sensei8

Nice workable space, Lex; looking great!! Clean...bright...welcoming...AWESOME!!

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

Welcome to KF, Matchu B San; glad that you're here!!

Solid post!! I'd only add, visit these schools first, as many times as needed, to give you a more clearer picture.

Solid post!!

Very nice tutorial, stonecrusher69!! Our Soke, according to our many In-House resources, never studied WC! However, what your video here shows, and with many other videos you've submitted in the past, a lot of what we teach in Shindokan concerning close ranges, is pretty close to what WC does, if not, at time, the same thing. Keep your videos coming!!

Many years ago, I stopped charging testing fees, and shortly after that, the Hombu, under my leadership as Kaicho, ended charging testing fees as well. This action trickled down to every Shindokan dojo; no testing fees!! Before that revelation, Shindokan dojo's, and including the Hombu, charged only ONE testing fee. If a student didn't pass their initial testing cycle, they were never ever charged a testing fee...no matter how long it takes to finally pass.

What if they don't pass??

Congrats to Kendall!! .500 is admirable in anyone's book!! And you should be proud of him!! Express to Kendall, just how proud I am of him too!!

High Dan ranks have the unsettling, as well as the unmitigated pleasure of assumption concerning their effectiveness from others. For the most part, I believe that High Dan ranks are effective across the board, albeit, not every High Dan ranks are. Effectiveness is easily revealed once on the floor. However, whomever interprets the floor, has to be effective themselves first and foremost. Otherwise, their interpretations are vain and left void!! "But, wait, the older one gets the less effective one becomes; the curse of getting older." What I have to say about that is this... Ha, speak for yourself and not for others!! Propping up High Dan ranks on their so called...pedestals, is done by those who are easily impressed. It just happens, and for those High Dan ranks that don't put a stop to that, well, they should be ashamed of themselves to the Nth degree!! Am I effective? In what Brian here says...bears weight... Was I ever effective? Not at first; nobody is!! Things take time!! Only one person, at any given moment, can accurately express whether one's effective or not!! Who is that one person? The one that stands before at that given moment...that's who!! We are guardians of what is and what isn't effective!! But be forewarned, we/you better be right. Otherwise, we've no right to pass unsolicited judgement on any MAist, living or not.

Because that's all we know, for that moment! The style is the proponent of ourselves.

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? Yes, didn't you say you were forced to get Kudan in due part to being Kaicho Thanks, The Pred!! Forced...that's a strong word, but, I suppose that that's an accurate statement!! I hate the things that lead up to it, and that's one of the reasons as to why I hate my Kudan with a passion!!

Solid post!!

It would be great to see you there! I'm planning to include an "open exchange" session, where we go around the room sharing techniques, so you'd even have a chance to teach us karate folks some grappling No kidding, I'm seriously considering this. I have to get ahold of a LE conference date that runs around that time that will have to take priority, but if it's a different set of dates... Awesome! I hope you can make it! HECK YEAH...I hope you can make it too, Alex!! I'd even consider on extending my availability, and postpone my SKKA obligations of touring Shindokan dojo's in preparation of our annual testing cycle, to attend your class...you've got MAD skills, Alex!!!!!!!

Solid post!!

So...I guess that you don't favor Kata!? If so, well, that's cool, and it's your right...I respect that!

...it's over...for Kobe Bryant. Had such a stellar career with the Los Angeles Lakers; 20 years. And in his last game against the Utah Jazz, Kobe did it all, and I mean did it all...plus he scored 60 points; he was on fire. I'll miss him!! He's the Greatest Basketball Player EVER...and these aren't my words, but from those who shared the floor with him...battled with him...celebrated with him... 8...then 24...and in time, I believe that his number will be retired too, and that he'll be in the Basketball Hall of Fame...deservingly so!! I feel fortunate enough to be his fan, and to watch him over these many years. KOBE...KOBE...KOBE...KOBE...KOBE... "Mamba Out!!" GO LAKERS!!

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.