sensei8

Should we or shouldn't we teach kids "deadly" techniques?? Well, with the hope that the word "deadly" might be more understood, let me post the definition as it's found in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary... dead·ly (adjective) \ˈded-lē\ : causing or able to cause death : extremely accurate and effective : extreme or complete [dead·li·er dead·li·est] Full Definition of DEADLY 1 : likely to cause or capable of producing death 2 a : aiming to kill or destroy : implacable b : highly effective c : unerring d : marked by determination or extreme seriousness 3 a : tending to deprive of force or vitality b : suggestive of death especially in dullness or lack of animation 4 : very great : extreme After looking at the dictionary definition(s), I've not changed my mind: I don't teach kids [and adults] "Deadly" techniques? No!! What I teach them can be found in this provided definition... ** : extremely accurate and effective As well as... **b : highly effective **c : unerring **d : marked by determination or extreme seriousness Having said that, even the most basic technique(s) have the possibility of being "deadly" in the hands of my students, no matter the age, and/or rank, and/or depth of knowledge/experience. A basic reverse punch, for example, to the face can cause many things. Hopefully, what's concluded is the attack to the alleged victim of said attacker without ambiguity and/or reservation. I teach kids to be extremely accurate with their intended technique; execution of said technique with a purpose. Not to just flail around and hope that the student finds its intended target. No. But, to be purposeful in their techniques because it serves no purpose to teach any techniques if the student isn't going to be accurate. Not close; but deadly on target. I teach kids to be extremely effective with their intended technique; movements applied are nothing more than it's intended effect. If not so, then why even waste the energy to learn how to defend oneself, other than with effective means. With that sense of deliberate intentions that can't be confused with an ineffective movement aimed to do absolutely nothing. MA techniques don't have to reside in the halls of the "deadly" MA techniques! No! More important, imho, is that creating and executing "deadly" techniques that end life aren't possible if one can't be highly effective, unerringly accurate, marked by determination, or extreme seriousness in even the most basic technique(s). I don't have to teach kids such "deadly" techniques that have no other ending result except death!! In that, kids/adults don't have to learn "deadly" MA techniques to be effective.

Nice pictures, thank you for sharing them!! I'd smile that big too if I were you...way to go!!

Interesting interpretations.

Congrats to the tournament!! As far as the picture links, I can't seem to view them.

When I was a JBB, I was practicing flying side kicks in the back yard behind the garage. Well, it wasn't my fault when my right foot went right through the wall of the garage. It was either put my foot through the garage wall or land on my dog; I choose the garage wall. Mom wasn't too happy, but she saw my options weren't all to favorable. I'm sure my dog, Bullet, was relieved with my choices. edit: Spelling errors

Are you referring to how said Shogo titles are being misused or the usage of said titles period? If it's the former and not the latter, I wholeheartedly agree. If it's the latter, then I disagree. Why? Our Soke was born and raised in Okinawa, as so was our Dai-Soke. Soke wrote our By-Laws and Densho scrolls shortly before they both came to USA, which thereafter, the SKKA was founded. Soke, as written in the aforementioned documents, used Shogo titles and the like as they became appropriate, still, they were rare. Soke and Dai-Soke taught us all how to properly use said titles both in the written and spoken venue's, and they did that because we represented them. Nothing worse than having a dolt to represent you inappropriately!!

Oh ya-one of the biggest problems and reddest flags their is!!!! Unfortunately this is way too common in dojos today!!! I wholeheartedly agree, as well. Fast tracking to me is guaranteeing rank; BAD!!

Solid post!!

Same thing...billing and/or marketing. I've eliminated all forms of the middle-man because the money I'd pay for their services, I could've used that money for something much more beneficial to the dojo and/or the student body. As far as the grass roots, possibly you can have students, family, and friends help you with the marketing. That includes, developing the market tools as needed yourself with their help, and then distribute said items when they'd be most advantageous for you. My advice, walk away from the middle-man as often as possible.

Yes...yes...yes!! Solid post!!

Alex, Great reply!! Thanks for it!! Do you think that, in the case of LEO's, their applications skill-sets aren't "suited to her environment" because of all the rules, regulations, and the like within said LEO's department?? Rules and regulations and the like can be debilitating right off the bat, imho. Why? Said rules and regulations are there for all concerned; they must be in set and they must be enforced. Everything a LEO does is watched under a microscope for solid reasons. But, if an LEO used what they were taught to use in their said MA style, they'd run the risk of sharing same said cell with the bad guy they just arrested. A LEO's IA department would at least investigate how said LEO arrested said bad guy after said bad guy filed a official complaint(s) against said arresting LEO. I'd not possibly be able to separate what I learned from Shindokan in any given situation if I was a LEO, and that's because my actions would be automatic off the billion hours of muscle memory engrained in me. However, I'd be weighted down, I suppose, if I had to fulfill my sworn duties within the policies set forth by said department, as well as within the governing laws of the land. See, that would be the fault of the MMA practitioners fault for spending time doing Iaido and tai chi or BJJ and MT INSTEAD of spending time doing MMA!! The fault here still lies in the hands of the practitioner, and not the MA style, imho!! No they're not, and for good reasons! It only, imho, matters when the practitioner chooses the inappropriate style for said situation, hence, it's the practitioner fault and not the fault of the art/style!! The art/style is just a thing. The practitioner CHOOSES the appropriate thing, and once said thing is chosen, well, the practitioner, and I mean the practitioner better know how to make it effective. Not vise versa!!

