sensei8

I'm not from that area, but this might help you... http://www.shorinryuyorkcounty.com/ Good luck in your search for a new dojo home! Btw, welcome to KF, Luan Bueno; glad that you're here! Please visit the "Introduction" forum so that you might say "hi", and tell us a little bit about yourself.

Solid post!!

I think it's a good idea, what you're wanting to do. It's YOUR MA training, train as see fit!! More importantly, breaking up the training/practicing routine is not only a way to get fresh eyes on the matter but it's also necessary in ones MA growth; betterment improved. However, I'd be quite attentive to ineffectiveness so that it doesn't change positive muscle memory. If it doesn't feel right, then more than likely, it's not right. Find out why before discarding it! If there's more than one way to skin a cat, then, by that logic, there's more than one way to train. Listen to the advice of your Sensei! The ultimate person that will make that final decision is...YOU!! No matter the advice of your Sensei, what you do behind close doors is your business. However, your Sensei will notice, both the good as well as the bad in your technique. Most Sensei's don't have any proper bedside manners, and they will tell their student the blunt truth. I'd never get in the way of a student and their ways to increase their MA betterment. Albeit, if what they're doing is counterproductive to effectiveness, then I'd counsel them. While my counsel is above all other counsel, the decision is theirs to make. You've got my support!! Train hard...train well!!

I'm sure they mean well!! HOWEVER, it's YOUR journey, and it's not theirs. They don't have a minimum of an idea about what it takes to become effective in the MA. Thank them! That's the least you can do. You might not be able to explain anything MA related to them; they see with their eyes FROM OUTSIDE of the MA circle. They can't see with your eyes FROM INSIDE of the MA circle. It's your MA journey!! Not theirs!! They can only see what they see and know what they know; it's not their fault. Imagine me, going up to their job and asking them the same question, or voicing my concerns with the same validity that they display. They'd try to explain it to me, and so on and so forth, but in the end, I still might express my dismay as to the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the whole thing. No one has the right to dissuade your path because it's YOUR PATH, and not theirs!! In short, rant aside...I'd thank them politely! If that's not sufficient enough for them, then I'd politely tell them... Mind your own business, when it comes to my MA journey!! My wife knows better than to express those types of concerns with me because her concerns, while she means well, when it comes to my MA journey are unfounded, unwarranted, and unwelcomed. This also goes with relatives, friends, my pastor, my mailman, my neighbor, my grocer, my landscaper, my cat, my dog, my landlord...whomever else. I've known the MA way much longer than any of them. Train less! Practice less! That's against all that I am; now and forever. Asking me to be less effective...I don't think so!! Might as well tear my heart out and kick it down the street. I can no longer train and practice less than I can breathe less. Like the air I breathe, the MA sustains me!! Accept me for who I am, including the manner of which I choose to train and practice the MA. If not, then as cruel as this might seem, I'll go my way and they can go their way. Either way, I'll practice and train the MA as I see fit. If nothing else, whenever they voice their concerns, change the subject as subtle as you can... "Isn't the weather breathtaking today?!?"

Great tips by all! For nothing, I'd suggest that you spar and spar and spar and spar and... until the wheels fall off, then, continue to spar and spar and spar and spar and... It's not a futile thing to do so, imho. Can't train enough! The more, the better, and this allows your Sensei time to make necessary adjustments across the board. Angle forward so that you can attack from 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, ...as well as 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 o'clock; limiting 12 and 6 o'clock because those are expected and trained against. Throw in angle attacks consistently, yet mixed with the direct attacks of 6 and 12 o'clock. Angle when your opponent isn't, and attack direct on, when your opponent is. Close the distance abruptly, well, as abruptly as one can. This way, your opponent can't complete their technique(s). Work on speed, as already suggested, because if one can't see it, how can they react to it properly, if at all?!?!?!?!? Good luck, train hard, and train well!!

Solid post!!

I sure do deeply appreciate the OP, especially the videos; thank you, Noah for sharing it. I particularly enjoyed Nakazato Minoru Sensei's kata, but even more, I enjoyed the respect that was shown to him, and I noted the respect shown to him by those on the stage.

I think perhaps all roads lead to Rome in this respect Sensei8? Sente - in terms of a mental posture requires all of the above. We say in Wado-ryu 'Ko Bo Ittai' - which means attack and defence are one. K. I agree!!

