sensei8

Money will make governing bodies do things like this, imho!! Going to force me to test, even if I'm not ready or feel that I'm not ready...Why? So they can increase their bottom line...money!! Doesn't the instructor have a say into things like this? If not...ouch!!

that's quite a smart thing to do in terms of having people grade. I'm guessing your hombu has a file on every single student (+ photo) that trains at all your dojo's? Since my school has only 1 dojo we don't worry about a massive file. But apparently my sensei is opening 2 more schools and will be having me at one of them (oh boy that will be insane) he will be most likely following suit in what your doing. As he wants to open 2 dojos; 1 will be open in the next couple of years and the other one in about 10 years time. as we are looking for places to open them obviously and that has excellent exposure (so lots of foot traffic and cars will see it) and parking. Oh and also has an affordable rate of usage of the space. Our Hombu carries the Master File for each and every student. All testing, and I mean all testing must be approved by the Hombu, no matter the rank/tenure. Soke was adamant about that and there was no way to get around that. Even if you owned your own dojo, you still had to get the approval of all tests in-house by the Hombu, or the grade was not valid without Soke/Dai-Soke's approval. Now that they're gone, our Testing Department approves all testing cycles both in the Hombu and in each Shindokan dojo. No exceptions!!

That's why we/I test one student at a time!!

Yes!! That's been exclusively established by our Soke: One student at a time. *On an average for Kyu's: 1-3 hours, depending on ones rank tested for. *On an average for Dan's: 1-3 days, depending on ones rank tested for. *The thing to remember is that our testing cycles last for two weeks. Week one will be for the Kyu's and week two will be for the Dan's. For Kyu's, there are "sections" for testing. We'll divide the number of testing candidates by number of "sections" that we've available, usually 12. For example...If we've 200 Kyu testing candidates, then there would be about 16-17 students per "sections". In that, we've got to place them in "sections" that are rank appropriate, and if need be, we'll create a new "sections" to accommodate the number of testing Kyu candidates. In that, there will be at least one Sandan or above to administer their said testing panel. For Dan's, they too have "sections" for testing, but not as many because, for one, we've more Kyu's testing than Dan's for various reasons, as well as obvious reasons, tenure and the like. If we've only, for example, only fifty Dan candidates in totality of the testing cycle from Shodan to Hachidan, then we don't need the usual 12 "sections", like with the Kyu's, we'll have. For example, we'll only use 10"sections" with about 5 testing candidates per "sections", and of course, we'll add more "sections" are required. We'll complete the Dan testing from Shodan-Yondan in the middle of the week, but only if we've testing candidates for the Godan and above. Then comes the fun. Godan - Hachidan testing candidates will use only one "sections" because the testing panel is much larger; more eyes on the testing candidate, so to speak. We'll test them, if we have any, and quite often, we won't have any Godan and above testing candidates. This is in a nut-shell, so to speak. To your second question. YES!! We've plenty of high ranks to tend to the needs of the areas in which you've inquired about. All high ranks MUST be at the Hombu, no exceptions!! that seems like a lot of work! do you do other gradings throughout the year or just at that one grading? It may seem like a lot of work but it's well worth the effort. The students deserve that. We've a nice pool of Sandan and up to help at the Hombu's annual testing cycles. Each and every Shindokan dojo tests once every quarter/3 months in-house of their dojo; that's their choice. I test at the end of each quarter in my dojo, and so does the Hombu. In that, I only attend the annual testing cycle at the Hombu because I've my own testing cycles during quarters 1, 3, and 4. However, the annual testing cycle is held at the end of the 2nd quarter, and into the beginning of the 3rd quarter each year at the Hombu. No student HAS to test at the Hombu. It's a choice! Unless you're testing for Godan and higher, then you MUST test only at the Hombu! No exceptions.

Should the student, at 15, grade to Shodan?? NO!! I'm a firm proponent on the Junior Black Belt (JBB). I was one, and it didn't hurt me, and it was the ideology of our Soke and Dai-Soke. Without listing any pros and cons for a 15 year old grading to Shodan, and there's ton of reasons for both to argue, I'd like to say that everything should take its time and allow one time to train in order to increase their MA betterment, and not their rank. Why the rush?? This isn't just a kid thing to rush, it's an adult thing too. "How long to black belt?". Let the ranks take care of themself and manage ones training to learn the MA, which should be, imho, over the concerns for rank. Imho, we should respect the governing bodies that do OR don't test students to Shodan. It's the governing bodies decision, and not mine/our, to imply and/or impune those who can or can't grade to Shodan. Besides, Shodan is just another rank, and in that, there's nothing really special about it. Why? We all start as a white belt and then in time, we can wear the other colors as they are warranted by the governing body, including ones sensei/instructor. 18 years old is the earliest that I'd allow anyone to apply for said testing cycle. I will continue to honor that!!

