sensei8

Well deserved, Alex, for sure!!

I wholeheartedly agree with Brian. If you've any aspirations of one day being a CI of your own dojo, you're on the right track. Even if you've no aspirations of ever owning/operating your own dojo, you're still on the right track. You've the abilities to still teach, and the only thing separating you from teaching the more advanced classes is, you got it, more knowledge and experience, of which you will achieve in its appropriate time. Keep doing what you're doing. From what I've read is that you've the heart of a teacher, and having that true heart is quite important because you have to want to be on that floor day/night in and day/night out with that same fire and vigor in order to catch the desires of the Student Body. If teaching appeals to you because not everyone can teach. Train hard and train well. You got this.

I don't want anyone's approval, but I'd appreciate support without having to fit into their expectations first, and if I don't fit into their expectations as they want, then to that person, I'M NOT ENOUGH!! The very end of that quote is where people feed those around them that no matter what one does, it's NOT ENOUGH!! NO!! I'M ENOUGH!! Not because someone said so, but because I SAID SO!! I'm not on this planet to please anyone, especially everyone, so my trying to please some of the people in any capacity to feed their ego is not healthy. I'M ENOUGH!! I walked in a dojo, and that's NOT ENOUGH!?! I still continue to walk into a dojo, and that's NOT ENOUGH!?! I train in a dojo, but because I've hit a plateau, everything before I hit that plateau, I'm NOT ENOUGH!?! I'm just a student, and that's NOT ENOUGH!?! Yesterday, today, and tomorrow I'M ENOUGH!! Before I decided to train in the MA, I'M ENOUGH!! When, and if, I ever stop training in the MA, I'M ENOUGH!! No matter the results of any Testing Cycle, I'M ENOUGH!! If I decide to not attend a Testing Cycle, I'M ENOUGH!! I'm a Senior Dan practitioner of the MA, guess what, I'M ENOUGH without it. I can't sing, but I'M ENOUGH!! I'm not a doctor, but I'M ENOUGH!! I can't draw, but I'M ENOUGH!! I'm not a CEO, but I'M ENOUGH!! I'm not a lot of things, but I'm ENOUGH!! All I can do is my best, and if my best isn't the best, well, I'M STILL ENOUGH!!

Yes, I agree with Brian...it's great to see your contributions again, Zaine!!

More than often, MAists have been served on a very cold plate one big fat misunderstanding both on and off the floor. MAists are pushed and probed that they need more than themselves. Much of the blame lays upon the mighty dollar. That mighty dollar can be thrusted into any vessel and then decorated in such a way that that vessel looks not only inviting but swallowed as though that bobble is a must have and a must be at any cost. Including integrity. Rank is the evilness that it truly is, and because of that, I place rank as the most wanted thing in any MA school. It’s not an illusion. It’s a real thing that keeps harping itself anyway that it can. Labels can be a great thing until that great thing becomes more of an obsession to possess than what it really is. Labels can also be something to hide behind, but alas, the floor reveals the truth but only if one can be perfectly honest with themselves. For as long as I can remember, I’m always encouraging my students to believe in themselves on and off the floor. Testing Cycles, relating to Ranks, will always take care of themselves, so as a student, they just need to not worry about any Testing Cycle; they’re just not that important. If you never become a black belt, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If you never earn a MA Honorific Shogo Title, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If you never earn another rank and/or title; YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If you never win any tournaments, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If you never become a part of the Hierarchy in you styles Governing Body, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If you never become a Chief Instructor, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If you never open your own MA school, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If your never receive another promotion, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! If you never ever earn anything beyond what you’ve already honestly earned in the MA, YOU ARE ENOUGH…LIKE YOU ARE!! You do not need all of those labels; YOU ARE ENOUGH!! Being yourself should always be enough. Without getting to religious, God made YOU, and guess what?? YOU ARE ENOUGH!! He made you; you’re His child, so guess what?? YOU ARE ENOUGH…LIKE YOU ARE!! Things come to those who diligently, patiently, and strive for, however, if it never happens again, YOU ARE ENOUGH!! I believe that once a person embraces the fact that without whatever it is that one's searching for that that person IS ENOUGH, the person will be able to much more effective as a person, and even as a MAist. Sure, it’s easy for someone like me to embrace that which I’m sharing with you because I’ve been blessed greatly during my 55 years on the floor, but as hard as it might be to believe, without all of that stuff, I’M ENOUGH!! Imho.