By all means... Good luck to everyone!! Thank you for the nominations; humbles me each time!!

Man oh man oh man!! Sorry to hear about this! Glad that you're recovering! Excited that you're back at KF; missed you!!

All of the above are required in order to achieve "sente" over an opponent K. Yes, I agree. But, to us, as it's taught to us, are different.

Are there any dojo's run by a 1st dan? No! And there's no Nidan's either! Sandan is a minimum requirement per the SKKA By-Laws to fly the Shindokan flag. A Shodan and a Nidan, if ever allowed, would require a Godan to oversee the floor. However, the dojo would be owned and operated by the Shodan/Nidan for the simple fact that the dojo is of that CI. Now we're getting to the tricky part. if it were allowed. 1) The SKKA, the Hombu, refuses to interfere with the daily operations of said dojo; they've enough to worry about administrating the Hombu. 2) The SKKA, the Hombu, wouldn't authorize a CI to a Shodan or a Nidan per the Sandan minimum requirement to fly the Shindokan flag. Sure, a Shodan and a Nidan can own and operate a dojo, that's their given right, but they'll not be permitted to fly the Shindokan flag, nor would they have access to the Hombu. In short, they'd be shunned! Lastly, NOT MY RULES...Soke's Rules, and a amendment of that magnitude would require 100% in a vote. I don't ever see that in my life time. The Hombu's hierarchy, of which I'm part of, can't agree on the most simplest things at times; stalemates occur quite often.

That's a kind way of saying... CLOSED TOURNAMENT!! No competitors from styles outside of the hosting tournaments style are allowed!! ATA, for example, and this isn't meant to bash the ATA, only allow competitors from the ATA to compete. These closed tournaments can be found quite easily, and they weren't as popular as open tournaments back in my days during circa 1970's and 1980's. I can just go to Tulsa, OK and show you 3 Invitational Tournaments that are held quite regularly, and the ATA isn't even one of them.

In a word "Sente" (先手). In Japanese budo this means to "seize the initiative" - in other words getting the jump on your opponent. K. I agree wholeheartedly!! In Shindokan, we also emphasize... Study your opponent Study yourself Make a plan Carry out the plan

Work ethics, imho, should be at the top and at the middle and at the bottom of any school's rule list; never out of ones thoughts; constantly reminded that those who have a solid work ethics all of the time, excuses aren't needed in the beginning of the day and in the middle of the day and at the end of the day!!

That kick, right there, as well as the Step Away Roundhouse Kick, is why I started training in TKD for the first place. During my Weekend Warrior days, I was repeatedly getting drawn in, and then, WHAM, POINT!! What better way to learn your opponents that repeatedly score with kicking attacks that I've never seen before? JOIN A TKD DOJANG!! That's exactly what I did!! Learn the methodology/ideology right from the source!!

I know that this seems that I'm being difficult when I say this, however, it's just me being honest with myself... I've no favorite technique because, to me, situations create the technique for said moment. Again, I don't want to sound indifferent at all.

I think anyone who wants to be at the top and with the best, has definitely put the work in. There's no other way, imho!! You have to have the work ethic! You have to be willing to push yourself; not being satisfied with where you are. A lot of times, people get caught up in... "Well, I'll do it tomorrow...ah...I'll do it tomorrow...ah...I'll do it tomorrow!" No! You got to do it now! You got to work now! So that tomorrow is much better!! I'd like to think that my work ethics are quite high. If they weren't, I'd not be where I am presently at in Shindokan. Dai-Soke was a taskmaster, and I thank him for being that way, instilling an admirable work ethic in me, both on and off the floor. This mindset isn't just for the MA, but it's in anything one's involved in!! Any thoughts?! Edit: At times, I just can't spell!!

I once saw a cane that had a baseball bat integrated into the cane. Not only did this cane help the gentleman walk, but if attacked, he had that part covered.

I can agree with you here. I sat on a board not too long ago and I found that 80% of the students would not have passed if I had been making the call. As I recall the worst of the bunch was the highest ranking! He was going for 2nd dan and in my opinion was not a brown belt equivalent. What really got me was going behind the scenes when the time came to vote on who passed and failed and I was the ONLY one to say he should not pass! The senior members commented to each other that if a student wasn't up to par it was their fault as instructors and no fault of the student! With that they passed everyone who tested and said that "some of them will need to train harder from now on" but they got their black belts? What in the world? I decided then that I would no longer fit in that school and I decided to not sit on a board anymore! The lack of integrity, imho, was lost here!! At what cost? Whatever the cost, it wasn't worth the selling of their integrity!! I believe you were right to decide to no longer sit on their board.

