sensei8

Congratulations on your 8th kyu...well deserved...fells good, huh?!?!

Imho, they should've been doing that from the jump street, but, better late than never, right?! Glad to see that they're doing something about it right now.

Solid post!! Especially the bold type above!! In that, ones got to manage the brand, and it doesn't happen over night; it takes time. Time in getting known in ones community through all types of venues; print and/or video. Once the community begins to notice, the community will start to get behind you, but the marketing never stops. No. It must be changed constantly and it must be as though said marketing hasn't ever been seen and/or experienced before. Demo's are still the way to draw in prospective students. Our local ATA school appears in our towns parade down main street in the summer, and it's not by luck, but they're smack down in the middle of the parade. And how they managed this...but they put on a demo at our local Wal-Mart a week after the parade...pure genius or pure luck; I don't know but effective. Don't be afraid to offer suggestions to your CI, and while it's the CI's problem because it's the CI's dojo, it's also the problem of said dojo's student body. Why? If there's no students, then there's no dojo to train at. So, suggest away to your CI, and offer your assistance in anyway that you can.

Solid post!!

Great news...congratulations on your 8th kyu...well deserved. Feels great, huh?!?

You might want to check this out as well... http://www.karateforums.com/42-secrets-from-soke-inoue-yoshimi-kata-coach-vt46819.html There's an article written that might help, and this article can be found through the link above.

The noted differences from those practitioners not training in karate are solid across the board. Reminds me that there's more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak. I've enjoyed all posts from those who don't training regularly in karate, and as a karateka, I agree with Soke's 42 points.

Solid post!!

That would be simple enough, if it weren't for the fact that in karate I am required to kick with the foot, and required to pull my hand back. Picking and choosing isn't as simple as making a decision, the reflexes built by one training confound the reflexes built by another. Solid post!!

ps1 and Danielle...both solid posts, and I concur!!

Solid post!!

Congrats!!

My prayers go out to his family, loved ones, and friends!! Very sad!!

Thanks all. Hopefully the manuscript will be completed soon...hopefully.

I wasn't being literal, I wasn't even being figuratively. I was only offering something to the discussion for us to chew on for discussion sake. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong in what I posted. I learnt Shindokan. I learnt some TKD. I learnt some Shotokan. I learnt some Judo. I learnt some Aikido. I learnt some of this and some of that over the years; cross training. This is why I said Shindokan is a MMA, and in that, Soke combined Okinawa-te and Shuri-te; mixed them together, so to speak. If my Soke had heard me say that Shindokan is a MMA, he would've disowned me right there on the spot. In that, that's why I said that MMA was around before the label stuck, imho. Aren't the MA really just a combination of one art or another, for the most part? And if so, then why can't said MA be a MMA, and in that, I'm not saying that said MA IS MMA, I'm saying that said MA CAN be a MMA...Mixed Martial Art. I teach Shindokan, and I don't teach MMA. I don't have someone teaching MMA in my dojo, and there's no one teaching MMA in the Hombu, and I've never seen any dojo affiliated with our Hombu teaching MMA. I don't even say that I/we teach MMA in any shape, way, and/or form!!

I do like your analysis; might have bearing...maybe! Are you speaking about being a MAist, or are you speaking about being a BB? I can say that I USE to be a MAist once I'm inactive, but I will ALWAYS be a BB when I retire!! The OP is speaking about being a BB!! Why can't I still be a BB when I'm inactive? Where is it written that I'm not a BB when I'm inactive? I've looked...and I can't find it anywhere! I've looked at each of the corners...nothing! I've looked at the each hanko stamp...nothing! I've looked at the watermarks...nothing! I've looked at the signatures...nothing! I've looked at the text...nothing! I've looked E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E...nothing! Maybe someone can help me locate it, because if it's there, I want to know. I'm sure, if it's there, surely it's not hidden, or somehow cleverly placed somewhere. What is it that I've looked for, but can't find? The Expiration Date!! Not one of my Dan certificates seem to have one!! So, if there's no expiration date on any of my Dan certificates, then, by my understanding, no matter if I'm inactive or not; I'm still a black belt!! But, when that day finally ushers in, and I'm put out to pasture, imho, I'll still be a black belt!! You know, I'm quite thick headed!!

