sensei8

Evolving: "To undergo gradual change; develop" Dissolving: "To lose clarity or definition; fade away" Stagnant: "Not moving or flowing; motionless" For the sake of this topic/thread through discussion, I want you to honestly answer this question about YOUR style... Comparing to the founder of your style, is that style evolving or dissolving or stagnant? Between those three listed; either "it/one" is or "it/one" isn't; there's no middle ground and/or no political correct answer, imho. The founder of your style, before he/she passed away, names his/her successor...Just how solid is he/she across the board? I mean, just how good/great/amazing are/is, for example, Helio Grace named Rorion Gracie as his successor; he's a 9th Dan in BJJ. However, can Rorion effectively continue the visions of their brand of BJJ so that BJJ can evolve in the future?? Whomever* was the first successor of Shotokan under its founder; Gichin Funakoshi, was this karateka effective in continuing the visions of the brand of Shotokan so that Shotokan can evolve in the future? This applies to any founder and style you'd like to pick, still, the question above still stands. Mediocrity runs the gambit all around the world and the MA isn't immune from it no matter the genre, and in that, mediocre MA styles turn out mediocre instructors who turn out mediocre students. Does the ultimate responsibility lie in the sole lap of the chosen successor? Yes!! In that, I believe that the accountability should be shared with everyone within that said style of the MA. For example... Leadership: Those entrusted to carry on the legacy as well as the integrity of said style of the MA are in a higher rung in the "Ladder of Accountability", aka, the Chain of Command. The higher the rung, the more demanded of them, than those in the lower rungs. Can/is the leadership of your style effective in the leadership for the betterment of your style?? Higher Ranks: Senior ranks, 6th Dan to 8th Dan, are accountable of the student body learning the curriculum to the letter from black belts, 1st Dan to 5th Dan. 7th Dan and 8th Dan are accountable of ensuring that the black belts from 1st Dan to 6th Dan are teaching the curriculum to the exact letter of every student Kyu and Dan below 7th Dan. 9th Dan and 10th Dan are ultimately accountable for the entire student body, no matter the ranking level. No higher rank is excused and/or above the law of accountability concerning the curriculum and the like. Even more so, the successor must ensure that their brand EVOLVES throughout time. Black Belts: Those who have the honor bestowed upon them of a Yudansha (black belt) are accountable of the Kyu ranks from day one. Deviating from the vision, technically speaking, should be and must be encouraged as proper research is proven to be accurate and effective. Otherwise, the style starts to dissolve and/or stagnant in a downward spiral to it's own demise. However, the vision, growth speaking, aka the mission statement, should remain in tact of the founder of said style. Core of the student body: I'm not asking that the student core follow those entrusted in every aspect of ensuring the said style remains effectiveness throughout its existence, and this is to include but not limited to the curriculum and the like. Those over the Kyu ranks must teach in the line of the founder because it's been proven to be effective across the board. Act like a MAist and not like a dancer, impressing for the sake of the show. When others see you performing your style of the MA, you're representing that style of the MA. Everyone has one chance to make a positive impression on whomever is watching. Either they like what they see or they don't. If they do, then as a member of the student body, you've done your job admirably across the board. But if you don't, then as a member of the student body, you've not done your job. Which part of the student body do you want to be; solid or a joke? Eventually the best of the best and the cream of the crop will be gone. So what can you do? Make sure that you and your students are the best of best and the cream of the crop! Don't fail!! *Either the first successor of Shotokan was Gigo Funakoshi, Shigeru Egami, Isao Obata, or Masatoshi Nakayama, nothing, imho, specifically points to the exact first successor of Shotokan...so, pick one.

No matter ones rank, every practitioner of the MA goes through thimes where something within their journey has to be addressed and/or dealt with, whether it's training and/or MA betterment related. I must be dealt with, and it must be dealt with in a respectful time frame, prolonging it until tomorrow doesn't erase the issue; time waits for no one. However, that doesn't mean that it can be solved in one day; time in this case, is a welcomed friend, nonetheless, you've started the ball rolling by recognizing it and doing something about it. It's your MA journey. It's your training. Don't let someone sway you away from taking the necessary actions; either fix it or don't. You make the final decision. Others might tell you that what you're recognizing is meaningless, foolish, a waste of time, and/or unimportant. Perception is reality to "that" person. If the others are correct with their assumptions after all, then that's fine. Accept it and move on, but only when you're satisfied. Don't rush it!! If you rush to a snap decision, you might overlook some important detail(s). I believe that having a respectful since of urgency from time to time balances our MA betterment. However, being obsessive disrupts improvement because time must be allowed within any given learning curve. Just relax and train; let the training take care of itself but be accountable to it.

