sensei8

Man that is a blast from the past technique. An old instructor (boxing) of mine tied my right arm up for two months until I learned to use my left. Thanks for jogging the old memory Bob. Great stuff! Thanks, and you're welcome Ken!! After all, I'm old school too!!

While I'm still on reasonable terms with the departed instructor I wouldn't expect to be able to hedge my bets and then switch once everything is established and there's no risk involved. I've made my decision but it's tinged with a little regret. I would have liked to support the new club from it's inception but things are just too messy and, in spite of myself, I've always been a little risk averse. May I dare to say this... Try to not allow your decision cloud over your MA betterment. Initially, it's normal to second guess oneself, but in time, you'll not even think about it, and when to do think about it, you'll smile!! "The road I choose, has made all of the difference" ~Robert Frost

Solid post!! I really like your terminology of "wheelhouse" because that's the familiarity that drives the CI/Instructor. I teach the history, where it benefits the students betterment, but the fill-in-the-blanks is for the student to learn through their own research. My primary responsibility to my students is to teach the techniques and to guide them to the landscape of effectiveness of those said techniques, and not to provide a history lesson. What is the advantage to the students betterment to reveal to them the history of, for example, said Kata/Bunkai/Kihon...just teach the Kata/Bunkai/Kihon. I pray that I've guarded my passions here, and if not, please forgive me.

If a student has some difficulty of training southpaw or vice versa, then, for training purposes, secure the dominate arm so it can't move. Forcing the non-dominate to learn. Slowly but surely, the non-dominate arm will learn what it needs to learn. It goes down to familiarity, imho.

Every MA has one undeniable thing in common... Human beings are required!! The drawback to that one undeniable thing is that human beings are flawed. My point, if I even have one, is that traditional MA, or any other MA, traditional or not, don't need the help from UFC or the like because effective styles of the MA, are flawed to the nth degree because human beings are, well, flawed. Nonetheless, what's even more amazing is that flawed human beings founded effective styles of the MA so that flawed practitioners of said effective MA can execute effectively upon other unexpected flawed human beings. Oh here's my point...human beings, as flawed as they are, are exceptionally adaptable to the nth degree, and they've the built in internal/outwardly inertia to buck against the perceived impossible to exceed expectations, no matter the venue. They just need the chance!! Imho!!

I say this with much confidence, this thread boils down to... Spencer Johnson, M.D. [Look up the name; you'll get my meaning then]

I've ran into individuals on the floor that cast a shadow of doubt on themselves due to their lack, thereof, more than I care to remember. How so?? These questions might explain myself much better than another one of my long dissertations... Should an Instructor of the MA posses effective techniques?? OR... Should an Instructor of the MA posses a solid grasp of MA history, especially their core MA history?? OR... Both/Either of the two?? OR... Is there a middle ground that can be reached/satisfied?? Knowledge and experience are separate, yet, equal; context of the equality can differ. One can have one or the other, however, one should have both, but again, the context is about WHAT on the floor!? Do students want a history lesson or do students want to learn effective techniques!? I've the intimate knowledge of Shindokan as well it's history, whereas, I've also the experience garnered through BOTH!! As a result of my having been cross-training in the MA for as long as I can remember, I've also the knowledge/experience of other MA styles, albeit, not to the intensity of Shindokan, however, my being a student of the MA has allowed me to learn from those MA styles that aren't Shindokan; my ears to the ground, so to speak. I'm not boisterous in my comings and goings; I'm quite plain spoken about a lot of many things, in and out/on and off, that are of/about the MA. Then, there's the old saying that goes something like this... “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.” ― Lao Tzu, Tao Teh Ching. Inasmuch as I've witnessed those flood gates of impropriety within the MA, and they're most assuredly abound endlessly, that claim to be CI/Instructor but DO NOT have the most minimum knowledge/experience when MA history is concerned, not even an iota. My niche is that of teaching effectiveness of techniques to whomever honestly desires. I'm not a history teacher, I'm a MA teacher, even though I'm extremely well versed in its [MA] history. Please don't misunderstand me, history, like anything else in the MA, has its place, and it's importance, therefore, I do NOT, and will NOT ever speak disparagingly towards those who do teach MA history to whomever wants to learn said history. If my niche is to not teach, even though I'm very well versed thereof, MA history in overabundance, for reasons already mentioned here, am I lesser of a CI?? What fruits does a MA instructor want to be known for??

