sensei8

Speak with your instructor about your physical limitations with your knee to see what he can do to accommodate you. Always speak to your CI!! Good luck!!

Another fantastic tutorial, Alex!! What Alex does from 2:10 in this tutorial is what I'd be concerned with if my opponent is "too fat to mount". I ride the chest more than the stomach, in this regard for the time I need.

Feel your opponent...move with him/her...make changes as they're needed...don't get behind your opponents movements...when he/she moves, you move appropriately. Behind, means that your opponent is now ahead of you and you've no longer minimum control.

Well...how did your testing cycle go Saturday?? It's not normal to be jumping ranks, although it does happen from time to time. It's more dependent on the instructor, and not as much with the governing body. Although the governing body, like mine, has it's involvement all over any testing cycle, but the instructor is given the green-light on this providing that the instructor doesn't have a record of this quite often. The philosophical matters or the principles of martial arts, again, are dependent on the instructor. What I've noticed over the years is that some students can be upset about this because it's not happening to them. Rarity should stand shoulder to shoulder when rank is concerned, imho!!

Solid post!!

I've placed this moving piece in the General Martial Arts forum because, imho, this applies to all styles of the MA. There are times when things of the physical nature CAN and WILL prevent one from training for the moment or for the long term, for those, I will never frown towards them. For those, like me, who make excuses to not train from time to time for whatever the reason(s) might be, possible this video would motivate them, as it has motivated me. Enjoy... To that gentlemen found in this video, I wholeheartedly bow to him!!

Today, October 18, 2014, marks my Golden Anniversary in Shindokan Saitou-ryu; 50 years on the floor. My flame hasn't dimmed the slightest; it burns as bright as ever, even more so!! Today's also my 57th birthday. My martial art journey over these past 50 years have had its many bumps and dips along the road, but for the most part, it's been smooth; uneventful, to say the least. I've shared the floor with many within the Shindokan circle, but my martial art journey wouldn't be complete without acknowledging wholeheartedly those martial artists that are outside of the Shindokan circle. To all, I thank you with all of my heart and soul; your bright lights have helped me over these many wonderful years in sustaining my own flame. I thank you, one and all!! 50 YEAR TIMELINE 1950|Shindokan Saitou-ryu; founded by Fuyuhiko Saitou, Soke, Judan 1956|Soke, and his student, Yoshinobu Takahashi, Godan, move to the USA from Nanjo, Okinawa 1957|Shindokan Hombu established in Canoga Park, CA *Soke forms Shindokan’s governing body; Shindokan Karate and Kobudo Association (SKKA) *Yoshinobu Takahashi Sensei is selected by Soke to be Kaicho[President] of the Shindokan Hombu *I was born in October to Rita Mitcham (Russie) and Dan Mitcham in FT. Worth, TX; All Saints Hospital, I’m the youngest of three; my brother, Donald (1951), and my sister, Ruth (1954) 1958|My family moved to the San Fernando Valley in CA; Van Nuys 1964|Enrolled in Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do in Canoga Park, CA; Shindokan Hombu 1967|Began Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo training at 6th Kyu [Green Belt] 1970|Earned Junior Black Belt; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do 1971|The Weekend Warriors formed by Greg Forsythe, Ben Stevenson, Iwao Takahashi, Giichi Tanaka, Yoshikazu Tanaka, and myself, as Junior Black Belts, travelling throughout CA to compete in any and all open tournaments; we dominated the under 18 year old divisions; sponsored by our parents. 1974|Enrolled in Chang Moo Kwan/Kang Duk Won Tae Kwon Do, Burbank, CA under GM Young Ik Suh 1975|Earned Shodan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do *Left formal training in Chang Moo Kwan/Kang Duk Won Tae Kwon Do; earned 6th Gup [Green Belt] under GM Young Ik Suh *Began teaching Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do at the Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) in Valley Glen, CA 1975-1977 1976*Earned Nidan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do *Weekend Warriors ends; too many personal scheduling conflictions 1977|Earned Sandan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do *Left teaching at LAVC in order to open my dojo *Opened my first dojo; Kyuodan Dojo in Van Nuys, CA (1977) *Earned Shodan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 1978|Earned Nidan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 1980|Earned Yondan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do *Earned Sandan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 1983|Earned Yondan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 1984|Earned Godan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do 1987|Earned Godan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 1988|Earned Rokudan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do 1989|Elected into our Hombu’s Hierarchy; Counsel of Regents 1993|Earned Rokudan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 1994|Awarded Renshi (SKKA) *Retired from active competitions shortly after having garnished 4 Grand Championships, as well as a 2nd place in the Masters Division in Kumite at the Bakersfield All-Open Karate Tournament. 1995|Earned Nanadan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do 1997|Awarded Kyoshi (SKKA) 2000|Earned Hachidan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do 2002|Earned Nanadan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 2003|Awarded Hanshi (SKKA) 2007|Soke retires; elected to Kaiso [Advisor] 2008|Kaicho Takahashi Sensei is elected the new Dai-Soke of the Shindokan Hombu *Soke passes away of natural causes; he was 91 years old *I’m elected Kaicho and Chief Instructor of the Shindokan Hombu 2009|Earned Hachidan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo 2010|Dai-Soke passes away after suffering two separate strokes that year; he was 78 years old *I retire from being the Kaicho and Chief Instructor of the Shindokan Hombu; promoted to Kaiso [Advisor] *Iwao Takahashi, eldest son of Dai-Soke, is elected to San Dai-Soke, promoted to Judan *San Dai-Soke closes the Hombu and attempts to moves it to Nanjo, Okinawa *Established NEW Shindokan Hombu; new charter, proxy, and the like approved *San Dai-Soke stripped of his authority and given a lifetime expulsion via a referendum by the new Hombu 2011|Re-elected as Kaicho; stepped down from Kaiso appointment. 2012|Counsel of Regents renamed to Board of Regents; reorganized, from 12 elected officers to 5 elected officers 2013|Earned Kudan; Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do *Premier GM Young Ik Suh passes away in October; he was once a Korean Presidential Bodyguard 2014|I celebrate my Martial Art Golden Anniversary, 50 years, in Shindokan Saitou-ryu **Italic type denotes Shindokan events** 50 years! Although it's been a long time in the making, it seems as though it was just yesterday when I first walked onto the floor, and in retrospect, I took my first step on my martial art journey as well. Memories aren't all I have left, and while some have faded away, many a great number of them remain brightly vivid in my mind. In my life, as well as in my martial art life, I've often openly wept over the many empty chairs that stand before me; this is to be expected in ones lifetime, but that doesn't ease the grief that I oftentimes feel each and everyday of my life. One day, I too, will leave my own empty chair behind, but until then, I will remain steadfastly true on my martial arts journey. And when I leave my chair for the last time, I will fondly remember all who have made my martial arts journey complete. Yet, I will be saddened to know that there will be no more tomorrows with all of you....my friends...my martial art family...and of course, my love for you all will never die. While I'm proud, I humbly look over these past 50 years with a smile, and a gladness that while I was on the floor, I gave it my all every second without any regrets and/or reservations. I've no idea when I will shrug off this mortal coil, only God knows that, but I know that my time isn't far away, and God willing, I've another 20-30 years on the floor. Somewhere and somehow, our paths will cross; in that, we'll embrace one another not as strangers, but as family!! I love you, one and all...thank you, one and all!!

