sensei8

Agreed, its about standards. Also I'm not the owner of a PhD, what's TLDR, I work for a multinational company dealing with FTSE 100, companies and I've not heard this jargon, LOL, I must be getting old. Hahaha I took it to mean... Too long; didn't read. I could be wrong, but that's what I proposed it to mean.

Solid post!!

No...your OP wasn't too long and I did read the entire post. You make a valid argument, and an interesting one indeed. People want their black belt in three years because they've no patience and in that, they don't want to devote any tenure in earning said black belt. Just give them a black belt so that they'll keep training!?! No! I'd rather they find something else to do than shadow the doors of my dojo. Belts are the smallest thing; infinitesimal compared to acquiring knowledge/experience. I'll give them anything they might desire just as long as they EARN it. If they aren't happy because I'm not giving them a black belt just so they don't quit; please, quit and quit now because I don't have the time, nor the inclination, to grant their selfish whims, especially when rank is concerned and involved. Imagine if your didn't earn your Ph.D. and some school just gave it to you so that you'll just continue in your studies for the sake of retention. How'd you feel about the value of your Ph.D.? If you're 26 and you've earned a Ph.D., then more power to you and I wouldn't site you for it because you've earned it across the board. I don't think that a Ph.D. at 26 years of age is the same thing as a child earning a black belt as a child under the age of 13, even though in Shindokan, a child under 18 years of age might earn a JBB, and not a full fledged black belt, no, that's for adults. Telling students that the black belt IS just the beginning isn't wrong, imho, because it is just that, and nothing more, as one might perceive, and in that, the black belt is being in the content of learning/training. Therefore, there's an idea shared by many students, and that is that they think that earning their black belt in said given MA IS the after so many years is the end/goal. The most important belt is NOT the black belt. No! It's the white belt because without it, there is NO other attainable belt. My black belt is special, and so are the belts that came before it. I want my students to want each and every belt, and not just the black belt because the white belt IS the beginning of ones MA journey, and in that, the black belt is the beginning of advanced training, just as the white belt was the beginning of the basics. What are the Dan ranks then? Rungs in a ladder, and they must be achieved one rung at a time as one matures in the MA across the board. I don't object to people earning a black belt in less than 3 years; it's happened from time to time; by some quite noted MAists...Mike Stone and Joe Lewis, to name just a few. I don't object to a child earning a black belt just as long as the child isn't still in pre-school; 13 years old is fine with me, but only as a JBB. I'm of the opinion that a black belt should be earned by an adult because the black belt requires maturity across the board. This is what I was taught by my Soke and Dai-Soke and I will respect their wishes until I die. De-fetishizing the black belt isn't my goal, but de-fetishizing the belt system all together itself, well, that's my goal and I pray that it's admirable for me to do so.

Boy oh boy... Raven top the Broncos and the 49ers top the Packers. Both games lived up to there hype across the board for me. WOW!! Payton made a costly mistake by throwing an interception in the 2nd OT. Uncharacteristically, Payton threw that interception by throwing across his body while running away from a closing defensiveman. Now comes...Seahawks against the Falcons, and then, the Texans against the Patriots. What a great weekend for FOOTBALL and their fans!! GO COWBOYS...ahem...sorry!

Effective movement, and not being a couch potato, imho, is the key to maintaining a healthy life. The training that you've mentioned by itself might be helpful for you, but I also believe that it's what we do away from the dojo/dojang/etc that's most beneficial. Walking briskly, running, bag work, swimming, cardio, weight training and the like are some of the keys to returning to a more healthy lifestyle as well as keeping us healthy in the years ahead. Being active as opposed to being a couch potato beyond the time spent in the dojo and the like; this is paramount. Go to the dojo as you've been doing and then slowly, but surely, add more and more positive activity into your routine. Good luck and please keep us informed.

While not all black belts can teach, it takes a black belt with a special gift to teach children, but it takes a black belt with an extraordinary gift to teach children ages 2-4. Imho, to teach them that young isn't responsible of that MA instructor. As Dobbersky has already mentioned, they're [instructor(s)] possibly causing irreversible damage to their small and undeveloped bone structure. For what reason? Imho, it's a way for those schools of the MA to soften their bottom line, and for me, that's not being a responsible instructor. To teach the MA in the age bracket of 2-4 years old is possibly nothing more than a watered down ethos of their MA style for the sake of padding their bottom line. In doing that, those students aren't learning...Shindokan, for example...they're learning to play controlled recess at the best, imho.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!! Congrats on earning your orange belt, and I know it means everything to you, as it should. Continue on being...hooked!!

Speak with your Chief Instructor, either in private or on the floor, and than do what she/he instructs you to do. Please be respectful but be direct at the same time. Nothing worse than having a Sempai correct/change what the Chief Instructor is teaching. Btw, in which Heian, and in which movement is the Sempai concerned with?

I don't allow my students to practice anything that's above their grade. If I see, for example, a 9th kyu practicing technique taught at 3rd kyu, I'll remind them that it would be best served if they would wait until they've been properly taught. On my own: bag work, makiwara, kata, and Hojo undō.

