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Everything posted by sensei8
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JKA Shotokan curriculum over a period of 3 months
sensei8 replied to rhilllakefield's topic in Karate
As it's been previously mentioned, dojo criteria might differ per that dojo's CI. This link might give you a JKA snapshot, even though it covers 10th Kyu to Judan... http://jka.or.jp/en/karate/dan_rank.html -
Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!
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Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!
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Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!
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Solid post!!
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Auto-Grading? Now, I've heard it all!! Grading because you show up to class? Forget it!! Whomever thought this up should be ashamed!! And rightfully so!! Achieving grade by just showing up is a slap in the face of any serious minded practitioner. Can't perform up to expectations...don't worry about it...you'll pass because you've not missed any classes. We'll worry about your MA betterment much later. Better yet, just award the black belt at their first class! That will eliminate having to keep track of their class attendance, just as long as they're paid up and current on their dues!! This ever comes to Shindokan...I QUIT!! Come to class...train hard...test....and if you don't pass...repeat the first two before you can be allowed to number three...if you're lucky enough!!
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Does your school advertise prices?
sensei8 replied to Lupin1's topic in General Martial Arts Discussion
Solid post!! -
Where does a 1000 pound gorilla want to sit? Wherever he/she wants to!! Beat his legs to death by angling in and out, and let him commit to his attacks. Want to fell a tall tree? Then, chop away until it's toppled!! 10" difference isn't nothing to sneeze at, but, relax and don't allow the initial shock overwhelm you. Keep you guards up, and kick his legs at every chance you have. Then work on combo's out of the leg kicks! When that gorilla starts to force his/her sitting place, it's best to not be there!! Good luck, let us know how it went! If nothing else, this will be a learning experience for you, and hopefully, for him as well!!
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Let your movements, no matter what they might or might not be, compliment one another, but do not waste movements/energy!!
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Great discussion...great Q&A session with Nik and Alex...top notch!! Thank you, both!! This is what I've been speaking about ever since I've been here at KF...Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro...Mind like water and mind like the moon...RELAX. Not only in your physical stature but in your mind as well. If the mind is overwhelmed, then you begin to try to meet that force with force and that's the path to avoid. Relax...then work!! Capitalize on their overcoming mistakes thinking that there brute force is all that they need...and they do need more than that, imho!! Brute force on its own is akin to combating with oneself all day long; tiring overall, and that tiny little moment, is when you begin to overcome.
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Ball and Chain Sweep Recap
sensei8 replied to tallgeese's topic in BJJ, Judo, Jujitsu, Aikido, and Grappling Martial Arts
I agree with this. Thanks for the video, once again. I think this one is way above my pay grade! But I do like how you talk through to the spider guard and the transitions. There seems to be so much there, but I imagine with time it isn't quite so overwhelming. I thought I saw where the scissors sweep would get worked in there. Bob, don't you have the autonomy to introduce grappling into your classes whenever you see fit? After all, you are the senior rank of the style at this point. Don't you have some input into these things, at least when it comes to the classes you teach? To the bold type above... Sure, I've the autonomy to introduce grappling into my classes whenever I see fit. And I do it all of the time! However, that's within my own dojo!! Outside of my own dojo, and I don't expect anyone outside of the Shindokan circle to understand and appreciate this, I am the senior rank of Shindokan, but, I'm one person, one practitioner, and one instructor. Any changes to the syllabus/curriculum have to be voted on, and it requires a 100% vote of approval, and not a majority of votes, for this to happen. Being senior rank doesn't mean that I can pass whatever policy and rule and regulation I want to just because I want to; no matter the supportive argument that I might have! My input is just that, an input, an advice, a thought, and a suggestion, but it's not a rule!! Again, Rule #1 is TEACH!! Rule #2; see Rule #1!! I don't need approval for what occurs in my dojo, however, I do need approval to teach something that's going to be formally tested upon before, in this case, 6th Kyu!! Look, Dai-Soke taught all of his JBB things "above our ranks" because he was the Chief Instructor/Kaicho, without Soke's approval. Why? The Hombu was Soke's, and not Dai-Soke's, but, Soke allowed because he was the CI!! Therefore, while we were being taught Shodan...then Nidan...then Sandan things from the syllabus/curriculum, we were never tested until we achieved those tenures. What I do in my own dojo is MY business, however, students aren't tested officially until they've reached 6th Kyu!! This has nothing to do with loyalty to Soke/Dai-Soke, this has something to do with honoring our sworn duties and responsibilities, to the oaths that we've taken. Our student body deserves that!! I don't believe in hidden techniques and I don't believe in waiting for policies to teach...no...I TEACH, and be darned to any policy and regulation that stifles the betterment of my students. -
A very definitive topic through and through! And as always, your explanations are right across the spectrum of the topic at hand. The Q&A of these videos are what all MAist need, and not just the mat work, with, both are critical elements in developing their MA betterment. Gi...no gi...those elements have to be appreciated and understood, because while one might not like to train in a gi, one better understand it's possibilities because they might encounter an assailant who's well trained in the gi, and therefore, use it to their advantages and to your disadvantages. Nice Q&A, as always. I look forward to many more. LEO's are handcuffed by rules and regulations for obvious reasons, but... Are there ever any scenario's that allow LEO's to react outside of the rules and regulations concerning MA training and abilities?? On a side note, I notice, while watching that Alex isn't very still while sitting...I suppose that he'd rather be rolling than speaking, but he does both quite well. It's the lion within him that can't wait to pounce upon his prey!! Btw, it's a good thing that I'm noting!!
