sensei8

The ATA [American Taekwondo Association], for example, has a student body over 350,000 within its network of ATA dojangs. So, as one might be able to see, our paltry 10,000 student body pales against the ATA. With the plethora of the different MA styles that are represented here at KF... What's the student body of your particular style(s)? I'd be interested, for example, in what the SKIF's student body is or the JKA's or the Kodokan's or the WTF/WKF's or the Kyukushin's or the four major governing bodies of Karate.

One more thing about retreating, if I may... Retreating has it's pros and cons, and they'll differ from methodology and ideology, however, I believe that retreating also gives your opponent a wide variety of targets to launch an attack at. Why? It's hard to defend oneself when one's too busy to see, thus, block/deflect any attack; I've not eyes in the back of my head. It's a risk, but not an ending risk if ones cognizant about ones surroundings.

That's one way, even though GM Young Ik Suh never taught that through and up to green belt. Still, I like it!! Thanks for sharing that one with us.

Sensei8, Could you describe the turning around roundhouse? It sounds like a good thing to add to my toolbox. OK... Let's say you're in a normal fighting stance with your left leg in the front. As your opponent advances towards you, you step towards your right/inside and then turn 180 degrees away from your opponent, and this will appear that you're running away from your opponents advances...THEN... Your left leg is NOW the rear leg and your right leg is now in the front...and at the end of your transitional step...POW...your deliver a right lead leg roundhouse kick to whatever target is availible, alas... the step-turning roundhouse kick. It requires guile and timing to say the least. It's not part of our Shindokan syllabus, but it's part of my arsenal...I love the kick. Hopefully I described it properly for you and the other KF members here.

Humility...I'm trying to teach myself because sometimes I do things that shouldn't be done. I don't ever want to fail those who expect more out of myself. Sometimes...I disappoint those that depend on me. SORRY!!

Chatter...Not allowed! Training...that's allowed! Keep the chatter outside and not ever on my floor! Can't stop chattering...go home and I'll let you know when you're allowed back on my floor.

Don't worry about the 3 you've listed as "bad" things because all of that will just get in the way of your training, and that's what you're there for...training!! As always, talk with your instructor about those things and afterward... TRAIN!!

Which one do YOU want to train in right this moment? I believe that that's pretty important in selecting one or the other. Wado is solid but so is Aikido; you'll have a solid base in both. Now the question is...which one do you think you'll pick? I don't think you'll go wrong with either. Hang in there...everything will be alright!!

Retreating while sparring is quite common, and it happens with all ranks, not just beginners and/or intermediate students, as well as advanced students, however, advanced students do it on purpose. I believe that your sabumnim is trying to teach you to find other ways to engage/disengage without retreating directly backwards. Angling to the side and/or towards the front is most preferred because those angles helps us set up and/or discover openings that would be missed while retreating directly backwards. Having said that, there's nothing greatly wrong about that tactic/plan except it's not preferred by any instructor UNLESS that's either the only place to retreat or your baiting them to advance into your zone, in which, heheheheeee, opportunities abound when you set them up. Now, if your retreating in such a way that you're creating opportunities for your opponent, well, that can only lead down a dangerous path and you'll get hit in such a way that you'll wish you tried a different tactic. Again, continue to spar per your instructors desires because I believe that he/she is trying to help you see other possibilities that will help you across the board. I know that TKD uses a turning around roundhouse, I know this because I use to get hit with the darn thing all the time when I was a JBB, and I learnt that darn kick when I learned TKD for 1 year while I was in high school. It's a great set-up kick that utilizes retreating to a science. Good luck with it and hang in there...you'll be fine!!

My reason is, well, dumb! Well it is! In our very first LiveStream here at KF, I told them that the computer picked my username, and that's not true!! Sorry!! Sensei8 refers to what I am...I'm a Sensei and I'm an Hachidan [8th Dan]. It felt like such aggrandizement on my part, so I've tried to play it down so it wasn't. I'm such a dork!! I wish I had a bag to put over my big fathead!!

Thank you!! I'm in good company than...huh?

Whenever I say that our student body is 10,000, plus/minus 5-10%, I'm referring not to my own personal dojo, no. I'm referring to the ENTIRE student body of EVERY Shindokan student throughout every single dojo that's affiliated with our Hombu, including the Hombu. Not just mine, but the totality of students across the entire network. My own dojo's student body is roughly 375, plus/minus 25%. If I had 10,000 students all to myself, WOW, I'd be rich. I've worked my butt off to get the 375 I have, but, boy oh boy, it took a lot of time to build.

LOL!! I'm not!!

Great advice and I thank you for it. I'm working on just that right now with our Legal team as well as with the Administrative Team, the Executive Team, and the Technical Team. I've my fingers CROSSED!!

