sensei8

MA camps and the like are wonderful ways to learn in every shape, way, and/or form...aren't they just GREAT!! Borrowed ideas...that's the core of the MA!!

Only YOU can say when your MA training is over!! Yes, from what you've described, it's a nasty injury, but, in time, it'll heal. As others have already suggested, don't rush it. It's hard to not to want to rush the healing process to get back on the floor, but resist it, if at all possible. I've had a similar injury when I was 19 years old, I'm 57 this October, and I was incapacitated for some time, but just as soon as I was able to put some bearing weight on my right foot, sheesh, I was banging the heavy-bag with roundhouses, and increased the intensity as my ankle got better. No, it wasn't the smartest thing, it was foolish of me, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone; I could've done some permanent damage to myself. I didn't listen to my doctor's advice and R.I.C.E.[Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation], well I did at first, and then I went dumb. Good luck on your recovery...the floor will not be going anywhere!!

Both, Soke and Dai-Soke were born and raised in Okinawa...therefore, I'd say Shindokan is very Okinawan.

Well, it is said that the shortest path from one point to another point, is a straight line. However, that rule isn't always applied to the MA. No. Oftentimes it's more of the opposite that dictates with certain techniques as well as with the practitioner. Two elements that should be noticed when considering any MA technique in the complete totality of the goal. If you're able to use the hip in its fullest component, there will be power! Yes, its important to understand that the more the hip is utilized in its fullest range is optimal for reaching ones apex of their power curve. Speed does generate its own power through its own inertia. The law of motion says... "A body at rest remains at rest and a body in motion remains in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force. The acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the applied force and is in the direction of the straight line in which the force acts. For every force there is an equal and opposite force or reaction." These laws, imho, can't be disputed because these given laws are laws of nature, and therefore laws of physics that are proven laws. Concerning between having one or the other, speed or power, I must admit, I prefer power. Does a MAist HAVE to have them both? Imho, no! Both have their limits, but those limits are solely the responsibility of the practitioner; either one can or one can't! In that, things must be present to generate either...speed...power. Nonetheless, power generated through the hips properly is far greater than speed alone can produce. Yes, both together is something that we all strive for, but if you can generate power and not sufficient speed, there will still be something for your opponent to be worried about. Your limitations are not debilitating, imho, when it comes to the MA. Why? You learn to adapt your MA into your limitations, and not vice versa. If there are techniques that you're not able to execute because of any physical limitation, then don't attempt them. If you can make necessary changes in any given techniques in order for them to be effective, then that course can't be ignored; nothing ventured, nothing gained. Hang in there, train hard, and don't let the training train you; you're the master of your journey, make your decisions that benefit YOU!!

Solid post...a quite moving solid post!!

An awesome article, thank you for it...solid points all throughout!!

Starting the day with kata is like starting the day with a good breakfast; got to have it!! Stretching first, then hope on a stationary bike, then kata, ending up on the Wing Chun dummy.

Does anyone here think that it's done on purpose with malicious intent, more often or not?

Cocobolo Hardwood...Imho!!

First of all, good luck with your testing cycle!! Don't worry about bassai dai...let it take care of itself. Just execute it to the best of your ability, and that will be seen by the testing panel. Relax, breath, and don't sweat the small things!! You'll be fine!! You don't have to get a 100% grade to pass! So, if you mess up, dust it off, and forget about it...it happened...it's over...just let it go, and rock the house with your next technique and so on and so forth. As I've already stated, let it take care of itself. Let the testing cycle take care of itself, let the three K's take care of itself...just relax, breath, and perform to the best of your abilities. Let your Kime shine; it'll be seen by those who need to see it. Don't worry about the other testing candidates...worry about yourself, and in that, just don't worry. VISUALIZE...then execute!! You'll be excellent!

Solid post!! That should help FangPwnsAll7 out quite a lot!!

Failure, in anything, for the Samurai, wasn't an option. The results of a failure were fatal! In everything that they did, including training, there wasn't an equal, to them at least. Their loyalty to their master/lord was undeniable. Could I train Shindokan in the manner of which the Samurai trained? I believe that I have that within me to do so, but until I try, I might never know. Something for me to think about.

When the light finally turns on inside a student head that says..."Wow...I figured it out...yes" and you can see that in their face, and they can't wait to share it with you...a moment that can't ever be replaced! Btw, excellent thread, thank you for it!! I love those moments. I had it the other day with Suparenpei (the Goju version) with the spin kick (crescent Kick with a spin). And I high fived my instructor cause that one step has really annoyed me. Yes!! The magic thing about the aha moment is that, students don't own the rights to those moments. No. Us instructors STILL have our aha moments from time to time. Some instructors seem to be more guarded to let students see that, but, for me, I don't care who see's my aha moments. Funny thing, not all of my aha moments are MA related. For example, I put little stick-on signs on each and every door in my dojo...AND...at the Hombu the following... "PUSH" And... "PULL" On both sides of the door, including double doors. Before I did that, I'd incorrectly open any given door...that can be embarrassing! When I'd get lucky with a given door, you could see it on my face...aha!! But when I put the "push/pull" signs on...well...I went from aha, to, AHA, and I'm sure students could see that written all over my face...and not just at first, but I'm still like that. I know...Bob the dork!!

