sensei8

There seems to be something quite intriguing about having a 3-belt system, like back in the good old days; White, Brown. and Black. I've also seen White, Green, and Brown before Black. Might seem ambivalence to consider either of those belt systems especially in today's MA world because students seem to be much more motivated whenever they see a plethora of Kyu belts; something for them to see and to look forward to. Any decided upon belt system will have their own pros and cons to deal with. As a CI, I decide, and with that being said, the student body has to just get on board with the belt system that's before them...or train somewhere else. Whether it be a 3 or 4 or 7 or 9 belt system, or of some other creature, as a CI my main interest is in teaching effectiveness across the board because rank isn't why any student should be on any floor to begin with. I do understand and respect the marketing behind them all. Just pick one belt system, stay with it, create the most effective curriculum and all, then get on the floor and teach!!

Congrats for reaching that KF milestone. I've thoroughly enjoyed your posts since the first. Thank you for all of your contributions here at KF. Now, onward and upward to your next KF milestone...I see 5K and more in your immediate future.

OK...here's my prediction for the ALCS... Astros in 6...unless they want to be at home for game 7. I pray that I'm way wrong!! Astros starting pitching rotation is no joke and well rested. The Yankees are not rested at all, plus, the Yankee bullpen of late is akin to an empty wishing well. Just trying to keep it real. However, being a die-hard Yankee fan, I'm going to support the Yankees to win the ALCS over the Astros in 7. I pray that I'm way right. GO YANKEES!!

Saddened me a bit that they both are retiring but they are following their hearts, so I can't fault them at all, not that I would in the first place. Pujolis banging away to the 700 club is something I'll always remember. A tiny part of me wanted Pujolis to challenge Bonds home run record, but that's me.

Yeah, that's not much of surprise that the Royals dropped their GM and manager. MLB is one of the hardest jobs to keep, and when your team ends up in last place in the standings, heads start being chopped off. American League Central is a tough place to be in, more so than any other place in the MLB. 65-97 record is backwards, and when you end up under 500%, owners trim the fat fast. Last year your Royals had a tad better record, ending up in 4th place. which as of late, 4th and 5th place seems to be their place to be all the way back to 2017. Royals haven't seen 1st place in the American Central until 2015, of which your Royals won the World Series. Downslides in the MLB is death to the GM and/or Managers, after all, Managers/GM are to blame for a team's, ahem, concerns. Can blame the owner but you can't fire the owner. Again, the American Central is not a fun place for any team to be in. Look what happened to Moore, as a indication just how fragile jobs are in the MLB. Moore was GM for the Royals since 2009, then just this season, Moore was promoted to President of Baseball Operations to be then fired. MLB motto...Here today, Gone tomorrow!! The Royals, not too long ago, were a royal team...a formidable team to be reckoned with. They will be once again. GO YANKEES!!

It's been 3 years since anyone has posted in this thread, of which I usually do, but haven't since 2019. Well, today I was prompted to do so because I've something to cheer about. The Yankees, who've won 27 World Series hasn't seen the land of World Series Championship since 2009...that's far too long. So today, the Yankees won the ALDS in 5 games against Cleveland with the score of 5-1 in Yankee Stadium. No rest for the weary because of 2 rain delays in the ALDS, the Yankees have to fly immediately to Houston, TX to play tomorrow with no rest. The Astros swept Seattle Mariners, 3-0 games to earn their right to play in the ALCS. So, tomorrow begins the ALCS with the Astros at Minute Maid Park for a best of 7 games. The Astros as of late for many years has become a thorn in the side of the Yankees. Since 2017 the Astros have reached the World Series 3 different times...2017, 2019, 2021...Astros won the World Series in 2017, and lost to the Braves in 2021. The Astros have dashed the hopes of the Yankees during the postseason efforts, which end up in the favor of the Astros. Here's what it looked like each time the Yankees played the Astros in the postseason since 2015... **2015 AL Wild Card Game against the Houston Astros of which the Yankees Lost, 1-0 (3-0 score) **2017 AL Championship Series against Houston Astros of which the Yankees Lost, 4-3 **2019 AL Championship Series against Houston Astros of which the Yankees Lost, 4-2 Here we are once again in the ALCS against the Astros of which I pray that history doesn't repeats itself. Both teams have been very strong during the 2021 regular season. Astros had every right to smile with a commanding record of 106-56, and the Yankees even had a proud smirk on their faces with a respectful record of 99-63 plus 2021 regular season had Aaron Judge setting the Home Run Record with 62 home runs. Not too shabby for either team during the 2021 MLB season. Both teams want to return to the World Series for their own reasons. On the NLCS side, the Padres VS the Phillies; this series should prove to be quite exciting across the board. The NLCS begins tonight at PETCO Park. The Padres 2021 regular season record was 89-73, while the Phillies earned a 2021 regular season of 87-75. Either of these teams would be a formidable opponent for either the Astros or the Yankees in the World Series. GO YANKEES!!

Generally speaking, ... I believe that the Motobu Drills are a decent introduction to close-up fighting. Within Shindokan, we've never officially trained them because our close-up fighting goals are to bet behind our opponents. I've trained in the Motobu Drills outside of the Shindokan circle whenever I cross trained. Getting close to an opponent willingly takes nerves of steel, but at the very same time, preventing your opponent from jamming your intent(s) at the same time, or near same time, takes some added umph. That's where what Motobu called "Husband and Wife Hands" comes critically in play. Can't just get up close and personal without employing your hands in a mature way. What I call, in chess, hidden/discovered/capture/check/checkmate moves. That's why we train our students with the Wing Chun Dummy from nearly day one. It takes tons of maturity to live close and personal with an opponent that's heck bent on ripping your head off your shoulders. If the Motobu Drills help one to improve their effectiveness, then go for it but not in a passing fashion.

