sensei8

Solid post!!

Imho, There's no such thing as the best, especially when it concerns the MA. What works for you; this is the best, for YOU!! I could say Shindokan. I could say Shotokan. I could say BJJ. I could say Goju-ryu. I could say TKD. I could say Shorin-ryu. I could say JKD. I could say a plethora of styles of the MA. Each has their advantages, but they also have their disadvantages, depending on whom you talk to. Visit as many schools of the MA within your allowed drive time. Watch many different classes to get the feeling of its worth. Speak with many of these instructors to see if you'll fit together as student and instructor. Then once you find the school of your choice, train hard and train well. In that, I can only strongly advise that you should stay away from schools of the MA that don't do a lot of sparring. Why? In any self-defense situation, you're going to have to know how to engage and disengage. The only way to learn how to do this, is to spar A LOT with different students, and of different ranks. Timing, focus, transitions, balance, posture, power, and so on and so forth. Learn to lose the fear of contact because contact happens and it will happen in a self-defense situation. Good luck with your search. It's a lifetime journey, in and of itself.

I agree!! This is true. What I've seen is that these same MAists don't hesitate, for a moment, to speak against the traditions of others, and sometimes, even against their own. I concur!! In that, if something is still being practiced, then it can never be outdated, imho.

A very moving story, I thank you for sharing it!! Congrats to him for being awarded Shodan!! Well deserved!! I'm sad for him that he has to say goodbye to the MA. But perhaps, it's more of a, I'll see you soon!! I bow to him, now and always!! I bow to you and your dojo for being by him all these years through all of his trials and tribulations, and I'm sure that he held a special place in his heart for all of you.

What are traditions for? They're for all to understand that without traditions, even the most basic proponent of the MA, nothing can be appreciated, therefore, nothing of value can be learned as it should be. You compete? That's good! I did too, up until 1993. But, my karate-do ISN'T for competition, no matter the venue, not then, not now, and not ever!! While I did compete, I never lost sight of the traditions that my Soke and Dai-Soke held so tight and close to their hearts. To the day they both died, I feared them because their karate-do was two things. One: Traditional!! Two: Tenaciously abrupt!! Now, I can say that my karate-do is in concert with theirs because that's what they instilled in me, and of all things, I'm a traditional MAist, to and through. I'm a traditionalist! Please accept my traditional values because while they define me, they do not disappoint me, or my students!!

Thank you, I'm glad that you enjoyed it. It oozed effective traditions, imho.

Traditional MA, for nowadays, seems to no longer be respected, for one reason or another. Traditions based on way-back then were respected, but as we look at traditions that surround the MA in a whole, respect for the old-ways are scorned away. It seems that those that scorn said traditions, aren't respecting their core beliefs, both on and off the floor. Traditional MAists are placed on shelves just as only another type of antique; dusty, and with not much value outside. Trying to keep said traditions alive, imho, isn't a wasteful life because without traditions, then what can one hope for in and out of any MA. There are those who believe that traditions are ineffective, therefore, useless, without value for those who are serious minded MAists. Those who want to keep the traditions alive, are scorned as though they are still living in the past, accusatory tones that speak that those same traditionalists refuse to come to the modern age. Just because one's a traditionalist, it doesn't mean that their, for example, Karate-do, isn't effective in today's MA world. Change is important, and it must be embraced, in that, a traditional, for example, karateka's, techniques are as effective yesterday, as they are today, and as they'll be tomorrow. Methodologies surrounding ways of training might be old and outdated, but that method that was old, is still new today. Training in the three K's is laughed at, both inwardly as well as outwardly as methods that don't address todays attackers. This, imho, is nothing more than an assumption, and it drags me into said summation without cause. How I train today isn't much more different than yesterday. In that, my techniques are even more so effective because of my applied effective knowledge. Knowledge that's spanning over 49 years!! If it works, then why should it be criticized and lampooned by those who don't agree. Possibly, they are laughing at themselves because they don't understand, in that, they disagree with the ways of a traditionalist MA, thus, MAist. Traditions, whether they're agreed upon or laughed at, should be appreciated one way or another because without traditions, then there can be no future comprehensions and/or improvements in said betterment. Your thoughts, please!!

Came across this video... Hope you enjoyed it!!

None of my accomplishments ever meet my expectations. Not my high school, college, or graduate school graduations. Not the awards I earned in sports or professionally. I can say I am glad to have done the things I have, but no big deal. You should be proud, and I can tell that you truly are!!

