sensei8

Thank you, lowereastside, John, groins for your thoughts and prayers!! Everyone's prayers and thoughts mean everything to me, especially now!!

Had a new school open up, and when I visited it, to see for myself what others had reported to me, I left shaking my head in disbelief. The CI's "greatest ability", and these are his words, and not mine, that he can stand right outside the front door of his school and shoot an arrow over the roof of his school and hit a small target that's behind the schools building. No, he refused to demonstrate this to me because he had to teach class, and I had to leave as fast as I could. School lasted 1 month!!

Not all black belts can teach, nor should they try!! The CI decides if that said proposed instructor has the abilities to teach said style effectively. This takes time!! Watching the proposed instructor day in and day out, and mentoring that proposed instructor makes everyone accountable. Does that proposed instructor engage willingly? Smile? Shy? Overbearing? Looks at the clock OFTEN? Wants to be on the floor teaching? What's the tone while teaching and when they're off the floor? Multi-tasking skills? Managing skills? Detail orientated? Schedule making abilities? Ordering material skills? Inventory skills? Labor management skills? Curriculum writing? Does that proposed instructor show up early and stay late? Ownership skills? Accountability skills? Have desire? Man oh man, the list is quite long, or it can be, and it is with me because credibility is at task across the board. Can I teach someone to teach? NO!! I can only teach them Shindokan, the rest is up to that individual...either they can teach or they can't!! There are no middle grounds!! Our Hombu does certify instructors, but having the stamp of approval of the CI is paramount over the certificate that the Hombu awards at the end of the training for any proposed instructor. Why? The CI KNOWS that proposed instructor much more intimately than the Hombu, unless that proposed instructor is an In-House Proposed Instructor of the Hombu.

Good topic, Danielle!! Thanks for starting it!! Allow me to answer these 3 questions one at a time. It has been my practice to allow children on the floor when they reach 5 years old. However, I've made exceptions by allowing 4 year olds on the floor. The choice, as to what age is the best to start them in the MA depends on what the CI decides. And at times, the governing body dictates that, and to me, that's wrong. Why? The governing body needs to stay completely out of the daily operations of a dojo/dojang/etc because they've no stake in anything outside of the governing body. The governing body has a full plate already. As far as prerequisites are concerned, and what's required, I'll just say this... Kids will be kids. Therefore, the prerequisite should be directed towards the CI. Can the CI teach kids? If not, then the CI needs to not ever teach kids. Teaching children requires a CI that knows exactly how to teach them. By the way, 'exactly' means that the learning curve for the CI concerning children needs to have some flexibility because what a child did today, might not echo to tomorrow. Why? Kids are kids!! Coordination in children are what they are, and in that, they'll not be as coordinate as adults are, but that should be expected. Attention span?!? WOW!! I know some adults that don't have the attention span of children. What I've learnt by the experts and professionals outside of the dojo/dojang/etc is that the age of the child matches the length of attention span in minutes. So, if you've got a 5 years old, you've got about 5 minutes before that child loses interest. HOWEVER, that 5 minutes will be a general rule because, that child will lose their attention span WHENEVER THEY DECIDE, and not the CI. Be prepared to expect the unexpected when teaching children the MA. If you bore that child to death, you'll lose the battle of will fast, and it'll take some creative and effective tools to bring them back onto your side. When it comes to children, the parents/guardians decide which MA that child will start, and that'll have a varied factors that have to be meet before that child bows onto the floor for the first time. So, what I like to do, is sit the parents/guardians down and have an open conversation, and then go from there. The child can start anywhere, once the parents/guardians DECIDE!! Kids may want, but the parents/guardians decide ultimately. Sure, I'll push my brand, but in the end, my brands either fits their needs and expectations or it doesn't. I always encourage the parents/guardians to visit as many classes as they feel they need to decide because things decided behind closed doors are forgotten once the floor starts to reveal a many things.

Aikido, imho, is neither doomed and/or flourishing! As in any MA, they ride a wave of notoriety, and granted, some ride the wave longer than others. Albeit, all MA have their 15 minutes of fame. And in that, the answer to your question will vary as wide as the sea is, depending on whom is asking and whom is asked. Is Aikido effective? To me, that's the question that bears more fruit, imho. Doomed, to me, means that Aikido is on the way out, and to be on the way out means that Aikido isn't effective anymore. Imho, Aikido is still effective!! If one witnesses something that's not effective, than again, look at the practitioner as the source of that ineffectiveness, and not at the style. Flourishing is, imho, fed my branding!! The UFC, for an example, is riding that wave, and has for quite along time, and might continue riding that wave for some time. However, that wave, with some bad branding, will dwindle to nothing more than a ripple. Same is to be said for any style of the MA!! Nonetheless, I'm a firm believer that the practitioner is at fault, and not the MA!! Opinions as to Aikido's future, unfortunately depend on having practitioners that are quality and then some. One doesn't have to look any further than the practitioner to see if, for that practitioner, they are doomed or that they're going to flourish. Proof is on the floor!!

