sensei8

That's why we ALSO teach kata live; with a resisting partner. Our Soke believed not in the cookie cutter way of training, no, live training, free from the structures that bind said student/MAist. WE DON'T TRAIN PER THE MASSES!! Our Soke saw the many mistakes, especially how concepts are trained, therefore, that's the core of why he founded Shindokan. A way that's not from some status quo; not to be different, but to be effective. Please hear me when I say, we don't train like the status quo; we've evolved away from that.

The only issue I have with this concept is that kata have become a tool used in curriculum to determine rank. The first form I was taught was the ATA white belt form, Songham 1. In the TTA, it was Chon Ji. These are white belt forms, and as such, although may have many applications, they may not cover it all. In the past, forms weren't taught according to rank. But it is, now. To the bold type above... That's the mistake, and that mistake, imho, is made by those who don't truly understand kata. While it's a training tool on the surface, it's much more than that. And because kata's are aligned with ranks per the syllabus/curriculum, kata is mistakenly thought to be just for that.

Brian's title is kind of a devil's advocate because kata IS a concept, in that, it can't versus itself.

Solid post!! That's what happens in many styles of the MA, they're shocked into thinking uncomfortable thoughts. This curbs their ability to learn. One sees the fight training and thinks they're doomed, when they're not. It's the ...forest for the trees thing.

How so?? Well why do you need to be a nidan? Or a sandan? Or a kudan? Why not just a Blackbelt? It is a tool to distinguish you from him or from her. That you are Bill's senior but Bob's junior. Early on rank is an identifier so your instructor and others can gauge your progress on a curriculum but when you are training for training's sake why do you need to be promoted further. IMHO it's to maintain that hierarchy so that both the rank holder and their peers know where within that hierarchy they fall. I don't need to be anything except a student of the MA. Those type of things are there, and were there before I came onto the MA picture. I am what I am, but it's not because of something that I did beyond my training. No one falls into the hierarchy, they're selected via an established voting proxy. Not everyone is of the hierarchy!! We use the word "hierarchy" within Shindokan circles to only note whom lies within the Administrative Chain of Command, and not within the ranks, as you're viewing it. It's an unfamiliar term for me to see rank as you're explaining it. Before I was elected into the old Board of Regents, I was NOT part of the hierarchy, nor was I privy to anything Administrative and the like. When I speak here at KF and I use the word "hierarchy", I've always been referring to those members, those chosen few, that are part of the Administration and the like. Ok...I've babbled enough...sorry!

Solid post!!

Yes! That's how students learn said applications; one movement/step at a time. No matter the simplistic and/or the complexity of said Bunkai/Oyo, it must be broken down to its most basic movements so that said applications can be learnt, understood, and mastered. Even more so, resistance isn't futile. Therefore, we then turn up the intensity by drilling said Bunkai/Oyo in a live fashion. Reason it's that way is because things don't always happen in the streets as they do when one's training in the safety of the school. Step-Sparring is the most rudiment training form because it leads to live training. I don't and can't see Bunkai/Oyo being taught without Step-Sparring within its midst. Movement at normal speed is too difficult to comprehend in a learning atmosphere; the elements must be broken down to its individual steps, in this case, Step-Sparring, otherwise what's being shown/taught is nothing more than a blur.

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

How so??

A sword is longer, but more importantly, the sword is heavier than a knife. Therefore, the sword's chance of sliding across one flesh is more favorable because of that. However, a grip is a grip!

I'm borrowing that! Great simple mantra to teaching this stuff I'm surprised that TKD doesn't teach that. Hhhhmmmmm?

Ditto!! You've finally arrived!!

Don't freak out! Remember, you're a beginner, therefore, when you train with them, they'll keep you training at that level. Lots of stuff in the video isn't at the beginner level. Instead of a throw, it might be just a simple beginner level lock. Have fun and learn!!

I don't know, but what I do know is the one rule: Deflect/Block!! If that's not easy to do, then don't be there when the attack arrives. If that's not easy to do, don't be there at all; be somewhere else far away!!

Even as a high rank, the one-steps, for me, must remain simple because simplicity rules the day. Confounding movements are just that; the long and winding road. Even our one-steps are treated in a separation by us high ranks. Take this, twist it here, change it there, experiment with it because a simple downward block to a front kick, then followed by a reverse punch to the solar plexus turns into something different by adding a slide step to the side, then switched into an angled transition. Great posts by both Brian and Danielle...RIGHT ON!!

The three K's...again!! Without either of them, it's not karate!! Kata training needs to be alive. Take the segments, and drill them live over and over again. Seek for the weaknesses that are in the Kata segments. Don't allow anything within the Kata work, unless it does work. This of course will change as one gains effective applied knowledge: what worked last time, now doesn't because I'm not a dolt; I got smarter over time. NOW FIX THAT! This will repeat until you die; it's never ending!! Kate ISN'T a memorized dance! Stop treating and training kata as though it is, and nothing more. Bruce's analysis of Kata is right and wrong, at the same time. Bruce was right when he said that kata is like swimming on dry land, but only at first, and that's because each new kata is unfamiliar ground. Bruce was wrong in his thought when kata is trained live, and with a purpose. Kata then no longer is that ineffectiveness because Bunkai/Oyo is so far away from the core of kata, and that said kata is brought alive when we battle the segments. Allowing nothing!!

