sensei8

The orientation of the supportive foot sure does vary from style to style, and I've seen in Shaolin where it's either at a 45 degree angle or close to 180 degree, but rarely do I see a full 180 degree rotation. In Shindokan, we believe that any roundhouse kick, for example, must have a full 180 degree rotation of the supportive foot to open the hips up more as well as to amplify the apex of the power curve. That's why I believe that for the most part, the supportive foots orientation is a preference of the practitioner and not always of the styles methodology and ideology. It's not fair, but my Sensei says that those that don't fully orientate the supportive foot when necessary are just...well...excuse him..."lazy people"!! I don't agree with his labeling, but I agree with what he's trying to teach..."If you're not going to rotate fully and completely, don't kick, ever; it's wasted!!" Adequate stretching aides that full rotation, but that's just one of the many elements. Same with the Shaolin roundhouse...but there might be different ethos between the many Shaolin styles. And I've not even mentioned about the kicking foots orientation; that's for another thread, in which we've delved in from time to time here at KF.

I've mentioned this to stonecrusher69 the many similarities the Wing Chun and Shindokan have, especially in the short range area; Shindokan is Okinawa Karate-do.

I know what you mean - I think it is what people find interesting in their own mind and personal development. I realize it happens and what's interesting for me might not be interesting for others and vice versa but good editing should still filter out well written from poorly written articles. I wholeheartedly agree!! That's why one might see "edit(s)" at times whenever I post; grammar and spelling can be a tad off. PROOFREAD, but even that can be botched. I'll even catch errors in even the best of magazines from time to time; it happens. "Spellcheck", if one can believe it, misses spelling errors occasionally, it's rare, but not impossible.

I agree...and for nothing, I believe I held my breath the entire time I typed my rant!! I'm/We're proud of our history and the like, and we forge forward under our own banner and brand. Not because some Okinawan Governing Body said so, but because WE said so! We are the successors of what Fuyuhiko Sensei created, and what Takahashi Sensei supported, and we continue to strive forward in their visions, and we've never applied to any official Okinawan Governing Body, and we won't be because I support the reasoning's of Fuyuhiko in this regard. I'm only human, and being constantly reminded that if ones not been blessed by some powerful great awakening force from an Okinawan Governing Body, that starts to hurt...prick me, don't I bleed!!

I needed a good laugh...thanks, Judodad_karateson!! ::sighs::

Ooohhhh...why is all of the really good stuff being held out of the USA? I look forward to viewing your links whenever you make them available. Thanks, Nidan Melbourne, for sharing!!

Your thoughts... http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Cfa/Pages/cfagrade_registry.htm Well, having read this, I suppose that my last act as Kaicho of the SKKA should be to just simply.... CLOSE SHOP!! Lock the door...dissolve the SKKA...and disavow Soke and Dai-Soke...sorry, I meant to say...Fuyuhiko Saitou and Yoshinobu Takahashi and all before them...have a big bone-fire, and use our By-Laws and Densho Scrolls and the like as fire kindle. Why not!!??!! Proof, I have...facts, I have...history, I have...declarations, I have...affirmations, I have...two peas in a pod, I have that too...I have all that one might need to be confirmed...but first of all, they have to accept them by THEIR STANDARDS, which, I suppose is above all...whatever "all" truly means. Yes, Okinawa approval would make things so easy....CONFIRMED by the JKF and/or the like and/or some other Okinawa government entity...BUT, why?? I accept the birthplace of Karate being Okinawa, but for the love, I'M NOT OKINAWAN, neither is anyone of the SKKA!! However, Saitou Sensei and Takahashi Sensei ARE, and our lineage supports that. Our Soke, and I've spoken about this in length here at KF, DIDN'T want to any recognition and/or approval and/or being a member of ANY Okinawan Governing Body and/or the like because he wanted Shindokan to stand on its own two feet without Okinawa interfering with him in any shape, way, and/or form, hence, him and Takahashi Sensei moved to the USA. To start away from that type of judgmental harassment from Okinawa. To be expelled...to be disavowed...to be this and/or that; to not be his own man having found his own style of Okinawa Karate-do. Oh yeah, Saitou didn't get their permission to found Shindokan. Well, on my way to close shop, seeing that we don't meet expectations!! Time for me to man the phone, and call each CI, informing them that the SKKA is closed!! Proof is on the floor!! I've no reservation about sharing the floor with some of Okinawa's legends!! I welcome it!! I respect them and all that they stand for and behind, but I'm donkey dung under their feet...BECAUSE THEY SAID SO!! Why? There are legend Masters on Okinawa right now, that I respect wholeheartedly through and through; I bow to each and every one of them because they've earned it, But, you know what? I'm nobody from a nobody style from a nobody founder and successor!! I'm going to join a reputable style, and start from scratch, and put all of these past 50 years of wasted time behind me, so, I can meet the expectations of others!! Do I sound bitter? NO...just hurt and tired of being constantly reminded of our worthlessness!! I walk into this lonely room, and I feel so all alone!! Am I lonely tonight? The floor welcomes me, but is that enough?!?

