sensei8

Official?? Not in an all over general terms. Each style of the MA has their "official" Sai Kata's, and then there's the Governing Bodies "official" Sai Kata's, and then there's the CI/Dojo "official" Sai Kata's....or for anything, and not just the Sai. Many Dojo's CI allow their students at the brown belt, at the earliest, to choose a weapon to "create" their own weapons Kata. That is the means of gauging the maturity and understanding of the students acquiring knowledge and experience; maturity, being the key words here. To be for sure, the Sai Kata's have there origins, and I don't dispute that history whatsoever. Splintering off this way and that way, and over time, that which was clear and understood, has now slowly become blurred as to what's the correct answer for the correct question in anything the MA. Can it be that we'll never be satisfied with anything in the MA; we'll agree to disagree no matter what MA wise!!??

Oh yes indeed! It's very counterproductive when parents try to teach their children what I'm teaching their children. What's worse in this regards is that the parent is terrible at teaching what I'm teaching; thanks parents, but I got this, not you...not at all...not even close!! And yes indeed as well. Give the kid a break because there's not one student of any age anywhere on planet earth that gets it 100% correct; that's a delusion that needs to be forgotten. Another reminder parents...you're on the sidelines in any Testing Cycle, so if the foot's not perfect, them let ME worry about that, please and thank you!! Didn't the parent bring their child to YOU/ME/US for MA training??

Solid post!!

Solid post!! How the relevancy's used.

Congrats to your promotion, nunopicado; welcome back!! Please take care of your back; train at your pace, and by all means, don't overdue it.

I'm a blunt jerk when it comes to the spoiled parents, and I don't apologize for it. If parents just don't get it, I'll explain it to them in my professional way. My favorite saying is... "That's ok, your son/daughter gets it, which is really good because he/she is my student, and not you!!" As far as anything else a parent is confused about, I'll remind them that we all already had a nice long conversation in my office regarding many things, especially rank and the Testing Cycle and all before they joined. I invite or I don't invite, and parents have no say in that; I don't need and/or want their advice concerning MY students...yes that's their child, and I don't argue that, but anything and everything on my floor is under my total authority. They fail...practice more. They pass...they practiced a lot. If John and Mary Parent don't agree, then go somewhere else, as soon as possible! My dojo, my rules!! I've very little tolerance of parents who know better, but decide to play the "I forgot" card with me.

Judo!! Many fights end up on the ground, and if the ground is alien, then stay on your feet as long as you can. What do you mean to stay on my feet? Fight someone who lives on the ground, then, leave quietly because the grounds man/woman will get you on the ground!!

That's how it should be; confident women!! I spar the MAist in front of me, and not the man/woman. No favors, because that shortchanges the student(s) live training...I'm easy to all of my students, to a degree, but I will turn up the burners for reactions; can bring out the necessary confidence. Turn over enough rocks, that which one's seeking is revealed whether it's liked or not.

For me, it being relevant isn't relevant anymore whenever it comes to my martial art betterment. I train in Shindokan, more importantly, the MA because I want to, and not for any other reasons. If anything needs to be relevant, is my MA journey, and not the style of said MA. How can something be deemed irrelevant when it's still inside of ones heart of hearts...how can it be dead within me if it's alive to me...it's not dead, and if it's dead inside of me...who wrote the death certificate...anyone ever conduct an autopsy...anyone knows that when something is dead, that the next of kin must be notified...I'm the next of kin, and nobody notified me at all!! It's relevant to me, and if it's not to others, then they train their way and I'll train mine.

Congrats for the double promotion!! One is hard enough, but 2 is difficult across the board, doable, but the line can be quite thin some how and way in the long run.

Congrats to you and all for your promotions!! Hard work pays off in the long way. Training hard, training sincere, training for the knowledge always have their rewards.

I noticed my name's not listed above. lol

Very good stuff; can you please add something else, other than the video link, to the conversation. Thank you!!

Well, I've really no idea why Bruce added this Buddhist Eightfold Path to the Tao of JKD, other than his upbringing and all. This surely falls under the category of take what is useful and discard the rest, for me. For me, this excerpt does nothing much for my MA betterment. I suppose not everything ever written is to be understood and/or applied.

