sensei8

Great back and forth discussions; thank you both for sharing your knowledge and experience in KishimotoDi. I'd say that Noah IS the in-house expert here in KF when it comes to KishimotoDi. Thank you, Noah!!

Keep that positive mindset especially when the training task you across the board. Remember, learning the MA is NOT supposed to be easy, and what you're posting is solid. We got your back; train hard and train well.... always!! How's your body holding up to the training and all??

Welcome to KF, rehodges; glad that you're here!! You've ever thing to be proud of. Your progress is exciting to read, and I wish your continued success on and off the floor. Train hard and train well!!

4-5 years old have the attention span capacity of 4-5 seconds. Students 4–5 years old have the capacity of learning the MA; but it'll take them some time to achieve, even with a very patient CI. Those ages are some of my most favorite classes because they're not preoccupied on the floor like much older student can be. They love the gi and all of the things that we adults don't care about. I believe that your kids' class has the makings of a great class structure. Change things up often so that they don't lose complete interest. Introduce balls of different sizes, which can be used to engage their kicking mechanics and their arm movement mechanics. One of the biggest things that I've done with students of this age is to just PLAY WITH THEM!! That's what I do. I just play with them BUT with the theme of the MA basics. Biggest advice I'd give is: *Keep the classes short *Don't bore them especially with a lot of blah blah blah Not all black belts can teach, and in this topic, not all black belts can teach kids!! With kids this young, class structure has to have a ton of flexibility of change. Remember the attention span rule at all times. Oh yeah, one more thing, teach the Dojo Kum but don't be way too overly concerned with the Dojo Kun at all because they don't care about that one way or another...they just want to play and have fun.... THEIR JUST KIDS!!

My experience with mixing TKD with Shindokan back in 1974 was quite profound and eye-opening. It was the beginning of a lifelong of cross training that I will never regret. Having earned my JBB back in 1970 and being heavily immersed in the Open Karate Tournament Circuit back then, TKD was making an indelible mark on me. The kicking arsenal that was TKD became the bane of my existence so much so, especially the Axe Kick. Other TKD kicks haunted me week after week: Jump Spinning Back Kick, Change-Up Roundhouse Kick, and the Fall Away Roundhouse Kick. I ran headfirst into the wall of TKD kicks, with no real solution at hand. That's where... “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer” and "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" became my mindset of embracing cross training, and not on a once-in-a-while notion either. So, what did I do back in 1974?? I enrolled in Chang Moo Kwan/Kang Duk Won Tae Kwon Do, Burbank, CA under GM Young Ik Suh for 1 solid year earning a 6th Gup. GM Suh was very solid across the board, technical in his movements as well as in his teaching. Funny to me, and only me, I'm sure, GM Suh's English was as bad as my Soke and Dai-Soke. In all of the San Fernando Valley, I found three MA Masters that can barely, or not at all, speak English...I must be being punished one way or another. The irony of cross training in TKD is that Shindokan is 85% hands and 15% feet, whereas TKD is opposite. Shindokan kicks are no higher than the stomach and TKD kicks to the head, quite effectively. So, in that 1 year under GM Suh, I was become quite proficient in my kicks in TKD, and I used them all at the Open Karate Tournaments Circuits with an ever-increasing success. Adding TKD kicks to Shindokan elevated my MA betterment. First time my Dai-Soke saw me execute a Change-Up Roundhouse kick at class, I thought he was going to have a kitten. I teach my students anything of value that is MA, especially the kicks and grappling. Yes, Shindokan is the core I teach; however, I will teach other tidbits of other MA styles because every MA style is limited by itself, imho.

Welcome to KF, BoothJ9; glad that you're here!!

If the student is the latter then they will have no issue waiting until they are the former. When I train, I train to do the thing correctly and I revel in moving up when I have achieved that status. No student is committed to training without understanding that not getting promoted as fast as they wanted isn't a bad thing. Learning takes time, and, when committed, time makes the passion burn hotter. Solid post!!

Nope!! Nope!! Students are here to learn and CI's are there to teach; both being effective but only in time. Students fail Testing Cycles because they're still not mature in their technique. Black belts are the worse of not being mature in their techniques, and they wonder why a technique isn't effective, as though it's the technique's fault and not them. Students aren't allowed on my floor if I discover that their true reason to be on my floor is for rank. Demonstrate the effectiveness of said technique, and I might, and I mean I might, promote them. No display of consistent effectiveness will need far more than just some display of proper technique and aesthetics or being committed to training. I don't need or want these types of students, not now, not ever. Demonstrating the minimum of improvement in effectiveness in said technique will get said student farther, but nothing's ever guaranteed; no matter how pretty said technique appears. Take all of that stuff down the street!!

