sensei8

Welcome back, crash and congrats on you being selected as the MOM, well deserved!!

UPDATE: Forgot to mention at my last Update that Dr. Goodman is referring me back to my Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Michael Becker, for my Intensity-Modulated Radio Therapy (IMRT); sooner than later. PS: That appointment with Dr. Becker is April 14, 2022

Thank you, Patrick. Still not out of the wood, yet. Yes, I can be more relaxed knowing I can pay what I can afford for my treatment shot.

Thank you, Brian!! The best of it all is that it's curable!! Thank you ALL for your continued support while I battle!!

Yes, we did, Brian; not to its full extent due to you being new to that type of training. Both hands working together...attacking and defending at the same time...arms bridging...pushing and pulling...alert tangible instinct...dominating opponent's movements. Basically, it's free sparring with a hands-on twist.

Well, your kicking arsenal will grow. Separation anxiety will rear its confused head because of reeling in unfamiliar methodologies and ideologies. Your body will fight with its new change, and your muscle memory will take over the new methodologies and ideologies, but hopefully just for the moment. As Bruce was so fond of saying..."Absorb that which is useful, discard the rest." Both MA styles have the pros and cons, as does any other MA. It's the maturity of the practitioner that overcomes that which seems difficult, or unnatural, once on the floor. I believe that one of the biggest differences, other than the kicking arsenal, is the usage of the hips. Imho, TSD winds-up their hips whereas in Karate, slows it down as it’s an extra movement. Also, the hand would more naturally start on its own side of the body, so the Karate version is arguably a more natural starting position. Change is good; embrace it wholeheartedly.

UPDATE: Saw my Medical Oncologist, Dr. Oscar Goodman, today, March 3, 2022, at 1300. He asked me how I was feeling? "Fine", I said. Any pains? "No", I said. He placed his stethoscope to my back while he listened to my breathing and all...No concerns. I mentioned to him that I was in need of some new refills on my pill Bicalutamide 50mg; of which he ordered more for me. X-Ray on my mid-back were negative. This is good! This also means that it's time to go see my Chiropractor for some adjustments. Didn't attend our monthly Support Group because...we just simply forgot. My wife, Linda, put Reminders on both of our cell phones, and I hope that that works. Got some GREAT NEWS from Dr. Goodman: 1) PSA stable at 0.09 This next one caused me to smile ear to ear... 2) I'm in COMPLETE REMISSION This last one cause be to cry tears of joy... 3) My Stage 4 Prostate Cancer IS CUREABLE: I've only a microdot on my L4 and T12. This is why Dr. Goodman referred me back to Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Michael Becker, to begin Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) asap. Praise, God!! My next appointments are: *April 8, 2022, at 1300, for my treatment shot of Eligard. *May 3, 2022, at 1300, for a follow-up with Dr. Goodman. He wants to see me every two-months. Spoke with the Financial Department Manager today after seeing Dr. Goodman and setting up my appointments. What I found out was NOT promising at all. Come to find out, the Financial Assistance is granted/denied, mine is still denied, based on the following parameters: 1) Diagnosis, and NOT prognosis 2) Medical Insurance 3) Cost of the medicine No Financial Assistance for my treatment shot of Eligard!! These parameters are based on individual cases and NOT for the general masses of patients, which was my misunderstanding. However, once I meet the $2500 out-of-pocket, all co-pays for that year are ZERO. Better yet, the Financial Manager told me that I can pay whatever I can afford, $100 or $200; they'll NEVER refuse me treatments. Other than that, I'm reaching the age where I'll be getting Medicare, and with that, as well as Supplemental Medical Insurance, I'm told that my yearly will be very low or taken care for. That's all for now!!

Sounds interesting. I saw this in the movie "Return of the Dragon" starring Bruce Lee. Other than that, sorry, I've no experience in this matter nor do I know of anyone that has ever followed Chinese Hong Bao or "Red Envelope" protocols. Both of our Soke and Dai-Soke were born and raised in Okinawa, in that, I've never ever heard them talk about it or practice that amongst themselves. Even if they did, that would've been a very private thing between them both; Okinawans don't display emotions in the public, and their Hombu was quite public.

Great back and forth discussions; thank you both for sharing your knowledge and experience in KishimotoDi. I'd say that Noah IS the in-house expert here in KF when it comes to KishimotoDi. Thank you, Noah!!