Well, I still remember Karate Chess or was it Chess Karate. Anyhow, I obviously don't have one shred of imagination and/or creativity whatsoever to be able to come up with an effective way of competition that eliminates any current scoring platform. Perhaps, just perhaps, the only point that can be awarded without any ambiguity would be when said opponent is felled to the ground by said technique. Knocking someone to the ground is not only visual, but also definitive.

Per the webmaster, I'm not authorized to view. How rude.

Then, Tsutomu Oshima has to be JCVDs Shotokan lineage. Solid lineage!!

Sounds to me like you're new gi purchase is a smashing success all the way around. I've never purchased any gi's from the company you mention, but they sound like at least worthy of a look at. Enjoy the new gi!!

This might help to answer some of your questions. Check it out... https://web.archive.org/web/20060405094621/http://www.jeanclaudevandamme.net/articles.htm

I believe that it would catch on like a brush fire. Put a table up at a tournament, small or big, and you just might be spending your days counting your million dollars. After all, the inventor of the Pet Rock, laughed all the way to the bank.

Thank you so very much, Zaine for your support and thoughts during this fight. Often times I think about my KF family and what we've all been through, whether it be good or bad, and how we band together supporting one another sincerely. Doing our best for one another, doing what's morally right for one another. A supportive word does go a long way, and is as important as medicine can be. In my lowest times up moments, and I've had tons of them these past two years, you, my KF family have helped me pull up my bootstraps, and have reminded me that 7 times down, 8 times up is not just a catch phrase, but that it has teeth. Thank you, Zaine!! Thank you all!!

Over the decades I've seen pockets come and go. Century MA Supplies once had blue jeans that had a built-in gusset and pockets. For your reasons, I do think pockets in the gi pants is a functional purpose. Imho, tradition seems to trump pockets in gi pants because they buck culture designs of the gi pants. I say...POCKETS...or at least POCKET!!

Thank you, Brian for your friendship, support and love!!

I echo what Brian said wholeheartedly!!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support; it means everything to me and my family. UPDATE: ELLIGARD TREATMENT SHOT: August 4, 2022, I received my shot of Elligard. Was supposed to have that shot on August 3, 2022, but the wrong treatment medication was ordered. To avoid that mistake in the future, I have to tell the scheduler to order Eligard. Come to find out, my treatment shot falls under a code for Leuprolide Acetate, therefore, various medications fall under that code, which means Elligard must be specified. I have to start insisting the nurse to NOT give me that shot until my injection area is completely NUMB by the ice, which it wasn't when I received my treatment shot and that darn thing HURT towards the end of the injection. It didn't hurt as much as it could've without any ice, but even that little bit HURT...it hurt for about 10 minutes off and on. Dr. Goodman: Visited Dr. Goodman on August 8, 2022. Here's what was discussed... >Dr. Goodman is extremely pleased with how I'm responding to my treatments so far. GREAT NEWS!! >My PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) which is the protein that cancer can feeds off went from 0.06 to 0.00 GREAT NEWS!! >I will maintain my current treatment shot schedule of getting my Elligard once every 4 months. I was hoping to be placed on Maintenance Treatment Shots, which would mean that I'd only get 1 Treatment shot of Elligard per year. Dr. Goodman says he'd put me on Maintenance Shots if I really wanted to. However, he recommends that for now, we maintain the current treatment shot schedule. NOT SO GREAT NEWS, but understandable!! >Bone Density Scan indicate that I've thin bones. Dr. Goodman can prescribe medication that can increase my done density; however, I've got to finish my dental work next year first. Meanwhile, my D3 was increased from 1,000 IU to 2,0000 IU daily. >Dr. Goodman ordered a CT scan or my Chest/Abdomen/Pelvis without Contrast and another Full Body Bone Density Scan for the end of October. Dr. Goodman believes that what cancer might've been on my Spine's T12 and L4 are inclusive, so to make sure, a scanning I will go. GREAT NEWS!! >Next appointment is on November 8, 2022, for a follow-up. Dr. Becker: Visited Dr. Becker for my 6-week follow-up. Here's what was discussed... >I informed Dr. Becker about what Dr. Goodman told me during my appointment. Dr. Becker liked all that Dr. Goodman told me. >Because of the Scans Dr. Goodman has ordered, Dr. Becker has no reason to order an MRI of my Spine's T12 and L4. Dr. Becker and Dr. Goodman always exchange patient information, which puts me at ease. >Next appointment is November 9, 2022, for a follow-up. All in all, I praise God for His healing touch!!