Solid OP!! Great topic, Alex!! Yes, we do run the risk of being victims of our own success While you don't completely buy into the "it's the artist not the art" argument for determining the effectiveness of said MA, it is, imho, just that. Let's look at BJJ! Is it the style of BJJ's fault or is it the fault of the practitioner why said technique(s) didn't work as well as it did with other BJJ practitioners? If a practitioner of BJJ can't perform a certain BJJ technique as well as you can, then is that the fault of the style: BJJ, in this case? I'd believe faster that the fault lies into the practitioner and NOT BJJ. BJJ is a proven effective means; solid as the day is long!! If I can execute said technique(s) within the Shindokan syllabus effectively, however, another Shindokan practitioner can't, yet said technique(s) is a proven effective means, then how can that be the fault of the style? I don't think that it is! In that, it's the fault of the practitioner! This could be for myriad of reasons; experience and knowledge might be in the forefront of the many possible reasons. When you start believing in your own press over the application!! So much so that the core of the application starts to waffle away towards impossibilities and unrealistic ends of said applications means. When "you" become more important than the application and/or when "you" become more important than the style and/or when "you" become more important than any other MA practitioner on Earth...that's when any and all translations become muddled and waffled away. I believe actions like this turn off the most dedicated proponent of said style or of said application or of said methodology/ideology. Keep it real, keep it simple, and keep it effective. Yes it does. Anything that takes the core element away from any said effective application, no matter where it came from, is detrimental to the style and to the practitioner and to the student body. When the light is shown bright for all practitioners to see clearly without any ambiguity and/or reservation one day, and then over some time, the aforementioned bright light starts to dim, no matter how much; it becomes quite detrimental across the board. For the moment, let's forget about the larger group. The style is bigger than the person, however, the person is also bigger than the style, imho. Content and context are important to know which is more important at the right time. I'd be more worried about the one or the few. Either can infect the larger group so much so that progress is halted, and even more so, digresses starts to settle in, and start becoming cancerous to the student body; something risks being cut-off for the survival of the many. Yes, the larger group can be infected by the actions and/or the inactions of the one and/or the few practitioners. So, I'd be more careful about the small, because while they be small, they can carry a large impact.

Yes...that was right on the money. Anything less than that, time to find another CI, imho.

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

I've never used them, nor have I ever used any billing service. Why? I've eliminated the middle man entirely from my life. I can do what they say they can do much better than they can ever imagine: and I'm free!! I don't want to spend unnecessarily, and imho, having a billing service is taking away from the bottom line. Besides, I don't want to clutter up my P&L statement, and I've learned a long time ago that the less hands that are dipping into my P&L, the far better, and healthier my dojo's finance will be. Beyond that, I've never used contract, and it seems that billing services and contracts work hand in hand. I might be misunderstanding in my understanding about these type of things, but, I don't use either, nonetheless. And what your OP's first paragraph speaks about is to be expected, imho. Why? They promise the world, but they seem to only deliver the part of the world that's inhabitable, especially from the P&L side of the world. The BBB gives everyone an A+ rating providing that said member has paid their dues: their financial dues to the BBB. Complaints are unavoidable! Why? You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time!! I've operated my own dojo since 1977, and I've done it successfully without the middle man and/or the like. Managing the dojo's needs and wants must be done on a tight rope, so to speak, in order to keep the doors open longer than a season. Being proactive with ones dojo's finances, imho, begins by eliminating any and all subjective middle man. As simple as this sounds, imho, if one can manage their own personal finances by oneself, and do it successfully month and month, and year after year, then one can easily manage their dojo finances themselves without any type of middle man in the equation. What works for one isn't for others, billing services and the like included. I don't fault those that use billing services, it's just not my cup of tea; leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Ok, back to my corner I go!!

Absolutely... Whenever training with the masters above me (Okinawans and Westerners, when they're able to visit the U.S.), they never ask about my rank. They ask, "How long have you trained?" And when I tell them, they always respond with, "Show me." YES!! Then I'll add...my favorite saying...Proof is on the floor!!

Accountability and respect is lacking in visiting instructor in said approach. Especially when telling the students that their wrong in what they've been taught. I would've stopped the visiting instructor, and asked him to leave immediately!! Want to show another way that's effective? Fine!! But, if you want to ridicule our methodology and ideology, and do it right in front of me towards my students!? NO!! Time for you to leave!! The sooner, the better!! A way is just that...A WAY!! Not the only way!!

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!!