sensei8

Solid post, as well!!

Solid post!!

One of my students not too long ago was practicing in the local park and the local police were patrolling the park, stopped, and questioned her as to what she was doing, then they made her leave the park immediately. She's not my first student to run across this both in Oklahoma and California.

How private are you with your MA? I don't parade my MA in public! Except for an occasional demo or two a year. Other than that, I don't practice outside!! I feel it's inappropriate to do so, but that's just me.

I'm so sorry! My condolences for her family and friends. A tragic story, indeed! Thank you for sharing her here!!

What I speak about now, has been born in me for such a long time. So long now, that I forget about the modern world that we all live in. My ways, are my ways, but there's a lot of Soke and Dai-Soke inside of me, and this includes how I run a testing cycle. Barbaric, at times, but effective! Barbaric? How so? Well, everything is covered during any testing cycle no matter the rank, and I mean everything. Every stance, punch, block, strike, kick, posture, every nook and granny, EVERYTHING, no exceptions. I sit at the center of any given table. With some exceptions. If I'm visiting a Shindokan dojo, I'll sit just to right of the center position; yielding the center to the hosting CI. At the Hombu's annual testing cycle; Greg and I share the center by taking turns during the two week cycle. Greg's our Kancho [Vice-President] as well as the Hombu's CI, I'm the Kaicho [President]. Our table accompaniment usually consists of no less than 3, but I usually will sit 5 at the table plus myself; at my dojo, those at the table must be no lower than Sandan, at minimum. The more eyes, the more is seen. Only I can halt any testing cycle before it's completed; rare, but its happened before. Anyone testing for Godan and above must test at the Hombu, no exceptions!! Testing for Godan requires 5, at minimum, at the testing table, plus Greg and/or myself. Rokudan and Nanadan, 7, at minimum, at the testing table, plus Greg and/or myself. Both at the Hombu, as well as my own dojo, we've a sprinkle of Dan level's walking around, known as "seconds". They're job is to aide anyone on the floor with any technique and/or application requiring demonstrations or whatever else is required. Neither the Hombu or my own dojo run groups! It's one testing candidate at a time, no matter how long it takes. Time isn't an essence!! Anyone and everyone's welcomed, once their request of testing has been approved, to test at the Hombu's annual testing cycle in June/July. Rank testing up to Godan are broken-down up into as many "rings"/area's as necessary in order to cover the large amount of testing candidates; we average over 250 for the entirety of the cycle annually. However, Godan and above, are tested in one "ring"/area, and either Greg or myself must be at the center table. "Seconds" are available no matter the ranks testing; we accomplish that because we've a ton of BB in the pool to pull from. My favorite is the Tuite portions; always interesting in the Oyo rounds because I never know what I'm going to see. My least? Well, I don't really have a least. I suppose, if I'm nailed down for an answer, it might be, well, whenever I have to fail someone, at it happens at every testing cycle. That's the brutality and reality of any testing cycle!!

Politically correct schools of the MA rob the reality of training, imho. "Please the customer", "the customer is always right", so on and so forth...hogwash. Yes, to a point that might be true, and those business maxims must be obeyed, but there's a time when the CI has to teach effectively away from all of the politically correct numbing for commercial sakes for the students sakes. Imho!!

I've a mini-dojo at home! Anything I have at my dojo, I've the same at home, but it's sized down to fit said available space. I'm not allowed to train in the house; wife said so!! Some master I am!!

I see you're from New Jersey. I am a law enforcement officer in Passaic County and I as of yet have not heard of martial arts training or rank being brought up in court, not at least in this state. What you do see come up is a law enforcement officer's training especially when it comes to cases where the use of force is the focus of the case. Solid post!!

A lot of gray and fine lines to be concerned with, and who's the final say as to what line is what? The court, and the court alone!!

Do you like the SKIF mindset as you've described above? A personal preference, I suppose. Or would you prefer more sport?