Yeah, that's what I wasn't sure on, Bob. I don't know if he meant my GM, or my current instructor, or some GM of his. I just wasn't sure. Either way, I don't see myself joining up at the place for regular training. My main interest would fall into the grappling aspect of the class, and we didn't even touch on that during the class I attended. I don't really need to gain a black belt rank in his style of TKD, because I've got most of it down.Its just one of those things that kind of caught my attention. I may go back from time to time to cross-train with them some, but we'll just have to see what time allows for that. That's it...you don't need another BB in TKD. I don't need another BB in Karate. Adding that from this style and that style is fine just as long as it adds to ones MA betterment. I dare to say, I'm eclectic through and through. While Shindokan is my core, my core needs those essential things that are outside of the Shindokan circle.

Ditto!! The knees and close range techniques are close to my heart, and while WC has its plethora of kicks, nothing drives me more than close range.

I concur with this, as well!! Target selection can make the difference. Not all targets require you to strike them hard, i.e., soft tissue targets yield favorable results without striking with maximum power. For example, and I believe any avid golfer might agree with me, distance can be achieved on the golf course by obeying the mechanics of the golf swing, and not to power the golf ball.

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!! Can you do less impact type exercises? Tai Chi might be a possibility for you, still!! May I ask, how does your right leg keep on getting damaged? Hang in there!!

Yes...I agree...quite cheesy....I had to laugh.

Had she not have been wearing a gi and a belt... What would've been your opinion then?? Judging a book by it's cover, i.e., it's outer appearance, can be often quite one sided.

30-23 against the Seahawks in their home....COWBOYS WIN!! 5-1 record this year!! How about them COWBOYS!! GO COWBOYS!!

Solid post!! I do believe that character of said practitioner of the MA already exists before their first day of class. Through the guidance of ones instructor, that that already exists is either molded to be positive or negative, and in that, the choice IS of the individual.

Solid post!! I'm ok with contracts, but they're so binding, and once you've signed on that dotted line, the parameters are mostly on the side of the one who owns the contract.

As always, a solid tutorial for all who want to improve their ground work, and not just for BJJ practitioners and the like, but for all MAists because one never knows when they'll end up on the ground!! Thanks for that Alex!!

I hear you, Patrick, I hear you. I'm suspecting that, even though the Cowboys have only lost their first game, the dawn of the end of the tunnel is far in the distance. I'm predicting that the Cowboys will win one or two more before their win streak ends...history dictates that about the Cowboys. Romo will have a bad outing in the beginning of the season, and then win 5-6 straight before the floor crumples under their feet...one game at a time, and as of late, they will drop the last 3 games of the season. However, I'm optimistic like you, Patrick, when it comes to the Cowboys. I also know that Brain can't be all to thrilled with his Chiefs as of late, but I suppose he's just as optimistic with the Chiefs as we are with the Dolphins and the Cowboys. Could be worse! We all could be fans of the Jaguars or the Raiders, we haven't won a game the entire season so far, or the Jets, Titans, Redskins, Buccaneers, or the Rams who've only won 1 game!! GO COWBOYS!!

Well thank you very much Unfortunately the contract for Karate is alive still and there is one near me, another just charges a lot. The most damaging thing is to the students who won't go near another Dojo because they think it's the norm. I get the odd few who come to me and ask about money first as they nearly got conned into signing an expensive contract. Solid post!! To the bold type above... How do we, as MA instructors change the mind of students in this regard? Also, people who don't worry about money have plenty of money already, and this is why most consumers will ask about price quite readily before they will ask about curriculum and the like. Prices will scare the bee's knee's out of prospective new students faster than anything known to mankind.

Thanks for the links; they will benefit so many, including myself. Thanks, Patrick!!

To the bold type above... That's a good point!! Sometimes, people forget that there's a lot of "homeland" in their very own backyard. Those who live in area's where their MA homeland is, they're fortunate enough to just walk outside of their door.

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!! In your opinion, how has age not gotten in the way?

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

Congrats....feels good, huh? Been there...done that!

Aaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh.....still in business!?! Hopefully, his punishment scared him straight, for the sake of his students.