sensei8

To student 'A': Shut up and train!! To student 'B': Shut up and train!! Student 'A'...just who promoted that student to a position that he/she doesn't possess?? Student 'B'...I will not force a student to test! Test...don't test...it's all good to me!! And when student 'B' is ready, I'll be here...whether it's sooner or later!! For student A, my answer is similar. They don't dictate when they test. For student B, it depends on their "why" & their rank. If they are holding back to have a chance to win tournaments, we'd be having a chat about ethics. If they just don't want to, it depends on their present rank & for how long they are there. If someone is 4th Dan. Runs their own school under me. But hasn't tested for 20 years, we'd be having a chat because at that point, that student is affecting his/her student's ability to promote, as well. Just an example. If using your example of a 4th Dan haven't graded for 20 years, why would they have not gone and attempted a grading in that time? I know many 4th and 5th Dans that haven't graded for that length of time because they are content at that rank and have no desire to be promoted to a much higher grade. What if that 4th Dan who hasn't graded has continually trained under their instructor and other instructors during that time, has the knowledge and expertise of say an 8th Dan but just hasn't been given that rank and the ranks in between? and he has graded students to 4th dan. Because IMHO rank is just a piece of clothing that keeps your pants up. And at the end of the day students acknowledge that knowledge is the main thing. I know about a Nidan that hasn't tested in close to 30 years...and this Nidan is quite content with that; I can admire and respect that. This Nidan has the knowledge and experience of a Dan rank way much higher than current rank. This Nidan has no desire to ever test! Why? A sign of respect to his Sensei who passed away shortly after this Nidan received his Nidan!! Very admirable indeed. I'm sorry you were forced against your will due to politics. To the bold type above... Is this question directed to me?

Is this event for all ranks, or just for Dan's!!??

Yes....if need be!! But, why, do you ask?!? No matter what anyone says negative about Kata, it is here to stay; now and forever. Why? It's a important tool; one without any equal. I've been doing Kata for over 50 years, and I'm not subjected to being a slave of it, nor am I subjected to being in bondage. As a tool, I use it properly; how it's designed to be. Kata is only limited by the practitioner!!

Yes, to all of those. Kata in a dojo is a new thing. The best metaphor for kata is the phrase, "from little acorns mighty oak trees grow." Kata is the acorn, fighting with the Kata is the oak tree's foliage in full bloom. This occurs through the "unpacking " of the kata: breaking it down into ideas and mechanics, exploring how these can take different forms and be combined in different ways then ultimately inculcating them to be used as needed in combat. The division of training into the three k's is imo a false one. It is all kata, whether training techniques or drills or fighting. Solid post!!

Any MAist, imho, worth his/her salt can free flow, especially away from Kata. It takes time, like everything, but is attainable. One of the things that helps us is that while we're Kata devotees, we're also taught Resistive Training. When you mix up Kata and Resistive Training into any spectrum of Bunkai, free flowing becomes not only effective, but necessary. Still, Kata helps us to maintain good form, aka posture/etc, but one has to willingly step away from the bounds and shackles that can trap us into rigidity. Relax, and let it all flow as necessary as possible.

I'd love to see you there, Alex; you're quite solid across the board, and man oh man, YOU CAN TEACH...mad skills on the ground, as well!!

Super Solid Post!!

Good topic, The Pred!! Yeah, I was the furthest thing from being a star student...at all ranks!! I was all thumbs with two backwards left feet. I was a master at just not ever getting it, and my AHA moments were akin to a dark room, but the AHA moments did occur in spite of myself. But my persistency over the years has paid off, and I wouldn't have chosen a easier path if given the opportunity to do so. No...I'm content with my failures because, in time, those failures turned into victories.

