sensei8

Solid post!! Don't want to get hit...THEN DON'T BE THERE!! Don't want to get hit...THEN HIT THEM FIRST!! Don't want to get hit...THEN LEARN HOW TO DEFLECT/BLOCK!! Don't want to get hit...THEN RUN FASTER THAN THEM!!

Nice OP!! To the bold type above... Yes...why not. The limitations, imho, aren't with the styles themselves, but with the practitioner; that's when the difficulty arises. Man creates style, then man boggles the style; man gets in the way!

Oh, yes; Shindokan trains with the Sagi-machiwara, but Shindokan also trains with the WCD even more so. I don't know of many Karate styles that train with the WCD, if any outside of Shindokan.

Oh dear, this is so true. And it's just not true for that subreddit, but for many, many martial arts communities. It's either Muay Thai/Boxing/BJJ or bust. Also, many of their members are of the mentality that you must be Anderson Silva or Mike Tyson or you can't comment on anything (also, huge coincidence, everybody there is at a Anderson Silva or Mike Tyson level!), which puzzles me, since people can discuss NFL without being as good as Brady, or NBA without being on a Lebron level.. yet when it comes to martial arts they feel you just have amateur MMA fight experience or at least be REALLY good or you can't have an opinion Solid post...both!!

Rank is arbitrary-skill is definite. Don't let the color of your belt define you and don't let your past keep you from enjoying the ride. Solid post!!

I believe that this is shared across the board, no matter the style. Having an open class is the bread and butter of most schools of the MA; it has been for me, as it was for my own Sensei.

Do children have that ability within themselves to do that? Maybe! Parents dictate quite a lot, leaving children without a choice of their own.

You ask the million dollar question...which MA should I learn? I believe that the MA is a personal journey, and while I can rattle off many MA choice off from the parameters you've set forth in your OP, I will try to remain unbiased to my core style, in which, I believe it's quite effective, but as with any other style of the MA, it's limited; it lacks everything because everything hasn't been found, yet...hence the personal journey. The plethora of MA styles would boggle the minds, and that's where the million dollar question begins. Judo, BJJ, Karate this and that, TKD this and that, and so on and so forth. This provides this, but this doesn't provide that in what it is that you're looking for in a MA. Imho, there's no one style to choose; the choices are overwhelming. Start visiting the schools of those MA styles that have piqued your interest, but visit them over and over again until you slowly, but for sure, wind down your choices to the final few. Speak with the students/parents, and of course, with the CI of that school. A complete picture of what you're seeking will appear, but in time. Just don't rush into it. Look at BJJ; you'll need grappling because most fights end up on the ground. After that, find a striking MA that fits your fancy; but that is a very wide scope to narrow down. The choice is a personal one; good luck. Sorry if my advice isn't what you're looking for!!

Many great posts already on this topic. Hopefully, I can add something of value to the discussion. Imho, How many different ways can one punch, kick, strike, and so on and so forth? I've no idea! One might imagine that there's a limit to everything. It's not how many methodologies, but how many ideologies can birth something effective. I suppose that anyone can create there own MA style. That's the easy part! It's making it acceptable to the MA masses; that's the true trick. Get enough to support it, then, there's a chance that the snowball effect will take place sooner or later. We're free to create; nothing can take that away. There'll be a consensus that a certain rank is required, but in creating a new MA style, that argument about required rank will never be settled. Loop holes will protect the effective as well as the ineffective, therefore, any rank can create a MA style, which usually births a new governing body. It appears Senior Ranks aren't satisfied with what their core styles founder awarded them, so, now they create a new MA style so that the new governing body they've also created can award themselves with a shiny new Judan. I've no inclination to ever start my own style; I've not the necessary tools, nor do I want to acquire it. I believe that I've the knowledge and experience to start my own MA style, but, I'll save that opportunity for those who desire to do so than me. I've cross-trained with a wide plethora of MA styles, but not for profit, and not for fame, or any other ill begotten scheme. But to become more effective across the board and on the floor; wherever that floor might be. Shindokan Saitou-ryu is effective, but it's not the end all of all things in anything; nor is any other style that's ever been made in the past, present, or future. The wheel has already been created, and it's been improved over the years, and it might still be changed in the future. But, as the cheese is moved, is the creators of the wheel past, present, or future, truly improving the technology or the creator?!? To create or not to create a new MA style; is that the question? That's an individual choice, and it's can be a bold quest to endeavor. Create not the new MA, I say, but create that which is effective in and for you. More often than not, are we creating a new MA style, or are we creating a new governing body?? As already mentioned, many style's of MA have seen the creator pass away, and behold, a new "style" is birthed, but what I notice is that it's the same cheese, but it's been relabeled under the guise of a new found governing body. And if said new style is offering something new, it's quite limited, and not that note worthy after all. Oh well, what's one to do? When a new style is created, I say..."Cool!", and I leave it at that. Whatever the motivating factors are involved, I pray that it benefits its student body, and then its creator; in that order. Again, IMHO!!

