sensei8

OMG, what part of the body doesn't get hurt from time to time, if at all? Groin Muscle strains Sprains Breaks Dislocations Abrasions Teeth Mouth/lips Eyes Head Ears Knees Fingers/Thumbs Jaw Well, the entire body is subjective to receiving injuries in just about any part of the body. Injuries don't have to happen while training in the MA, but they do, and one can only do there best to avoid them. At times, we cause our own injuries for many reasons, and when we're not hurting ourselves, our training partners help us out in that area. Point to any place on your body. It'll either be hurt from time to time or it won't be as often, but somehow and someway, the body gets racked from time to time at no one fault; it just happens.

And if your gi doesn't shrink, or doesn't shrink enough, well, then get out the sewing kit and make it to your specifications. OR...send it back to the company you bought it from so that you can get a properly fitting gi. Nowadays, gi's are tailored for a many body types. In the days of old, gi's were in whole sizes, 1 - 6, so they either fit well or they just didn't.

Sorry that I didn't give you a better answer to your OP question, and that's because a long dissertation might've not been warranted and that is because everyone's personal opinions about MA philosophy would've been close, but not exact from one to another. Still, solid topic; thank you for starting it!!

South Florida. But winter is nothing new for me. Grew up part of my life in Iowa where we definitely got some snow. I remember early am kendo classes outdoors in Jan before school. If we had 14 guys in the club maybe six would actually show up. It was kinda rough. Yeah, I don't think I'd show up either because I don't want to test my MA mettle with the flu. I do like your outdoor training area; solid across the board!!

Do you mean to say that all Karate practiced currently is a hybrid of Shuri-te and Naha-te together, or that all Karate practiced currently is either a hybrid descendant of Shuri-te or a hybrid descendant of Naha-te? Two different interpretations of your statement... The latter interpretation. I wholeheartedly concur to the latter interpretation. The style I practice is a hybrid descendant of Shuri-te and Okinawa-te. Traditions rich, but as of late, it seems to me that the fast-food culture that we find ourselves in has possibly tainted those traditions of yesteryear for what appeases them nowadays. I'm cool with that because change is a good thing. However, to say that training in the old ways produces ineffective results compared to modern day training ethos isn't an accurate statement. However more, can't the two "traditional" training worlds of yesteryear and today be intertwined to produce effective results, thereby recognizing both training worlds as a good thing for a MAists betterment?? Imho.

Just when my back is slowly improving, I come down with the cold. Lots of rest, fluids, meds, and chicken soup. I'll not be at the dojo because I don't want to infect anyone. Good grief!!

Well, you DID IT!! Congrats, and well deserved.

How much does he need the sound of the crowds? How much does he need the approval of his peers and/or fans? I don't know if he'll ever come back, but how he answers the first question above, might tell us a lot about him both as a person and as a MAist. A lot of those in the spotlight truly miss the need to compete in front of the crowds. The crowd is a drawing factor, especially when you're at the top of your venue. Pro-Wrestlers come out of retirement because they miss the "pop" of the crowd. In GSP, I think it'll be the desire to compete and to test his own mettle. Imho, he's nothing to prove. Imho!!

Well, it wasn't without its moments, but I survived both classes. I'll not rush into a full teaching/training schedule as of yet because I'm not getting younger.

Thank you for your suggestion, and it's something that I'd consider.

Politics are only deemed negative when they get in the way of training. Politics are needed because they govern the checks and balances within said governing body. For a governing body to say that no politics exist at all, is not being honest with themselves, and their student body. I'd say for the most part, our positive politics greatly outweigh our negative politics. So, when I speak about politics in a negative tone, it's because it's distracting away from the training/teaching that's paramount to ones MA betterment. Change is inevitable, and politics, good or bad, are at the root of change, imho.

Sparring and self-defense aren't suppose to be the same. Your close range drill is excellent in demonstrating space management. Thanks for the videos!!

If a student ages out, they keep said rank. Nothing should change, imho. In our style, the difference is that said student will only reach the junior BB level, and will stay at that level until they turn 18 years old, which is when they'll test for Shodan.

