sensei8

Within each of us, as practitioners and as individuals, we've the necessary abilities to not only harm, but to also heal with whomever we have contact with for whatever the reason might be. As a MAist, depending on ones knowledge and experience, we can harm another human being with such resolve, and with the harsh breath of time quite expediently. With Bruce Lee's saying..."I do not hit, 'it' hits all by itself", is both pointed as well as it is responsible. That which I possess, MA wise, can be fatal to another human being either with cause or without cause; either way, judgement should be immediate across the board. With what I possess, individually speaking, there's not much differences between me, the MAist, and me, the individual; that fine line of certainty as well as uncertainty shouldn't muddle my mutual goals as a MAist and as an individual. I don't hit to just hit, but I hit to destroy said target, not with a proportional response but in complete totality!! It's either him/her or me, and I will, with all that I possess, do all that I can to protect myself. It's that that is within me is dangerous, and is designed to harm another human being, and not to dance around in a gala celebration. The level of harm is my responsibility, and mine alone. Nevertheless, that which I possess must be both wise and resolute!! Your thoughts, please!!

She embodies the maxim that says...7 times down, 8 times up; no quit in her, none whatsoever!! That's something to smile about; thanks for the update skullspltter!!

This is a very good question! I am at a very different position in this equation than you are, being that I am typically neither the most high-ranking nor the most senior member of my dojo where I train (I have trained for 18 years, but at my dojo many have trained for over 40 years). However, I encounter these kinds of self-inflated beginners often, and I say that they are all 'beginners' because if a person is trying to boost their reputation in the dojo by establishing dominance over someone as easygoing and superficially non-threatening as me, they generally are pretty bad at karate and are looking for the lowest bar they can jump . Out of respect for those who have more experience than I do, I usually try to do more listening than talking in the dojo, and am fairly polite to everyone, since I dislike the picking-on-lower-rank thing that some people do in their clubs. Some beginners misinterpret my politeness as weakness, and as such, attempt to disregard my words when I do offer advice. .... I actually kind of love it when this happens, because I feel like I get an excuse to let loose a little. -for the betterment of the kohai! You know sensei8, this has been a theme I've always enjoyed in your posts. I couldn't agree more! I'll cite an example of one beginners' class I taught at my college dojo to demonstrate how I deal with this kind of thing. I was conducting a fairly standard introductory class, nothing out of the ordinary. The big idea of the class was standing, moving, and using basic hand techniques while in back stance. One 3-week old white belt (about 6' muscular 19-year-old guy) chimes in "It makes literally NO sense to stand this way!" me: "It is hard at first, but it gets easier. Keep trying!" him: "No, I mean that you're wrong. It's so much easier if I stand like this!" me: "That's a different stance, but it doesn't work for these techniques, so we're not going to practice that right now." him: ~"Maybe it just doesn't work for you."~ me: "Okay... How about you stand your way with knifehand block, and I'll stand my way, let's see who can push the other person's arm to the side. Ready?... Go!" -he hit the floor -he stood up, put his arm back on mine, he hit the floor -he stood up, ... paused, then put his arm back on mine. He wobbled when I pushed, but didn't fall over. him: "See! It works my way too!" me: "Nope. Look at your feet." He was standing in a very good back stance the way I was trying to teach it to him. A quite solid post!!

Thanks. But this just supports what we're always told. It doesn't explain why my ex military friends can be so tough without stretching routinely, if it is so necessary. Then, I don't know why?? Ask your ex-military friends why?? Any answer we give will only be an assumption on our part. Their reasons as to why might be as wide as the sky; ask them. Some, and I use to be one, require very little or no stretching whatsoever for one reason or another. I consider myself quite tough, and I do know, if I need to defend myself, I'm not going to stretch first!!

MA training without practical serious resistance isn't effective at all. Be compliant whenever learning something new, then ramp it up, safely. There's a huge difference from resistant training and abuse; CI's must do everything in their power to avoid abuse while at the same time, providing effective training!! Effective and practical resistant training safely should be the hallmark of that MA school; that's what their getting paid for!! "How do I do that??" If that question has to be asked, then that individual shouldn't ever teach the MA. Imho!!

Solid post!! Welcome to KF, Higher Self; glad that you're here!!