To student 'A': Shut up and train!! To student 'B': Shut up and train!! Student 'A'...just who promoted that student to a position that he/she doesn't possess?? Student 'B'...I will not force a student to test! Test...don't test...it's all good to me!! And when student 'B' is ready, I'll be here...whether it's sooner or later!! For student A, my answer is similar. They don't dictate when they test. For student B, it depends on their "why" & their rank. If they are holding back to have a chance to win tournaments, we'd be having a chat about ethics. If they just don't want to, it depends on their present rank & for how long they are there. If someone is 4th Dan. Runs their own school under me. But hasn't tested for 20 years, we'd be having a chat because at that point, that student is affecting his/her student's ability to promote, as well. Just an example. If using your example of a 4th Dan haven't graded for 20 years, why would they have not gone and attempted a grading in that time? I know many 4th and 5th Dans that haven't graded for that length of time because they are content at that rank and have no desire to be promoted to a much higher grade. What if that 4th Dan who hasn't graded has continually trained under their instructor and other instructors during that time, has the knowledge and expertise of say an 8th Dan but just hasn't been given that rank and the ranks in between? and he has graded students to 4th dan. Because IMHO rank is just a piece of clothing that keeps your pants up. And at the end of the day students acknowledge that knowledge is the main thing. I know about a Nidan that hasn't tested in close to 30 years...and this Nidan is quite content with that; I can admire and respect that. This Nidan has the knowledge and experience of a Dan rank way much higher than current rank. This Nidan has no desire to ever test! Why? A sign of respect to his Sensei who passed away shortly after this Nidan received his Nidan!!

Martial Artists, of all genre, have a beginning, a middle, and an end to their MA journey. Whether the journey was purposeful or a mistake or by accident, their journey was indeed, travelled to some type of conclusion, and hopefully, not for an assumptive conclusion. Everything that makes a MAist a MAist is done for, or should be, an ability to rise up and over any and all complications, no matter the size, and no matter the type. We MAists are here for a reason, and not for just a season. Albeit, some journeys are only last a blink, while others last a lifetime. Life happens, and life is not a respecter of persons, and will run you over for whatever the reasons might be. Trials and tribulations are abound on any MA schools floor. It's how one handles these adverse conditions define the MAist. We drill unending, we train unending, we learn unending, we strive unending, we do this and we do that unending. But for what? Self-aggrandizement? For rank/titles? For recognition? For acceptance? But what about...improvement? Ones MA betterment should show many levels of improvement over ones MA journey. As one grows older, one faces the demon of "WORTH"...am I still worth the effort...am I still worthy...am I now, more than ever, worthless??????????????? Age slows us all down, one way or another. Not all of us can maintain the physicality that's required of the MA, and in that, not all of us can maintain the illusion that was once. Either one can't or one can; there's no middle ground, imho!! No matter how long one has been a MAist, I ask you this... Are YOU still effective? Were you ever effective?

By "pass black belt", I'm assuming that you mean, pass Shodan, and if so, in that regards, I suppose that it doesn't! And it's just me, but, knowing that there's more to learn beyond Shodan, and forget about rank, I surely want to learn more...and more...and more...

When I first opened up my first dojo, I worked the weekend nights as a bouncer in a stripping bar for a few years, and man oh man, what I could share with you all, could fill up a book. But, those memories will stay in the recesses of my mind...sorry!!

To the bold type above... I don't look at the MA as a profit line, BUT, as the owner of a dojo/retail, I do look at the P&L because that's what a responsible business owner does. The P&L is the pulse of any business, and if there's no pulse, then that business is dead. All of my dojo's were for profit; that's why I opened them...to make a living so that I could provide for my family and I. My dojo/retail is a business! No matter how I might try to make it appear that it's not a business, in the end, that's exactly what it is. Please believe me when I say that I'm the furthest thing from a McDojo!!

I might be wrong, but I doubt that we'll see acott001, any time soon. I hope I'm wrong!!

The exact thing happened to Fumio Demura. His Sensei told him that if he didn't test, he'd have students that outranked him. So after some prodding, Demura Sensei, against his own desires, finally gave in and tested...thusly...earned a much higher rank. Demura Sensei forever and a day was a Godan...until his Sensei urged.

