sensei8

It can be quite interesting when one considers the many ways one can sign any official correspondences, and then to have it judged by those outside of their immediate circle as directed by their governing body, can feel quite daunting. Sure, I can write and sign my name and the like just about anyway I want to. However, protocol dictates that any and all correspondences must be handled per the requirements of the recipient. If not, I run the risk of having the letter thrown out, and/or have my correspondence not given the proper consideration. For example, If I write correspondence to the President of the United States, I better follow protocol to the nth degree, or face the fate of not being taken serious at any level. Same might be said of the protocol at your governing body. How one's to address individuals as well as departments and the like must meet those expectations. One, it's polite, to do as required. Two, it's rude, to not do as required. If a governing body ignores someone just because they used the word "title" inappropriately, and that particular protocol is required, yet ignored, one can expect no returning correspondences anytime soon, if at all. Our own SKKA, has protocol, that can be for sure, but we're merciful on these type of mistakes because to ignore a possible important and vital correspondences on a technicality, even though an important technicality, can harm the SKKA one way or another, depending on the degree of seriousness. I'm a respecter of protocol!! Protocol was drilled into us all at the SKKA/Hombu, and oftentimes, leniency wasn't tolerated, not even the slightest.

That's good to know, Liam; thanks. On a side note...I wonder if Rika Usami will come out of retirement for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, now that Karate is in the IOC officially??

Time in rank is as important as it is to said governing body. Outside of that governing body, it might not have much value, if any. The governing body usually has the right to amend anything relating to rank without notice. Sure, there are written expectations per rank, and per title, and per teaching license, however, that reserved right of the governing body is preserved.

Welcome to KF, MatsuShinshii; glad that you're here!! Solid post!! Solid points!! My Hanshi is just that, as you've stated, a teaching license, and nothing more, bestowed upon me by our Governing Body. In that, I never refer to myself by my teaching license. In official correspondences, I might, and I mean might, tag my Hanshi at the end, just under my name, just above my rank. Never have I put my teaching license in front of or at the end of my name in any shape, way, and/or form. Why? Because that's not my name! Whenever I write an official correspondence for the SKKA, I'll close it with my name and my SKKA title of Kaicho. My title will go, again, under my name, and not before or after it...this is my choice. Both my Soke and Dai-Soke did the same: Name, then under that, their title, in any official correspondences. Neither of them or myself have ever added our teaching license on official correspondences and/or unofficial correspondences because it would be incorrect. Albeit, the context must be appropriate. Ever since I've been here at KF, 2008, I've addressed my Shogo, unofficially, as a title. I don't think that's wrong? No, not really, within this venue, imho.

Will there be a Freestyle Division for Kata?? This is just me, but I hope that the Kata will only be Traditional. The Freestyle Division might be for another venue, but not for the IOC.

Congratulations to your Sensei; Godan is a milestone, of a type!!

My style is Shindokan. It's an effective style. Shindokan's effectiveness lies within me, and not our Soke. If I'm not effective, yet the style is, then I've failed the style, and the fault is mine alone. Again, imho!!

One could, however, it would be incorrect. De Facto...no!! De Jure...yes!! Our By-Laws, through our SOP are formally endorsed, as well as, how the SKKA ratifies each SOP through its official procedures and gives the standards its stamp of approval. By title, I'd assume the CI post until a newly elected CI is sworn in. I've both the experience as well as the knowledge to assume the CI post, even if it's only temporary. The buck stops with Kaicho, but that's the Executive/Administrative portion, and not of the Technical Department. That buck, stops with the Kancho!!

Solid post!! The path you're proposing has merits!! What I need to separate myself from, in order to make a more clearer decision, is to look into the future, and stop living in the past. What our Soke created, and what we amended during a time of betrayal, in our Charter and the like into our current By-Laws, can still be upheld, but not forgotten. Our pass is, and can be the stepping stones done a renewed path that both honors everyone, and not just one, of the few. We've less than 30 days to rekindle the fire within the SKKA/Hombu, otherwise, closure, as the final solution, even though temporary, will occur, and that ship might not ever sail again. This is my responsibility! One I've accept wholeheartedly, and without any reservation and/or ambiguity along time ago; one I plan on upholding. The proposals that you've laid out, Bulltahr, afford me a new avenue to present to our Legal Team, as well as the few key individuals within the SKKA. Not even the Reconstruction company we hired, nor have our Legal Team, nor have anyone else for that fact, and I know for sure, I've not thought of it/them either. That's my fault, and my fault alone!! I've steered everyone, in-house as well as those that were out-sourced, to continue the By-Laws and the like as they've been established through all of the proper channels. I DIDN'T WANT TO INVEST INTO ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT APPEAR AS THOUGH I WAS BEING UNFAITHFUL TOWARDS THAT WHICH WE'VE ONLY KNOWN!! To me, the By-Laws and the like weren't broken, therefore, there's no reason to fix it/them!! However, the deaths of Kancho and the Regents has made vital parts quite broken. Yet, plausible and viable and fixable!! Tomorrow, I'll make a conference call to those concerned party within the SKKA and provide them with your proposals with a firm, yet open heart. Still, the biggest issue I/we face is securing qualified candidates, providing we continue that paths unbridled and unmolested in our intents. Fingers crossed!!

