sensei8

Solid post!! While it might seem unclear as to our intentions when it comes to our brand of resistant training, and to an outsider of Shindokan, it has the appearance of abusiveness, it must be understood that we don't approach it with the mindset of One-upmanship because safety of the individual must always override anything and everything on the floor. To push, even the very slightest, and push ever more, and continue to push in resistant training invites unwarranted injury of one or the other. Teaching and learning must have one thing above all things...respect for the individual over the respect of the training/learning aspects, and/or protocol. I'll resist, as the CI, but not to the point of injury of either of us. I'll counter the resistance, as the CI, but not to the point of injury of either of us. Just enough so that the student knows that I was there; earn either side of resistance, BUT WITH SAFETY IN MIND AT ALL TIMES!! Want to prove something to me or to whomever else, then resist, but not to the point of injury, and that means having the ability to recognize when it's time to stop. Want to pursue, after I've eased off and ordered the engage to cease, I will have a turn, and you will not like the outcome, and that doesn't mean I'm going to inflict extreme harm, but once again, you'll know I was there, and I meant business.

Would I be amiss if I didn't add this gem of a quote... "A good martial artist does not become tense but ready. Not thinking yet not dreaming, ready for whatever may come. A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself and face the consequences of his own doing. To have no technique, there is no opponent, because the word 'I' does not exist. When the opponent expands I contract and when he contracts, I expand. And when there is an opportunity, 'I' do not hit, 'It' hits all by itself." — Bruce Lee I think its deeper than just moving with your opponent. Whenever your opponent is charging hard, alter your tactics to better counter your opponent. For example, if he wants to charge you, take him down, and work the ground game. If he's pensive, and wants to stay up and move around, then use your kicks to give you the extra reach to attack him. To me, this is one of the important reasons behind cross training, to be able to flow with aggression, or passivity of your opponent with the proper countermoves. It's the Yin and the Yang!!

One can't have the iota of talent without the prerequisite of first having heaps of experience, therefore, the distinction is of paramount importance; it’s tantamount to being experienced or talented.

No, I've never stopped learning/training in the MA, to only resume learning/training later on; in which, it'll be 53 years this October since my MA journey began.

And if ones not wearing a Gi, then what!?!?! I USE TO, in my youthful days, wet the very ends of my Gi, and that produces that snapping sound. Then, there's the snapping of a Gi by Rika Usami, in which I wholeheartedly believes that her techniques aren't poorly executed.

