sensei8

World level...national level...why can't they just be what they are...Karateka's, without labels and such?! Perhaps, this dividing rod will remain unsolved between both groups...or perhaps not!! Not everyone...not every Karateka can win; there must always be a loser too. However, just because someone has lost, is that core of the Karateka empty...without value? If so, then that Sensei, does he/she too lack value, and perhaps, the style is of little to no value as well?!. Whether it's about rank or medals, those should be of very little concern to any Karateka. Nonetheless, I suppose that we're speaking about sport karate, whereas, medals and the like are everything. After all, and for example, the New York Yankees have won more World Series Championships, 27, than any other MLB team, and with that as an argument for a Yankee fan, the Yankees are the better team overall, even though they've not won a WS since 2009, yet, they're both loved and hated around the world. Yes, the Yankee parable is crude, at best, it's just that the value of something shouldn't lie within crude accolades adorning walls and/or necks, but within the Karateka itself. Imho!!

Outstanding article, LeighSimmsMA, thank you for it; well constructed: solid points and explanations across the board!! An article for both the beginner as well as the advanced...and then some!!

Sensei8, I believe you have stumped me as I have never heard the term Dento Bunkai. It may be a difference of terminology (Japanese to Hogan) but would you be so kind as to explain to me the definition of this type of Bunkai? I understand it is a stage, I just do not understand what it represents. Although we do not use this terminology I know the terminology for Kihon Bunkai, Kakushi Bunkai, and Henka Bunkai, but have never even heard the term Dento. Hate to show my ignorance but this one has stumped me and could not find anything on Google search to help enlighten me. The closest thing I got to a description is that Den means traditional. In the bold type above, MatsuShinshii, you've pretty much answered your own question. Without getting way to deep in describing Dento, I'll simply say, Dento is a more advanced level of Bunkai. This stage of Bunkai, within Shindokan, is reserved for the more advanced student, and as it being assigned, the student naturally executes with much greater ease, especially in movements and the like. From this stage, traditional applications are taught!! There are so many different techniques, but one cannot only study the traditional or more formal applications where everyone does the same thing, but to also study the Oyo; they both, or course, compliment each other.

Hi sensei8, Good post above. I don't think that anyone can judge your own personal expression of kata bunkai except yourself. Can I ask the question as to what you mean by effective bunkai? To the bold type above... That which has saved me!! If I may tell this small analysis as to what that means to me... If I was drowning in the ocean, and I'd already gone down a second time, and was about to go down for the third and last time, and an inner-tube floated by me, and saved my life, I'd kiss an inner-tube for the rest of my life. In this analysis, that inner-tube, for that very moment, was effective because it saved me. If IT worked/works, then, for that very moment, it's effective!! Bunkai is that open window for me to peer though at the many possibilities that might be discovered. What's effective for me, might not be effective for someone else!!

Permission to use this quote, Sensei8? I love this quote as it hits right to the point. We all started as beginners. Today's fast food mentality is so eager to get the next grade that they sometimes fail to appreciate what was taught in the grade they are in. I have a friend that is almost 20 years younger than me that will be testing for his Rokudan. He is in a different art but was a former student of mine and still trains with me on occasion. He asked me if this makes me uncomfortable that we will be the same grade and wonders why it doesn't bother me that I am not farther up the belt food chain so to speak. Maybe it's the way I think but I feel I am exactly where I am supposed to be in my life and in my grade. I have been offered Nanadan three times in the last 7 years and can't imagine why I would accept it as I am not in my own mind ready for it. Personally I can die a Rokudan and be happy as a clown with what I have accomplished. For that matter they could bust me down to Hachikyu and it wouldn't make me loose an ounce of sleep. The belt does not define us. This is what I think students miss today. I would rather move to Shechikyu as the best Hachikyu with nothing left to learn and nothing left to perfect than to be given the rank before I am truly ready. If the foundation is strong the Shodan will be strong. If it is weak the Shodan means little as it is weak as well. The better the white belt is the better the black belt will be. Permission granted, MatsuShinshii!! While rank has its purposes for one reason or another, it still baffles me to this day that many still feel embarrassed to don a White Belt after having earned any other belt, especially if the other earned belt is a Black Belt. That, to me, is ego, and imho, ego doesn't belong in any MA, let alone in any MAist!! Wear the White Belt proudly, and consider yourself fortunate enough to having been accepted in a new style of the MA because that which is new, is designed to increase your MA betterment.

I'll remain with my opinion from my previous post on this subject!! Whether one group is or isn't shall vary from observer to observer, and so on and so forth, in I'll respect the opinions from either side of the argument!!

