sensei8

Speaking about Bruce Lee... "Running water never grows stale. So you just have to 'keep on flowing.'" And of course, then there's this well known classic... “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

Excellent review, singularity6, across the board, thank you. Me, myself, and I love the Meijin Gi's, and I too, have several for specific occasions. Imho, the Meijin Gi quality surpasses many other well known brands across the board.

Once again styles differ from one another, with purpose, for example, whenever I teach Zenkutsu dachi, the weight distribution is not equal, however, it's more 60% for the front foot and 40% for the rear foot. Now, Kiba dachi, is one of the most widely used stance in all of Karate, no matter the style, and its weight distribution is equal, with both feet sharing the load...50% each.

Make sure you of course, ask your CI (Chief Instructor) as to the proper foot/feet placement, just to be for sure. With any quality instructor, there is no such thing as dumb or irritating questions, so ask away.

I believe that if ones not born with either of them, they can be learned, but in time. However, in order to learn, one will have to be born with the special totality, and/or they've been raised by parents who already possess those characteristics, in which they then pass those abilities to their children by how they raise them. Nonetheless, not everyone can or wants to learn those characteristics for their own reasons.Fight or flight!! Pick one!! Oftentimes, and that varies in individuals, those characteristics already exist. Just takes the right person and the right situations to bring them to bare.

First off, welcome to KF, pati1r; glad that you're here!! Kake dachi... Tsuru ashi dachi... The exacting placement of the foot and/or feet, as well as hand placements will vary from style to style, school to school, however, these might give you a reference. What style do you train in??

You want something, then work for something as though you want something, and not in a passing fancy, but with an unreserved resolve. You want something, then earn it, and earn it honestly. Never giving up on that which one is wanting; preserving without admitting defeat are the earmarks of a MA, because the light can still be seen at the end of the tunnel.

Perception is reality to THAT individual!! His workings are dynamic; this I can't deny, and possibly more modern than some might admit openly. But he's just one man, and the world is full of notable individuals. Often times, I feel that his time was then, and it's not now; things that were beneficial back then are not beneficial now. He was Samurai!! I admire that!! His days were brutal and feudal, and his battles were glorious, and were fatal with an unreserved resolve; his survival depended on it.

Body language is everything to me, and so is facial expressions!! Ignoring them or not understanding them are the first mistakes in learning how to defend oneself. Sizing up an opponent might start with recognizing the body language and/or the facial expression. There's no mistaking them. Can't recognize them? Then learn them before one even begins to learn the MA.

To soak in or to not soak in; that's the question!! Do I have that mindset? I believe that I most assuredly do!! What worked for Musashi, no matter what it was, worked for him, and was unique for him. I respect that, if nothing else!!

To throw down confusion or to not throw down confusion; that's the question!! Do I have that mindset? I believe that I most assuredly do!! What worked for Musashi, no matter what it was, worked for him, and was unique for him. I respect that, if nothing else!!

To hold down a pillow or to not hold down a pillow; that's the question!! Do I have that mindset? I believe that I most assuredly do!! What worked for Musashi, no matter what it was, worked for him, and was unique for him. I respect that, if nothing else!!

To hold down a shadow or to not hold down a shadow; that's the question!! Do I have that mindset? I believe that I most assuredly do!! What worked for Musashi, no matter what it was, worked for him, and was unique for him. I respect that, if nothing else!!

To crush or not to crush; that's the question!! Do I have that mindset? I believe that I most assuredly do!! What worked for Musashi, no matter what it was, worked for him, and was unique for him. I respect that, if nothing else!!

I'm demented but I want to see the Vikings being the first team to host the SB in their house!! GO VIKING!!

Solid post!!

In the means of survival, there's no such thing as "ungentlemanly like behavior", and as you've already mentioned, all's fair in love and war. My life or his life...I choose my life. As Bruce Lee put in on a Longstreet Episode..."Aren't we animal?!?" Not only will I bite, I'll do everything and anything that's "ungentlemanly like behavior" to the Nth degree without reservation to defend myself. I'll not feel bad about it when all is said and done. "No first strike!!" It's a model, and one I value. However, yes, however, I'll not only strike first, but I'll do everything and anything, and I do mean everything and anything to my opponent. Nonetheless, I'll only do what I feel is necessary and nothing more. Mike Tyson has faced the music for biting Holyfield, but I must say that while what he did wasn't gentlemanly like behavior at all. However, I believe that he did what he did because at that very instant, he went in survival mode the best he knew.

shortyafter, great update, thanks!! Sounds to me that you've got a great grasp as to what you want and what you need when it comes to your MA betterment. Btw, congrats on you earning your Green Belt!! Feels good, huh?!

