sensei8

Yes I do; it goes down to bearings. One has them, while the other doesn't!! A "Karate Master" can spot a fake "Karate CI" faster than a speeding bullet...faster than a locomotive. How?? You already know what I'm about to say here... Proof is on the floor!! https://www.karateforums.com/proof-is-on-the-floor-vt36016.html?highlight=proof https://www.karateforums.com/proof-is-on-the-floor-an-addendum-vt41784.html?highlight=proof

Solid post!! I simply, easy for me to say, turn the audience off; they have no bearings. Now, I've not always been like that, especially when I was a kid. As I grew up, I saw the audience for who they were to me...unimportant. I can also say that it has helped me a lot to turn the audience off at will because I'm on the floor quite a lot teaching IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, both students and visitors, in all sizes of classes/venues. Teaching for as long as I've been, has numbed me to the presence of any audience type. So, yeah, teach for a while, and the audience factor is pretty much non-existent.

The SKKA does have it's requirements. However, the CI has the final discretion. No, not even in the slightest am I ok with that. Crawl...walk...run, in that order, and it's that way for a very good reason(s).

I, too, hear what you're saying, as well, Brian; through and through. And you're absolutely correct when you say that us instructors would never encourage our female students to engage male students in combat. However, I'd not discourage my female students to engage a male student in combat if that's what they wanted to do of their own volition. But to even a small point, hasn't rules and regulations made it whereas the females being separate from males made it the reality that it is no matter the venue. There's the weight divisions, for example, rules and regulations that have made it in the minds of human endeavors that a lightweight can't beat a heavyweight. So much so, that doubts are automatically raised because of those who are proponents for weight divisions, no matter the venue. Women aren't in many professional sports, like the MLB, for example, because it's been routed as a man's game; no women allowed mindset. And for some of those professional sports, I might be willing to agree...maybe. Is the human race slightly prejudice against women because they're women?!? I mean, there seems to be a very limited equality towards women in many, many sport venues. The MA world is not exception.

I wholeheartedly agree!! What kind of CI would I be if I didn't motivate my Student Body that they can, and will get better at it on a daily basis?!?! With every failure, comes immeasurable success on and off the floor, and every success overshadows that failure as though it hadn't occurred as only a learning opportunity. 7 times down; 8 times up!!

Thanks, Brian. You'd do just fine in a 5K, Brian!!

No one here is saying that. UFC is for elite fighters. And elite females are always going to struggle against elite males. As they do with every other sporting activity. Self defense or general fighting is a different thing. I think you are confusing a few things here, Bob. I think the vast majority of us as Martial Artists or MA Instructors are teaching our students to learn how to defend themselves, which I not necessarily the same as winning a fight. Self-defense = survival. Getting out of a situation in which one had to defend oneself from an attacker has nothing to do with wins and losses. We teach our male and female students to attack directly to vulnerable, vital targets quickly and powerfully in order to facilitate what???....to facilitate the chance to get away, get safe, and call the authorities. Not to "win" or "defeat" the opponent in a "fair" contest. I do see the point you are getting at, Bob, but I think its an entirely different point you are thinking of. You might be right, Brian...I might be confusing a few things here. Whenever I read it over and over again that women, especially women MAists don't stand a chance against a man, MAist or not, for various reasons, and some of those opinions have stemmed from right here at KF, and not just within this thread, I believe that my confusion is warranted, but my confusion is more directed towards those who's opinions write women off. Has any male MAist here ever been bested by a female MAist, ever?? Well, I have, and I'm no pushover whatsoever by any means. I've not learned the MA to win contests, nor have my students; albeit, to survive an attack. And to me as well as my students, and how I've/they've been taught the MA, and how my students have learned the MA from me, is that an attack is an attack, nor matter the venue, is taken seriously.