When this type of class became more popular, I added it to my dojo. No, I didn't teach it because my teaching plate was quite full. However, I kept my eye on it, as I did with anything that I wasn't directly involved in; Management 101 teaches that. I was still liable for everything, even if I wasn't the instructor of said class. I didn't let those other classes fend for themselves!! I was quite supportive of them, and this included me supplying the necessary materials and the like, and not just the floor space and/or the time frames. My dojo's have always been full time, therefore, my only source of income. I was highly involved in everything from 'A' to 'Z' and back and forth; 24/7. I couldn't allow classes as this to go without my managing its daily operations. No, that, imho, would be irresponsible, which that would be unforgivable. Classes like this, added much to my bottom line. As I learned in college..."A penny turns into a nickel, and a nickel turns into a dime, and a dime turns into a quarter, and a quarter turns into a million dollars; all profits are tangible."

Solid post!! I'd rather a prospective student watch and ask a ton of questions, so as to be more informed, as often as felt necessary. Doubt can rear its ugly head if certain concerns are left to the wayside. Surely, it's not a good idea to buy the very first vehicle without first doing some serious investigation about any vehicle. Just buying the first vehicle one sees is a great way to get a lemon; who wants to buy a lemon?! If a prospective student just walks in my dojo without watching and/or asking any questions, I will encourage them to do so before they make their final decisions. And yes, by all means, taking the vehicle on a test drive answers so many questions. Same with a free trial lesson at my dojo!! Taste it to see if it's good!!

I'm always spouting this... The practitioner is why the style is ineffective; not the style. Aikido, and I'm not a Aikidoist at all, in the direct senses, but I believe that Aikido is an effective art. I tend to look at the practitioner first, and the style second. The fault of ineffectiveness, imho, lies within the practitioner, and in that, the practitioner is the proponent of its ineffectiveness!! Imho!!

Great topic, Spartacus Maximus; glad that you started it. Contact the police immediately, and not later. Later, to me, incorporates me collecting proof/evidence; I've not the time nor the luxury or the experience or the resources as Law Enforcement's have. The sooner that I make Law Enforcement aware of the possibilities, the sooner that Law Enforcement can being their investigations. Meanwhile, I'll not take the law in my hands unless it's a matter of life and death!! I will protect my family as well as myself to the best of my abilities with the intentions of finalized resolve. To do what I must, and no more!!

What would you do?? The SKKA/Hombu, for now, is a ragtag ship, kind of left adrift, with no save haven port in sight. While the ship might be kind of ragtag, it's core is still in tact. However, key positions are left unfilled. If these key positions can be filled by qualified people within the SKKA Network, it's very possible that the ship can be saved from the impending storms forecast. Needed: 1 Kancho, must possess, as a minimum, a Hachidan as well as a Shogo Title of Hanshi. This position is part of the Executive Team for the SKKA. This position is also the Chief Instructor of the Hombu. 5 Regents, must possess, as a minimum, a Hachidan as well as a minimum Shogo Title of Kyoshi. The Regents are the Administrative Team of the SKKA. We're, well I mean, I'm stuck in the mud, so to speak. These positions are as they are per how our Soke designed them to be. However, what was doesn't have to be; a new model can be adopted. *How to restructure those two teams? *How to restructure those two teams in a different manner? *How to entice those that are qualified in the SKKA Network to step forward? *How to choose those that remain in the SKKA with temporary voting authority? *Is temporary voting authority practical and/or necessary? If blessed enough to find, interview, and vote as de facto for these positions, all voting authority responsibilities will then immediately reside with the Executive and Administrative Teams, and them alone!! Hopefully, those here at KF can lend me some advice. After all, none of you have any ties with the SKKA, and that expels any preconceived notions as to any bias involvements. In short... HELP....any and all suggestions will be seriously entertained!! Thank you, in advance!!

Can you provide us a preamble of what you'd like to discuss, kenpo4life.

That's the beauty of Oyo; self expression!! Thanks for sharing, Noah. Your Sensei flows quite quickly and smoothly!!

