sensei8

Congrats @Revario; well deserved!!

Not counting teaching as an instructor under the very watchful eyes of our Soke and Dai-Soke or for teaching at the college; because those students were provided. All I had to do was just show up for classes. When I opened my Kyuodan dojo as a Sandan, I passed out flyers anywhere and everywhere to advertise my upcoming grand opening. Had 2 classes for my grand opening; kids and adults. I signed up 75 students. So, I found my first STUDENTS, not student through my proactive advertising, of which, my prospective students found me and I found them.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!! What a way to have your season opener by having it televised. Raiders, 1-0, host the Chargers 1-0 in Las Vegas. One of these by the end of their game will be 1-1…and the other will be 2-0. This should be a barn burner. GO COWBOYS!!

Already?!? OUCH!!

That’s right!! It’s almost October and that means that the start of the NHL Regular Season is about to begin!! GO KNIGHTS!!

Here’s my thing about this subject. When rank becomes more important than knowledge and experience, that’s when it’s time to give up rank!! IMHO!!

Yes, Steelers vsJets was good. Chiefs looked horrible, which was a bit unexpected. Raiders could win division. Of course, this is only week #1.

My wife’s tickled pink because her Raiders defeated the Patriots while on the road: final score: Raiders 20 Patriots 13 Smith: 362 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Meyers: 8 REC, 97 yds Pola-Mao: 5 SOLO, 1 INT

One of my closest friends, Dwight, is a die-hard Seahawks fan; we tease each other endlessly all of the time in or out of season. After the Cowboys lost to the Eagles, he couldn’t resist himself to rub the Cowboys lost in. Then he said to me this… I laughed at that!! My response was… His reply… My reply… Of course this is always done in the good nature of fun between two very close friends!! I still chuckle at Dwight’s…”There are more cowgirl fans than Seahawk fans in the world“. Nice of him to admit that!!

Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dak!!

Without possessing any resolve in owns own training, just going through the motions lacks any resolve, reflects that on the street there will also be no resolve either. There’s a well known saying… ”How one trains is how one will fight.” Everything that one does on the floor also reflects on the street. Do ‘it’ as though your life depends on it. Anything less than a serious resolve is ineffective. Imho.

Great question!! At my very strict insistence, I was “formally assessed” for my Kudan. Even though I’ve always suspected that due to my being currently the Kaicho at that time, that my Kudan Testing Cycle was forthcoming one way or another whether I wanted it or not!! Our Testing Cycles only go up to Hachidan. My Kudan Testing Cycle, at my strictest insistence, had to be a Testing Cycle that would’ve made our Dai-Soke most proud of. If at any time during my Testing Cycle that I suspected that my Testing Cycle was a “give me”, I would’ve walked out the Testing Cycle; but they tried to kill me…I was never tested so hard before in my life.

I’m at the highest rank that I can ever achieve. With that, I’ll be at Hachidan for the rest of my life!! Yes…I know my current rank is Kudan. However, I earned Hachidan under Dai-Soke, which I embrace far more than my Kudan, which was earned under the SKKA Hierarchy, and under my very strong protest.

Shindokan has 10 Kyu and 10 Dan levels. Kyu minimum is 3 months to 1 year, depending on the Kyu level. Dan minimums matches said current Dan…Shodan minimum is 1 year…Godan minimum is 5 years…Nanadan minimum is 7 years. All Testing Cycle Candidates must petition the Hombu to be considered; minimum rank doesn’t guarantee approval!! I was a JBB for 5 long years!! That’s a very long time for a kid!!

Uke means to receive!! Our receiving at its core is having the ability to deflect at any given moment. Receiving skills are really valued, and that such force is put into receiving speaks for both our methodology and ideology itself. Never initiate the attack!! Receive first, and then go on the offense!! Attacking always comes last!! Yes, it is true, Uke means to block, literally meaning to block or prevent an attack!! In that, attacks are directionally deflected either into oneself or away from oneself. Receiving also means to catch or to accept!! How?? Destroy the force and take my attacker by surprise!! My attacker’s can’t advance so quickly!! Receiving is not just for stopping said attack!! The force received is redirected in my counterattack!! Receiving is the beginning of my counterattack!! The very skill of receiving lies in ending my opponent’s attack quickly!! It’s far more easier to attack than receiving!! Just receive!! No need to attack!! When my attacker moves, so I move!! What if he does this or that, what do I do?!? That uncertainty comes from the fact that one’s afraid!! Reading my opponent’s intent, well, that’s where the maturity in one’s techniques begins!! if one is able to properly receive your opponent’s attack, you should never have to back down!! Once your attacker’s in control over you, it’s over!! Imho, if one’s preoccupied in winning, there’s no possibility of receiving successfully!! You must remain calmly while receiving an opponent’s attack!! Receiving…It’s difficult at first, but it has to be done!! Like everything, it takes time!! The difficulty in receiving is that one’s not thinking deeply enough about receiving except in a more passing notion That’s dangerous!! Change the mindset, then receiving starts to improve!! With receiving, don’t just back down and take it, but rather, go forward and receive it actively!! The very style and mindset of the martial arts, is to advance forward while receiving!! To improve receiving skills, the attack needs to be improved as well!! Receiving is the strength to attack, and therefore they are inseparable. However, training in order to win, and training to not lose upon receiving, are completely different!! Facing the opponent without running away, while also ending the battle without hurting the opponent, that is the true spirit of the martial arts.