sensei8

Which quotes were good and which were out of date?I'd have to go back and review. I do recall reading it and thinking "wow, the world has moved on from that perspective." Hagakure gave me a similar impression, as well (except Hagakure was way more boring.) Miyomoto's words are two things, a gift and a winning mindset; same holds true also with Bruce Lee.They are not going to be able to re-explain them selves so we can understand them, neither should they. A martial artist, now or in the future will be able to make sense of their insightfulness and make good use of it. If Miyomoto is difficult to understand, just, think how difficult it was for his opponents to figure him out, without his book or manual to go by. Miyomotos teachings are not a read it once and you have it figured out, it is more like a place to review and revisit throughout your martial art journey, to make more sense of his words than the last visit. To the bold type above... If I was Miyomoto's opponent, and his book or manual was available, I'd not have the whole and complete understanding because, imho, books/manuals can have that intention underlying withheld in its manuscript. A teacher doesn't always reveal everything that's taught to their student for that teachers own reason(s). So, I'd be cautious as to what I was reading because one can't judge a book in its totality because Miyomoto might have kept things to himself. Have to keep the blade sharp, at all times!!

To yours and you, both near and far; Merry Christmas, JR!! Being with family and friends on Christmas day are magical!! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!

Anything is possible! Visualization isn't a joke! Neither is positive thinking! Imho!!

One of the simplest tests I find is to ask someone to punch. IMHO regardless of what striking style they've done in the past, people who have trained before will move their feet, legs and hips when punching. You see them ground themselves and their hips move in coordination with the arm. Your average Joe on the street punches with just their arm, not their whole body. Solid post!!

As I mentioned in my previous post, a MAist can recognize a MAist right off the initial meeting. Those unintended clues shout out because of the unavoidable likewise mannerism's that are caught immediately. A MAist isn't, or imho shouldn't be, boisterous whatsoever. Confident, but measured!! A MAist has enough about them through both their knowledge and experience, and having been on the floor, don't stick out in any type of bad light. A MAist, even if they're new to the dojo, have a more than noticeable calmness as to the surroundings; the dojo floor is the one place that they feel at ease through and through. While they might not know the Kun of that particular dojo, they've been on a dojo before, in which they already know enough dojo etiquette to not have that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look. Same thing with Kumite. A MAist, even a 10th kyu who's been on the floor before, has the familiarity to not be surprised and all. Nonetheless, a MAist that's been on the floor for some time, have that familiarity of Kumite. Again, their Kumite mannerism's are there, and very much so is their polished level of movements. Another MAist can recognize noticeable mannerism's right off the bat, I know I can!!

Yep...I see that a lot and I deduct accordingly without haste!!

PRACTICE!! Without knowledge, the dull blade remains, but with knowledge, the blade is sharpen...IN TIME!! Familiarity is a vital ingredient to the understanding of EVERYTHING that encompasses the Kata; knowledge and experience are the hallmarks of quality. Unless one practices with resolve until the end of time, the dullness will remain!! How one trains is how one fights!! Train in a haphazard way, then one will move in a haphazard manner!! Everything must be trained with a quality of purpose of one mind and body and soul; otherwise, just sit down, and stay down!!

Oh yeah!! Likewise practitioners of the MA can tell quite quickly; it's like the moth drawn to the light. Other MAist's, especially those who've been on the floor for quite some time, can almost immediately recognize another MAist, even those who've not much time on the floor. There's a certain quality that can be denied from one MAist to another MAist. Way one walks, talks, mannerism, movement, and the like are quite identifiable by another MAist, and once again, especially by one's who've been on the floor for quite awhile. Signs can't be avoidable...signs can't be covered...signs can't be disguised...signs can't be misunderstood...signs can't be waved off...signs can't be denied, so on and so forth; there's an unquestionable tone of truth that can be easily spotted if the person that stands before you is either a MAist or isn't a MAist...ahem...the proof is on the floor!! It takes another MA to recognize another MAist. Either one is or one isn't!!

