sensei8

Methodology...it's a wonderful thing. Our knife hand waza's are quite compact; no big wind-ups or the like. Everything in Shindokan is kept compact as our Tuite requires it. Shortest path between two points is a straight line.

I've no deep interest in eastern philosophy as it might pertain to the martial arts. I've done some reading on eastern philosophy as more of a curiosity than as a requirement, and yes, I've read many of the books already mentioned in this thread, and I enjoyed them. Neither of them defined me or my martial arts training; that has always been reserved for my Dai-Soke as well as myself. I'd concur with the OP that many martial artists MIGHT be obsessed with eastern philosophy, but what I've noticed is that it's about fifty-fifty as to whether the "obsession" is based on a personal interest or a martial arts interest. Either way, I believe that eastern philosophy has its merits both in and out of the martial arts, but, imho, it's quite limited as to its validity within ones martial arts training. Studying eastern philosophy: Can it help one to better defend themselves on the street? No. Realistic effective training trumps eastern philosophy....imho.

>I've always called our founder...SOKE at all times!! >Over the many, many years, my Sensei went by Kaicho, then Dai-Soke!! Both of them were addressed accordingly by their title at all times, no matter the content/context and/or the venue. Only a very small few of us students of Dai-Soke were ever allowed to call him by his first name, Yosh (short of Yoshinobu) outside of any content/context and/or venue, usually we were at an informal setting at his home to allow this closeness. Again, depending on the content/context and/or the venue, I require all Shindokan students, in or out of the Hombu while on official business, teaching or testing or administrative, to address me as Kaicho. Informal settings, I'm plain old Bob. Even though, many still refuse to call me by my first name during informal settings, and I suppose this is either because of respect, for my title/rank and/or myself, or because they don't want to disrespect any instructor maxim or they don't like me. Formality dictates the way in which one must always be addressed, and this includes any visiting black belts and the like. In that, our By-Laws dictate the "do's" and "don'ts" regarding this matter.

ABSOLUTELY!!

The reasoning behind our belts is that they become darker as they advance. If I had my way...White, Brown, and Black!!

I'll hug if the context matches the content of the venue, but it's extremely limited across the board because not everyone wants to hug or give hugs. To some, it's an invasion of privacy, and hugging can be interpreted as sexual harassment or whatever else. I choose my hugs carefully. The less I know someone, the less likely I'll hug due to the above paragraph. This includes, and is not limited to handshakes and the like. Some people just don't want to be touched, and I respect that...to a point. I've got to "touch" my students to teach and the like, especially Tuite. I can't manipulate by osmosis, I've not learn that Jedi mind thingy yet.

Welcome to KF.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!

How does a Martial Art "Prove" itself to the world/practitioners in modern times? In dark ages past, there were challenge matches. Loser had to close their school and their students were scattered like a dust carried by a torrent wind. Or worse...the loser lost their life. In modern times, the aforementioned scenario wouldn't be prudent or practical. In modern times, there are way too many ways and means to test the waters without the wrath of the law. One way, and it's my favorite, to "Prove" Martial Arts effectiveness is on the floor!! "Prove" here isn't a bad word because any Martial Art should welcome any chance to display "Proof" as to its validity, unless one's lacking confidence in their said style of the Martial Arts. Proof/Prove is always standing in someone’s light. Yours/Mine/Theirs are always under some microscope, if not by our fellow MAists, but by the layperson who wants to see some sort of proof as to its validity before wasting money/time. "I've nothing to prove to anybody!" I've said that many times in the past and I'm sure that I'll say it in the future...as I'm only to fathom a guess that you've done the same thing from time to time and might do so in the future, situation warranted. Yet, we must prove it to our students, future and current students, because our students demand it and they deserve it. Possibly it's too much a very sensitive line to scamper around in a quest to avoid the scruple. Maybe the proof of validity is the size of the membership in some MA organization!?!

Punch Kick Strike These three words by themselves are nothing more than words, unless we Martial Artists put meaningful actions into them. Does your punch/kick/strike lead the body, or does your punch/kick/strike follow the body? Is that the methodology of your style? In Shindokan, everything starts and ends at the same time...for the most...because it appears that way. In actuality, the body's leading, if only for a miniscule of time before reaching any said target. Is our way wrong/incorrect? My another styles definition it might be, but as far as Shindokan is concerned, it's not wrong/incorrect. Even when our body is static, something must move before reaching any said target. In our Tuite, our body most definitely leads anything in the aide of our whole body-totality; our compactness requires it. This thread/topic isn't about who/what might be wrong because of differing methodologies; each need to be respected, and I do. If a methodology is effective for that style, and more importantly, for that practitioner, imho, that's what matters.

