sensei8

Respectfully I disagree. Why? In any dojo, imho, the MA is not all that matters because the MA is just a part of what's tangible within the dojo, albeit, the MA is the primary source of why any karateka is there. Nonetheless, we're people and in that, we're so different. From the Sensei to the Sempai to the Kohai to the parents, and to the occasional visitor; we're only performing a thing, and in that as well, imho, the people performing the MA are again, are far more important than the MA. I'll briefly address the following... *Parents: Parents don't have to tolerate anything when it concerns their child/children. They've earned that right, and therefore, their the ones who allow their child/children to partake in my dojo or at our Hombu. As a parent, I'll decide what I'm going to allow my children to be exposed to, and not some Sensei or the like. While the MA is becoming important to my child/children, I'll allow it or I won't for the sake of my child/children across the board. Again, the MA is not the only thing that matters and the MA is just a thing, imho. **Student: Students occupy the inner sanctum of any dojo, and in that, they practice and learn the MA. Having said that, the student, both children and adults, are the ones who want to learn the MA; whatever it might be. However, the student doesn't have to join any given dojo if that student doesn't want to for personal as well as professional reason(s). What ever phobia a student might or might not have; it's very important to that student, therefore, I feel that it's much more important than the MA as a whole. Learning the MA is a want and not a need, and in that, understanding that the students perceptions are those of that student and not the Sensei. ***Administration: Truly, the administrator is there to drive the bottom line profitable; to stay in the black and not in the red. Administrators are fire-fighters, in that, they solve one fire [complaints, etc] at a time. Having their pulse on the heart-beat of the dojo is critical because the best fire-fighters control any said fire before it becomes out of hand. If a parent is complaining about a Sensei who leads an alternate lifestyle, the administration needs to gather the necessary and pertinent facts to come to a final ruling/decision, and then move on because any dissension unchecked takes a lot away from the training of the MA. Concentration is key to learning but how can one learn if one's not concentrating on what one's doing; training/learning the MA. Not every decision is easy for a parent, student, and/or administration, however, decisions must be made no matter how popular they may or may not be, therefore the MA suffers from time to time. I care more about the people than I do the MA, and the MA is a very, very important part of my life, but it's a want...it's just a thing.

From the Bo family...I love the Eku [boat oar]; it's both straight and tapered all at the same time.

Solid post!!

For the winner of Hell's Dojo... What would the grand prize be? With Hell's Kitchen, the winner gets to work at one of Gordan's Restaurants as the new Head Chef.

Solid post!!

Thanks for the replies thus far, please keep them coming. Thanks Patrick for your post, it was needed. I struggled in even posting this topic because I wasn't sure how it would be treated and/or received across the board. Again, thanks Patrick!! I purposefully chose the wording..."Alternate Lifestyle" because I didn't want to have a focus on one type over another for one reason(s) or another. I wanted this topic to be taken seriously because according to ones perception, it can be a very serious matter, and one that shouldn't be taken lightly imho. In the OP, I used careful wording as to not offend/upset anyone who might have read it, and therefore, might have hidden deep pain still within them for whatever reason(s). Also, I used....Parent, Student, and Administrator. I'm all three. I'm a parent, and in that, I'm a parent of MAist, namely my daughter, Krystal. I'm a student, and have been for nearly 49 years. I'm an administrator within our Hombu. I choose only those three because I could relate to each and everyone of them both personally as well as professionally. Again, please, as Patrick reminds us all, I want us all to focus around the MA, and in that, it's the MAist that practices the MA. Let the discussion within the given parameters continue...and thank you all for your understandings.

Danielle, EXCELLENT photos...I love them!! And yes, please post more...please. Post anything else you have from the Olympics. I loved your info across the board...thank you so very much. I got more from you than I did from USA TV and/or newspapers...THANKS!! I've seen and used the Axe Kick myself, and the way the Axe Kick was being used by one Olympiad...I sure did not like it's delivering substance at all. Pick up kicking foot real high...hold it up...skip forward to close distance...keep the kick up in the air longer...now...drop kick anywhere on the headgear...point! Again, if that's the "new" Axe Kick...please keep it...I don't want it. I did see one FANTASTIC jump spinning back kick...that didn't score due to a clash between both Olympiads. What was the best/worse match you saw?