Nice..I like it..Solid post!! Tradition VS Modern: I can have a traditional salad with its traditional ingredients, or, I could have a wrap, which has all of the traditional things inside.

Excellent topic, Brian! Thanks for it! Solid OP!! We have both. We've our share of pre-set one, two, and three steps per the individual ranks. From that, we've our share of random ones as well. Like Bunkai, we've also Oyo. The first, is pre-set, while the second, isn't. By increasing the tempo and transferring that to live free-style kumite. What's seen in step-sparring, should translate to free-style kumite. After all, step-sparring is the infant of free-style kumite, and it must be properly nourished all of the time. Then turn it ALIVE!! Fight back, no matter your role in the step-sparring. Find out what might or might not have a chance to work effectively if I do this instead of that, as it's prescribed to do so. Imho, GM Cho's views are accurate. Step-sparring lessens the fear of the unforeseen contact, but only so much. Fear will evaporate in time. The more one engages, the less one has to worry about a many things associated with Kumite. GM Cho's views on one-step is akin, imho, to hikken hisatsu (To Kill With One Blow). The goal isn't to kill but the goal is to make your one attack or your one counter-attack be meaningful. I'd rather end an attacker with just one technique, and not with a barrage of attacks. Therefore, I'd say that my views to GM Cho's are similar in an overall aspect. By training them ONE AT A TIME...OVER AND OVER!! Even when new things are discovered, and they are, unless one's not seeking/searching. Effective applied knowledge begets effective training, and in that, effectiveness is an overall consensus. Discard the ineffective!

I don't think that it's necessary either, but it is for him!! If what this Nidan believes is blind loyalty, I suppose, I beg to be as blind in my loyalty towards Dai-Soke. I progress in knowledge/experience because I desire to!! The things of Shindokan that I've still not learnt from Soke and Dai-Soke can be found in the scrolls. But, imho, we're only taking an educated guess as to how they're to be learnt and taught to myself and others of the Shindokan circle.

Brian, What I've posted here, is what I was referring to as the "CORE" of the style. Do not a vastly majority styles of the MA have the above list? I believe that they do, in that, we are, by the core itself, the same style. Please, don't misunderstand what I'm saying. Shindokan isn't TKD and TKD isn't BJJ and on and on and so forth. But, the "core" of techniques is in each style of the MA. Bruce Lee stated this..."I do not believe in styles! I don't believe in a Japanese way or a Chinese way. Unless people have 2 heads and four arms/legs, we have to use what we have to the best of our abilities."

Is it integrity? So let's say a youngster starts a Martial Art, passes his first testing, and then his instructor dies. Should he stay an orange belt for the rest of his life because "that's the last rank his instructor promoted him to do before he died..."??? To me, that just sounds kind of crazy. Now, does this instructor still seek out knowledge from other instructors, and simply choose not to take on new rank? If that is the case, then what is the difference, other than the number behind the dan? To the first bold type above...For that Nidan, I'd say that it's both loyalty and integrity!! Surely, you can respect his wishes and desires. Therefore, what was for him isn't for anybody else; it's a personal choice, as it must've been for this Nidan. To the second bold type above...I'm not quite sure if he's seeking out knowledge from other instructor's in and/or out of his core style, but, I'm sure he is constantly. Again, it's been HIS personal choice to continue as he has per rank. We don't have to like it and/or agree with it, but, that's fine too. I, too, didn't want to advance in any shape way, and/or form because Hachidan was the last rank I earned from Dai-Soke. But I finally did test for Kudan, and that was at the constant demands from my peers within the hierarchy. I've regretted it in every way and everyday!! "They" wanted it, not I!! It's HIS journey, for that, I will respect his desires!!

Thank you for not laughing at me, and thank you for the post...SOLID!! I got a kick out of the "Have medics on hand.". Mainly because I'm much older now, and I'll need a medic sometime during the frail, hopefully not, but the possibilities would be grave. Plus, Greg will need a medic, if you get my meaning. To do it, just to say I did it, isn't a valid reason. No. To test my mettle, for me, that's enough a valid reason to entertain the thought. Imho!! I jester, but in all seriousness, those who've done the 100 Man Kumite; I bow to them!! Those who haven't, I still bow to them because, imho, it wouldn't and doesn't define the MA nor the MAist!!

Nice...thank you for sharing it!! What I didn't like much was when one of the combatants grabbed the sword. Yes, he was wearing a glove, but if he hadn't worn the glove, would he have been so willing to do so? I don't think I would've. I'd grab anything else but a live blade because of the ramifications of doing so. A lot of MA train how to safely grab a knife, so be it, but is that the same thing with a live sword? I don't imagine it to be the same thing for some numerous reason(s).

hehe ! Back when I started MA (back in the '80 ...or something ) we would say it at the end of each and every lesson! This is not done in this dojo and as only a handful of us remember 'them days' we do wonder if we are to start at some point saying it again! the Kyokushin dojo kun: http://www.masutatsuoyama.com/en/home/dojokun.htm What I love about the Kun you've linked to is this... No rules; just a philosophical mindset!!