sensei8

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.

To keep you in lines of grappling, Judo teaches a wide plethora of striking techniques. Many Okinawan karate styles emphasis striking over kicking, and in that, they've a ratio of 85% hands and 15% feet. Good luck with your search, and please, let us know when you find one or if you've more questions.

Yes, many cultures bow to one each other for one reason(s) or another, and in that, surely not every culture bows in the types that are found within the MA. Whether one's bowing out of a sign as respect or as a servant for some nobility and the like, bowing is widely used across the globe. I believe that the act of bowing is understood universally.

Solid posts, everyone!! Bowing has become such a normal part of my MA life. I do it without pause and/or question. However, while bowing maybe a natural thing for me, Bowing has its place, and in that, I don't bow outside of any MA venue. Outside of any given MA venue, I might shake hanks or I fist bump or I do a high-five or just a simple "hello", or whatever else I feel is appropriate for the context of the moment. Whatever I feel is comfortable for me, this is what I do, outside of the MA venue, that is.

Nice article, Danielle. Thanks for sharing it. I don't own a gun, therefore, I can't add anything a value to your discussion, even though I can see what the writer of that article is speaking towards.

Sorry, I'm not familar with that kata. If you find out something, please let us know.

Very nice Bill...very nice! What's written on the left side in the red area?

I wholeheartedly concur with Danielle!! Rock and roll!!

Creating your own style doesn't mean that you deserve a high(er) rank at all, imho!! Why? The rank shouldn't ever enter into the formula, imho, because effective knowledge is what students need, not a high(er) ranking instructor/founder/etc. I'd learn from a Jukyu before a 15th Dan if that Jukyu could teach me a thing or two. I want substance, not tangible/intangible rank! When I first met my Dai-Soke, I didn't even know anything about his rank or what on the earth was the reason for him wearing a black belt...I didn't even know what a black belt was and for that fact, I didn't even know what a whilte belt was. I did start to learn/know that he was and I wasn't the knowledable one.

Deciding on what one should charge for private lessons can be a tricky formula, in deed. What's too much and what's too little for private lessons. The price must satisfy both the student as well as the school. To say it's a sensitive decision is possibly putting it mildly. However, CredoTe makes a point when he says... Even in this formula, imho, it isn't just that easy. Why? The consumer, and our students are our consumers, make the decision as to whether they're going to accept the fees or not. Finding the neutral ground will take some trial and error hits until the fees stimulate the consumer to bite. If a normal monthly tuition costs the practitioner $150 per month, then is $100 per hour too much? $50 per hour? Too much/little? Then again, we go right back to what CredoTe's quote from above...what does the student want. Then, how big should the private class be? 1 on 1? 1 on 2 or 3 or 4 or 5? There are, imho, so many parameters to be concerned with because private lessons should be easy to assemble, and, imho, they are. But two factors kill a dojo quick. One: Inexperience in conducting an effective private lesson. Two: Greed. Don't know how to teach a private lesson. Then don't until you do. Imho, teaching private lessons is a whole new ball game then teaching a group; different stimulus...different animal. If you charge too much, then you'll never teach one private lesson until you find the magic number that'll work in the area that your school is located. Even then, once a price satisfies all concerned, the bad word will keep rearing up it's nagging head...CHANGE!! Lowering and raising private lesson fees is an extremely sensitive matter for all. Consumers want to know why, and you've got to have an answer that won't floor the consumer right out the door. Change is inevitable in business; don't what to change, then you're school will be closed faster than it took me to type this post, imho. Being a name, does it make it very easy to set the prices? It might. I don't know!! The overall and general consensus of any commodity price setting is simple...the lower price is what hooks the consumer first and after all. Quality might matter, but attack their wallet, you'll see what happens. Once all of the kinks have been worked out...have fun...EVERYONE!!

Whether I'm a dummy or not, I try not to train to late, especially as I advance in age. What I use to do, I try not to do because I'm not that whippersnapper anymore. Many doctors, and my personal doctor is no exception. 8 hours of undisturbed sleep is an active agent in fighting against a stroke. A consistent lack of 8 hours sleep increases ones chance of submitting to a stroke. Stroke is in my family history; many of the males in my family history have passed away from a stroke, so I'm more proactive is doing what is right to lessen my chances. Depending on what's going on at my dojo, and/or the Hombu, I'll average about 6 hours, and sometimes about 4-5 hours. I'm a worry wort about a lot of things, but I'm slowy getting many things off my so busy plate. Sleep...sleep...sleep... The more the merry is what I'm understanding from my doctors as well of the general doctor consensus about sleep. It is true, from what I've read and from what doctors have stated...2 hours of rest after activities BEFORE one tries to go asleep. But as always...confer with your doctor before you ever listen to me about health and things like that. I'm a MAist, NOT a doctor!!

