a high level.

Personally, I just wouldn't do that exercise. I'd stick with a regular squat, low bar preferably, as it emphasizes the drive of the hips and isn't as stressful on the knees as a high bar or front squat. But that's just my preference and experience.

Interesting question. I wouldn't say rank so much but more the time in which I trained. My view of the golden years of my martial arts journey was when I trained in college. I did TKD, Hapkido, a semester of Tai Chi, and took two semesters of Japanese Jujitsu. Held different ranks in all of them but what made that so much fun was the students, I became close with several people who were all in my age group and going through the same thing, moving up in the ranks, single, living the college life. I was trying to consume as much MA knowledge as I could, and I loved the journey during those few years. As I got older and people graduated, many of them moved away or left the arts because of other responsibilities, and while I enjoyed many of other people I trained with after that, it just was never the same. We would train together, hang out together, get drunk together, all the things college friends do. Then something bad happened, we had to grow up! Took a lot of the fun away. Sometimes I still look back and miss those days.

A lot of people have a chasing rank phase at one time or another, especially teenagers and younger adults. In that respect my case was an exception. I tested/graded because my instructor insisted and I didn’t/don’t doubt his evaluation. Otherwise I’m perfectly confident and content to keep training rank or no rank

That's cool. Starting out small makes it much easier to implement. Keep us posted on how this affects you. It may be worth trying.

Just to wrap things up with this post. I attended his funeral and was very well attended by members of our Old School Community and our Year Level. In addition to members of his University Alumni and Work Colleagues. Our old school offered the family the use of the chapel, but since it was unfortunately undersized for the number of attendees, they provided the sports gymnasium (2 basketball courts), which was full to the brim with people, including some staff members who had involvement with our year level during our school years (2005-2010). I was asked to give a speech on behalf of the school community. I brought up that yes it is a sad time, as we lost someone too soon but it is also just as important to celebrate the life that he lived and that we should remember that. As the family has already gone through that period of mourning, so a celebration should occur. Which got me thinking about the people I've lost over the years, but also the music that I want people to remember me by and how they would celebrate my life.

Wow I wasn't expecting such a range of replies! It's been a long and winding road for everyone it seems. I wonder what it was like for your Sensei teaching a beginner-but-not-a-beginner. That must've been tricky, but hopefully also rewarding. I went through a similar, but lesser, journey when I moved dojo and my new Sensei worked with me slow and steady through each Goju kata over about two years. It's hard to "reprogram" yourself. It seemed like Sensei really enjoyed reviewing the kata in such detail though.

I've been thinking about this question since you posted on Wednesday, going back through my training and trying to figure out if there was a "golden age" of my training. Or, if not a golden age, just a time when I was enraptured in training and want to go back. Or, maybe there could have been a time period that I would want to redo because I think that I could have done better. However, for me, I think I am in the golden age of my training. These are those halcyon days. I don't want to go back, I want to continue living in this moment. I want to continue to grow and learn.

This is something I had to do and it is still difficult. A few years ago a change in lineage and instructor meant re-doing and re-living each and every level of training from nothing to 3rd dan. Basically earned all levels in two different lineages/associations of kobayashi shorin ryu (Chibana Chosin’s karate). Looking back on the experience, it was the best thing to do. Learned more in 1 year with the second than nearly 10 with the first. All native Okinawan teachers on Okinawa and mainland Japan. There is something particularly difficult about re-learning the same thing a different way compared to starting a completely different unknown style where there is nothing to unlearn first.

Welcome to KF, @rtiq. Great to have you here. I'm a little late to this, and it sounds like you've found a place to start. That's the best thing you can do; just get started. Getting to a school with an instructor in front of you will be a great step in the right direction. As for not being very flexible, barring any physical ailments preventing it, flexibility can be increased over time with some regular stretching and just practicing kicking. I'd also advise to keep an open mind. The style you start with may not be the style you end with, and that's ok. Keep a good attitude and keep learning, and that will take you a ways in your journey.