Starting your own club, Danielle, is a great idea because you've got everything required in making it a great success!! Your Student Body will be very fortunate in having you as their instructor!! I hope so... though it probably won't go over well at my current club or with my instructor True. However, I believe that they'd both support you across the board because you represent them. Albeit, If your current club and/or your instructor create difficulties for you then neither of them are worthy of you, therefore, there are more fish in the sea than the for you to affiliate with. Why do you believe that it probably won't go over well with your current club or with your instructor?? After all, neither of them own you!! I believe that the club is just a chip off any Governing Body, and in that, if the club shuns you, the Governing Body should still support you opening your own club. Sure, it's always important to have their support, I respect that, but you have to follow your dreams, and not theirs. I ran into some difficulties when I first wanted to open my first Kyuodan Dojo from my Dai-Soke, but, it was my decision, and not theirs to make. If that meant that I'd be shunned with no direct relationships with the SKKA and/or Dai-Soke, then so be it. There are worse things to have happen. Like being their slaved robot. When Dai-Soke saw and realized that I was going to open my dojo without his blessing, and that it was my right to do so, he quickly jumped aboard in full support. No matter what anyone says, you have to follow your own path, and not the path of others...no matter what!!

Starting your own club, Danielle, is a great idea because you've got everything required in making it a great success!! Your Student Body will be very fortunate in having you as their instructor!!

The Cowboys beat the Eagles 6-0. Yeah, I was both shocked and not shocked. After all, whether the Eagles won or loss, the Eagles were already in a great spot for the playoffs. Still, it's nice to see the Cowboys finish the regular season with a 'W', and not a 'L'!! 2017 NFL Playoffs AFC: *Patriots *Steelers *Jaguars *Chiefs *Titans *Bills NFC: *Eagles *Vikings *Rams *Saints *Panthers *Falcons Well, it'll be the Wild Card teams facing off against one another that's next!! Should be some pretty good games there. Looks like it might be the Patriots VS Vikings at Super Bowl LII in Minnesota. That's why I'm rooting for the Vikings during the playoffs because if the Vikings make it to the Super Bowl, they'll HOST and PLAY in their house; they would be the very first team to do so. As far as my Cowboys, well, they can do what I'm doing, but in better style, watch the playoffs on their TV at home!! GO VIKINGS!!

Seeing that I'll have Afib for the rest of my life... 1. Continue to teach 2. Continue to train 3. Continue to put the Student Body of the SKKA first

Styles aren't anything; whereas, substance is everything!! We're not suppose to learn the MA so that we are a member of something, or if we're here studying how to model while walking down the ramp at some fashion show. Substance must be effective because it is said that to much of a good thing can destroy everything on the floor. This is where the dojo pageantry gets in the way of effective training. A buffet is appealing, however, it only satisfies for the moment, and not for a life time!!

In all of my days, I've seen men/boys go easy on women/girls because of their mistaken acceptance that the female is of the weaker of the two. It sickens me to witness these type of acts because these acts are unwarranted. How is any student going to learn effectiveness if they're treated as though their a fragile flower that's meant to be coddled and protected?? Their not going to learn anything effective, whatsoever!! Worried to hit a women?? GET OFF MY FLOOR until you can learn that the person in front of you overrides anything else. "I'm afraid to hit women in their chest; it's inappropriate!!" To my students, please get over yourself, and do it quickly, or get off my floor immediately, if you were one of my bashful men/boy students. Women will make field goal attempts with your groin at the very first opportunity with such resolve; you men better learn how to deflect/receive the attack much better or that fragile flower will make a 3-point field goal with your you know what's, and she won't bat an eyelash one bit!! "Ah, she's so cute; I can't hit her!!" Well, she's not saying the same thing about you men/boys; not in the slightest. "When there is an opportunity, I do not strike, 'it' strikes all by itself!!" ~ Bruce Lee Now do it with the person that's standing before you without hesitation!! If not, it'll be your own fault when you're singing 12 octaves higher and your prostrated on the floor. Perhaps that's when the true AHA moment arrives. Imho!!

Boys are doing quite well, which isn't much of a surprise considering the training and support they've both received all of these many years. It was, and always is, quite a refreshing thing to walk beside while all of you are in this journey. Thanks for the update, and all of you, especially Kendall and Kenneth, stay safe and have fun!!