Please allow me to answer in my own way... As it's been mentioned to you already, 4 years, in the scope of ones MA journey, barely scratches the surface. Suffice it to say, yours has been both a fruitful one, as well as a negative journey. Nothing ends UNLESS YOU end it!! Your sensei doesn't have that power...not before...not now...not in the future...ONLY YOU can decide that. Whether a resolution to the issues has or hasn't been reached across the board, your stick-to-itivness through all of this, is not only admirable, but it's the mark of a MAist. Sometimes, one has to focus of things other than those things of lesser importance, and in your case...LEARN!! Teaching is on the back burner right now for you, and for you, having only 4 years on the floor, that's a blessing in disguise. Are you in the MA for notoriety; for your 5 minutes of fame?? Or are you in the MA for knowledge and experience?? I believe that the latter, would best describe your motivational intent!! You had your taste, and you saw that it was good, and you wanted more of it, and not just as a passing craving, but more as a permanent fixation; it made you feel, well, important. In the sea of MAist, you were part of the inner circle, and that in itself can be like a drug, and without that fix, your cold-turkey withdrawal hurt you where it counts...right in the good ole' ego. You once reaped many benefits of being within the inner circle, and now that it's been ripped away from you without even the slightest ceremony. It's quite a disappointing pill to have to swallow...without any water. Sits right in the craw of your throat; unable to wash it down. You were once one of the instructors, and not you're not. That's difficult for you, having been teaching on the floor one day, than not the very next day. Neither of you have a class to teach, and I get it...it's difficult for many reasons. However, you're assisting, at least...better than nothing!! The owner, I suppose is the CI!! If so, then the CI has every right to do with his assistants as he desires. As the CI, he's the right to do whatever he wants to do with his students. And let's be clear here...those students that you nurtured through the ranks all of this time are NOT YOUR STUDENTS...NO...they belong to the CI...one and all!! You'll not have your own students UNTIL YOU'RE THE CI!! If your not the CI, then you've no students, but just fellow dojo mates that you're assisting with; you all are students of the CI!! Owner...CI...no matter the title and/or the label, those students, as well as yourself, are the responsibility of the CI, and that CI alone!! Yes, I get that as well...it hurt!! As it should be, and as it would be, for any caring instructor!! You became attached to those small band of students, but once again, you assumed a position that you didn't possess, not even in the slightest, because that authority belongs to the CI!! It's hard to not grow attached to students that you've been selected by the CI to instruct, but that's where the tire meets the road...you were instructing exactly what the CI told you to do, which in and of itself, is where the most difficult maxim for instructors to uphold...creating a relationship that shouldn't ever exist on the floor of any MA school...it muddles and numbs the senses when an instructor has to surrender those students back to their rightful, and only CI. Concerning the CI's P&L statement...why pay for something that the CI is more than capable of performing himself. Business 101 states that unnecessary expenses must be eliminated expeditiously without haste. As painful as it might be, that's the evil of any business...survival of the fittest, no matter whom gets hurt in the process; the business must survive. The CI is only doing what a responsible business owner does...balance the budget in the hopes of profit. Ignore it...ignore the fellow instructor...it just doesn't matter. You joined the MA for knowledge and experience, and not to join some soap-opera because they do not serve ones MA betterment...ever!! Unfriend them, and whomever else you desire to find that peace. Don't feed into the negative...but only in the positive. Let them be who they want to be across the board, and that means that you be who you want to be WITHOUT THEM!! They're just not that important!! Do NOT trade blow for blow with whomever because it'll be for naught, and in the long run, you'll suffer one way or another. Don't surrender the high ground, but at the same time, don't be afraid to surrender the high ground. If you trade blow for blow, and/or even read the negative comments, then you've already lost, and in that, you've allowed them to win because you feed into the negativity; it's senseless dribble!! Go one step further...restrict it so that YOU can't read their posts either. You'll just make yourself absolutely crazy if you keep reading their unwanted, and unwarranted opinions. So end it!! You don't want to go back to class because you're reading their opinions!! Listen, the only opinions that EVER matter to me are from my wife, Linda, and our children, Nathan and Krystal. Everyone else's opinions mean nothing to me!! If you don't go back to class, who wins? You? Them? Don't let them win ever!! Then don't leave!! Train!! Nothing else matters!! Compete!! No matter who else is competing!! No matter the tournament!! You're at the tournament for what?????...KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE!! Nothing else matters!! No matter who else is there or not!! Don't give in and let them decide anything for you. Whether it be where to learn the MA and/or where to compete!! STAY!! Do not ever give them the satisfaction. Make your own decisions!! Leave the drama for someone else who's not training seriously in the MA!! You give up...then you've surrendered the high ground without even a fight; just lied down and gave it up for what? Them? NO WAY...NO HOW!! Be that better person both on and off the floor...always!! If you quit, the bully wins!! Btw, there's nothing wrong with being a Nidan...for the rest of ones life!! Rank means NOTHING, and rank should never be the inspiration for learning the MA. If rank is important, then quit!! Feeling welcome is important because it serves positively to learning. You don't feel welcomed, then ask the CI his feeling towards that. If you've already asked the CI that, and he's not too supportive one way or another, then be that better person by either sucking it up, and just train or, walk away in shame. You'll be fine. You've my support, no matter whatever you might decide!!

I don't agree. You don't get to choose who is going to use violence on you. You only get to choose to react and defend yourself. If this mentally ill person is trying to cause you great bodily harm or death, then you have to be ready to defend yourself as necessary, if you have to. Its similar to someone who is high on drugs or highly intoxicated. I don't care if they don't realize what they are doing. What matters is that they are doing it, and they have to be stopped from doing it. If that means escalating use of force, then that's how it has to be. Actually, it probably would be the best time to use a rear-naked choke. You apply the choke properly and the person goes to sleep. They are done hurting you, and you are done hurting them. Actually, it would probably be a best-case scenario, but I honestly think it would be one of the best applications of that technique. But those who work in that type of environment have very strict protocol as to how they apply any restraining techniques on the patient. And as how a rear naked choke can end up, I'd refrain from applying it, and/or any choke hold, for that matter. One, it's more than likely against policy, and two, if the choke is overly done, then fatal implications could occur, especially if applied longer than necessary; adrenaline can back fire.

