sensei8

Yes, by all means...CONGRATS!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

I don't give NBL and the like a second thought. They serve their purpose(s) for those who need/like them for whatever reason(s).

WOW, Kyu certificates? Is this standard practice in arts like karate or TKD too? I believe so. We provide a kyu certificate, starting at 6th kyu to 1st kyu.

I'd say that you're very close when you say Shindokan is similar to Shorin Ryu, after all, Shindokan is Shuri-te/Okinawa-te based. Yes, we have shorter stances, lower kicks [nothing above the stomach], tuite [tons and tons of it], but we're 85/15 with our hands/feet, and our movements are quite compact. We never back up, unless said attack denotes us to, and we're quite angular forward with our feet transitions no matter the direction.

Well put and I concur. Shindokan BB certs have special inkan/hanko seals placed in such a way towards the right/left top of our certs; these are for validity sake alone. What's on the BB certs in those certain areas can be found to be in perfect alignment with the students ID cards that are held in a secured room at our Hombu, and only the 3 persons chosen per our By-Laws are allowed in this room. Our certs for Shogo have special watermarks also for validity purposes only.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/sensei8_2008/089.jpg Allow me this opportunity to express my observations from over those 2 fruitful days of training/exchanges. Brian's OP covered our 2 day training/exchange quite well; listing and noting over a plethora of events that we shared, not only as martial artists, but as friends. Hopefully, I can add something to his OP that will bring us both some honor. First of all, while the floor is always of a mind to qualify and/or to disqualify said practitioners, whether we want it to or not. Inasmuch, I found Brian more than qualified as a martial artist across the board. As a 3rd Dan, Brian's knowledge was far greater than most 3rd Dan's that I've trained/exchanged with in the many years past. His TKD is pure and solid; he's fluidity, especially in his kicks, are unmeasurable. He threw the most amazing and powerful high roundhouse kick that I've seen, and I've seen a lot in my days. More importantly to me was Brain's affable way while we trained/exchanged. He was that sponge; wanting to learn as much as he could, considering our limited time allotted to us over these 2 days. Brain never once displayed a demeanor of being a pretentious, puffed-up, and self-aggrandizing 3rd Dan, and I've experienced my share of those 3rd Dan types, that I usually encounter because of my rank...and I thank Brian for being so down to earth in his approach to everything when it came to training/exchanges and the like. I can only hope that I presented Shindokan in a most honorable light, and in that, I also pray that I made my Dai-Soke proud of me across the board. My intent during these 2 days with Brain was not to show him that Shindokan was an all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips martial art, because it's not, but to hopefully show Brain that Shindokan can stand proud next to any martial art as an effective martial art. I sincerely wish that we had much more time to train/exchange, and in that, I was only able to show Brain the smallest grain of Shindokan; the slightest of a glimpse at Shindokan. Nonetheless, with a glad heart, I'm quite sure that Brain and I covered a bit of information about TKD and Shindokan; I was very satisfied across the board!! At every chance, I'd bring us back to Tuite because Tuite is the heart and soul of Shindokan. To appreciate Tuite, one must be willing to "feel" Tuite, and this means that one must be more than willing to be made more uncomfortable than one is use to. I twisted, I probed, I manipulated, and I threw Brain more than what he expected, and when I say one must "feel" Tuite, Brain did just that. Again, to Brian's credit, he never once complained outwardly...he wanted and expected, and in that, I pray that I provided an answer to every question about Shindokan that he's ever had. In our Tuite sessions, I never once followed through with an exclamation of a finishing technique because, to me, that is for another time. Often, our students forget their questions, and they start concentrating on the answer: Tuite Finishes. To our Soke, the mindset of the finish within Tuite destroys how one arrived to the finish in the first place. I'd have Brian as a student in a heartbeat because he questions everything for a reason, and in that, he deserves a definitive answer; his bushido heart is pure, and I already know that whatever it was that I was able to impart to him, he'll practice it until it becomes ingrained in himself, but never forgetting his TKD roots. We learned from each other!! Any time that I'm able to train with martial artists outside of the Shindokan circle is a big win for me. I love each and every Shindokan practitioner without any reservation or ambiguity; I treasure and I need to constantly train with my fellow Shindokanists. On the same note, I must train with non-Shindokanists, my soul desires it so, and it must be quenched in such a way, that it keeps me grounded positively while I'm on my martial arts journey. I thank you Brian for your friendship first and foremost. A lot has happened the past 2-3 years that has caused me to doubt myself as a person and as a martial artist. Even talking to you about my Dai-Soke was hard for me to hold back my tears in front of you because he is/was everything to me. Brian and I both agreed to meet each year to train/exchange each others methodologies and ideologies as long as we can. After all, I'll be 54 this October and God willing, I'll be active and meaningful in those far, yet upcoming years as a martial artist, first, and as a human being, secondly. Brian...I respectfully bow to you...both as my friend, and as a fellow martial artist!! I echo all of your sentiments and observations, and in closing, had it not been for KarateForums and [blackBeltMag], we might've not ever meet to train and the like. Thank you Patrick for your vision as well as the venue in which we all have the privilege of participating in as members and martial artists.

