sensei8

Give credit where credit is due... At first, it seemed to me that the Indians wanted the World Series, and everything that it takes to secure that rarity of trophies, was being done by the Indians. The 94-67 Indians took the task to the 103-58 Cubs quite decisively so. With the Indians jumping to a 3-1 lead over the Cubs; all but defeat of the Cubs was at hand. Just 1 more win would end the curse over the Indians, and that same curse would still haunt the Cubs. The Cubs refused to yield to what appeared to be their inevitable demise into the darkness. But wait...Friday might be here but Sunday is coming...that small and faint flickering light at the end of that tunnel of hope, started to grow larger and brighter for the Cubs as they found their second wind...and the old idiom still rings true..."It's not over until the fat lady sings!!", the never die Cubs forced that lady to have a seat and enjoy the comeback kids from Chicago and the show that they're about to unleash. The Cubs, who were blessed enough to usher in their third World Series win, as well as their first title since 1908, a period of 108 years was at the threshold of being abated. Game 5...Cubs win 3-2 Game 6...Cubs win 9-3 Game 7...Cubs win, in a classic 10 inning battle, 8-7 The Cubs were not to be denied; and denied they weren't. The Indians had their hand on that allusive golden ring, yet, slowly the tide changed away from the Indians, and with just 1 more win to secure the 2016 World Series, however, that was not to be such an easy task, as the Indians painfully discovered with each offensive Cub swing of the bat, and with a renewed defense, as well, the Cubs were far from being done. Not to speak ill against the Indians, who were back in the World Series for the first time since 1997, and came within one win of their fist title since 1948...a curse that remains these 68 years, and still counting, they just, for some reason, ran out of gas in both the offense as well as the defense. And in a game decided by the baseball Gods on high, anything, and I mean anything can occur in a baseball game. Just when one might think that they've seen and/or heard it all, one quickly learns that that's not the case. Sure, as a Yankee fan, I always want to see them in the World Series, and emerging Champions once again, they've won 27 World Series, most in MLB, but that's not always to be. That too, is the beauty of baseball!! So, another year of baseball has been played, and now, as the boys of summer slumber, until they're called upon once again to prepare themselves for the very next...Batter Up, to ring from stadium to stadium, and as fans sing once again...Take Me Out To The Ballgame...and with every purchase of every baseball staples of peanuts and cracker-jacks and hot dog and soda/beer; there's only one thing to say... PLAY BALL!! Congrats to the Chicago Cubs; Champions of the 2016 World Series!!

I apologize deeply, but I'm still stuck on the "everyone passes"!! You've made agreements with a school, and this is where that school is dictating a mindset that all passes. What is this teaching? Where is that schools integrity? Does that school pass everyone up to the next grade? Students earn anything and everything by just being there!!??!! I understand there's the No Child Left Behind but to be honest, that fostered that if one attends and goes through the motions, yet not earning anything through hard work. Does that school insist that their teachers give everyone a passing grade even if they should fail that grade?? Everyone passes?! There has to be somewhere else you can teach without having to do it their way. The slogan...Earn it...means nothing to them!! No matter what one is learning, and from whom, they pass no matter what. I once knew of a company in Southern California that taught Karate at either Recreational Centers or at public schools. They ran tests once a quarter, and EVERYONE PASSES!! However, when one looks at them closer, one sees that a green belt in their programs were equivalent to a white belt. What are we teaching our students when everyone passes no matter what? Don't forget this...each and every student is a representative of you and your brand, and in this, to the prospective student/parents/etc, you've only one chance to make that impression, whether it's a good one or a bad one, but once that one chance is over, one can't get it back!! That company eventually closed its doors when reality finally said...enough is enough!! The straw that broke that camels back was when it was found out that that company was having green belts, their green belts, wear black belts while teaching and running the program.

