sensei8

Well, there are, of course, many ways, methods, and ideas to reach what you want. First, get with your parents and your doctor because they are the best places to get this type of advice. You don't want to start any exercise without first discussing it with your doctor. I hesitate to advice anyone because I could lead you on a path that's not healthy for you. So please forgive me for not really helping you directly. I've advise to give you in this, but, what I do and what I have done or have not done, fit for me, and might not benefit you. Read Bruce Lee's book on fitness, Bruce Lee, The Art Of Expressing The Human Body, and abs are in there, for sure. Bruce's abs were solid across the board. Even then, contact your doctor and parents on this subject before following Bruce's book, or any book or advice, for that matter. Good luck, train hard, train well, and train smart.

Well, as I said, I'm not training totally on my own. I do belong to a dojo and usually train in class twice a week. And we do spar in class, it's just that competition is not a huge focus of what we do. So I'm basically looking to supplement my in-class training with some stuff I can do on my own to improve my abilities and understanding of karate. I'm looking for solo drills that will help, but it's also my hope that I can find a few karate companions with similar goals who will want to get together for some out-of-dojo training to work partner drills and spar and whatnot. Hopefully I can figure something out on that front. Thanks for the well wishes. Sorry for my misunderstanding. I took the word "ronin" literally, my mistake.

Indeed. For the circumstances of the demonstration, the willingness of the uke was necessary. If it were a more public demo, more restraint should have been used. I do not know for a fact if the demo was public or more of a seminar, though. Just my point of view on matters. Mori Shihan demonstrates an invaluable technique to deflect and react to multiple strikes being delivered in a rapid manner. Seemingly, more skeptics are prone to believe Aikido being ineffective due to a lack of strikes during a single technique. This disproves such theories, in my beliefs. Granted it is all choreographed, but as is all martial arts training. Thus the meaning of training be used to perfect one's technique to be available if the moment becomes necessary. Solid post!!

Not to repeat myself, but what saddens me is the outwardly opinions that "traditional" MA is ineffective in todays modern world; and in that, "traditions" were for yesterday, and not for today. However, yesterday's style's of the MA are still being taught, and in that, they are still being learnt today by an untold scores of practitioners world wide. Not being taught and learnt with just the mindset of today only, but what was taught and learnt with yesterday in mind. Just what is still being shared with students today, is still keeping yesterday alive on and off the floor. Change is inevitable, and in that, change must be accepted by MA practitioners day in and day out. Amending and/or adapting what was from yesterday for todays approach of the MA is critical if one is to improve ones MA betterment. Just what is traditional MA? Is their a definition that's written in stone, that's accepted by all MAists? Is it decided by "you" and not by me/us? Is it discovered by our perception, therefore, real? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "Tradition" as... 1) an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought or action, 2) the handing down of beliefs and customs by word of mouth or by example without written instruction; also; a belief or custom thus handed down. If by this definition, are we to accept it or discard it? That choice, imho, is up to the individual. However, the dictionary explanation that I've provided, is something that should be weighed as worthy of our consideration as MAists. If my traditional ways are offensive in some how, my decision to uphold the values of yesterday, and/or my choice to practice it wholeheartedly, then let that be my sin, and if it's a sin, than let me be darned for doing so. I believe in both yesterday and today, but before I reject yesterday, I'd rather be without either in my life, especially as a MAist. I should be free to choice either without condemnation and/or reservation; whether it be traditional ways or modern ways, they are my ways to choice because my journey, my path, my desire is to be complete in my MA totality. I believe, I train, I teach that which is my interpretation of traditional MA. My Soke and Dai-Soke were from the yesterday world of the MA, but, as they improved/changed their own MA betterment, they never forgot where it was that they came from, and in that, they embraced both times, yesterday and today, as though they were one and in the same. I'm judged by those who've never meet me and/or trained with me as inferior because I wear the traditional MA badge proudly. It's as though my cover is tattered in their eyes, and that tattered cover reeks of yesterday, as though yesterday was a really bad thing. I embrace both yesterday and today because they sustain my training! My knowledge as well as my experience is the product of both era's, and what was then, is still for now, in that, what today is, is for yesterday as well. So much so, is that what I learn from other styles of the MA is from both worlds; yesterday and today, both are in concert, and what I hear, taste, smell, see, and touch in the MA are from both times, not to be cast away, but to be appreciated as though they sustain me...and I'm sustained!! Imho, traditions from both yesterday and today are effective. However, at times, it's the practitioner who's ineffective. Without traditions of yesterday being appreciated, how can traditions of today be appreciated. Aren't the traditions of the founders the cornerstone of all MA??