That sentence alone makes me so happy I'm here! There's noone else in my life who shares my passion for Karate (although my husband tries very hard to look like he's interested when I'm rabbiting on about it) so it's great to find like-minded people. Your thoughts on earning the gi through deciding to train is lovely - I hadn't thought of it like that. Sensei8 thank you. Reading back over my post I thought "oh God, it reads like I think I'm the enlightened one or something!" Really, if you picture Zen and look in the opposite direction, the tiny dot on the horizon is the person 1 million miles closer to Zen than me! I'm glad it didn't come across that way to you. I know I've just taken my first step on a very very long journey (and now I'm very glad to have company!) I share in your excitement through and through. The MA journey is a tough one, and it should be, but the rewards throughout the journey make it all worth it. Don't allow anyone, including your husband, to steal your joy achieved through the MA. Have fun...practice until the wheels fall off, and then some...train as though your life depends on it, because one day, it just might. You'll not pass ever Testing Cycle, and you're not suppose to. Actually, you'll fail much more Testing Cycle's than you'll pass. Remember, rank isn't important in the MA, however, knowledge and experience are paramount. Train hard...train well...proof is on the floor!!

I too, have noticed that. Seems to me that flash is replacing solidification within today's weapon production. It's become the rage of the page, and it appears that that's what generates the consumers interest. The cheaper one can produce a product, the more profits; exciting the bottom line of any P&L over quality is increasing.

5K aside, I might've bit off more than I could chew...maybe!! My number was 158 for the run. Or in my case, jog. Another sea of participants, which with this being my second 5K in Tulsa, OK, I blindly thought that there wouldn't be such a large following. So much for what I know. The run started promptly at 0730, partial cloud cover, which kept the direct sun at bay. I was in about the middle of the pack, and darn near got ran over by some of the overly enthusiastic runners. I suppose they really want to win the run, whereas, I just want to finish the run. The overall run has 3 parts to it. There's the 1 Mile Fun Run. Then there's the 5K. Then there's the 10K. The 1 Mile Fun Run is where you run in about a 4 block radius in downtown Tulsa, OK, all routes are very well marked. In the 1 Mile Fun Run, participants can either walk or run, and this is where you'll see strollers and a lot of kids. The 5K is where you run 3.5 miles on a selected route through downtown Tulsa, OK. And I was surprised, more than last time, that this time there were more hills than I could've imagined there would be in downtown. In a car, one doesn't pay much attention to the hills, if at all. The 10K is where you run 6.2 miles. In short, for the 10K, you will do the 5K twice, following the same well marked route as those who are only running in the 5K. There are several "Water Stations" found throughout the route, for remaining hydrated throughout the entire run, no matter if it's just the 1 Mile Fun Run or the 5K or the 10K. Yeah, I call it a run, but I was corrected several times yesterday that it's a race, and not a run. You race your race, and I'll run my run! This is my first 5K with me having back my Afib!! Like I mentioned earlier, I might've bit off more than I should have. I did push myself. Even though I found a nominal pace in which to survive the run, and I did complete the 5K run in 47:51:19. Snail pace, to be sure of. I was darn near dead last place when I crossed the finish line. So slow, that some of the 10K runners had finished theirs by the time I had finally finished my 5K. I drank the water slowly, and partook the advantages of each and every Water Stations along the route. Wore a hat, some sunscreen, and lose clothing. I was alarmed after I crossed the finish line, I wasn't fatigued whatsoever, much, but I was a little winded, which is to be expected with Afib, and had just finished a 5K run. What alarmed me at the finish line was my HBPM [Heart Beats per Minutes]...195bpm... My target rate HPM is 160bpm during exercise and the like. 195bpm can become fatal!! Standing under a huge fan blowing water mists, drinking ice cold water, and doing my breathing exercises to bring my bpm down, eventually helped; took me a solid 10 minutes to bring my bpm down to 84bpm-98bpm. Yes, that's still above normal, but not with my age and having Afib. I enjoy the 5K; it's a great cardio, and I usually lose anywhere from 6-8lbs from the run. I've done the 5K back in Houston, TX in just under 30 minutes, and my hbpm averaged 113bpm, and in less than 2 minutes, I'd bring my bpm down to 64-68bpm without Afib. There's one more 5K in two weeks, then there's 2 more 5K's in September to end the season. I am on the fence if I'll do any of them because of the 195bpm I experienced. Don't want to run into a heart attack of any kind, just for the sake of exercise and the like. I'll find out if I can walk the 5K or not. After all, it is a "race"/run, and not a 5K walk. I did return to the gym last night, and spent about 1 hour and 45 minutes on the StairMaster, TreadMill, Rowing, and free weights doing some variety of things so that I'm not doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, and not achieving a darn thing.