Everyone should be ambidextrous, nonetheless, the only way to become such is to train both sides all of the time, albeit not allowing students to favor a strong side; all sides should be strong equally, no ambiguity whatsoever in that quest. Imho!!

Or...Alex and Noah; they've done quite well on FB, if what they do at FB is what you're asking about.

Sorry, I can't help you with this, Danielle; possibly Patrick might be the one to ask. Anyhow, I wish I could help you; good luck.

Everyone wants to be the boss and everyone wants to be known as the best, and this is perfectly fine, but how one goes about that, well, that's where the rubber meets the road. From a distance, what you're witnessing, is confusing, but when you're in the midst of it, well, that's alarming because students are understandably uncertain about quite a many things while they wait for the dust to settle. Again, imho, the Student Body is hurt the worse in things of this magnitude.

Just curious, given your trouble within your organisation that you have described in quite a few other posts... do you feel that those rules actually worked? Yes!! Any dojo within the SKKA network can do whatever they want, it's their dojo. If said dojo doesn't want to support the SKKA By-Laws, then said dojo faces losing their charter for cause, it's the SKKA rules, it's their Governing Body. Worse things can happen if ones dojo isn't part of any Governing Body.

For the most part, change isn't greatly received, especially at its onslaught. However, those very same people that balk at change openly are encouraging change behind closed doors. I am of the opinion that the advancement of the internet, like anything else, has both its proponents of, as well as its detractors of, which is the normal flow. Is the internet striping the value of said MA school since its advent?? That depends on whom one asks!! Surely, it's of no surprise that I'm not in favor of the internet replacing qualified instructors entirely, nonetheless, the student is entirely accountable for its own betterment within its own journey. In short, students of the MA have the right to seek out whatever source they believe that they need from wherever that might be. If a school of the MA is worried about the internet being the cause for lower numbers, I'd challenge that instructor to first look into the mirror before arriving at any unsupportive conclusions. After all, the internet is here to stay, so we need to figure how to best utilize it instead of placing blame on it. It's a tool, either we learn how to utilize it or we ignore it; either way, it's an individuals choice. I've never utilized the internet for my own professional and personal reason(s), nor will I, and nor have I and/or am I worried about the internets impact on me and/or my dojo because I'm of exceptional quality on the floor. Imho!!

Thanks, Brian!! For Kancho and me, it simply means... Temporalis Auctoritate...Temporary Authority. Until the By-Laws have been amended, and then approved by a unanimous vote, we've full authority. Plus, we've appealed the vote, even though it appears to be a lock on us turning in the store keys when all is said and done. Transitions of this magnitude can take a minute or two to reach its final conclusion. In time, should we both be thrown out on our backsides, and while we'll still be members, in good standings, with the SKKA, we'll have no say so as to the daily operations of the SKKA. However, I'm the highest ranking member across the board, and that carries some hefty perks that can't be removed and/or denied and/or refused; FOR LIFE clauses!!

What's the most common Kata?? Whatever you, as the CI, says that they/it are/is, no matter what someone else might suggest. Teach what you know!! Those before me here have given you some solid advice.

You bring up some very valid points here. You have to assess what it is the instructor has to teach you, and just what the instructor's rank is. You want to get the most you can out of the instructor, and you want it to be what you want the most. I'd not look at the rank much because not all black belts, no matter rank, can teach, nor should they ever try. They've the solid technicians through and through, but they've not the minimum of an idea as to how to effectively convey the methodology/ideology as far as teaching is concerned. That's where the rubber meets the road. Both the CI/Instructor(s) and the student have to meet expectations because it's not a one-sided relationship; take two...one to teach, and one to learn...both accountable for their expectations. Students know what they want from their CI, and if the student believes that that CI isn't providing it, then the student has the right to seek out for a different CI; after all, the student is the customer. Is that CI providing the student with what the student wants?? Is the student experienced enough to know if the CI isn't providing what the student wants?? What the student wants doesn't have to be inline with what the CI wants, however, the student has to be accountable for their own training and practice. The student came to the CI, and the CI didn't come to the student; who knows versus who doesn't, and those have to meet somehow in the middle of the road so that both are satisfied, but there's a teacher and then there's a student...know you role.

Well, not meaning to throw a stick into the bicycle spoke here... The MA holds a treasure trove of importance to that said MAist, in which, what motivates and/or touches one MAist isn't the same for another MAist, but each stand upon their personal/professional reasons unswervingly, but nonetheless... What's NOT the point of the MA??

Congrats, Chunmonchek; well deserved!!