Oooohhhh...I wish I was a mouse in your pocket...I would've loved to have been there...lucky you!! USA Today, it's a big newspaper in the USA, had a 7 paragraph article with photo in the LONDON 2012 section, section D, page 5, entitled..."Taekwondo replay gives U.S. Bronze". The photo was of American Terrence Jennings; who beat Brazil's Diogo Silva for the Bronze. The OBS needs to, imho, do a better job covering Judo and TKD, after all, they've both been in the Olympics for some time now...sheech. However, the OBS did cover Fencing quite well. What's one to do?

I've always gotten a kick out of the rule that prohibits any kick to the knee joint, which I concur with, but any combatant can pop the capsule on an elbow...just makes me giggle.

You're quite lucky!! Thanks for your replies to my question. Please tell me you got his autograph or a pic with him...right?

I've a few words to say about this...awesome, finally, alright, fantastic, great, super, wonderful, thank you, *sighs*, and it's about time. Thanks for the article and the anticipated information. YAHOO!!

One can go down the hill as fast as they want ONE TIME, but one can go down the hill slow MANY, MANY TIMES. Wear a cup...macho and a very high squealing voice just don't mix...ya' know. Every single member of our student body knows that I'm famous for doing cup checks before any Kumite session. What I do is have every male line up, I've a female instructor check the females, and then as I'm walking in front and by them...a give their groin a very VERY light tap...I find the ones not wearing one pretty fast, and the ones that are wearing one...they still nervously skip backward...but not fast enough...heheheheheheeheheeeee

I still maintain that my Godan's and above train with me 2-4 hours minimum, albeit, all of our Hachidan's when training with me are required to do at least 2-5 hours. Once a month, Greg and I will do a 6 hour session...our goal...kill any doubt!!

The rebel in me wants to go back a little further on karate's roots and start everyone with naihanchi/tekki. But I think people's heads would explode if there were no Pinan/Hiean series or a Taikyoko You know...I can only imagine that they'd be quite fine with your switch because the Naihanchi/Tekki series, imho, is so dynamic, I think that they'd eventually forget about the Pinan/Heian series all together...well...except the die-hard-in-the-wool who can't stand change, even a little.

Nice kata across the board.

I'd say the all dominating preference to penetrate any said target is the preferred methodology/ideology of Shindokan, and having said that, I do admit that we do our share of "pushing" when engaging our brand of Tuite.

Ok. In Shindokan, snapping and driving hips are at the core of how we generate our power, especially for our short range techniques, and even more so when we're deep inside their "personal space".

Good point, just make sure it's a positive reputation...ya' know.

I'm with you here. I love the straight Bo's, even though I've used the tapered ones before, and in that; I'll take the straight Bo's over the rest.

What was his most covered topic? I'd love to roll with him!!

Look at the bright side, Judo coverage got a couple of "photos." The USA got it's first gold ever. And all that NBC was able to give us is a couple of "photos." Would it kill the NBC budget to lend the USA team a iphone so that they can tape and relay a match? I'm not even suggesting that NBC were to DONATE an iphone to Team USA Judo. I'm talking about letting Team USA Judo BORROW an iphone. Solid post!!

I'm quite disappointed on the very little TV coverage of TKD in the 2012 Olympics. Just the other day...After 7 hours of viewing...I only saw TWO matches, and that's it, and it was towards the end of the 7th hour. Did anyone see more TKD coverage than that? I just don't understand...I suppose that the more mainstream the sport, the more TV coverage. Ouch!!

One doesn't push a board, one penetrates the board [target]!!

In YOUR style, please complete the following... Without the hips... Don't read anything else in it...please.

MYTH: Shindokan is totally dependent on Tuite. FACT: No! It's just our most preferred tool. MYTH: Kyusho jitsu works all of the time. FACT: No it doesn't. To many parameters and the like for it to work all of the time.