Most, if not all, Okinawa karate styles do not block, however, they deflect said attack. In that, if you're to watch said scooping "block" unfold from its beginning to its conclusion, one can see that said arm movement is indeed scooping, thus deflecting said attack. To block means, to me, to stop, arrest, end said technique; as if one was to hit a wall, no more forward motion. To deflect means, to me, to change the intended path, to redirect, to guide, to manipulate said technique; as if one is leading the unwilling path where I want it to travel; away from me.

The summation of "why" is to the summation of "because"!! To me, this dictates the reason(s) as to why some styles are more preferred than others; personal opinions!! Taste it; that's how one see's if it's good or not.

My most favorite drill for kata, I call it the "Yame" drill. Each time that a mistake is made while performing said kata, I call out, YAME (Stop), no matter how small or how big the infraction is. Once Yame is call out, the student(s) have to start said kata all over again. The drill continues until ALL students can finish said kata without me calling out Yame. One makes a mistake, then ALL have to start said kata all over again, and again, and again, so on and so forth!! Purpose, in my mind, is to be that exacting with every single movement, no matter the importance ratio for said infraction(s), because for said technique(s) to be effective, the entire movement(s) must be as perfect as possible to be effective. Sure, a sloppy technique(s) might be effective! However, I'm trying to eliminate the words "might be" from the technique(s) totality. Even high ranking Dan karateka's are not able to finish the Yame drill per said kata because I'm just that exacting in my strict opinions/critique of how said kata should be executed in its most optimums to be as effective as possible. Will students grow a disdain for said kata over time because of the strictness of my gazing eye? I've not experienced that as of yet; they strive for perfection in their technique(s), even though they share my sentiment about the "Perfect technique(s)"; there's no such thing, imho.

Very nice, and I thank you for sharing them. I too, enjoyed what Thompson was speaking about in the time stamp that you've referred to; it's part of combat, as well, and effective, imho!!

I agree with you. There is NO strongest style but you can tailor any style for your good For example, just as there are soft and hard styles of said MA's, there's also a strongest style as well. Whatever label is attached to said style of the MA, it's the perceptive mindset that makes said style of the MA what it is to "THAT" practitioner. Just as there's a Yin and Yang, there are opposite forces within the MA that dictate said style of the MA per said the proponent of its methodology. Imho!!

The link you refer to appears to be fine, as far as the order is concerned; nothing "new", imho!! Having said that, different factions of the JKA that have split away from the JKA have made subtle and large changes according to their desires. Imho, that's normal and that's evolution of said kata. Remember, kata belongs to the individual, and not to the masses, imho!!

Imho, every grading is a major grading!! Good luck, and let us know how it goes. You'll be fine!!

That video is amazing ... i have to for you sharing it but which karate style is it ??? That's Higaonna Sensei, and he's one of the foremost authorities of Goju-ryu!

Alex and Brian, as current LEO's... How do academies and training officers deal with brand new officers from freezing up?? A LEO's very first occurrence might be quite unnerving, but workable, I suppose. What, if any, do departments have in place as far as corrective measures to lessen and/or rid of said unfavorable possibilities??

To the bold type above...Solid post!! I wholeheartedly concur!! The sooner, the better, imho.

I refer you here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Tang_Soo_Do Towards the bottom of this link, lists the rank order, by its governing body. I'm not 100% sure, but there might be some differences from dojang to dojang, maybe!!

Solid posts from both CredoTe and wagnerk! I can't really add anything to what they've posted. I suppose the older you get, the more pronounced the pain will be, and even to a debilitating degree...I suppose. I'm no doctor and my advice medically isn't sound by any means!! It's just me, but I'd consider to not train anymore. Why? I'd rather be able to walk and get around, no matter how limited, than doing the MA anymore. Yeah, it would kill me emotionally, but I can deal with that over not walking or becoming bed-ridden. A sensitive decision!! I wish you well!!

First of all, Welcome to KF!! They both help you, imho, to avoid said takedowns as well because of the intimate knowledge from both styles of the MA!!

What type of methods are you thinking about applying or already applying? Honestly, I'd check in with your doctor for the answer to your question. MAists will do the darnest thing to improve their MA betterment without caring about the long/short term of said training methods just as long as they can get positive results. I'd be careful so that no irreversible damage occurs.