sensei8

There will be a time when you'll forget less and remember more. Everything takes time...and it should. Practice those things that you do remember from class. Anything that you forget, your Sensei will bring it back to your memory when you're back in class: Drills will do that.

Shorin-ryu? It's worth trying!!

All posts are solid; I wholeheartedly concur with each and every KF member about this.

No! We're talking about Youthful Masters! But, sometimes topics take turns off the topic, and I think that's what happened, somehow or someway, and it might be my fault. I was answering DWx's question(s), and for me to answer her honestly, I've only one thing to base my comparison with, and that being what I've learned hierarchy is from our Soke and Dai-Soke. For me, I can't speak of hierarchy in general terms because I've not been around general terms, only specific terms as they were taught to us my the aforementioned Sensei's that have been in our life's. I don't think that any style of the MA speaks in general terms, therefore, I believe that styles of the MA speak in very specific terms.

Forgive me, but just because you have The Hierarchy as something specific, it does not mean that you don't fall into a hierarchy as well. By it's very nature having a belt rank gives structure and a pecking order by indicating one's seniority level. You said earlier: Is this not an example of rank being used to establish and maintain a hierarchy and keep a level of seniority? Your first point speaks about rank; I DON'T, when I'm speaking about hierarchy as it pertains to Shindokan!! To ME, rank and hierarchy are TWO separate things...again...TO ME, per the way I was raised to understand hierarchy to be!! To ME, hierarchy speaks towards the Administration's Chain of Command, and nothing more. For an example, I don't say that a group of our 8th Dans decided this or that. No. Instead, I say, the Regents, for example, decided this or that. I say it specifically that way because I'm speaking about an aspect of OUR hierarchy, our Chain of Command, as WE understand it to be. I concur with your second point; it DOES speak about rank because Demura's Sensei WAS speaking about rank; Demura's!! In that, the post you quote me, I was telling Harkon72 about something that was similar to what he was specifically speaking about concerning his Sensei. Both of your points are not in alignment with what I view hierarchy to be!

Personally, I'm glad to see that this practice is STILL being done today. It meant a lot back then, and it seems that it still means a lot today!!

I don't prefer neither of them because they've given in to the politics of the governing association that's operating said tournament. Imho.

I concur!!

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! It's seems as though you use the word "hierarchy" within Shindokan to refer to something specific? In the strictest sense of the word, everyone who wears belts is part of a hierarchy whether they want to be or not. Taking this definition: (n) a system in which members of an organization or society are ranked according to relative status or authority Belt ranking seems to fit into this pretty well. Once getting the next belt stops opening up a new part of the curriculum for you, why do you ever need to be promoted again? To the bold type above... I refer to something specific, because it is specific within the Hombu! Not my rule, but the established rule as set by our Soke!! Our hierarchy is the recognized authority within our Hombu and the SKKA. Our ranks are NOT part of OUR hierarchy, and not all, but very few, are nominated/elected to be appointed to that status from our specific ranks. It's OUR way!! Not the way of others!!

Karate: The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting~ Hidetaka Nishiyama/Richard Brown For karateka's, especially those of Shotokan, this book, imho, is quite invaluable across the board. My understanding is that it commands a hefty price nowadays; worth every cent, imho. I don't think that you'll find it in any public library, and if you did, I doubt that the library would even check it out...but I'm guessing because I don't work in the public library system.

Chuck Norris!!

I'm always for the underdog, and imho, the Seahawks are the underdogs against the Broncos and Peyton. So...GO SEAHAWKS!! Ooohhhh. my stomach just turned because in my gut, the Broncos are going to win.

Is the way we grasp a knifes blade the same way that we would grasp a swords blade? I'm asking because I don't know! I was taught to treat the blade of a sword not as a friend but something as an enemy that can hurt/harm me, therefore, grasp the person and not the blade!! For me, I will grab a knife as I was taught, but I'm not too keen on grasping a swords blade. Someone please set me straight!!

SD, imho, is learnt and acquired; from within and from out. Btw, I always thought that I was always learning SD. I mean, I learn the MA, I'm pretty good at it, I think, therefore, I can defend myself, quite to the point if need be. If after 49 years I can't defend myself, well, I'm on a boat without any oars; I'm adrift!!

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?