sensei8

It would be an honor to attend his 50th anniversary celebration!! Yes, please, by all means, if you hear anything new from the Genbukai sensei's, it would be greatly appreciated.

Any tips from recovering from Toe injuries? I thought my big toe was just bruises etc but Im suspecting worse at the moment. Still slightly swollen after two weeks and while I can bend it back ok, not so much forward and can be painful to the touch. Im still training but in sparring Im not using that leg at the moment. Prob going to get an xray just to be sure but looking to see how help it along. Im guessing just time and keeping it safe. Tape the injured toe and the uninjured toe together, but, try to tape said injured toe to the next biggest toe for more stability. HEAT AND ICE over and over and over... I hope you're feeling better soon!

WOW!! Quite a conversation. His speaking about the 100-Man Kumite was interesting. A very rewarding interview/conversation!! Thank you for sharing it.

I wholeheartedly concur!! Zach will do just fine!!

You're very welcome!! You can look at the various Emoticons, located to the left of the posting box, and possibly find one that can convey a "like" or a "thanks". That's what I've done; seems to work.

Well, if they're only ornaments at ones home, then I believe that said owner can display them anyway they see fit. How is it hurting anyone? Imho!

Solid post!!

It's just that way!! Albeit, female students are on the rise in the MA. There's even schools of the MA that cater only to female students. The ratio will eventually pan out, but I doubt that it'll happen in my life time.

You may only be a yellow belt, but you've a BB heart in the making!! Stay true to yourself, be honest with yourself as well as others, and train very hard!!

You've recently had some dynamic Aha moments with constant growth, and no stagnant decay!! SOLID!!

Very solid OP!! Proof is on the floor!! Not all BB can teach, and in that, not all BB have solid techniques for various reasons. Therefore, even the most basics become muddled with confusion because said BB can't connect the dots in a very distinct and concise manner. That's, imho, not the fault of any said governing body because the accountability lies solely in the lap of the practitioner. The governing body is just the administrative segment of ones training, and in that, said instructor is another segment of ones training. The MAist, imho, must be proactive in their training at all times. Albeit, ones MA betterment belongs to the MAist. If it's walks like a duck, and waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then guess what? It's a duck, and nothing will change that UNTIL said MAist takes charge of their training. Sure, the governing body and the instructor plays an tangible part in ones MA training, but it's a small part. The largest portion of the responsibility, imho, belongs to the practitioner. How so? Being PROACTIVE in all things!! Train with a purpose in every aspect of ones MA training. As the things within the curriculum are presented by ones instructor, take what's being taught to the next level of effectiveness. There must be a chemistry between student and instructor. The governing body, imho, isn't even a consideration in choosing said school of the MA. If the instructor meets all of your expectations across the board, then the rock n' roll music can play on and enjoyed. Imho, choosing a school of the MA isn't rocket science, and in that, the gut feelings should be weighed carefully because there's a lot at risk. One's MA journey belongs to said practitioner alone. Whom the practitioner decides to travel with, is up to said practitioner. To learn effective applied knowledge is all one's seeking, and all of the unnecessary baggage isn't going to help anything. Decide, and decide well!

To the bold type above...wash in COLD water.

In our case, they wear an Oreo belt (black with a white stripe down the middle). In Shindokan, we've no pre ranks at all, EXCEPT, our JBB, and they're represented by the "Oreo" belt that Wastelander speaks about.

Even though Kendall didn't fair well, his learning curve from what I've seen on the videos thus far is increasing quite well. Yeah, he lost, but with lose comes much more victories on his long journey. Yeah his matches were tough but man, he's got it going on!! I'm very proud of him!! Please keep the videos coming; they brighten my days!! GO KENDALL!!

If both of you are in a business, then businesses often times "exchange services" in the place of normal accounts receivable practices; the barter. Being professionals at all times because many barters turn ugly because of unknown expectations. Both parties should protect themselves and have some written agreements because this is what businesses do to avoid any harm. The favor of one or both can be misconstrued as something that it isn't and/or won't be.

Sensitive grounds, imho. Doing your sensei a favor is commendable. Your sensei wanting to pay for said expertise, that too is commendable. Some sensei's don't want to violate the instructor maxim that speaks about not confusing the respectful relationship between sensei and students. Again, sensitive grounds, imho.

