sensei8

Congrats, GojuRyu Bahrain; well deserved!!

Well, I've never competed directly against any MA school because my focus needs to be with MY student body and not someone else's. Am I aware of what the other MA school near my dojo are doing?? You bet...but that's the extent of my curiosity. Is that bad business practice?? Not really because I'm aware and not focused on other MA schools. They run theirs as they see fit, and so do I. I don't depend on gimmicks whatsoever...never!! YOU: .As a JBB to earning my Sandan, I did just that against my Dai-Soke's expressed disapproval. No!! Never!! No!! I started training when I was 7 years old in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County in Canoga Park. Both my Soke and Dai-Soke were born and raised and trained on Okinawa before they both moved to the USA. Both extremely highly competent, reputable CI's. No!! I've been cross-training in other MA forever and a day because not one MA is enough. EVERY other place you have visited in your area is: Not all of them. Every?? That's an unfair label because not every MA school in the San Fernando Valley fits the points directly above. My dojo was a business, and it earned a profit. After all, all businesses are open to earn profit.

Interest in the MA wanes just as any other want. Some of the reasons you've pointed out are felt across the business spectrum. To me, the MA is not a need but it's more of a want. Rent, food, gas, doctor, utilities, and so on and so forth are needs. Businesses that don't provide a want are going to be placed on the back burner/shelf. Businesses have to reinvent themselves in the hopes that customers start darkening the door, but as in anything in business, there's no guarantees whatsoever. On the other side, interest is waning in the MA because for the most, trust in the effectiveness is not there as it used to be. Why? McDojo's and it's like for the most part can be the cause. However, customers don't want to take forever and a day to earn anything, no, they want it to be handed over to them as though they deserve whatever because they spent hard earned money. MA schools closing after being only open for 3 months has left a very sour taste in any prospective customer's mouth. Teaching over in Japan, no matter the city, as a foreigner can be one of the most difficult things to accomplish as well as to overcome. One better be one of the best in the MA, but even then, as a foreigner in Japan wanting to open a dojo will be quite tasking all around. It's not impossible because it's been done and with great success. Good luck and please keep us updated.

Solid post!!

WOW!! I'll need a much bigger mountain. Picking 4 of impactful MAists might be a monstruous task, and even when I pick the 4, I'll not be satisfied with my choices. However, and not to be too repetitive in the names, here's my list... Gichin Funakoshi Masutatsu Oyama Bruce Lee Jigoro Kano

Great how things work out one way or another. Sounds like your search was very successful and meant to be by finding his card on a bulletin board. Now that you're back into it, train hard and well.

Most solid point!! As a LEO, how are your points governed??

Going back to this original question for some clarification. Seeing the way the conversation has evolved, I think defining some things is important. How do we define "overcoming" the attacker? Are we talking about standing over our fallen opponent in victory? Or are we talking about doing just enough to get away and be safe, and avoid injury as much as possible? Are we talking about two people having a disagreement, and then "stepping outside," dual style? Or we talking about the sudden violence of an ambush attack? I think identifying these parameters can add some nuance to the conversation. Allow me to address the above bold type per my knowledge and experience, if I may question by question!? To cause and/or create one's attacker to cease and desist their unwarranted and unprovoked actions towards another. To "overcome" the attacker is to eliminate said threat in the most direct manner be it through target selections so as to cancel effective means. To take the umph out of my attackers' intents by any means. Doesn't mean I want to knock my attacker out or break their body in any given way, but perhaps to just inflict pain capitulation, of which I rather prefer because it's not as permanent. When my attacker's compliant with my applications, their brain is telling them to do one thing, but their body’s telling them something else. To me, I desire the latter of the questions above to overcome my attacker. Both are quite possible to occur whether one's willing or not. Therefore, one must be prepared that either might occur. Should either occur, then, if necessary and unavoidable, then I will initiate the latter option from above...pain capitulation. Nothing is for certain. In that, I'm prepared to decide to take the path of a terrible resolve for cause because my attacker made a decision and forced my hand, of that, my attacker must take responsibilities of whatever course I choose to effectively apply. We have to draw our own conclusions. Imho.

Who swings first?? The first one who breaks the personal distance?? Maybe. If someone's able to breach one's personal distance, then perhaps that someone can strike out first. So, if my opponent breaches my personal distance, then should I strike out first or should I not?!?!? Ed Parker spoke about this... "He who hesitates, meditates horizontally."

If the MA is dead, then who signed the death certificate?? Anyone knows that the next of kin has to be notified, I'm the next of kin, and nobody told me. If the MA is dead, then what is this that lives in my heart and soul??

In no particular order... Lose Weight Continuing Improved Health all around Increase my mobility

One of the most powerful poems that I hold very near to my heart and do not take it lightly. 7 times down, 8 times up!! I will fight to my last breath. I will not go quietly into the night. I will not vanish without a fight. I'm going to live on. I'm going to survive. One day my chair at the table will be empty...but not yet!!

Very important points, to be for sure. Imho, this post speaks directly to knowledge and experience, which both require maturity in techniques to be effective, and fear is what usually stalls maturity in techniques.

Thank you so very much, Brian!! A lot of roads behind me and hopefully there's many more roads before me despite my current health situations.

Early Happy New Year

Thank you so very much, Patrick. I'm slowly learning about what it is to have and live with being a diabetic. Hardest thing is trying to figure out how to lose weight being nearly non-ambulatory. I've not figured that part out yet...but I will.

