sensei8

Is it easier to transition from the blocking or from the deflection? How could a beginner "look" at each one to better understand either? Moving effectively throughout the transition can be difficult, even more so for beginners, in that, they stay static, instead of moving "with" said transitions in mind. That deer in the bright headlights takes over, and when they realize that it's too late, well, it's too late. Lock and release! Two things that aren't easy at first to do separately when needed to do so.

Happy birthday to you...and many more!!

If a Senior Dan promotes him/herself, than, which ever rank said Senior was promoted accordingly before, imho, that's the rank that I'll recognize, nothing else.

GREAT posts, all, thank you!! Also, thank you all for breaking down your explanations so that those members at KF that are MA beginners can digest them better. It's important because beginners, and we all were there once, often look like a deer caught in the bright headlights of a semi-truck. Solid posts!!

First off, welcome to KF!! Glad that you're here!! No. Your son's not too young for karate. In that, that decision rests solely with the parent(s). However, it's also up to said school if they want to teach any children that young. I personally and professionally have no problem with students as young as your son. Even more so, my age brackets start at 4 years old, and I've a ton of them. I enjoy students that are that young because they've no agenda beyond wanting to learn karate; karate is cool to them. No aforementioned anxiety baggage is carried into the dojo/school. They're sponges; wanting sponges that want to have fun, and so do I, while they're trying to learn karate or any other style of the MA. As a suggestion, find an instructor that's great with kids. Why? Not all black belts can teach, and no all black belts want to teach, and not all black belt should teach, and not all black belts can teach children. Teaching children takes a special gift, imho, and not all instructors possess that trait. Good luck, and please let us know how everything's going!

Thank you Brian and Danielle for your kind words. And yeah, our little community is unlike I've ever lived in before; I'm lucky in that regards.

Well...the Cowboy draft was what it was....big deal!! The thing about the draft, imho, not all those picked end up on the final roster, so I don't get all excited until then, if at all!!

Spoiler...you!! I couldn't help myself...Yeah...I noticed that!!

Glad everything worked out, even though some wrinkles had to be ironed out. Here's to his speedy recovery. Congrats to you being appointed to the board of instructors, and you're right, it is an honor.

Thank you all for your kind words; they mean the world to me!! Another empty chair in my life!!

Maybe!!

Solid post!! With Kendall, you're providing him additional and effective "tools" to add to his MA toolbox.

Thank you for the kind words. I almost didn't want to be on camera because as I get older, I stumble through a simple sentence, but, it came out well, for what they aired in the time constraints!! As far as the neighbor, I'm still shocked!! Great point you make, nonetheless. Thanks!!

It's better than 100!!

Spoiler...you!!

It might be worth the look. Thanks for sharing, Brian!!

Solid post!!

That's a great idea to do. That way, you still stay sharp on your technique. It might even help technique more, focusing on it like that. And the lower impact might mean you can do even more of it. Find a training partner and get after that, I'd say. Helps in finding a new way to move effectively for said techniques as well as for himself. Solid!!

No problem For us, the concept behind the execution of an Uke goes like this: 1. Shime - this is both closing (turtle shelling) and covering your body; the "X" wind up of an Uke begins here. 2. Barai/harai - the off-hand in the "X" wind up of the Uke parries the opponent's attack to provide assured protection and control (if need be) 3. Tenshin - body movement & positioning; this includes moving off your opponent's line of attack. 4. Uke - strikes the opponent in vulnerable target areas. Students learn these concepts like this: > 1 & 4 for beginners for the first few months or more until movements are understood effectively > 1, 3, & 4 for intermediate to advanced students until movements are understood effectively > 1, 2, 3, & 4 for advanced, and must be able to show effective, cohesive movements to attain black belt For #4 above, fill in the Uke with any of the three basic Ukes below: Jodan Uke ("high block") is essentially an elbow strike. Chudan Uke ("chest/middle block") is a closed-fist strike that uses the first two knuckles like a back fist; it's not a back fist, per se, but uses the first two knuckles in a similar manner. Gedan Uke ("low block") is essentially a hammer fist. You may have seen this referred to as a Gedan barai ("low sweep/parry"); the movements are almost the same as Gedan Uke, but is used as a sweep/parry redirect instead of a hammer fist. Once these are understood effectively, you can fill in #4 above with any simultaneous defensive/offensive movements. Solid post!! Do YOU consider what you've posted to help those new to the MA PURE "Blocking" OR "Deflecting"?? And why? Thanks!!