I'm going to echo a lot of Bob's (sensei8) suggestions here. I have been studying Uechi-Ryu (another Okinawan style) for a little over 7 years now. Here is why Uechi Ryu works for me (and could possibly work for you): - We don't require a lot of flexibility in our techniques. Most of our techniques are done in a neutral, upright stance (Sanchin-dachi). We don't do a lot of kicks, and our preferred targets are at or below the waist: the bladder or front of the thigh for a front kick, the floating ribs or knees for a side kick, and the floating ribs, calf, or outer thigh for a roundhouse kick. We do occasionally use a "shiko dachi", or low stance, but it is always done for practical reasons; generally to do an elbow strike to the floating ribs or solar plexus, and to get underneath the center of gravity of your opponent for takedowns/throws. - Our techniques are intended to be practical. We practice our techniques through kata, hojo undo (supplementary techniques), yakusoku kumite (prearranged 2 person drills), and free sparring. When performing the techniques, we generally have 2 different ways of doing things, the "textbook" version, and the "practical version", which takes your strengths and limitations into account. This is most applicable to our two-person drills; we have specific adaptions for certain body types and combinations. For example, if you have a short defender against a tall attacker, there are specific changes to some of our drills we expect you to do. - Our 2-person drills encourage you to control and/or disrupt your opponent. Some styles expect your 2-person drill techniques to look pretty with perfect form without touching your opponent. We expect the defender to manipulate the attacker and keep him off-balance. You did mention that you are not fond of the idea of kata, but also keep in mind that kata is a great way of training without a partner. When we were under COVID restrictions, we were unable to actually touch our partners. I ended up learning the black belt level two-person drills by shadow boxing, and once the restrictions lifted, I pretty much had to re-learn the drill. With kata, I was able to train and build the muscle memory for the techniques without needing to rely on a partner. Once I've trained those patterns, applying them to a 2-person drill or self-defense situation involves adapting a sequence of moves I already know. What I would most recommend is that you find an instructor near you that you can train with at least occasionally in person. Training with a partner and a good instructor will increase your learning speed by leaps and bounds. Good luck in your journey!

Welcome to KF, rtig; glad that you’re here!! Do whatever style fits YOU!! Just like buying a car/house. You’ve an idea on what type of car/house you want to buy!! You look at many before you finally decide!! You’re all in now to that car/house and it now depends on you to make it work across the board!! Maturing in one’s MA techniques takes a lot of time. If your kicking has its limitations, then any quality instructor can still help you become effective. Kicking is just another tool, and kicking high isn’t always the most effective technique. No. In Shindokan, the style I train in, we don’t kick above the waist. In the matter of fact, we concentrate on our opponents legs predominantly. Kempo would be a style that might fit you comfortably. Their kicks are mostly generated to their opponents legs. Nonetheless, Kata is important in training. Any quality instructor adjusts training to fit the student’s limitations. If a Kata requires kicks that you can’t do, high, for example, then you kick low. Like Bruce Lee said…”Absorb what is useful, discard the rest.” I believe this speaks to you in volume as far as your MA journey is concerned and what you’re seeking on the floor. KarateKen has given you some solid truths that deserve to be seriously considered!! Good luck and please let us know what you decide. We got your back!!

Do you have any time periods in your training you wish you could relive? I’ve been thinking about the karate journey through the ranks and how your experience changes as you continue to train. While I am happy with where I am at now, it would be nice to relive that newly-minted black belt feeling. I remember the confidence and happiness of those months after the big test – what a fun time to be in the dojo! I’d also love to revisit my green belt days (5th kyu, right in the middle of the progression to black belt) and see if my perspective on those ranks today is at all true of what I actually experienced. I remember being in awe of the art at that point - it's the start of moving to more advanced (and exotic) requirements, but there is nothing quite as challenging as what the brown belt ranks bring. I remember it being a real period of growth where the training moved on from just block-kick-punch. Anyone else have some training period they would like revisit?

I've really enjoyed reading the replies on this thread. Thanks for starting it, @ryanryu.

Hall of Fame WR Randy Moss announced he has cancer. He had a six-hour surgery to remove the cancer and spent nearly a week in the hospital. He will undergo radiation and chemotherapy. Moss has stepped away from his job at ESPN indefinitely while handling the cancer treatments.

I feel stuck weighing choices of styles and hoping someone here can help. I'm looking for a style that doesn't 'require' high kicks and has some sort of drills and combo training so that I can learn from home - for now. I'll commit to a school with a similar style when I feel I can jump in and will like it. I'm not super flexible. I can pull off Shomen Geri easily enough but not side kicks or roundhouse. Over the years I tried a judo school, some karate and more lately learning Goju with book and instructional video but didn't stick to it. I filtered a lot of styles and would prefer something in: 1) Sport or Okinawan Karate 2) Kenpo / Kempo 3) Southern Chinese boxing (some look a lot like Karate) 4) Arnis or Phillipino Sticks. The "issues" I'm having with Karate is that I find a lot of focus on Kata which I think is also common to American Kempo and Chinese style 'forms' . I think I'd stick to something with teaching using waza, drills and shadow boxing. It would seem usual way to learn a sport. I'm not sure about boxing but Arnis seems interesting. I love the idea of some Southern Chinese Boxing which really seem to be the roots of Okinawan karate. But finding material to learn is difficult. I've been trying to look into some sort of standing jiujitsu with striking and weapons training like unarmed samurai combat. Does this exist? I'd appreciate pointers for further consideration. Thank you.