I want more tats, but they're not cheap whatsoever.

This is what I was referring to as Space Management, and because we and our opponent moves, so does the spaces that we manage, and those spaces constantly change from moment to moment. I did a KF Article speaking about Space Management many years back... https://www.karateforums.com/close-range-space-management-vt46269.html?highlight=space+management Your entire post, tatsujin, is solid across the board. You don't ramble; very informative posts, thank you for them.

I've just 3 tats that I got back in 2009; all MA related.

Zaine's post is solid!! Why is anything ever done or not done in any technique in any style and/or any dojo, especially when Kata is concerned? Perhaps, to understand further why Kake Wake Uke in Nijushiho might be different, one might ask what's happening before, during, and after Kake Wake Uke as it's being executed in Nijushiho. In specific, concerning to posture, stance, and space management. The overall technique depends on every element, and not just the technique of itself. Before one can go away from, it had to have been a before. This is what we understand as the set-up. Shindokan's core depends on set-ups; one technique compliments another technique. To move to just move isn't effective, therefore, I had to be at point 'A' before I moved to point 'B', before I reached finally point 'C', each point had to be effective. Before the Kake Wake Uke, look at the stance and the posture and the space management carefully, point 'A'. Then do the same for that pacific technique, Kake Wake Uke; what's being done...how's the entire body moved...how's specific body movements have occurred or about to occur, point 'B'. Then carefully look at what's just taken place once the body has moved to point 'C' Perhaps, the reason might be that this particular technique is being used as a wrist release at that very movement. Perhaps, not. For said wrist release there must be a point 'A' to 'B', then to 'C' for the overall effectiveness. Why are any body part ever where they are at that very point? Whatever's the reason(s) for the differences might be, one has to discover through discovery, and that requires to carefully studying that Kata's exploded view and nomenclature. We have to remember Bunkai is not an application of Kata but a way of studying its parts. Applications are actually Oyo. Everything found in Kata has a reason, no matter if we agree or not to that reason(s). Imho!!

Yep

It is a double-edged sword, for sure. If the CI isn't too keen with Student-of-the-Month, then I believe that the CI should just shelf the idea. Otherwise, the transparency of the whole idea will become quite so obvious and lose its credibility fast. I agree, that a Student-of-the-Month is more geared towards the kids than the adults. Having said that, let me address your questions one at a time... *Effort *Good attendance or improvement in attendance *Character through compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, optimism, and responsibility *Behavior and self-control *Attitude toward others/learning *Good citizenship *Leadership and integrity *Demonstrates responsibility No. Never. There has to be a clear choice. If not, and one's chosen randomly, that too aides to the program being transparent. Moreover, the rules and requirements must be understood by all, and not just the students. Like the Kun, I'd hand up anything of importance, and so that it would serve as a consistent reminder. Like a sign in a business that's hung up for all to see, like, No Checks, is both a reminder and a type of authority. If there's no clear-cut choice for Student-of the Month, then for that month, so be it. There's always next month but announce your decision and gently remind them how that decision is made...that too is important. Nope. What's listed above, also covers both on and off the floor. Get the parents involved by speaking to them during the decision-making phase, yet do it covertly because once parents get wind of what is actually being asked of and what for, the transparency begins, and the program losses its credibility. Don't ever award just to award because that too starts to seep into other decision-making choices, like Testing Cycles and the like. I'd say that this just might. However, I'd be willing to say that this already permeates in the dojo already. Why? It's a human frailty. Does a program like Student-of-the-Month highlight the students to compare one another? Maybe. Perhaps. I believe that really depends on the maturity of the CI, and how the CI sets the overall tone in the dojo. Imho!! I've used that program with great success in my own dojo. Done incorrectly, that ship will sink along with the dojo faster than one will ever realize. No program is more important than the Student Body.

Congrats, ashworth; well deserved...for MOM and being a member here at KF for 15 years.

According to my dad, whose 90 years old, and is very experienced in many things has told my brother and me that you can dull a knife with a sander, sandpaper, concrete, and a sharpening stone. These ways do seem to fit the bill as far as costs are concerned.