MY VERY LAST TREATMENT SHOT!! Yes, December 26, 2023 at 1:30pm was my very last treatment shot!! My wife, Linda, was there with me on August 28, 2020, whenever I was given my very first treatment shot, and my wife, Linda was with me on December 26, 2023, when I was given my very last treatment shot!! Linda and I were moved to a private room to administer my last treatment shot. The treatment room is where my treatment shot is administered, and because the treatment room is prohibited except for the patient, hence why we're moved to a private room. Once inside this private room so my wife could watch me receiving my last treatment shot, ice pack was placed on my left triceps to numb the injection area. The technician mixes the two-components of Elligard 30mg. They, comes the shot, and even though the ice does numb the injection area, the last 5-10 seconds really HURT LIKE A SON-OF-A-GUN and that area is on FIRE!! Fire and pain don't go away for nearly 30 minutes, so Linda and I wait in that room before trying to leave and drive a car home. I won't miss that part of the treatment shot at all...I guarantee. The battle has been a 3-year fight, and the fight is NOT over yet. My stage 4 prostate cancer is in COMPLETE REMISSION and there's no cancer anywhere where there once was!! Dr. Goodman, my Oncologist, has told me that he will keep an eye on my PSA closely. He doesn't want to see my PSA go over 2.0. It's normal for the PSA is raise slightly after the last treatment shot. As far as the side-effects that I suffer from my treatment shots these past 3 years and 4 months, they're expect to diminish slowly during the next 6 to 9 months. Praise God!! My next follow-up appointment with Dr. Goodman is March 11, 2024 at 11:45am. Of course, blood work 1 week prior.

Thank you, Patrick!! Happy safe and blessed Holidays to everyone and their families/friends!!

Had my follow-up appointment with my PCP, Dr. Douglas Budde. He informs me that I'm no longer pre-diabetic...no...I'm diabetic. My new medication is RBY, which with my insurance cost my $47 per month...there's NO generic. First Afib. Then Pre-Diabetic. Then Sleep Apnea. Then Prostate Cancer. Now, Diabetic. Enough is enough is enough. Right from the pan right into the fire!!

Boy of boy of boy oh boy... The Bills ran over the Cowboys quite handily...31-10. Everything that I feared concerning that game came true. The Cowboys struggle on the road, which they're now 3-4. The Cowboys aren't a cold weather team, it was windy and rainy. Before that game, the Cowboys were one of the Division Leaders, with the Eagles in the Wild-Card. Then the Bills bashed the Cowboys...then the Seahawks shocked the Eagles 20-17. Now, the Eagles are one of the Division Leaders, and the Cowboys are in the Wild-Card. The Cowboys stats across the board are much better than the Eagles however, they're a Division Leader. Here are the current NFL division leaders as of December 19, 2023: AFC East: Miami Dolphins AFC North: Baltimore Ravens AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles NFC North: Detroit Lions NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Only the 49ers have clinched their division, the NFC West. Nothing went right and everything went wrong for the Cowboys. The Bills outclassed the Cowboys in every way on the gridiron. Having won 5 straight games, I suppose that the inevitable loss was bound to happen, but the happening was ugly. What unnerves me is that history has an unpleasant way of repeating itself when it comes to the Cowboys last 3 games of the regular season when the tires start to fall off the buggy. Next for the Cowboys are the Dolphins away, the Lions at home, and the Commanders away. The Dolphins are 10-4 on top of the AFC East. The Lions are 10-4 on top of the NFC North. The Commanders are 4-10 at the bottom of the NFC East. Out of all of these, the Commanders worry me because they've nothing to lose and can be the spoiler for the Cowboys. Both the Dolphins and the Lions won their last game while the poor Commanders dropped their 5 straight game. In closing, I hope that the last 3 games of the regular season don't reach up and bite the Cowboys right in their backside and give the Cowboys a much bigger headache by ending 10-7. Got my fingers crossed that the Cowboys shake off the last 3 regular season games wild willy by coming out on top and that the Eagles get their wings clipped on their last 3 games. How's your team doing?? GO COWBOYS!!

While size and skill must be considered, if I may be so bold to add, if size is the individuals main concern, then perhaps that's because said necessary skills required isn't within said practitioner. I've always been taught and what I teach is that the practitioner addresses said opponent that stands before them to the best of one's abilities without any reservations whatsoever because if one's already concerned of either the skill and/or the size, then the altercation perhaps is already lost before it ever begins.

Yeah...that firing was for cause. A very brutal game for the Charger but a fun time for the Raiders who couldn't get on the scoreboard the week before against the Vikings. Every firing in the NFL, I shake my head as I remember what Jerry Glanville quipped on the sideline to an official once...NOT FOR LONG!!

Very informative article. Thank you, Patrick, for sharing it.

Ohtani will not be paid a straight $70M a year for 10 years. Ohtani agreed to defer all but $2M of his annual salary...$68M of his $70M per year...until after the completion of the contract. The deferred money is to be paid out without interest from 2034 to 2043. The deferrals over $600M seems to be a norm in the MLB as a soft salary cap through the Luxury Tax (CBT) which helps the teams. Teams are fined hefty, from $20Mto $60M or more, if they exceed the salary cap threshold, which for 2024 is $237M. Yes, the Dodgers will be happy to earn interest on some of the money Ohtani deferred, and he also helped them avoid the steeper CBT penalties moving forward. The deferrals were Ohtani's idea...not only is he a great player, he's also one smart cookie. Afterall, this isn't Ohtani's first rodeo in MLB. If it was me, I guess I could learn to survive on a lousy $2M a year.

Solid post!!