Lack of control serves no one with the real McCoy, especially if one can't even control the fantasy ones.

Standards, and the lowering of it, imho, are the sweet candy!! Knowing that the standards aren't as strict as they use to be, and this is motivated by the greed of money. There was a time when, no matter where you were learning the MA, the standards across the board were very strict, and no apologies were given for those very extreme standards. You want it...EARN IT!! If you don't want to earn it under MY expectations, then I insist that you just get off my floor immediately. The greed of money has lowered standards to an all low around the world. I don't think that this problem is found in Japan and Okinawa...but I could be wrong. After all, for every time that I've traveled to either location in the past, and I've been fortunate enough to have visited and trained in either, I never saw any evidence of it. Please let that be the one place where that's the furthest thing from realty!!

Yes!! Albeit, that that's something which can only be answered by the individual. Leave the fear outside of the dojo because the CI is just a person, nothing more, and there's every reason to be/feel confident.

Solid post!! Thanks, Alan!! I walked home this afternoon from WalMart after we went shopping for groceries; this is something I do on a regular basis. That's a 1.5 mile walk on various topography. Armed with my cell phone and a bottle of water, I began my brief sojourn home. My wife called me every 10 minutes to make sure I was alright. It was quite warm, so I dressed very light and wore a baseball cap to keep the sun off me as much as I could. That walk took me about 30 minutes. When I arrived home, I checked my heart rate, and surprising enough, it was 113bpm...AWESOME!! I was expecting it to be 170bpm - 180bpm, but I was glad to see that it wasn't That walk was a brisk one, but I paced myself.

Solid post!! In my competition days yesteryear, whenever I was the Arbitrator of said tournament, I never saw an Eku or a Timbe/Rochin, and most of that was due to the specifics of said tournament as regarding what Kobudo was and wasn't allowed. Me, being an practitioner of an Okinawan MA style, I would've completely enjoyed and appreciated to see a competitor wielding either of them. I believe that those judges on said judging panels would still award appropriate points to said competitor who wielded one of them without never have seen one and/or practiced with one and/or having never judged either because, as we all know, there's wide parameters to judge accordingly. For example, the very first time I judged a Musical Kata, I was awed at what I saw, however, I had to put that aside and judge accordingly to what that tournaments judging parameters laid out, and nothing else, for that division. I saw Eku done twice. I recognized the kata from seeing my sensei at the time perform it. My question of how do they judge a weapon they've never seen probably wasn't worded exactly as I meant it... Assuming it's a tournament that only allows traditional kata, if the judges have never seen a timbe/rochin kata or a nunte bo kata before, how do they know it's really a traditional kata being performed and not something made up? Do they trust the competitor is being honest? To the bold type above... As an Arbitrator, I'd pose this very simple question to all of the assembled judges, just after I've read to them out loud the acceptable Kobudo weapons under the parameters of the Traditional Weapons Division...and if the Eku as well as the Timbre and Rochin is on the Traditional Weapons Division approved list, as determined by the Tournament Director. "Are you familiar with all of these said Kobudo weapons that I've just announced?? If not, raise your hand!!" Whomever raises their hand, are dismissed from any and all judging pool immediately, and thanked for their honest as well as their time. If during the course of the tournament that I discover that a judge has misrepresented their familiarity of those previously mentioned acceptable Kobudo weapons, then that judge is forthwith dismissed immediately. IF THAT'S THE DIRECTIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR!! However, I've been Arbitrator before at tournaments where there were NO approved Kobudo Weapons list available for the judging pool to read. Whenever that happened, I simply instructed the judging pool, if they are judging a Kobudo weapon that they're not familiar with, then keep this in mind... Control of the weapon must be paramount and continuous at all times. After that, judge said Kobudo weapon just like you would do with the one(s) that you're the most familiar. After all, no matter what type of Kobudo weapon it is, or might be, or appear to be, that said Kobudo weapon is the extension of ones body, and it must be in control at all times. That's how I'd judge either of them if I hadn't ever seen either of them before. Don't judge the book by its cover. Same to Kobudo...don't judge the Kobudo weapon by its look, no matter how familiar it might or might not be.