I've been on Netflix for quite some time, and I JUST NOW found out that I can pick "English" and "Sub-Titles"!! Go figure!! Those features have been there FOREVER, and I never knew that. When I saw that box in the past, I thought that Netflix decided for its members how a film can be viewed. In short, I finally watched the movie, and it was ok, but not near as good as 1 and 2, imho.

What gets air play is what gets most viewers. Why? More viewers = higher premiums from commercials. Think about it... The only reason why anything on tv exists is to keep you entertained in between commercials. I agree with that. I just want to be more entertained with more Judo or TKD or Karate; equal play for all sports, not just the usual ones that dominate my entertainment factor!!

I suppose that a Nikyu could start a club because a club is where MAists, of all styles, can exchange ideas and the like. A club could be a place where MAists, of all styles can socialize with one another. A club could be the one and only place that's free of dojo politics and the like. A club could be a hassle free place where they can relax over some non-alcoholic beverages. A club could be a place to just chill and kick their feet up over some reading or relaxing with their laptop. As far as learning and as far as teaching is concerned, I believe that that might be a side affect of any training as well as the exchange of ideas, but free of the formality of outward teaching. A club doesn't have a Sensei, because having a Sensei over the club might be more of a hindrance than not, but an owner of the club, even if the owner is or isn't a Sensei or not. If I own a club, it would be the one place where I wouldn't engage in any formal teaching, but the MAist/Sensei that I am, I more than likely would "share" some suggestions, as it happens in any exchange of ideas. A club is free from the control of a governing body because a club doesn't need a governing body; only a business license!! A governing body destroys the ambience of a club, and puts to many people on guard instead of exchanging ideas with no preconceived notions with other MAists. Imho!

While having Karate in the IOC might be a good thing, the one thing I've noticed with the Rio IOC, as well as IOC's of the past, Judo and TKD don't receive much TV coverage, and that still might be the lack of interest from the general viewing public, but it also might be due how the given network decides what and how long any event might receive. The Judo I've seen thus far might be 30 minutes, at best, overall coverage, and I hope that TKD fairs much better. My fingers are crossed!! This is what I'm afraid of...Karate might suffer the same fate. If the networks would air much more than a tidbit, interest might peak with the general viewers. However, how does any of the MA in the IOC generate that interest against gymnastics or weightlifting or boxing or volleyball or soccer or diving or swimming or track and field or tennis or ping pong or a half dozen others?? It's difficult!! The general viewing audience knows about Judo and TKD already, and these two have been in the IOC for some time. The networks, imho, are the ones who decide coverage, especially prime time. Sports that have rounds or sets or quarters or what have you, spend more time on air than those that don't. Oh well...what's one to do but enjoy the coverage allowed and be thankful it's covered at all.

Yes!! How easy it is to see about the many things we do as MAists, things that are natural, and yes, falling is a natural thing, without thinking about it...not even for a second...and how it relates back to our MA training. I can see you, Shizentai, when I close my eyes, how your experience unfolded, in slow motion. Through your muscle memory, you knew exactly how to fall/roll to alleviate any significant injury. Yeah, you had soreness, but nothing else. I consider the surface that you had to fall on, and it was no picnic for you. It wasn't the mat at the dojo...it wasn't inside the safety of the dojo...no...it was on an unforgiving surface. We take many things for granted, and the MA is no exception. Training DOES pay off in the strangest ways, and at the most unexpected time and place. Not always in a life and death situation or in an attack, but in our daily life's, doing everyday things. And yes, we owe it to our Instructor(s)!! Had we not been under their guidance along the way, that trip over the handlebars might've resulted in something much more unpleasant. Thanks for sharing the story, Shizentai!!

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

If grappling isn't a norm for a WC practitioner, than I believe that grappling needs to be added to the curriculum. Not all fights end up on the ground, and not all stand up practitioners always remain standing. Therefore, I believe that adding grappling to WC would greatly benefit them. I suppose, better to have learned grappling, then to have not learned grappling when it's needed.

Welcome back, twistkick kid; glad that you're back, and that things have improved for you!!

Through having a Grand Opening at my dojo, including a Re-Grand Opening once I ironed out all of the major issues. However, the key for that to be of any success is to plan early, and get the word out, early and continuously!! Through flyers and yard signs, as any other low cost methods. Then, make sure the Grand Opening has you teaching your ultimately best on the floor, as well as being that consummate host; nothing ruins the GO more than being a terrible host...that master of ceremony. Don't give away the entire store, just be the best in your customer service...and be honest in everything. You can't do it...then say so!! You can do it...then follow through!! Say what you mean, and mean what you say!! Welcome back to KF, Kenpo4life; glad that you're back!!