sensei8

Bob, lets hope you don't need a Judan to get an A*. You normally sit your GCSE's when you're 15 - 16. Don't know many teens who have that rank Well...opps...my bad...let me just repeat what I posted earlier here... With that being said, I've a Judan in stupidity on this topic....I'll go sit in the corner where I belong!! I was WAY OFF...WAY OFF!! Sorry, all!!

Welcome to KF, Trailer_Ape; glad that you're here!! I'd love to book him for a seminar; it'd be different, as it lessens the protocol of the dojo...a much needed break, much often!!

Welcome to KF, subjectkate; glad that you're here!! I tend to agree with Nidan Melbourne...Have you asked your teacher yet?? If you're referring to General Certificate of Secondary Education, for a Nidan is, if even the slightest, subjective to the style, this being Wado. What and how a Nidan might scale to a GCSE will differ from style to style and CI to CI. CI meaning Chief Instructor. After all, we're referring to MA ranks, and this is as wide as the skies are; unimaginable, to say the least. 1 through 9, 9 being the highest, I'd possibly say... Beginner/10th kyu to 8th kyu at a 1 Intermediate/7th kyu to 4th kyu at a 2 Advanced/3rd kyu to 1st kyu a 3 Shodan and Nidan a 4 Sandan and Yondan a 5 Godan and Rokudan a 6 Nanadan and Hachidan a 7 Kudan a 8 Judan a 9 In this, I suppose that a 'A' Level would be a 9 all the way down to Level 'U' being a 1. Nidan might fit as a 'D'; having this scale... A* A B C D E F G U A* for Judan A for Kudan B for Hachidan to Rokudan C for Godan to Sandan D for Nidan and Shodan E for Ikkyu to Sankyu F for Nanakyu to Yonkyu G for Hachikyu to Jukyu U for Mukyu With a scaling up or down of each rank with a '+' or a '-', depending on the CI. Of course, my layout, is of course, an unsupported hypothesis!! By the way, if I'm way off base totally on this, please allow my death be a merciful one.

Excellence!! Perfection is an illusive endeavor because every human being is fallible by default, therefore, obtaining perfection is impossible!! Close as, is still akin to being imperfect, which all of us are!! Either one is perfect, or one isn't perfect, and of course, no one's perfect!! I seek to achieve excellence always, without ambiguity, whatsoever because to me, the closest I'll ever get to perfection is only through achieving excellence!! One is attainable, while the other is a impossible fallacy!! Imho!!

Thanks for letting me know Sensei Poage's currently a Godan, not a Rokudan, as I thought; his obi made me think that. A matter of fact, in reading the "Meet the Peaceful Warrior team" link at your dojo's webside, it does state "Renshi, 5th Dan", which I missed that bit of detail. In Shindokan, a Renshi must be a 6th Dan for consideration. The plug was my honor, as I fully honor and respect Sensei Poage, Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts, as well as his entire Student Body...especially you, Noah!! A solid post, on your part, as well, Noah. Not every rank is equal; not even the slightest at all!! Knowledge...experience are the core of each and every rank!!

I wholeheartedly agree with this!!

For the moment...NO!! That's mainly because I've not networked myself outside of the Shindokan circle; not as I should have. Who's fault and who's accountable for that?? ME, MYSELF, AND I!! Ignorance is bliss, and often times an excuse. I've no skill sets in that world of networking; I wouldn't even know how to start. The one thing that's against me in that area is that I'm an absolute NOBODY; an unknown. For me to do private lessons, and especially seminars, I need a foot in the door, and because I'm a shadow of a shadow, I'm sure that one door after another would be slammed in my face. I'll train, but for now, that's just about it. So the dojo's that you used to own who you sold to one of your students, are those dojo's part of the SKKA Dojo's?? I've only owned and operated one dojo at a time, never more than one open at the same time. As far as the dojo I sold to my most Senior student, yes, that dojo is still part of the SKKA networking. Why do you ask??

Based on what I can see through the video, and that is that he's repeating the same set of movements over and over; mimic overtones. I'd say, no, he's not a black belt...not even close!! Imho!!