I never think of fairness in relation to martial arts. I train of my own volition so ultimately I decide what I will or won't endure.I also don't compare myself to others, if the cookie crumbles in an advantageous way for someone I don't feel resentful at all. What ego I have is well in check and the way I was raised has never allowed me to feel I'm entitled to anything in life. Has something in your MA experience happened to prompt you to ask the question? To the bold type above... Nope!! My MA journey is peachy keen!! Change is inevitable; I accept that wholeheartedly. Having been in the MA, and in the capacities that I've been part of during these 53 years, one can imagine that I've seen, heard, and read from many practitioners from all forms of MA, and one of the things I see/hear/read a lot about, in and out of the Shindokan circle, is students complaining about something or another being not fair. So, I just wanted to start a conversation, here at KF!!

"You can't conceive, nor can I, the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God," says Graham Greene. He's speaking about fairness, and the lack thereof, quite pointedly, and without any ambiguity whatsoever. The trials and tribulations of the MA are economically and willingly adopted by each practitioner, one way or another, whether they like it or not. We endure endlessly without the regards of its consequences in either the short or the long of it for each practitioners own personal choice. If one can't discern from a paper clip to a roundhouse kick, then fairness is an alien process that individual. Governing Bodies, and I'm the top-dog in the SKKA, care about, for the most part, nothing beyond their own P&L Statements. "Cry me a river"...that cliche is growing more and more, than it ever has before. Many, in my position within a Governing Body, would rather sweep the concerns of their own Student Body because it's not complacent with their P&L's bottom line. Rank valuation...testing fees...testing cycles...curriculum's...rank structure...effectiveness or the lack thereof...and whatever else one can think of that's not agreed with...isn't fair whatsoever, nor was it ever. Fairness is like a juicy hamburger with everything, like it or throw it away. Either way, things must be dealt with in a proactive manner. Fairness is a commodity that's better served cold!! Since when is the MA based on fairness?? Where's the fairness in the MA?? What's fair and what's not fair?? Who's to dictate the fairness of the MA?? Who's to subscribe to the fairness doctrine of the MA?? edits: for spelling errors!!

I suspended, then eliminated any and all testing fees because I consider the MA as a want, and not a need. I wanted to demonstrate to my student body that they are more important to me, than money. Money, during the recession I spoke of in my last post, was difficult for many of my students to make ends meet. Not only did I eliminate testing fees, I also lowered the overall tuition pricing structure to the bare bone lowest possible. I've not looked back since!!

At the dojo?? YES!! At home, NO!! I've been video taping tests and classes at my dojo ever since that technology has been around. A very valuable tool to all concerned, like mirrors. Can't do without it!! Same at our Hombu, even though it was like pulling teeth out of a Bengal Tiger because both Soke and Dai-Soke were so very much old school, but in time, they warmed up to it, and I do mean slowly. Once they did, they acted as though it was their great idea, and theirs alone. Never did it at home for no specific reason, just never did it.

Not overrated whatsoever, imho!! A very practical and smart way to avoid unnecessary injuries, However, one has to stretch smartly, alas, correctly. I stretch constantly...at home, at the dojo, or wherever I can, especially as I grow older. At the dojo, I have my students stretch before and after class, and this I also do at the gym. Can't be overrated if it's very beneficial to ones health!! Is stretching overrated?? Is the air that I breath overrated??

Either way, go; nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'm with the crowd that would watch many different classes first, then, decide if the fit is a good one before stepping on the floor. Watching quite closely for red flags and all. Study long, study wrong!! Good luck, and please, keep us updated on your journey!!

Ours are very close AND compact to the body; receiving requires it to be so. We've never blocked before, nor do we plan on it ever; that's very alien to us. To us, the way we receive is akin to how a wide receiver catches a football; effortlessly natural.

What is the MA, is like akin to what the air we breath is made of. There are many acceptable as well as many assumption answers to that very implied question. Things like the MA, are very personal, therefore very sacred and guarded; to the breast of ones comfort, yet, without any self ambiguity whatsoever. Many concentrate on the word "Martial", while others concentrate on the word "Art", and even then so, others concentrate on the words "Martial Arts"!! Not ever reaching a satisfactory acceptance from the masses. Is that fair?? I just don't know!! The summation of 'why' is to the summation of 'because' as to What is the Martial Arts!! As to...“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time” Of the three groups above, none is correct, and therefore, none is incorrect, whatsoever!! Their answers are their answers. And, until we, as MAists, can respectfully separate the forest from the trees, we'll continue to agree to disagree with this pointed question far beyond our existence.

