sensei8

You're probably right across the board. Our stretches are no more severe than most any other karate dojo's; staple stretches. I've never had a student complain after stretching, just complaining while our adult female students are doing a high side kick with a snap but not when doing a thrust. Now, the term "hip pointer" has come from my first adult female students, and I've dumbly continued calling 'it' that. What it should be called is beyond me but it's consistent.

Not happened yet. I think we have a bit of time before this happens, but you never know what can happen. Hard to say. There are several high ranking individuals, but there is also some family members that might try to have a say, although they aren't ranked as high as some of the other current instructors. There is a chance it could splinter quite a bit. There is a group of instructors in it that have some high standards, and do a lot of chatting back and forth and corroborating. They are also the higher ranks in the organization. I will likely continue under my current instructor, because I know he has good standards and teaches well, regardless of what would happen within the organization. I respect the GM of our org, but I only see him twice a year maybe, but see my current instructor everyday. Solid post and I thank you for it!! I suppose that the student body of your governing body is keenly aware of, and keeping an eye on it, the hiearchy's are chatting back and forth. I'd keep an eye on it so that I don't become blindsided one way or another. Still, you seem well grounded, and unworried about the activities of your governing body, and that's a good place to be. I was, once, but events have made me quite suspious and I'm always on the look for any red flag. Thanks for your post!!

This is a very interesting topic! I actually just posted about this on another forum, because my style is going through something like this at the moment. 1) If your style has recently lost its founder, what's the immediate plans for its continuation? --My style was founded by Chibana Chosin, who died in 1969, and there was a lot of splintering that occurred at that time. The organization I am currently a part of was made to be a continuation of Chibana's style, although it is sometimes referred to as a separate style, much to the disdain of the head of the organization. In that regard, the head of our "style" has been Nakazato Shugoro for a very, very long time (since 1971, I think?). He officially retired a few weeks ago, at the age of 93, and handed over the organization to his son, Nakazato Minoru. 2) In your honest opinion, will your style be fine when your founder passes away? --I believe it will be, and I suspect that Nakazato Shugoro's reasoning for handing it over to his son while he is still alive is because he wanted everyone to get used to the idea before he passes away. Too many styles have had founders or heads die without cementing the next leader in place. That's a major factor in splintering, I think. 3) Will your style, in your honest opinion, splinter slightly or splinter a lot? --So far, no one has broken away because of the leadership change, but I suspect there will be some splintering when Nakazato Shugoro does pass away. Nakazato Minoru looks like he is going to be moving the system in a good direction, but I could see some people who have been training longer than him, or who feel he isn't being true to his father's vision, breaking off on their own. Minoru Sensei is a little young for a Judan and head of a system, and seems to be more interested in sharing kata applications and drills than his father was, so those things might set some people off. 4) Will you want to continue in your style if the splintering isn't kept to its minimal OR will you seek training in another style that's more grounded across the board? --The organization of our style doesn't really concern me. I didn't start training with my sensei because he was part of a major branch of Shorin-Ryu headquartered in Okinawa with a "pure lineage" or any other such thing. I started training with him because he seemed very knowledgeable, and his mindset regarding karate was very much like my own. As long as I can keep learning from my instructor, I will be part of the style, at least in some fashion. Solid post and I thank you for it!! You've made some solid points. Especially concerning the way your governing body has made the future for its student body solid. The way your governing body makes the hiearchy transitions, and as early as they have, is how, imho, a governing body should providing the founder hasn't passed away in an untimely manner. Our Dai-Soke's untimely death took us all by surprise to say the least. We scrambled quickly, but not before our San Dai-Soke pulled the rug from right under us. Again, I thank you for your post!!

Are any members of your student body members of this forum? K. I don't know!! I've shared the site with many, but I've no idea if they're members here or not.

I hear what you're saying Justice. But why do all of my adult female students say, from time to time, that side kicking high hurts them in thier hips, even after a well stretching session? Many of my adult female students have no prior injuries to their hips!!

I hear what you're saying Brian, and, I deeply appreciate it as well. I still don't want the rank because of the reasons I've told you in some of our phone conversations. So, here goes nothing!!

Stay true to MMA's core, and I do believe that you can do this without the fighting, and this can be done by training, as others have said here already, BJJ style. Teaching the methodologies as well as the ideologies within your own syllabus will serve you true. Good luck and please keep us posted!!

Solid post!!

Solid post and I thank you for it. As I was just telling Danielle, the student body is always at the mercy or the lack thereof and this is usually because of politics, both local/regional and national. The trickle down will usually seep through the most unknown cracks, and that's when the betterment of the student body suffers eventually where one doesn't want it to. Small or large dojo's have to succumb to the governing body one way or another. Or, start a governing body of their own. I believe this to be true, but not for certain because I'm not privy to the on-goings of every governing body. I, like you, am more concerned with passing knowledge onto the next generation and encouraging them to free themselves from the bindings that bind them for the moment. Still, thank you for your post!!

