sensei8

How about them 11-2 Cowboys!! Yes, I did say 11-2...our 11 game winning streak has ended. Team that killed the streak? None other than the Giants!! Wait...the Cowboys killed that streak themselves by forgetting the most important rule of the game...bring your heart to every play!! Here's my recap...as dismal as it might seem... Cowboys LOST to the Giants in their house; 10-7! Cowboys didn't win the NFC Division...as of yet! What a difference 2 Dak interceptions make...his first...his second...in a game of inches! Now, is not the time to emulate Romo on the field with interceptions. 1-15 in 3rd down conversions...not a welcomed stats when 1st downs are necessary for a chance at getting a 'W', and not an 'L'! Not one snow flake on a dreary very cold New Jersey night! The real winner in this game was Mother Nature; she was in full force! 20 degrees at kick off...with 10-20mph winds. JERRY JONES, the Cowboy owner, DO NOT BRING ROMO BACK; HE'S NOT THE ANSWER! Even though the Cowboys lost to the Giants, for the 2nd time, their still the best in the NFL! Hats off to Eli and the Giants; they've figured out the Cowboys this year, and that's a fact! We've got the Buccaneers...at home, Lions...at home, and Eagles...in their house...to still go; a tough season still remains in these opponents! How did your team do this week?? Hopefully your team did far better than the Cowboys!! GO COWBOYS!!

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

If you were to come to my dojo, you'd be a white belt, regardless of your experience because no one comes into Shindokan above white belt. However, any and all rank discretion remains with the CI, and the CI alone!! Knowledge and experience needs to be recognized by the CI, and the CI alone, as well!! Proof is on the floor!!

Why all of the concern over rank?? Are we in the MA for its knowledge or for its ranks?? One or another, but not both because one desire will suffer while the other desire doesn't. It took me, not until I earned my Sandan, to mature enough in my MA betterment to put a cease to my searches for the almighty rank!!

The barbaric way (hard styles) are fine when each opponent is fairly matched in size and weight but this is not the way of the other (soft styles) that are for smaller and weaker people, which are more appropriate for most everyone else.Imho... I just don't understand how and when MAists become so engrossed with size and weight and the like. Either you can defend yourself or you can't!! To me, this is a failed attempt to excuse off ones MA shortcomings. Never underestimate your opponent!! That has to count for something...doesn't it...anymore?!?

Once on the floor, I don't have male and/or female students, I only have students...period!! I don't worry about putting females with females or males with males, and this is because I'm there to teach my students the most effective way(s) for them to defend themselves. A drill is a drill, and so on and so forth!! Students, both male and female, if given the chance to "pick a partner" will pick someone of the same gender, and often times, it's the same partner over and over, and this, to me, is quite unrealistic. I'll constantly break up partner picks, and you can see it on the students face whenever I do that...it makes them uncomfortable. I don't have the time to make your training comfortable...that too, is unrealistic...we're there to train in the MA!!

My approach to Kumite is quite barbaric, and oftentimes, unsympathetic!! "Just get out there, and fight!!" ~ Takahashi Sensei Takahashi Sensei, our Dai-Soke, was barbaric in his approach to Kumite. He despised excuses when it came to any and all Kumite drills from his students. In his mind, to learn how to fight, one must get out there and fight...win or lose...just engage!! While I'm vaguely sympathetic as to the difficulties that students face when it concerns Kumite and the like, I've my limits as to my tolerance. Want to be able to defend yourself? Then get out there and fight for your life!! Every time that Greg and I would face each other on the floor for Kumite, we literally tried to kill each other, and those who've witnessed our training, were shocked at the raw barbaric tone that it had, but were amazed at the beauty of it all. It is said, the only way to defeat fear is to face it head on; taking no prisoners!! I'm aware that my advice here might not be possible for all students, but sooner or later, you'll have to face that fear one way or another.

Yes...this, right here!! I wholeheartedly concur with Wastelander...solid post!! I've ran across his name from time to time, but I've no personal knowledge about the art he founded and/or about himself!!