Who's to say enough is enough?? That too, imho, is subjective, and for cause!! I personally believe that our Soke's choices of what kata's, both empty as well as kobudo, were for a reason, but was Soke's choices a personal or a professional one!? I do know that Soke despised anything and everything about what was current in the realm of Okinawa Karate-do, and it was his most profoundness desire to separate himself from the powers that were operating in his days as far as way as possible!! The funny, or not so funny, thing is that neither of us here, or anywhere else for that fact, have the authority to rename and/or remove said kata's from your current curriculum as authorized by your Governing Body!! However, as MAist's, we can learn and explore and whatever else anything we want to, and this includes any kata we choose that's outside of our core style without anyone's permission. Might make this thread/topic mute, but interesting!! Interesting enough to converse about it, as we are doing now. Kata on!!

Top notch solid post; I wholeheartedly concur!!

Well put; solid post, and to the point!! I wholeheartedly agree!! Thanks. I know it's uncharacteristic for me not to write a novel. You and I can be the very model of writing...ahem...novels; we seem to share that trait.

Normally, I report a lot of things that are NFL here, but for some reason, I've lost the drive to do so this season...Sorry!! My poor Cowboys have been kidnapped by aliens or something because the team that was on the fields last year have gone missing!! The replacements have tried to play, but they've failed. No playoff hopes!! About mid season, the Cowboys needed to win ever single game to be wild card hopeful!! However, the Cowboys have not lost a game since then. But the last two games of the season will drive the nails into their coffin, for sure!! First the Seahawks!! They've helped by losing some they shouldn't have, welcome to the NFL. We face them December 24th!! We've not done so good against the Seahawks, as history will stand. This game against the Seahawks...the Cowboys will lose that one!! Then to end the regular season, we've the Eagles. Only two teams have beaten the Eagles this year, and the Cowboys weren't one of them!! This rivalry goes along way back, and with the ways the Eagles are playing this year...the Cowboys will lose to the Eagles, as well. The Cowboys need to win the Seahawks for sure, and to beat the Eagles would be the icing on the cake, and secure them a wild card. But the Cowboys of lately, when it comes to be the playoffs, well, the Cowboys are a 1-and-out team. Yes, I love my Cowboys, but real is real, and I have faith in the real and now!! GO COWBOYS!!

In my 53 years in Shindokan, and it has its share of Kata, to be for sure, I learned quite a many different kata outside of Shindokan. Why?? Curiosity!! What are their Bunkai and the like, compared to Shindokan, was my driving force behind learning their kata's, and not in a passing notion. What I found was the many, many similarities between the kata's, with changes here and there for their reasons alone. Learn one or learn a ton!! That's up to the individual, imho!! I do see two things...effectiveness and ineffectiveness through and through in the plethora of kata's that I've learned, and I've learned a lot of Kata's; some still haunt me. Have I added anything of importance by learning so many different Kata's to my MA betterment?? That answer will change because I'm still learning and don't know everything!!

I wholeheartedly agree!!

You take the high road, and I'll take the low road; semantics can be the bane of the MA existent...who's correct, who's not...who's pure, who's not...who's effective, who's not...so on and so forth!! What I call this and that, might not be the same for the next person, no matter how hard I try to explain it to that individual, the meeting of the minds are so far apart. All I can do is smile!! Wait... Proof is on the floor!!

Perfection through knowledge and experience and practice!! I'm not perfect, nor is anyone else, for that fact!! However, in the searching of that perfection, for me, is not a wasteful life on the floor. Will I ever find that perfection in myself through knowledge and experience and practice?? NO, I WILL NOT!! I'm content knowing that, yet, I'll not ever stop in the search of perfection!! I'm complete in my MA totality through my never ending search for that allusive perfection!!

Well put; solid post, and to the point!! I wholeheartedly agree!!

"I don't care, put hands somewhere, anywhere; just put them up!!" our Dai-Soke would command quite insistently, and often. Dai-Soke taught us the many different proper mechanics of hand placements, with a particular emphasis on Fichidi, put wasn't stuck on it as the end of all end all, just another method. However, the placements of ones hand is of no concern because by themselves, the hands are mute. The entire orchestration of the body, from head to toe, must be in concert with one another as that one instrument of motion through harmony. Dai-Soke was adamant that while hand placement MIGHT be an important ideology/methodology to some, and not for others, what mattered was the end resulting application of the hand. Remember, Shindokan is 85% hands!! Oh, I could go on and on and bore the tar out of you all here if I was to beat the drum with the details of technical and mechanic of it all, but, I won't, and let me just say this one thing... Put your dukes up!!