Labels, imho, separate individuals, thusly, divides them instead of uniting them; all are human beings. I'm the furthest thing from being a 'whimp', yet, and however, I was taught by my Sensei, and I therefore, teach it to my students, that there's nothing wrong with running away from any altercation, if one can. I'd rather run away from a proposed attacker, than confront said attacker for personal as well as professional reasons. If a conflict occurs with an attacker, and at the very first opportunity to leave arrives, I will leave as quickly as I can. To me, this meets the expectations of everything I know, both personal as well as professional.

Thank you, Bulltahr, Liam, Oshishinobu, and Danielle for your thoughts and prayers. Liam, to answer your question... Yes, a Memorial Service was held at the Hombu on July 16, 2016.

Just because one's a human being, it doesn't mean that they know how to act like a human being. The child was defending himself....good for the child. As far as the rest, I'd inform the appropriate authorities, and that's all I can really do.

Thank you, The Pred, JR 137, and Karate_John for your thoughts and prayers!!

With all due respect Bob, there is still a risk when taking an impact with your head. Broken knuckles, arms, feet etc. are nothing and you'll survive them. But if something should go wrong with a headbutt the consequences are significantly worse. Admittedly it was caused by a knee to the head, but if anyone saw Cyborg Santos' injury from Bellator at the weekend, shows how fragile your skull can be! Your right, Danielle; solid post!!

Tragedy, at this moment, is the only word I can use to adequately convey as to what's occurred on the early morning of July 11, 2016. While returning from Mexico, and after spending the entire day, of July 10, 2016, celebrating the highly successful conclusion of the SKKA's Annual Testing Cycle, that saw, for only the 3rd time in its history, its largest approved candidate pool of 1003, tragedy struck, and struck with an evil chorus. The entire SKKA's Higher Hierarchy, minus myself, were killed in a head-on vehicle accident with a drunk driver, who was travelling at a very high rate of speed!! Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends during this mournful time!! I've not much of the details, but what I do have, and what I'm willing to share, is few. Most of what I do know, would fill in a thimble, at best. Most of the information is being withheld because, I'm either not a member of any of the immediate families concerned, and/or I choose to not know the exacting details as to the who, what, when, where, why, and how's surrounding this tragedy. Knowing the exacting details will not bring them back, and much of it is a private matter that belongs to those families, and them alone. Because I've a very low constitution of these type of details, I choose not to know the exacting details that surround accidents of this magnitude, and again, what purpose would it serve to anyone for me to explain those type of unnerving as well as unsettling details!?!? Lost in this tragedy are: Kancho: 1) Greg Forsythe Regents: 2) Thomas Stillwater 3) Jonathan Plouge 4) Ben Stevenson 5) Giichi Tanaka 6) Yoshikazu Tanaka For a quick bio, please check the below links, while brief, they should provide enough history of each lost... http://www.karateforums.com/a-pocket-full-of-marbles-vt42305.html?highlight=regents http://www.karateforums.com/no-more-counsel-of-regents-vt42754.html?highlight=regents Words can't convey what I've been feeling ever since this occurred. I was sadden when our Soke passed away in 2008 from natural causes; he was 91 years old. I was even more sadden when our Dai-Soke passed away in 2010 after his second stroke within a very short time; he was 78 years old. These two deaths, while painful and sad, they weren't senseless and uncalled for, as what's happened with what took place on July 11, 2016. Killed also in this accident, was the drunk driver!! Not that this lessens the blow, if at all!! The families will find their closures, if possible, in time, if at all. As for my closure, and not that mine matters at all compared to what the families are experiencing, time heals all wounds, as it's said, but I'll allow time to see what wound is or isn't healed. My head's in a fog these days, and oftentimes, I feel like I'm sitting on top of a bomb, waiting for it to explode right beneath me!! Not a good feeling, one, I'm hoping to shake quite soon. I've asked God why! But, for now, He's not revealed this to me!! I've guilty feelings about this tragedy because had I decided to travel with them to Mexico, I too, might've been killed as well. But I choose to go home to my wife in Houston, TX because I'd been away for 3 weeks, and I was missing her. The future of the SKKA is unknown, but to be honest, and for the moment, it's the most insignificant concern, and will be addressed when it's more appropriate to do so. However, all classes at the Hombu, as well as all Executive and Administrative business is suspended until further notice. All In-House students of the Hombu, have been shifted to nearby dojo's within the SKKA Network for an undetermined time. All Testing Cycles are suspended within the Network for an undetermined time, as well. The Hombu's daily operations will continue, for the moment, but will be closed for an undetermined time as well, once a moment in time permits it to do so, and for now, I'll conduct the daily operations, but from my home. I'll return to the Hombu, whenever it makes sense, and right now, it makes no sense according to our Legal Team. Right now, my mind's on the friends that I've lost...and I pray for the fog to lift from my head, the sooner the better!! God bless Greg, Thomas, Jonathan, Ben, Giichi, Yoshikazu, as well as their families during this sad moment!! All of the SKKA lifts our prayers to those lost and to their families!!

