sensei8

By all means, Happy Father's Day to everyone; be safe and have fun!!

Learning the Kata is piece-meal; a little at any given time, not too much so as to not overwhelm the student, particularly the beginners. The Kata IS separate FROM the Kata; neither are taught ever the same. Kata is the paragraphs while the Bunkai is the chapters of said book [The name of said Kata]. With beginners, during group classes, I do throw them into the mix. It is follow the leader, and other students around them, while my Sempai's keep a very close eye on them; all of the time, I'm darting in and out with corrections as necessary. All of the time, Bunkai is being taught. Either along with said Kata, AND/OR Bunkai applications through segments, tiny, never numerous, to avoid overwhelming the students. Too much can spoil the learning. Plus, we teach resisting training from day one!! I've dozens and dozens of ways that I teach Kata/Bunkai, and never the same way because students are not the same. I'm a staunch proponent of the three K's: Kihon, Kata, and Kumite, and that they ALL must be taught, and without any ambiguity whatsoever. If all your dojo does is Kata and no effective Bunkai, then you're being sold tainted goods. Kumite is the horsepower that drives the engine, Kihon and the transmission, Kata. Kata and Bunkai have to be taken apart and put back together over and over and over forever and ever; baby steps to the most finite detail because there's more than one way to skin a cat. ASK QUESTIONS: DOUBT what you're being taught, but at all times, be respectfully of your CI, and refer back to your CI over anyone else. If you're not doing as much Kihon AND Kumite with your Kata, then, your dojo might be setting you up for failure across the board. Time!! Be an intimate friend with time because it will take endless time to learn whatever it is that the MA is teaching. Nothing happens overnight!! Generally speaking, and imho!!

Congrats, shortyafter; well deserved!! Doubt?! Welcome to the MA. Seriously, what I know about you, through your posts here, is that you're doing fine. You respect the process across the board, and your MA journey has just begun. Doubts are erased by the endless Aha moments through Shu Ha Ri that you'll experience for the rest of your life. I got your back; you've got my support!!

Either way, hopefully XtremeTrainer will further explain the "Christopher" thing to us, if possible. My offering of a possibility as to why wasn't received well, and I'm cool with that because I could be so far off base.

We, of the SKKA, do not interfere with dojo politics whatsoever because we respectfully honor the boundaries that exist between the dojo's and the Governing Body, us; they've their agenda and we've ours. Understand, at the SKKA's earliest days of a spouting network of dojo's, the SKKA DID interfere with dojo politics heavily. However, that was very short lived once Soke realized just how damaging that was to the whole, and not just to the parts; that made all of the differences. Sure, the SKKA still does visit ever dojo within the SKKA network, with a visual presence, but that role is purely supportive, and not dictatorial.

Just move; don't overthink any movement. If the CI corrects you and/or doesn't correct you, then so be it, it's for a reason; it's a win-win either way. With your experience, any experience, the CI will correct only what's necessary, and will not bother with the smallest details. Just be yourself, train hard, and don't worry about anything. The CI will respect your experience beyond what you've might've already told him once your on the floor. Learning a new styles methodologies and ideologies is all part of transitioning from the familiar to the not so familiar. Besides, you already have accepted that you're a beginner in Shotokan, even though TSD has a solid connection between the two.

Also, if one did take the decades to master each of the individual arts that went into creating Kaj, I think something would still be lost - the synergy. One guy who "knows" (I hate using that word) all five arts wouldn't (imho) be the same as fives guys, each knowing one, meshing them together and identifying how each compliments or detracts from the other. Solid post!!

I believe that XtremeTrainer's use of the name "Christopher" was in reference to A MAN, and not just a name, which is a male name. So, XtremeTrainer wouldn't hold anything back against A MAN, but he would possibly hold back against A WOMAN!! I could be mistaken!!

Once again, you're loyalty to your style's methodology and ideology is right on point, and should be commended despite what other styles insist upon, as if their way is superior to the way your learning and training in; heel up or heel down is, and always will be, the preference of said style/practitioner. Train hard and train well!!

Is our body meant for combat? Not really - we have a lot of exposed weak spots; we'd have no chance cage-fighting the tiger. We have the strength of an animal, because we an animal, however, we tend to get in our own way, and we muddle the whole thing up faster than not. Toughness we already have, but it's tempered by many internal, doubt, and external dependents, that which we're facing at that very moment, and oftentimes than not, I believe that we're made perfectly for running away from whatever in the hopes we can fight another day, if it becomes an absolute. Why is it that we MAists would rather avoid a fight/combat than engage in a fight/combat??