Yes...it does sound reasonable, but it's not written in stone, imho. Too many variable parameters exist!! Beside, who wants to only break even...month after month...year after year?? I don't!!

Still worth repeating... Mimicking...copying...no...I don't think that's what Karateka's do. They're also still fine for High Dan ranks too...I've seen Okinawa Masters do them...still. Kata is Karate...Karate is Kata.

No one!! The closest I have is Greg Forsythe, Kancho of the SKKA: He joined 6 months after I did...back in 1965...April...I started in October 1964...and we're still going strong...two peas in a pod.

To student 'A': Shut up and train!! To student 'B': Shut up and train!! Student 'A'...just who promoted that student to a position that he/she doesn't possess?? Student 'B'...I will not force a student to test! Test...don't test...it's all good to me!! And when student 'B' is ready, I'll be here...whether it's sooner or later!! For student A, my answer is similar. They don't dictate when they test. For student B, it depends on their "why" & their rank. If they are holding back to have a chance to win tournaments, we'd be having a chat about ethics. If they just don't want to, it depends on their present rank & for how long they are there. If someone is 4th Dan. Runs their own school under me. But hasn't tested for 20 years, we'd be having a chat because at that point, that student is affecting his/her student's ability to promote, as well. Just an example. I hear ya, if a person has a 4th dan, hypothetically you could say his students could only go up to 1st dan. Which is fine but what if some students want to open a school. Do they have to go to another school or if they have an hombu have the hombu promote them. When I was a Yondan, I attended all of MY Testing Cycles AT the Hombu, and as a matter of fact, I attended ALL of my Testing Cycles AT the Hombu. That's because, my Sensei, was the, then, Kaicho of the Hombu when I was a Yondan, and I still attended classes at the Hombu on a regular basis, per my class schedule at my own dojo, as I had done for years and years before, and years beyond that as well; nothing in that regard, for me, changed at all. It's a tightrope walk, to be certain. A Yondan, in Shindokan, can test their student body up to Nidan. After that, yes, they'd have to test at the Hombu, in our case. Once any student tests for Godan, and when one reaches Godan, it is a MUST, from then on, to test at the Hombu, and no where else!

When you were running your own dojo, how did you manage family dinner time? Would you go home and let a high ranking student run things for an hour or just have weekend family dinners. It had its up and downs, that's for sure. A little bit of this and a little of that.

Kata is just one tool; there's still Kihon and Kumite. Kata by itself isn't enough; empty.

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

To student 'A': Shut up and train!! To student 'B': Shut up and train!! Student 'A'...just who promoted that student to a position that he/she doesn't possess?? Student 'B'...I will not force a student to test! Test...don't test...it's all good to me!! And when student 'B' is ready, I'll be here...whether it's sooner or later!!

I manage them all...training...teaching...administrative duties...family; it's a full plate, but manageable...once it's fine tuned. Until then...crazy...comes to mind. My wife, Linda, hates this... I treat them all the same; none more important than the other. My wife, accepts that part of me, and has stopped trying to change my thinking, but, 25 years later, all she can do is shrug her shoulders and shake her head side to side. Truth be known...Family above all things!! Training...I do that as often as I breath. Teaching...I do that still, but not as often as I use to. I sold my dojo/retail last year February. I still do seminars often. I teach full time whenever I'm In-House at the Hombu. Administrative Duties...I do that Monday - Saturday...up to 8 hours a day...from the comfort of my home. Plus the great many visits of our Hombu that I do, on and off the schedule calendar, as well as the network visits to the various Shindokan dojo's. I've never learned how to juggle, but I do my share of juggling, if you get my meaning, and I do pretty good. Prioritizing is key, and also...TAKE THE TIME TO JUST SIT DOWN DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...to recharge the batteries!!

Solid post!!