sensei8

Solid posts, Alex and Brian; I wholeheartedly concur with both of you!!

In the cop world, we call this Verbal Judo, trying to de-escalate a situation if at all possible. Brian and/or Alex, Is Verbal Judo taught in many, if all, Police Academies, and/or while on training patrol with an experienced training officer?? How's Verbal Judo taught?? If one can't be effective with Verbal Judo, does the cadet fail out of the academy?? Or is Verbal Judo something that one either has or doesn't have??

I don't have a spiritual bone in my body. The "keep living" moto is easy when nothing serious is happening. The choices you make when something bad happens will shape you as an individual, however. It's in these times that you learn the most about life, and about yourself. Solid post!! Akin to 7 times down...8 times up, I suppose. As it possibly might be in concert with the bold type above.

It just might turn out to be a very sound judgemental decision in the long run. Nothing ventured, is nothing gained...so...why not?! At least the offering of even the most modicum of MA lessons for its tourists might give them some sort of comfort, both law enforcement as well as the tourists. It's said that it is better to have learned something, than to have learned nothing. A applaud the efforts endlessly. The naysayers might speak about a many of negative things that would come out of this type of arrangement. Nonetheless, anything of a possibility doesn't come without some sort of difficulties. Then I say to the Japanese Police...teach on...and teach them well.

To the bold type above... Now...that's funny as all get out!!

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." ~ Robert Frost Why? It's better to have chosen, than to have not chosen at all. Personal choices? Yes!! Professional choices? Yes!! To many choices to speak about here, one not more profound than another, yet mostly assured, they were each important to my family and I. Most personal... When I was diagnosed with Afib October 4, 2016. Afib now gone, ever since my Cardio Inversion in January 2017. I made the choice to make the necessary changes in my life style; to have a much better and healthy life style. Bringing the bad to an end!! Birthing the new!! Watching my diet strictly, exercising, going to the gym, portions and not binging, and so on and so forth. I was a disaster...WAS!! NO MORE!! I've lost 70lbs thus far in my goal to lose 111lbs by October 2017!! Most professional... To accept, and resume, my previous duties and responsibilities. But to do that, I had to make some serious personal, as well as professional choices; not, for me, an easy task. Mainly because I'm, well, STUPID to the Nth degree. I've someone here at KF to thank for providing me with that doze of reality and truth. A truth that I refused to accept, at first, but quickly realized that this person at KF was absolutely correct in his assumptions. I was the proponent of propaganda towards a certain individual within our governing body, and towards that governing body itself. Bitterness, anger, hurt, resentfulness, and so on and so forth; these are ugly things to carry for as long as I carried them. NO MORE!! NO MORE!! NO MORE!!

If Karate is the core, and there's no grappling learned/taught in the core, to speak about, then I'd say that that Karateka would benefit quite a lot from leaning and incorporating BJJ/or any grappling style, i.e., Judo or wrestling. After all, it is better to be equipped, than to not be equipped at all...JUST IN CASE!! Not all fights end up on the ground, but the percentages will favor that you'll end up on the ground. If you've no grappling skills, and you're on the ground, well, you're in a world of boo-boo; not a good place to be at. So, yeah, learn BJJ/Judo/Wrestling/etc. AS WELL!! Why not!! Nothing to lose, but everything to gain, imho.