Shindokan Saitou-ryu: 50+ years TKD: 1 Year [While I was in high school] Shindokan: My mom enrolled me when I was 7 at one of the local dojo's that was closest to our house. TKD: I wanted to learn how to kick above the waist.

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

Within the SKKA, testing cycles at individual dojo's are held every 3 months, aka, the last week of the last month in any given quarter, including the Hombu. The Hombu conducts an annual testing cycle as well the last week of June and the first week of July; however, this testing cycle is OPEN for all Shindokan practitioners who want to test at the Hombu. All testing cycles MUST be approved by the Hombu for all ranks; no exceptions. Petitions To Test must be sent to the Hombu, no later than May in any given year. All students within the SKKA can send a Petition To Test during any quarter. Who can? Students can! Sensei's can...for their students, as well as themselves! ALL STUDENTS!! Once the Hombu receives a Petition To Test, that Petition visits several departments. Each department signs off on the Petition...APPROVED/DENIED. The last stop for any Petition is at the Administrative Department. That Petition will be literally stamped APPROVED/DENIED across its face. Either way, the Records Department records any and all pertinent information on each candidates Hard Card. This Hard Card is reviewed as well by the Administrative Department to validate any, and all, tenure parameters and the like. The individual dojo's CAN'T conduct their own testing cycles without it being approved by the Hombu. If they do! Severe sanctions against said dojo will occur!! This is a general snapshot of how testing cycles are administrated within the SKKA.

I watched both of these days before you posted them here. Jesse seems to be well rooted across the board!! Thank you for sharing them!!

I earned my JBB when I was 13 years old; I was a JBB for 5 years!! What did I do?? Trained!! Our Sensei/Dai-Soke continued to teach us as though we were adults, but, we weren't allowed to rank until we turned 18 years old; Soke wouldn't allow it!! By the time I reached 18 years old, I had trained for 5 years: 1975...I turned 18 years old...Earned Shodan 1976...Earned Nidan 1977...Earned Sandan That's what can happen when one's stuck at JBB for 5 years. Dai-Soke, when I petitioned for my Sandan Testing Cycle, told me that I was more than ready. Why? Because Dai-Soke trained us in the curriculum/syllabus of those 3 Dan's without any ambiguity for 5 years.

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

I can understand and respect that!!

For those of you who've served, I thank you for your service!! Your sacrifices won't ever be forgotten, nor will they be trodden under foot. THANK YOU!! Have a safe Memorial Day, and shake a veteran's hand today!! If a family member, call them and thank them for their service.

Personally, I didn't buy my Sensei's dojo; that would mean me buying the Hombu...and that's not possible. The Hombu is currently owned by the SKKA. I've owned 3 dojo's, and I've sold 3 dojo's; each one purchased by my highest ranking student of THAT dojo. If I open a 4th dojo here in Houston, TX, and when that time comes to retire...I'll offer it, as I've done before, to my highest ranking student. If I've no ranked high enough student at that time, then I'll seek help from the Hombu, or I'll leave that decision to my family to decide.

Rock climbers have extreme hand gripping; their lives depend on it. So, find a rock-climbing wall...and climb it. Be safe though, so use ropes until your skill level allows you to cast them aside.

MAists have their opinions on the wide scoping topic of kata, this is for sure. Imho, there are no exacting experts on Kata!! Why?? Kata is a lifelong journey that's never reached a defined finale in ones lifetime because not everything can be learnt in our limited, and given, capacities; Oyo is a path that's never ending!! Experiences! They do differ from practitioner to practitioner, but, imho, what's revealed through ones own Oyo journey, is aided by and through ones experiences, both bad and the good. In my 50 years in one style, we're all qualified to express what we believe is to be true to that practitioner. My Dai-Soke put it this way... "I teach you, but without you, I can't be taught. We teach one another!" Ineffectiveness/effectiveness can't be taught; it has to be experienced!! Imho.

For a Shorin ryu instructor who rarely addressed any Bunkai...that shocks me to my core!! WOW!! I see where the missing parts are!!

Ah, Risk! Only Axis and Allies can turn adults into bickering children quicker! Love both of them! Yes, I agree. I've not played Risk in awhile...love it!! I'm not rated, but I play a mean game of Chess. My brother, Donald, use to be rated quite high in Chess, and I've not beat him...ever...he toys with me. DORK!!

Surely it can. Over the many years, I've had prospective student not join because the size of my student body. It, too some can be intimidating.

Solid post!!

Solid post, Alex. Hopefully, non-grapplers will begin to understand the mindset. I'd like to hear what others might have to add to the discussion.