That's a fair question. I've a few queries myself to ask. For, what does it gain the practitioner? Does it mean anything beyond its external content? Possibly, one only does it because it's what one is expected to do because everyone else there does this thing quite a lot before, during, and after. Is it a cultural thing? And if so, how come one, who's not of that particular culture, decide whether one's to do it or not? Are we look upon by those outside of our MA world as mere simple minded people that do, but do not truly understand as to the "why" of this thing? If someone refuses, for whatever personal reason(s) that they might have, do we respect them for that which decides whether they should accept the rule or deny said rule? Does one cast away what they believe in because, for the moment, they're engaged in learning the MA, their beliefs so that they can participate in said MA? Who's to decide that for said practitioner? The practitioner? The instructor? The governing body? Just whom?? Are we to surrender to that, which seems to rule against what we believe in or not, thing as its perceived servitude is forced upon through said rule? I do it because this is what I've done for my entire MA life; 49 years this October 18, 2013. I've not done it because I was told that it was and is expected of me. No! Our Soke and Dai-Soke did it and then we learned how to do it whenever it was required as well as when it was necessary. I didn't get punished for not doing it. I wasn't ridiculed for not doing it. I wasn't outcasted for not doing it. I wasn't made fun of for not doing it. I just did it because I was taught that that's what one does when one's in a karate dojo. After a very short while, I did it because I felt it was the right thing to do. I felt that it honored my Soke and Dai-Soke. I felt it was the right thing because I respected my fellow MAist. I felt that it caused no physical injury to perform for myself and/or for my fellow MAist. I felt that it honored the MA itself. I felt that it was a way to show respect across the MA board. It is, to me, just a thing. A thing that is not of my culture but it was part of the culture that Shindokan came from. I never believed in the saying that speaks about..."When in Rome, do as the Romans do." That, for me, isn't a good enough reason for me to do it. I live in a time and place where one's not put to death or prison for doing or for not doing this one thing. It's a simple gesture, that I feel, isn't harmful at all. In that, I don't believe that God would see it as me worshiping another. There are far more weighted things of accountability than this one thing, imho!! Don't want to do it for whatever reason(s). Then don't partake of that which demands of one, even if that MA means the world to you. That one thing, imho, shouldn't stop you from training in the MA. But if it does, then I respect you for that because it's not my call; it's your call and your call alone. Don't want to do it in my dojo? Then respect my dojo while you're in my dojo because this thing is done quite a lot in my dojo. If not, by your own choice, then I would ask that we still remain fellow MAist, but I must ask you to leave my dojo with no ill-will felt towards you by myself. Am I then forcing you? To decide...yes! To perform it...no! I respect the rules of your home when I'm your guest, therefore, I ask that my students respect the rules of my home. My home is, of cource, my dojo. What is this thing? BOWING!! Does it belong or not? That question is up the the individual MAist, imho!!

Birthdays will tend to do that. I had a early-mid life crisis yesterday. "What have I done with my life? Time's slipping by: heading down the slippery slope to 30!" It's a weird thing, huh?? To be 30 again...those were the days.

Bruce's frame wasn't bulky, imho. It was a silhouette of a nice MA frame; possibly a frame that other MAist could consider for themselves. I still get a small kick out of a statement I read many, many years ago. It spoke about how a body builder looks strong, but isn't. Hhhmmmm!!

Well, the cost of a commercial wooden dummy can reach up to and beyond $1,000 dollars. So, if you're good/great with wood, I believe that DIY is the way to go. I'm not good with wood: I can't nail two peices of wood together to save my soul. Some pretty good post thus far. It's what one's comfortable with I suppose. Good luck!! Good to see other karateka's take up wooden dummy training!! I always pictured that the wooden dummy was more for kung-fu practitioners and the like, but nowadays, more and more karatekas are training with them. They've been a staple with Shindokanists for as long as I can remember.