sensei8

Whether it's in my dojo or at the Hombu, when I'm in house, I teach the majority of the classes for all ages and all ranks. If nothing else, rank, in this regards, does have its privileges .

Great thing about mirrors and the CI is... ...the CI decides if they're a help or a hindrance to their students... ...if mirrors help, they stay, and if not, they go/are never hung... ...that's for sure, imho!!

Yeah, I wouldn't care if it was Bozo MA, and that it was founded by Bozo himself...I'd want to learn it because my MA betterment must improve and if Bozo Sensei can help me in that regard, well, sign me up. That being said, I'd discard the old instructor for the new instructor, but fair warned, if the new instructor turns out to be another dishonest instructor, well, I suppose I'll start looking for Goofy Sensei...next!! One can stand of a fence of indecision quite along time because...the grass looks green on both sides.

Solid post!! As one evolves over time, so does the MA at hand. What was, is now gone forever for some great reasons, however, with the great, comes the bad, this is to be expected; evolution touches everything. The bad nowadays, imho, is the fast-food speed in climbing the rank ladder; not one rung at a time slowly, but in a road-runner fashion to appease some morbid desire to be a 10th Dan faster than the speed of a bullet...or faster. Those good days of old, are still there, but the bad is quickly changing the landscape into a dry desert of rank mongers. Traditions are being eroded away with a new fresh paint of this and that. This only aids the bad to become much more stronger and available for the quick fix MA schools that cater to their P&L's bottom line over quality. I yearn for the days of old, but if only to strongly stall the desire of rank. Rank has its place but that doesn't mean that it's in the right place; the right place is in ones heart, and not around ones waist. Rank has a purpose, but it's not, or it shouldn't be, the main purpose. Those who serve tradition as a cold dish, seem to have forgotten that without tradition, there can not be evolution because there has to be a start...a beginning...a point 'A'...before evolution, and evolution is used with such wide broad strokes of the brush these days, is to amend tradition, it must respect those things of tradition.

My prayers as well as my thoughts go out to Shigeru Oyama's family and friends during these mournful days.

You should do exactly what your instructor directs you to do! After all, it's your first Kumite session, and you are there to learn...right?!

Yeah, I keep hearing/reading about the app, so, I'm going to have to get this Coach's Eye; seems valuable!!

Solid post!!

Haha, yes, of course my instructor is the most influential, to me! Eventually, I'm sure he will be considered one of the most influential people in the martial arts world, generally. Right now, though, our realm of influence is rather small And if your realm of influence remains rather small, for whatever the reasons(s) might or might not be, will you all continue on your journey, nonetheless??

First off, welcome to KF, swhitney222; glad that you're here!! I do NOT know anything about your former teacher, nor do I know anything about your lineage...sorry!! In the 15 years that you were his student, he never ever once spoke about his teacher?? RED FLAG!! Why? Well, I suppose that it could be that he never had an instructor outside of books and the like. If he gave a name concerning his teacher, you and other students might ask a slew of questions, in that said teacher might say that he's never heard of your teacher. The other RED FLAG is how you say that your teacher seemed unsure of himself in his answered when you press him for his advise when you asked him..."How does it look". An qualified instructor KNOWS, and will offer advice on many levels. OK...you want the information about that teacher of the past, and you don't want to discredit him, even though you were fired without cause, well, then forget him and let it be a learning lesson, even though it'll bother you for some time. Stick with your current instructor, even though you seem to be on guard about him as well because you're not 100% sure if what he's told you is honest, if at all. That might be that the former teacher has caused you to be speculative to a fault. I do wish you the best of luck in your journey concerning your lineage, and that's important to you. No matter what you might be told that lineage isn't important, that's fine, but it's important to you, and that's enough.

Influential to whom and by what standards does one adhere to?? To say "Now", I believe that one will have to be influential to the masses and not to the selected few. Funny...or...sad...no one here has yet given their immediate instructor(s) any credit as someone that has influenced them. Which is fine because that's not what Danielle is asking, and your instructor(s) is for you and not for the masses, as I believe is her parameters. OK...Placing tape over my mouth!!

Then do what hasn't been done, that should've been done all along... Sufficiently train the wrist!!

Correct technique is important yes I disagree with you on the planks because they still place the wrists, elbows and shoulders at increased risk of injury. Especially if they have previously been injured. But the others i would agree with, although have to be applied with caution and with appropriate loading of weight. I did post... As only some suggestions; not for everyone.

Kids will be kids!!

...How Do I Look? A full-view mirror is found to be extremely useful in observing and correcting your form while practicing the various techniques. Like the floor, the mirror doesn't blink, and the mirror doesn't lie; the truth is right before you eyes. I consider it one of the most primary equipment's that I have in the dojo; so much so that mirrors adorn both primary walls opposite of each other: North and South Walls. Does your Hombu have mirrors? Does your Dojo/Dojang/Etc. have mirrors? I'm more than aware that not all schools of the MA have mirrors. They're not the most easily afforded piece of equipment to have. Trust me, I completely understand why one might not have any mirrors. If you're in a location that you share, then having mirrors...wall mirrors especially...aren't an option per signed agreement between you and the landlord. How valuable are mirrors in your training?? If you've no type of mirrors, how do you get around that, if at all??

