sensei8

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!!

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!!