I would proudly put up the PKA's first team, Joe Lewis, Jeff Smith, and Bill Wallace against all comers, and then throw in Chuck for the cherry on the top.

I tend to agree with ps1 and where he is going with his argument. I have some grappling experience, most of it with the GRACIE course I've taken through LEO training opportunities. I don't think that if I started added in 30 minutes of grappling work in the classes I taught that it would allow me to call what I teach MMA. Nor would it be if I started adding Combat Hapkido into the curriculum. We would be doing multiple styles and working them together, but I would not be training anyone to do a whole lot in an MMA fight. I wouldn't feel right if I started saying that I was teaching MMA. You know seeing that MMA has been around before the label stuck, in one way or another, and it came into its own, ALL MA are MMA. This is what seems to be the argument, and therefore, we've all the right to teach some hybrid of MMA. Shindokan's brand of Tuite, imho, is MMA, considering we're an Okinawan brand of some type or another, and Okinawan MA came from somewhere else first. Borrow, don't borrow, call it what you want, just as long as its effective, and that that effectiveness can be taught. Imho. IMHO, some of the confusion is attributed to whether a given practitioner is mixing arts or combining concepts. This may seem like splitting hairs, but allow me to explain... From previous posts, I think we all have a good idea of what mixing styles entails, and it is true that many "single" arts today are indeed a mix of many arts. However, to show what I mean, let's look at what bushido_man said in the quote above... From bushido_man's quote, he's trained in a "mix" of arts (besides his base TKD). If he shared some of that training with his students, I agree that he wouldn't be training them in "MMA" nor a "mixed art". Rather, he's showing them concepts they can use to enhance their own art; he'd be combining concepts. I'm in slight disagreement with sensei8 when he mentions Tuite. See, rather than a separate art form, Tuite is a set of concepts that provide fighting sense and cohesion when combined with the basics of Okinawan karate. It's not a separate MA from Okinawan karate, it's part of the same art; again, combining concepts. For myself, when I train with my Ti instructor, I'm not really learning a separate art. I'm infusing my Shorin-Ryu with a set of concepts that were meant to be a part of it from the beginning. Ti is a set of concepts, not a separate art, and doesn't make my art an "MMA" nor a "mixed art" at all... Solid post!! I'm in FULL disagreement with what I said about our brand of Tuite because I believe that our brand of Tuite is solid across the board. Those concepts, I hold dearly and close to my heart, now and forever. But, in playing devils advocate, for the moment, claiming our brand of Tuite as a form and/or part of MMA. Shindokan, as well as our brand of Tuite, isn't MMA, not even close. As CredoTe has stated so well, cohesive concepts that form what we have AS a solid style of the MA. I've trained in a plethora of styles over the near 50 years to broaden my understanding and knowledge about the different styles of the MA so that I can meet head-on said style with certainty and confidence with what Shindokan is. But Shindokan stands in the front proudly, as it should because I sincerely believe in its effectiveness!!

Great replies, all, thank you!! Those who've just joined us, please break down what you've just posted to its simplest form to KF members here that are beginners of their respective style of the MA.

That's pretty cool. You've done your job well. Its hard to pick just one. I'd say that getting my original black belt when I was in the ATA was way up there. Getting to train with Royce Gracie is way up there, as well. Meeting with sensei8 and doing our training time together is another great one, and on that I think we will repeat sometime this year. Yes, we will!! Hopefully this September or October!!

I tend to agree with ps1 and where he is going with his argument. I have some grappling experience, most of it with the GRACIE course I've taken through LEO training opportunities. I don't think that if I started added in 30 minutes of grappling work in the classes I taught that it would allow me to call what I teach MMA. Nor would it be if I started adding Combat Hapkido into the curriculum. We would be doing multiple styles and working them together, but I would not be training anyone to do a whole lot in an MMA fight. I wouldn't feel right if I started saying that I was teaching MMA. You know seeing that MMA has been around before the label stuck, in one way or another, and it came into its own, ALL MA are MMA. This is what seems to be the argument, and therefore, we've all the right to teach some hybrid of MMA. Shindokan's brand of Tuite, imho, is MMA, considering we're an Okinawan brand of some type or another, and Okinawan MA came from somewhere else first. Borrow, don't borrow, call it what you want, just as long as its effective, and that that effectiveness can be taught. Imho.

Zaine and mazzybear, Thank you, both, for your kind and supportive words; means a lot to Nathan and myself. And yes, he's enjoying be mobile once again, no matter the weather!!