sensei8

Key factors about Shindokan: 1) We never block an attack 2) We want to get behind our attackers 3) We want to be very close to our attacker 4) We don’t back up Here’s a basic brief of what I’m talking about. So far, I’ve briefly discussed key factor #1; We never block an attack, and key factor #2; We want to get behind our attacker. Albeit, key factor #2 should be key factor #3 because without getting close first, getting behind my attacker will be quite challenging. We deflect said attack. Moreover, we receive said attack!! Today, I’d like to briefly discuss Shindokan key factor #3; bold typed above: We want to be very close to our attacker. Why?? By getting very close to our attacker limits their options. Getting very close to my attacker is paramount because without that intimate closeness the stalemate between my attacker and myself might exist. Does the thought of getting close to your attacker unnerve you?!? That’s understandable because not everyone feels safe at closing the gap and staying there to take care of business. In Shindokan, we drill the following statement right from the start to our students: Study your opponent, Study yourself, make a plan, carry out that plan. Reason for this is because you don’t want to just wander in with a lackadaisical manner. Until you’ve matured in your techniques, getting very close to your attacker can be quite daunting…and alarming. Don’t get me wrong, being matured in your technique doesn’t creates a force field around you. Being matured in your techniques means that above one’s arsenal of techniques, you’ll study your opponent, study yourself, make a plan, and carry the plan out. Now comes the game of chess about getting up close to the attacker. STUDY YOUR OPPONENT: Watch their stance and posture. Are they closed or open?!? There’s a reason for why they’re as they are; It’s not by happenstance Watch for any tell-tell patterns. Habits exist and you’ll have to decode them. Do they move backwards, side to side, or remains steady?!? How are they breathing?!? If their breathing becomes labored, that means they’re starting to get tired but if their breathing is controlled, the fights alive in them. Watch how they distribute their weight. This can reveal quite a lot. Has their weight shifted forward in their stance, they might be planning to punch. Albeit, if their weight has shifted backwards, they might be prepared to counter. Eyes are the window of your opponent. Watch them closely because they’ll give up their plans unwittingly. Watch the shoulders because any shoulder movement is an alarm that something is about to happen. STUDY YOURSELF: You’re not Superman. You’re not cloaked in perfection. The very exact same things that you studied in your opponent might be reflected right back to your opponent about yourself. Don’t be complacent whatsoever. MAKE A PLAN: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” ~Benjamin Franklin “A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”~George S. Patton Just don’t stand there. Jab, feint…something…but don’t be a statue. Offensive plans must be implemented especially if your plan is to take charge. Be on the defense by moving, deflecting and/or receiving in order to neutralize your attacker plans all the while being mindful of your own energy. Effective counterattacking capitalizing your attackers blunders. Whenever the opportune time makes itself clear to you, attack whenever your opponent least expects it. Prudent actions demand stellar judgment. Protect yourself always, keep your hands ready, don’t overcommit, keep stamina and focus on fundamentals. Being flexible and ready to adjust the plan based on the dynamics is crucial. CARRY THE PLAN OUT: “Any plan is better than no plan, so plan to carry it out irrespective of your opponent.”~Robert Mitcham (Not sure if someone else more prominent said this before me). “He who hesitates, hesitates horizontally!”~Ed Parker There’s a difference between being overconfident and being overly cautious. Being overconfident can result in taking unnecessary risks, one might underestimate challenges or overestimate their skills. Whereas, being overly cautious can lead to missed opportunities and stagnation, as individuals may hesitate to act even when the situation is favorable. What I’m saying is that overconfidence can lead to reckless actions, while being overly cautious can result in inaction. Both extremes can hinder effective decision-making in the midst of a fight. Going from your gut instincts can be a valuable guide, it's essential to balance them with rational analysis, especially in significant decisions. Just don’t stand there…do something!! If you want to kick the shin, then do it. If you want to jab, then do it. If you want to bite, then do it. If you don’t carry out your plan, then you’ll never get close to your attacker. To get face to face with my attacker I must come to my attacker or draw my attacker to me. Not in a hurried way but in a decisive way. I can initiate or I can wait, either way we use our longest weapon; our legs. This is why we don’t kick no higher than the middle. Shindokan kicks are used for set-ups for our hands. Remember, Shindokan is 85% hands and 15% feet. So, we’ll attack our attackers base; their legs, both on the inside and outside. To disrupt my attackers balance and posture, which allows me to get face to face in both an offensive and defensive position, which gives my primary weapons, my hands to control my opponent. We’re not talking about a lengthy battle. No! Just as long as is necessary to get behind my attacker which is my ultimate goal. Remember, to get behind you must first GET CLOSE. You’ve got to control the fight/attack. Part of controlling is knowing when to disengage whenever necessary. With every disengage means you’ll have to reengage, which means you’re going to have to get close again. After said attacker has had the unrelenting experience of having their base attacked repeatedly, many attackers who might be versed on one way or another in ground grappling will decide to take the fight to the ground because they believe whomever they’re attacking, will retreat without haste. With us Sindokanists, that’s the furthest thing from our minds because we’re very comfortable as well as effective on the ground. In conclusion, the art of getting close to your attacker is extremely essential for the overall success of your attack/counterattack, and while it doesn’t appear to be an effective strategy, it, if even for just a moment, put you and your attacker on the same level. During that brief moment, you have to make things work in order to gain the advantage. Get close, and stay there!!