For any style of the Martial Arts that utilizes the practice of bowing, it's a vital part of any training/learning session/class. This is whom this topic/thread is aimed at, and not to the styles of the Martial Arts that don't practice bowing. We bow in the beginning of class. We bow at the end of the class. We bow to our seniors. We bow at the beginning of Kata/Kumite. We bow at the end of Kata/Kumite. We bow at the beginning of drills. We bow at the end of drills. We bow to judges. We bow to our Sensei/Chief Instructor. We bow often during a testing cycle. We bow often during ceremonies. We bow in our getting ups and in our sitting downs. What are we bowing to? Who are we bowing to? Are we bowing to the person? Are we bowing to the rank? Are we bowing to an object? I bow to the rank WHENEVER it's called for!! I bow to the person WHENEVER it's called for!! Depending on the context as well as the content of the moment; that's what/who I bow to. I don't have to like and/or respect the practitioner, but I will respect, and I do respect the rank...providing the context/content of the moment!! Kohai's bow to Sempais and Sempais bow to Sensei's and Sensei's bow to Chief Instructors and Chief Instructors bow to Kancho and Kancho bows to Kaicho and Kaicho bows to a Soke type...AND everyone bows to each other as a sign of respect and/or because it's just what one does.

As an instructor of the Martial Arts, we're responsible for a myriad of things concerning our students across the board. We must provide quality instructions, and in that, it must be drenched with effectiveness in each and every technique within our curriculum. Day by day! That's how often our student should grow in their knowledge/techniques. Our students shouldn't be stagnate instruments stuck in the mud. If we do our job as instructors, our students should grow day by day, no matter the material. No, I don't think it's our students complete responsibility to ensure that they're growing in some way, shape, and/or form. We should be monitoring our students progress, and when we note that somethings amiss, we make our students accountable as to why, for example, they haven't been practicing. If were creating a challenging lesson plan to enable them to grow on a steady up-curve, and our instructions are quality across the board, then our students better be making an effort to improve their quality of growth within knowledge/techniques. Our Growth Responsibilities: >Growth thru patience >Growth thru quality instructions >Growth thru understandings >Growth thru mentoring Instructors...What other ways should we, as instructors, help our students GROWTH?? Students...What other ways should YOUR instructor be helping your GROWTH??

A "victim mindset" is a real living thing, and it must be recognized as well as respected across the board. Deniability is one of the ingredients in becoming a victim. There's truth in this saying..."It takes a thief to catch a thief!!"

Devils advocate here.... Many MAists will say much of what's been said in this thread, but doing it, whatever 'it' is, is another thing. Many MAists won't do anything beyond voicing ideas and/or opinions for one reason or another. Lack of realistic drills...lack of resistance drills...lack of never having used their MA skills in a real life situation; just to name a few. Faced with any of the OP's situations should be enough to force a pause and re-evaluate one self first, and then their MA skill sets secondly.

A very solid handbook...and I'm not of your style...still...I can recognize quality when I see/read it. Alex, your handbook would make a GREAT KF Article...hint...hint!! Thanks for sharing it!!

If a Shindokan student returns to their dojo or the Hombu after a long absence, they must test for their last recorded rank before permitted back onto the floor under that umbrella. Otherwise, they can wear a white belt and enjoy it. If that person held Godan and up in Shindokan, they must test at the Hombu, and only at the Hombu. The "rank isn't important" under the proper context can't be overstated enough. For me, RANK ISN'T IMPORTANT, not when it's being compared to knowledge. Knowledge, imho, trumps rank.

Fair enough!

Ev, You're probably already guessing what I'm about to say... The three K's cannot stand separate and away. There must be cohesiveness of all three...at all the time. Kihon can't survive on its own. Kata can't survive on its own. Kumite can't survive on its own. Each of the three K's are dependent on each of the others, otherwise, one area will suffer due to the lack of another, and when one of the three K's suffers due to lack of training equally, then the karateka/practitioner suffers in its whole. Imagine the stability of a three legged chair that's missing only one of its legs...unstable across the board!! Train equally in the three K's...it would be my advise to any fellow karateka.

First of all...Welcome to KarateForums.com. I'd like to encourage you to introduce yourself to the KF members in the "Introduction" forum section. Secondly...Solid post!!

Ev, That I remember...no...I didn't. Please remind me about the content of the e-mail. Green belt IS in your future. Continue to train hard and Green belt will take care of itself. Your instructors are solid across the board, and your knee will survive just as long as you take care of it!

As far as "Dojo Storming" may be concerned, I don't truly think that this would go over to well within the laws of today. Trespassing and the like, are just some of the laws that might be broken should one pursue any legal actions on those storming the dojo. I was never one to storm a dojo, and neither was my Soke and/or Dai-Soke. The failed attempt to storm my dojo was thwarted because I gave no opportunity to that individual other than to leave...in other words...I didn't feed into any of his negative actions. I gave him the door and that's all he was going to get from me.

Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, during his PKA days, executed some of the most difficult kicks, especially the roundhouse and hook kick, with ease as well as them being extremely fast, 60 mph, to the head level.

Sorry but I've no said favorite techniques because I don't want to be dependent on a limited set. Inasmuch, any technique(s) that are effective at any given situation(s); they'd be my favorite(s).

Same here, if I'm kicking it's usually to your legs. Same here as well. Because of my limited TKD experience, I've still got a wickedly fast change-up roundhouse. Not many expect that from me because of my Okinawan background. I can be sneaky at times!