sensei8

Thanks Sensei, I'm not the best at it but I do a great deal of social media stuff because I enjoy putting promotional videos together and what not. Your right though, in the mix of everything I haven't done some of the things you have suggested. You got me thinking about how some businesses go to a fast food place or restaurant to make some money for a cause. For God reason I have always wanted to do something for my daughters hospital. She has to be there once a week and it's not so kid friendly. Could get out there a little and do it for a good cause. Thanks for the ideas. If I may, your daughter is in my prayers...hang in there...all of you!! And yes, do something fun for the kids at the hospital...donate your time...do a speed breaking demo or something like that, with all of the proceeds going directly to the hospital.

Solid post!!

Solid post, JR 137!! You didn't steer the topic away at all, and I always welcome opinions. The bold type above was, imho, a fantastic way to view either.

Great tutorial, Alex, as always!! Great manipulation...great press...great hip control!! As a Karateka that's well immersed in grappling as well, I especially enjoyed seeing the knee strike that we're taught, as a possibility, at time stamp 3:19; as we're always looking for those openings, which are more doable when my opponent moves their arm between my legs, as opposed to having their arm in the way of my leg, which can prevent a full knee strike to the side of the head or square in their face. And of course, you'll see that whenever ones watching a UFC match.

Technique 36 in the Gracie Combatives is the double underhook pass. This is facilitated by executing a straight strike to the face (punch, palm heel ect...) until the bad guy opens the legs. Then you gain control and pass. It's natural to you because you've trained it. But I can tell you that, in the many years I've done GJJ (14 and counting), I've put countless people in my guard and had them punch. None of them have punched straight until trained to do so. People just tend to stink at fighting...that's why the come to all of us To the bold type above... Yes, I've trained in that for quite some time. No many Karate styles teach grappling as much as we do in Shindokan, and our Soke has developed a way for our straight punch to be utilized effectively standing or while on the ground. No, I'm not saying that Shindokan is on the same plane as GJJ/BJJ, but I'm also not saying that it's greatly inferior either. After all, not only do we do Karate, but we do grappling too, and not as a passing fancy.

How does one separate the two? I believe that Doctrine is how we teach, and style is what we teach!! Soke Saitou has laid out the foundation of Shindokan through how we're to teach it according to his directions. In that, any deviation should be curbed and avoided at all times for the fact that Shindokan is his creation, and we students only interpret his teachings as accurate as we can. Shindokan is our ideology! Shindokan, the styles, is what we teach, but we're allowed, and encouraged, to make Shindokan ours in a personal way. Shindokan is our methodology!

Open your school to styles of the MA that AREN'T yours!! Invite them to use your school whenever your school is closed. Rent out the school for different occasions that aren't MA related whenever your school is closed. Of course, if you rent same said space, you might have to get permission from the landlord in writing to sub-lease, even if it's for one day/night.

Solid post!!

Thanks for sharing, Noah!!

For your enjoyment... http://kempo.4mg.com/articles/shinken.htm Hopefully this will help in your research.

Seeing that Karate came to Okinawa via China, I don't doubt the correlation between the two. After all, we'd kindred spirits; all of us, for the most part.

Beat me to it, JR 137!! Very SOLID POST!!