JusticeZero offers up some great idea's for you to consider. jimster93 I can respect that because school can be consuming across the board. Having said that, if one has time to watch tv or do non-school work on ones computer or play video games; one can always find the time to train. A few moments here and a few moment there will add up positively throughout any given week. Hang in there and good luck. Please let us know how things are going.

Solid post!!

There is value here. I wholeheartedly concur with MP here!!

Solid post!!

First of all...I'd like to welcome you to KarateForums.com!! A place for MAists for all styles of the MA to gather from all over central Minnesota and the like for the purpose of training exchanges and discussions across the board...Yeah...I think that sounds great. Wish I was in central Minnesota because I'd check it out!! Good luck with it and let us know how it goes!!

Instructors will differ in the way they delve out punishments to their students, in that, a student should determine if said punishment(s) are something that they don't want to be a part of whether it's short term or long term. I've my ways, but I believe that my ways are quite firm, yet quite positive. If not, then my students aren't obligated to stay, and in that, I won't hold anything against them. Students have to make their choices for themselves, and parents have to make choices for their children(s). Again, the summation of "why" is to the summation of "because"....on both sides of the fence...imho.

I wholeheartedly concur with what Brian and Danielle have said. Great topic Lupin1.

Extremely well said. I've face-planted more than once while learning to blitz. It's a humbling experience, to say the least, but quite tutorial, on the other hand.

Standardizing kata is a bad idea because, imho, practitioners of the MA are suppose to evolve, and so is the kata. Standards of kata(s) can only stagnate the evolution of the MA, and this is to include kata. Hence...interpretation(s) and the like of any said kata.

The blitz is suppose to be that...an alarming and overwhelming surprise, especially for someone's whose never experienced a blitz. There's not enough earth to prepare one for a well executed blitz; one can back-up/retreat all they want until they're overcame by the torrential rush. However, an unskilled practitioner executing their first blitz can find themselves off balanced and tripping over their own feet at the most improper time. Those who can handle the most prepared blitz with an uncanny ease aren't going to succumb to many things unless they're just caught totally by surprise.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Thanks to everyone!! Brian, it's all good my friend...no harm and no foul. Now...I'm a senior citizen official...55 years old...but the best thing is...DISCOUNTS....heheheheheheeheheheheheeheheee

Will they have enough women for the long haul?

His extension is spot on. Thanks for sharing!!

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. Martial artists aren't alone in the search of perfection. Seeking perfection has become an obsession of a type. For a martial artist, that type is the perfection of their techniques. Seconds upon seconds, minutes upon minutes, hours upon hours, days upon days, months upon months and years upon years are spent in finding just that one "perfect" technique. Yet, at the very moment that one "perfect" technique has finally been discovered, it has passed even faster. Therefore, the quest for that perfection begins once again. Perfection is an illusion because man is flawed; hence, man is imperfect, and in that, what is often sought after isn't possible. That doesn't mean that we have to stop trying and trying and trying because that is what's primordial about the martial arts. I try, not because I have to, but it's because I want to, therefore, I must try over and over at all times. I will never know what's just over the horizon unless I continue in my martial arts journey... until. Until?! Then what? I don't remember who it was that said, and please forgive my paraphrasing and/or incorrect citation, the following: "Out of 10,000 kata/techniques, you might have 1 perfect kata/technique." Whoever it was who spoke those profound words, spoke to the practice of kata, but nonetheless, techniques comprise an entire kata; like notes comprise an entire sonata. Therefore, for the sake of this article, I've substituted the word "kata" with the word "technique(s)," if only to illustrate my meaning. To me, the key word in this entire quote above is the underlined word "might." That directly speaks to an unsure possibility of an unswerving determination during ones martial arts journey. Accept it, and embrace it, because the realization of never ever reaching ones goal of that 1 perfect technique surely doesn't mean one should quit practicing. Why should one practice, especially if one will never reach perfection in ones techniques? It's simple: the summation of why is the summation of because. To me, that's enough to still seek until I reach perfection. If I've not found perfection in my technique, haven't I in fact, failed? No way! "I have not failed 700 times, I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work." - Thomas Edison [1] Just because a martial artist might've repeatedly stumbled while on their journey, that doesn't mean that they've failed in their pursuit for that one consummate technique. No way! In our hopes for that one unblemished technique, we uncover the truth: not all martial artists are indistinguishable. Trying doesn't come without any difficulties. Get up, dust yourself off, and find the way that will work. I will train UNTIL. I will practice UNTIL. I will seek UNTIL. I will strive UNTIL. I will forge my body UNTIL. I will punch, kick, block, strike, bite and claw UNTIL. I will polish UNTIL. I will chip away UNTIL. I will add and/or discard UNTIL. I will discover UNTIL. I will seek UNTIL. I will continue to improve UNTIL. I will continue to focus UNTIL. I will, I will, I will, I will, I will... UNTIL I exist no more. When I finally find, and/or when I finally reach perfection in my techniques, that will pass because the journey continues still, without an end in sight. Perfection continues to play its game of illusion. Any game requires players and every game has rules. Look! "Now" is here! Wait! "Now" has passed! No! "Now" is here again! Wait some more! "Now" vanished again! "Now" is opulent through the illusion of obtaining just one perfect technique. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." - Shunryu Suzuki [2] Even in the above quote, I sincerely believe that the word "until" should've been added. In this case, the beginning martial artist, because of their pure innocence, sees the many possibilities of each and every technique... for now... UNTIL. Until forces the beginner to cast off their innocence of said technique through the acquired maturity of more experience. Practice begets experience. Experience begets knowledge. Knowledge begets perfection. Perfection begets illusion. Illusion begets mired satisfaction. The expert martial artist isn't any better off than the beginner. The expert over analyzes their techniques until there's nothing left but utter frustration. The expert senses that any possibility of obtaining that one perfect technique might become fewer. Techniques become more scrutinized as that veil of proficiency is interrupted by an unsure feeling. Fatigue causes doubt in one's own ability to properly execute said technique flawlessly, especially while practicing that same said technique for the billionth time. Nonetheless, the expert begins to imagine the worst since they've "failed" that technique just once during that particular set. The expert must still practice over and over UNTIL. UNTIL he/she either gets the technique right, or UNTIL he/she gets the technique wrong. Who determines whether that said technique is right or wrong? Only a perfectionist can determine this. The line between right or wrong becomes blurred. Perfection demands the beginner and the expert to never accept that it's about as perfect as it will ever be UNTIL the next time. We are our worse critics, as most are, because we're never content no matter the results. Then it happens! It really happens. The martial artist, beginner or expert, finally finds that one perfect technique UNTIL... UNTIL the search resumes. Wow! Good grief! Back to square one! I'd have it no other way! References: [1] learningmatters.com. Copying with Failure. [2] Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0079-9

