sensei8

I'm not shocked about how easily your daughter took to the Karate training because kids are sponges and they've no preconceived notions about anything that's the MA. Good to hear that things are working out. Even if your Sensei's student body increases, as it should, you can still see if your Sensei is willing to teach you in a private lesson. Until your Sensei's student body grows to 6 or more, you're STILL receiving private lessons. My private lessons are 1-5 students, after 5, it turns into a group lesson, albeit a small group, but a group nonetheless. If your Sensei is willing to teach private lessons, be prepared for your monthly tuition to increase...maybe...not all, but most charge more for private lessons. Train hard and train well, you and your daughter!! You'll both be just fine!!

Thanks for sharing the article!! That, while Kata was important, just as important as Kihon and Kumite is, Kihon was trained in great depth; understand the Kihon before training in Kata and Kumite; there will be time for those after Kihon has be absorbed...and not before than. After all, the three K's is, in this order: Kihon Kata Kumite If they're placed in this order whenever listed, then it's sensible to train in them in that order, and not to train in the next one listed until the time is more appropriate for that. One would train first in Kihon, and nothing else until the Sensei said so. Then, Kata, while continuing perfecting Kihon through the Kata. Then, Kumite, while continuing Kihon and Kata; each compliments the other!!

I know what you mean! On a few occasions, I have had 5th and 6th dan instructors with 40+ years of experience attend classes I am teaching. That's pretty awkward for me, to say the least! Thankfully, they have always been great Yeah, I wouldn't be hurt either if I was told to not ever wear my gi/belt ever again. After all, I won't be wearing my gi and/or belt on the street if I ever have to defend myself; that wouldn't be practical and sensible of me. I too have had Senior Dan rank on the floor while I was teaching, and at first, I was nervous, but in short time, it was cool, but no big deal. All ranks just want to train, and that's what I do, and that's what other Senior Dan ranks do when they line up...they want to train/learn!!

Thank you, Danielle. With your quote of Socrates and The Oracle of Delphi, I suppose I'm in good company...I suppose. As Shultz, from Hogan's Hero's puts it..."I know nothing!!"

Congrats JR 137!! Well done; well deserved!!

...but...I don't know everything...about a lot of things...including the MA!! No matter the venue, it is not of my intentions to appear to others that I know everything...cause I just don't. At KF, I've done my share of posting on practically every forum found here, but it's not that I want to stick my chest out and pound on it and roar for all to see and hear. I don't like the sound of my own voice in any venue!! I've been around the MA for quite some time, and I've travelled in many circles and I've trained with a many practitioners from quite a wide scope of MA...If I may borrow a line from Scent of a Woman, starring Al Pacino..."I've been around, you know?!" I chime in a lot of forums/threads here at KF, yet, I don't always post anything because of what this thread is about. I don't know everything, and when I do know something, I won't post because I don't like to leave an impression that I'm showing off and/or acting like I know everything about everything. Perception is reality!! I sincerely believe in this!! I embarrass myself here, and else where by speaking about any given subject; instead of listening, and allowing others to speak about any given subject. I post a lot, not because I'm this and that, and a bag of chips, because I'M NOT!! Albeit, KF is blessed with some pretty knowledgeable members from all walks of lives, as well as those in the MA that are beginners, intermediate, advanced, and from those who are not MAists. One and all, they have become the pulse...the living blood...the beating heart of KF. It is them that give me the opportunity to share what little that I do know. And if I don't know...I say so, without any ambiguity whatsoever!! I also pray that I've not left an impression with any KF members that I show off with my rank or titles or positions; please believe me, this is NOT ME!! I state facts about what I do know, and I pray that I've shared them with you all in a very humble and respectful way. I've shared with you many of things, both professional and personal about me. Not to show off, but to vent and/or discuss one thing or another. I've been blessed to have had the MA journey that I've had, and I'm fortunate enough to have had KF and its members, that shoulder to cry on and that ear to listen to whatever concerns me, at that given moment. Thank you all, for putting up with my many faults!! In closing, if I've made it seem that I act like a know-it-all, then please, forgive me; that was never ever my intentions. KF is my escape from the Shindokan circles...a sigh of relieve!!

Well...I'd say...No, they're not! They both might be kin in the scope of lineage and all that, but I'd say that they both have their own methodologies as well as their own ideology. Imho!!

In short, parameters within any given situation dictate the chosen weapon!! Imho!

This is a very nice way of describing the ranking system; short, solid, and to the point. JR 137 wrote: AND... Kanku65 wrote: I've seen them both ways myself across the wild and wide sea of the MA. Albeit, the highest ranked is most often up front and center; that position isn't lining up at all, for some obvious reason. However, in rare occasions, I've seen the highest ranked line up, in that, far left of the Shomen. Insomuch, I've also seen, and I've done this several times, the highest ranked will sit in the far right rear of the Shomen, or in the very back behind the last line. The highest rank doesn't always run the class. At my former school, we had a noon class twice a week run by a Nidan. There was a godan and yondan who frequented the class. I always wondered how she truly felt about "teaching" people with significantly higher rank, experience and ability. It was a class focused on kumite and conditioning. I miss those guys beating up on me (in a good way). During the summer, those were the classes that you could wring your gi out after you were done. The daytime classes were more of workout classes, while the evening classes were more instructional. To the bold type above... That's very true!! Schedules and restraints can prevent the highest ranked to run the class. In my case, I'm thankful that I had a capable instructor staff to teach many classes for whatever the reason(s) preventing me from running any particular class on that days class schedule. For the most part, I run 85% of the classes, both in my own dojo and at the Hombu. Yet, there were times when I was part of the class, but not as the instructor of a particular class. Why? Sometimes, you know, I just want to train with the students! After all, I'm a student too!!