I agree. Also, I have an issue with demotion if it involves the physical taking of a belt. The student earned that belt (and likely paid for it), so, to me, taking that away from someone is pretty much theft. If it is something that I felt that I absolutely had to do, I would take to the Grandmaster at the head school about just having the demotion made in the records of the HQ school. Just out of curiosity: How many schools make students pay for their belts? Our color belts are given to us (no testing fee what so ever.) Black belt testing costs something like $100, but that covers a new uniform, embroidered belt and whatever paperwork our master instructor needs to fill out to register black belts with the WT. Within the SKKA network, we charged testing fees, which includes belt, for all ranks. Black belt testing fees were based on the Dan being tested for. That was then; during the USA Great Recession, which lasted from 2007-2013. We, the SKKA, suspended all testing fees until further notice. In my own dojo, I went a step further by completely eliminating all testing fees forever, which removed that annual revenue in the neighborhood of 40K!! Shortly thereafter, the SKKA voted to completely eliminate all testing fees forever. That decision has cost the SKKA an annual revenue of mid-upper 6 figures...however, the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few, or the one; that decision , for the SKKA and myself and other SKKA affiliated dojo's was a no-brainer. Not one dojo within the SKKA network has testing fees!!

Yes!! The stem is much shorter, and it has, what I call, a knuckle at the base of the stem, which gives it like a joint; not a stiff stem. That stiff and tall stem is why the other free standing bags topple over quite easily...bag moves, NOT the entire bag. That's been my experiences with the Torrent and many others!!

Quite fair enough!! Has your instructor ever "lied" to you, especially when it came to what he was/has teaching/taught you?? That drawn out explanation potentially enforces the simplification, in that what a beginner is taught versus what a intermediate is taught versus what a advanced is taught versus what Senior Dan's are taught/teach varies how they are addressed. Without doubt. On all counts. Then why stay his student?? I can't stand thieves and liars; I've no use for them, ever!! Because he's a very good teacher. But nobody is perfect, and even if they were, there'd be an imperfect student that thinks otherwise His approach works for most. And compared to other martial arts teachers I've encountered over the years, my current one speaks almost pure truth. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I've heard from others over the years. Solid reason!! And yes, I would believe some of the stuff!!

In Shindokan, rank can be demoted, however, Shogo titles, Renshi, Kyoshi, and Hanshi, can not be because they are bestowed, life long, and not earned via any Testing Cycle!!

Sounds to me like Shu Ha Ri!! [No novel from me, either!! I can do a novel on Shu Ha Ri...trust me!!]

I've trained with every known free standing bag, including the Torrent T1/T2. What I like about them is that they're not easily knocked over, and I hit like a mule, in which I have to stand up the others quite often. And yes, I knock these over as well, but not often. All in all, Torrent is a solid free standing bag!! Enjoy!!

To the layperson, Taikyoku Shodan and Heian Shodan look the same. Of these two, Heian Shodan is the advanced one. Taikyoku series is Shodan, Nidan, and Sandan, and depending on the school, are taught at Sankyu - Ikkyu, and not as a prerequisite of the Heian series, which destroys me saying Heian Shodan is advanced compared to Taikyoku Shodan, and other schools teach the Taikyoku series before the Heian series.

LOL!! No difficulties from me, at all!! I just wanted to start a conversation!! I giggle or frown, depending on the situation, whenever a Kyu ranked student assumes a position that they've no business or right to. Oftentimes, I don't have to be a witness for the floor because they have proven to me through a very short conversation with them what I suspected before; they've not the minimum of an idea what they're talking about.

Quite fair enough!! Has your instructor ever "lied" to you, especially when it came to what he was/has teaching/taught you?? That drawn out explanation potentially enforces the simplification, in that what a beginner is taught versus what a intermediate is taught versus what a advanced is taught versus what Senior Dan's are taught/teach varies how they are addressed. Without doubt. On all counts. Then why stay his student?? I can't stand thieves and liars; I've no use for them, ever!!

I agree most wholeheartedly with Brian!! Now, there's the dictionary definition, then there's the MAist definition; oftentimes, they're both worlds apart!!

Congrats, to both Noah and Devin; 5 years on staff, anywhere, is a symbol that needs to be recognized duly so!! I find them both quite more than affable across the board in their duties here atKF because they're not here for just a season, but for a reason; someone whom I can depend on in every situation here at KF!! I'm extremely fortunate to work side by side with them both on a daily basis, and they have helped me from time to time, whenever I needed them, freely and unselfishly!! Thank you both, and here's to another 5 years on staff, and thensome!!