sensei8

It's a nice way!! It's not a mind blowing thing, imho, it's just their way. However, what they choose not to do, is what I choose to do because this is how I was raised in the MA, and this is how my students have been raised in the MA.

Well, my blue belt, (Gokyu), seemed so long ago, and that's because it was a long time ago. I can remember that it wasn't anything unique and/or special. It was hard, but, to me ALL testing cycles were hard. I began Shindokan, in October, when I was 7 years old, and I finally passed my Gokyu when I was 10 years old, in June of 1968, almost 11 years old; so it took me nearly 4 years. Of course, how long it takes to reach said rank isn't as important as the training itself.

Who can be a grading officer? Whomever the governing body and/or the CI appoints!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!!

Pretty close to Bruce's likeness...I liked it. Tweak it here, and tweak it there, and I believe that it'll be an exacting image of Bruce. Those who have those type of skills on a computer amaze me because it's way beyond mine, which are limited to turning the computer on and off...barely!! Thanks, andym, for sharing.

Thought provoking, indeed!! I've heard this saying my entire MA life, and in that, I've emphasized this towards my students, as well. I'm tied to my students, as Dai-Soke is tied to me/us, and how our Soke is tied to each and everyone of us in the entire student body. The student body is greater than the one!! Any master/instructor isn't anything without their students! Without my students, I carry on a long and lonely conversation with myself. I was taught by my Dai-Soke, but in time, I came unto my own, however, I'm forever grateful for the paving he's established over the many years to ensure that my path had as little potholes as possible; this makes him endeared to me, and the BB he wrapped around my waist so long ago, was that unbreakable bonds that reaches way back through the endless time to tie the master to the student; not for a moment, but for a lifetime.

No matter whom they use in the future, the gamer is the one that will have to win said fights. Like I said, if it's me, then my character, no matter who it might be, will have their butt handed to them; I'm not a gamer, I suck at video games. I'm still cool with whomever they want to use because it's just a game, and it has no bearing on the actual person. The programmers don't really need much, and in Bruce's case, there are a lot to be found to build a respectful character, but if not, the programmers creative license will take care of the rest. Imho!!

As a matter of fact, I've tailored one of my gi tops so that there'd be no sleeves, I use it quite often during classes and primarily when I'm training.

Solid post!!

I've not seen them for sale, but I've not looked for one either. I'd think you could have it tailored to the way you're wanting to. I remember seeing a photo of Tadashi Nakamura Sensei wearing a gi top without any sleeves; looked really good.

Solid posts, all!!

As bad as this analysis is, a very strong wind up for a golfer at tee-off doesn't mean that the ball will go far. No! How the swing is applied and therefore done, that's what makes up a golf swing. So, one doesn't have to be strong and all that to apply effective BJJ and the like, imho!! Btw, great topic!!

Solid post; I wholeheartedly agree!! Any yes, my Dai-Soke had a major influence on me, I can't deny, nor do I try to. I'll be 57 years old this October, my 50th year in Shindokan, but I'm not that spry and vigor of youth that I once use to be. I'm slowing down, and at times, it's hard to keep up the pace and such as I get older. My right knee is getting worse, but my spirit is more than willing, therefore, I push, thereto, I submit to make the necessary changes so that I can still be that effective MAist. Ask me to do Unsu, and I will, except the big jump because that big jump will kill my right knee, so I adapt and I change, and sometimes, I just want to scream out in pain. My heart's willing, but my body is saying..."Give it a rest!!"

Once a BB, always a BB! Sure, said practitioner might become cold, but the context remains. Get knocked off a horse, get back on it; in time, it'll be like you never were off the horse. Multiple BB's is just that TO ME!! An extreme overview of the basics, however, EACH is still a BB. How WE view these type of things will vary as the days and nights do vary from one day to another night; perceptive views!! I've never had more than one BB, but just because I have only one BB and someone has multiple BB's doesn't make me worse or them better or vice versa, imho. It's what's in ones heart!! Knowledge and experience trump, imho, any rank and/or how many BB's one has. If one has multiple BB's, then I bow to him/her. If one has one BB, then I bow to him/her. However, I bow in the same depth and length to them both; none is greater than the other. One can have all of the BB's they want/need, but they mean absolutely to ME is neither can be utilized if effective applied knowledge doesn't exist. If one has, for example, a Godan in one style and a Nidan in another style, they're not learned in only the basics; tenure speaks, but beyond that, knowledge and experience is what speaks even more so. Take a practitioner who has a Shodan in one and a Shodan in another, they can be in the content of just learning the basics, it's two times the effect. If combined, they both, for example, might total 10 years of knowledge and experience. In that, if you get a room full of high ranking BB's you have a combined totality of knowledge and experience that one can't argue with. That's why COMBINED knowledge and experience trumps the one total overall. That aforementioned full room might have over 200 years of COMBINED knowledge and experience, when you look at them individually, the highest might have 60/70 years of experience. That singular is measureable and so is the combined as effective applied knowledge. The sun is bright because it is!! It's mass is undeniable, and even more so, a small portion of its mass, while it is not as bright as the whole, it is still undeniable, imho. I've cross-trained for the better part of my upcoming 50 years in the MA, specifically Shindokan, but I've only received two rankings; Kudan in Shindokan and 5th Gup in TKD. Is it wrong of me to combine all that I've learnt and applied in these near 50 years, or should I restrict my knowledge and experience only to Shindokan?? Take what is useful, disregard the rest!! In these near 50 years, I've done just that. Everything I've added to my MA betterment has ALSO been added to the core of Shindokan because NO ART has the complete answer; they all accentuate Shindokan!! Imho!!

