sensei8

Sorry to hear that, Questor. Train hard and train well as often as you can. Please be safe during this hard time.

To the bold above... Yes. Yes. Albeit, those Governing Bodies tend to be on the side of profit without any other goals. There focus is on the bottom line. So, yes, Governing Bodies allow members to join, even though they're members elsewhere. "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else. he will hold to the one, and despise the other" Difficult to separate the two Governing Bodies due to the possibility of conflict between the two. Allowed here, but not allowed there. Darn if you do, and darn if you don't. Governing Bodies are quite propriety across the board, of which, they don't like to share the floor with other Governing Bodies. Being stuck in the middle isn't always a very comfortable thing for the members to endure. Many Governing Bodies, like the one I was with forever and a day, the SKKA, would warn the offending student once, then pull their Hard Card for cause. as inactive. Once the offending student decided to return to the SKKA, and only the SKKA, their Hard Card would be return to the active file. One can join anywhere they want to with anyone who'll accept them. Happens day after day, however, many Governing Bodies strongly deter that act from its Student Body. Can't please some of the Governing Bodies all of the time, you can please all of Governing Bodies some of the time. but you can't please all of the Governing Bodies all of the time. Imho!!

Great posts across the board, aurik. I thank you for sharing the most recent pictures Noah, Zack, and you have forging in mind. Noah's created some pretty good pieces. Keep on forging; your pieces look good!!

Nukite has its effectiveness, however, that effectiveness wanes from practitioner to practitioner, as is with any technique. Various training tools help strengthening the various nukites. Unleashed, any nukite can cause some damage at the target. Now, on the one toe kicks. I've trained with Uechi-Ryu Karateka's, and I must say this as honest as I can...OUCH!! Hate getting tagged with it, even in a casual moment...though my leg left me and told me..."I'm out of here; hit someone else!!", as I struggled to maintain some realistic composure so that I could continue. I've ton of respect for that technique, and my answer to it is to wear a knights armor suit; that might not be enough. Personally, I've witnessed the training of the toes and I must say..."Thanks, but NO THANKS...now or never. My weak constitution will let others train their toes like a Uechi-Ryu Karateka, instead of me. My skin crawls whenever I think about using my toes in that manner.

Thank you, Patrick and Brian!! The trains back on the track...all aboard...next stop...my new PCP.

The Rage of the Page decides quite a lot no matter the subject. The MA is far from the exception, and oftentimes, it's never even close to being the exception. Gi, methodology, ideology, fluffy bunnies, and little green men are what we, as MAists, decide that which is acceptable, whether it's effective or not. Albeit, the forest can't be seen because all of the trees are blocking our view...time and time again.

3 months!! That's how long of a break away from my treatments. April 27, 2021 is when I moved to Vegas, and May 1, 2021 is when the exhaustive search for new medical insurance began, and just recently, I obtained new medical insurance. July 23, 2021 at 1:43pm...this is my first appointment with my new PCP. My PCP, being my normal doctor, is who can issue referrals to specialists. Medical Oncologist and Cardiologist are specialists. If I want to be seen by those specialists, my PCP can issue a referral order. Train's back on the right track!! I have to restart my treatments, the sooner, the better. Great thing about my PCP is that his medical office has IN-HOUSE Medical Oncologists and Cardiologists on-staff. I won't have to look very far or go very far finding those specialists. Not that I need it, but his office also offers DOT Medical Card exams...I just got a tickled pink about that for some strange reason. That's it for now. Will update hopefully very soon!! Thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart for your continued support during this fight!!

Congrats, GS718Trek; well deserved!!

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!! Everything will work out because you did after all return to the MA, and that's not a bad thing. Welcome back to the MA.

For as long as I can remember, we ALL wore white with no exceptions, except for our Soke and Dai-Soke, in which for the most part they wore white top and black bottoms, and from time to time, they'd both switch to a white bottom and a black top...on the floor...and during normal classes. Slowly, and I do mean slowly, slower than a determined and purposeful crawl, we were permitted to add black top or bottom, depending on rank. That stayed in place for quite some time. Is it mutiny to fall away from all white? Maybe; depends on a lot of precedence. To me, I could care less as to what color the gi is because we're all students of the MA, and students of the MA train to improve their MA betterment in order to become most effective. Imho!!

What Noah speaks toward is solid across the board Solo training is just that: Training. Without the solo training, there can't be any serious partner training of any degree. Kata being impractical is a demonstration of the lack of ones MA maturity. Sure, Bruce said that Kata was akin to swimming on dry land, and that's not quite accurate because even swimming on dry land is far better than not swimming at all. Training tools are only applicable if they are utilized appropriately in the way that it's meant and designed to be by anyone who takes them seriously. Kata is so often misinterpreted, even by those who've a ton of experience and knowledge. Even entertaining the possibility of kicking Kata to the curb can be hardly construed as an apology. Kata is an important training tool. Tools are particularly important, no matter the work. Tools are primarily used to put things together or to take them apart. However, just having the tools is useless if one doesn't know, and/or understand, how to properly use said tool(s) in their given and needed situation(s). Imho.