Thank you, Heidi, I greatly appreciate your kind words. ALL of us are part of the KF family; I'd have it no other way!!

How about them 13-2 Cowboys over the 9-6 Lions in Jerry's House!! Back and forth...matching the other...tied at 21-21 at halftime!! Lions were shut down in the 3rd and 4th quarters; Dallas defense did their job and then some. Turnovers...forced punts...coverage's kept...pressuring the QB...just doing some nice defense by the Cowboys. All in all, the win for the Cowboys didn't happen without paying a price in the injury department...Anthony Brown and Tyron Smith...this might mean that the Cowboys MIGHT rest the current starters in next weeks game to the 6-9 Eagles in Philadelphia, who just happen to defeat the Giants, and I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not, but, it's up to the Cowboys!! Bring on the Eagles...then bring on whomever in the playoffs...Cowboys are scared of any of them...not a bit...respectful...but not scared!! GO COWBOYS!!

Both the Dolphins and the Chiefs took care of business week 16; a win is a win!! But I don't envy that the Dolphins still have to face the Patriots, while the Chief have to only face the Chargers...good luck to both of your teams...both will be great games; two I don't want to miss!!

Welcome to KF, goju1971; glad that you're here!!

I don't believe that the WKF is much faster in Kumite than the JKA whether it be as an organization and/or as a practitioner. That might only be an individuals opinion/interpretation based on their own particular observations. In short, fact or fiction, it might be possibly more of an assumption, and it therefore lies within that individual/practitioner. Imho

Very nice gift!! You only need another goal if you want one!!

To each and every KF member as well as their families, have a safe Merry Christmas!!

No worries Sensei8, it's well deserved and have a very merry Christmas Thank you, Safroot, and to you, as well, Merry Christmas!!

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

Of all of the belts found in any MA, the White Belt is far above the most valued and important belt of them all. Why? Without first being a White Belt, one can't earn any other rank. Imho!!

Today... 20 minutes Stairmaster [Level 3] 20 minutes Tredmill 10 minutes Stationary Bike 10 minutes Rowing 5 minutes Stairmaster [Level 4] Total calorie burn = 605 Weekly weigh in = 285lbs Overall weight loss = 41lbs Tomorrow... 1 hour of swimming

Very interesting topic; thanks for starting it Lex!! Looking through our Hombu's registry, active/inactive, we've 953 Yudansha's throughout the SKKA Network!! The overall total of the Student Body, as of Q3 2016, is 16,779 since the Hombu opened in 1957 of both active/inactive. The very first Yudansha [shodan] was earned in July 1965, and that student had been at the Hombu since the Hombu first opened. This, of course, is to also include Soke's and Dai-Soke's Judan, as well as San Dai-Soke's Judan; all three of these are inactive...two have passed away, and one was expelled. Active/Inactive Yudansha's: Kudan = 2 [My Sensei, when he was Kaicho of the SKKA, before his promotion to Dai-Soke, and myself] Hachidan = 21 Nanadan = 13 Rokudan = 19 Godan = 88 Yondan = 86 Sandan = 107 Nidan = 121 Shodan = 358 JBB = 135 That's, since the conception of our Hombu, 15,826 of Mudansha ranks, of both active/inactive!! I personally have promoted 108 to Yudansha from my Kyuodan Dojo, since 1984. Between the 3 Kyuodan Dojo's, my overall Student Body total was, 3,194. Active/Inactive Yudansha's Rokudan = 1 Godan = 9 Yondan = 12 Sandan = 17 Nidan = 26 Shodan = 28 JBB = 15 That represents 3,086 Mudansha's under my direct supervision. [edit: spelling]

Thank you Safroot and MatsuShinshii; means a lot to me!!

What kills me is when discussions about Kata and/or Bunkai turn into a "You're wrong!!" accusation, even when those words aren't exactly spoken. If that's the concrete base of any discussion surrounding Kata/Bunkai, then we might as well discard the entire Oyo aspect, as well as Kihon Bunkai, Kakushi Bunkai, Henka Bunkai, and Dento Bunkai; in short, Bunkai in itself. How can I express myself honestly in Kata/Bunkai if my way is considered wrong?? Self expression, to my understanding, is also, Karate-do!! Shouldn't only I be the one to ascertain as to the Bunkai is or isn't effective?? Sure enough, we follow the traditional Bunkai as it's been given to us through our Sensei, nonetheless, if I don't seek my own Bunkai, then what good am I, if at all?!

You can't be that old. I figured you for 40 ish. Nope...I just turned 59 this past October!!