Keep that positive mindset especially when the training task you across the board. Remember, learning the MA is NOT supposed to be easy, and what you're posting is solid. We got your back; train hard and train well.... always!! How's your body holding up to the training and all??

Welcome to KF, rehodges; glad that you're here!! You've ever thing to be proud of. Your progress is exciting to read, and I wish your continued success on and off the floor. Train hard and train well!!

4-5 years old have the attention span capacity of 4-5 seconds. Students 4–5 years old have the capacity of learning the MA; but it'll take them some time to achieve, even with a very patient CI. Those ages are some of my most favorite classes because they're not preoccupied on the floor like much older student can be. They love the gi and all of the things that we adults don't care about. I believe that your kids' class has the makings of a great class structure. Change things up often so that they don't lose complete interest. Introduce balls of different sizes, which can be used to engage their kicking mechanics and their arm movement mechanics. One of the biggest things that I've done with students of this age is to just PLAY WITH THEM!! That's what I do. I just play with them BUT with the theme of the MA basics. Biggest advice I'd give is: *Keep the classes short *Don't bore them especially with a lot of blah blah blah Not all black belts can teach, and in this topic, not all black belts can teach kids!! With kids this young, class structure has to have a ton of flexibility of change. Remember the attention span rule at all times. Oh yeah, one more thing, teach the Dojo Kum but don't be way too overly concerned with the Dojo Kun at all because they don't care about that one way or another...they just want to play and have fun.... THEIR JUST KIDS!!

My experience with mixing TKD with Shindokan back in 1974 was quite profound and eye-opening. It was the beginning of a lifelong of cross training that I will never regret. Having earned my JBB back in 1970 and being heavily immersed in the Open Karate Tournament Circuit back then, TKD was making an indelible mark on me. The kicking arsenal that was TKD became the bane of my existence so much so, especially the Axe Kick. Other TKD kicks haunted me week after week: Jump Spinning Back Kick, Change-Up Roundhouse Kick, and the Fall Away Roundhouse Kick. I ran headfirst into the wall of TKD kicks, with no real solution at hand. That's where... “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer” and "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" became my mindset of embracing cross training, and not on a once-in-a-while notion either. So, what did I do back in 1974?? I enrolled in Chang Moo Kwan/Kang Duk Won Tae Kwon Do, Burbank, CA under GM Young Ik Suh for 1 solid year earning a 6th Gup. GM Suh was very solid across the board, technical in his movements as well as in his teaching. Funny to me, and only me, I'm sure, GM Suh's English was as bad as my Soke and Dai-Soke. In all of the San Fernando Valley, I found three MA Masters that can barely, or not at all, speak English...I must be being punished one way or another. The irony of cross training in TKD is that Shindokan is 85% hands and 15% feet, whereas TKD is opposite. Shindokan kicks are no higher than the stomach and TKD kicks to the head, quite effectively. So, in that 1 year under GM Suh, I was become quite proficient in my kicks in TKD, and I used them all at the Open Karate Tournaments Circuits with an ever-increasing success. Adding TKD kicks to Shindokan elevated my MA betterment. First time my Dai-Soke saw me execute a Change-Up Roundhouse kick at class, I thought he was going to have a kitten. I teach my students anything of value that is MA, especially the kicks and grappling. Yes, Shindokan is the core I teach; however, I will teach other tidbits of other MA styles because every MA style is limited by itself, imho.

Welcome to KF, BoothJ9; glad that you're here!!

If the student is the latter then they will have no issue waiting until they are the former. When I train, I train to do the thing correctly and I revel in moving up when I have achieved that status. No student is committed to training without understanding that not getting promoted as fast as they wanted isn't a bad thing. Learning takes time, and, when committed, time makes the passion burn hotter. Solid post!!

Nope!! Nope!! Students are here to learn and CI's are there to teach; both being effective but only in time. Students fail Testing Cycles because they're still not mature in their technique. Black belts are the worse of not being mature in their techniques, and they wonder why a technique isn't effective, as though it's the technique's fault and not them. Students aren't allowed on my floor if I discover that their true reason to be on my floor is for rank. Demonstrate the effectiveness of said technique, and I might, and I mean I might, promote them. No display of consistent effectiveness will need far more than just some display of proper technique and aesthetics or being committed to training. I don't need or want these types of students, not now, not ever. Demonstrating the minimum of improvement in effectiveness in said technique will get said student farther, but nothing's ever guaranteed; no matter how pretty said technique appears. Take all of that stuff down the street!!