May 14, 2026, 10am for Radiation Therapy Consultation with Dr. Nathan Jones. My Oncologist, Dr. Ann Wierman, has opted to try the radiation therapy route in hopes that that will take care of whatever. If, radiation therapy isn’t successful, then I suppose the only other option is biopsy and surgery of my brain. As most of you know, I’ve had 22 sessions of radiation therapy on my prostate, which was successful. This radiation therapy is Monday - Friday. Each session lasts 15-30 minutes. I wear a custom mesh mask over my face/head. Here’s the problem…I AM EXTREMELY CLAUSTROPHOBIC!! How in the world am I going to endure that. I think I can have my eyes and nose holes cut out of the mesh mask. Not sure if that’ll be enough. I’m terrified more than I was during my Prostate cancer fight, which is still in complete remission, but this time it’s dealing with my brain. I suppose that it could be worse…this could be 1926 or earlier and not 2026!!

Interesting varied scenario/hypothetical situations. His loyalty to his teacher is respectable. If the MA guy wants to teach, then teach!! Why does anyone need to get their teachers permission to teach?? I have never ever insisted that any of my students must get my permission to teach. I also don’t believe in the territorial rights of any MA governing body and/or establishment MA schools that demand that said new MA school must check with the aforementioned places before a new shingle in hung at a store front. That was a big deal way back when; I’ve experienced that myself. No MA guy or gal should have to get permission to teach and/or where to teach. To me, that’s a form of bullying.

I agree with the key word…IF. Therefore, the only way to avoid injuries as well as being effective is to do the pivoting correctly.

Great point, Brian!! Jersey prices are ridiculous, unless it’s made of gold. I don’t love any player in any sport that much.

I wouldn’t think that every police department would do this; that’s the good thing.

I’d love to watch you both train together…what an incredible and informative training experience that would be.

Absolutely. In a roundhouse kick I turn on the ball of my supporting foot; my heel barely lifts.

3. Maturing in said techniques. Imho.

That’s one sad story Ken!! I know one thing, a robot better not ever do any of my surgeries and better not be flying a plane I’m stuffed in. Maybe some things shouldn’t be inevitable.

I’m a jamming type of guy. Can’t kick me if I’m in your face; for example, axe kicks have no chance with me. The closer I am to my opponent, the better, creating as much closeness as I can. I will also kick/knee the legs of my opponent as often as I can because that’s how we create our set-ups for our hands. Study your opponent, study yourself, make a plan, carry out that plan.