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Misuse and abuse of MA
sensei8 replied to Spartacus Maximus's topic in General Martial Arts Discussion
Let us not forget that the MA isn't at fault! By that I mean, the gun isn't at fault when it's used in unmoral and unethical acts; the gun doesn't kill, the wielder of said gun kills. Same thing: the MA doesn't commit unmoral and unethical acts; the MA doesn't decide; the practitioner decides. That moral compass must be held tightly in the hand of the instructor; first sign of abuse and the like, the instructor must act accordingly and immediately without ambiguity and/or reservation. Otherwise, continued abuse then becomes the fault of the instructor for allowing it to continue. Imho!! -
For curriculum 6kyu and 5kyu do basic 1 step. Step back once, block, and reverse punch. At 4kyu, students are expected to use more advanced blocking techniques and more than 1 strike in the counter attack. During advance class we normally do more self defense based 1 step for all levels, but not all students stay for that class sadly. Mostly adults who are serious about training. It's sad to see some students skate by with just the bare minimum, but if they stick with it they'll eventually have to learn. Truer words have never been more spoken; SOLID!!
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I do enjoy seeing these drills. I see similarities between this drill and some of the ones seen over in the Wing Chun posts, too. We did a flow drill together, didn't we, Bob? I don't recall what it was called, though. It was kind of like a sticking hands type of drill, I think.Interestingly, you can do this same drill as a sticking hands drill, but I am not very good at it I appreciate you being humble; however, from what I've seen, and from what I saw in this threads video link, you've more than a basic understanding of said drill(s) within your grasp, pun intended. In sticky hand drills, I'll give you this little tidbit that might help you, if you're willing to try and work through your doubts/fears. Here it is... Don't be overly concerned with each and every "attack" by your training partner. When you do, you become disjointed quickly and end up at the losing end of the flow. Be aware, relax, and MEET each attack ONE AT A TIME. Don't react to what's "About" to happen because 'it' hasn't happened yet, it will, but not yet. When you free-style, if your style practices free-style, it's the same thing...be concerned with the "attack" that is at hand, and only that UNTIL, the next "attack" reveals itself to you. Bottom line...don't get ahead of yourself!! Get the rhythm, and there is a rhythm to any flow drill, and address one "attack" at a time, and not before!! You'll be fine!!
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I do enjoy seeing these drills. I see similarities between this drill and some of the ones seen over in the Wing Chun posts, too. We did a flow drill together, didn't we, Bob? I don't recall what it was called, though. It was kind of like a sticking hands type of drill, I think.Yes, we did, Brian!! What you and I did was just a basic trapping and sticky hand drills known as Tegumi Renzoku-geiko, aka, hand grappling flow drills, in which, you and I also did a few Yakusoku Kumite as well; they both flow, pun intended, together in training, yet, not exclusive to the floor: they transition to the street via muscle memory.
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What's been your biggest struggle as a martial artist?
sensei8 replied to chrissyp's topic in General Martial Arts Discussion
I'd rather have my MA training suffer than having my family suffer!! -
Does your school advertise prices?
sensei8 replied to Lupin1's topic in General Martial Arts Discussion
As we're all aware of, many schools don't outwardly advertise their prices in the fear that their competition will undercut them, thusly, money savings have the ability to draw in prospective students. I'm of the mindset...be directly upfront at all times. Sets up the trust between school and student; the building blocks for a long term relationship. No matter the savings and no matter the prices; if the quality of instruction isn't there for the serious minded student, that student type won't give it a second longer thought in leaving said school. Price structures will be debated as long as money is at the core of our society. I, too, am alarmed when I hear, see, or read that a school is charging $130 per month, but more alarming when I see the subpar quality of instructions being offered, and even more alarming when you see same said students' subpar MA skills learnt from same said school. But, hey, I'm just a voice in the wilderness. Prices don't always match to the quality of the instructions. Listen, not everyone can afford a rocket ship to the moon, but everyone can afford a pair of shoes to walk to the dojo of their choice. Pressure tactics will turn me off faster than the subpar quality of instructions. Why? I'd be there in the first place in order to learn the MA, I've already decided that. However, just as soon as I'm pressured to join, my interest is quickly deflated!! I don't NEED the MA, I WANT the MA; there's a difference between the two, and it's often misunderstood. -
Flow drills, like Wastelander's video demonstrates, are found in quite a lot of Okinawan styles. Therefore, a critical part of any Okinawan styles' curriculum/syllabus. Our brand of Tuite greatly depends on flow drills because these drills help us reveal the many intrinsic possibilities that can be discovered.
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Does your school advertise prices?
sensei8 replied to Lupin1's topic in General Martial Arts Discussion
I've quoted prices in any advertising campaign that I've ever done, for as long as I can remember!! Our Hombu's done the same!! As a matter of fact, our Hombu once had an A-Frame just outside the main entrance forever and a day noting price structures. It had in bold large print at the very bottom..."Free Trail Lesson" emblazoned at the very bottom for all to see. That A-Frame is in the hand of San Dai-Soke when he closed our first Hombu...man...I miss the darn thing...Soke made the A-Frame...which he personally updated from time to time!! To move that A-Frame, it would take two; it wasn't a modest size!! -
KarateForums.com Awards 2014: Vote For Your Favorites!
sensei8 replied to Patrick's topic in KarateForums.com Announcements
Ditto!! -
Try this... http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/02/3-awesome-apps-for-teachers-to-create.html Hopefully, this will serve your needs, or at least get the ball rolling. Good luck!!
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Some great advice, already. I concur with those who stated Dentist custom made mouthpiece's are the way to go. Costly...yeah...but teeth aren't a dime a dozen...they're more like a mortgage payment...or two!! Now, what do you do when you've a student that refuses to wear one because the mouthpiece causes him/her to choke? Start trimming it down until they can tolerate it? No! Trimming isn't the answer because if you start trimming down, even a sporting good store one, you might as well not even wear that darn thing at all.