2 hours might seem enough, but, that depends on the practitioner. However, the 2 hours is doable, and it appears that you're doing 1 hour per class in your dojo. This leaves you doing quite a lot of practice, which isn't a bad thing because you can only be at the dojo as much as it's allowed, but you can be at home/gym/etc. whenever personal time's allowable. Ideally, 3 days a week at the dojo is much more desired, but again, it depends on the dojo and on the practitioner. Spending time on the floor with your CI/Sensei is vitally important, especially while one's a beginner. No matter the rank, floor time with the CI/Sensei is crucial to ones MA betterment. More personal practicing over floor time CAN create some bad habits that the CI/Sensei will have to adjust and the like as often as it's deemed by the CI/Sensei. Not always, because what I've just said, isn't a part normal occurrences within said practitioner, but, I've seen it enough, and that's why I stated that. If it's possible, maybe you can find a school that offers more floor time with the CI/Sensei. If not, then what you've got at your current dojo is fine. Train hard, and train well. Good luck!

I did enjoy them both; thanks for sharing.

Solid post...solid principles!!

Whenever my nerves start to get the best of me, I either keep busy some how and some way, OR, I put on some headphones so I don't keep thinking about what's ahead; F.E.A.R. ...Future Events Appearing Real Breath, relax, and do whatever relaxes you. However, some nerves are good, therefore, natural. Hang in there!!

I agree.

What I'm speaking to is that the BB is something that I am; in my heart, my mind, and my soul. In that, when it comes to being a BB, and I'm no longer active, I'm no "used to be" anything!! I'll just be inactive. In my opinion, from what you're saying, it feels like you've delegated my BB to dust!! Proof is on the floor is MORE than the dojo/dojang floor!! Is being a BB about ones heart? Or...is being a BB about tangible things?

A BB is always a BB; that can't be denied, and it shouldn't be denied. What remains is the knowledge and the experience, and even if one's not training as often as before, surely, they've not forgotten everything. Dust can still be wiped away, and in doing that, what appears tarnished, is now of value. When all is done, and I'm no longer active, I'm still a MAist, and a BB; nobody, and I mean nobody, can take that from me. When my children grew up, I didn't stop being their dad!! If others, think that I've of no more MA value because I'm no longer active on the floor, they'll be sadly mistaking, imho. Where is it written that when once a MAist becomes inactive, one's no longer a BB?? I can't subscribe to that!! Skill sets remain, even if they're slowed for one reason or another. If you're in TKD, would you tell your GM that they're no longer a BB because they're no longer active?? When my Dai-Soke had a stroke, he was still a BB!! My Dai-Soke died in 2010, but, he's still a BB!! In certain careers, credentials have to be kept current in order to continue to practice their given career!! Not in the MA, that I'm aware of. When I become inactive, please don't cover me up with dirt yet, because I'm still alive!!

I have some bitter experience of this lately, the first lot of graders were a mixed bunch of good to ridiculous with some only having a few hours in a dojo, the last lot were nowhere near purple or brown belt level but were allowed to pass because they had good spirit... Watching a 2nd kyu miss bits of a kata and still grade was painful, it was more painful to see a once respected Sensei smile and pass them. I understand you here. That's on the sensei, and if that is the route he is choosing, there is not much to be done for it. One could ask him about it, but it might not garner much.Integrity during a testing cycle can be a slow and dying race. What was once hopeful and promising, turns into something hopeless and meaningless for the cause of the bottom line. Imho. I'd rather shut the doors...first and foremost.

Sorry, still working on my memoirs, but I'm not close to being done. I never realized just how hard it is to put thoughts of this magnitude on paper. Interviewing many fellow Shindokanists to help fill in the gapping holes that they say that I've left out. Mommy!!