Speaking as an instructor, I'll say that a LOT of my time working with beginning and intermediate students involves making these type of corrections before they become bad habits. Looking from the outside, some may look small (corrections). However, when the student makes these small corrections they'll notice significant improvements in the efficiency and efficacy of their techniques. As a student becomes more advanced and experienced with how things are supposed to look and feel, they can start learning on their own and self-correcting (at my school we generally see this happen around 1st degree black belt). However, even the senior instructors in my school (both of whom have been training for 30+ years) still make it a point to train under other instructors from time to time (generally 2-3 times per year). Yes, you technically CAN learn martial arts remotely, but if you have a good school near you I'd highly recommend you check them out.

I like this view a lot. I have a Masters degree in English, so technically I am recognized as a Master of the English language. What this really means, in my summation, is that I have the ability to teach it and understand it at a high level. It doesn't mean that I've mastered every aspect of it, just that my understanding is keen and has been sharpened to the point where I wield the language better than most.

It is 11 weeks exactly, 77 days, until my annual blood test. To try and improve my health a little before the test I have taken on a new diet plan of high protein and lower carbs/sugars, which incorporates nuts, dark chocolate, and 14 hours of intermittent fasting. I've also added almond butter and kombucha, trying both for the first time today. Here is a further breakdown: High protein (150+ grams), low carbs, low sugar, probiotics, daily vitamins, at least a half-gallon of water a day, fasting for 12-1t6 hours, seven to nine hours of sleep no more than ten, Snacks: Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Fruit, Carrot Sticks, Cashews, Chia Seeds, Protein Bar, Protein powder mixed into milk or water, dark chocolate Meals: Lamb Chops, Baked or Rotisserie Chicken, Fruit Smoothie, Turkey Bacon (breakfast), Steak with green beans and rice, whole wheat bread turkey sandwich with mustard, olive oil, pickles, and black olives, the occasional pizza. Drinks: Water, Carbonated Water, Flavored Water, Protein Shake, Kombucha, Milk, possibly Almond Milk In Moderation: Soda, Energy Drinks, Pastries, Fro Yo, Candy, Frozen Packaged foods, Potato Chips, Hot Dogs, Burgers, French Fries, Nachos, Pastas, Breadsticks, Potatoes My goal is to lower my blood sugar, so I don't become prediabetic, I was getting close to this at my last blood test. Also to lower my cholesterol and reduce inflammation. This diet was inspired in part by former NFL lineman Ndamukong Suh who was one of the few players to play as long as he did and never miss a game due to injury. He played 13 seasons.

At this rate, I suspect we are 3-5 years away from it, Ken. I just wonder who it will be. If Bobby Witt Jr. can continue on the arch he's on, he could definitely challenge the top spot. On one hand, I'm bummed to lose Soto. He was a lot of fun. He's the type of guy that it is extremely fun to have on your team. So, I'll miss him. I love guys who get on base. On the other, I suspect we can build a better team overall team with the $47.5m we offered and/or the $51m that he received. Happy to see Max Fried getting $27.25m of that. I want us to sign Masahiro Tanaka again in order to make a better pitch to Roki Sasaki. Sasaki apparently grew up idolizing Tanaka. It's kind of a zany idea, but if it brings Sasaki, well worth it.

The other point that might be worth thinking of is sometimes it is easier to make changes gradually and let them bed in rather than adopt a large amount of changes at once. A complete change to routines etc. for many people can lead to easily 'falling off the diet wagon'. As an example, i needed to reduce my sugar intake (which genuinely wasn't too high) since when i have more than a certain amount it causes gout to flare up in one of my big toe joints (legacy of a foot injury that i didn't get dealt with properly from training!). What i did to start with was replaced any sodas etc. with diet ones to gradually wean off any sugar, then replaced the diet sodas with diluting concentrated juices, then moved from them to sugar free diluted juices, then made them more and more dilute so that they are in essence flavoured water. Also just stopped buying any sugary desserts etc. For me it is easier to just totally avoid something than have it occasionally in moderation. Doing that allowed me to have the odd amount of sugar when appropriate (birthday cakes etc.) without any worry - since it seems to be a build up over time in my system that causes the issue. I would echo Nidan_melbournes suggestion of speaking to a dietician / nutritionist, though with the addendum of trying to find one who works with people exercising more often, and develop a long term plan to shift towards.