Over my many years in the MA, I've heard it said that we, MAists, use the language of the culture that founded the style, whether it be Japanese or Okinawan or Korean or whatever else it might be, to only show off, and to make ourselves seem more important!! Fair enough!! This might be warranted!! Is it, iyho?? As far as myself, well, I just don't subscribe to blanket accusations!!

Yeah, this!! ShoriKid said it much better, and much shorter, than I did...solid post, ShoriKid!!

Visit the Dojo Bar; it's a fantastic place...worth the visit, imho!! If you're wanting to train at an Okinawa dojo, you'll need a sponsor FIRST!! You just can't walk in unannounced. You'll want to call/write to Okinawa Traditional Karate Liaison Bureau before you sojourn to Okinawa, especially if you're intent is to train in an Okinawa dojo. There's usually a fee to train at these dojo's in Okinawa, usually $100-$300 PER DAY!! No, “OSS!” It's not used in Okinawa, and it's uncalled for. To do that is the quickest way to be shown the door. It's rude to do so because it speaks that you don't understand Okinawan etiquette. As far as touring Okinawa, and it's only abut 66 miles long, and maybe 5 miles wide, and while most of the time whenever we visited Okinawa, we had two of the greatest tour guides we could ever ask for...Soke and Dai-Soke. Their intimate and personal touch was breathtaking, which is of no surprise because they both were born and raised and trained in Okinawa. So, in that, we saw places in Okinawa that most others will not see!! So, when we weren't being shown around in Okinawa by Soke and Dai-Soke, we WANDERED around, and we visited places that caught our fancy. Wander around, mind your etiquette, and TRAVEL IN GROUPS!! Also, don't be offended if you see "Japanese ONLY" signs!! First, do not go in there for any reason!! The Okinawan's just want places of their own without having to be on display for the tourists!! Secondly, well, just don't enter wherever you're not wanted!! Learn basic Japanese like, "Hello" and "Thank you", as well as how to count to '10', and whatever you do, after you've learned a few key phrases, do not shorten these phrases, say the entire phrase, otherwise, you'll run the risk of insulting the person(s) that you're addressing. We, American's love short-cuts, and we use it in our language all of the time, and that's fine here in America, but in Okinawa, that's just pure rude, and unacceptable. If you're just going to visit Okinawa, and NOT train in karate in Okinawa, then by all means, enjoy the sights and sounds that are of their own. In any how, it might be a good idea, I never had one, to buy a travel book that covers Okinawa from a book store...never hurts to be prepared in anyway possible Have fun, be safe in your travels!!

I'm cheap...that's why I've used landscape beams for my Makiwara. They stand up to a beating and they keep on ticking. While the spring might be gone, it serves my purposes through its resistance. Cost about $3-$4!!

I didn't have the chance to use it before so can I ask how ?! Well, I can't say I'm an expert, but I did put together this video a while back on some basics of working with the makiwara: Excellent video Sensei8. Thanks for sharing it. The thanks need to go to Wastelander; that was his video!!

One of the worse things that a CI can do with a student that's ADD is to give those long, and drawn out speeches about everything and anything, and not just about MA. I've visited those dojo's where the CI went on and on and on about whatever; will kill drive in a second! Keep them engaged on the floor whether it's a drill or learning something new, but for whatever one does, positively engage that student...challenge that student, but make sure there's meaning, and not just killing time!! I usually have those students test first! Otherwise, they're no use to even call them up!! In drills and the like, put them either in the front or just before the middle of the line, even though they'll be at the back of the line from time to time, but if possible, have them in a shorter line!!

Going backwards is akin to blindly walking backwards...off a cliff. The fall will overwhelm you on the way down, but the landing, that's not going to be a good thing at all!!

And that's all that matters at the end of the day; your daughters betterment!!