I suppose that Greg and I exchanged with one another on the floor at the harshest level because we wanted to forge ourselves to what the rigorous of actual contact would be in a real life and death situation. The reality of there being no patty-cake, no pulled punches, no give and takes, no gauging, no by the rules, and so on and so forth; just how it is in a real fight between two human beings that are heck bent on destroying one another for whatever the reason(s) might be. The harder we engaged with one another, the better, for us. Those bouts were another way of learning for us. I know I learned a lot from the manner of which Greg and I sparred with one another with such determined resolve. How to better understand what Dai-Soke was teaching us than to test it in as close to a real fight, and the way that Greg and I sparred with one another, it was akin to a real fight, except we were best of friends, on and off the floor. In the manner of how, for example, we "block" in Shindokan, is the furthest thing from "blocking". We RECEIVE the attack, akin to what a wide receiver does on the gridiron. The way we "block"/receive the attack takes many years to understand it and many additional years to be competent in it. We drill how to receive, but to drill on how to receive in live combat, well, that's a whole different animal. Drills are good for nothing if there's no substance behind them!! Talk about limitations, and after the introduction of any said drill, that's what one's left with: Limitations!! I don't want supposed abilities!! I want battle tested abilities. What can you and I really learn from one another if all's we ever do is the minimum, and never the maximum...and then some?! Not much, imho!! Oftentimes than not, our sparring methods, Greg and I, were described by onlookers as well as fellow MAists, as cold and barbaric. With which we'd gladly express our gratitude because that's exactly what we both were searching for...cold and barbaric...the more, the better.

My short answer.... Wear a white belt: if the student is officially learning a new style!! Visitor's are just that...VISITING!! In-House Students aren't visitors!! Be one or another, but not both...at the same time!!

For me, it's always been quality over quantity. Earning one black belt after another is the choice of the practitioner, and not me, in which I will respect their decision to earn multiple black belts. It's just not for me!! That's why, and it was my choice to do so, I've dedicated my MA life to one style, albeit, I've dabbled in a wide plethora of MA styles through cross-training because not one style of the MA is that complete across the board.

That's good news, imho. Thanks for sharing that, Danielle!! That temporary cease fire between those two organizations, if for only a moment, just might neutralize hostilities just enough to repair the bridge of separation as well as the much needed fence mending for the overall betterment of Korean MA; the future can be now, if they choose it to be so. "One Taekwondo, One World" can begin to make that a reality, and not a far-fetched idea; and it begins with meetings and mutual agreements between these two powerhouses continuing both near and far forward!!

No, I wouldn't have a tattoo on my face. Mike Tyson's tattoo on his face isn't intimidating.

If I might suggest the following... Perhaps the Tai Chi practitioner wasn't the best representative of Tai Chi, therefore, the MMA practitioner dominated. Having said that, neither of the styles, MMA and Tai Chi, in this encounter walk away with black-eyes!! Why? The styles are solid!! It's the practitioner that's not solid; the fault belongs to the practitioner, and not the style, imho. That MMA's practitioner's assumption and/or believe that Chinese martial arts is fake, while Japanese martial arts isn't, is, imho, that MMA's practitioner's opinion. While I respect his/her opinion, I don't subscribe to it. The MMA fighter wanting to derail MAists in China in the hopes of promoting MMA, to me, seems that his/her MA training would best serve the MMA practitioner to improve his/her betterment, imho!! Someone's always better than you, even if it's just for the moment!!

What is fake?? What's limited and what's not limited?? Opinions on either will vary just as the winds vary!! Perception is reality to THAT person alone!! Judgements as to what is real/fake are the property of the individual; not all Martial Artists will propose the same across the board, both as a group, as well as an individual. I've my own perception(s) as to what is/isn't real/fake MA, and what's limited and what's not limited, and if I might, I'd rather keep that to myself as to not cause ill will in my perception(s).

Yes, I too, have over trained!! Not a pretty thing; my body warned me, but did I listen to it?? NO!! Pride comes before the fall. Trying to lose 111 pounds by this October, I've over trained from time to time. I know better, but still, I injure myself by not listening to my body!!

Yes, absolutely!! HOWEVER, that Karate must be a challenge, and not play time!! Going through the ropes with very little challenge, offers very little. DO IT...TRAIN IT...but with an resolve!!

Proper breathing is a vital important to the practitioner. Proper breathing oxygenates the body, revitalizing organs, cells, and tissues. Follow the methodologies as well as the ideologies of your CI!! If confused, speak with you CI about it so that you're right on track. What others do, can be important, but at your present level of knowledge and experience, I'd not take what others do so seriously. Be curious...ask questions!! Yet, in the end of the day, it's what your CI says, and for now, your CI's opinion is the only important opinion. Your CI will point out to you any mistakes you're making, but only as they arise.