You're in Phoenix!! Wastelander is in Phoenix!! You're wanting to earn a black belt in another MA style, if I'm understanding you!! Then visit Wastelander's dojo, Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts & Healing Center, where he trains, and has earned a black belt under a dynamic instructor, Richard M. Poage, who's the CI, and I believe that he's a Rokudan (6th Dan), please correct me if I'm wrong about the Rokudan, Noah. This comes from their website... "He has trained martial arts since the young age of four under Okinawan Grand Masters; Taika Oyata, Naonobu Ahagon and Shugoro Nakazato. Richard currently trains in Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan karate under Shugoro Nakazato and his immediate Sensei, Kyoshi Eddie Bethea. Richard holds a fourth degree black belt in karate and a third degree in kobudo. Richard also holds varying degrees of black belts in Shuri-Ryu, Shorei-Ryu and Ryukyu Kempo." So you can see by that, that Sensei Poage has trained in different MA styles, and has earned varying Dan ranks in the process. Sounds kind of familiar...kind of like...well...what you've done and what you're wanting to do now. Check their dojo out; it doubt that you'll be disappointed, if at all!! Now, onto this... I disagree with this statement quite wholeheartedly!! Why? Well, let me ask you this, first. Is quality more valuable than quantity?? If not, then I'll just bow out of this topic/thread. However, if yes, than please allow me to say the following... It's not about the ranks, but it's all about the knowledge and experience that one's acquired during their MA journey!! Ranks, as you know, are NOT the measuring tools of effectiveness; knowledge and experience are tantamount over anything, irregardless of ranks!! If I subscribe to your quote above, than I suppose you'd be inclined to be of the mindset that 9 black belts is stronger than a 9th Dan in one!! I've earned a Kudan (9th Dan) in one MA style; Shindokan Saitou-ryu. I can appreciate the changing curriculum, as I've done so once in my High School days when I trained for 1 year in TKD, WHILE still training in Shindokan; the birth of my cross training addiction!! Follow your MA path the way that you want to, no matter what anyone might or might not say; it's your MA journey, and not theirs!! Search your heart, and follow your heart!!

For the moment...NO!! That's mainly because I've not networked myself outside of the Shindokan circle; not as I should have. Who's fault and who's accountable for that?? ME, MYSELF, AND I!! Ignorance is bliss, and often times an excuse. I've no skill sets in that world of networking; I wouldn't even know how to start. The one thing that's against me in that area is that I'm an absolute NOBODY; an unknown. For me to do private lessons, and especially seminars, I need a foot in the door, and because I'm a shadow of a shadow, I'm sure that one door after another would be slammed in my face. I'll train, but for now, that's just about it.

I don't think that anyone here at KF will approve, and/or like, what I'm about to post. Forgive me, please!! Brian, imho, the short answer...YES!! My attorney says that everything is legal, therefore, I've no legal recourse whatsoever!! To both of these statements, I'd like to say...Is it possible to be astonished, and at the same time, not surprised? The other short answer...I'M NOT EVER RETURNING TO THE SKKA, even when my medical situation is resolved, which it will be very shortly, per my Cardiologist!! I give the SKKA less than 6 months under Iwao's leadership, and I pray that I'm wrong!! The Student Body has, imho, for the very first time in the history of the SKKA has been placed on the very far back burner, whereas, the Student Body needs to remain at the very front burner because, imho, the Student Body should ALWAYS be the primary focus of the Kaicho, as well as the ENTIRE Higher Hierarchy without any ambiguity!! They want me to officially resign my Kaicho position?? FINE!! Bringing back Iwao has already sealed that fate within me!!

If it were me, I'd call the Canada authorities about these concerns before I'd cross the border!! If need be, I'd not even try even go into Canada with them; I'd find somewhere/someone I could leave them with that I could trust. Then, when I returned back into the USA, I'd then pick them up. Yes, they're just Bo's, and not Nunchaku's or some other much more alarming to said authorities, but why take a chance?! https://www.canada.ca/en/contact/contact-1-800-o-canada.html The above link might be of some help. They'll require you to leave your email address so that they can send you additional information with phone numbers/links. From that, you should be able to accurately find out the answer to your question. Good luck!!