I want more tats, but they're not cheap whatsoever.

This is what I was referring to as Space Management, and because we and our opponent moves, so does the spaces that we manage, and those spaces constantly change from moment to moment. I did a KF Article speaking about Space Management many years back... https://www.karateforums.com/close-range-space-management-vt46269.html?highlight=space+management Your entire post, tatsujin, is solid across the board. You don't ramble; very informative posts, thank you for them.

I've just 3 tats that I got back in 2009; all MA related.

Zaine's post is solid!! Why is anything ever done or not done in any technique in any style and/or any dojo, especially when Kata is concerned? Perhaps, to understand further why Kake Wake Uke in Nijushiho might be different, one might ask what's happening before, during, and after Kake Wake Uke as it's being executed in Nijushiho. In specific, concerning to posture, stance, and space management. The overall technique depends on every element, and not just the technique of itself. Before one can go away from, it had to have been a before. This is what we understand as the set-up. Shindokan's core depends on set-ups; one technique compliments another technique. To move to just move isn't effective, therefore, I had to be at point 'A' before I moved to point 'B', before I reached finally point 'C', each point had to be effective. Before the Kake Wake Uke, look at the stance and the posture and the space management carefully, point 'A'. Then do the same for that pacific technique, Kake Wake Uke; what's being done...how's the entire body moved...how's specific body movements have occurred or about to occur, point 'B'. Then carefully look at what's just taken place once the body has moved to point 'C' Perhaps, the reason might be that this particular technique is being used as a wrist release at that very movement. Perhaps, not. For said wrist release there must be a point 'A' to 'B', then to 'C' for the overall effectiveness. Why are any body part ever where they are at that very point? Whatever's the reason(s) for the differences might be, one has to discover through discovery, and that requires to carefully studying that Kata's exploded view and nomenclature. We have to remember Bunkai is not an application of Kata but a way of studying its parts. Applications are actually Oyo. Everything found in Kata has a reason, no matter if we agree or not to that reason(s). Imho!!

Yep

It is a double-edged sword, for sure. If the CI isn't too keen with Student-of-the-Month, then I believe that the CI should just shelf the idea. Otherwise, the transparency of the whole idea will become quite so obvious and lose its credibility fast. I agree, that a Student-of-the-Month is more geared towards the kids than the adults. Having said that, let me address your questions one at a time... *Effort *Good attendance or improvement in attendance *Character through compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, optimism, and responsibility *Behavior and self-control *Attitude toward others/learning *Good citizenship *Leadership and integrity *Demonstrates responsibility No. Never. There has to be a clear choice. If not, and one's chosen randomly, that too aides to the program being transparent. Moreover, the rules and requirements must be understood by all, and not just the students. Like the Kun, I'd hand up anything of importance, and so that it would serve as a consistent reminder. Like a sign in a business that's hung up for all to see, like, No Checks, is both a reminder and a type of authority. If there's no clear-cut choice for Student-of the Month, then for that month, so be it. There's always next month but announce your decision and gently remind them how that decision is made...that too is important. Nope. What's listed above, also covers both on and off the floor. Get the parents involved by speaking to them during the decision-making phase, yet do it covertly because once parents get wind of what is actually being asked of and what for, the transparency begins, and the program losses its credibility. Don't ever award just to award because that too starts to seep into other decision-making choices, like Testing Cycles and the like. I'd say that this just might. However, I'd be willing to say that this already permeates in the dojo already. Why? It's a human frailty. Does a program like Student-of-the-Month highlight the students to compare one another? Maybe. Perhaps. I believe that really depends on the maturity of the CI, and how the CI sets the overall tone in the dojo. Imho!! I've used that program with great success in my own dojo. Done incorrectly, that ship will sink along with the dojo faster than one will ever realize. No program is more important than the Student Body.

Congrats, ashworth; well deserved...for MOM and being a member here at KF for 15 years.

According to my dad, whose 90 years old, and is very experienced in many things has told my brother and me that you can dull a knife with a sander, sandpaper, concrete, and a sharpening stone. These ways do seem to fit the bill as far as costs are concerned.

Welcome to KF, HM765; glad that you're here!! The old adage...better late than never does include the MA. Covid is no respecter of anyone, and it sounds as though that's behind you. Train hard and train well.