That would be cool, even if it's only in a game, to be Bruce Lee. However, I'm not too good with games, so my Bruce Lee would get his butt knocked out. Thanks for the info, Patrick. It'll be the rage of the page, that's for sure.

It's possible that that lone 1 GKR competitor does something that most McDojo students don't do...Practice!! I've seen a sprinkle, over the many years, of McDojo students that looked quite effective in their techniques, in that, their three K's look solid. Purposeful practice with an intent to improve ones MA betterment can turn a stereotypical McDojo student into that which can be lacking for the others!!

Solid post!!

JohnASE...Wado Heretic...Solid posts, both!!

This response brings up some interesting points. Have you used this against good takedown people? Typicalkly a horse stance kind if defense only provides base against one angle of pressure. How do you adjust for the movent from a single or double to a rear takedown or body lock? Traditionally, takedown artists are very good and cutting angles on the shot, and controlling elevation. How does the horse stance account for the inevitable drop to the submarine if it's base does shut sown the hip level shot? How does the more difficult to move low horse stance intercept a combination of angular changes and level changes? I notice you go immediately to strikes rather than work for under hooks. How does this defense manage to off set his base without the controlling option of the under hooks. For that matter, how do you pummel for distance without the positional dominance that the under hooks give you. I'm not saying that what you're suggesting doesn't work. I'm just saying I've never seen this sort of defense be a effective as other methods open floor and I've never seen it shut down the quality of people that you're talking about. Again, I'm not trying to be difficult, just saing that I haven't seen this tactic work before. If I'm not understanding, shoot some link to a video so I can get a better feel. I wholeheartedly concur; solid post!! Rarely, if at all, does dropping into a low horse stance work. When someone drops on me in the fashion that you're suggesting, I seek manageable angles left open through my transitions, and then I drive to and through my opponent with a spear. Either I'll drive my opponent to the ground to seek a dominate position, or, after I've driven my opponent to the ground, I'll return to my feet, and then go from there. That low center of gravity works for somethings, but it doesn't work for everything. In that, staying low for too long can upset the apple cart for transitions in the future. Angled transitions can suffer if one stays way to long in any low center of gravity position. I've been in that low center of gravity position before but I translate out of it asap, and in that, against someone driven to drive me to the ground, the sooner I'm more upright, the better I'll be. If I were to choose between a low center of gravity defense or to sprawl; I'd choose the sprawl. If someone's not comforable on the ground, being on ones back isn't so fun, and in that, being on top might be more conducive for the next game plan...maybe...depends on ground experience. Imho!!

I can't answer that! He should've, but he didn't for his own reasons. I can only suppose that quitting for him isn't in his make-up to do so because no matter what the outcome might've been, he was going to continue until the fight ended on way or another. And to quit, to bow out, would've been worse for HIM than for him losing the fight at the hands of the superior fighter. Again, I'm only guessing!!

I can't answer that! He should've, but he didn't for his own reasons.

I'm unable to truly help you in your search for a quality Shotokan dojo in UK, and that's because I live in the USA. Good luck in your search, and the good thing here at KF, there's a number of members that live in the UK that'll be better to help you. Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

When I first started learning Bo, I broke the lampshade one night when the wife was in bed. The next night she took my Bo away and gave me one of the sponge swimming noodles I use to teach kids to practice with. I couldn't argue..there were scrapes all over the ceiling too

I surely don't want a steady turn over of "wannabes" because if I do have that type of steady turnover, then there's something desperately wrong with me and/or with Shindokan. Turn over ratio, imho, must be less than 2.0% of ones student body; that's acceptable to me as a CI, and for grins and giggles, it's acceptable with my banker as well.

Yes!! I'd take the lose. Why? There's more to gain than to lose by tapping out as Pantangco did; for both fighters. Imho, he demonstrated bushido to the nth degree. Win or lose; they're not as important as ones MA betterment, imho!! I bow to him for his actions!! Instead of hurting Rasner, he choose to tap out; awesome sportsmanship!! Thanks for sharing it, Brian!