If no readers, then why blog to begin with? To vent? Sounds like no fun. Sounds like someone taking a long walk all by themselves; no one to share the experience with. That is the risk...no readers, but yourself!!

For nothing, I fell in love with Blue gi's when they were first offered back in the late 1970's, early 1980's shortly after the PKA started selling them to the public, as long with their Star and Stripe gi's to honor those that were worn by PKA Kickboxers such as Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace, and Jeff Smith.

I've THOUGHT about Blogging, but that's as far as I've gone...a thought!! My problem, I'm computer super stupid, and get overwhelmed quite quickly over many of things. I don't know what to buy or what not to buy, etc., EVEN after I've done some research or spoke with someone, I'll just stand/sit there like deer staring at some headlights. The interest within me quickly dies. Managing the darn thing must require a fair share of time to make it a grand success. From time to time, I've no time outside of my duties within the SKKA, while other times, I'm as dormant as a slug; more time on my hands than I know what to do with. Then, the biggest turn off to me is that I'm afraid that whatever I write, will not be received well, if at all. Just like writing an article or coming up with a topic here at KF; great to me...but not great to KF members/readers....I've BORED them to death, at times, more than I care to remember. Blogging, websites, podcasts, and things like that scare the nerve right out of me. I try them, then they sit on the shelf collecting more dirt than what's in the Sahara Desert. I know, the problem is ME!! I'm such a dork!! Martial Arts; I can do that quite well, thank you. After that, I'm at a great loss before I even begin!!

Solid post! Look at what that type of marketing has done for Ronda Rousey; made her the dynamic brand that it is!! She's a hot ticket, no matter the venue; movies, MMA, and so on and so forth.

Articles can fall short in many MA magazines, which happens even here at KF whereas articles or topics aren't read much, if at all for various reasons. Topic will sound great to the writer, but will pale to earn any interest from the readers; then the topic/article die before any life was even given to it, and of course, I speak about myself. I know I've written topics/articles that sounded great to me but that's where the piece went south fast! It happens!!

It took me some time, on my own, to no longer care about the turnover ratio because turnover, I finally learnt, was just a normal part of the MA, or for that fact, any other type of business. I use to track it closely on my P&L each month, but, I grew out of that in time. It's normal for new schools of the MA to track, and it's an important part because to grow, one has to understand how to grow, and to know how to grow, is to track models that underline areas that need attention; either fix it, or don't fix it!! Ours MA industry is akin to a roller coaster; up and down, this way and that way, spinning thusly here and there, and going in loops concerning the totality of ones student body. Don't fret the turnover ratios...JUST TEACH!! The turnover ratio will take care of itself if you teach. I'm not saying don't look over it, but don't dwell on it because, it'll start, trust me in what I'm about to say, interfering with you providing quality instructions one way or another. Luther unleashed...Your numbers, for having just started, are quite impressive. So I ask this of everyone...How many students do you need? Being honest with yourself will help answer my question. If you want a small student body, then act like it. If you want a medium sized student body, then act like it, and of course, if you want a large student body, then act like it. Some how and some way, I must've acted like I wanted a large student body, but I didn't do anything special, other than teach. When I sold my dojo in Tulsa, OK, I had over 300 student body, and this went up and down through the many years of trials and tribulations with the economic downturn we all experienced not long ago. Yes, I was satisfied to having a large student body, but I didn't set out to generate that size of a student body...I JUST TAUGHT...I did what came natural to me, and what I loved to do! I watched the ratio act like it was in a rushing mad storm in the middle of the ocean...rocking and rolling, until I threw up. But, finally I said to myself..."It will take care of itself...NOW TEACH, DAMN IT...TEACH!!" That's when the numbers slowly grew and grew and grew. I was amazed myself but then again, I wasn't that surprised because I CAN TEACH!! I've been blessed my entire MA career whether it was in California or in Texas or in Oklahoma, I was blessed to always generate a large student body, a respectable student body. Besides, winners never quit, and quitters never win...or something like that. Students will leave, that's natural, it's part of the business...can't be stopped, and can't be helped. JUST TEACH!! MA is difficult, and many can't deal with all that's required to be an effective MAist! Beginning student turnover is the biggest of the ratios...MA is too hard, then there's competing with sports competitions, like little league, and everything else that kids and adults become involved in during their daily lives...because...they're living and surviving and whatever else. Your dojo door swings two ways, in and out, and this revolving door of student retention will be that monster that'll eat you up and spit you out if you let it...DON'T LET IT!! If your teaching quality stuff, then students will come, and those that leave for whatever reason(s) will be replaced by new students. Cherish those that remain on the floor! Cherish those that have left the floor! Each have their own reasons as to why; respect THAT!! Now, GO TEACH YOUR HEART OUT, and one more time...the student turnover will take care of itself!!