That was Funakoshi's philosophy! A noble intent, and a worthy intent as well, imho. Having said that, I will do unto my attacker before my attacker does it unto me. If my attacker forces me to attack first, I will do just that without any reservation, and in that, so will my attacker if the opportunity presents itself. I'll try not to attack first, but if I do, I'll not worry about it.

My first grading was so long ago, however, I'm approaching my 50th year, so it must've went well. Relax, and if you mess up, and you will, put that behind you asap because the test will take care of itself. Train hard; you'll be just fine!! Good luck and let us know how it went. Edits: Spelling, sorry.

The answers will vary from MAist to MAist as well as from style to style, and so on and so forth. A general answer, imho, will not suffice, we can only speak for ourselves.

Went to Chiropractor this morning; things went fine. While I'm still not 100% yet, I'll be attempting to teach two classes: Intermediate children's class and a black belt class. I'll gauge myself during both classes to determine if I'm ready. I'll conduct the opening warm-ups, as I always do, and then go from there. That should give me an indication if my backs up to teaching. I don't and can't teach from a chair!! I'll have plenty of BB's to take over if my back acts up.

Resistance and the heavy bag are separately good things to strengthen your kicks. When you're ankle's ready to beat the tar out of a bag, it'll be there, waiting for your return.

Rekindling ones passion fueled fire is never a waste of time. Your story touched my heart in many different ways. I thank you for it!!

Solid post!!

Totally agree, It relies mainly on why do you train ? for example, if you are training just for fun and fitness so go for semi- or no- contact sparring but if you are doing it for self defense, I guess you have to go for full contact as any street situation will be a full contact anyway Solid post!!

I don't have one!!

7 years old, huh?!! Impressive, imho. Thank you for sharing it!!

From time to time, one can read promises from well meant governing bodies. Usually, they will write something like this... Our XYZ Association was formed from the desire to eliminate the politics from martial arts, therefore the association's politics are, that we have no politics! It's, imho, a nice attempt to speak in these non-alarming tones. Tones that cause one to drop their sensible guards. However, when one supposes that the association that they're apart of is politic free, they're setting themselves up for a rude awakening. Let's look at the italicized phrase above. Some key words pop. "Desire" isn't a guarantee of separation from a wanted factor. I can want to desire something wholeheartedly, but that doesn't mean that it will be a consistent aspiration of self. Actions require them to be fruitful! Actions speak louder than words, and in that, words with no actions are empty. "Eliminate" is a act of totality. The "desired" act to "eliminate" any said action(s) requires placing safeguards in motion that will guarantee its success to do just that: Eliminate! If there's even the slightest provocation to do what one's seeking to eliminate, but just the mere notion alone isn't enough, then that which one seeks to eliminate, is indeed, not eliminated. Another phrase is profound, but empty. That is this..."the association's politics are, that we have no politics!" It's interesting. Whom decides that? If there's any type of chain of command, then that means that there's one at the ultimate top of said chain of command. If there's a individual that's at the top of the chain of command, then there must be a link from the top to the most bottom of said chain of command. I've never meet a structured association that's self sufficient! I suspect that said association is the governing body, therefore, others follow said governing body; someone is in charge. Meetings are conducted for whatever reason(s) they might or might not be; the entity must survive, somehow and someway. This is the core of the politics. When people are involved, disagreements must happen from time to time, hence the beginning of politics, therefore, hence the birth of an hierarchy. An association must have some type of rules and regulations to govern the few and/or the many. There's the politics, and if there is even the slightest amount of politics, then said association/governing body isn't free of politics. As noble as it might appear to be, for how long it might last, politics are waiting to rear up its ugly head to be shown that there's a governing body, hence someone is in charge, if even for now. Whom decides said syllabus? Whom decides rank structure, if one exists? Whom decides the By-Laws? Whom promotes? Just whom decides? How are the actions of others decide with said association? Politics free is a noble notion, but I doubt it'll last and/or endure for long! Aren't MA politics just a sense of entitlement? Imho!! Your thoughts, please!!

You want your kicks to be stronger? Find a heavy bag and kick the tar out of it until the bag breaks, then when it does, get another bag and kick the tar out of it, and so on and so forth. Find a swimming pool and kick over and over and over and over and so on and so forth. Swimming pools hold a lot of water, hard to move all of that water without any resistance, but resistance is a good thing here. As always, proper execution must be paramount!! Good luck in your training!