I'm glad you enjoyed it again. If one reads the comments that accompanied said video, you can see that many didn't like the Uke's willingness to go with everything. I, too, have no use for a Uke just going with me, unless, I'm teaching something brand new to them. After some time of practicing, I want the Uke to resist, to fight back, at every cost, without any reservation. It either works or it doesn't. I believe, and it's my own opinion, the instructor in this video could control his attacker effectively, and that's because his transitional movements are compact, and in sync with his entire body.

The ronin path that you're interested will be a very lonely journey. No feedback might lead to developing incorrect, thus bad, muscle memory. Memory that will take quite some time to correct, if and when, you seek out a credible, thus qualified instructor. One can take kihon, however one decides to learn it from whatever source, and within the ronin path, practicing it over and over and over, and then some, thus, if learnt correctly some how, will be a force to be reckoned with. Someone once said... "I fear not the one who can do 10,000 kicks, but I fear the one who has done one kick 10,000 times." Forgive me if I've not quoted this exactly as it should be. The most difficult thing about the ronin path is that no matter what knowledge, skills, experience, and the like, it will be quite void without sparring. No sparring equals no effectiveness and the like without that aspect in the ronin path. One can shadow box and the like all one wants to, but I've never been attacked by my shadow. I appreciate the training aspect of shadow boxing and the like, but it's limited drastically compared to engaging another person. A person that will challenge you in every way possible. I wish you the best, but it will be a lonely path, imho. Good luck on your MA journey!!

This is an informal invitation to whomever just wants to get together via Skype. No formal date, it's just for whenever we want to Skype one another. We can talk about anything, and it doesn't have to be surrounded by anything the MA. Again, it's an informal and unofficial invitation to talk within Skype's venue with one another, but, we can see one another while talking informally. Want to discuss some aspect of the MA, I'm willing for that as well. Thanks!! Bob

Your thoughts, please...

It might seem incomplete, but what you're doing is training your embusen muscle memory, even though the darn walls are getting in the way; you'll get to train the order of your steps, so to speak. Find one kihon a day, and train that one kihon, and only THAT kihon. That could be a punch or a kick or a block or a turn/transition, no matter the kihon, concentrate on that one kihon for the entire day. Get to know said kihon!! Do said kihon slowly, paying attention to your posture, your stance, your everything that's involved in doing that said kihon. Build up your speed, but, for now, proper execution of said kihon is paramount. Make sure your hips drive said kihon. Pay close attention to your particular kihon so that it's as exact as it's suppose to be. Be mindful of your kihon at all times!! Take your breaks in your training because too much of something can be quite taxing on ones mind, body, and soul. Stay hydrated at all times. Pay close attention to your body; when it's hurting, stop. Train hard!!

It's happening now. I mean, Skype, for me, is like receiving a phone call. Phone rings, alerts Skype of incoming call, and I see that, then I accept said call...then we talk our heads off. I look forward to see/talk you via Skype.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year! Be safe!!

Shindokan is Karate-do and Kobudo!!

I don't think that the sport will suffer because our drive-by media write about what they write about in the way that they write it, and the way that they write it is to sell. Grab the attention of the reader, and that makes them money!!

Learning curves of said students can be challenging, to say the least. Albeit, an instructor have to teach the individual and not the group.

One will need Benevolence if an interested buyer of said business expects you to have it. That thin line, blurs often!!

One's perception!! That, imho, makes it tradition.

YES!!

Solid post!!

YES!!

Hands down my favorite quote from the whole video. It really says it all for me.What Mr. LeBell speaks about is solid, however, not all MAists are willing to not criticize, for whatever the reason(s). Sad, but true. As a teacher I had likes to say "They're still on the journey to be a Martial Artist, just like you and me. We're just a little further down the road."I like that.I like that, too!!

As caveman-like that it might be, Brian, my solution, at the time, was to put it on a large cutting board' this might work for you. However, Hobby Lobby, and stores like them, might have the frame you need for a fair price. I'm too stupid and/or too unwilling to change my caveman-like ways. But, change is inevitable, and it's time to join the modern world. Maybe.

They don't have to be past their physical prime. It's just that, all in a nutshell, opinions of the MA, therefore, the opinions of MAists for a certain "frame" to be held up to, and if one's not meeting the expectations of those that view said "frame", then they are cast aside as either good or bad. Stereotyping in the MA happens way to often, and in that, it's that stereotyping that makes it quite difficult to see the forest because of the trees. It's easier to tear down someone, then building them up properly!!

Well of course I would hope the 8 year old could prove himself both in knowledge and in skillset irrespective of his age. Otherwise he shouldn't really have the belt should he? I'm of the opinion anyone, regardless of age, should be awarded a rank if they check all the boxes and meet all criteria. Out of interest, at what dan rank do you say someone becomes a master? In my style it's at 7th dan however in some styles a master title is given at 4th dan. Our's is at 5th dan. I'm not crazy about it, but it is what it is. Our's is as well, 5th Dan, I too, aren't so crazy about it either because, like most things in the MA, Master, well, imho, it's subjective, to say the least.