Welcome to KF, KarateNewbie; glad that you're here!! I enjoyed your post through and through; gave a lot of perception into your character and all; solid across the board. Enjoy your MA journey. Don't be afraid to ask questions of your CI, and of us here at KF. I look forward to your many posts in the future here at KF.

Very solid post; that is a lucid, intelligent, well thought-out post. Existing in a karate club when you're opposed to sports karate, must be quite of a challenge, from time to time, if not all of the time. What's your exact impression of your CI?? Is the dojo geared one-hundred percent of the time towards sport karate, and nothing but sport karate?? Are you required to partake in sport karate, with no exceptions?? If the CI is more than qualified, then, if it was me, I'd simply remain there and just train. Setting aside any differences I might have concerning anything related to sport karate. While I did partake in sport karate in my youth quite heavily, and throughout my MA journey up to the late 80's and early 90's, before finally walking away from it, I was, and still am, that staunched proponent of traditional Karate-do, without any reservation and/or ambiguity whatsoever. In the dojo, and especially on the floor, tradition is paramount to the Nth degree. No conversations regarding sport karate because my dojo's have always been traditional across the board. I learned to separate the two loves of my life, and not allowing either of them to become intertwined with one another. Tradition was pure; like my Soke and Dai-Soke, my dojo floor is sacred and holy ground, and in that, sport karate is the bane of the existence Karate-do. Away from the sanctity of the floor, sport karate was live and well. Trained in it in secluded places with other kind minded enthusiastic MAist in preparation for up-coming tournaments. I did this all of the time up to retiring from sport karate. However, I still do play an important role in MA tournaments by volunteering as an Tournament Arbitrator, and occasional judge. My love for both traditional and sport karate isn't an oxymoron, whatsoever. I keep them separate...I keep them at a far away distance from each other...I keep them biased from one another. While I might be encouraging my Student Body to partake in sport karate, I don't allow those conversation on the floor. Want to discuss that aspect, it has to be done in either my office or in the lobby or in the retail area or away from the dojo, but never ever on the floor. I believe that you can co-exist in the dojo you're attending currently. Let them do what they want to do, which is sport karate, while you do what you want to do, which is traditional Karate-do. Does it have to be a Catch-22 thing?? Does it have be feel like you're caught behind the 8-Ball?? Your CI is the key to you co-existing in that dojo. Without him supporting you separately from the others, there is no future there for you, or at least, very difficult to attain.

To the bold type above... Yes, students should refer questions to the CI the most. However, with kids, especially the beginning students, the CI is that big bad scary monster that you, as a kid, sure don't want to get near. As well he should be. The one that most, if not all, questions should be directed to!? OR The big bad scary monster!? OR Both!?

If I might suggest something. Have a sit down conversations with your CI if you really believe that you're doing much more teaching than learning. Be respectful in your request to sit down in the quite of the office, and remain that consummate student/instructor in discussion the thing(s) that you're genuinely concerned with. How many classes, and days do you teach in a 7 day period?? How many classes, and days do you attend class in a 7 day period?? Ratios of students that are also instructors, I believe that the ratio, in a 7 day period, should be, imho, 3 to 2: 3 days being that student, and 2 days being that instructor. This will leave 1 extra day to train at home, and 1 day to kick your feet up to relax, and/or spend more time with the family. First, speak with your CI regarding your concerns!!

To the bold type above... Yes, students should refer questions to the CI the most. However, with kids, especially the beginning students, the CI is that big bad scary monster that you, as a kid, sure don't want to get near.