Please, this topic isn't a religious one, as that isn't my intent, nor is it an implied on either. As well, let us not forget KF User Guidelines #10, and that we all will strive to steer away from that which has been asked of us all. Let me preface by the following... Merriam-Webster defines doctrine as... Merriam-Webster defines style as... Truly, are they both the same? Only separated by our own equivocal position!? Shindokan Saitou-ryu is a style of the MA? Is that it?? Nothing else?? However, isn't it also a doctrine, given to each practitioner by Soke Saitou?? Therefore, is every style a doctrine? And if the style is a doctrine, isn't a doctrine a style? If the style is a doctrine more than it is a style, than there must be a spirit attached to it?? A spirit that breaths life into that which is normally void of life, birthed by either a good spirit, or worse, a bad spirit. No technique has life until a practitioner chooses it!! Nonetheless, said chosen technique must have a noble purpose before it can be seen as it being from a good or bad spirit. Methodologies and Ideologies come from on high and trickle down to and into the student body. How the founder is, so is the student body...Yes or no?? Better way to say it, I suppose, is that the apple doesn't fall far from a tree! Self-aggrandizement, selfishness, egoistic, egomaniacal, egotistic, narcissistic, self-absorbed, self-centered, self-concerned, self-infatuated, self-interested, self-involved, egocentric, self-loving, self-obsessed, self-oriented, self-preoccupied, self-regarding, self-seeking, self-serving, solipsistic, inner-directed; complacent, conceited, overweening, pompous, prideful, proud, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-contented, self-directed, self-glorifying, self-important, self-indulgent, self-opinionated, self-pleased, self-satisfied, smug, vain, and vainglorious. Those labels have no purpose in any MA because they cloud and glaze over what's important. Things like rank should mean nothing, nor should rank be sought. Position and/or hierarchy shouldn't mean anything, nor should it be sought after either. These things poison ones MA betterment to such a level that it buries that which is good, and allows the bad to reach a fever pitch. Beneficent, benevolent, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, kindly, softhearted, sympathetic, tender, tenderhearted, warmhearted, attentive, considerate, solicitous, thoughtful; affable, amicable, benign, companionable, comradely, cordial, friendly, genial, gentle, good, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mild, neighborly, nice, pleasant, sweet, warm; clement, forbearing, forgiving, lenient, merciful, soft; patient, pitying, tolerant, understanding; altruistic, brotherly, charitable, freehanded, generous, greathearted, humanitarian, liberal, magnanimous, munificent, noble, openhearted, philanthropic, selfless, unselfish, unsparing; anticruelty, and cruelty-free. Those labels speak about the goodness that should be found within the MA, no matter what!! A MAist should be seeking improvement in small volumes within ones techniques and the like. MA betterment is not a tiny corridor to shy away from, but instead, imho, it's as broad as one desires. To climb a rung one rung at a time, means one being honest with themselves first, and to accept that one's not perfect, or even close. Either of these labels are the by-product of any CI/Governing Body/Founder/Hierarchy as to the manner of which they operate their school, both on and off the floor. Turning our focus to the overall effectiveness of said Style/Doctrine are as well, affected by the aforementioned labels, but that, if I may, is just a portion of the MA pie. If what the style and/or doctrine is teaching, and it one perceives it as ineffective across the board, that's the opinion of that practitioner. One has to immerse themselves on the floor to see if the said style is a big quacking duck, or a elegant swan. One opinion is not another's opinion, for the most. If the style says that their style is effective, do we take it at its word? If the doctrine says that their doctrine is effective, do we take it at its word? Not only no, but HECK NO!! Practitioners have to taste it to see if it's good, worthy of one's palette during the taste test!! Following blindly either of the style and/or the doctrine is short of insane. But people do that because they believe that the style/doctrine can be trusted. After all, the CI is not only a black belt, but a high ranking black belt, at that, and that CI sounds credible in he/her knowledge of what's being taught, and the CI sounds like all of the 't's' and the 'i's' have been crossed and dotted. A prospective student surely doesn't know more than the CI...right? Either the doctrine's spirit is good or it's bad; I see no middle ground!! Either the style teaches effectiveness or it doesn't; I see no middle ground!! Either the bottom line is more important than the student or the student is more important than the bottom line; I see no middle ground!! The MA is just a thing. In that, things can be either important or too overly important, that's left to the practitioner to choose over the style and/or the doctrine. I suppose, Shindokan is a style that is grounded in its doctrine, but it's doctrine spirit is good. We expel that which isn't good because one bad apple does spoil the whole bunch. Does the doctrine exist? Does the style exist? Can they both be intertwined? Is, that which you're a practitioner of, a style or a doctrine or both?? Are you/we/me learning a style or a doctrine or both? And if both, how does one train in both while keeping both separate, if it's even possible to do so with a clear mind and conscious?? Your thoughts, please!! Sorry for the dissertation-like being so long.

Welcome to KF, webcrest; glad that you're here!! My first day...wow...that was almost 52 years ago...all I remember is that I was scared to death, and that I had fun, and that my Sensei was bigger than life itself, yet, he was so kind and gentle, but man oh man could he bark orders out with the best of them.