Well I did continue All this began happening about a year into my TKD journey and to be honest it barely effects grass roots students. A lot probably have little understanding of which group they belong to and what that entails. Once you start getting to the point you want to travel to train and you want to compete internationally it starts to become a problem. Often masters and teachers who belong to one ITF don't fully acknowledge those that belong to another. Or at least if you complete a course or grade with one group it means squat to another group. And in terms of competition, with 3 World Championships going on and subsequently 3 "national squads" per country, competition standards are somewhat diluted compared to what they could be. It's all quite sad really as the General had always hoped to see WTF unite with ITF and also South Korea unite with North Korea yet his own organisation and legacy completely fractured upon his death and there is very little hope of the ITF ever unifying. Excellent post and I thank you for it. Paths change when the new replaces the old. Politics? Yes/No, depending ones point of view and whom one asks. The new administration might have always wanted to do something different, and therefore, they do just that. Strive, confusion, and sometimes just ding-a-ling attitudes stop the necessary evolution of any governing body, and the student body suffers from the outset soon as all of the dust finally does clear, if it ever does. The student body is at the mercy or the lack thereof from those who run the whole show. Imho.

I'd say that you're not as long as you're respectful in your responses!! Having said that, whatever I do in my dojo is my business, but whatever I do in someone else's dojo is their business. While I'm ranked in Shindokan, I don't assume a position that I don't possess while I visit other Shindokan dojo's. That's my way because that's what I was taught by my Dai-Soke!! So, each year I visit every Shindokan dojo and before I wrap my BB around my waist and parade onto their floor, I always seek their permission..each and every time. Each and every year they remind me that I don't need to ask them each time and I respond by reminding them that I do; it's ingrained in me so much, it's a habit, and it's one I do to honor them and my Dai-Soke. If any Shindokan dojo I was going to be visiting had insisted that I wear a white belt, well, I'd wrap it around my waist willingly and eagerly. No foul and no offense taken. Why? For me, it's just a belt and nothing else, not to me anymore and it hasn't been like that for many, many years.

Had the locks and the like been once removed, what's to stop the practitioner from adding them back in knowingly or unknowingly? I've added so much to what Shindokan truly is, as it was taught to me, because what I consider valuable to me will remain. It's the...absorb what is useful and discard the rest kind of thing, and in that, it's a personal choice as well as a personal decision that one makes willingly. Is it an act of dishonoring time honored traditions and the like? No! Because I value everything that my Dai-Soke taught me concerning Shindokan as well as the MA in general, but the journey is mine and in that, Shindokan, as well as with any other MA, isn't perfect across the board. Add the locks and whatever else as one sees fit, and this can be done without dishonoring anybody. Imho.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

For me, respected and proven research and all won't ever deter me from what I've dedicated my life to for 49 years; my journey will continue nonetheless!!

...Chessboxing?!?! Yes, that's what I said...Chessboxing!! Chessboxing is for all ages, but for a championship fight, you must be younger than 35, have fought in more than 20 boxing matches and have a chess ELO rating higher than 1800. The last Chessboxing Championship wasn't won by a TKO, but with a Checkmate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_boxing Of course Las Vegas got into the ring with...you guessed it...Pokerboxing!! http://ringsidereport.com/?p=28516

This is not no catchy title to get your interest in this topic, well, not entirely. MAists try to remain in top physical conditioning and all, but I found one that might even test beyond anyone's capabilities more than one can even imagine. Travel to the Green Mountains of Vermont to compete in a challenge of physicality that will test your mettle in ways that you can't even fathom. This isn't a race for the weekend warrior, not in the slightest. http://www.youmaydie.com/ The site's banner says..."THE DEATH RACE", and from what I know about it, it's been properly entitled. For example, 95% of entrants NEVER finish a Death Race. Last year's winner finished in 67 hours. The Death Race website says, "Please only consider this adventure-style race if you have lived a full life to date. The same co-owners of the Death Race, Joe DeSana and Andy Weinberg also developed the Spartan Race Series. It's an obstacle race for a broader range of those who want to test their mettle. http://www.spartanrace.com/#. For both of these extreme races will draw quite a lot of entrants but only a few will actually show up. For example, one year, 255 signed up, but only 155 showed up. Last year, more than 300 showed up for the Death Race to see if it would break them, and according to what I've read, many, many were broken. Except one, Joe Decker. He's won the Death Race not just once, but twice!! Decker isn't your average fitness athlete. Guinness World Records certified him as the world's fittest man in 2001 after he successfully completed the 24-hour Physical Fitness Challenge. Joe Decker has competed in most of the world's toughest endurance challenges, from the 520 mile race over the Himalayas to running across the Sahara Desert. In a 24 hours, he... *Biked 100 miles *Ran 10 miles *Hiked 10 miles *Power walked 5 miles *Kayaked 69 miles *Skied, on a Nordictrack, 10 miles *Rowed 10 miles *Swam 2 miles *Did 3,000 abdominal crunches *Did 1,100 jumping jacks *Did 1,000 leg lifts *Did 1,100 push ups *Lifted, cumulatively, 278,540 pounds Ok...and WOW...and MAN-OH-MAN...and WOW [again]!! Are you willing? Are you brave? Are you physically ready? Are you mentally ready? Well...I'M NOT!! Not even in my prime, however, in my prime I surely would've tried it at least once!! *First of all, I'm not affiliated with any of the links found in this post, therefore, I'm in no way advertising for them either.