I just wanted to take this time to welcome Rolystrong to KF; glad that you're here!!

Stay with what you're more familiar with. Remember, effectiveness needs to be at the Nth degree. Live resistive training is key.

Difficult to separate the two because they're often hand in hand. Nothings stopping you. Nonetheless, what credibility would a Governing Body have under a Shodan?? Still, one can do with whatever they want across the board with their own Governing Body. The masses say that one should be a Sandan to start a dojo and teach and having been in the administrative side of a Governing Body, running a Governing Body can be quite difficult. That is the consensus, and the preferred rank is Sandan, as a minimum. However, help of a Sandan can add some credibility to your testing panel. Either way, you can still promote to Sankyu, which is of no shame. After all, by the time your students earn Sankyu, you should be Sandan. Many CI's only run their dojo at night while their main source of income comes from a full-time job during the day. So, why not!?! Things are not a simple as night and day when it comes to constructing a system. Testing a system requires a lot of hand holding with the MA communities. Securing goodwill isn't that cut dry within the MA communities. Seems possible yet quite challenging. Good luck!

Offer and teach them separately; gives your customer base choices. If not that, then I'd teach the style that I'm ranked the highest in, especially if it's the core style. If I offered different classes per question #1 above, I'd enform the student that I offer an eclectic curriculum, so, whichever class the student enrolls into, I teach exactly that style. If I offer only my core, then I'd inform the student exactly what the core is. Point being, I'd be honest in my answer(s); credibility depends on it. Yes!! Prospective students are much more concerned with effectiveness, and in that, they might care if the style was a Baskin Robbins style...or not. Tell the student the truth. Nothing better than the truth. Credibility ends at the first lie. Don't let any Governing Body define you, your dojo, and your students. Teach whatever you want however you want to; it's your dojo...you're the CI. If the Governing Body throws a fit, then let them. Can't serve two masters...pick one and defend your principles. The Governing Body can only do so much to an affiliated dojo, like remove their authority over your testing cycles and the like. Reminds me of what Abraham Lincoln said about pleasing people. Just be honest and yourself; integrity means everything!! Imho.

Congrats, R5ky; well deserved!! I too enjoy your contributions here at KF!!

This can be a tough one to answer after being on the floor for over 5 decades... 1. Seeing the smile on the faces of my students whenever they have a Aha Moment!! 2. Having my Hanshi bestowed upon me!! 3. Getting together for a weekend of training with my friend, Brian, or as you all around here know him, bushido_man96!!

You and I both are glad that I've made it this far. I don't take this accomplishment lightly whatsoever.

We are our own worse critics, therefore, our own worst enemy. Changes occur and how we deal with those untimely changes can make all of the differences. Plateaus affect the outcomes of any goal and working through them can mean everything. Changes need positive efforts.

No opinions, so far. Anyone? I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this subject. I've my own experiences in this subject, of which, isn't etched in granite, nor is it the only way in this subject; I've learned from my own trials and tribulations in and off the floor.