I believe that the type of violence that a MAist uses to defend family, loved ones, friends, and themselves is necessary, and in that, it's gauged...it's controlled, as well as nominal. Whereas, outright and intentional violence is not of the MA, but it's of the individual. The MA is peaceful; that's one of the MA most revered maxim, and it's not taken quite lightly. I'm not "violent" until I'm forced to be so, and whenever I'm forced to be so, it's a peaceful violence. To me, this isn't a oxymoron. Imho!!

Shindokan methodology of Oi Zuki is your example #2. Our timing has everything starting and ending at the same time, to and through said target. However, as to the timing of it, our advanced Oi Zuki is where the feet start first, then followed by the hands to, and through said target; a slight pause, if you will. For Shindokan, that slight pause serves us as a means of transitioning around the opponent within our close range.

My battle is still waging forward; no give up in me!! I do miss the hard workouts that I've become accustomed to since January, when my Afib was eliminated via a Cardiac Inversion...the shock of my life, so to speak, to get my heart back on regular sinus rhythm. My modified workout as of late is better than nothing. StairMaster *20 minutes *Level: 4 or 5 with a 2 minute cool-down at the 10 minute mark and at the end of the 20 minutes, both on level 1. *Heart Rate: 154 *Calorie Burn: 235 TreadMill *20 minutes *Speed: 3.5 for first 5 minutes, then 3.0 for the remaining 15 minutes, with a 5 minute cool-down at 3.5 *Incline: 2.0 *Heart Rate: 170 *Calorie Burn: 300 ***Note: With Afib, the heart will race!! My heart will race near 190bpm if I go any higher than 2.0 incline. Put me on my usual 8.0 and 15.0 incline, for the time I usually go, is very dangerous for me, and being able to calm down the heart at that rate, is, for me, difficult to do. Rowing *10 minutes *2000KM *Heart Rate: 150 *Calorie Burn: 180 Stationary Bike *10 minutes *2.5 miles *Level: 5 *Heart Rate: 160 *Topography: Hilly with gears set at 6 out of 12 *Calorie Burn: 210 Free Weights *1 hour *Various [With this, reps outweigh weight] *Heart Rate: 155 *Calorie Burn: 275 Battle Ropes *30 minutes *13 different exercises *Heart Rate: 160 *Calorie Burn: 175 Hanging Bag/Kata *5 rounds of 3 minutes each [Kicks] *10 rounds of 3 minutes each [Hands] *26 Kata's, at normal speed *Heart Rate: Hanging bag = 160...Kata = 165 *Calorie Burn: Total of both = 325 Pace!! That's key with Afib. Cardiologist has always said for me to do whatever I can tolerate. For me, that advice SUCKS!! Why? I can tolerate quite a lot; always have, always will. So I push myself, admitting so, because that's what I've done my entire life, especially when it comes to the MA...I don't know the word NO or STOP or QUIT; and if I'm not careful, I'll push myself into a coma or into a coffin. So, pacing is difficult for me to adhere to. So, I'm speaking with a trainer this Thursday 7pm to conduct an assessment to help me to recognize whenever I might be pushing myself to close to the danger zone regarding my heart rate. Don't want to have a heart attack of any type while I'm at the gym. Still on track with my weight loss...but I've hit another plateau of not getting lower than the 250lbs range, and I've still got until October 2017 to lose 35lbs to reach my weight loss goal. I'm still carefully watching my diet; very strictly!! Will still do the four 5K's remaining in this year, with 2 in August and 2 in September. Be buying my mountain bike next month. Just have to be smart...and PACING MYSELF!!