I most assuredly and wholeheartedly agree; you and yours are in my prayers. Here's to a much better 2017!!

Taste it, Kendo, to see if it's any good!! If it's not, spew it out of your mouth, but if it is good, then share it. Kendo angles can fuel the fire within any MA. Those angles avoid wasteful energy, and bring one much directly closer to the opponent/attacker. Sounds like it's time to visit a Kendo school in order to better understand what's Kendo, and best way to do that is by asking a lot of questions and observing different classes. Good luck!!

I could not agree with you more. My own lineage has been one that maintained the "family" art within their own family and only passed down to others what was deemed to be outside of the family art. "Secrets" if you will. However through the generations this has changed to some degree. Now it is more about giving information when information can be understood or when the student is deemed responsible and mature enough to accept it. However nothing is held back. IMHO the only reason I hold anything back is because I have a doubt about the student. I generally talk to said student and wait to see if they improve and quell my doubts. If not I tell them to move on. However if my students are worthy, and they are not students for long if they are not, I do not hold anything back from them. I actually look forward to the day when they have more knowledge and more skill than I and they surpass me. This means that I have done my job and have guaranteed transmission and passage to the next generation. To me that is really what this is all about. There is an old saying, "you can't take it with you when you go". If the art is not passed on as a whole then it is taught as a watered down version. In my opinion, if your teacher thought enough about the art and you as their student to teach everything to you, the least you can do is honor that and pass on what was taught in it's entirety to your students. This is not about ego. It's about the betterment of your students. That is your legacy. This is how you are remembered. Not as the one who knew everything but your students are ill equipped because you never passed anything but mediocrity to them. These teachers are lost to history because they are not worth talking about. If your students are the beneficiaries of your teachings they will appreciate it and pass it on, and in thru that, your legacy will be cemented in their students and their students and so on. This I believe is the mark of a good teacher. Holding back knowledge that was passed down to you, in the hopes that the art would be passed on through you, is pure ego. These teachers are easily forgotten because their students are not respected. I was always taught that I would never be given the chance to test for Shodan until my Shinshii felt I was worthy of it because I was a reflection of not only him but of his Shinshii and the art itself. Our students are a reflection of us. If your student is mediocre what does that say about you to those that only know your student? Solid post MatsuShinshii!! Both you and I are of the same old school teachings, and in that, we're quite similar in our mindset as well. To me, the credit for that that is within us is our Sensei's, your Shinshiii and my Dai-Soke, yet through their Sensei's as well. Our paths are straight, and not a winding path; true and unbridled!! My Soke and Dai-Soke held back nothing from any of us, to my knowledge. So much so, that our Densho Scroll Volumes are available for viewing and learning from for any student of Shindokan. This is so because they both knew that they'll not live forever. However, those Scroll Volumes must remain at the Hombu, and are not ever allowed to leave the Hombu. In short, read them, take notes, take pictures of them, but they're to remain in the secured room, and no one is allowed to be in that room unattended!! Why so strict? Those Scroll Volumes are for the future Shindokan students, and for them alone. You come to my dojo, and depending just how long you remain my student, I'll teach you everything that I've been taught by Soke and Dai-Soke. And yes, I'd say, according to what I've read with those Densho Scroll Volumes, that I've been taught 95% of everything by Soke and Dai-Soke. Why not the 100%?? They both passed away. Soke's death was expected considering his advanced age, while Dai-Soke's death caught us all off-guard with both of his strokes while he was in his 70's. Nonetheless, here's the final statement found on the last page of the final Volume... "Now, search your heart; that's where you'll discover your personal betterment." We've all interpreted that to simply mean, Shindokan is incomplete!! How so? We, add ourselves to Shindokan!! Our knowledge...our experiences...our soul...our heart!! Shindokan means, The House of the Heart Way! Follow your heart...follow your hearts desire...ones knowledge and experiences flow through your heart!! Yet, how can this ever happen if we keep the cornerstone of Shindokan to ourselves?? WE CAN'T!! I can't own that which can't be owned; it's impossible!! Share and share alike FREELY...as free as the wind is!! What is kept secret doesn't help our students!! Not at all!! We can convince ourselves that what we're keeping secret is for the good of the student body. Imho, that's the biggest hogwash that's ever been perpetrated on the student bodies all over the world!! That propaganda isn't welcomed...ever!! When it's decreed by our Soke that Shindokan is for everyone, by God, that's exactly what he meant, and that's exactly what we must do without any ambiguity and/or reservations!!

JR and tubby, you'll both be in my thoughts and prayers!! Hang in there, the both of you!!