See, that to me just sounds silly. Could you imagine the owner of a grocery store or a gas station going into a newly opened competitor and telling the owner they couldn't operate their business there because it was "their" territory? They'd be laughed at. Business competition is to be expected and is healthy for the marketplace. It's what keeps prices reasonable and quality high. I can't see how it would be different in the martial arts business. I can only imagine that those MA masters that came from Japan or Okinawa were trying to carry on said tradition of way-back then, so, possibly it was back that way for them at one time, and they tried it, with minimum success, to only find out that that wasn't going to fly here in the USA. My Soke, being born and raised in Okinawa, never once tried to be that way, and as I've mentioned before, wouldn't allow others from the old country to try it on him. I suppose that in the old days here in the USA, many business faced that very same thing, no matter the business. The strong-arm tactics here in the USA way back before my time, were felt from all business, and those who gave in, well, they paid for protection of some type. As silly as it might've sounded, it was reality, more than one could even imagine.

Congrats and well deserved. Feels good, huh?!

Congrats and well deserved!! Feels good, huh?!

Thats interesting! cause around the corner from my dojo there is another karate school and they have never had any issues with us (well yet at least). The main reason why we haven't had any issues with them was that we all shared the love for karate and martial arts. Both schools are Goju-Ryu Karate also. No issues because the two of you have solid karate-do, and you both allow the floor to speak for itself. I can see a landlord who owns a strip mall, for example, not allowing another school of the MA rent from him/her because a proprietary agreement might already exist between landlord and existing renters. However, across the street, under a different landlord, well, bring it on and allow the floor to speak for itself.

Wow, that's crazy. I get wanting to be on the corner of the market but that's a little territorial. Besides, competition can breed better growth and better teaching (on the other hand it can create people who hand out black belts so that they can have students). It was just like that when I first started in the MA back in 1964. Territorial rights existed, at least they did in the San Fernando Valley in California. Distance between schools had to be respected and if one wanted to open a dojo within an existing territory, permission had to be given. However, this unwritten rule wasn't always obeyed. My Soke opened up the Shindokan Hombu in Canoga Park, CA, and in that, he was visited by the owner of a Shotokan Sensei, and told my Soke that he couldn't be there because the aforementioned sensei said that he was there first. Well, my Soke just laughed at him and asked him to join us. With that, that Sensei raised his voice, and Soke told him to leave until he could show some better manners. I can only think that this happens because said school of the MA is afraid that they'll lose students. In that, I believe that if their karate-do is solid, then they've nothing to be concerned about. Let your karate-do speak for itself; proof is on the floor...ALWAYS, imho!!

Nice choice. evergrey, Ev, a KF member, who's not been seen here for some time is a student there!! The Shihan there has been under the weather for some time, and I hope that his health improves.

I concur!!

It's now 2013, and not 1600 Japan. Do what you want to do, and if the CI can't deal with it, then that's the CI's problem. You're the student, and not the property of your CI or the governing body. When I was a JBB, I wanted to take some TKD under GM Young Ik Suh, but, the culture back then was that one had to get permission from ones instructor before one could join another school. What made it worse is that I wanted to take TKD, and not another Okinawan school. My Soke denied me my request. My Dai-Soke was not pleased with my request either, but, after some short time, my Dai-Soke convinced my Soke into allowing me to do so. I trained in TKD for one full year. That was then, of so I thought it was. Tread lightly, but not so much that you surrender your freedom to decide for yourself. Usually, but not always, instructors that are like your CI in this situation are this way because they've no confidence in what they're teaching, and in that, they don't want to lose any students to the competition. I've even had a BB student of one of my competitors tell me that I couldn't have my dojo where it was because I didn't get his blessing and permission to do so. Well, I was there first, and besides, even if it was some unwritten MA rule, I wouldn't have cared because this is the modern world, and in that, I can do whatever I want to do. I hope all goes well for you!!

Congrats!! Feels great, huh??

Sorry, I've no videos of these kata's. Thank you anyways! You're welcome.

Don't treat these kicks as one big kick. Yes, they're combination, but what happens is that students tend to treat said kicking combination as one kick. Instead, treat the combination one kick at a time, and that's because they are in fact, two separate kicks. In that, execute one kick at a time, allowing the first kick to fully finish before starting the second kick. In time, they will both flow and transition as one, but not until these two kicks are treated as separate ones. As with any combination, never rush it; again, allowing one technique to end before transitioning into the second one. And yes, practice until the wheels fall off, then buy some more wheels, and then, practice until those wheels fall off, and then some. Btw, you'll be fine. Just relax and let one stop before beginning the next one.

Then, possibly you can post it until then. If the details are something you'd rather PM Wastelander instead of posting the details, then by all means, wait until you're allowed to PM.

Welcome to KF!! Just finished said survey!! Interesting, to say the least!! Will you be letting us know your findings, whenever it's appropriate to do so. Thank you!!

Sorry, I've no videos of these kata's.

Then, possibly you can post it until then.