Solid post!! In my competition days yesteryear, whenever I was the Arbitrator of said tournament, I never saw an Eku or a Timbe/Rochin, and most of that was due to the specifics of said tournament as regarding what Kobudo was and wasn't allowed. Me, being an practitioner of an Okinawan MA style, I would've completely enjoyed and appreciated to see a competitor wielding either of them. I believe that those judges on said judging panels would still award appropriate points to said competitor who wielded one of them without never have seen one and/or practiced with one and/or having never judged either because, as we all know, there's wide parameters to judge accordingly. For example, the very first time I judged a Musical Kata, I was awed at what I saw, however, I had to put that aside and judge accordingly to what that tournaments judging parameters laid out, and nothing else, for that division.

The violence that I speak about concerning the MA is not what's reported on the news in print and video. No. However... What we do, and can do to another human being is a violent act in itself. What I have within myself, at the point and the moment of my being attacked, has the very high percentage of causing my attacker(s) quite a lot of misery through my intentional resolve to defend myself; this, sad to say, will require of me to be violent to some degree. I'm no walk in the park! And if need be in order to defend my family, loved ones, friends, and myself, I will act violently. And yes, my defending my family, loved ones, friends, and myself, even if it's a simple push, that too, is a violent act. There's nothing simple about whatever I feel that I must do to protect those most important to me, including myself, because that quick block and punch/kick to my attacker is a violent act of some unknown degree.

I have had a Wing Chun instructor, show me a knife defence technique, while he was holding the (wooden) knife.He told me to grab his wrist, on the same side that he was holding the knife. I held his wrist, he turned his wrist out of my grip and slashed my wrist, the knife was wooden but sharp enough to draw blood. I quit his class after the incident. He felt that he didn't do anything wrong. Life is full of matters of opinion. With my TKD instructor, no one explained anything to me about how to behave when assisting with a demonstration. Previously in the same TKD school, I was helping with demonstrations in a self defense class for the public. Where I was the attacker and the CI demonstrated on me the moves to defend with. I never questioned or disobeyed anything that was asked of me during the self defence seminar. I let the attending self defense students beat me up, to build their confidence; had no problem with this aspect either. Communication when doing demonstrations should be agreed upon before hand and not to expect the assistant or the CI to be left in a situation that can be either embarrassing or in a position of uncertainty or vulnerability. Solid post!! I agree...communication is the key across the board. The CI needs to make it understood as to what's expected for both/all. Assumption is where trouble is birthed, and where it remains if no one questions. I always make it understood as to what my expectations are for both/all while we're on the floor...no matter what...NO EXCEPTIONS!! As the CI, the responsibility as well as accountability falls onto me alone...if I've not communicated exactly what it is that we're going to do...EACH AND EVERY TIME!! If I've made it understood as to what my expectations are to whomever, and they decide to rear-up their own agenda's, then the responsibility and accountability falls to that student. Clear and concise communications always, and if at anytime that anyone doesn't fully understand, questions must be made and addressed. As the CI..EVERYONE'S SAFETY is mine alone to be responsible AND accountable at all times while on the floor, wherever that floor might be. Bring your agenda of your own free will...1 warning...continue in that...you're banned from my floor forever!! Not risking my student body, or myself...for no one!!

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

Where? Do you mean towards the very end of the video? To me, that/those weren't what I consider a suplex. To me, a suplex is a belly to back suplex, and never the WWE version.

By all means!! I get a kick out of just how far they are from when they ended the kata, to where they started the kata; not even close.

The bald guy and the bearded guy and Alan, all affected the learning by serving their own agenda, in which, nothing served to value anyone. Not the student body...not the CI...not either of them...no one. Appropriate learning must be paramount, and at all the time. Go along...don't go along...these are under the guidelines of the CI, and no one else. If the CI is teaching no-resistance...then that's what's meant; nothing else!! If the CI is teaching resistance...then that's what's meant; nothing else!! Students, guests, and whomever else are on the floor at the invite of the CI, better know their role, and their role is to learn...just learn...and not to serve up their own agenda's. Imho!! OK...going back to my corner!!

That right there...is why we do kata with our eyes closed as often as we do kata with our eyes open. It's that awareness that we take for granted. Especially when one of the senses, in this case, sight, are taken away. It's true, things get tougher, but the other senses make up for it. Your movements are much more to the point, and wasted movements become things of the past. Adapt and conquer, I say!!

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

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