Proper techniques will be the biggest factor in preventing injury to ones wrist. Not saying that that's your issue!! Some of the things that I've done over the years are Wrist Curls, Wrist Extensions, Up/Down Planks, Squeezing a stress ball, and Curling up a weight on a string; 3 sets of 10. Exercises like that will strengthen your wrists!

Solid post!!

Thanks, I am liking it so far. More to come. Can't wait to see the "More to come" part!!

But just how is what they're teaching not going to contradict with three things? 1> Your CI 2> Your Hombu 3> Your own summations and conclusions [After all, you're not a mindless robot]

Yes, difficult to say across the board!! In my 51 years in the MA, many fill the bill as those who've influenced me on and off the floor, and that's to also say that those who've influenced me will quite differ from anyone here at KF as well as those outside of KF. Not every MAist that has influenced me is well known, and that's been their choice, to be that unknown, to just teach one student at a time.] I can only hope that I've been of some positive influence to those directly under my watch, as well as those outside of my watch. To be honest, at all times, in and out of the MA so as to not portray an ego as well as anything negative. Not only through my techniques, knowledge, and experience, but through my humbleness towards my fellow MAist. But, I'd be wrong to not put Yoshinobu Takahashi...my Sensei...Dai-Soke...at the top of any list...however, he's unknown to the world outside of the Shindokan network, which, too, was his choice; he too, wanted to just teach one student at a time.

Very nice! Big changes that were much needed! The after has that sincere welcoming look compared to the before pictures. Has the professional look, and not the "who cares" look! Very nice!!

Overall, Karate and TKD are more similar than one cares to admit. They both have the three k's: Basics...Forms...Sparring. Imho, what separates any MA from another is METHODOLOGY and IDEOLOGY!!

It is up to the individual whether one should or shouldn't train outside publicly. While one might take more of a chance if one trains alone, as apposed to train with a partner or more; strength in numbers. I surely would never train outside alone or with others if that area is well known for it's gang activity. You will be challenged, and I doubt that it would be a fair challenge, in the case they felt that your MA skills would best them. I certainly wouldn't train outside with any MA weapons, more for what local, state, and federal laws in your state might be. Also, if you're not mindful of your MA weapon, it can fall in the wrong hands, and this includes any children. Before I'd even consider to train outside alone or with a partner(s), I better have a great reason to do so, not just to do it, for whatever the reason(s). The MA is suppose to be private across the board, and whether that belief has died over the years in general, I'd first clear that type of training with your CI. There's a lot of things that ones going have to consider, both the good as well as the bad; circumstances and consequences must be weighed maturely and quite thoughtfully. If the outside is all one has to choose from away from your MA school, choose one wisely or don't choose at all; the garage, ones backyard, etc., can be safe haven over the outside in public.

Yeah I have heard it is difficult to get international instructors other than those from the hombu dojo to come teach. I am aware that Jesse has seminars in the US this year. Personally I don't understand why schools wouldn't allow international instructors of high regard to come teach. My sensei has always been open to having instructors come teach if they have something that would benefit our students. The main things that they required were positive history from other clubs and if they are well known (i.e. Jesse Enkamp or Iain Abernethy). Can't earn a positive history from any club and become well known if no MA school will provide that opportunity, even from a Hombu. Not to the stretch of ones imagination, but I fear this three-folded possibility of causing a MA school to be unapproachable: 1) You might "steal" their students 2) You appear to them of no-value 3) You are nobody to them So, why should a MA school give you a break/chance??

Most, if not all, MA schools, especially in the USA, won't let you teach THIER student body. So...there has to be a school somewhere that's willing to allow them individually to be allowed to teach. And if MA schools are highly apprehensive about that, then how did they/you/your instructor get that foot into ANY door? Word of mouth?!?! Sure, very effective! It's not what you know, but it's who you know!! Someone in ones network knows about what you do and how you do it and how different you do it, and they book you, it goes well, then your name spreads around your network, alas, you're filling in your calendar. It's that suspiciousness that they rest behind because they don't know you from the man in the moon? You say the right things, you do the right things, you sound knowledgeable, you wear the gi properly, you sound/act like you have spent some quality time on the floor, you didn't run into any walls and/or door frames, you don't look like a duck and you don't walk like a duck and you don't sound like a duck, BUT... They don't know you from the man on the moon!! Everyone here, thus far, have made some pretty solid posts, and I thank you all, and hopefully, I'll get some others chiming in, and those who've posted so far, will continue this discussion. I especially like what Danielle [DWx] has posted; quite solid, and then some!!