sensei8

Why do you think that a Dan rank wouldn't want to spar with a Kyu rank?

I don't think mass will make a difference because the technique must be performed properly first!!

Every MAist has a core style of the MA!! It's what we do effectively after that determines ones journey!! Do what you feel works for you!! Don't be absorbed in what pleases others because it's your journey!!

I'm never surprised, but rather, I'm educated!! Just as soon as I was able to wrap around my brain that Bunkai/Oyo is forever extremely open to effective applications. I eagerly await for my next Bunkai education!!

Very, very interesting, to say the least; I enjoyed them both. Thank you for posting the links!!

Within the history of Shindokan, and it's Hombu, rank HAS been taken away; demotion. For example, my most senior student was demoted several years ago by our Hombu for lying on the application for a upcoming testing cycle. Without going into a great deal of information, our Hombu has demoted 6 of varying Dan ranks for various serious infractions, and the first one was done in 1966. Rank isn't forever, however, the knowledge is forever!! Mess up serious enough to warrant said actions, our Hombu will demote rank.

...To ask this question, imho, only demonstrates just how little a practitoner understands the basis of kata. If a student is asking this question because they truly want to understand kata, this is an expected question. However, if a student is asking this question because they don't believe in kata, this is an expected question because they don't want to understand the importance of kata. What's more arlarming to me is when a karateka asks this type of question. Imho!!

This is for adults as well, imho!!

Gripping strength is paramount to any Shindokan practitioner and I can't ever imagine it without it. We train in Hojo Undo, and to be more exacting, Nigiri Game is where we train our grip. Our brand of Tuite depends on our grip being almost unbreakable. I want to control my attacker!!

Thanks! (can't think were I've seen this one before!) 1. Get a board. 2. Mount it about 'chudan' height. 3. Put a candle on it. 4. Punch, DO NOT touch the candle. 5. Try to put the candle out! Your focus (ki) & speed will be so SO much better when you can do this on demand! There's a picture of Oyama doing just that in his book, "This is Karate"

Wherever your attacker feels the most comfortable, that's where you and your attacker will most likely end up at, and quite quickly. If your attacker feels better standing, then that's where your attacker will try to keep the fight at. If your attacker feels better being on the ground, then that's where your attacker will try to keep the fight at. I did say "try", and you've quite a lot to say about where the fight will end as well; it's a chess game. Train on the ground. If it's in your syllabus, great. If not, find a school that will give you the necessary tools to operate while on the ground. The ground isn't the end, so don't panic when you end up on the ground. The ground is nothing more than a transition, and transitions are the MA. Hang in there and train hard!!

Soilid post!!

Ditto!!

Double ditto!!

Solid post. Conceptional sparring, imho, just won't work because it lacks substance.

I wholeheartedly concur!!

Solid post!!

Thx! And welcome to KF! Yes...great post. I too want to welcome you to KF!!

There you go again...You've now have had two police officers advise you...so...adhere to their advice, or at least really consider them. Don't just leave that school, but file the charges because EVERYONE is accountable, and if the only thing you do is leave that dreaded school, they won't learn a valuable lesson.

There you go!! Bushido_man96 IS in Law Enforcement, I'd listen to what he has to say here. Nobody should have to be subjected to that type of abuse. Learning the MA is suppose to be an enjoyable thing, and from what I've read, you're not enjoying anything from that school. LEAVE IT ASAP!!

I concur wholeheartedly!! It saddens me to read this, and I'm so sorry that you're experiencing this. Hang in there!! I'm so very proud of you!!

Good to hear!!

Interesting. Do you have any link with videos of this? I am curious to see it in action... No! I've not looked for any. I'm speaking from what we were taught by our Soke and Dai-Soke, and in that, this is what I've been teaching forever and a day.

Close range fighting takes one of two things: 1) No common sense, 2) Courage. More often than not, your attacker and you will find yourselves facing each other, locked together by your arms in a fashion that's akin to a WWE tie-up; a standing clinch. Both of you battling for the advantage; one over the other. This didn't have to be so, and if not careful, the tides will turn the advantage towards your attacker. Not an ending one had hoped for; at least in your opinion. Inasmuch as one would hope for, no one wants to be found in an disadvantage, of any proportional degree, against any attacker. However, it's even worse when the reson(s) that you're in that particular predicament this time is because of something that you did and/or didn't do. This didn't have to be either! No matter what we do as MAists, we're suppose to lessen, if not eliminate, our own mistakes. Having our attacker dominate us, no matter how small or large, isn't what we've trained for. Listen, it happens! But, when it happens, the final outcome can be quite dangerous, as one can imagine. What's longer, two arms or one arm? Let's briefly examine this for a moment, please. My two outstretched arms towards to grasp my attackers front might seem functional, but it's quite limited. For an average human adult is roughly about 32 inches to 35 inches. Having said that, length of an arm are in constant proportion to the size of the body itself. It depends on the height of the person to determine arm length. The said length is arrested by my front facing posture, as well as my arms are only able to stretch out so far while using both of my arms no matter the posture. However... If I, as my attacker advances me or has already grabbed me, stick out my one arm to deflect/intercept/direct him/her, my one arm is longer than my two outstretched arms. How is that possible? By using my half-front facing posture while I'm extending either arm towards my attacker, my one arm is now longer. Thus, I gain up to an additional 6 inches, or more. Boxers and the like, when speaking about their reach, is speaking to that parameter. In a close range environment, I extend the distance between my attacker and myself while using my one arm while in a half-front, or even a side-facing posture. AKin to a football stiff arm block, and in that, a lineman keeps their opponent at a further distance from them, therefore, the linesman can't be reached by the rushing opponent. Attacker gets two hands on me in a front-facing posture, he/she thinks that the advangtage is his/her to command. NO! Front facing me opens a large target for me to strike; not smart for him/her. By extending either arm, while transitioning into half-front facing, and driving him/her back peddling while I'm driving my legs; smart for me. Transitioning can't happen if posture is ignored!! Two arms are great but not so great when I'm trying to keep my attacker at bay. Our brand of Tuite incorporates quite a lot of one arm extended tecniques that can be utilized at the point of the attack and/or at the point of direction and/or at the point of defense. This is why I sincerely believe that one arm is longer than two arms, especially in a close range environment.

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