sensei8

Bingo!!

Shindokan Saitou-ryu is an independent governing body. Our Soke NEVER wanted to be affiliated with any noted governing body from Okinawa because he didn't want to follow their rules/regulations because that wouldn't allow him any flexibility. Shindokan is his and if the SKKA that he founded isn't good enough with anybody, especially Okinawa, then so be it. Shindokan wasn't founded by our Soke for a Okinawa governing body to say yea or nay.

Vastly EXPLORE that particular application and I believe that you'll find more than what you've been told by your sensei/instructor. However, it'll be hard to explore in the beginning because your mind will not release what your sensei/instructor has taught you...at first. Stay with it and you'll see other effective applications!!

Very nice topic and some great replies! Thanks for starting this topic Himokiri Karate!! Interpretation of Kata is an interesting and valid concern within itself. Are the "throws" doable/effective when "we" perform them as they "might have" been designed by the creator of said kata? It's the EFFORT of the training that might answer that, and in that, the lack of proper training effort at the analysis might fall short of the intended desires. The "throws" in kata don't work when practitioners are training with a unresistant training partner. Work with a resistant training partner one learns to "work" through the "throws" so that one can see how the body mechanics work, and even in that, adaptive changes might be needed to pull the "throw" off successfully.

I suppose that Shindokan is doomed because Soke and Dai-Soke aren't alive anymore, seeing that they were from Okinawa and the American Karateka's are from USA. Do I have to have Shindokan become recognized by someone in Okinawa? If so, that's not what our Soke wanted and this isn't what the Hombu wants. Catch-22 I suppose.

No matter the topic of the conversation, the group/governing body. No matter the media source; when the MA is concerned, moreover Karate, validity is measured by whether it's linked directly to Japan and/or Okinawa. Is there a direct connection to some Master from Japan and/or Okinawa? If any said Karate style isn't directly affiliated to some well noted governing body and/or Karate Master, well, that said Karate style is invalid. Hhhhhhmmmmmm....Hhhhhhhmmmmmmm!! I do concur with the consensus that Karate, for its majority of styles, originated from Japan or Okinawa. However, Karate is NOT owned by Japan or Okinawa!! Karate belongs to everyone!! Furthermore, the MA doesn't belong to it's country of origin!! Shindokan, the Karate style I've trained in for nearly 49 years, is Okinawa based, founded in Okinawa, its Soke and Dai-Soke were both born and raised and trained and buried in Okinawa. However, it's now administrated by American Karateka's. Our governing body, Shindokan Karate and Kobudo Association (SKKA) was founded and chartered by Soke and Dai-Soke in Okinawa shortly before they both moved to the USA, where they opened the Shindokan Hombu in Canoga Park, California...USA. Having said that, Soke NEVER once relied and/or depended and/or needed and/or wanted to become affilitated with the governing bodies of Okinawa of that time; past, present, and/or future! Were they on their own? Yeah, and Soke wanted it no other way. Affiliations are often times confused with validity; two completely separate meanings, is which, they're, if used together, oxymorons. Having an affiliation with a governing body and/or a well noted MAist from Japan or Okinawa doesn't make the style and/or the instructor/practitioner credible. One might be affiliated with the, for example, the SKIF and/or Kanazawa Sensei, but that doesn't mean that the style and/or the individual is credible on or off the floor. I knew Dai-Soke but I'm no Dai-Soke. One might know Kanazawa Sensei but that one's no Kanazawa Sensei. Guru Inosanto knew Bruce Lee but he was no Bruce Lee. Again, proof can't be found in a seal or a patch. No!! Where it matters, imho, is on the floor. Either you can or you can't!! In closing, whatever validity or proof one is seeking or needing for their style of the MA for their piece of mind, let me reiterate this without any ambiguity whatsoever! The proof won't be found on any wall and/or in any file cabinet and/or in any governing body...NO...Proof is on the floor. You don't need to have an affiliation with any Japan and/or Okinawa governing body because American Karateka's are worthy....IMHO!! It's about time we stood up for our American Karate and not worry about having the blessing of some governing body from Japan or Okinawa. I don't need some Okinawa governing body blessing Shindokan because Soke and Dai-Soke ALREADY DID THAT!! Your thoughts?

