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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.

We were taught that the grasping of your opponents gi pants was akin to being in a dark room...searching for the light switch. Therefore, keeping that connection is that light switch. Lose the light switch, and you're back in the dark searching.

How'd you discover there were missing parts??

You're welcome, Patrick!!

Definitely! I know that some of our newest members joined because of a very good first impression with regards to atmosphere. They wanted to have fun while doing sports, credentials didn't seem to matter at all. And we instructors only have that one chance at first impressions...good one or a bad one!!

When you said "choke", my ears perked up..."CHOKE"...YES!! Excellent tutorial, Alex; as always, thank you for sharing! Two things that I saw quickly that I wouldn't allow you to continue: 1) Just when you began to roll to acquire the guard, I'm not going to stay there while you roll. Like in chess, when you feel a shift is about to happen, you move from that square to not allow the attack/capture to occur. You roll...I move, and if I'm not asleep, I'm going to stand up while you're rolling. Then we'll have to reacquire each other once again. 2) You were able to get your legs wrapped around her waist because she stayed still; static, in this case, worked against her. If I allowed the roll, that's because I wanted to press you while you were rolling, and I've got 300 pounds coming down on you quickly...not fun for you at that point, as I wrap up one of your legs, and if I miss the leg, other options will still be there. Or at least, I'll scramble back to my feet before your legs start to twine around my waist. Chess 101...don't be there!! While ones gi looks so cool and all, it sure can be used against someone quickly. Being choked with your own clothes is unsettling to say the least. In Shindokan, we've several advanced Tuite techniques that we can apply, depending on how the gi top is grasped, and at what stage the grasp is at at what part of the lapel is grasped to stop or slow down the choke, and I'm only needing a brief moment. Aren't you concerned with your opponents gi being used against you? I'm not, and I suspect that you're not either. However, I don't want to forget its possibilities. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!! I accept turning away as a viable option to escape side mount, however, it's a calculated risk that's worth risking because if my opponent stays static, I've wrapped my legs around and now checkmate can be seen soon. I don't spend much time dealing with the risks because my opponents not going to allow me to stall to ponder; act decisively quickly or lose!! Chess 101...your opponents moving his pieces TOO and studying TOO and looking ahead 5 moves TOO!!

Another fantastic tutorial, Alex; top notch!! Both, imho, are effective sweeps, and both offer direct transitions into follow-ups. Of the two, I prefer your sweep over Clint's because yours was more simplistic, and more free of intrusions that can occur. While Clint's was more complex in having to move to and fro from point to point, and Clint could've been wrapped up at any given time. Whereas yours Alex, let many opportunities for Clint to prevent your sweep. In that, your sweep could be executed in a controlled slow manner, if need be. Albeit, Clint's sweep had to be executed more quicker to avoid you from disturbing his frame and supports. Neither of these sweeps are ineffective!! This is again, akin for me, to compare these sweeps as the mid-game of a chess battle. One sweep will slowly topple you, while the other sweep will quickly have you wondering where did that come from. I do understand why this is done, but could you explain to those who might not understand, why do BJJ practitioners grasp onto the knee portion of the opponents gi pants when either Clint or yourself was standing/bending over the other??

That's a good point. Many laypersons choose a school and see if it'll fit their own personal social ethos or not, then, decide from that. Too many students, they shy away from that. Too few, they make assumptions. No, at times choosing a school of the MA is akin to what Goldie Locks did when she visited the three Bears house.

Yes...RIP Sr. Grandmaster Edward B. Sell; a life filled with accomplishments. We, at the Shindokan Hombu knew him, but only from afar. Our prayers go out to his wife, Sr. Grandmaster Brenda Sell, his family and friends, and to his US Chung Do Kwan family.

Solid post!!

I wholeheartedly concur!! Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

Yeah, that's pretty cool. Thanks for sharing that, Patrick. I'd visit it, for sure.

My youngest daughter and her husband tried to get me interested in Magic, but the parameters was more than my pea-brain could grasp, even though I won the one and only game, with my youngest daughters help. This one can do this but can't do that, especially if it's on a Tuesday providing that you have this one card, but it can be defeated still because she had a card that brought back the Star Ship Enterprise from some place that's under a spell, and depending on what the die/dice had and 3 minus 2 plus 7. Sheesh...mommy!!

Not all black belts can teach; nor should they try!! In that, they've no business grading one either, directly or indirectly!! No...no...no...no...no... Imho.

Yes...Yes!! More than I care to remember. And not from just my dojo's!! No. I've done this as well at our Hombu, many, many times. To your bolded questions above...I hold no candle to our Dai-Soke; he had ZERO TOLERANCE. I'd say he probably taught just as many as he's shown where the door was!! I called him a mean cuss to his face...and lived!! He just had an evil smirk on his face!!

While I've mentioned before, in the USA, according to USA Laws, anyone can open a school of the MA. Consumers, for the most part, I pray, aren't that uneducated in areas of this, and most certainly, concerning what they're looking for. I believe the layperson might not intentionally seek out a 5th Dan and above, but if the layperson has done some type of a Google Search, then quickly decide that a 5th Dan is much higher than a 3rd Dan, and thereby, being more drawn towards that school. Who wants to learn from a teacher with a Bachelors when a teacher with a PhD is available. [i'm not comparing Ranks to college degrees, if ones wondering] Credibility, for a new student that a layperson, will decide from what he/she knows from hours of self-research and surfing the web. Credibility is more sought after by other MA, and not the layperson!! Adorn the walls until they're dripping off and oozing down the wall, but platitudes are poor representation of credibility in a school's CI. No, proof is ON THE FLOOR!! Yes, double and triple and quadruple check potential instructors until one's satisfied in what they're seeking...then TRAIN HARD!!

Plus a good stress reliever! Yes, indeed!!

To the bold type above... Solid idea!!