Oh my...that is...wow. How long before we see a player sign a one-billion-dollar contract? About four years ago Patrick Mahomes signed the largest contract in sports history, and now he is not even in the top ten highest paid quarterbacks! Each year the contracts will get larger as long as the sports money keeps coming in.

Vegas is looking good, and now with Stone back in the lineup I expect they will be scoring more. Though the LA Kings are hot and right on their tail. Could be an interesting race in that division. Only two games on Wednesday, the Senators beat the Ducks 5-1 behind a hat trick from Drake Batherson, which included his 100th career goal. Ducks have now lost 4 in a row. Rangers beat the Sabers 3-2. Rangers have struggled a little bit of late, maybe this will be the start of a turn around. Nashville did not lose today because they were off. Disappointing season for them, if this keeps up they won't be the Predators any longer, more like the sheep that were lead to the slaughterhouse. When there is a slow night, the next one is usually busy, 14 games on Thursday, including your Knights Bob, who will be in Winnipeg.

Oh, I am not a Jets fan at all, but I did pick them to go to the Super Bowl this year, and a friend of mine bet big money on them to win the division. I am just amazed how bad they are, for having a hall of fame QB, a hall of fame WR, and a top five defense in the league a year ago, with all the money and trades they made for that team to succeed they continue to underperform in spectacular ways. This will be nine years in a row the Jets will finish with a losing record and 14 years in a row they will miss the playoffs. The same could be said about the Cowboys, Jerry Jones has sunk plenty of money into that roster only to have a disaster of a season. If the Jets were not the sinking ship that they are the Cowboys would be the biggest underachievers this season. At least Dallas can point to some injuries such as the QB. While it has been tough for them no question that the Jets have been the biggest disgrace in the NFL all season. The entire franchise is an embarrassment to pro football. The Raiders have had a tough, long season for sure. My guess is they clean house after the season. Right now, they are in position for the #1 draft choice, so maybe better days are ahead.

Thank you for clarifying, Bob.

I did pass, Bob.

Depending on their age, it’s always more productive to talk to their parents/guardians or whoever paid to enroll them. In my experience, no sensible person will refuse a refund and that is usually all it takes to get rid of incompatible students Absolutely nothing can force anyone to teach anyone, especially a martial arts instructor who has none of the constraints that say, a schoolteacher might have to abide by. Choosing with whom to share skills and knowledge is one of the advantages of the occupation.

What helped was that the instructor had trained with and was well acquainted with most of the other Kobayashi Shorin ryu instructors on Okinawa(the island is small), and mainland Japan. Also, the previous instructor and himself were taught by the same teacher(successor of Chibana). In addition to that, most of the other students had significant experience and background in all kinds of martial arts. He was very well accustomed to teaching these types of people and for some reason, those with no prior knowledge of any martial art were a minority.

The nagging thought of having key concepts and important fine-points from kata, techniques or bunkai missing; is why starting over made sense. It felt like going back to school and repeating each grade, but it became clear that the instructor is always more important than the martial art, even within the same ryuha/style.

All the home teams won on Thanksgiving, Lions, Cowboys, and Packers. Lions have won 10 in a row and are 11-1 for the first time in franchise history. Chiefs are 10-1 and play on Friday, but for at least one night the Lions have the best record in the NFL.

The original post’s question is not exclusive to martial arts. The same can be said about any teaching situation. There is no worse student than one who isn’t interested, unwilling and thrust upon the teacher by another’s will or wallet. Fortunately for martial arts teachers, unlike regular school, the solution is simple: give them minimum teaching attention(they’ll eventually quit) or just stop wasting energy/time teaching them. A good suggestion for an instructor would be to approach this explicitly with all students old enough to understand(Even parents/guardians). Tell them: Don’t come/don’t bring your kids if for any reason you/they don’t want to be there or aren’t interested in learning.

without going in depth, it is now quite obvious that the answer is that it is a question of focus and emphasis. Both « methods » effectively train and develop powerful kicks, but the Shotokan/japanese way seems to target a different part of the technique than the way kicking is approached with the Okinawan method of teaching/learning the same techniques. For personal practice, both are good and useful, however it can easily be too much for teaching/training others. When teaching it would be recommended to introduce one way(Okinawan, in my case) and later get them to practise their kicking the other way to give them a different perspective to emphasize different points in kicks such as using stabilizing muscles etc…