Reason number 3 why accidents happen while training in the MA... Things happen!! Another reason might be... Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc..."after this, therefore, because of this." Either way, training injuries can't be avoided when one trains in the MA.

Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday,Mo...[EVERYONE NOW]....Happy Birthday to you; and many more!!

Yes, everyone, anyone who has ever, or ever will, be elected to be part of the SKKA Hierarchy are quite privy to any and all documentations as to the COMPLETE history and the like of the SKKA; nothing is held back, nothing is hidden, as it is their right per the position into which they've been duly elected to. Until now, I thought, without any ambiguity whatsoever, that our By-Laws had been written with that iron clad assurance, both times, I'd like to add, but now, I'm not that assured anymore.

Thus far, we've all had our fair share of training related injuries, from minor to major, all in all, I believe all of us wouldn't trade in those injuries for anything. The long and the short of it all is... ...that which injures us, strengthens us the ever more!! 7 times down...8 times up!! PS: Outsiders of the MA might think of us as the most injury prone people on the planet; wondering why we do the MA at all. Because we love the MA!!

Everyday, ever since day one on the floor, the student is always training, and always preparing themselves for a plethora of things while on ones MA journey; there's never an end. Then one day, at an unknown date and time, that student is invited to the up and coming Testing Cycle for their Shodan. Everyday the student trains as though that elusive testing cycle for Shodan, for example, is that day. However, that student isn't training for the testing cycle of any rank, but for knowledge and experience. This is how it is in Shindokan; rank is an illusion, and is therefore, unimportant, however, we train to the Nth degree for that knowledge and experience being foremost above anything. Train hard...train well...always!!

JR 137: That's two of us who are at a loss of words!! Although, SHOCKING comes to mind. Bulltahr: That fishy smell permeating through me in neck breaking speed. WHY? WHY? WHY? They've just killed the SKKA, if they go through this. To reach out to lineage's past in this case has no validity, imho. Nidan Melbourne: I can't even try to explain what's going in the minds of other people, but when the MAIN responsibility to the SKKA is towards the Student Body's betterment across the board, and nothing else is more important than that, and the interim Kaicho AND the higher hierarchy brings back the destroyer of everything, Iwao, that to me is grounds for a Vote of Non-Confidence, if I've ever seen one. Please forgive me, but I don't follow the question. To all, I'll fight this, if I've a leg to stand on, until my dying breath!! What's happening is WRONG!! edit: Spelling errors

If you should ever get to Phoenix, AZ, I'd suggest that you drop into Wastelanders dojo where he trains. Like I said, IF you ever get to Phoenix, AZ, which is a mere 120 approximate miles west of Tuscan, AZ, you could train there; I believe they have everything that you're looking for.

I don't know because I've not been everywhere. I'm sure that such a place does exist where Karate/the MA doesn't exist, I'm just unaware of such a place. Places that are off the grid/line where there's not one ounce of modern technology, where as those that live there, have never ever heard of any type of MA, or anything that's defined as it being a MA by the overall/general masses. Like shortyafter has said...the moon. The moon has other things like golf and off road tracking and rock collecting and photography and no gravity camping and extra curricular expeditions, things like that that were made famous by NASA astronauts.

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

I remember you saying that your sensei was a shodan at 16. Was he the only one? At that time, the ethos in Japan/Okinawa, at 16 years of age, one is an adult. So, yes, Dai-Soke was the only one!! Many years after him earning his Shodan, Soke changed his mindset concerning the Dan ranking pertaining to the ages under 18 years of age, therefore, the JBB was birthed in the SKKA by Soke!! What was once before, isn't the same anymore!!

I doubt that this is the situation because, we've no shares to sell/buy. I've just received this today, so, it hasn't sunk in fully as of yet. I've got to pour over all of the stuff that the SKKA, as well as Hugh, has sent me via certified mail. I'm having a lot of difficult time with the absurd idea of Iwao being BACK....period!! I wouldn't let him shadow our door, let alone, letting him inside. This is not the first time that the SKKA tried to entertain the idea of having him return, as some here might remember, but I struck that idea down when I was the active Kaicho. Now that I'm not the active Kaicho, for medical/health reasons beyond my control, the door is WIDE OPEN for them to bring about whatever changes they decide upon.

