sensei8

Why is anyone so concerned with styles, and not the practitioner?? Styles are just a thing...while practitioners aren't. Sure, the practitioner is the product of a style, however, the practitioner has to execute said style effectively for the style to be of any concern. This isn't easy!! Even in a tournament setting, styles, to me, mean nothing; a styles never beat me...the practitioner did! And on the streets, wow, forget about styles because people don't wear the badge of any style, and while it can be discerned as to what the style being utilized, if any at all, it's the individual in front of me that concerns me for the moment. I'm attacked...I defend!! I attack...he/she defends!! Not the style, but the individual. I've more things to be concerned about at that moment than wondering what style, if any, is being used against me.

Solid post!!

You're the Head of your governing body... The current student body is HUGE...thousands... You've been training in the MA for 5 decades...teaching for 4 decades... Everything you've ever wanted in the MA, has nearly occurred...your MA bucket-list is nearly complete... You've been approached... You've been interviewed... You've been offered an executive position with a well known, and respective, company, that's willing to pay you six-figures... You're not giving up your MA journey, and that includes training...you can still train!! What do you do?? Do you accept or do you not accept??

i used to love walleyball! I played volleyball (beach and indoor) for years before blowing my knee out in a game. I miss it greatly! I wholeheartedly agree!!

What if the student body has confidence, but the hierarchy doesn't, for whatever the reasons, anymore??!!??

Nidan Melbourne and Spartacus Maximus... Solid posts!!

Range, is of course, an important aspect of MA training. As with anything, it'll take time to understand its every nuances. Think of this, if only for a quick second, having improper range is akin to driving on the freeway going the wrong way; hectic as all get out!! Imho, there's no such thing as any MA aspect being more important or being most important than another; they're all equal, and that means that they're equally vital to any MA practitioner. How many parts are in a car? How ever many parts there are in a car, they're all equally important, and if they weren't, they'd not be part of the car, no matter how one might believe. Is redundancy in the MA wrong? A 747 has so much dependency to their redundancy, and because there are so many in a 747, are you the passenger glad that they're all there. All equally doing their job, but only when it's required, and no sooner. To close...to far...these two things must be eliminated from your training at all costs. Otherwise, there's no since in going outside; become that shut-in, afraid of their own shadows. I'm a firm believer that the only way to understand range is through Kumite...and that means only one thing...DO IT A LOT...just as much as you breath, if not more. At first, range is that mysterious and illusive monster, and it's roaring about like it wants to kill you. And that's pretty accurate! How do you kill the monster? Show it that you're not afraid of it, and the way to no longer fear it, is to engage with it over and over and over and so on and so forth. At first, that monster will dodge and dart here and there; attacking you at will, and some of the monsters attack happened because of you. It's your fault...for the moment!! However, the more that you stare that monster directly in its face, the more that monster will lose its glare. Then, in time, and that time is up to you, that monster will lose its bite...its roar...its intimidation...its motivation. Your allied force will be your AHA moment. At that time, you'll wonder just what in the world was you thinking...or not thinking all of the time?! While that monster at first seemed so overwhelmingly large, it began to slowly shrink when you started doing Kumite much more often than anything else in the dojo. I'm not saying that Kumite should be more present than Kihon and Kate, and I do believe that the three K's should be equally trained...by all means. What I'm saying is that, if you don't Kumite A LOT, you'll never understand range...not now...not ever!! Rant over! I now return you to whatever it was that you were doing a moment or two ago.

1> How did you first become interested in martial arts? Bullied in school when I was 7 years old; since 1964. 2> What discipline did you decide to practice? Shindokan Saitou-ryu 3> Why did you choose that specific discipline over the other disciplines? Mom choose it, not I!! In short, it was close to our house, and the prices seemed quite affordable. 4> What is your skill level within your martial arts discipline? Kudan in Shindokan Karate-do Hachidan in Shindokan Kobudo 5> What other things do you like to do? (When you're not in the gym/dojo, what else do you like to do with your time? This can be physical or nonphysical pass times) Spending time with my family; this is above all things. Chess...reading...cooking...going to the gym...swimming... 6> What are the first 3 martial arts related brands that come to your mind. (FIRST, not BEST). Century Martial Arts Supply Asian World of Martial Arts Eosin Panther 7> How do you decide what martial arts gear/equipment to get? (How do you select one type or brand over another?) Safety Quality Effectiveness 8> Roughly how often to you buy new martial arts equipment? Once every 3 years, whether it needs to be or not. 9> Where do you get your equipment from? Is there a reason for this? See #6

To the bold type above... How many? The appropriate amount needed in order to accommodate the SKKA's network of its existing student body. That, however, imho, is an inconsequential concern, and therefore, bears no substance to the topic at hand. Btw, again, in case it's being construed as such, this topic isn't about myself; it's only a hypothetical to enhance a hopeful conversation.