Most Karate styles TEACH the head-butt, Shindokan teaches it, and as with anything, if it's executed properly, there's little to no danger to the practitioner. The nose, being the target, isn't bone, but it's cartilage, quite easy to break. The head-butt gives the karateka one more tool to consider, and given the opportunity, I can guarantee that I'll use it with a fever of intent!!

I liked that as well....especially because Mike spoke in English.

I've Netflix, and that's where I'm trying to watch it, but there are not sub-titles, well, none that I can see.

We've also, used Sempai's to mentor the new student. While the new student can only attend the group classes, they'll have a Sempai assigned to them, side by side, for the duration of that first month. I've assigned myself to that duty when no Sempai was available, but that was rare. The more I can put a new student at rest and settle down the butterflies in their stomach, the better for the new student. Ever been the new student at a brand new school when you were in elementary school? Same terror...same reality...for a new student at the dojo/dojang/etc.

No matter what you do, once someone has God attached to anything, you're not going to change their mind. Rightfully or not, it's the way it is. As an example Sensei8, would it change your opinion of bowing to a picture of your Soke and Dai-Soke at shomen or shinzen? We start every class with the following: Shinzen ni rei Kaicho ni rei Nidaime ni rei Our shinzen has Seido Juku's kanji There's a picture of Kaicho Nakamura And a picture of his son Nidaime (second in line) Akira Nakamura I don't view any of it as worship. I view it as showing respect individually for the entire organization and what it stands for, showing respect for Kaicho and what he's done, and for Nidaime and what he's done. Neither of those two individuals are Gods nor God-like in any way, shape or form. And if you asked them, they'd confirm just that. When I've taken class in their immediate presence I've bowed to them (along with the rest of the senior black belts), and I view their pictures as nothing different than that. I'm not going to change your mind, and I don't want to; your beliefs are yours and you have them due to life experience. Those students have their beliefs, as misguided or ill informed as they may be; they are their beliefs and won't change. But in all fairness, I can't see how it would have worked out for those students in the long run. If they were informed of this protocol/ritual/practice/tradition (I hate to use words that could be twisted or misinterpreted as religious) from the beginning, they shouldn't have started in the first place. It was only a matter of time before they found something else as a conflict of religious belief and left IMO. I'm surprised they started at all. To the bold type above... My opinion of bowing DID change when I opened my own dojo. How so? I didn't put up anything anywhere in the dojo that I had to bow to, unlike how it was at the Hombu. That was their way, and I respected their way, and I LEARNED the true reasons as to why bowing in the MA exists at all. Even though I hang a picture of Jesus in my dojo, I don't bow to it because, to me, it's an outwardly act that's not necessary because my heart is looked upon by Jesus. Did I lose respect for Soke and Dai-Soke by not having their pictures hanging in my dojo? NO!! Respect is a personal choice, and I have respect for them without having to put their pictures up for all to see. "Well, most dojo's have a picture of the founder and their Sensei, if their Sensei isn't the founder, as a sign of reference and respect!!" Good for them...that's their choice, and I respect that wholeheartedly, but it doesn't mean I have to follow suit, as that's my choice, as well.

Congrats to all those who have recently been promoted!! Congrats to those in their current rank accomplishments!!

Fulcrums are important to a MAist, imho. Why? I can't execute any known manipulation from Tuite and the like without first having some practical knowledge of body mechanics/fulcrums and the like. Move this way, this DOES happen...move that way, this DOESN'T happen! Yes, the fulcrums, as the OP puts it, have to be tweaked at times for said manipulation to succeed. Why? No two attackers/attacks are the same!! Good topic, Alan!!