Hello fellow members of KarateForums.com. Today marks the 23rd half-anniversary of this fantastic website. I've been a member here for 18 years, and it's been quite a ride. This year has been quite special, as this year marks a renaissance in a way. This year culminated in the site getting a big upgrade, marking a new beginning. The new site offers a lot of added features, but retains the history that I feel makes this site a great repository for martial arts discussion; the best available on the internet, in my opinion. I recall 18 years ago when I went looking for martial arts chat rooms so I could network and learn from other martial artists. I didn't find any good chat rooms, but I did find KarateForums.com and signed up. What I found was a treasure trove of great discussion, along with a great group of members who were smart and supportive. It was a group of martial artists that was not concerned with showing you how good they were, but with how much they could learn and share. It was a most welcoming environment, and that culture continues to this day, albeit with a different set of members. That culture has been an intrinsic part of KarateForums.com for the 18 years I have been here, and it continues on, even into this new chapter of the community. KarateForums.com has also been a huge motivation in my training, and this year has been a resurgence for me as well. I've added regular weekly aikido and BJJ classes to my training schedule. I get to attend the BJJ class with at least one of my sons, if not both every so often. I've attended some aikido seminars along the way, and even got to do a seminar with a Shorin-ryu club that was a lot of fun, with more to come in the future. I assisted with our taekwondo school's second annual women's self-defense seminar. I've been able to teach defensive tactics at regular intervals throughout the year at work, which was a point of focus for me at the beginning of the year. I find it to be very rewarding. To top it all off, if everything goes right health-wise, I'll be testing for my 5th dan in TKD in December. Being a member of KarateForums.com makes all this training all the more fun, because I look forward to coming back, logging in, and sharing my experiences with this great community. With an upgraded look and new features, this version of KarateForums.com promises to continue the culture of positive martial arts discussion moving into our next anniversary, and the next, and the next. Happy Half-Anniversary, KarateForums.com!

The screenname alone is worth of a nomination.

I've been an assistant instructor at my school for about 2 and a half years now, but yesterday was my first opportunity to sit on a dan grading. Our dojo only holds them twice per year (generally May and November), and in order to sit on a black belt board, you have to be at least a (full) nidan. For one thing I was by far the most junior member of the testing board. The board consisted of one kudan, two nanadans (including my CI, who just tested for his 7th degree the previous day), two godans, a yondan, and me. We had a total of 11 candidates - one for sandan, one for sandan-sho, one for nidan, four for shodan, and three for shodan-sho. Normally, our CI would run 2 tests, but with him returning that morning from our hombu dojo, multiple tests weren't really an option. Our organization has a scorecard for dan exams, where each performance category is worth X points, where 80% of that is required to pass. In theory, you could fail one category and still pass the exam. In practice, most students will get "minimal passing" scores for most categories. I looked at my neighbor's scorecard, and for most categories, he had every candidate earning minimal score, with a few exceptions. Keep in mind that with 7 evaluators, one evaluator isn't going to make or break a candidate's score, so it all evened out in the end. I found that evaluating candidates for Sanchin and their rank kata was pretty easy -- we only had a single candidate demonstrating at a time. Things got more complicated when we we started having two pairs of candidates at a time, performing bunkai, yakusoku kumite, and kote kitae. Then things got really hairy when they performed their hojo undo and free sparring (when we had every candidate on the floor at the same time). Once the candidates were done, the scoring was pretty quick -- (we had 2 scorekeepers helping out with the test). Everyone passed, which wasn't really a surprise. We require everyone who tests for a dan rank to perform a 3 month prep cycle, where they attend an additional class every week that focuses on the content of the test. Before the results were officially announced, each of the instructors was expected to provide feedback to the candidates, either as individuals or as a group. Some of the feedback given was: - My feedback #1 - In a performance test, the judges will most remember the beginning and end of your performance. So start strong, and end strong. There were a number of candidates that had a fairly weak opening. Likewise, quite a few candidates executed their finishing sequence (jump forward to a shiko dachi, circle block, elbow strike, one-knuckle punch). They do that sequence quickly and then immediately stand up and bow out. My recommendation was that they hit that sequence hard, leave the final one-knuckle punch out there for a few seconds (in a good low stance), and give the judges a good final impression. - My feedback #2 - enunciate all of your techniques. There were a number of students that were a bit sloppy here. In their rank kata, I'd see them basically "flick out" their nukite strikes. My recommendation was strike, leave it there for a moment, and then recover. This is like the difference between a flicking type strike versus a penetrating strike. The other place I really saw this come into play was in their kata bunkai in two specific sequences. In one sequence, the attacker comes in with an overhand grab. The defender is supposed to do a hand-over-hand nukite strike to the throat (to stop the opponent), then grab the attacker by the shoulders. They then pull the attacker down while simultaneously driving their knee up into the attacker's middle. The other sequence involves a lapel grab. The defense is to perform a double nukite strike to the lower oblique muscles. The defender then grabs the opponent, lifts them, pivots them to the right, and then pushes them into (nominally) another attacker. In each of these sequences, many of the defenders skipped the nukite strikes and went straight into either pulling the opponent down into the knee strike, or grabbing the opponent and lifting/pivoting/pushing. The thing is those nukite strikes are what stop the opponent's attack. Feedback from other instructors included: watch your distancing. When doing two-person drills and/or bunkai, you should be at a distance such that if you choose to complete and/or follow through with your technique, it should connect with your opponent. Likewise, make sure the attacks you're providing give your opponent a realistic opportunity to practice your defenses. One nitpick I picked up on (which I didn't really notice, but was aware of): when doing the sword attacks (technically we use shinai), always lead with the right foot. There are no left-handed samurai. One instructor asked the students to up their intensity, both in their technique and their bearing, and in the same comment she told the students to pick a spot and look at it. Don't let your gaze wander. If an instructor is standing in front of you, evaluating you, focus on a spot on their uniform. All in all, it was a great test - I learned a lot watching the candidates and hearing the other instructors' feedback. PS: One of the (adult) candidates, Tabata, had her entire family there. Right before the candidates started sparring, her family all busted out "Team Tabata" T-shirts. She had no idea they had them...