YES IT IS!! No better time than the present. GO COWBOYS!! After last season, this season, more than before, I'm starting to think that the Cowboys might get deeper in the playoffs, than before! Was their schedule lighter than usual? No, no more than others, imho. Brain's Chiefs have potential! Patrick's Dolphin have potential! Name the team, they've the same potential!! Human errors and just crazy dumb luck, separates the greats from the not-so-great. I predict that the Cowboys will...get closer to the Super Bowl, but not in the Super Bowl until...2017. GO COWBOYS!!

Nice tutorial, Alex; thank you for sharing!! I saw several things and liked what I saw!! Listen, I've been rolling on the floor for 51 years this October, and I don't want to ever seem that I know everything, because I DON'T!! So, please allow me to give the floor to other KF members here because I too, get tired of my own voice.

Solid post!! A martial artist is a martial artist; no gray area exists, imho!!

Whenever I watch MMA, UFC for example, I'll mainly be watching the pureness of the techniques. The who, what, where, when, why, and how of each technique, and the techniques in combinations. I've been teaching on my own since 1977, so as an instructor, I look at the pureness of the techniques, and nothing else. Yes, I love to watch the battle between two solid practitioners just as much as everyone else. But the nuts and bolts of the whole battle rest on techniques effectiveness. Not all practitioners turn their supportive foot when executing a kick, and this DRIVES ME CRAZY. Had they turned their foot more, to open up the hips more, well, a pound weighs more than an ounce!! When I saw the pic on FB, my reply to the question asked was..."BOTH!!" I left it at that, and I'll still leave it at that.

AHA moments occur when solo training; it happens, more often than one might imagine. Inasmuch, that feedback is lost, or suspended, and that AHA moment loses its flavor and spark because that necessary feedback isn't immediate. Therefore, that found AHA moment is forgotten!! Effective practice becomes productive when one's able to improve; no matter how big or small that might be. Punching harder, going longer, compacting more, and so on and so forth; any improvement must be awarded!! A LIFETIME!! Until it's perfect, and that, takes more than a lifetime because we aren't perfect. Now, that technique is almost perfect....wait...now it's not...wait...it is perfect again...no...wait... So you see, what is now, won't last because we're seeking to improve...ALWAYS!! NO!! Mundane repetitive techniques until exhausted worsens the technique, and KATA, well kata is comprised of said techniques. Once tired...STOP...REST...then resume training. It's everything!! I can't improve my MA betterment without it, but again, feedback must be in concert. Train solo, then get with your Instructor to get that feedback. How? Go to class, and if that solo training is getting the approved nod, then you're good to go, but if you don't get that approved nod, speak to your Instructor and let him know what you've been doing during your solo training, get his/her valuable help, and return to that solo training!! All of this speaks about Shu Ha Ri...all of it, even if, and especially while training solo!! Moments will peak; that's the reward, yet, the diligent will endure daily.

Yeah, it does look like fun! I wouldn't be interested in the competitive aspect, but in the dojo...yeah, I'd do it! I'm with you, Montana!! What I love about it is that...I WILL GET A TURN TOO!! Heheheheeheheheheehhehehehee

We could ask students to donate their old gi whenever they buy a new one, for whatever that reason might be, and we could store that donated gi, by sizes, and give them to students who are unable to purchase one for themselves. However, the gi must be in good condition, and washed!!

Enjoy your new Shureido gi; quality workmanship!!

Let me just say this... Sign me up!! That would be fun!!

I've had a subscription to Black Belt for as long as I can remember. Over the 50 plus years, I've had a numerous subscriptions to the wide world of the MA; covering a plethora of different MA styles. Karate Illustrated was a must have back in the 70's because it covered current and future tournaments; it was the bible for following the MA tournament scenes. CFA, has been in my magazine subscriptions index for as long as CFA has been publishing its fine work. It's the bible of anything Okinawan...a no frills publication! TKD is covered well on the Barnes and Noble shelves with many different titles...I too, have a subscription to a few of them! UFC/MMA is also covered quite well on B&N shelves, yet, I only have a subscription to the UFC format! These are just a small few listed magazine subscriptions that I've had or still have. However, and for some time, once the economic downturn a few years ago, I cancelled them all because I felt that money could be used elsewhere.

Good thinking - I never thought of using them like that. You know...reuse, recycle and all. Why not having a hand-me-down gi?? I like the idea across the board. After all, the hand-me-down mindset has been culture of many countries for as long as they can remember.

Solid post!!