sensei8

I don't think Funakoshi was creating a style either. I believe he was only sharing with others what he knew to be effective within his MA.

Even those evolve in some way or another because of the search for ones betterment...still!! Whenever one gets better, no matter how slight; that's evolving. You have given very great and decent comment on martial arts I like the way you put your knowledge in a very precise manner. I thank you for your very kind words!! To be honest with others requires me to be honest with myself first.

First of all...Great OP!! They, whomever they might be, can label any MA anyway that they feel but it doesn't and shouldn't effect anyone. Why? My MA journey is MINE and I won't allow it to die. Even if that means that I travel at time quite alone!! Nothing!! It would take a miracle to end the "give me now no matter what it may cost" campaign because that's what's the easiest way to learn the MA. No sweat, no blood, no tears; just "here you go sir/maam!!" Brand management isn't an easy issue because one has to understand just HOW to manage ones brand. It'll take more mistakes than Carter has liver pills before one 'masters' brand management. Just be HONEST in operating ones school of the MA, and don't try to find the shortcuts all of the time because they'll fall like a ton of bricks right on top of your head. Be honest across the board!!

I don't think ones betterment, or the betterment of ones students can be over thought...if context and content are not abused and/or misunderstood. If only other instructors that as you do!!

The Bunkai's finer points, imho, can't be garnered through this venue because you're there and I'm not. I believe that the finer points will be lost on the written words. So much so, that the finer points become more of a fog, then what they truly are. It's, for me and for every Shindokanist, the Oyo that helps me discover and realize the finer points, and even in that, it's the already found finer points that can still be lost in the written words, no matter how well one can write so simplistically. The difference from a Heian Kata to a Niahanchi is like, imho, separating the day from the night. Niahanchi is superior across the board to Heian, but in that, anything that can be absorbed, is effective and beneficial to that practitioner. A Taikyoku kata can be more beneficial to a practitioner that the most advanced kata due to the fact that simple rules the day!!

Great story!! I bow to YOU!! This will reach the hearts of your students as well as they see the evidence of your MA journey right before them. Not all of your students will understand what steps you've taken, but in time they all will!! The betterment will not be yours alone, but your students as well.

Congrats!! Now the journey still continues!!

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

I would consider a "waiting room" if we had the room for it in our dojo...lol I hear you!! Not every school of the MA has a waiting room or the like. Where do you have them wait while class is in session?

Whenever I've had a student speak to me about rank in the manner of rank being NOW more important than anything within the MA, I've done the unheard of thing to that type of student... If I test them, and they pass, they get NO certificate or new belt denoting new rank...they get nothing other than...Congratulations...now sit down!! I might or might not ever give it to them because they've demonstrated to me that the tangible is much more important than the intangibles within their MA journey. "But that's not right/fair!!" How so? I allowed you to test, and I surely didn't have to, I passed your testing cycle; you earned that. I'm just not obligated to present you with the tangibles of a certificate and a new belt denoting new rank. Demonstrate to me that rank has a proper context within you, and I'll consider presenting to you the tangibles that you value, when and if you pass your next testing cycle. Until then, it would be easier for you to get those tangibles from a school of the MA that give them away like candy. Not me...not ever...not now!!

Study your opponent... Study yourself... Make a plan... Carry our the plan!! What happens during any of the aboved "steps", causes a loop effect in that the "steps" start all over again...over...and over...and over...and over...until the plan is a success. Also... And I just can't over emphasis this as well... Mizu No Kokoro [Mind Like Water]; keep your mind as calm as the most stilled water!! AND... Tsuki No Kokoro [Mind Like The Moon]; allow the moon to properly reflect to the calm waters. Allowing clouds to distrub between the moon and the water, nothing good will come of it. A storm will occur!!

I can bow to you without any ambiguity, but I don't and will not worship you. This is what I believe that Christ is commanding us to not do; worship others, and not Him!! Besides, His omniscience doesn't permit Him to get all bent out of shape because we're bowing to our fellow MAist. Imho.

