sensei8

Perhaps... Belts is to ranks as the deep blue sea is to the deep blue sky; both are different, not the same, not even in context and/or content. Can the two be separated; belts and ranks?? I sadly wonder if it's even possible for some, if not many!!

Solid post!!

Another serious practitioner can spot another serious practitioner; the clues are to striking to ignore. The package isn't mistaken as a possibility, but more of a concrete affirmation.

I am trying to trade the shift. I also know how hard up my department is at the moment with people out sick. I have a good boss and now that the semester is over and I can fill in where needed. But, Bruce Lee on the BIG SCREEN. I am trying to trade it though. I won't call out sick. I wholeheartedly respect that!!

Has anyone here ever had a visiting BB question your decision of not upholding their BB in an unprofessional manner?? How'd you deal with it?? I just politely ask them to leave; opinions vary, his/hers and/or mine. However, this is MY dojo, end of story!! I've had them get in my face, but I'm not that easily concerned. Put your hands on me, well, time to do what I do the best...give free karate lessons.

A very noticed and marked improvement over time through their mature approach to their training/practice.

Great topic, Danielle!! Thank you for starting it!! Great article across the board, as well!! All students, and not just kids, have to be rationally challenged at all times. If students aren't challenged, then burn-outs around the corner. I do agree, that students need to engage in other activities outside of the MA school, the sooner the better. Too much of a good thing, or one thing, spoils the fun, as well as the learning. The MA is a serious thing, and in that, it's also suppose to be fun. I play with the kids, literally, and the younger the kid, the more I play; I'm that child that they don't ever have to be intimidated with at all. This topic is a serious topic, and I don't ever want to just brush over it; ignoring its importance whatsoever. Kids are the MA future; handle them with loving care!! There are my immediate thoughts, for the moment. There should be a sign, at the entrance to my dojo, that reads..."Pushy Parents Be Warned!!" I set the tone, and not the parent!! I teach the parent to know their role, and when it comes to my dojo, I run it completely without their help; their help isn't expected, nor is it ever appreciated. The parent came to me, I didn't come to them. I set the rules, and I teach the parents to know that right out of the gate by telling them just that in our initial conversation. If the parent doesn't understand that, then the parents and the child can go somewhere else!! I've no ambiguity whatsoever on this. I'm the CI, the kid is the student, and the parent BETTER JUST SIT DOWN AND SHUT-UP!! I welcome conversations with parents about anything EXCEPT anything that occur, or might occur, on the floor. When it comes to the floor, I'm God, as far as the parent is concerned. I earned my abilities within the MA on my own, and not one parent can tell me one darn thing about the MA, especially when it comes to Shindokan. My rank, my title, my everything is why I'm the CI, and the sooner the parent accepts that reality, the faster we can teach their child...without any of their unsolicited advice!! Other than that, I'm a sweet teddy bear, and a real nice guy...who has been teaching the MA for 47 years, almost 40 years on my own in my own dojo's.

First off, welcome to KF, Azulx; glad that you're here!! Your student did well; which is evident with the still picture of him with his new belt and certificate!! Congrats to him!!

As far as a knife threats concerned, the one constant about a knife attack is...be sure that you bring a gun to the knife fight. All I can do is continue to train; honing my skills in the best way that I know in the event that I'm attacked. Realistic offense and defense have to be sharpened across the board both mentally as well as physically. Self-defense might be changing, however, I believe that in the core of self-defense human beings are what they are, and in that, known limitations of the human body are unchanging. It's man/woman VS man/woman; keeping it all as sensible as possible...not being overwhelmed by the threat. Reading up on the rage of the page new threats is one thing, but if at all possible, realistic training to recognize them, prevent them, and to defend against them is far better than pretending that whatever won't ever happen to you. The MA has it's limitations, and the human being is THAT limitations of the MA; we're our worse enemy. Within our world, there are things that we can defend against, in which we can be prepared for, and if I can be prepared for it, then I might be able to defend against it. However, there are things in this world that we can't defend against, chemical threats, to name just one, be that doesn't mean that we don't prepare for that possibility. Do the best that one can; never giving up!!

I hate thieves and liars; no use for either!! Pretend stories, to me, is lying; not interested, and their credibility is lost forever!!

Not all black belts can teach, nor should they try; either they can or they can't!! Both, teacher and student have to reach a middle ground together, and then, decide if their relationship is a fit. If not, then they must part ways. Compatibility's are strained if ones not willing to compromise enough for the betterment of the goal. That goal is LEARNING!! Who's to compromise? The student and/or the teacher?? I believe...BOTH, to some degree!! The teacher teaches the curriculum to their best abilities. The student learns the curriculum to their best abilities. That middle ground, for the learning/teaching can be reached, has to be defined somehow by someone. Just because the CI/black belt runs the curriculum and the school, that doesn't mean that the student is the property of the CI/black belt. Either the teacher or the student have to decide what's best for themselves. I've seen black belts give into the student for the sake of retention. That's the worse thing a black belt can do because the middle ground becomes quite muddled; who's the darn teacher and who's the darn student...decide now!! The student's betterment depends on an instructor who CAN TEACH!! However, the teacher's betterment depends on the student who CAN LEARN!! If a student and I are not compatible, for one reason or another, and attempts have been made to the betterment of the student, then it's time for the student to seek a wider sky somewhere else. As the teacher, I have to teach THAT student because not everything is universal on the dojo floor; learning curves vary...teaching curves vary too!! Imho!!

What one can expect, at a glance, is that outwardly identifier, until the floor starts to revealing what's not noticed by those outwardly identifiers that were noticed but at a glance.