It's that which is within us that refuses to surrender; fight until the very end!!

All in all, I'm of the opinion that the lack of effectiveness of a style isn't the fault of the style, but of the practitioner!! Imho.

Great post!! If the USA was to say..."Sport Karate ONLY!!"...and if it became law...then I suppose I'd be doing sport karate, just so that I can do Karate. When in China....it's China's way or nothing at all. I feel for them!!

I concur with Wastelander and CredoTe!! Thanks for sharing the video with us!!

The term MA, to me, are just words. Words that don't seem to properly justify its intents. When I speak to my students about the MA, I tell them that the MA is nothing without the practitioner breathing life in its applied effectiveness. If the practitioner can't be effective, then I'd say that those two words would better serve the world as what they are...plain words. How one uses the words, "Martial Arts" is up to the individual. Sure, there's definitions from reliable sources and the like, and for the most, people accept those definitions as the gospel truth, and those sources lay those definitions out in plain and understandable words to explain what the "Martial Arts" is. Nonetheless, until the individual embraces the "MA" for themselves, then the definitions from abroad are going to have to suffice. I don't think that the word "universal" and the words MA can ever be in concert with one another; quite an oxymoron. We can hope, but, in my life time, I don't think that's even a possibility, well, for now. To many Chiefs, and not enough Indians, as the saying goes, especially in the MA. One side doesn't want to compromise, and one side doesn't want to surrender the little that they have. As long as humans have a say, the words, "Martial Arts" are just words with very little meaning beyond what one can find in a dictionary. Please, don't misunderstand me...I love the MA, but to me, the MA has to be effective for me to take notice. But in that, what I see as effectiveness, I don't automatically think about the words...Martial Arts.

Great to hear !!! Yes, great to hear!!

AWESOME points!!

I still just don't know. When there are rules and regulations and the like abound, politics aren't far away/behind. I pray I'm wrong!! Imho!!

As I understand it, in traditional Japanese budo there have been a number of ways to describe "attacker" and "defender" over time. Most Gendai arts today (Judo and Aikido for example) use "Tori" (short for torimi) and "Uke" (short for ukemi) to describe the one that accepts and the one that receives - and in that order. I know, basically the same thing..!! Because it is!!! Ultimately, the ones that accepts and manages the initial attack Tori(mi), turns the table on the bad guy who ends up "receiving it"... BIG TIME - thus - "Uke(mi)" Then in swordmanship you get "uchidachi" (stricking sword) and "uketachi" (receiving sword). Go back a bit further and you get "Teki" (lit Enemy) and "Ware" (lit your self). Point is, in pair work, attack and defence are one. And so are the mindsets - that's why the Japanese terminology is not so black and white. K. Solid post!!

Definitely. It's all about name recognition. It irks me so much to see a big, lighted "Karate" sign on some prominent store front, but once I investigate closely, it is an ATA (prominent McDojo in the US) or other TKD school or other such MA. Why do they do this? Because the public at large has no clue, but when they hear or see "karate", they think eastern martial arts. I wouldn't say that TKD and Karate have merged in large part in the US. Yes, there are many schools here that are a mix of TKD, Karate, and/or other arts. However, for the schools that are traditional MA, by and large they are their distinct art. They just like to confuse things by exploitation of the word "Karate", as you mention above. I agree that language / origins are important in understanding the background and concepts of a given art, and that applying terms like "Karate" to any empty-handed art can confound and befuddle original uses and intents of things! Solid post!!

Great article, thank you for it!! What gives us instructors the right to talk down to other MA styles to their students? NOTHING!! Imho, what's effective to one practitioner isn't always to another, and just because one doesn't agree with a styles methodology and/or ideology, doesn't mean that any given style isn't effective. I sincerely believe that the practitioner is what isn't effective for some reason(s) or not. But, exactly does our berating of another style to a student tell that student about us? That we're possibly insure, or that we're not complete in our totality as a MAist!?! I've heard all of my karate life from many karateka's how inferior TKD is! Well, I gave into that when I was young. Then, I met many TKD stylists on the open tournament floors and they gave me a what-for that I didn't like; effective. So much so, as a JBB, I enrolled into a TKD dojang in Burbank, CA under GM Young Ik Suh. Meeting him and training under him for 1 year, changed my opinion about TKD for the rest of my life. We judge often inappropriately because we don't want to understand that which is different from what we sincerely believe in; compassion, imho, misdirected in that type of regard. Imho!!

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!! Btw, which style of Karate did you return to?