Both my dojo and the Hombu each have a waiting area by each training floor as well as the main floor, and in that, parents can keep their shoes on while they're waiting.

Imho, You should take whatever MA you want to whether it's Kenpo or Judo or BJJ or whatever. It's your MA journey!! Do whichever you feel is right for you. This is the only advice I feel that I'm qualified to give because it's your MA journey. Having said that, Ed Parkers Kenpo is a solid MA across the board. It's had some internal strife in the governing body and the like after Mr. Parker passed away. This is to be expected, but it doesn't always happen. Whichever style of the MA you choose, you've got my support!! Hang in there and rock and roll in your training.

Allow the instructor to be just that; the instructor!! The instructor is quite aware of their students abilities and the like wholeheartedly, and in that, the student should listen and follow and accept that which the instructor decides in every area of that students training. To be early IS to be on time and to be ON time is to be late!! Any student of mine that's not checked in by 15 minutes before any testing cycle will not be allowed to test. Why? They've got to get dressed and so on and so forth before they can walk on the floor, or before they assemble in the waiting area. That time is now wasted if I allow them to show up at the last minute or late at all, and that's not fair to those who are on time. Lateness disrupts the continuity of the testing cycle/class/etc, and in that, I just won't tolerate it. Now, if a student can provide an acceptable reason(s) why they're late, I'll consider it at least, but that's still no guarantee that I'll accept their reason(s). I'll review it, and it's a situation by situation, no exceptions and nothing's written in stone. However, show up a half-hour late, nothing will change my mind. If the situation warrants it, I'll test/etc the very next opportunity I have, and as early as the following day. In closing, your MA training is yours and yours alone. By that I mean that if your friends/etc grade up before you, then so be it. Yes, it would be nice if you all could climb together, but the purpose of training is not to keep up with felllow students. It's YOUR training and that's about it. Besides, you might catch up or even pass them for whatever reason(s), like, you know, they might not be able to test because they were late or whatever. Hang in there...you'll be fine!!

As always...solid post Alex!!

Congrats...Well done!!

Head injuries from wherever is a serious thing. Wear protective headgear!! If where you're wanting to compete with denies this, then you'll run the risk of some serious injuries. Nothing to be laughed about!! [i'm not saying that anyone here at KF is laughing] Nice articles, Danielle, thank you for posting them!!

Yes...very well done!!

I've not taken the testing cycle that you're referring to. However, I'm quite sure that whatever testing cycle you face, it'll differ, possibly, from one Shito-ryu dojo/governing body to another. I believe that the answer you're seeking can only be received from your Sensei/governing body. Anybody else, imho, would only be speculating. Good luck with yours!!

I don't think that it's purely physical!! It requires, imho, quite a lot of mental, and in that, I'd say that the mental side does greatly outweigh the physical side.

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

Some schools of the MA insist that the parents of their students, who aren't enrolled in class, bow in and out at the front door.

Have a solid syllabus in place so that their's no "Now, what do I teach?". What one would teach in a group setting isn't and shouldn't be, imho, a copy in a private lessons. Why? One on one can cover a more detailed explanation and the like for just one technique. Whereas in the group setting, more than one technique/drill is covered. Both, however, imho, must be challenging and what one's teaching better be effective. Private lessons for kids, again, a whole new ball game from a kids group lessons. Overdoing, if at all possible will overwhelm a student, no matter the age, and no matter if it's private or group. Things to keep in mind when setting prices for private lessons. And if I was to list possible private lesson parameters in setting ones first time out of the box with offering private lessons, well, it would mindboggle you, as it did me when I first offered them. If not for my Dai-Soke to teach me how to conduct private lessons, I would've failed miserably across the board. I used his price structure at first, and his syllabus at first as well, but I had to change it all because my location and my students weren't fitting into what Dai-Soke was using.

Chi Sao teaches transitional changes that are much a vital part of close range techniques. Add that to some wooden dummy training, yes, I'd say it's quite effective providing one devotes some serious training to either.