That rank denotes abilities!! This exaggeration bothers me, if the word "bother" is the exact reflection of what I feel, the most. Rank has nothing to do with knowledge and experience, imho!! To me, knowledge and experience grossly outweighs rank; it always has, it always will. Example... Bruce Lee's knowledge and experience greatly outweighed any known rank system, imho. I'm not saying that Bruce was of a certain rank within the MA, but what I am saying is that Bruce only had 19 years of MA experience. 19, oh my good grief charlie brown, YEARS!! 19!! For those that have been in the MA more than 19 years, how in depth was your MA knowledge and experience?? Mine, compared to Bruce, after 19 years, hadn't even scratched the surface; it was infinitesimal, at best. After 19 years in the MA, I was one year shy of earning my Godan, which means I was a Yondan after 19 years in the MA. I was 26 years old; full of vinegar...full of myself!! However, even back then, I already knew enough to know absolutely NOT A THING!!!! Nonetheless, I would never present myself through my rank, but only through my knowledge and experience. That's why I'm so easy to point out this one irrefutable fact...Proof is on the floor...not around ones waist. Albeit, MAist's seem to be of the opinion that their rank is everything, and will not hesitate in reminding others around them, about their rank. Not taking in consideration that without that prerequisite acquired knowledge and experience, rank is less than nominal, if at all. Another example... I've a drivers license! I earned it! I took all the required courses! I passed all of the required tests! I'm a great driver! Not so fast, there. Without acquiring knowledge and experience behind the wheel, one can't say that they're a great, not even a good, driver; takes years to become a competent driver. That drivers license doesn't accurately denote ones abilities behind the wheel. While his MA knowledge and experience only expanded a mere 19 years, Bruce packed quite a lot of knowledge and experience within those 19 years. Quality over quantity, if I've ever heard!! So, when people start to hide under their rank as the barometer of their abilities, that bothers me to no living end. What's that famous expression... "Belts are only good for one thing; they help to hold my pants up."

To me? No! To others? Maybe! I don't think that tats demonstrate that to everyone. Tats have been around for so long, I don't think that tats are a fad. Left outside upper shoulder...3. I want more. Tats are something that I've always wanted; a personal choice.

Nowadays, female Sensei's/CI's are much more abundant than they were whenever I first started back in the 1960's, and remained that way up to the 1980's. Of course, the ratio's are affected by locations, culture's of the immediate area as well as to the region, and so on and so forth. Slowly but surely, female CI's are not hard to find. Male CI's might outnumber female CI's, but not by much, imho. I've a book, that I bought some long time ago, that has CI's, both female and male, that offer sound advise over a plethora of subjects geared for instructors of the MA, and the female CI's found in this book outnumber the male CI's by a very wide margin. I've female instructors, and our Hombu has female instructors. Unfortunately, there are more male instructors than there are female instructors, but not by much. I've had female instructors teach me, but only whenever I would be cross training. Top notch instructors...each and everyone of them.

Foot and hand work, imho, doesn't have to always start and end at the same time. Do whatever feels natural within any given situations because situations aren't always the same. I must refer you back to your CI on this matter because the CI is the final authority.

Yes! I too have noticed that as well. As far as an explanation, I've only assumptions, but no hard facts to rely upon. Sorry. I do the very same thing, but I can only surmise that I...well...blink from time to time. My Uncle Wayne would hold his eyes closed for a very long time whenever he was making a strong point; a prolonged blink. Funny how we see quite a lot of things whenever we put the DVD in slow motion. First time I saw Bruce do that, it was during Enter the Dragon. The scene was when Bruce was working out in this room, and O'Hara had opened the door to Bruce's room to speak a directive order to Bruce, and Bruce tells O'Hara..."Outside!!" Once the door was closed, Bruce exploded with a series of quick punches and his trademarked kiai. Slow those punches down, that's where I first saw Bruce closing his eyes.

Welcome to KF, Antonio94; glad that you're here!!

Welcome to KF, singularity6; glad that you're here!!

Happy Birthday, JR!!