You're the Chief Instructor (CI) of the ABC Karate Dojo. It's a Saturday afternoon open workout; all ranks permitted. You're meandering around your students, closely observing them, offering assistance whenever asked, and conducting impromptu lessons from time to time. Your students are seriously engaged in their workouts, either by themselves or in small groups of 2-4, over a wide variety of techniques, and drills or involved with a training apparatus or some light kumite. Just past the half-way point of this open workout, something catches your eyes and ears. A Kyu ranked student has ceremoniously approached a tiny gathering of Dan ranked students; there's nothing unusual about that, it happens all of the time. However, it's what the Kyu student ASKS, that's a no-no. You idly watch from a short distance away as the scene unfolds. This Kyu student asks if any of the Dan ranks want to kumite. As the Dan's begin to stare at each other in wonderment at the Kyu's unbelievable lack of proper respect for the dojo rules. The Kyu asks the Dan's again. The most senior of the Dan's walks up to this Kyu and politely refuses the invitation, bows, and instructs the Kyu to re-assume whatever training the Kyu was doing before. The Kyu asks the Dan's again! The most senior Dan agrees and instructs the Kyu to don the appropriate safety gear. They bow. Your gaze is at fever pitch, then you slightly grimace because the Kyu's wide open and you already know what's about to happen. WHAM! THUD! The Kyu's prostrated on the floor about 3 feet back from where the Kyu once was before the Dan launched the Kyu with a beautiful lead-leg side snap kick. Moaning, the Kyu slowly lifts its head and is wide-eyed expression tells you everything you need to know, but more importantly it tells you the Kyu is only shook up but not hurt physically...pride...well...that's quite hurt. As the CI... 1) Now, what do you do? 2) Do you counsel the Kyu or the Dan or both? 3) Was the dojo rules broken? When do you, as the CI, enforce the kun? 4) Everytime? 5) Are you consistent in enforcing the rules? 6) Are you consistently fair while enforcing the rules? 7) In enforcing the rules, are you the bottom line or the bottom rung? Thoughts?

Oh...Hey...thanks!! With Brian (bushido_man96), Pat (SaiFightsMS), Heidi (ninjanurse), Alex (tallgeese) and Patrick, I'm in great company across the board. Many here know that I owe everything to Patrick and the Sensei's of KF because there was a time that I was almost banned/kicked off of KF, and very well deserved so. I'll never forget them for their assistance/help...ever!! It's also because KF has some AWESOME members and without them, I'd have nothing to contribute to...so...I share this recognition with every KF member!! Thanks... Now...on my way to 10,000 posts.

Very nice...I love seeing things like this. CONGRATS to all!!

If their convicted...they should NEVER teach ANYBODY for the rest of their lives ANYTHING...that's just me.

Today... One of my favorites... TUITE for all ranks.

I now use landscape posts!

I'm not TKD but if any student of mine is asking about something that's not of their current rank curriculum, my answer would be...."Please worry about what's in the present, and not what's in the future, ESPECIALLY during YOUR class." I've no problem answering their question if the question is just a thirst of knowledge but even then, I'll still end our conversation with what I've answered above. The thirst for knowledge is a good thing for a student just as long as they remain in the context of the question and within the content of their rank. Ok..I'll go back to my karate corner now.

One of the other things he used to say ALL OF THE TIME... "Who said to stop!!??!!" OR "Did I say stop!!??!!" Taskmasters really can be intimidating without really trying.

ooh...ooh...ooh I want to go too! Can I? Huh? Can I? You lucky dog you!! Congrats...soak it ALL UP and then some!! There are some that would love to tap out to Royce, just for the learning experience. The 4th Dan CAN WAIT!! Have fun Brian!!

If I was the instructor...I would've told you to worry about your training/learning/practicing because that's what's important, and not the bothersome's of another student(s). Your there to learn/train/practice!! And yes, that student wouldn't have rank until he/she learned to respect the dojo and the other students!!

I highly concur with this!! I'm some of the things on your list and I'm the farthest thing from being a McDojo. The dojo IS A BUSINESS no matter how one might think that it's not; whether it's for profit or for non-profit..."Who Moved My Cheese"!!

In addition... KF User Guidelines #2 states... "While member post count has meaning, it should not be taken too seriously." While the context of that guideline rings true, the exceptions is the quality of the posts; that is the same for Alex's posts. Again...Congrats Alex!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

I wish you luck with your grading...you'll be fine. Just relax, have fun, and let the grading take care of itself.

That's AWESOME!! Congrats to both of you and YES, well deserved!!

Life is a series of fails and successes...the MA is nothing different. It's how we respond to them that makes us whom we are in either one.

04/18/2013.... Ran 5 classes, mostly 5th kyu students, and then I was conducting my daily duties as Kaicho late into the night.