Well...I don't drink, nor have I ever drank any alcohol beverage. I use to live right near a Budweiser Brewing Plant, and whenever I went by it, the smell of the hops was strongly bad; made me want to puke. I know...I'm a big dork!! However, man oh man, I can home-brew one mean tea and/or kool-aid!! Albeit, I've enjoyed the posts here, thus far, and I look forward to read more on this subject.

Live in the now, and not in the future!! Train in where you are, not worry about what's in the future. If you're a 5th kyu, don't worry about 1st kyu, and if you're a 2nd kyu, don't worry about Shodan. Worry about the present, and the now!! Worse I've seen is 1st kyu worrying about Sandan and above. That translates, and makes it transparent, that rank is everything. Then they wonder why they're still 1st kyu...many years later!!

Welcome to KF, OkamiBlack; glad that you're here!! I, too, existed in a very traditional Okinawa Karate dojo forever and a day, where sport karate wasn't appreciated or wanted by both of our Soke and Dai-Soke. Neither of them supported it. None of them wanted it. None of them wanted to ever hear about it. None of them could care less about it. None of them wanted their Student Body to partake of it. NEVER. EVER. They both were dead against sport karate; to them, sport karate was the bane of karate's existence. However, neither of them ever once refused us for wanting to experience sport karate; better to have tried it, then to have never tried it at all. Neither of them ever retaliated against their Student Body by suspending them and/or expelling them for wanting to compete in sport karate. Again, they just didn't want to hear about our ventures and/or our journey into the world of sport karate. What they understood was this. As being part of their Student Body, we were not owned by them; they couldn't tell us what to do because we are human beings, and not their property to do with as they'd like. This was equal towards both the children and adults of their Student Body!! And for us children, our parents/guardians/etc were the first and final authority over us, in and out of their dojo. There was a small band of us teenager JBB's that formed a group called, The Weekend Warriors. We traveled up and down the state of California competing in many tournaments, both small as well as large, every weekend. Soke and Dai-Soke both knew of our little band of sport karate enthusiastic misfits, but they allowed us to continue as part of their Student Body. In time, they eased up their strictness across the board concerning sport karate, but very, very little...we took it...better than nothing. In my own dojo's, I encourage sport karate among my Student Body, but just as long as Shindokan is their priority, and not becoming secondary. I encourage them to seek out open tournaments because Kumite against no one else but Shindokanists is a waste of time. The more different styles they face at these tournaments, the more well rounded they'll become. Kumite against those differences will hopefully open their eyes to expand beyond Shindokan.

Thanks for sharing that video, Danielle!! My thoughts: What I saw was another valuable tool for MAists. Especially when the MAist is a child. I support this program of the Gracie's wholeheartedly, without ambiguity whatsoever. Confidence in buckets!! That's what I saw in this Gracie program for it's students who partook it with that sponge absorbent attitude.

MA care very little on genders, as it should. It's the CI and the like that propagate that small vs large...woman vs man as a negative mindset right lff the bat. As a CI, this mindset is an insult to every female MA student!! My female students know, without a shadow of doubt, that I have their backs across the board. I've no different approaches when it comes to teaching both male and female students...none. Why? To me, a student standing before me is nothing else but a student. Not a female student, and not a male student; just a student. Female students of the MA are JUST AS CAPABLE as male students of the MA!! Male MA students aren't better than female MA student, vice versa! It's time that we CI's believe wholeheartedly in their female MA students. After all, YOUR FEMALE MA STUDENTS REPRESENTS YOU, AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR AS THAT FEMALE MA STUDENTS CI!! I'm not saying this towards anyone here at KF, CI or not!! I'm addressing CI's in general! My Dai-Soke would've disowned me if I felt that female MA students were inferior to male MA students, no matter the venue, no matter the stakes, no matter whatever. Shindokan is only as good as the practitioner because Shindokan in and of itself, is effective across the board, not perfect, but extremely effective against whether the opponent be a female and/or a male...it's the person that stands before me, and I must deal with that person to the best of my abilities. Until I turn into Superman, I'm subjected to one truth that I can't deny...I will not win every altercation, no matter what. I'm content with that because of just how deeply I believe, and live, in the maxims of Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro. These maxims separate those who believe and those who don't believe...and I wholeheartedly believe. Our female MA students within the Shindokan circle accept that same fate, and with dignity and resolve. Win or lose...competition or not...they will not worry...they will not retreat...they will not bask in fear!! Why? Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro...they believe in it as well!!