Solid post!! Welcome to KF, Combat sambo life; glad that you're here!! Thank you, I was just looking for a place to communicate with other martial artists. What system do you train? Shindokan Saitou-ryu; it's an Okinawan style that's Shuri-te and Okinawa-te based; 85% hands and 15% feet!!

Gamesmanship...can be thought of as cheating!! I'm OK with that!! After all, everything's fair in love and war, and the MA is a form of war, to me because my survival depends on my dubiousness to be far better than my opponent. What about my living with myself should I choose to cheat?? I must be proactive to ensure my survival, thereby, I'm OK with that:; I'll not lose any sleep over it. No matter the game, I want to win!! If the MA is a game of surviving, than whatever gamesmanship I choose, is acceptable to me, and I don't care what might be said about me because I must, and will, survive!! What games tune up my gamesmanship?? That's easy!! CHESS!! Chess pits two warriors across from each other with one thing in mind...WINNING!! Chess has more twists and turns in one game that one can ever imagine. But with Chess, well, with the purity of that game, I don't cheat. With Chess, my gamesmanship is simple and direct...I get down to it, I get on with it, each movement of each chess piece is provided according to its pure merits, with my own abilities, without showing off. It is said that Golf is a gentleman's game, fine, OK, but Chess is a pure gentleman's game. After the dust settles, and Checkmate has been established, and the proclaimed victor and loser have been with cause, the three stages of the game of Chess provide a dynamic strategy that hasn't many equals in comparisons. If it's the MA or a game of Chess, I believe these worlds collide in life's most dubious methodology and ideology of them all...The Game of one-upmanship!! May the best one win!!

I've not the time nor the inclination to be superstitious whatsoever; it only gets in the way of my progress!!

80 plus years old!! After that, I really don't care one way or another!!

To the bold type above... You're still practicing as often as you can all that you've been taught thus far?? Have you mastered all that you've been taught?? Have you spoken with your instructor about your frustrations respectfully?? I know you want to be a better MAist; I sense that. PATIENCE WHILE LEARNING!! MA betterment is achieved but only in time!! Do you still believe in your instructor, outside of your frustration?? Do you still believe that your instructor challenges you often?? If no to these last 2 questions is a NO, then maybe it's time to go. Who's fault is that...you and/or your instructor??!!??

Welcome to KF, melvis; glad that you're here!!

So if I may... Yes the gloves are heavier but you need them to protect your hands. I mean the core issue of the problem is you- lack of snap isn't the fault of the gloves, its the fault of you. This isn't a "yes or no" in terms of "do you know how to throw a punch" and more about "how well do you know how to throw a punch." I'm with you about the gloves inhibiting a bit, but this is a blessing not a curse. Consider, what gives snap and speed to a boxer isn't so much the attack itself but the recoil after the punch has hit its target. A common problem most people have is focusing on the attack but relaxing and being completely oblivious to the recoil. If your punches lack that snap and feel sluggish this sounds to be the issue. You need to consciously think about engaging your shoulders and delts to pull the punch back with as much "intention" as there was when you threw it. The same applies to sub par pad holders. Sure enough it is annoying as hell when someone hasn't a clue how to hold mitts, especially when they keep their hands (your target) 3 feet apart from one another.... but again this has potential... Everyone loves hitting pads and loves hitting the bag because you KNOW its going to be there when you swing- you can always rely on that "pop." The most important thing IMO is shadow boxing. The greater the discrepancy between your shadow, bag work, and pad work, the greater the difficulty you'll have sparring/fighting. This is because you cant rely on your punches to always make contact. If you cant control your punches (read: your balance) you're going to have a lot of difficulty. A poor padholder can be a blessing in this sense because you have no idea if hes going to get the pads there in time or not! As such don't wait for him but fire that combo out the way you do with the power you do. If it hits great and if it misses it should already be forgotten by the time the following punch is thrown. It becomes a great way to help bridge that gap between shadow boxing and sparring. What you'll then find is that you only have as much practical power as your ability to keep your balance allows- this is why you can see a guy kill the bag in the gym but hit like a pussycat in the ring, and why a seemingly thin or small guy can hit like a mack truck.... Hope this helps... Solid post!!