Thank you, Alex!! Went to the gym at one of the sister facilities while my regular gym is doing some remodeling. The drive there was an easy trek because it was at 5am, but the drive home was a nightmare at 630am due to it was rush hour in Houston, which I didn't take that in consideration...oh well. Cardio: 20 minutes on the Stairmaster Free Weights: 60 minutes working legs, shoulders, back, triceps, and arms Stretches: 10 minute cool down Weight=304lbs

I ask the same often, as to the first bold type above, because if one doesn't fight, then there's no actual comparison that they relate to for a effective reference point. However, just because they don't fight, that, imho, doesn't mean that they aren't knowledgeable as to it. Some MAist lead an existence of peace/pacifist, nonetheless, they might be that bull in a china closet. In short, one can't judge a book by its cover!! As to the second bold type above, NO, I'd not practice the MA if I was the only person on the planet. However, there's quite a lot of real estate on planet earth, so I might practice the MA, if I knew what it is, just in case I'm not totally alone. On the other side of the coin, am I the only one on the planet EVER? Or am I the lone survivor of some disaster that wiped mankind from the face of the earth? In the first case, if I'm the truly the only one ever, then its possible that the MA doesn't exist for one reason or another

None that we know of. For me, that would be quite assumptive...perhaps! However, sound will be emitted somehow and someway because the concept of falling might be replaced for...what's next?!? Perhaps we do and perhaps we don't; we've not had someone return from beyond to report their finding, and by what means do we research said findings?!

The title of this topic got my attention, as I'm sure that was the intent of its wording, and I can't say that this idea has never been tried or not, or about its success versus failure ratios. What's the fee, if any, for taking/earning the "student rank" belt?? Imho, what these "student ranks" will foster is a plethora of false security all around because kids/parents will only see the rank, and nothing beyond that. And I believe that this "student rank" interferes with the integrity across the board; one rank type will be wanted more so than the other. How can this not become a problem. I understand the need for meeting expectations of a P&L, and/or the dwindling of ones student body, but there's no way that I'd allow anyone or any one individual or any one group to dictate the comings and the goings, especially what happens on MY FLOOR. That's my floor and not their floor to with as they desire. Everyone passes!?!? Not on my floor, and it doesn't matter who owns the floor. The ranking system, at all costs, must be the one thing, above all things, that its integrity is never violated for any reason(s), and in that, imho, there's no reason(s) that can ever justify it. Rank, is not birthed from any outside influence, nor should it be treated in any fast food fashion, because any of these tend to sell the integrity at happenstance. No one runs my floor...never...not ever...for any reason!!

The clip isn't mine, actually--it's my KishimotoDi teacher's. I have only learned the first two kata of the KishimotoDi system (Naihanchi and Nidanbu), and will be learning Kusanku in March. The KishimotoDi versions of Passai and Kusanku are not supposed to be made publicly available, so I don't have those for reference material. That said, as I mentioned in the original post, Gensei-Ryu does share lineage with KishimotoDi, and videos are available from them. This is the Gensei-Ryu version of Tachimura no Passai, which has been heavily "Japanified," as well: To the bold type above... But why has that been deemed as so??

Yes, there's a sound when a tree falls...anywhere because it's impossible for the felled tree to not make any type of sound when it comes in contact with the ground or whatever it might be. But does the tree become self aware that there's no one there to hear that it's fallen? What if the tree is only 1" tall when it falls, would it still make a sound if it fell?Perhaps the tree died before it fell, therefore was unaware of others to hear that it had fallen. No matter its size, or the lack thereof, a sound will still be made directly or indirectly. And had the tree died, it wouldn't have the self-awareness that there's no one to hear it in any capacity because when life has reached in finality, it's awareness isn't of a concern at all. When I pass away, I won't know how my wife is coping or how my children are doing or if I've been buried in the ground or if I've been cremated or if my wife's remarried or when my wife/kids pass away or this or that...because I'll be dead; I won't know that either. And for every question, I believe this... The summation of 'why' is to the summation of 'because'!!

One good thing is that it made me look really carefully before turning after doing it a lot. You can actually hear me collide with the hot water heater during jion Yes, I did hear you collide with the hot water heater, but I also saw you adjust, as required, your stances on the embusen, and that was necessary considering the limited real estate you had to work with. Had you not adjusted your stances on the embusen, you would've collided with everything else, including the wall. And for me, the adjustments that you had to do, didn't detract away from the Kata in a whole, if at all. Great job!!

No I'm not seeing a PT or similar, as you suggest, but I'll bring the possibility to my cardiologist. Sounds quite intriguing, and one that I must look into. Thanks, Liam for the advice!! OK... Walked up and down the stairs at my apartment 50 times...up...then down...equal 1, and so on and so forth.