That caught my attention as well. I think White has a point, and in that, I can understand why he's quite upset...I suppose I'd be as well if I was in his shoes. Again, things like this derail the UFC and any other thing that's MA. We're lumped into this unwillingly and it will never stop. Why? Money!! Imho!!

Please..just don't rush the healing process. I know it's hard and quite tempting at times, if not all of the time, but time heals all wounds if allowed to. Imho!!

Love it!!

Solid post!! I'm a huge proponent for sparring...can't get enough, imho!!

I'd say that your order is fine!! If you change the order, I'd leave Kanku Dai (Shotokan) at the end because it's solid enough to leave that nice lasting impression. However, you could do it first to leave that nice first impression. It's kind of like..."Follow this, if you dare" and that can disturb the following contestants with a..."I have to follow that?!...Mommy!!". Are you sure that you're allowed to choose the said order? If so, then leave that first impression solid, with a solid middle impression, and then end with a lasting impression. Solid order, I say, go for it!!

I concur!!

Well.. Visit each and every school of the MA that's not the same as the one you're involved in right now. No matter what the style, visit them ALL in your area, then narrow it down to 1-3 schools, then visit those 1-3 again, and then narrow it down to the one that you like, then visit it enough to get the jest of what it offers. Look at all age and rank classes to get an overview. Imho...as a suggestion. Good luck, please let us know how it goes.

I wholeheartedly agree!!

Nice interesting concept!!

Bouncing can be a good thing. However, overly excessive bouncing JUST TO bounce isn't a good thing, imho. Why? I will catch you at the moment when you're not grounded. I'll blitz you, I'll drive you, and I'll take you to the ground, if need be. Shindokan's Tuite utilizes many throws off the bounce. Yes, I know, Bruce bounced during his fight scene with Chuck in "Way of the Dragon". It worked because he broke Chuck's rhythum, alas, he attacked OFF the bounce...SOLID!! There's controlled bounce and then there's Tiger bouncing...You know, Winnie the Pooh's Tiger!! Imho!!

Don't laugh...but...look into Hwa Rang Do because it's more than meets the eye. http://www.youtube.com/user/WCHwaRangDo This is an art that I've always wanted to explore much more deeper than just an exchange; solid in many aspects that I can't deny!!

Study your opponent, study yourself, make a plan, then carry the plan out, aka, JUST DO IT!!

It works!! I mean, most solid basketball players watch the stomach in order to "know" just what direction one will go...so...if it works for the NBA, then why not in the MA?!

Nice...I like it!!

Solid post!!

Solid post!!

RIP, and my prayers go out to his family, as well as those involved in the ITF TKD. Another empty chair!!

Politics, are what they are. Some live for the drama and thus they love the politics that surround the MA. While others avoid the drama and thus they hate the politics that surround the MA. Our Hombu isn't immune to the pros and cons of politics. No, we don't look for it but it'll rear its ugly head from time to time. Some of the issues are mundane and some are quite intense. Still, they've got to be handled in a timely manner as well as in a professional way. Never make personal attacks because the situation is what needs to be attacked, and not the person. To make a peanut butter sandwhich, one only needs three ingredients: *Bread *Peanut Butter *Jelly That's it!! It's not rocket science!! However, politics dictate that these simple ingredients are to be complicated across the board. In our sandwhich, the politics make the simple task of making our aforementioned sandwhich very difficult. Some will argue with the type of bread we are to use. Should we use wheat or white or whatever else is available. Some will argue with what type of peanut butter we are to use. Should we use creamy or crunchy or whatever else is available. Some will argue with what type of jelly we are to use. Should we use grape or strawberry or whatever else is available. Bottom line for me is this... JUST MAKE THE DARN SANDWHICH!! Stop making a mountain out of a mole-hill. To argue just to argue isn't productive and our students suffer in the long run. My own Hombu's hiearchy can't agree on the most basic ingredients to make a website or a facebook site or how to make a video or anything else that our students will benefit from. Why? They don't want to just make the darn sandwhich without making a political issue out of it. I just want the darn sandwhich. Our students want the darn sandwhich. Meanwhile, our students MA betterment is starving. Politics are not a delicious ingredient with an governing body!! Your thoughts!!

I would like to thank each of those who've nominated me for said categories in the 2013 KarateForums.com Awards. Each year, KF members vote for other members who they feel that are deserving of such awards, and in that, I don't go into KF year after year for the reasons of receiving any KF award. No! My intent is to just share the MA with other MAists and non-MAists alike, and at times, to just have fun talking about things that aren't MA at all. We've a vibrant community here at KF and there's no other place that I'd rather be than right here at KF. So, thank you all for your nominations, they mean the world to me.

YES!!