RIP Mr. Ali; you'll be missed!!

That's exactly what I did before I opened my first dojo. I thought it would help me, and it did, beyond what I learned from Soke and Dai-Soke as to the business side.

Kudan: Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do Hachidan: Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo

Sounds good!! Thanks for the info, Patrick!!

Congrats, Karate_John; well deserved!!

If the manner for which one operates their school's testing or promotions works for them, than that's their right to do so. As it's the right of schools of the MA to differ from other schools' SOP. None is right...none is wrong...just different, as it should be. I'm a firm believer that the choice is that schools choice, and I've no right to condemn that school as it being incorrect. Therefore, my way is not their way, and in that, I respect their choice and would ask that they respect mine, as well.

So quick question, if a student attends an SKKA school that isn't the Hombu itself. can that student open up his or her own school under the SKKA banner? Or does that student have to have trained under the Hombu first? Yes!! To the first question. No!! To the second question. Neither is a prerequisite of either!! I just happen to have been an in-house student at the Hombu before and after I opened my dojo's. Having said that, we've dojo's within the SKKA network where the CI has never been an in-house student of the Hombu. Those CI's that have had their dojo open for some time now, they've been in-house students of the Hombu. Nowadays, as the years have melted away, that is becoming more of a memory than it was in years gone by.

Both, if possible! However, I'd select taking business over PhysEd, but only if you're wanting to run a school. If not, then PhysEd would compliment the major quite well. Imho! You don't need a business degree to run a small business. Just take a few of the basics. Accounting I and II, Business Law I and II. Marketing, and a professional writing course or advanced grammar (even this is not necessary, but could prove useful). Try getting into nursing and working in sports medicine, or orthopedics. Good paying, in demand jobs, and you can start with a 2 year degree from a community college for lower entry cost. Many hospitals will pay for you to go to get a 4 year nursing degree after you are already working for them. Then side gig Martial Arts. Maybe teach in a dojo as a fun side job. I work with many people who do this. If you found a degree similar to Phys Ed but a more medical focus then you have a larger pool of employment opportunities. Just some thoughts. I see my and later generations being sold into mountains of debt for hollow promises. Side gigging in a Dojo would provide valuable real world experience which is much better than classroom theory. If you were in an medical/exercise related field skills would transition easily. If you are into business go into accounting. Break the stereotype and be a combat accountant. No, one doesn't need a business degree, or any degree for that fact, to operate a school of the MA. I was only merely offering that as a suggestion of the two courses you had mentioned, and I do feel that we MAists kind of have the Phys Ed thing understood, especially as a MA instructor, whereas, not many, if any, schools of the MA teach Business 101...mine didn't/doesn't.

To the bold type above... You're correct Nidan Melbourne. No matter the rank ALL students have to apply with the Hombu, and the Hombu decides who is and who isn't admitted to any Testing Cycle!! No dojo within the SKKA network can conduct a Testing Cycle without the specific approval of the Hombu. I can't conduct a Testing Cycle in my own dojo unless the Hombu has approved it, even though I'm the Kaicho of the SKKA, and am of a Senior Dan Rank....no way and no how!! SKKA network wide conduct Testing Cycles once every quarter, Hombu included. Also, the Hombu conducts a annual Testing Cycle in June/July for all ranks, especially Godan and up: they MUST test at the Hombu without exception. To the Bolded Information, if you wish to hold your own Testing Cycle would you have to gain approval of your Board of Regents/Directors? Also I'm curious to know how far would people have to travel to the Hombu for that particular Testing Cycle? No!! I don't need Hombu approval to conduct a Testing Cycle, that's a separate concern. One in which the Hombu has no say over. However, every candidate that wishes to attend my Testing Cycle, they'd have to have Hombu approval, in which that specific approval/denial would then be forwarded to me from the Hombu prior to the date of my Testing Cycle. 75% of the SKKA Student body lives not far from the Hombu. The Hombu is located in the San Fernando Valley, which is just north of Hollywood, California. The other 25% live outside of that region...as far away as Tulsa, OK, and as near as Dallas, TX, no further north and/or east than the Lower Midwest.

Solid post!!

Solid post!!