Welcome to KF, HM765; glad that you're here!! The old adage...better late than never does include the MA. Covid is no respecter of anyone, and it sounds as though that's behind you. Train hard and train well.

Yep, that's the guy; Sato's nephew. The one that refused to help during the major storm, and Sato disowned him.

Interesting to know how you approach the jump using this method. I have done basic Heian Kata backwards, but haven't ventured into doing kata like Unsu this way... Well, I don't do that jump backwards, that's for sure, so whenever I reach that point, I just turn around and assume the landing position because I'm the furthest thing from being a member of the famed Cirque du Soleil, who I'm quite sure that they can do that jump backwards with ease...I mean it took me quite some time to learn how to do it forwards.

To better help frame the most appropriate response, can you tell me what CK is (I am assuming some sort of TV show since you mention "season 2"...but you know what they say about assumptions...) and who Chozen and Dan are? Thanks. CK is Cobra Kai. Not sure who Chozen is as I haven't watched the show but Dan is the main character from the movies.Chozen was the antagonistic foe for Daniel in Karate Kid 2 movie series, and he reprised his role in Cobra Kai Season 3...just for grins and giggles.

In addition to your methods of Kata training, which are solid training tools, I;ve a few to offer... 1. Backwards Kata. If I can do said Kata backwards effortlessly, then I can do it forwards. This has helped me to remember said Kata, especially the far challenged ones, like Unsu. 2. Spot Kata. By starting at any given point of said Kata, I can, in my mind, correlate what's now behind me, and what's next before me in said Kata. 3. Next Card Kata. This can be used with the Spot Kata drill. Take a deck of cards that have been shuffled, and by taking one playing card at a time, I start said Kata at that very point, and then finish that said Kata. OR...I can do just that many steps of said Kata from the start, depending on the face value of the playing card. OR...I go backwards from that exact point of said Kata. 4. Blindfold Kata. I wear a blindfold, then while wearing the blindfold, I do the entire Kata. To add to that, I do same said Kata while on the embusen. Either way, at the end, I take off the blindfold, I then can see how much I wandered here and there, off the beaten path. Know this though, these drills are both fun and effective for the purpose of learning/memorizing said Kata...nothing else.

Perhaps student misunderstandings and/or misconceptions as far as the MA concerned is one reason that a student quits. In that, the student has a mistaken belief, a wrong idea concerning the MA. Then there's when the student receives erroneous interpretations concerning the MA. Either reason can darken the students desire to continue in the MA. Trust is everything, from both the student and the CI; perception is reality to that person, and once violated, that ship has already sailed away.

Without giving a drawn-out history lesson, here's it in a nutshell. Around 1920s Gichin Funakoshi, who's Okinawan, was invited by the Japanese Ministry of Education to give a demonstration in Kyoto. Following his demonstration, he stayed in Japan and began to teach Karate to the Japanese. To me, that sounds like it wasn't appropriated. The Battle of Okinawa was in 1945, some 20 years before Gichin Funakoshi was invited to Japan. With that being said, Karate was already in Japan...by invitation. Imho!!

Thanks for the comments! Much appreciated... Just curious, is this along the lines of what you teach and use or something different? Thanks again! I don't delve too much into using Japanese terminology, so I avoid all those issues by using English in my classes. I will usually just use the terms "self-defense" or "applications" depending on what we are working on. Unfortunately, we don't delve much into forms applications in our school. We weren't "raised" with it, so to speak. I do try to work on it when I get a chance to do so.Solid post!!

People quit the MA because they've their reasons, and it's really none of our business. People don't ask for us to approve their reason(s), they do ask that we respect their decision. Sure, as an owner/operator/CI I could tweak here and tweak there on the curriculum, and I could do this and do that in hopes to increase retention, however, we need to separate ourselves from wondering why students come and go. No matter whom the CI is, students are first customers, and customers choose their comings and goings and not the CI or the Governing Body or anyone else. This is what customers do, no matter how solid one's curriculum and the like are. Can't take it personal, it's business. Think about it briefly but dwelling on it serves no sound purpose to worry on the reason(s) students quit. Why?? The students that did not quit deserve a CI that's focused, and not scatterbrained over something that can't be controlled whatsoever. I can't stop the students from quitting, nor more than I can stop the wind from blowing. I can ask why the wind blows, but all I can do is ask; I can't stop Mother Nature. I can't stop students from quitting. After asking, it's time to teach those that are there to learn.