The space, is mine to command, and no one else can assume that position. Over the years, I've been challenged by a wide plethora of individuals. I've nothing to prove by accepting their challenge. Am I afraid/scared? Of what? A disrespectful and dishonorable individual?! NO!! If a "visitor" and a student can't conduct themselves accordingly and with civility, then they will leave my dojo immediately. They must leave!!

I'd say that the program has its supporters as well as those who don't support it. At first it was funny, but after a short while, it was no longer funny to me. Sure, one has to be able to laugh at themselves, and I laugh at myself quite a lot. There's a fine line of humor and reality, but only when you perceive it to be so. Perception is reality. I don't take him serious because he's not. But many of my students have taken him serious at times for their reasons. Pep talks work so long because as one of my teen students said to me a few weeks ago..."This is a form of bullying. It hurts!", and that's important because it's important to the individual, like my teen student.

Solid post!! Welcome to KF!!

If the gi doesn't meet with your expectations, return it and request one that does.

Please let me take this opportunity to welcome you to KF!!

Of course, don't ever worry about asking a lot of questions, no matter the rank level. Asking questions is learning!! That could be the million dollar question because this tactic varies more than one can even imagine. What I focus on depends on my range from my opponent. Therefore, I focus on no particular focal point on my opponent. That doesn't mean that I'm not paying attention; I am!! But whatever I focus on at any given time, I can see every part of my opponent, albeit, I will see both punches and kicks. CARDIO!! You've got to outlast your opponent, and if you run out of breath, you're not outlasting anything. Wasted movements drain a many of things. Study your opponent, study yourself, make a plan, then carry that plan out. Hopefully, your CI is teaching you how to breathe properly. YouTube. A ton of free video's. However, some video's covering your demands will not be worth watching. If it looks like a duck, it's a duck!! Trust your instincts wholeheartedly; that'll help your sparring and your video watching. Good luck; you'll be fine.

First of all, I don't glorify the acts of the Kamikaze pilots because of the untold amount of USA solders that died due to the intentions of these pilots. It was war, and the Japanese figured a way to inflict as much as possible. Please understand that it saddens me whenever I think of what took place at the hands of the Kamikaze. The Kamikaze sits aside any differences and/or uncertainty for the glory of Japan/Emperor. What are we MAists willing to sit aside when that times before us? Their mindset had to have been convinced that what they were doing was for the glory of Japan and the Emperor. A mindset for sure, without reservations or ambiguity in their willingness to forget self long enough to aim their airplanes towards their intended target. Having said that, I want to ask these questions for the sake of our conversation... **Do the Kamikaze's and the MA have anything in common? **Can the MAist execute said technique(s) with that Kamikaze mindset? We train, not just in passing, but in a deliberate manner. With a purpose that pales against the MA being a passing notion and/or hobby and/or sport. We train to turn our bodies into weapons. Weapons that can be capable for whatever is necessary for self preservation in the moment when our attacker(s) decide to do us harm. We train no matter how long or how often because we must polish ourselves unashamed and unwilling in the face of making a life changing decision. Some of our training practices can be construed as barbaric to a point. We harden ourselves in a will to reach a level of effectiveness that in uncanny; without remorse for the sake of their MA betterment. We separate ourselves within our heart, mind and soul in our training to perform free of restrictions. We pound the makiwara pad until we die. We mold our bodies in a fire that hardens in order to resist attack. We drill insofar because all of the drilling we've done our entire MA life means everything. We push ourselves intrinsically to the very edge of our MA civility, and at that very moment when we must ask ourselves, with all of the applied effective knowledge within our being---just what are we exactly capable of doing? I'm a MAist, but I'm not a Kamikaze, hell bent on destruction of our enemies as well as ourselves. However, how we train to be that weapon, no matter the willing sacrifices we make while training, we either are or we aren't standing at the door, ready to enter no matter what's before us. Let our discussion commence. EDITS: Spelling errors!!

A blind side spinning back fist? Ouch. Need to know, by sight, where the spinning back fist is going at all times.

If my going would save earth, then I'd truly consider it.