Absolutely!!

I think that's great that you got to continue learning requirements through the rank of sandan.My question is, what the difference between knowing those requirements as a junior, and knowing them when you came of age to hold the rank? To me, it seems a formality of age, and not of passing on knowledge. Unless I'm missing something that I would understand better being a Shindokan stylist, not knowing the intricacies of what you learned when you did. The difference is night and day. However, the knowledge was passed on, BUT the By-Laws are the By-Laws, and in that, age tenure is a formality that Soke was unforgiving with. My Dai-Soke could've just emphasized the three K's to an extraordinary level instead, but he allowed us to also learn the requirements. Remember, I hated it, but there was nothing I could do against the By-Laws, which were created by Soke and Dai-Soke. Oh yeah...I've the ability to initiate change within the By-Laws as Kaicho, but I won't because I do see the value in the decision(s)of Soke and Dai-Soke, and in that, I do understand and respect them across the board.

I remember you showing me Wankan, Bob. Good fun. I think I still remember Naifanchi, too. When my arm gets better, I'll be reviewing and practicing it with more zeal once again. Yes...good fun. I'm quite sure that you remember Naifanchi and that you'll rock and roll it with a lot of umph.

This tends to make me repeat my original post.

To the bold type above...Recognition for your student's rank by an organization, whether it be small/medium/large, will be hard to come by. Why? Politics won't allow it or will make it practically impossible. Your rank is valuable only within your current organization, whereas in another organization, your rank is far less than one might think.

To the first bold type above...Imho, and what my Dai-Soke taught us was that the "do" is an important element to Karate, thus the word Karate-do. To the second bold type...I agree, the "do" isn't necessary to every MA/MAist, unless one's involved in karate, thus, karate-do.

My question and concern with any forms training, is can you learn the things proposed to be learned in the forms, without the forms? If you learn the applications through the forms, then why not focus more on the applications, and less on the forms. Because it appears that if the applications are what is important, especially for self-defense, then why not do what is important for that aspect of the training? This is why I wonder about forms sometimes. I think they can be a good tool. But I don't think they are always the most important tool, or the most necessary tool. To the first bold type above...Yes you can learn the things proposed to be learned in the forms, without the forms. And to the second bold type above...the kata is important for that aspect of the training. WHY? You answered it yourself...where? In the third bold type above...it's a tool for most karateka's, and in that, kata is a important tool and it's a necessary tool BUT it's not the most important/necessary tool within a karateka's three K's.