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WOW!! Very impressive and very motivational!! Thanks for sharing Danielle!!

Solid post!! Btw, I'd like to welcome you to KarateForums.com

While I don't like/appreciate what Nick and Nate do, in their given venue, what they're doing is quite smart. Why? Brand Managing is all they're doing, and if what they're doing is working, than imho, it's smart marketing. They're the "bad guys" of MMA, and it works. Floyd Mayweather is today's Boxing's "bad guy" and it's working for him all the way to the bank. Brand Managing is very important no matter the business!! No Brand Managing = no money!!

Solid post!!

Shotokan is most definitely a "Japanese" style. While Shotokan is of Shuri-te lineage, it has been heavily influenced by mainland Japan and as such is distinctly different from Okinawan styles in both kata and focus. Moreover, Gichin Funikoshi has had no influence over any of the Okinawan Karate styles and there are many, many styles on Okinawa. Solid Post, OSU!!!! Ditto!!

I bought this DVD from Kanazawa Sensei. Excellent DVD. However, imo, there are slight differences between Kanazawa Sensei's "flavour" (eg skkif and the people who studied under him) of Shotokan and Enoda Sensei's "flavour" (eg JKA and the people that studied under him). As for the fighting stance of Shotokan karate, see . Weight bearing 50/50 between back and front.To be honest, I would strongly recommend training under an instructor to get a better feel of the art. Solid advice!! Stance in your provided video link is zenkutsu dachi even though their stances are more upright and even weighted.

Great advice!!

Congrats jaypo!!

Bad habits are quite difficult to break, if not practically impossible, if left uncorrected properly.

Solid post!!

Solid article across the board there Ed. I thank you for it. Makes one think about ones surroundings when taking a casual walk or when walking to/from the house/car and in/out of public buildings, and what one can find and use should on have to. I surely don't just walk without looking at/for the availability of "weapon(s)" lying on the ground and the like. Great article Ed!!

Congrats and well deserved!!

IMAGINE Imagine the martial art that you’ve trained in means everything to you. Imagine the martial art that you’ve trained in means nothing to others. Imagine that your martial art is all that you’ve ever known. Imagine that your martial art is, according to others, unknown; insignificant. Imagine what the martial arts world would be like without ranks. Imagine what the world would be like without the martial arts. Imagine what the martial art world would be like if styles got along. Imagine the world wide martial arts association existed as it governed in totality. Imagine that the martial arts world without its legendary masters. Imagine that the legendary masters don’t respect the martial artists of today. Imagine the collective minds of the legendary masters condemned politics from its beginning. Imagine the collective minds of today’s masters authorized the politics of today. Imagine that your style of the martial arts teaches only effective techniques. Imagine that those effective techniques lack the freedom of honesty expression. Imagine the vehicle of the martial arts simply just ran out of gas; going nowhere. Imagine that today, every martial artist just simply walked away; today was their last training day. Please, if you would honor yourself, others, and me, add your own line(s) and paragraphs to this Unending poem. Full of everyone’s thoughts from all walks of the martial arts. This poem is for us; martial artist one and all. I prostrate before each and everyone here at KF because of the respect I have for you; my family, as well.

Not if it's difficult!! While I see that your comment was not meant to stir up arguments, you bring up a good point. Only the most dedicated martial artists would be practicing it, and they would be considered "the best" if such an art existed. If an art is so difficult that only a select few can actually participate and train successfully, how can it be the best? I would see the limited success as a con, and therefore not the best. To add to this, it also very much depends on the practitioner of the art. Some people don't have the mentality and/or physique for certain martial arts. Hence, in practice, a skilled Jujitsu practitioner can take out a skilled Karate practitioner and vice versa depending solely on the abilities of the practitioners themselves. What I feel it ultimately comes down to is a matter of preference. What is best for person #1 may not be best for person #2 which may not be best for person #3 and so forth. You could liken it to the firearm caliber debates about 9mm vs .45ACP vs 10mm vs .357mag. All are deadly. It's just some like 9mm more than .357mag and vice versa.Solid post!!

In his days, Steve "Nasty" Anderson had a mean set of blitzes that were hard, if not difficult at times to counter against. Check out his small bio... http://steveandersonkarate.com/trainers.php http://www.usadojo.com/biographies/steve-anderson.htm

Having ones face rearranged must hurt a lot. Thanks for the link MP.

Please check this pic/article out... http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/boxing/tony-pietrantonio-takes-punch-ll-remember-long-time-183510057.html

Whey protein is just another way to add the calories you need, and the protein the muscles need, when trying to gain strength. I'd like to see your scientific proof sometime. Thanks for sharing here. I concur. I'd also like to welcome you, panicfreesteps, to KarateForums.com!!