Great points and advice. I'm not trying to butt heads with them, after all, I'm their boss; I'm Kaicho [President] of the Hombu/SKKA. They're just so insistent in their tactics and it seems like each year they find a new way to convince me. Again, if Dai-Soke was fine with it, then so should they, imho. You're not the first one to advice me in stepping down, and then return. I've even told them that I'll step down if there's a problem, but, they want me as Kaicho, and I was voted in. I've no ego to bruise because rank means nothing to me, and I've demonstrated that to the Hombu and the like for quite a long, long, long, long time. Give me a Kudan test that would've made Dai-Soke proud, and if I pass, then I'll accept Kudan but if I don't pass, then leave me alone. No, I won't fail on purpose, that's not in me. I don't know. I can't seem to win for losing or lose for winning.

I thought I made myself clear to them, but, they're mostly insistent. Your suggestion to amend the By-Laws is a great suggestion, one that I'll absolutely do. I'm due back to the Hombu the week before our annual testing cycle in June/July, and I'll bring it to their attention. Thanks for the advice!!

I'm very proud to be part of KF across the board!! AWESOME milestone to say the least!! Now, let's go for 1 Million posts...YEAH!!

10K ISN'T a high number!! To you, yes, but not to us/me.

You asked about Shindokan in totality...right? Well, with all of the Shindokan dojo's, including the Hombu, that's the number. Why are you so shocked? Besides, why does the totality of the student body have anything to do with the problem that I'm having with the Hombu? 10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 300,00...whatever...has no bearing on what's been happening.

In a lot of Japanese Gendai Budo, 9th dan is awared posthumously. Of course, there are many exceptions like Arakawa Toru, and Shiomitsu Masafumi (to name just some Wado guys). But, my bet is they couldn't give two hoots about it in the first place! Can you post the URL to your group's website Sensei8? K. Nope!! We've never had one, and at the rate that we're going, we'll probably never have one. Yes, we've tried to create one, but, there's a few things that we just don't agree on. Now!! Our Soke and our Dai-Soke, especially our Soke didn't want a website, and didn't believe in doing any type of advertisement at any level because he firmly believed in attracting the students that would make up his student body by only through word-of-mouth. Does having a website mean anything across the board? No!! My own dojo has over 375 students and I've no website because I've never seen any value to having one, and besides, I'm of the mindset of both my Soke and Dai-Soke. I can teach, and I don't need, nor do I want, a website because I've enough to manage as it is on a daily basis between my dojo and the Hombu Somewhere, and many times, I've answered that very question and I've explained it either here at KF and/or somewhere else through some other media types.

Over 10K

No one, and I mean no one can and/or will dictate and/or demand and/or choose my MA path...NO ONE!! Not a person, place, and/or thing, and this includes ANY governing body, ESPECIALLY my Hombu. Each and every year, since the passing of my Dai-Soke, the powers that be at the Hombu impatiently insist that I accept the rank of Kudan, 9th Dan, for the following reasons... 1) I'm the current Kaicho (President) 2) Our By-Laws, as they were written by our Soke, state... "The Kaicho [President] shall be the chief executive officer of the Shindokan Hombu and shall have general charge and control of all its business affairs and properties. He shall preside at all meetings of the Hombu. He/She shall have the power to appoint the Kancho [Vice-President], the General and Managing Secretary, and the Treasurer with the concurrence of the Regents and shall have the power to appoint all other managing administrators of equivalent rank of the Hombu. The Kaicho [President] shall sign and execute contracts and other written instruments in the name of the Hombu as authorized to do so by the Regents. He/She shall have the general powers and duties usually vested in the office of Kaicho [President] of a Hombu. The Kaicho [President] shall be ex officio member of all standing committees with right to vote. The Kaicho [President] shall annually make a report on the affairs of the Hombu at the end of the annual testing cycle, quarterly, and as well as the annual years end. The Kaicho [President] must and shall possess the rank befitting his/her position, and therefore, the given rank shall be no less than Kudan, and the rank must and shall not be Judan; the current Soke type." Those reasons are NOT acceptable to me. My Dai-Soke understood my reasons and he accepted them; however, the Hombu's current hierarchy are NOW, imho, behaving way beyond reason... 1) The Administrative Team 2) The Executive Team 3) The Regents My reasons for my continued refusal of Kudan... 1) ONLY my Dai-Soke can promote me; he's dead! 2) Professional and private reasons! I'm at the point that I've had enough, and it seems that each and every year the Hombu finds a new way to pitch their insistence to me. As well their intentions might or might not be...NO is NO!! If I have to, I'll resign before I accept Kudan. I don't want to, but, it's so frustrating when the Hombu continues to paint me in some corner while they find a new way to sell a Ford!! I need some suggestions that are outside of the Shindokan circle...Please!!

By all means...GOOD LUCK!!

Cool. That'd be fun. KF members meeting up; AWESOME!!

Interesting topic!! I'm of the camp that gives no credit and/or agreements that Sanchin and/or any other MA training and/or how the practitioner lived as to why they died; people die and that's all I know. There could be something to what is spoken about and/or what's written concerning these masters. But for now, people die and death isn't a respecter of persons.