Safroot wrote: Hit the Makiwara wrong...that pain that you're feeling immediately thereafter...is what I'm referring too. When the Makiwara doesn't give you what you're seeking, don't blame the Makiwara, no, blame yourself. Ever hit a hanging bag wrong?? Same thing. Bag/Makiwara is to help you learn proper technique, BUT NOT JUST WITH THE PART OF YOUR BODY THAT CONTACTS THE MAKIWARA!! The Makiwara teaches the entire body to be correct in its execution at all times!

To me, they're day and night, all around; focuses different with each having their own faults, yet, more successes than not!!

Well, seeing that our Soke and Dai-Soke were born and raised and trained in Okinawa, and that they're mastery of the English language was deplorable, our classes with either of them was also a lesson on Okinawa/Japanese; terminologies were in their language, yet, spiced up with them trying to speak English. A lot of our terminologies were posted on the East wall of the Hombu. That, I believe was for our benefit as a reference. But man oh man, there was a lot of grunting, mumbling, and finger and Shinai pointing!! "Go here!"..."There!"..."NO!!", and so on and so forth!! As far as my dojo's, both English and Okinawa/Japanese was on the menu as far as terminologies and the like.

Some time ago, I wrote an article here at KF, and I believe that it has some bearing as to this thread. http://www.karateforums.com/close-range-space-management-vt46269.html?highlight=space+management After all, as any Kobudo student will tell you, the weapon, any weapon, is the extension of yourself. Awareness of ones surroundings work well into what the weapon will or won't do. For example, within tight confinement spaces, one better be aware of those limitations. However, those confinement space management aren't ruled by those limitations because adaptations are taken to ensure a clean and direct path to the weapons target. For those who think that a bo can't be freely swung within a confined space, are limiting themselves wholeheartedly, and they've not mastered that bo, nor do they understand and appreciate that bo...imho!!

Solid post!! A passing notion gains nothing, however, an intimate notion gains everything!!

How do you explain chinkuchi? Carefully and slowly!! An intriguing, as well as vital element, of any Okinawan MA. Difficult to grasp at first, but with a solid and well versed Sensei, the obstacles are minimized, but evident, yet learnable in due time. Over and over and over, we heard these words from our Dai-Soke... "To learn, and to appreciate, the many aspects of Shindokan, learning them isn't enough; one must experience them for themselves!!" Chinkuchi is no exception! It must be experienced!! That means, hands-on tutelage from ones Sensei as a student is ushered in and through the techniques. How can something be appreciated from afar?? It's possible to do so, but the intimacy of the experience is lost, and therefore the aspect of the technique is lost as well. Trust must be established first between Sensei and student! Once trust is established, the pot-holes within ones training is minimized drastically. This allows the Sensei to teach, and the student to learn; but they must be one. Chinkuchi is difficult aspect for the beginner, but in time, that beginner is no longer that beginner; the dawn of experiencing chinkuchi is just over the horizon, but again, only in time!! This is for certain, chinkuchi can't be learned or appreciated or experienced through this forum/thread!!

I just can't see my MA training life without the Makawara; just way to important in my life!!

But what you can do in one class is to either like it or hate it; every style has that one chance to make an impression, whether it be a good one or a bad one!!

Welcome to KF, Occam; glad that you're here!! You find yourself in an conundrum, and it's to be expected with what you've experienced. Who to trust?! What MA to trust?! What instructor to trust?! Through your writing, and while you're a young man, you don't strike me as someone who blindly makes uninformed decisions about anything, especially where the MA is concerned. Of the four options, I believe that number 4 would fit you much better, albeit, the 2nd option outweighs the remaining options. One doesn't always want to return to familiar ground in order to just return to just return, but when the options are few and in between, and one's left with very few other choices, what's one left with between the worse of the two evils. Search your heart, and return where it'll do your MA betterment the most good. Otherwise, keep the search alive until you've found exactly what you're looking for. Rushing into something for the sake of rushing into it never does anyone any viable good. Youth is on your side, and if it was me, I'd not rush half-cocked into that which comforts me for the time being in order to fill that emptiness. No, I'd search until that which fulfills me is found, and not anytime much sooner.