How can one be viewed as incorrect if they're doing it out of habit and/or respect?? Sure, on the outside of that circle, it appears one way to that person, and that is reality to THAT person, but it's assumption by THAT person is way off base. I never bowed to Soke and/or Dai-Soke outside of the dojo/Hombu all of the time, but on the occasions that I did, there was a valid reason in me to do so. I don't need another person and/or MAist to qualify my reasons because it's MY CHOICE, and my choice alone. Looking down on that or not, that too, is a choice others might make; it's their right, as it's my right as well.

Then why has a founder defined either?? What's the point of them doing that, because after all, they do that?? They might label 'it' this way and that way, but they define 'it' one way or another, and they expect others to adopt 'it' or go away. Imho!!

Be affiliated or not means very little to me because the governing body isn't the MAist!! What the MAist brings to the table is what I look for, and not who that person is affiliated with; I'm interested in the individual and not in any governing body. Sure, I might say..."That's cool", as to the affiliation, but after that has been said, I look at, and only at the individual. Lineage...same thing..."That's cool", and all of this boils down, for me, to one thing... Proof is on the floor!!

Reasons to learn the MA is as varied as their are people. Students' initial expectations of what to expect don't always meet up to the truth, which is found out quite quickly. Any quality instructor of the MA lays it all out for the student so as there's no surprises, including the expectations of the CI/School for the entire student body. New students from their first day on the floor can picture themselves wearing a black belt, and some, if not all, imagine that it won't be all that hard to earn. Then the reality introduces themselves to the student in a quite rude way. One drill after another, forms, stances, basics, repetitive punches and blocking and kicking and striking, and then theirs the mundane of corrections, as if, no beginning student can walk and chew gum at the same time, let alone together without being corrected. With the beginning student, the initial excitement wears thin, and that's quickly drawn into the unshakeable feeling that any type of mastery is unattainable, if ever. This, causes many new students to quickly decide to quit not only from your school but from the MA in its entirety; to never wear a gi or shadow the door of any MA school ever again. The MA requires dedication and hard work. To a new student, hard work isn't fun at all, and they want nothing to do with that. Here's what I've done, and remember, the apple doesn't fall from the tree, after all, I am my Sensei's student. Before allowing new students to enter any group class, have new students take private lessons first. That way, the new student isn't so overwhelmed in front of established students of the same and/or near rank. Week one: *Stances *Turns *Learning how to move in those first few stances in the four compass points...forwards, backwards, left, and right. Week two: *Blocks *Punches *Kicks *Strikes Week three: * One-Steps Week four: *Kata Of course, corrections are going to be there, as they should be for obvious reasons. Also, while posture, and things like that, aren't listed above, it doesn't mean that they're not taught. So if you see something that I've not listed above, believe you me, that that methodology/ideology is covered these 4 weeks. I don't charge for these classes at the private lesson rate, because they're not private, as a private lesson might be. These 4 weeks are more like an Introductory class to help them hit the group class with their feet running, and they'll not be playing super major catch-up to their peers. That shyness or whatever one might call it, can cause a new student to avoid any classes right from the start. New students assume everything that isn't actually true because they don't know any better. So, I'll do a Private lesson, aka, Introductory class before they enter any group class for the sake of the student, and truth be known, drop-out ratios lessen even more so. All because I took the month to ease a lot of their anxiety and frustrations by showing them a thing or two beforehand.

I'm of the mindset, and have been this way for quite a long time...well...forever, that a dojo/dojang/etc IS A BUSINESS!! Treating the business less than what it really is does the student and the school a terrible injustice. Why? The building can't pay its bills by itself. The building can't manage the tangible costs by itself. The building can't clean up after itself by itself. The building can't negotiate for itself. The building can't update any equipment for itself. The building can't advertise for itself. The building can't pick the price structure for itself. The building can't manage the Labor Matrix for itself. The building can't manage the staff for itself. In short, the building can't do anything for itself, and the building houses the business, no matter how the label might be addressed by the owner...school or dojo or dojang or whatever...it's a business IF THERE ARE OVERHEADS!! If there are no overheads, then one can call it whatever the owner decides!! I've been in business for a very, very long time, ever since the mid 1970's, and that means that all of my dojo's have been a business. And a business has to be cared for day in and day out, without neglect, and without exceptions.

Welcome to KF; catlike; glad that you're here!!

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