Here's how it is the world of Shindokan!! In-House/Dojo: A Shodan can test a student up to Nikyu!! A Nidan can test a student up to Ikkyu!! A Sandan can test a student up to Shodan!! A Yondan can test a student up to Nidan!! A Godan can test a student up to Sandan!! A Rokudan can test a student up to Yondan!! Testing Cycles up to Nidan can be tested with or without a Testing Panel!! For Sandan and Yondan, a Testing Panel is required, AND a Rokudan MUST be on the Testing Panel!! These above are for In-House/Dojo Testing Cycles, and this includes the Hombu, for students that training at the Hombu IS a regular basis! Hombu: Any and all ranks from Godan - Hachidan are conducted at the HOMBU with no exceptions, and there must be no less than 5 on the Testing Panel. The higher the Dan rank Testing Cycle, the more Testing Officers must be seated on the Testing Panel. This is to include, either the Kancho and/or the Kaicho being the Administrator of the Testing Panel, and often times, both are Administrating the Testing Cycle. All of Testing Cycle Candidates must be approved by the Hombu; NO ONE TESTS WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE HOMBU...no matter the rank!!

Have two conversations asap!! First have one with the recreation center management, but only with those that have the authority to make any changes long lasting. To discuss the possible ramifications of playing both ends against one another at the same time. Can't eat the cake if theirs no milk to wash it down...Can't eat the cake and have the cake at the same time. Second conversation with the other school. It's not about who was here first, but it's about minimizing indifferences so that there can be a cooperation between the two, and that the students are provided a solid foundation of quality instructions. Bottom line, be better than the competition across the board, and if not, yield the ground! Both conversations must be held professionally if either are to reach a amicable solution to the problem(s) at hand. Attack the problem, and NOT ONE ANOTHER!! BE THAT CONSUMATE PROFESSIONAL...even if it's going to kill you to do so!!

Overtraining!?! That's a pretty big word, and not just in the MA. Is that determined by...whom? Self? Spouse? Doctor? Instructor? Just whom? What are the parameters to overtraining, and do these parameters change, and what's behind those changes?? Your body will send you signals subtly or immediately that you are or that you might be overtraining. Pay close attention to those signals, and seek out a doctor for advice/treatment. Ignoring signals will just introduce a possible long term sufferings, and chronic. You can be the best judge if you're overtraining! But often times, one will ignore what the bodies trying to tell you for whatever the reason(s) are or aren't. Pushing oneself is important, but that too, must be toned. Your spouse will send signals, both directly or indirectly to you. Both for sane reasons, as well as insanely jealous reasons. Spouse's want to spend more time with you, no matter what you're involved in. Their support can be interpreted incorrectly; a thin lined balance act, if there ever was! Either you train, or your spouse dictates the training. I've told my wife that while I love her more than words could ever express, MA is my first, and last love before and after her! Spouses come and go; that's the fact, but the MA is here 24/7/365/4 Life. My wife's a strong women and she'd never get between my MA training, unless she felt that my life was in jeopardy. I believe that an instructor wouldn't ever minimize training intentionally because qualified instructors know that one must, from time to time, over train. If there's a such thing as "over training", and most instructors don't have those words in their vocabulary, but the opposite instead. However, qualified instructors will intervene only if they saw signals that their student was over training. Doctors could care less about the MA journey. Their concern is their patients well being. Not the next testing cycle, not the next tournament, not the next class!! NOTHING but the patients well being, and if they see the tale tell signals that their patient is suffering from their over training, they'll strongly suggest that the patient ease from training or stop all together, if just for a short time or long term. I love the MA, and as hard as it would be for me to stop for any duration, I'd trade the MA in for a long healthy life! Still, the final decision is that of the practitioner, and no one else!

Interesting topic; glad that you started it, Melau!! Two of Karate's most profound principles are similar to what you're speaking about. Mizu No Kokoro [Mind Like the Water] and Tsuki No Kororo [Mind Like the Moon].

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