Yes, Pinan 1-3 (especially 1-2) has been drilled almost every session. 4 and 5 moves into much less known territory. What surprised me the first time I saw yondan was that one of the stances looked just like the ones I associate with Kung Fu. Little did I know then about the history of karate and its Chinese influences. Backwards in segments...sounds very hard, but fun and inspiring. Any particular favorite kihon or bunkai from Yondan you would like to pick out and elaborate some on? Curious and interested to hear about such. Relation to kihon/bunkai always makes parts of a kata seem more logical and makes it easier to remember To the first bold type above... The embusen for Pinan Yondan is unlike any you've encountered, thus so far. The introductions of transitional shifts and the like are also unlike any you've encountered, either, thus so far. Therefore, the Bunkai, especially Oyo, opens up the flood gates of effective possibilities, that's for sure. To the second bold type above... Without the Bunkai, imho, Kata is merely a dance. As far as the Kihon, well, imho, they stand seperate and away from the Kata; Kihon speaks for itself, and truly don't rely on the Kata, like the Kata depends on the Kihon. It's the Bunkai that marries the two together, Kihon and Kata, and can't be divorced from the Bunkai, however, and once again, the Kihon doesn't need Kata.

Yondan provides a bunch of yummy things across the board as far as its Kihon and Bunkai are concerned. The upgrading of transitions are quite exciting, or can be. I love drilling it backwards in segments...I'm evil that way.

Time contributes to ones wear-and-tear whether one like it or not. This October will usher in my 54th year in Shindokan Saitou-ryu. However, my being 60 years old, 61 years old, as well, this October, have had my share of dings with the knees, my right knee in particular. How do I continue to train A static body can't remain strong and healthy!! I exercise the tar out myself, and it every known part of my body, especially where my knees/legs are concerned. Without turning this thread into an Health, Training and Fitness forum... Strong knees require strong quadriceps, glutes, and calves!! I've a strict routine at the gym, and my lower extremities are no exceptions. I've an extensive series of knee strengthening/extension exercises that I do daily, both at home and at the gym. For example... Mini or partial squats Standing hamstring curls Marching in place Heel raises Quad sets Straight leg raises Wall slides with a ball Clams Glute bridges Side leg raises Resistance band leg 4 corners Knee extension machine (AT THE GYM, unless you own one) Leg presses (AT THE GYM, unless you own one) Those are some of the exercises I do daily. Some other things I do, and am not ashamed about... Compression Knee Sleeves Stretching routine Swimming Biking Let's also not forget one of the easiest exercises that strengthens the whole body, not just the knees...walking!! No matter all of the care I take to protect my aging knees, there's one factor that I can't ignore, and that's not effectively defending my knee, however that might be, from a well placed kick, and if the knee is struck at the optimum angle, well, the knee's simply toast. For me, I keep moving, and just jam the crap out of them, while leg checking them as well, when they try to gain distance from me, well, I'm like that irritating glue that you just can't get off and/or get away from. I also try to keep my right knee in the rear of my stances. I do all that I can do so I can continue to train. Anyway, hope this helps a little.

Kaicho/Kancho are not ceremonial roles, by any stretch of the imagination. Dai-Soke held the Kaicho position, under Soke, from 1950 to 2008, 58 years. Nothing!! To our knowledge, neither did anything to warrant their decisions, personally and/or professionally. So why?!? Reason of Redundancy!! The Board expressed that having a Kaicho AND a Kancho, while they're important positions for the sake of the check and balance affect, were antiquated, yet, we admirably had fulfilled our expectations, as well as our responsibilities of obligations. The Board, furthermore, expressed that the existence of the Board was far more than adequate to run the day to day operations effectively, whereas, the Kaicho and Kancho positions are superfluous, in that, the Board absorbs both the Kaicho and Kancho, henceforth. Our Legal Team states that a Silo Effect seems to have taken residency unwittingly by either parties. One other reason, directed directly to me, was the Mobility Clause; however, that was ruled in my favor due to the fact that I was grandfathered through Dai-Soke to administrate mobile, in which, conference calls via Skype and/or cellphone, are admissibly approved by all parties.

Thanks, JR; your support, as well as your kind words always mean a lot to me. There's more than one way to skin a cat, and if that way's not forthcoming, then I'll make a way.

All Hierarchy departments are still active, therefore, executive leadership across the board exists, for the moment.

Point 1. Anytime you have more than 3 people "in the room", there's the potential for "politics"...an unfortunate truth. Point 2. I couldn't agree more...I wish more did. Solid post!!