If seniority has to be established between same Dan ranks, then there's the tenure to consider; Date of when a student began training AS WELL as the date of when a student earned said Dan rank. For us at the SKKA, each and every member of its student body has a Hard Card on file with anything and everything that relates to tenure and the like. For example, within the SKKA, there are several Hachidans. So, we reference the Hard Card to find out of the Hachidans who's the most senior. And in that, Greg and I are both Hachidans, but from the outside looking inside, one wouldn't know, for sure, who's the most senior Dan rank between us. But if one looked at our Hard Cards, they'd discover that I started 6 months before Greg did, therefore, I was Senior to his Sempai within our relationship on the floor.

Yes, there's a sound when a tree falls...anywhere because it's impossible for the felled tree to not make any type of sound when it comes in contact with the ground or whatever it might be. But does the tree become self aware that there's no one there to hear that it's fallen?

Very nice display of Kata's, Shizentai!! Every time you backed up, it appears that you're going upward, and you got smaller. Each time you jumped, I ducked down for you. Still, away from the illusion, solid Kata's; thank you for sharing!!

But of course: The technique is the delivery system of the concept; I wholeheartedly concur. The painting isn't a painting until someone says that it is, and in that, the concept isn't a concept until someone demonstrates that concept.

I've trained in Makawara for a long, long, long time, 53 years; it's a staple tool for Shindokan!! The why...above all things, the Makawara teaches when a technique is incorrect; it'll let you know immediately. Without the Makawara, I might as well not even do Hojo Undo training at all...ever!! To the how...well...that might take awhile to post here because the 'how' involves quite a lot of 'hows'. Don't be in the MA for over 5 decades without having a lot of 'how's'. Let's me just say this...I do more than enough of 'how's' in order to get the job done.

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

Again, I thank you all for your supportive words, they mean everything to me; these aren't idle words!! Today: Swimming: 45 minutes Cardio: Walked up and down stairs at the apartment I live at...50 times For the next two day... I'll be going to the gym for an hour and a half at one of the sister locations of the gym I attend.

Oh yeah!! It went the way it was suppose to, and had it not, well, you still would've done the right thing at the right time!!

While they didn't accept/honor your Ikkyu at first, the power of the floor revealed quite a many things about your MA journey. And in its time, not your time, you received your due rewards. Now that that's over...train hard and train well!!

You know what else I love about Sumo?? It's the pageantry as well as its formality that I love, and admire right before the explosion of their clashed battles!! Give me quite a rush!!

I agree with you Brian and Tempest; better to have that leaky faucet than not because one drip/technique/idea/etc leads to another that another than another and so on and so forth. Flowing will come, and while it comes, or when it comes...BE THAT SPONGE, and soak it up as though your life depends on it, because one day, it just might!!

As John Lennon sang it so well..."Instant Karma's gonna get you...gonna get you right in the head...you better get yourself together...join the human race...what in the world are you thinking of..." Japanese strongly believe in Karma; it's the Yin and Yang of the MA!! I believe the mindset of Karma exists; the opposites do attract! Can't have one without the other...do bad...bad things are repaid upon that person...do good...good things are also repaid upon that person...or better way to say it...Murphy's Law, and then some. Be careful for what one asks for because one just might get that which is wanted; whether the 'it' is bad or good, and Murphy prefers the bad. He's a mean man!!

Whenever I first read the books loaned to me those many years ago, my very first thought after reading them was that it was kind of like the concept of Shu Ha Ri...to obey [shu], to digress [Ha], and to separate [Ri]...and in that order. Then comes the sound of one hand clapping! One concept, Koan...One concept, Shu Ha Ri; the same, yet differently.

I'm wondering, since the passing of Bruce, just how watered down is JKD nowadays?? I ask because, and while Bruce encouraged his student to take what is useful, and discard the rest, how EASY it is for JKD to be watered down over time??!!??!! JKD, to me, at times, doesn't look anything like what Bruce founded, and I know, that might be a great thing as well as it being along the lines of "expressing oneself honestly", so as that practitioner can create to just create nothingness from something that was something/effective.

Listen to your heart!! It can be quite difficult to choose one from another and it can be even much more difficult to train in both at the same time because, one style might dominate both learning's unconsciously, and it's difficult to serve two styles; one will program the learning while the other might try to change the dominate program/style. As Brian says...what a conundrum to have!! Have you decided yet on which one or if both??