Knowledge and experience can't hide on the floor, no matter what the outwardly identifier might be. However, that too is subjective through the observer. Imho!!

OK...you've just convinced yourself to take a day off...go see Enter The Dragon; enjoy!!

I'm not proficient at shadow boxing! Ok, then please do what TJ-Jitsu has also asked.

Belts in and of themselves mean nothing. Rank on the other hand, I would say that depends where you got the rank and what standards you had to meet in order to get it. In BJJ for instance rank is not just handed out, at least I've never known of any BJJ school that does, so if you've got a high rank in BJJ you would have to have earned it and it will show on the floor. Ranks still mean nothing; unless ones chasing after rank, instead of just training. Belts are just the outwardly identifier of rank. Imho!!

Devin, you did it....Nidan!! Congrats, Devin!!

Now you're talking; congrats LLLEARNER!!

I hate that advise. Then they can get you for tampering with a crime scene. The "old" way saved them paperwork. Now the crime scene guys would get their undies in a bunch. If deadly force was justified in the living room, it will still be justified when he bleeds out on the lawn. I agree; this is just bad advise. Was it perhaps said in a joking manner? Nope, my dad says the cop was dead serious!! My dad rejects, as do I, that cops advice. Not that this matters, but the circa was 1981.

Yes, it's slower, thanks. However, it wasn't a combo; just a straight punch. I would still like to see your feet movements.

There are just too many things within the MA that annoys the tar out of me. Above all things is the pageantry of the MA!! After that, the others annoy me differently, depending on my particular mood that day.

Flawed?? Nope!! Here's why I believe it... https://www.karateforums.com/proof-is-on-the-floor-vt36016.html https://www.karateforums.com/proof-is-on-the-floor-an-addendum-vt41784.html I don't believe in things as the "best" because it's an assumption of the observer. Your hypothetical here still speaks about him, while he's much elder nowadays, he's still an "expert" through his knowledge and experience. Besides, anyone at any age, and at any knowledge/experience and, if we must consider, rank, can dodder into any dojo and stoop over a zimmer frame, and still be an "expert" by the observers interpretation. An "expert" at anything, including the MA, can trip over who knows what. I had once been accused of not possessing any MA knowledge and experience because during a pool game, I missed a lot of shots. This persons reasoning was that all MA should have a keen hand to eye coordination, and I shouldn't miss that many shots. My argument towards that guy was... "I don't know what you know about the MA, but in all of my years in the MA, I never ever once saw a pool table in our dojo...not ever!!" 53 years later, I'm still poor at playing pool, not good at bowling, not good at horseshoes, not good at darts, not good at basketball, well, there's a lot of things that I'm not good at, well, except the MA.

Well first, let’s start with that hair. It’s a little too long. High and tight is the way to go. Your shirt also needs to be ironed too. It’s a T-shirt so you could just spritz some water on it and toss it in the dryer. You appear to shave on a daily basis though, and with no toilet paper your technique on point. Hope this helps.... .... .... ... .... Ok seriously now, if you’re trying to learn how to punch or get critique of it, we need to see your hips and feet. You’re moving neither nor are you moving your shoulders. Elbows should be in nice and tight for a good punch (imagine being at the top of a chin up). In all fairness I usually keep my elbows wide mostly because I’m a defensive fighter and I’m looking to clinch, but if I’m looking for power, they go low and tight... I am moving my hips and feet. Then, please show us that!! Pictures are worth a thousand words...if there's enough information provided.

Let's say you have someone who is fairly low in grade, but understands how there's no such thing as technique, just principles from which techniques can be built on the fly. That person can see a hundred different uses for a basic low block for example, and they can put all those principles together naturally as they move. But they can't seem to learn the lingo, and they struggle to remember the sequences of forms. Conversely, you have someone who can perform any form to competition standard. They can speak all the lingo. They know all the history. They can perform a jump 360 roundhouse to head height. But ask them to improvise or gods forbid, actually fight, and they have nothing. Would either of these two hypothetical extremes qualify as a martial arts expert? That answer will be dependent on the individual your asking, and in that, the term "expert" is as vague as the term "black belt". Someone can be an "expert" as a Shodan depending on the individual terming said practitioner. A Shodan is more of an expert than a Kyu ranked practitioner. However, that Shodan isn't much an expert as a Godan; depending on the dojo/style/etc. A "So called expert" tag surely is an insult across the board; doubt of credibility!! Is an "expert" a "master" in said style of the MA?? Once again, that answer will vary considerably. As far as your hypothetical goes, neither of them are "expert" for one reason or another. Ability for a jump 360 roundhouse to head height, and the like, is far from being an "expert". Knowledge is far from knowing history and lingo because a well written book can provide that and then some. No, for me, proof is on the floor!! Nothing else, for me, tells me what I need to know other than the floor; there's no ambiguity whatsoever on the floor!! I'm very well versed in the lingo and Kata in both empty and weapons and in the history and in Kumite/Grappling/Tuite/Etc and applications and so on and so forth both in and out of Shindokan; 53 years on the floor...Kudan and Hachidan...Does this make me an "expert"?? Depends on who's asking and who's interpreting of the factors. Once again, proof is on the floor!! Imho!!

Proof is on the floor!! Belt and/or rank mean absolutely nothing across the board; a symbolism that derides the practitioner without the knowledge and experience. Only the layperson views either, especially the belt, with an unaware eye. The MAist, those same things still aren't clearly understood; oh, they have their own idea as to what it might be, but even that's a mystery. These symbols are a very well known part of the MA, and those that practice said MA have accepted them for their own reasons.