Sorry everyone...I'm at our Hombu for the next two weeks doing a plethora of things, and my plate is as usual, quite full, and just as soon as I can, Sunday would be the earliest, I'll share in this thread/topic. Thank you for your understandings.

I can't open the link because my puter didn't like the "rtsp" at the beginning of that address.

Today...you have the authority! You have the authority to make any change you deem necessary. What would you change?? Would you change a segment within a Kata/Form? Would you change the entire Kata/Form? Would you change how tests are conducted? Would you change the testing fees or eliminate them? Would you make Administrative changes for the betterment of the student body? JUST WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?? Just recently, our new Shindokan Hombu made a necessary change that was for the betterment of our student body. We eliminated the Soke/Dai/San from a position of authority, and this was to ensure that the Hombu is never closed, as it was under our San-Dai-Soke, again!! We have Kaicho, me, and Kancho, Greg, and our positions within the Hombu are the highest Administrative titles within our new By-Laws. The floor is yours!!

We wait another testing cycle. Also, if a student fails a testing, they are not required to pay the testing fees for the next testing. So its not just a money scam off gradings.For Shindokan, the next testing cycle is the soonest, but, the next testing cycle, for some, will come and go without them having been invited/approved to test. That's just the way it goes.

One of our second dan forms, Poe Eun, is like this. It isn't a very long form, and it all goes in one line, from side to side. All back stances, sitting stances, and a few cross-leg stances. I'd like to see that...[HINT]...myself...[HINT]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In YOUR opinion, is what Higaonna Sensei doing fool-heartedly or not?

Absolutely...nice solid post!! I'm quite sure that your students are getting your message loud and clear, so, continue to sound like a broken record...it'll benefit them in the long run.

That's different...and I like it a lot!!

Lulz lol...it could be just that.

Solid post!!

The apex within the power transition/transfer is akin to a wave that crashes, and then it subsides, but for only a moment before it crashes again; that's the law. Without the apex obeying the law, a new technique can't be born. Crash...subside...crash...subside...crash... That crescendo must give way to that new measure, and so on and so forth. Without the pause, no matter how long or short, the next technique can't exist. The build up to the power apex can only happen with consecutive movement; first this, then that. The sequence of/within any movement/technique must be obeyed. First 'A', then 'B', before 'C' can exist. Any technique that follows a random order can't be born to the apex of any pure power transition/transfer; to have any chance for a powerful technique has already been aborted by ignoring sequential order. An example of sequential order in a technique: A Front Kick... *Up *Out *Back *Down For any power to have a chance, this sequential order must be obeyed. If not, no matter what else makes up this front kick, it'll have no chance of obtaining any measured power above a whisper. Sure, you can try all you want, but all you'll have is an amnesiac ineffective push. Discussions please!!

I also concur. "Boards don't hit back"...but walls do!!

Imho, earning a black belt based on hours is not a solid way, again...imho.

But there could be--when you run it try pivoting around 180 degrees on every step where you cross your feet and it makes things interesting I like that...interesting!!

While you might be right Montana, I only wanted to create a topic/thread for discussion, even if Bruce is the subject. Many great men/women of history are still talked/discussed/etc about way after they've passed away.

Remember, there are no turns in the Niafanchi series like there are in other katas.

Some thoughts, comments...anything.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!