No nothing wrong with you not being there. Do you also travel to other dojo's? Yes!! Many months prior to our Annual Testing Cycle, held at the Hombu once a year during the last week of June and the first week of July, I, and a select team from the Hombu, visit each and every dojo within the SKKA network to make ourselves available to them in any capacity they desire. I'm at the Hombu, as I post this, right now in preparation of finalizing each and every detail of my visits to be held over these next few months. These visits cover literally everything from 'A' to 'Z' and back. I'll also visit Shindokan dojos if a CI requests me for a seminar or for me to administer a Testing Cycle. I'll also do surprise visits to Shindokan dojos from time to time. A lot of these surprise visits are two folded purposes. One...to make the Hombu's presence felt; not as a control factor, but to let these dojos know that the Hombu is there for them whenever they're in need, and even when they're not in need. Two...to ensure that the curriculum is being taught properly and without any ambiguity, as it was written by our Soke. I'll also visit Shindokan dojos because I'm craving to be in that environment desperately. I'll show up unannounced, and I'll sit in the very back left, and follow the CI's class. Not as Kaicho, but as Bob...a student wanting to just train. Yeah, dojos get nervous at first, but quite soon, they forget that I'm even there. Students get a kick out of it whenever I show up to just train as one of them.

To the bold type above... You're absolutely correct. Greg Forsythe, our Kancho [Vice-President] tends to the Hombu on a daily basis; he's In-House!! As you've noted, I oversee the Hombu as its Executive Administrator, as a whole. I suppose it would be better if I was In-House. Yes, the Hombu, when all is said and done, is nothing more than a dojo. No, my duties as Kaicho have nothing to do with overseeing the administration of all dojos in the SKKA network. Soke made that perfectly clear in the original By-Laws. Shindokan dojos within the SKKA [Hombu] are owned and operated and administered by their CI, and not by the Hombu. As basic as I can put this...The Hombu's core influences over any Shindokan dojo within the SKKA network are in administering any and all Testing Cycles; no one is permitted and/or allowed to administer any type of Testing Cycle without the explicit approval from the Hombu!

Congrats, Oshishinobu; well deserved!!

YES.... It's upon us once again... IT'S OPENING DAY for MLB!! Time to get your glove and baseball hat and your tickets and hot dog and peanuts and cracker-jacks and your favorite beverage and... GO OUT TO YOUR FAVORITE... BASEBALL GAME!! GO YANKEES!!

Define, if it's even possible to do so, what might fall under the "neglect" category, please! For example, COULD, me not being In-house on a more regular basis at our Hombu constitute neglect, as Kaicho [President]?? In a quick nutshell... I'm only In-House at the Hombu once a quarter, during ramp-ups for our Annual Testing Cycle, emergencies that require my presence, and whenever I feel like making surprise visits. Roughly, 4 months a year. All of my "paperwork" can be done at my home...even though I have an office at the Hombu, I do my duties from the comfort of my home in Houston, TX, and before that, I owned and operated my dojo/retail in Tulsa, OK. I tele-video conference the Hombu on a weekly basis via Skype. The Upper Hierarchy are quite aware of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of why I no longer live in the California, and the original approval of my not being In-House on a regular basis was given to me by our Dai-Soke a long time ago; this is nothing new. So... COULD, me not being In-house on a more regular basis at our Hombu constitute neglect, as Kaicho [President]??

Looks like a typical aikido demo- the over emphasis on flash is a deterrent rather than a strong point. Here's the biggest problem I have with krav- the whole "we aren't ring fighters- were street fighters!" Krav really is nothing more than bjj, boxing, wrestling, and associated styles. The problem here is that I've yet to see a Krav practitioner that was ever anything but at a beginner understanding of any of those styles. So how is one a novice at bjj, a novice at wrestling, and a novice at boxing, yet an EXPERT on Krav? Either Krav is not a style or its a poor quality one. The mindset of overwhelming your opponent is also an extreme flaw- it's easy to overwhelm someone that you're stronger and faster than- hence the reason for it being military combatives. This is why it's not a good fighting system. So practice less groin grabs eye gouges and dear god did I see a throat rip in that video? These things don't work as well as the people selling them to you claim they do Before upset Krav practitioners respond let me merely state this: I don't care what you call your style provided that you actively train against resisting opponents. so just because you do Krav it doesn't mean you suck, and just because you do mma doesn't mean that you're good.... Solid post!!

I would say the party in control neglects commitments and or abuses their power. Can neglects be warranted? Life does have a habit of getting in the way of the MA, no matter how hard one tries to avoid it. As far as abuses...NO!! Blatant abuse can't be excused off; either ones a professional or one isn't!!