Sing it with me, if you know it... Happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you, Danielle, happy birthday to you...and many more!!

Thank you, each and everyone who's supporting me on this journey; means everything to me. Things are going great at the gym. Hired a trainer for just one session to provide me some more structure so that I don't give myself a heart attack while at the gym. Afib, causes the heartbeat to race higher than normal. And the way that I attack the gym, can put my heartbeat at a very high risk of having a heart attack. Being smart at this moment!! Which will be new for me...being smart, that is a stretch for me. While my goal is to lose 111lbs by October 2017 is still alive and well, I must be honest with myself, the Afib coming back, has slowed the process of losing the weight like I want to. Yes, I'm losing weight, but not at the rate I was per month. Plateau's are a tad harder to break with the Afib, but not impossible. I have to remember this one thing... So, I constantly change my approaches to my exercise: Health first...weight loss, a very close second. Tomorrow...I'm entered into a 5K run again, starting at 730am...I'll be there. I'll pace myself, and I'll complete it. It'll take a little time to finish it, but it's not a race, and if it was a race, well, I'd come in last...and love it!!

Groin! Always go for the groin! Or eyes and/or throat... those are acceptable targets, too. ALWAYS, re-stomp the groin! Again...again...again...

Then why in the world are we instructors teaching/promoting females in our core styles?? Why?? Because it looks good on paper, in some office, somewhere?? Seems to me that no one is giving any female the respect I feel, and believe, that they wholeheartedly deserve/need. A female with 10...20...30 years on the floor against a male with similar years on the floor, under YOUR guidance, the female practitioner is effectual across the board as the male practitioner under YOUR guidance, as well. If we instructors don't give our female students any chance against a male student of equal knowledge and experience, then I feel/believe that we should just close the doors of our MA schools. Why? What we're teaching is for BOTH GENDERS!! Not for just one...not for our favorite bet...not for this and that. Our floors are full of both female and male students, and while the ratio might have more male than female students, and they EACH equally deserve our most loyal attention to provide them our best. We, as MA instructors believe in what we're teaching our Student Body, equally, but whenever push comes to shove, the female student is left without any hope and/or comfort in their learned effectiveness, by their own instructor(s). Imho!!

As fast as I need to be. As fast as I must be. As fast as required. Speed...acceleration...quickness...velocity...rapid...fast... Here's the one constant thing about the word "fast". Physicists, for example, when describing things like "acceleration"...don't ever use the word "fast" Is the speed/acceleration of our movements gradual or instantaneous? Both! Depending on vectors and how they are set in motion, mean everything. As a MAist, I strive to increase the "speed" of my movements, but only at any given rate. Parameters dictate those given rates, and if my "speed" is nominal compared to others, but still alive, then it might be sensible to grasp that effectual "speed" is "fast" enough to a attainable goal. "Speed" and "velocity" aren't the same thing: speed is a scalar, whereas velocity is a vector. One must use different rules when combining "speeds" and combining "velocities". I consider my movements, especially when my hand movements are concerned, quite exceptionally "fast". This, I believe, is due to the endurance of many decades of training in Shindokan; Shindokan is 85% hands, 15% feet. I'm not that overwhelmingly impressed at how "fast" another MAist is because it's, to me, not that relevant in its totality. Sure, I can express just how "fast" another MAist movements are, just like others. However, I end that being overly awestruck because during any given moment, I've a job to do...only one job...being "faster" than my opponent at any given necessary time(s), not constant time(s). I admire capabilities, but that's where it ends. Why?? Because I'm only concerned with my own, even while I'm aware of my opponents own capabilities. Again, I've a job to do, and God willing, I'll do MY job far better than my opponent.