The Cowboys would be smart to hire Belichick, but like you said, Jerry would have to give up a lot of his control. Is he willing to do that? Maybe, but it would be a big step out of character for him to do so. Bill had a funny story on MacAee last week about how some of the owners, in this case Art Modell, listen more to the media than their own head coach. He said Art came to him and asked "does your defensive coordinator really know what he is doing?" Bill's defensive coordinator at the time was Nick Saban. Everyone on the show had a good laugh about that one!

Welcome back, and good to see you making content again.

To give a better answer, my first question would be to ask who, and where they were, awarded their Dan grades? I have known some Okinawan Organisations to recognise Dan grades from other systems, though it does not explicitly mean it is an endorsement of a person's skill in the Okinawan Systems. Some unscrupulous people have used this to promote themselves as experts in Okinawan karate despite having a very limited experience of it. With regards to Wado-Ryu and Shito-Ryu having similarities to Shorin-Ryu. To answer this it depends on the branch of Shorin-Ryu: whether it is Kobayashi, Matsubayashi, Sukunaihayashi (Seibukan), or Shobuyashi. In terms of Kata there is similarity between all the branches, and the aforementioned Japanese systems. In the list below I will be focusing on kata I am aware of that exist in Shito-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, and in at least one branch of Shorin-ryu: Pinan kata series: All the systems mentioned practice the Pinangata. Kūsankū: All the systems mentioned practice a version of Kusanku. Naihanchi: All the systems mentioned practice at least Naihanchi Shodan. Seisan: Seibukan, Shito-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, and some branches of Kobayashi. Chintō: All the systems mentioned practice a version of Chintō. Passai: All the systems mentioned practice a version of Passai. Rōhai: Matsubayashi, Shito-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, and some branches of Kobayashi. Wanshū: Seibukan, Matsubayashi, Shito-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, and some branches of Kobayashi. Jion: Seibukan, Shito-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, and Kobayashi. Jitte: Shito-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, and some branches of Kobayashi. Thus, if we were tally the kata in common between Wado-Ryu, Shito-ryu, and the best-known branches of Shorin-Ryu we get the following, in descending order: Kobayashi: 6-9 Seibukan: 8 Matsubayashi: 7 Shobayashi: 5 A lot of the core kata are similar between the Wado-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, and the various branches of Shorin-Ryu. Most begin with a thorough study of the Pinangata and Naihanchi before continuing to Passai and further on from there. However, it should be noted that the Pinangata and Naihanchi were added to Seibukan by the second generation. Beyond the kata we can get into the kumite but that would deserve a book to be fair to all the subtle differences. Nonetheless, I will give a brief overview. Both Matsubayashi and Wado-Ryu have formal kumite forms which were influenced by Motobu Choki, although Wado-Ryu has significantly more two-man exercises, and were also influenced by Shindo Yoshin-Ryu. Orthodox Okinawan Karate methodologies, which most branches of Shorin-Ryu can be called as they come down via shared sources, when you get into applications usually fall into free-style wrestling with dirty boxing, or kickboxing with dirty Judo. Which is to say they focus on arm-controlling or body-to-body techniques and trying to put the opponent on the floor, while utilising percussive techniques to make resisting being thrown even more difficult. Conversely using punching and kicking to control distance, and then throwing when the opportunity presents itself, and using handles and targets to start the throw you would not see in polite competition such as the hair, fingers, dangly bits et cetera. In terms of principles, and using Shito-Ryu terms, we might say a lot of Shorin-Ryu techniques embody Rakka, the use of powerful technique to subdue and stagnate an attempt to attack, and hangeki, defeating an attack with your own. Still using Shito-Ryu terms, In contrast, Wado-Ryu tends to favour ryūsui, flowing around attacks to nullify and stagnate an attack, and ten’I, changing position relative to an opponent to gain advantage. As can be gathered from my using the Shito-Ryu terms we can gather that Shito-Ryu tries to embody all these principles. However, at the higher level, in Shorin-Ryu, there should be use of ryusui and ten’I in conjunction with rakka and hangeki. Plus, in truth, some principles do not work without employing another. Rakka relies on ten’I for best outcome, and hangeki on ryusui to give the base combinations. Plus, to mention the last of the five fundamental principles of Shito-Ryu outlined by Mabuni Kenwa, kusshin: the use of stances and body movements to contract, expand, lower, and rise, as part of a counter attack or technique. This principle should be observed in Shorin-Ryu Kata, and in Wado-Ryu’s Kumite gata, to be performed correctly. There are then other principles which do not carry over perfectly such as gamaku and chinkuchi and so on and so forth. But that is going back to probably requiring a book to do the topic justice. Anyway, I would say most of the kata the systems have in common fall into the Kickboxing with dirty Judo when it comes to their applications. They use a lot of large techniques which expand and collapse the miai, either into or out of body-to-body combat range. From personal experience, I began my study of Shorin-Ryu having essentially just earned my Shodan in Wado-Ryu. The main areas where I felt I had to basically start all over was in the proper use of the waist to generate power, and fixing my stances with intent, but I still managed to earn my Nidan in Shorin-Ryu with just two years of training. Now, I was able to train Four times a week, and did a couple of hours a day of my own training, in that two year period. But the point being, there is a lot that is transferable.