It's all about transitioning huh?!

...Is like... >Motor Crossing Racing while you're sitting backwards on the seat! [Everything's out of control] >Salmon fishing with the other bears, except, you're not a bear! [You're quite out of your element] >Parachuting without a reserve! [You know ONE so-so technique] >Driving an 18-Wheeler truck, except you don't know how! [You just can't get it in gear] Try to remember the very first time you every donned all of your protective gear and engaged on the floor to spar, and your sparring partner was much more experienced than you, like, your Sensei/Instructor. Your turn...what was sparring like for your very first time?

Well... Here's what's been decided about the whole thing. I'm to be tested for Kudan by a panel of 4 Hachidans, 3 Rokudans, and 2 Godans this year. Yes, this year!! Just as soon as our annual testing cycle is completed, which is held the last week of June and the first week of July. The contents of the testing are under lock and key, as they should be because it's, well, it's a test and it's not an open book test. Who came up with the testing criteria, and one that our Dai-Soke would've approved of? The Administrative Team, The Executive Team, The Technical Team, and The Regents. I was quite shocked that they came up with the criteria so fast, but, I suspect that they've had this in the workings for quite some time. I'm quite content with NOT earning Kudan, but, to shut them up, I'll test and I'll do my best. Even though I've a track record of failing my testing cycles; they usually take 2-3 cycles before I pass. I did entertain the idea of walking away from Kaicho and the Hombu for 1-2 years and then return but in a much lower capacity within the hierarchy, but Greg, our Kancho, said that would be, well, as he put it..."STUPID because you assume you'd be allowed back into the Hombu!!" Hhhmmm!! I should've stayed retired!!

Yes, by all means, GOOD LUCK!! You'll be fine!!

I first heard about hip-pointer injuries in 1991. Hip pointer contusion can be painful when walking or moving around. This type of injury is more common when a MAist is kicking up head high, and while this type of injury can occur to both women and men, I've never heard a complaint from any of my male students. That's either because men don't suffer that type of injury or men don't want to bruise their male egos. Hip pointer injuries aren't only for MAists. However, I've never suffered from a hip pointer injury.

My brothers older than me, by 7 years, and he thinks he knows everything, and he doesn't, especially when the MA is concerned. Your brother is a MA and he doesn't like kids sparring? As a MAist, he should know the vital importance of sparring; it's detrimental to NOT spar, imho!! Does your brother like kids doing football and the like? Kids are resilient, more so than adults, and by that I'm not saying that kids should spar without any protective gear, no, but, a MAist needs to spar, otherwise, defeat is eminent.

Well, Sparring is one the most vital tools in any form of the MA. One must learn to engage in live sparring under the watchful eye of a qualified instructor. No sparring is akin to learning how to swim but never wanting to get wet, and how is one going to learn how to swim unless they get wet. How can anyone, not just youth, learn how to fight if they don't engage in live and controlled sparring? How's one going to learn to transition and how's one going to learn how to react to someone trying to knock their block off and how's one going to learn what works or doesn't work for them? Your brother has some concerns, but, I believe that your brother can't see the forest because of the trees. Sparring is vitally important across the board; no sparring equals defeat, imho. Good luck!!

Wow...is headgear going by the wayside for good? I think that it's dangerous for the amateur division, especially for children, imho. Head injuries are a serious thing, and they shouldn't be taken lightly by any governing body.

Excellent, sold post!! I thank you for your thoughts. I believe, even though it's sad to think about, you're hitting the nail right on its head. I think Shindokan is solid across the board, even though it has it's obstacles here and there, like most any style has. Ideas shouldn't pass away with the founder of the style and/or the governing body, but, it's always a possibility. The mindset of..."Don't worry, just train!" is fine but it also lends one to sweep the immediate problem(s) under the rug, and to wait until then is careless of the governing body, imho.