Thanks, Bulltahr, for the info; I'll check it out, for sure!!

Great tutorials, Alex; both of them!! Thanks for sharing them!! Tremendously!! Proper, and the key is PROPER, training makes all of the differences; it's everything. Proper training defines the end; life or death. You train poorly, you will fight poorly!! There's always a sacrifice to be made; but it's about how one works through the moment that makes any sacrifice acceptable...where's ones knowledge curve at?!? Advanced or Fundamental; know both, if possible because simplicity dictates quite a lot. I might use both, sacrificing one for another, for the moment, to gain/regain the momentum back to my side. Oh, you bet your dollar they are; both of them!! Gold mine of possibilities for both the fundamental as well as the advanced; both videos here are chock full of context as well as content. Home run here, Alex!! edit:spelling

Steam, huh? I just might have to check it out; thanks!! Where do I find it?

i also searching this question answer. thanks for ask this, which i also searching. Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

I like that; an in-your-face methodology...has many possibilities. What about adding some wrestling/grappling, just in case?? I've thought about that. From my understanding, the founder (whos name eludes me) did judo. If you ever watch the Sabaki challenge, they do lots of standing grappling, grabbing the gi. Which to me me is much more realistic then a lot of styles, as the gi jacket would simulate clothing you'd most likely wear in a real confrontation. I chose Enshin for it's hard striking Kyokushin roots, but the emphasis of the use of Sabaki, which to me, makes it great for defense as you're not training to trade shots, but fight more with intellect. The use of head punches/boxing is to fill in the holes of the rest of the striking game. Solid post as well as solid reasons!! Joko Ninomiya; he's the founder, and his lineage is with Mas Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin.

Again, great answers, all; I appreciate it!! Spodo Komodo wrote: This is a very nice way of describing the ranking system; short, solid, and to the point. JR 137 wrote: AND... Kanku65 wrote: I've seen them both ways myself across the wild and wide sea of the MA. Albeit, the highest ranked is most often up front and center; that position isn't lining up at all, for some obvious reason. However, in rare occasions, I've seen the highest ranked line up, in that, far left of the Shomen. Insomuch, I've also seen, and I've done this several times, the highest ranked will sit in the far right rear of the Shomen, or in the very back behind the last line.

To the bold type above... "I've multiple Black Belts!!" he chimed. "Yes, I've a Black Belt in Shindokan, and I've a Black Belt in Six Sigma!!" Dai-Soke asked..."What's Six Sigma? I Never heard of that MA!" One of our Hombu Sensei's is a Department Sectional Manager with International Truck/Bus Division, and he's shared with many at the Hombu about the Six Sigma that's used. Like in the MA ranks, the higher the rank, and I believe they started with Green Belt, the more responsibilities and knowledge that one acquires either as a Manager AND/OR as a Technician...very interesting, I thought.

I like that; an in-your-face methodology...has many possibilities. What about adding some wrestling/grappling, just in case??

Glad to see it's back!!

Good topic; thanks for starting it! Owning my own dojo since 1978, I've always been conscious of where other schools of the MA were in relationship of my own dojo. I love to put my dojo in the center of the other schools of the MA in my 25 mile radius ratio because there's nothing more accelerating than putting yourself on point. Being in the MA epic center, many had to pass my dojo to get to the other schools of MA. However, not always being centralized got me in the eye of any future students because of this important ratio: Dojo to student's house/work. This ratio does present a different difficulty because I can't know where everyone works or lives. In the San Fernando Valley, I was one of the first to use Billboard ads for the MA, and for using ads on the RTD buses. I was in Van Nuys, CA; central to the San Fernando Valley. People that lived in Burbank, CA, for example, might not ever leave the Burbank area because someone who lives and works in Burbank, CA, can do their shopping, dinning, and entertainment right there. And Burbank, CA had their share of schools of the MA. Get the attention, and you get the students interest!! In Houston, TX, I pass 1 school when I drive to Pearland, TX, but when I drop my son off at work in Pearland, TX, I pass 5 schools...my ears perked quick. I'd place my dojo right in the middle of them all!!

Very solid post, Alex!! The OODA that you speak about sounds quite similar to... Study your opponent Study yourself Make a plan Carry plan out I've used this my entire MA life; makes since to me, so does the OODA!!

Yes, the big part of the MA is about self-improvement!! I didn't say that the MA isn't for EVERYONE, I said that the MA wasn't for the person who just can't learn to multi-task AT ALL. Why? My attacker isn't going to only do ONE THING and one thing only. If that was the case, multi-tasking isn't such a big deal, imho. If I execute one technique to defend against my attackers one attack, and we both do nothing else, just that over and over; then multi-tasking is of no value!! Imho!!

Thank you for sharing that, JR 137!!

Solid posts, thus far! Thank you JR 137 and Kanku65!! To answer my own question... I wear the belt I wear for MYSELF; after all, I earned it!! I've not the time, nor the inclination to impress someone else!! For me, to do that, would disrespect my Sensei, and it would disrespect my fellow MAists, and it would disrespect myself; not now...not today...not ever! For 37 years now, I've not sought rank; not after I earned my Sandan!! Up to, and including Sandan, I earnestly sought out for rank!!

Only an insecure MAist would take offense to what you're doing. Any tool that can reach a student, no matter the vocation, that helps a student reach their AHA moments, that tool is a good thing. What you do, and how you do it to reach your students is spot on. It's not cultural insensitive to reach your students!! I take it as a compliment to the MA world because you thought enough respect for what we do to use our most basic measuring stick: Rank. So, teach on, and teach on well!! Say hi to your students from us here at KF!!

Solid post!! Loved the bold type above!!