Personally, in the head role of Miyamoto Musashi, I'd prefer Hiroyuki Sanada, from The Last Samurai, over Tak Sakaguchi. Both have MA backgrounds, which don't always make a MA movie, but how Sanada has much more effective flow in his transitions and all.

$2.4M?? Are there more pictures of the inside/outside?? Not that I can afford that house, but I'm a looky-loo.

My routines/rituals? As boring as it might sound, mine is to train one way or another each day, except on Sunday's. I do have to admit, I do love Miick 11's post. Well, that's it.

Hey, mitzipunk4, welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

While Shindokan practitioners are stepped heavily in not ever backing up, I see no problem in an occasional backing up in tournaments and the like. Shoot, I was infamous for backing up in order to draw my opponent in towards me, and then score at the interception point in my tournament days.

I pray that your issue with your side works itself out sooner, rather than later. Zach is doing great. He's dealing with the Testing Cycles like I encourage my students to do because the Testing Cycle ALWAYS takes care of itself. Oftentimes, students have their way at the dojo, and while it can be frustrating for you to watch Zach mess around and not try his hardest, and while you're his dad, if the CI isn't getting on Zach for his actions, good or bad, then just silently shake your head, and let the CI run the floor. I was a goof off myself when I was Zach's age. Why? Because I was just a kid, a kid doing the MA. Dai-Soke was strict but not so much that he too just shook his head and let the kids be kids. I trained, and I goofed off, but when it came time for me to be serious, Testing Cycle or not, I was dead serious, especially at Testing Cycle's because anything but respect and seriousness would cost dearly; to our Soke and Dai-Soke that was Holy Ground. This right there, is the beauty of Karate. While styles differ, they also are the same darn thing when one looks at them without blinders/loyalties. You're maturing as a MAist, and even more so as a Karateka. Train hard and train well, my friend. You're strongly becoming quite well-rounded both as a student and as an instructor in the most definitive way possible. I want to thank you for being transparent in the sharing of Zach and yours MA journey in the most possible way. I've thoroughly enjoyed the readings immensely. Train hard and train well.

"Practical" is based on the perception of the practitioner. Effectiveness must be examined carefully. The video link offered is a decent starting place. In your OP you demonstrate your understanding of the difference between "classic" and "practical". I instruct my students to drill the "practical" Kihon but not until they have a respect for the "classical" Kihon because the "classical" gives birth to the "practical", which is both natural, and most importantly, natural across the board.

Wife hangs Halloween themed things off our front door. That's about it.

Stretch your hip flexors...but carefully. Do your research before you start decide to stretch your hip flexors because the ruling is still out if one should or shouldn't stretch the hip flexors. I'll be 65 in two weeks, and I STILL stretch my hip flexors, but I stretch slow and careful. The hip flexors are near the top of your thighs which are key to moving your lower body...kicking is of the lower body. There are different types of stretching routines, but once again, I must stress extreme caution when stretching your hip flexors. In addition to stretching the hip flexors, do some lunge and thigh stretches as well. Be safe. Good luck.

Season 6 news...something about some delay and time jump... https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/cobra-kai-season-6-delay-could-result-in-a-much-needed-time-jump/ar-AA12vjOe?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=2ed48b6e36a54946e33192e974fbdfef Interesting.

Congrats, aurik; very much deserved!!

Moths to the flame. If your dojo has a reputation of solid integrity and effectiveness and consistency, and not gimmicks, that prospective adult student will darken your dojo's door...if you build it, they will come.

Congrats to everyone at your dojo, aurik. Thank you for sharing the pictures. I believe that Zach is right on course, and that he'll do just fine. ZACH...you hang in there; train hard and train well!!

I understand your plight to the Nth degree, and having said that, you've a solid Kyu understanding already. My concern is that without training under the watchful eye of an instructor, your techniques will stymie because they won't mature, and maturing in one's techniques is paramount to one's effectiveness. Imho!!

No, it's out on Netflix now. I've got the first two episodes down, and so far, so good. Chozen is a lot of fun so far.Sounds good to me. Thank you. Brian!! My son, Nathan, tells me today that he has already watched the entire new season. Better late than never.

I thought that the N E W season did NOT start until early 2023

Every day in every Martial Arts school worldwide there’s not one student and/or one Chief Instructor and their teaching staff that haven’t ever uttered the most depraving words know to humanity regarding to the learning and/or teaching the Martial Arts to themselves and/or to those in the sound of their voice…IMPOSSIBLE!! Oh, whatever it is, if it’s involving the Martial Arts, it has a nagging and nasty habit in making everything Martial Arts seem quite impossible to achieve, as though one’s abilities, in any regard, has a shelf life of its own that’s about to expire or has already expired. However!! But!! These words negate any possibilities before they ever can achieve any positive altitude. “You’ve got what it takes. But…” “There’s nothing that you can’t achieve. However…” Oftentimes, and with malicious intent, these words can destroy right down to the core of anyone. Say what you mean and mean what you say. IM-POSSIBLE!! I'm Possible!! They say it’s impossible!! HA!! I say to that…I’m Possible!! They say that it’s impossible to pass the Testing Cycle…HA…I’m Possible!! They say that it’s impossible to own/operate a MA school and/or be its CI…HA…I’m Possible!! They say that it’s impossible to train in the MA…HA…I’m Possible!! They say that it’s impossible to earn a Black Belt or any other rank…HA…I’m Possible!! Impossible!?! HA!! To all of the doubters...I’m Possible!!

Operation London Bridges!! Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned over the U.K. for 70 years, dies at 96. Her family was at her bedside. Charles is now King Charles III. My sincerest prayers and condolences to her family as well as to the people of the U.K. this sad and mournful time. RIP Queen Elizabeth II!!