The fight continues with my Prostate Cancer. Saw Dr. Goodman yesterday morning for a follow up. Dr. Goodman is very glad to see that my progress remains on the positive side. I’M STILL IN COMPLETE REMISSION!! I lost another 10lbs, so, I now weigh 267!! In a year’s time I’ve lost over 100lbs. This weight loss will help me to go from Type 1 Diabetes to Pre-Diabetic and will help me fight my cancer. My PSA remains at ZERO. Dr. Goodman reminded me that my PSA can’t get above a 2, of which he is very sure that my PSA will not reach that scale. My testosterone is at 76. So, I got a bit to go to reach the testosterone level of 275. It’s a slow climb. My body hair is sprouting back up again here and there, whereas before I had no body whatsoever. I long for the day when I can be intimate with my wife again because it’s been over 4 years in that regard!! That’s what the treatments have done but like my wife tells me over and over, she’d rather have me alive over the intimacy I long for. Next appointment will be on March 20, 2025!!

Both have a strong foundation in Shorinryu (more Chibana than Kyan), but life any style, there are subtle differences that really define the stylistic lenses. As the parent style, perhaps they somewhat have the ability to look at their grand/children and day, 'hey, I'm happy with that'. For example, I tell my students up until 4Kyu we're rally just learning Karate. From 3Kyu it should be obvious of the differences between Shorinryu and other styles, and from 1Dan it should be clear they do Matsubayashiryu not Sho/Kobayashiryu. Just my thoughts!

Thanks for replying and the welcome message. Your feedback is quite helpful. Thank you. My goal is a combination of fitness and self-defense. I'd like to at least learn proper form and technique - otherwise what's the point? And I'd at least like to develop some power in case I ever need to use it. But for the most part, I'm just looking to Martial Arts because I find it interesting in many ways. > I always tell people that best MA is the one that fits what you are looking to get of your training. Exactly. I feel the same way rather than saying x style is good / bad. I had considered Muay Thai. I do have a physical limitation, in some kicking but it may be a flexibility, muscle issue. There are a few schools nearby that I'll look into. Hapkido is also interesting as a suggestion.