Yes, my entire MA journey! My short answer is... Mizu No Kokoro [Mind like the moon] and Tsuki No Kokoro [Mind like the water]!!

I don't "fight" the style, but I "fight" the individual, whether it be a man or a woman. Styles, to me, are meaningless in the scope of the matter. In open tournaments, one will face a lot of different styles, yet, I've never been defeated by a style, and truth be known, neither has anyone else. Sure, a style or styles are being utilized, but how one defines and uses said style(s) is more to be concerned with. I've not the time or the inclination to be worried about the style, just the individual(s) that stand before me.

In your opinion, "A motion of no confidence (alternatively vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or (unsuccessful) confidence motion) is a statement or vote that a person or persons in a position of responsibility (government, managerial, etc.) is no longer deemed fit to hold that position: perhaps because they are inadequate in some respect, are failing to carry out obligations, or are making decisions that other members feel are detrimental" ~~Wikipedia Within your governing body, off and away from what Wikipedia says, just what constitutes a Vote of No-Confidence??

Karate is just a thing; nothing more and certainly nothing less!! Karate, for me, is everything, but, it's just a thing...a want...not a need. Does it fulfill me? No! Not even close! Yes, it's all I know...it's all that I'm good at...it's all that I do...it's my full time occupation. I enjoy Karate, but while I enjoy Karate, it'll take much more to fulfill me. My wife and my kids; they fulfill me!! My God; he fulfills me!! My students; they fulfill me!!

I wholeheartedly concur!!

Isn't it funny that no matter how hard we try to create our own curriculum, to help us separate ourselves from our Sensei, to me our own person, it still pretty much resembles our Sensei's curriculum. A change here...a change there; trying to step away from having the same curriculum that you're Sensei drilled you or is still drilling you, but...other than a few changes, it's still your Sensei's curriculum. I know! I fought against that very same beast, but to no avail...my curriculum was still my Sensei's curriculum, and for the truth being known, and after I turned that first page of my curriculum, it was still my Sensei's curriculum. Well, that's ok. After all, we/I turned out pretty good being trained in our Sensei's curriculum, which was the same curriculum as his Sensei; apple doesn't fall too far from the tree...now, does it?!? Yeah, I approach how I teach my students differently than my Sensei, and his Sensei, reaching same goals, but through different means, alas, the same curriculum is regurgitated, if I'm to be honest with you and myself. Any you know what? There's nothing wrong with that. Why try to fix it, change it, if it's not broken!! Teach according to your own desires, and I do, but if I put my Sensei's curriculum right next to mine, the differences aren't quite striking at all, other than the cover and font type. Even having a rotating curriculum is a shorthand version of the full curriculum, in which I still believe in the effectiveness of a rotating curriculum...and of course, the original curriculum. Mine is of my Sensei...and my Sensei's is of his Sensei...and his is, well, of his own!! You know what? I'm in good company!!

Meh, not exactly... Not all styles are created equal, just like not all people are created equal (on the genetic level). Some styles are simply better than others with mounds of supporting evidence.... So the dreaded "street fight" is the last vestige of hope for the common fraudulent martial artist. Disclaimer- I'm not saying that YOU are fraudulent, merely stating that the whole "street fighting" thing is the most overused, overhyped selling point for those people.... The most important thing really-is the quality of sparring one style does. Leaning how to fight against a fully resisting opponent is perhaps the single most effective thing anyone could do. For example, I can take someone who's boxed for years- give me 5 or 6- but never really sparred. Never mind that they did "boxing" they're not going to know how to move effectively in a fighting situation compared with someone who HAS sparred against fully resisting opponents. The same could be said for a BJJ student who practices for years but never actually trains.... In short, I don't care what name you wish to call whatever it is that you do- as long as its being kept "real" and on the level. Now why do styles have the reputations they do? In short, your competitive styles have a rep for actually doing full resistance training, therefore they tend to produce very effective fighters. Those that aren't competitive (because they train "for the street") have a habit of NOT training with a fully resisting opponent ("too dangerous") and therefore produce very poor quality fighters. I've trained with, sparred, and fought against many of these people. Street fights and self defense for any competitive fighter are nothing short of a joke, because fighting against a resisting opponent that knows what hes doing is significant more difficult that fighting against a resisting opponent that has absolutely no clue what hes doing.... I mean I've never sweat more in my worst street fight than I did in my lightest warmup Solid post!! That's why Shindokan predicates resistive training; either you're effective or you're not!! Resistive training exposes weakness as the onion is pealed away one layer at a time.

Just watched "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny", and like John, I thought it was barely ok. Stayed in the theme of the first one. Having said that, I dreed MA movies where they, well, fly around, even though they flew around more with the first one. Good thing about the movie was that they spoke in English and I didn't have to read the dialogue. Grade, imho, a 'C'

You too?? Frustrating!!