For each Shindokanist, Titles, as described in the OP, have always been a big part of our/my martial arts training. Our titles mean nothing, and they shouldn't mean anything, to anyone outside of Shindokan. Our titles are ONLY USED DURING FORMAL SETTINGS. That was decreed by our Soke and Dai-Soke; therefore, titles are used appropriately 24/7. It's not wrong, imho, because our Soke and Dai-Soke were both born and raised in Okinawa, and for the student body to expect them to change across the board isn't possible or sensible. They are who and what they are, and in that, the entire student body respects them wholeheartedly and sincerely; and they have earned our respect. What other language(s) should our Soke and Dai-Soke kowtow to besides their own native tongue? To say that their English is terrible wouldn’t be far off. It’s choppy, it’s unclear, and it’s not understood at times. That’s not important to us, but what’s important is that we respect their culture. They may not have mastered the English language, but what’s clear to us, their students, is that they’ve mastered their martial arts, especially Shindokan. The two cultures seem to work in harmony. Whenever I'm on the floor for class I don't require, nor would I allow, any Shindokan student to address me and/or any hierarchy member by our OFFICIAL TITLES. To me, that's inappropriate! Here, and in any informal setting...my name is Bob, that's all, nothing more. When I trained with Brian [bushido_man96] last summer, we only called each other by our first names because it was appropriate and I know I wouldn’t have allowed it any other way, and I’m quite sure, Brain wouldn’t have allowed it any other way either. To me the bold names above should only be valid and/or used in Japan/Korea/China. If so, they shouldn’t be used either. I don't think I should have to apologize for upholding the only practice(s) that we, students of Soke and Dai-Soke, have always known and practiced. It seems quite natural for us. I don't use our Official Titles disrespectfully, nor do I use them to make me seem more important than any man/woman/boy/girl. No. I use them because our Soke and Dai-Soke taught us many things besides just Shindokan. For me to address Soke and Dai-Soke any other way in a formal setting, is a sign of disrespect to them across the board. In an informal setting, I've always addressed either of them by their first names or their last name ending with 'Sensei', and that's because of it just being a habit that's ingrained in my speech. I address Soke and Dai-Soke here at KF, for example, for the simple reason...RESPECT!! I ‘m addressed as Kaicho in all formal setting while performing the duties of my office because it's been decreed to do so in our By-Laws, and I will obey the wishes and commands of our Soke and/or Dai-Soke. It’s for the respect for the office, and nothing more. For example, I don't think that most people would address the President of the United States by his first name, no, and that’s because one respects the office. A captain wouldn’t address any of his/her superiors by their first name, no, and that’s because one respects the office. A captain salutes a major because the salute isn’t for the man/woman, no, it’s for the rank. Formality should be everything whenever it’s due and appropriate. In what way does our formality offend? How is our formality hurting anybody? How does our formality upset anyone? If I’ve offended and/or hurt and/or upset anyone, then my decision will be clear.

In the style of TKD I do we don't really have them. We have are the equivalents of (assistant) teacher, master and grandmaster but these titles go with rank rather than awarded based on some other criteria. Some Korean systems also use kwanjang nim for the head of the school and/or possibly jangsa nim for chief instructor but I don't think you'll find as many terms. I disagree. Something like Kancho (head of the school?*) can be self-awarded. Ignoring whether the person is qualified enough or holds high enough rank to create their own system, I think a term like Kancho, Kaicho or Soke is appropriate as you are the leader or you are the founder of the system. It might not be necessary to have such titles when its just you and a relatively small school, but say you had a number of instructors below you and a whole network of schools, then I think a title conferring leadership is pretty appropriate. As much as we'd like there to be completely no politics in martial arts, a clear hierarchy is sometimes quite useful and a title like Kancho or Kaicho clearly marks who is in charge. This does raise the question of whether you should be using Japanese titles outside of Japan but I think if your martial art is inherently Japanese/Okinawan and you wish to train in that language, then why shouldn't you use these terms? *(btw, if someone could explain the difference between Kancho and Kaicho to me as if I'm an idiot I'd be grateful My Japanese terminology isn't very good and I get mixed up between the two!) Danielle, Within Shindokan; Kaicho means President and Kancho means Vice-President. The word "Kaicho" was chosen by our Soke, and the word "Kancho" was chosen by our Dai-Soke.

This is "not making a big deal" how? Nope. This is me just asking questions to fuel our discussion.

Well, it appears that the Hombu is going with Hugh on this one. Greg and I will have our names ATTACHED just to the right of Soke and Dai-Soke on every certificate from now on to reflect the Hombu's current leadership. For every certificate that followed after Dai-Soke's passing will be redone to reflect Hombu's decision asap!! Our signature will be where Soke and Dai-Soke's signature once was. Soke and Dai-Soke's signature will have a noticeable space between our signatures along with the tag just above their signatures... "Founder" over Soke's signature "Co-Founder" over Dai-Soke's signature. This doesn't mean that Dai-Soke had helped Soke found Shindokan. This means that Dai-Soke was the second Soke. We thought that it should read something like, "First Kaicho" or "First Chief Instructor" Over Greg's signature the tag will read... "Kancho" Over my signature the tag will read... "Kaicho" The entire text shall remain in Kanji. My name sure looks funny in Kanji; doesn't flow like the rest of the text does...it just doesn't look like the other Kanji on the certs. I mean, Soke and Dai-Soke's signatures flows and they look like Kanji.

Jury duty in Tulsa, OK pays $20 per day, 37.5 cents per mile [i live 18 miles from downtown Tulsa], and actual parking expense, not to exceed $1.50 per day but free parking is provided in designated parking garage [5 minute walk each direction to and from the courthouse]. I'll be rolling in the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I don't waste my time and I don't obsess over them and I don't make a big production.

Great posts...keep them coming...thanks!!