What's the name of your core style of the MA? What is going to be the main style of the MA taught at your new school? Is this prospective instructor going to teach the main core style or one of the alternate side classes? Wal-Mart is now allowing MA schools to set up with their big box. To work for that MA company, you've got to KNOW their core style. Well, that leaves me out! For the consistency of having a solid instructor that's going to be around for some time, and this is paramount for your student body, selection/hiring of said instructor shouldn't be taken lightly, not that you are. I've seen other dojo's hire from the outside, and while it would last for only a short time, the students were left without an instructor over and over, then the school was forced to close their doors for good because the reputation of their school was tainted over the fact that they couldn't keep an instructor for any appreciative time. Nothing destroys the morality of the student body faster than the Chief Instructor(s) being replaced over and over. Alan Tackett, 8th Dan of Seidokan Karate under Tomo Sensei. He was hired by the owner of a small school in Bakersfield, CA This owner wasn't a MAist at all. This owner was the father of 2nd Dan, but this Dan was a minor. Father had the skills to construct a very nice school for his son as well as the funds to assist with the start-up costs. This 2nd Dan was a credible MAist as well as a solid competitor within the region(s). Alan's being hired as the Chief Instructor gave the school a tremendous amount of credibility across the board. Alan's core style WASN'T the same as the 2nd Dan's, however, Alan was very well versed in not only his core style but practically almost every Japanese/Okinawan Karate style. Slowly but surely the student body grew and it grew substantially because of Alan's involvement, and his involvement wasn't just in the area of teaching; no, Alan's solid marketing/business abilities also generated a great little school. Alan's still there as the Chief Instructor. How did the father interview Alan? First with many long interviews during that month, and that was so that they could get to know each other, as well as getting to know what each were looking for; they were on the same page right from the start, and they still are. Did the father "test" Alan to evaluate his MA abilities? NO! How does someone who's not ever been in the MA "test/evaluate" someone like Alan? How would a 2nd Dan evaluate an 8th Dan? THEY DON'T!! It would've been a very limited evaluation, imho, or it would be quite one sided, with Alan dominating the process. What the father knew about Alan's MA abilities would fit into a thimble, but those many long interviews were invaluable. The father spoke with many MAists throughout Bakersfield, and everyone spoke highly about Alan's, both about his character as well as MA abilities. I don't envy the search before you, but good luck anyhow.

Great advice from all...I wholeheartedly agree with them all. Report!! No one should get away with those type of actions, imho.

Does the teacher have to be alive? If not, then...Dai-Soke and then myself and then Greg. If the teacher has to be alive...then...without it sounding like self-aggrandizement...myself and then Greg!!

For the sake of safety, it's still a kick, imho. I've seen and have done the axe kick with my calf on purpose. Both of the calf and the heel are towards the back of the kicking leg. It's easy to use the calf for safety and it's easy to use the heel for it's attention getting possibilities.

Changes! Yes! Because of my right knee, I can't execute the big jump/kick movement towards the ending of Unsu anymore...I did a very simple crescent kick in the past a few years ago, and now...it's more oft, just a simple turn into hangetsu dachi. These changes is for my survival, and at times, I feel that my changes might've took away much of the applications. I still teach Unsu as it's meant to be executed, but, a Godan or above will have to "show" that segment, as it's meant to be to those that are learning Unsu for the first time. My Dai-Soke understood, but he still moaned at my "changes".

Same!

I agree...it was a knockout. It's not how effective it looks, but it's how effective it really is.

This possibly should have it's own topic, but... Seeing how the NFL is winding down to the Super Bowl, I'd like to pose one question... What do you think will be the biggest selling jersey after the Super Bowl? I'm thinking that it'll be Peyton Manning's jersey. What do you all think?

I agree...it did seem quite quick but the unemployment line in the NFL isn't very...well...enjoyable. I was not shocked on any of the NFL coach firings but man, what a stressful job to have...NFL Head Coach...here today, gone tomorrow. Personally I enjoy Reid, I feel that he's a quite capable head coach, but still, every win and every loss is a team effort, it's just that the head coach is accountable to the teams owners. The poor Chiefs need something because they've fallen off the boat and they're treading water up and over their heads at times. I love to watch the Chiefs and I believe that they are a great team. Sorry Brian, I know Patrick was asking you. I'll go back to my corner now!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

I guarantee you that both the axe kick and ridge hands are controllable techniques. The knockouts aren't as accidental as you think. I agree with you on the ridge hand, never said it was not controllable, however I disagree with you on the axe kick. You bring your leg up as high as you can and drop it...well you can pick your target but that kick is going to land and it is not going to be friendly. Show me how you are going to stop it a half inch or abouts from the target to show control...you are going to hit someone....and if your target is the shoulder but you nail the back of the head on a bent over partner...well it aint going to be nice. I suggest that you either talk to or train with the TKD people where the axe kick is a staple technique. They land axe kicks on each other all the time in a friendly way without hurting each other. How? They don't drive their hips into their kicks when they don't want to hurt someone and hey make contact with the area between their calf and heel, rather than their heel. There is still some contact, but to those on the receiving end it feels like a slap. Sometimes the make contact then drive their hips in and push you to the ground just to make a point. But it's an intentional push intended to not harm you. Solid post brickshooter!!

Exactly, I have told parents that try and "Teach at home" what we do at the club...and make a mess of it or try to "add to it" is "you send your kid to me to learn and you pay good money, please leave that to me"...and try to get them to join as well. I love it when parent(s) help their child/children practice at home, but please...practice what we've been teaching and don't change it because a parent(s) shouldn't assume a position that they don't possess. And while the parent(s) intents is to help, it's actually not helping, because now I've got a totally confused student trying to please parent(s) and the Sensei...poor kid(s).

Yeah, but imho, that side kick looked more like a push and not a kick, but nonetheless, the poor guy was horizontal and unmoving. He did look like he was preparing himself for the knock out though, he just didn't know when. For a street fighter he didn't do much fighting at all I was thinking the very same thing. The street fighter was posing more than attacking instead of driving in to engage the one in the sweats. "He who hesitates, meditates horizontal"~~Ed Parker

Yeah, but imho, that side kick looked more like a push and not a kick, but nonetheless, the poor guy was horizontal and unmoving.