2026 NFL Draft is over. Here’s my wife’s Raiders picks… Las Vegas Raiders 2026 NFL draft picks Round 1, Pick 1: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Round 2, Pick 38: Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona Round 3, Pick 67: Keyron Crawford, DE, Auburn Round 3, Pick 91: Trey Zuhn III, C, Texas A&M Round 4, Pick 101: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Round 4, Pick 122: Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas Round 5, Pick 150: Dalton Johnson, S, Arizona Round 5, Pick 175: Hezekiah Masses, CB, California Round 6, Pick 195: Malik Benson, WR, Oregon Round 7, Pick 229: Brandon Cleveland, DT, NC State My Cowboy picks… Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL draft picks Round 1, Pick 11: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Round 1, Pick 23: Malachi Lawrence, DE, UCF Round 3, Pick 92: Jaishawn Barham, DE, Michigan Round 4, Pick 112: Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State Round 4, Pick 114: Devin Moore, CB, Florida Round 4, Pick 137: LT Overton, DE, Alabama Round 7, Pick 218: Anthony Smith, WR, East Carolina Raiders sure need all of those picks on both sides of the ball. Curious to see how they plan on play Mendoza. NO QB?!? Cowboys sure have no minimum idea as to what they’re doing. Curios to see how they plan to do something right!! How did your teams picks go?!? GO COWBOYS!!

Congrats @Spartacus Maximus; well deserved!!

Welcome to KF, Josh; glad that you’re here!!

Welcome to KF, Very Weak; glad you’re with us!! Excellent post. Speed comes later and whenever appropriate. Why have speed if there’s no balance, why have power if there’s no focus?!? I agree that if one’s sloppy because they’re trying too hard to have speed, then S-L-O-W down.

Welcome to KF, jay1995; glad that you’re here!! The title of your topic reads, “Making judo/jjj throws work”. MA techniques already work as designed by said MA founder. The responsibility is that of the practitioners to make said techniques work. That requires maturing in techniques. Resistance training is everything. Get rid of the complacent training because real attackers don’t just stand still and go along with whatever is happening to them. Your real attackers will resist you at every step of the way. Imho!!

To each their own. I’ve been in the MA for over 6 decades, ran a dojo/MA Supply Store, play 3 musical instruments, play a mean chess game, carry a high bowling average, have a nasty game of 3-cushion billiards, go to the gym, ride a bicycle, and most importantly, take care of my wife and kids…but not all at the same time, of course. Neither were difficult to enjoy whenever I was doing whichever one. I don’t know much about chasing rabbits and all like that, but Musashi, as great as he was, was then and we’re now.

Mendoza ALREADY has a Raiders jersey’s for sale…$150. Hasn’t been in a Raiders game huddle, ball snapped to him, or threw a pass yet in the NFL. Maybe I’m missing something here.

Raiders 1st pick was no surprise…Mendoza. Test Mendoza in pre-season to see how he handles to NFL rushings and secondary. I agree with Brian, watch Cousins before considering to put Mendoza in, unless Cousins becomes a bust or gets hurt. College is not the NFL.

The Sphere in Las Vegas is going bankrupt; loses millions of dollars each year. Yet, the Sphere tickets are astronomical. But the outside display of the Sphere is amazing.

From time to time I’ve seen the gray belt, but not often. I’ve seen it used as an intermediate to senior level in Wado, Goju, and Shotokan at open tournaments, but if course, not all of those styles use the gray belt. One more thing, some BJJ use gray right after white.

Pro Bowl isn’t interesting to me anymore; so boring. BJJ in the Olympics?!? No. Getting rid of wrestling and weightlifting would be a mistake because they’re both tradition for as long as I can remember. Doesn’t mean that the IOC will replace wrestling and/or weightlifting, but one will never know. Flag football?!? For an Olympic athlete caliber?!? Change is inevitable but give me a break.

Yes, I do a pre-pivot whenever I throw a roundhouse kick. I had a right knee injury whenever I was a JBB. That injury proved to be quite troublesome. Whenever I threw a roundhouse kick, my right knee would hurt something ferocious. So, with the help of my sensei, I learned to pre-pivot with every roundhouse kick. Overtime my right knee improved and got much stronger but the pre- pivot still remains, and I prefer to kick with my left leg, like Bill Wallace. No. I do not telegraph my roundhouse kick whatsoever because I’ve matured in my techniques.

Just great!! I suppose I’d rather have the Ducks and not the Oilers. Either way that series won’t be a walk in the park. First my Knights have to eliminate Utah.

I also believe that the IOC has enough contact sport events to add Karate. Besides, enough interest has to be present to sway the IOC.