sensei8

On three different occasions, my Dai-Soke has tested my mettle. First time was when I was a JBB. The second time was when I was a Godan. The third time was when I had just earned my Hachidan. He drove me to unthinkable depths of my training. He was, an unmerciful taskmaster on the floor. Never once informing me as to the "why's" about the entire ordeals. And whenever I would reach my limits physically and mentally and emotionally, he'd stop it as quick as it began. However, just after I had earned my Hachidan, Dai-Soke put through the excruciating pain once again, just as he had done to me two times before. However, this time I had truly reached my limits, a person can only take so much before they're broken. I was broken! And I finally did the unthinkable. I yelled at him, on his floor! I insisted to know the "why's" about its purpose. He refused to speak about the "why's", and demanded that I continue. I refused to continue until he explained himself to me. "What's wrong??" he asks of me. "This isn't the first time that you've commited me to this type of training. WHY?" I demanded. "It's a test!" was his only simple reply. "It's a test? Well, it's an unfair test!" I retorted. "You've passed!" was his only response. "I've passed. Passed what? What test? This has always been a test? You're out of your mind!" I said. "Yes. You've passed. It had always been a test. To say that the test was unfair takes courage. Yes. It was unfair, but you never had the courage to tell me that it was unfair until now" he explained. I'm either dense in the head or I'm just willing to endure untold pain to please myself and my Dai-Soke all these many years. So... Has your MA instructor ever had you perform something that YOU felt was impossible, therefore, quite unfair?? If so, what how did you resolve it, if at all.

I've had my share of them before, and I'm sure that I'll have them again. It's part of the MA and nothing that should be taken serious because I'm not perfect, and in that, I'll make mistakes more often than I care to remember. Hang in there and push through it all!!

Dodgers!! But the Dodgers must take the Cardinals serious. Will it go 7 games??

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

Imho... For a conditioning exercise or the like; this is not Kata, and in that, every movement and the like is there for a purpose away from nonsense. Kata has a purpose, and in that, without any purpose, Kata is for naught.

I believe that the mixture of these both MA would compliment each other quite well.

As fluid, or natural, as one walks, so should Kata be performed; effortlessly but purposefully.

Practice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And let us not forget about the concept of Shu Ha Ri. Kata shouldn't be placed upon such a signular plane because there are so many layers, even some that haven't been discovered as of yet. Training tool? Yes! But not a definitive tool, nor is it a defiant tool either! In that, I use a capital 'K' when I speak about Kata because it's not just a thing, it's everything to a Karateka and spoke about as though it was just a thing. Imho

I wholeheartedly concur with the bold type above!! Solid post!!

Great OP!!! In reference to the bolded text above, we have almost that exact phrase on the back of our school shirts. We phrase it as, "If it was easy, everyone would do it!" Meaning, you're exactly right! As for pushing through and conquering... I always keep my mind focused on the fact that I'm in MA to conquer only myself. No one else! I do it to protect myself and loved ones. I push through because I believe my MA talent is a gift not to be taken lightly or abused... To me, this again speaks loudly about Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro, and without them, nothing is possible. Self needs these concepts to survive in the MA, and provides an avenue outside of the MA as well, imho.

Those waves come and go, and in that, you still keep your head above water no matter how high the waves are. The waves of doubt continue to crash againt you, thus bashing you at times into the rocks. However, your last paragraph speaks clearly to me the maxim of "Tsuki No Kororo"..."Mind Like Water"; calm, and in that, no waves, not even the slightest ripple. And when things begin to rock the boat, your mind calms it down so that you can push through it.

It's the stubborn within you that drives your MA vehicle, so to speak. You won't succumb because it's not within you to do so. In that, it's that light at the end of said tunnel that drives you to break through the darkest MA days into the bright MA days in your MA horizon.

If my instructor struck me out of anger and the like, I would've done everything in my powers to make sure he was held accountable for it because IT'S NOT RIGHT!! Wrong is wrong and right is right. Who's to determine that? ME!! It would then be up to a judge if either was warranted or not.

What's gotten into me?? The MA is what gets inside of you, it's what lights you up. You can't deny that! Is the MA hard/difficult? It's suppose to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would be doing it. The hard is what makes it great!! Push through and conquer that with seems to be unconquerable!! What things do you do to push through and conquer the unconquerable??

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

Congrats!! Feels good...huh??

If all fails... Suspend them, if warranted!! Hopefully that will get their attention. If not, expel them!! I've no ambiguity whatsoever in either. And if they quit because I've suspended them, then so be it!!

I've a wide plethora of drills to increase what you're seeking, but, I'll list my favorite... Tennis ball drill!! I've been using it ever since 1979. I line up the class, and they must have a mouthpiece and eye protection, then, I start throwing tennis balls at them in ways that they can't even imagine. In that, agility and movement are at the forefront if they don't want to get beaned. And don't worry, I've three very large trash can full of tennis balls, so , I've plenty of ammo at my disposal. Balance: KATA!! Try Kata on a floating floor; quite educating. A floating floor is a when you have covered the floor with tires and placed 3/4 inch plywood onto of that and then placing a standard mat over that.

Sometimes, imho, peer pressure can make people do things that they know to be harmful to themselves because they want to be accepted and the like. Weight loss short-cuts and the like are birthed from trying to drop weight as quickly as possible.

Solid post!!

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

No discipline should ever HURT, imho!! Other than that, discipline as you see appropriate.

With the YMCA, they want to see your teaching syllabus and/or curriculum break down. If you've done that, and they're still not responsive to you, then it could be a number of reasons why. Go down and speak with the director that's over that department so that you can know exactly what's needed and what you lack. One, it could be that they've already got an instructor of your style, and they don't need another instructor, UNLESS, you can offer something that the other instructor can't/won't, and that the YMCA will think that their members can benefit from. Members come before anything/anyone else!!

...and so the dilemma! Me, I'll go personal choice! The Video I linked to shows various breaks (tameshiwari) being done with different body parts. (Open hand, foot etc) The point being we hit wood, bricks etc with parts of our bodies that we hit our opponents with, we use the same power (in knockdown/full contact) to do this, now add in the simple fact we do this 'stuff' for fun! We enjoy the combat, the challenge to fight! I'd rather not be on the end of such a punch, or kick, but it happens and will happen and when it does I want to be able to stand there smile and return the favor! (I do not mean we go out looking for it on the street, I mean we compete we train in this stuff with all the pain and pressure that comes with it and we look back and smile and keep going back for more!) When I exercise, I try to keep the sets in groups of 30, then rest or do some other part of the body fora set of 30. I am of the opinion to do more in one go or for extended periods of time regular is great for stamina but in time will risk greater injury if it is not already doing that! We do need stamina, 100% yes, but we must rest that is a biological law, it cannot change will not change in our life time...evolution has taken a few years to get here, were not about to change that in a few weeks in a gym or dojo. I hear what you're saying, and in that, I can't ignore a doctors advice either. I still do sit-ups in any way that's comfortable and effective; I'll be 56 years old this month, and my body keeps telling me to remember that I'm no longer that young elastic bounce right back up guy anymore, but I'm so stubborn.