I'd just let her go; either the student wants to train or not, and if not, I've no desire to beg any student about anything. Sounds mean?? Maybe!! My energy needs to be focusing on the Student Body, the entire Student Body, the students that want to be there. I'd have a conversation or two, and if no ground has been gained, well, then thank them all, leave the door open for her return, and then show them the door...professionally, of course. It's not personal after all; it's just business.

What I've done for the most part is trade. I'll go to their dojo and then they'll come to mine, and vice versa. When that doesn't pan out, and they're not charging an arm and a leg, then I'll meet their cost.

In Shindokan, we do resistance training in everything we do from day one, including grappling because our effectiveness depends on it. Drives me crazy whenever I cross-train and whomever I'm training with refuses to do any resistant training.

My Medical Cards came in today in the mail; effective July 1st. Tomorrow I'll be making several doctor appointments!! Such a big load off my mind; 1 month behind from receiving my shot; have to see a PCP for a referral to a Medical Oncologist...then the shot.

Congrats, Mo!! Can't see you not being part of the KF Staff. 5 Years gone by...5 more years in the making!!

If "Jane" is forced on to the floor now, then she'll never ever want to return to the floor. Every student should be given the chance to walk on and/or off the floor for whatever their reasons. I'd sit down with the parents and "Jane" to explore this issue, keeping an open mind across the board. I'd ask "Jane" straight forward if she wants to do Karate at all, yet, reminding the parents and "Jane" that this is about "Jane" and not the parents and the brother. She might not open up, but the question will remain in the parents, and hopefully they'll get to the bottom. Meanwhile until "Jane" decides one way or another, I'd advice the parents to not force "Jane" onto the floor. It's "Jane's" decision and her MA journey, no matter how short or long it might be. With this being the issue, I'd not allow "Jane" back on the floor until "Jane" decides. Why? If I allow her back on the floor prematurely, then I'm forcing her, and at the same time, supporting the parents wanting to force her onto the floor. The floor will always be there waiting with open arms.

If you're wanting to learning Kata's that are outside of your core MA style, then seek out legit instructors, however, most instructors will insist on teaching the Bunkai as well. No Bunkai, then no use of learning the Kata. Why? Kata isn't a dance routine at all. Yes, learning Kata for the enjoyment and/or for the physical cardio it'll give one is cool, but I don't teach Kata without teaching the many aspects of Bunkai.

That fire within you still burns bright even against those things, like injuries, because they don't define you and/or your MA. You're still forging forward with that determination that won't end. Ups and downs also don't define you because they too, come and go. Shugyo...what my Dai-Soke always told us over and over, decades after decades...suck it up. You do just that...I see it in every post. Train hard and train well!!

With perseverance, a beginner is no longer a beginner, no matter the age. You took the first step, and that was walking on the floor with no preconceived notions. Day by day you will cast away that beginner aura for far more things that are still before you. Train hard, train well!!

How old is Jane? Age oftentimes means everything.

Solid post!!

Deny Nidan and above to just train after earning Shodan is admirable, or it should be. This path is rarely taken for whatever the reasons might be for the practitioner. If rank has meaning over knowledge and experience, then staying at Shodan is impossible. The MA IS a private journey that's a shared endeavor one way or another. Had my formal training ended at Shodan at the instructions of my Dai-Soke, I would've been perfectly ok with that MA path. However, that path wasn't in that direction. I didn't end my formal training after earning my Shodan because I just didn't. Rank meant nothing to me once I earned my Sandan; whatever happens after Sandan happens of which I stopped seeking after rank...rank was no longer important to me, then and even now. To deny my Dai-Sokes invitation to a Testing Cycle is a slap in his face. Who was I to say anything that would be contradictive to the knowledge and experience that was of my Dai-Soke?? So, I tested and let any Testing Cycle take care of itself...pass I pass, fail I fail...those thoughts were never important to me because all I can do is my best. I've never ever meet anyone stop at Shodan to not continue their formal training...."Train me, Sensei, but I don't want anymore ranks." To ne, that's an illusion. Stopping all formal training after earning Shodan...Yes...I see that all of the time. As it has been said here already, the answer to the question at hand will vary. Imho!!

This is of no surprise of you reaching your 5 years on Staff milestone here at KF, of which, the up and coming 10 year mark will never surprise any of us. You've been a very important clog of the KF wheel. Thank you for everything that you've done for KF and its members all of these years, past, present, and future.

You're a vital part of the KF Staff, this is to be for sure, and this 5 year milestone will usher in your 10 year mark. Thank 'you for all that you've done, are doing, and will do for KF and its members.