sensei8

Whatever ones class environment is, it should be one that's conducive to learning the MA. If not, seek more friendly skies.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Solid post, but, let's not forget "HIPS". No hips, no power, twitch or not!!

Good to know that the WKF is the WORLD GOVERNING BODY of karate, per the IOC. Whew!! Takes a load off me, I'll close up our Hombu immediately!!

Just do it over and over and over........................so that it will just flow naturally, and without any unnecessary pauses. Work the hips, and know when to utilize them properly. Snap isn't always correct because it tends to jerk, and jerking unbalances posture. Pay attention to what you're doing and stop looking at the camera continually because it makes you appear that you're not familiar with said Be one with the bo!

If these listed above are consistent behaviors, then said instructor of the MA has NO business on any floor whatsoever!! Imho!!

I've not yet meet a perfect person, yet!! Instructor's are fallible human beings. If it's not blatantly happening all of the time, let it go. Takes some nerves to question ones CI as though the student is better than the CI. Sure, ALL are accountable, including the CI, but with some things, the CI remains unapproachable. I question everything, and in that, I was the bane of existence to my Dai-Soke because I questioned EVERYTHING, and I mean everything. I've been put in my place more than I can remember, and that just goes with the territory of questioning everything. I never learned the proper etiquette for approaching him, I just winged it. Not a smart move on my part. However, I never questioned him technically because he was all that and a bag of chips in that area; unquestionable abilities that I could only imagine to possess at sometime in my life. Great topic!

You get to do all of the fun stuff!! Is this there in Hayes or somewhere else? What are you hoping it'll add to being a LEO?? Can't wait to your update afterwards. Have fun and be safe!!

That's me!! However, it's a fine line to walk, imho. For the most, I'm quite strict on the floor because the floor, to me, is holy ground. This is how our Soke and Dai-Soke treated any training floor, so, the apple didn't have to fall far for me to adopt their same approach. There's a time for seriousness and there's a time for a more relaxed atmosphere, nonetheless, the CI will dictate the mood on the floor one way or another. Great topic, btw.

People who are interested in training like this should try to approach it a bit more tactfully. If I go to another school, I'll ask if I can train with them, not ask if I can spar someone. If you trundle in and ask for some sparring, it tends to get people's attention, and not necessarily in a good way. But if you ask to train together, then there is more of mutualness about the encounter. I'd build a rapport with a school training with them for a time, and then let them lead into anything to do with sparring, or bring it up after such a time that there is a bit of a comfort level between you and the school. I think that would be a more respectful way of approaching it. You're right, though I do think it is a bit harsh to assume the challenge was hostile. Not everyone is equally good at being tactful, or understands the Martial Arts etiquette. I don't think I assumed it was hostile. Its just that the approach probably comes across more rude than anything else. Like mentioned, not eveyone has the same tact, so it might have appeared rude, but not necessarily hostile. I wholeheartedly concur!!

Speedy and powerful; that's all I have to offer to my attacker!!

First of all, welcome to KF!! Glad you're here!! I don't care one way or another if karate is ever selected for the Olympics because the IOC will do whatever they want to, and I doubt that the IOC will ask for opinions. I believe that TKD was chosen by the IOC years ago because of it's continuous sparring element, which is similar to boxing, which, of course, is continuous. IOC can wrap their heads around TKD's mindset. Karate, for the most part, isn't continuous, as we know, the action is halted after each suspected point. For some, that's hard to understand, and, boring as watching paint dry. The similarity that Brain brought up is an important element; why add something similar when it adds no value to the games. Brian's idea about hosting the summer games in Japan, and this time, have it as a demonstration sport, so that sport karate can be explained to the layperson. Then, and it's a big then, maybe the IOC will be steered to allow it as a regular part of the games. MAYBE!! TKD has nothing to worry about being replaced by karate, should it be allowed, because the two, TKD and Karate, are two different words. In that, they both will attract their fans base freely and unabridged.

Happy birthday Devin...and many more!!

In addition, I'm a firm believer that any kobudo grade MUSTN'T be in relationship to any karate-do grade; they're separate!! For example, my Kobudo grading was always lower than any karate-do grade, however, eventually, my kobudo grading finally caught up to my karate-do grade. In that, I held Hachidan in karate-do well before I finally earned my kobudo Hachidan. Why? Two things, one, I'm a slow learner! I've failed more than my share of testing cycles. Two, I didn't begin learning kobudo until I was 6th kyu, even then, that slow learning curve I possess, well, it's slower, for me, in the kobudo stage.

Same with us, must be Sandan to grade to Shodan.

First of all, welcome to KF!! I suppose it's what you're wanting from a style of the MA. Sankukai, from what I've seen, has solid hand techniques, and what I truly like about it is that they highly encourage pair training, and not from mid-level karateka's, but right from day one. Solid are, imho. Of course you'd expect me to say that about it, because I'm a karateka, and not a Tang Soo Do practitioner. Tang Soo Do, like most, if not all Korean arts emphasize kicking over punching, IMHO!! That's how I view the majority of Korean based styles of the MA. One of the things I don't like about Tang Soo Do, and this isn't in every dojang, is that the beginners use "blockers", similar to what Century MA Supply sells, while they're sparring. I understand the safety factor and all, but to cripple a beginner right off the bat, is detrimental to said students MA betterment. Because of the distance involved for you to visit said schools, I suggest that you go with your gut. Both, Tang Soo Do and Sankukai are solid MA. It's the preference of the individual. Good luck with your search, and please, let us know how things turn out.

Why did they make her leave, is there some kind of law preventing practice in public? As long as nobody is getting hurt, then to me there was no harm in what she was doing. Although, I would probably not practice in public. Where I live you're more likely to get hassle from the general public (mostly young neds) seeing what you were doing and try to have a go, all for the entertainment of their friends. M. In her case, the two officers advised her that the park she was practicing had a heavy gang activity, and when the officers advised her, she shrugged them off. So, the two officers, for her safety, instructed her to leave immediately because they couldn't guarantee her safety while she was practicing. One of the officers said that she was in full gi, and that that would just not work should a gang member(s) were to see her. She told me she didn't have anywhere else to practice that day. I told her...FIND A PLACE, any place other than that park, and please don't wear your gi because it invites the wrong elements.

Very nice!!

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!!