But if my knee is parallell to the ground when connecting compared to vertical? Which is the proper roundkick configuration? Whenever I do a side kick or a roundhouse kick, my kicking knee is pointing to the side as my support foot turns 180 degrees away from the target. If I do a front kick, my kicking knee is pointing up. If I do a back kick, my kicking knee is pointing down as I turn my supporting foot 180 degrees away from the target.

Momentarily before the heel comes to rests, quite often and normally. For nothing, did anyone notice his left foot shape, kind of a wave shape.

Solid post!!

I hear you. In Shindokan we never block, we receive; requires quite a lot of maturity across the borad.

Styles of the MA have different methodologies and ideologies. As I've mentioned before, we, in Shindokan pivot on our heels when it's necessary; primarily in our close range and Tuite. We've many techniques that the heel MUST be in contact with the ground; for the most, at the very end of said technique. Who walks only on their ball and/or heel?? I don't. I use the entire bottom of my foot whenever I go from point 'A' to point 'B', like whenever I'm walking to the store or to the inside of the store or when I'm walking around inside the store. I like to those moves you refer to if possible, are there any clips on YouTube you can direct me to? Check out Mr. Rick Hotten's video's; he's Shotokan and solid!!

Mr. Hotten is solid across the board, imho!!

To LLLEARNER and MastsuShinshii...

Solid post!!

Styles of the MA have different methodologies and ideologies. As I've mentioned before, we, in Shindokan pivot on our heels when it's necessary; primarily in our close range and Tuite. We've many techniques that the heel MUST be in contact with the ground; for the most, at the very end of said technique. Who walks only on their ball and/or heel?? I don't. I use the entire bottom of my foot whenever I go from point 'A' to point 'B', like whenever I'm walking to the store or to the inside of the store or when I'm walking around inside the store.

Yeah, that's a good point because not many utilize the spear hand as a go-to technique as one would use a punch; comfort and all. Shindokan teaches the spear hand, but in my 53 years of training in Shindokan, I admit freely, that the spear hand isn't my go-to technique; situation, space permitted, would have me go-to the spear hand. It could also be use as a pre-emptive strike. Thinking how it is used in Heian Nidan, the support hand can grab a sleeve and push it away (twisting the body away) while the strike hand either strikes or grabs. True. The Bunkai can be all over the place. Choosing which one is both practical as well as effective are all part of the Oyo portions; knowledge and experience can oftentimes make the decision through resistive training. Albeit, BJJ/MMA more than likely would steer clear of the spear hand all together for that practitioners own reason(s).

You are ALL bad, bad people!! I'm that curious cat, yes I know curiosity killed the cat, and whenever I see a thread title, like this one, well, darn it, I'm drawn to it, like a moth to the flame. Plus, as a KF Sensei, I have to read posts, as it's part of my duties here at KF. Meany bad people...all of you.

Instead, as a suggestion, ask your instructor, and no one else; he/she IS THE FINAL WORD!!

Solid post!! Shindokan is ALSO stuck in the stone age, and we don't apologize for that. We've tried countless amount of times to produce one, but nothing came fruitful from our well meant intentions. Nowadays, we don't even try to produce a website because it's just not that important to us anymore. Whenever we're told the pros and cons of having or not having a website, we just shrug our shoulders because those reasons either side of the argument are important only to them, but to us, those reasons are also just not that important to us. Besides, there's enough MA websites to go around. Adding one more just doesn't add value to the MA world. Proof is on the floor, and not in any MA website and the like. Imho!!

I'd have a problem with this (25 / Godan) if actual ability and understanding of the system was the benchmark of grade but I would accept it more readily, as you could achieve this level if you started very young (I guess), than a 25 yr old Judan. Still wet behind the ears in terms of mastery in martial arts. Just not possible IMHO. TKD in Japan? Good catch Spartacus Maximus. I earned my Godan when I was 26, just 3 months shy of my 27th birthday; I started training in Shindokan in 1964 when I was 7 years old. But a Judan AT 25 years old is impractical across the board, even if said person founded their own style. That person is still vastly to immature to hold a Judan and all that it's suppose to represent. EVEN, if a board appointed said Judan to a 25 year old; that's uncongenial. It's a slap in the face of anything and everything that the MA is. What MAist would take that rank at that young age seriously?? I sure wouldn't!! Imho!!

Yeah, that's a good point because not many utilize the spear hand as a go-to technique as one would use a punch; comfort and all. Shindokan teaches the spear hand, but in my 53 years of training in Shindokan, I admit freely, that the spear hand isn't my go-to technique; situation, space permitted, would have me go-to the spear hand.