Welcome to the forum, @rtiq I see this is your first post. Thanks for joining us. It looks like you have done a lot of research about this, what is your main goal for training? If it is physical fitness them almost any martial arts style would be helpful. Since you don't want forms, you might consider Muay Thai, to my knowledge, and I am no expert, there are no Katas in MT. There are some high kicks, can I ask why you are looking to avoid high kicks? If it is a physical limitation, I would inform any instructor about that when you meet with them. I am sure there are members here who can help you with questions about MT, I only took a trail class once and it was a fantastic work out. Another style you might look for is traditional Hapkido. Tough to find in the USA, if that is where you are, but if you can find it you will see it incorporates a lot of what you are looking for. It does falls, rolls, throws, standing joint locks, low kicks, punches, blocking, and weapons. It is an all-encompassing style, excluding forms, at least that is how we were taught it, but there was no sport element, so if your heart is set on competition then it won't be for you. Hope this helps a little bit. I always tell people that best MA is the one that fits what you are looking to get of your training. I am know some of the more experienced members and martial artists on this site will have a lot of good suggestions. Thanks again for posting.

Almost 19 years now Bob. 11/18/2024 Aikido: Morning Class: 8:30 - 9:30 am. After stretching and aiki-taisos, we worked techniques that I'll be tested on. We did kokyonage, kotegashi, ikkyo, and nikkyo. There was a few times where I noticed I was getting on my heels when stepping and moving, so I tried to fix that. I also worked on doing a big circle on the kotegashi technique to get the positional results I wanted. For the nikkyo applications, we did a dynamic and a static version. On the static version I was able to really focus on my hip movement.

Jane's obviously not into it any longer. I teach the way they do in Okinawa. If she comes, teach her. If she's not interested in learning, either ignore her, or ask her parents to pull her out. I'm there to train those that want to learn, not babysit a child that doesn't want to be there. Any time you spend on her is wasted time that is robbing students that want to be there and learn.

On-Ko-Chi-Shin is a favorite Japanese/Okinawan proverb of mine, and it reminds me of the other quotes. One is "there is nothing new under the sun," which I can't remember the source of, another is "do not seek to follow in the footstep of the wise, seek what they sought," by Basho Matsuo, and the other is "tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire," by Gustav Mahler. To me, On-Ko-Chi-Shin is a reminder that no matter how far we advance and improve on what we've learned, we can always go back to older sources and learn more from them. We can even learn more from them than was originally intended, provided we follow the path that those sources laid out. As Bob rightly points out, this ties into Shu-Ha-Ri quite well, as it is a cyclical process.

It's great you got that off your chest, as it can seriously weigh you down, and cause issues in your life. I've had Serious Mental Health Issues over the Years; Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Codependency, Brain Trauma. So I know what your going through with your own Mental Health. [qoute]I have had a recurring on-going battle with depression for a little over 10 years, I have seen a therapist, and gone through different CBTs (cognitive behavioural therapy) but it's something that has kept coming back.[/qoute] What a lot of people don't realise is that Depression is a life-long issue, as we all have our ups and downs. Just like waves in the ocean, but for people like us those "downs" sometimes may be bigger than others. No matter how much progress we make, there is always the possibility that a depressive episode can occur. But at the same time it is how we look at it, and manage it is the real battle. This was an interesting comment I read in your post. And I know it may sound controversial and some may disagree with me on this. Yes Family is important, as you have a responsibility to your wife and children. BUT At the end of the day; YOU are the most important person in your life. WHY? Because if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of your family. When your children look at you taking care of yourself, you are teaching them about SELF-CARE. After I got married, I had a Car Accident and left my job and this was a few months after my daughter was born. I stopped looking after myself and doing what I needed to do. What happened caused so much tension between my wife and I, and it eventually led to our seperation this past December. During that period, I gained 70 Kg (154 pounds) and this year I started looking after my head space and my physical health. So I can lose that weight that I had gained over the last few years. [qoute]I can't figure out if it's a good or bad emotion though[/qoute] Growing up, I had the same issue where I couldn't recognize what I was feeling emotionally. More often than not, it led to me being short tempered even if it was actually a positive emotion. But over the last few months, and listening to others and allowing myself to hear what others have to say has allowed me to process what you said. Emotions, are there to help you stick to your values and to enjoy or learn from a moment in time. Happiness and Sadness have the same end goal and message that is trying to convey. Even though Sadness can have multiple meanings. Then you compare to Anger, what is it trying to tell you? what occured? Reflect and Learn from it! Everyone goes through a big change when they become a parent. Sometimes you think your ready, but when it happens it may kick you saying "you weren't ready". For me I thought I was ready when my daughter was born. But in reality I hadn't opened myself up to the difficulties that we were going to face. and that I wasn't actually ready because I was the youngest in the family and never actually held such responsibility in my own family. So I truly struggled in changing and being open to becoming the best father i could be. And I would do anything for my little one. So I am doing what I have to do to get better for myself, so i can be there for her. Because at the end of the day, if we can't be open to ourselves especially with the difficult stuff. We can't be open with our partner or kids.