sensei8

Very good post!!

Solid post!!

My Dai-Soke always told us... "We train in the MA to not fight!"

Solid post Ev!!

You're going to hate my answer, but...the last time I HAD you use martial arts was just last night...I was conducting an advanced Tuite class with Godan's and above. Well, it's true, I had to use MA to teach. I've HAD to use my MA the last time I tested. Another time I HAD to use MA was this afternoon when I was working out. Sorry, I just couldn't resist...I tried...but I just couldn't. Hopefully, you'll forgive me.

In your own words, could you please define how Rank, Knowledge, and Experience differs? Or... Are they all the same? Let the discussion begin, and thank you.

I understand that KF has some members that are LEO's (Law Enforcement Officer). In that, I've a few question(s)... 1) In the academy, how is the Self-Defense taught to LEO candidates? 2) Is the Uke ALWAYS a "willing" attacker in order for the LEO candidates to learn the movements? 3) After a LEO candidate learns any said set of self-defense techniques, does the Uke then begin to resist him/her with every fiber in their being? Thank you and I look forward to any and all comments.

In your honest opinion, when does "muscle memory" begin to solidify in a student? I'm of the opinion that it begins to solidify in a student when that student is no longer struggling with any given technique(s). Should a time table be placed on any given technique(s) related to muscle memory? Tuning up a technique(s) in the search for 'perfection', does this mean that the muscles have amnesia? I look forward to your thoughts/comments!!

Imho, the only rank that's of the same general standard is the white belt. After that, the differences are as wide as the sky is. I don't allow anyone to wear their current rank if they're not Shindokan, UNLESS, they're just visiting and they've cleared it with me first. I've extra white belts of differing sizes for them to wear if they want to join my dojo to learn Shindokan.

That's a great topic and a great question Danielle. My answer...no...I don't do anything like your OP denotes with my students because I always thought that the by-product of MA training would be enough. But I see, that it's not. I mean, adult classes are 2 1/2 hrs long and I'm making sure that everyone of my students are challenged across the board. My Dai-Soke worked us so long and so hard, I thought that that by-product was enough. After reading your post and your links, I'm going to address it in our Hombu's weekly conference phone call this Friday. Thanks Danielle!! Time to turn a new leaf.

Great topic...SOLID!! Great responses and if I've anything to add it would be this. Shindokan teaches Tuite and the like, and in that, I am going to be honest here...attack me and I might release. For me, if you're still fighting, even a little, I might not release for the fear that you'll turn the tables around on me and then I'm in a world of misery. I'd say that it's been drilled in me enough over the countless many years while learning/training Tuite/Grappling/etc to let go when ones had enough. I'd not deliberately keep the hold tight but it won't be loose enough for my attacker to wiggle out. I was asked once if I'd break an arm/finger/wrist/elbow/other bones, and my answer is this...YES I would without any thought to it, but my life better be on the line and the like. Resist, I'll just tighten more to keep my attackers attention. To break a bone...the answer for me must be..."always". Why teach if we're not willing to do what it is that we're so well versed in? It would appear to me that I'd be nothing more than a hypocritical instructor/MAist.

Solid advice here!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!

Imagine the Colts not winning one game the entire season...it might just happen. OUCH!!

Congrats!! Feels good, huh? Now go train!!

I mean no disrespect, but you are the age of LP, GS and my parents. How would your answer have differed 20 years ago? I know my view is different than it was 10 years ago. I'm seeing things your way more and more. I lost a nephew a couple years ago, and some of my friends, so the holidays are hard. 20 years ago...same answer...the end is not good!!

Don't worry about any test; they'll take care of themselves. Also, don't assume a position that neither you and/or your wife possess. Student=your wife. Observer=you. Instructor=neither of you. You and your wife trust the instructor to teach, so, you both should trust the instructor and the like to pass/fail "their" student(s) as they feel fit. Nobody likes to "fail" any test, but, your wife received a partial rank, while others might've not received any promotion. Let the tests take care of them and worry about only one thing...TRAIN...TRAIN....TRAIN!! My Dai-Soke always said this to me concerning rank promotions, if I asked... "Maybe!"...That's it, anything else would've been insulting to him and to our Soke Saitou. It's all good.

Double ditto!! No Exceptions!!

Agility is in everything we do. Without it, one couldn't have learned how to walk without agility. My only true answer is this: PRACTICE until you're sick of it and then PRACTICE some more.

How I deal with mortality is by not talking about it or worrying about it because the end, imho, well, it's just not good. Year after year, there's more and more empty chairs around the dinner table than the year before.

Did you watch the link? The guy with the 3 section staff hit the other guy, was rushed in on, pulled gaurd and submitted the other guy with an armbar. Mixed martial arts at it's finest. Yes, I did watch it, but I was speaking an opinion on who I thought would fair better than the other.

Any art? Or just a viable art? Big difference, imho. The quest is not the belt, just the absorbancy of knowledge. In Shindokan, our Soke, never entertained that type of preference because "...at what age one is whenever one attains any rank is minimum of concern. The obi is an outward decoration, it's what's inside the martial artist; that's only to be seen during battle."~Soke Saitou. But to answer your question....I've no idea!

I concur with both Alex and Brian on this one. I've always believed that while I study Shindokan as my core style of the MA, I'm actually a master of Bob-Do because I'm entwined with every style of the MA that I've ever trained in...in that, Shindokan is nothing unless I'm involved. TKD is nothing unless I'm involved. The art is dependent on ME!! "Take what is useful; discard the rest!"~Bruce Lee. That little statement is nothing without me involved in it to make it work through trial and error. "Judo's great", but only if someone's doing it, and doing it well and let's not forget, someone's got to teach it and to do that, students are needed to want to do learn it, otherwise, it's nothing more than a word.

Interesting enough. I think the BJJ will win over the 3 sectional staff, even against some one will versed in the 3 sectional staff, because BJJ is a in-your-face art while the 3 sectional staff is more of a keep-a-distance and while torque and speed will cause a BJJ practitioner to twinge, but still the BJJ will get in and then its all over. But, one would never know unless someone has went up against every BJJ practitioner and ever 3 sectional staff practitioner. My monies on BJJ in this type of encounter.

Can it be done? Sure, but keeping each MA true to itself without interacting, I believe that would be a challenge, even for the most seasoned practitioner. Intertwining the arts one is learning/had learned is natural in any MA because the desire to make whatever one has learned/learning their own, well, that would be difficult to resist. If one is to be honest with themselves. Every Shindokan practitioner is encouraged to taste and see that the other MA's are good, or at least worth trying 'it' on for size. I learned TKD at the same time I was learning Shindokan. Yes, I already was a junior black belt, but nonetheless, I took 1 year of TKD at the same time as Shindokan. That wasn't easy for me to do. The dominate art was Shindokan and not TKD because Shindokan is my core style. I was always wanting to bring TKD into Shindokan and vice versa because they both appealed to me. I'd do some Shindokan during a TKD class and vice versa but my Dai-Soke and GM Young Ik Suh allowed it, but only during free open workouts, not while I was in class. I respect both arts and I still use them both whenever I feel it's necessary. Good luck and please let us know how it's working out for you.