Have just got off a very brief, and upsetting phone call with the SKKA. But not before I received a letter from the SKKA. Iwao Takahashi...son of Dai-Soke...Ex San Dai-Soke...the expelled Ex San Dai-Soke...the closer of the original SKKA/Hombu...the one who lied across the board about relocating the original SKKA/Hombu to Okinawa...the one that ended everything, leaving the entire Student Body without any substance. Yeah, that guy!! Well, the current interim Kaicho, who, within his right, has lead a very brief campaign with the current SKKA Higher Hierarchy to do the most crazy, irresponsible, and foolish thing for some unbeknownst reason(s). They're bringing back Iwao Takahashi to occupy an undisclosed position within the Higher Hierarchy of the SKKA!! WHAT?!?!?! At reading the letter, as well as talking to the current interim Kaicho, Peter Rhime, I turned the air blue with some very colorful metaphors. Having listened to their reasoning's of idle dribble, I immediately called Hugh Beckworth, of our Legal Team, to ask him... HOW CAN THIS BE SO?? HOW CAN THIS HAVE HAPPENED?? Especially after HE, Hugh, and his team, practically rewrote our By-Laws with one redundancy after another redundancy to prevent things like this from EVER HAPPENING...especially for what Iwao has been proved to have done these most despicable acts of destruction upon the original SKKA/Hombu!! Their primary reasoning, as well as focus, for having decided to bring him back is because I wasn't In-House as much, if at all, as prescribed by our By-Laws. Their need to have someone In-House still escapes me because ANYONE, BUT HIM, could bring back that desperate need for having a Kaicho In-House on a more regular basis, could have occurred by simply making Peter the Kaicho, and not the interim Kaicho. Problem solved!! Instead, a new set of problems has been created, even if their too idle minded to see past their raised up noses!! According to Hugh, and I'm floored at his suggestion, even though the current By-Laws are quite binding across the board, loopholes can happen, but unlikely with a amount of experience that Hugh and his team have in the Law, California Law. Hugh, claims that somehow and someway, an oversight has been uncovered; this is an oversight of monster proportions!! I don't propose to have any Law/Legal experience, but, man oh man, something stinks in the SKKA!! Hugh, and his team claim that they fought against them to prevent this, however, the unimaginable has occurred when they voted on this matter, and that was that they were UNANIMOUS in the their vote. For this vote to pass, a unanimous vote was required. Had I been the Kaicho, there wouldn't have been a unanimously vote, not with me voting a big fat HECK NO!! I'm suspecting that Iwao will be the new Kaicho!! I'll be voted out of office with all of their bells and whistles!! Hugh does tell me that there's no WAY, which I chuckled when he used the words, "NO WAY", crud happens, obviously, that Iwao will ever ascend and reclaim a Soke title of any magnitude!! I'll believe that when I see it with my own eyes. What in the heck went wrong?? Why didn't I ever see this coming?? Why didn't Hugh, and his Legal Team, write an iron-clad By-Laws IN THE FIRST PLACE?? When will the Student Body be protected from things like this?? When will the SKKA/Hombu drop all of the drama?? When will the SKKA/Hombu decide to TEACH Shindokan, and cast away the trappings of politics for the betterment of the Student Body?? They're hinting to me, in the letter, that they want me to "resign Kaicho completely", citing "my current medical issues" because "we're of one mind that you mean that much to us, and that your health is more important than anything within the SKKA/Hombu", and that the Student Body "agrees with the SKKA/Hombu decision, over all"!! I'll speak with an attorney this Monday, not Hugh and his team, to see if I've any recourse at all. If not, the moon has indeed just turned red!! I'm numb all over!!

I can agree with your opening sentence wholeheartedly; the two aren't the same, in any way. Looks are just that; appearances! Appearances aren't reality!! Over the two, I'll take the healthy over being athletic!! Without that healthy life style, that quality of life is an increasing shadow. Had I not, back last October 2016, changed my then life style to what it was then into what it is now, I'd not have lost over 70lbs, and all that is required of one to live that healthy life style in the search for that positive quality of life.