20 years is indeed a milestone, and can't be anything less than landmark; one I'm so proud to be part of. Joined: 23 Feb 2008 I've never ever once looked back in any regrets whatsoever. My beginnings here at KF were almost my endings. I've been very fortunate to have exchanged many things here at KF with many outstanding KF members. I've tried my very best to be that transparent with everyone, and not just here at KF; this is just how I am. KF came to me at a time when I needed it the most. I had been part of the SKKA hierarchy for quite some time, when Brain, bushido_man96, invited me to give KF a try. I did, just that because I saw KF as a place that I desperately needed to be a part of. You see, life is so lonely when you're part of the SKKA hierarchy, no matter how many are in the Student Body, and no matter how close I am to Soke and Dai-Soke. Egg shells can replace security in a heartbeat, whether one wants it to or not. The SKKA WAS everything to me in every shape, way, and/or form. However, the SKKA bubble is a very fragile thing, as is every MA Governing Body because ones own heart is often used as a stepping stone to the next rung in the hierarchy, and the SKKA was no exception. I was once the Kaicho, President, of the SKKA, the highest administrative position, and I can tell you without any reservation, that that position is the loneliest of them all. I climbed up the hierarchy slowly but surely, but that fragile bubble remained as a daily pressure cooker. I thought the bubble would pop at anytime, and sooner than later. Nonetheless, that proverbial needle never relaxed, but instead, day after day, that needle was going to burst the SKKA bubble. Then KF quickly became that escape from the SKKA bubble. I once again could breathe in and out painlessly, and not hyperventilating. So. I kept coming back, and I still keep coming back to KF because KF and its members are that proof that is on the floor, and I need them, more than they need me. Patrick exercised mentoring me for some reason, of which, I will never take his friendship, understanding, and leadership lightly. Neither would I take lightly that which the KF Staff has given me. Thank you all!! I have many KF members to thank in every shape, way, and/or form for all that you've each given to me. Some to the point, and some not so much to the point, but either way, I need that frankness daily. Brian, bushido_man96, became one of my closest friends here and away from KF; I own him a thanks that I might not be able to ever repay. Thank you, Brian!! We trained once, wish we had trained together more because Brian's a very solid MAist through and through!! I was able to have lunch with Ken, Bulltahr, and my wife, and we talked MA shop, and other things, as well!! Thank you, Ken!! I've enjoyed far more than I haven't while being here at KF, and God willing, I pray that I can enjoy even more here at KF, in any shape, way, and/or form. I'm no one special, just Bob who loves his family, yes, KF and it's members are part of my family, tries to do his best, and loves the MA with all of his heart and soul. Congrats KF for 20 years, and here's to 20 more years, God willing. Thank you all...I love you all!!

Congrats, Zaine; well deserved!!

Once a MAist, always a MAist. Take the dojo away and all it provides, the MAist still remains. Take the training away, the MAist remains; knowledge and experience might get rusty, but the MAist remains. Should all MA is forsaken, the MAist is still somewhere inside. After all, the MAist label is still just that, a label. I've no desire to live by any label, nor do I desire to be placed into any label by others. I'm complete in my totality as a MAist, and not because others say so. By getting on the floor and train your heart out, as though there's no tomorrow by yourself if need be. Train with other MAists that you know and trust in a plethora of topic that keep that effectiveness alive. If you train seriously, then the needed connection to Karate IS STILL THERE AND ALIVE!!

Sandan's are the bare minimum to run/open their own dojo(s), imho, however, they better know how to teach. Otherwise the dojo will run them instead of the CI running the dojo. Not one of my Sandan's need my approval to open/run a dojo as a CI. Why? That's not my place in the first place because said dojo isn't in my name as the owner; it's not my dojo. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. Trials and tribulations, as well as the unknown are part of running any business, no matter how large or small. I believe that from what you've told us, you're more than ready to take the opportunity. If I, as a Sandan, had not taken the necessary steps to open my own dojo back then, I would've not done it at all. I never needed anyone's approval to do anything whenever it came to my dojo whatsoever. That has made all of the differences. I've never opened a branch, but just a single dojo because I didn't want to serve my Student Body in any part-time capacity; that's not fair to my Student Body. Business is business! Separate the dojo from the business; both deserve that. If one suffers, than the other suffers one way or another. I've made a living in running and operating my own dojo for over 40 years, and I've never looked back. As many have stated....you got this!!

Unsu or Naifanchi

I wholeheartedly agree!! Rank should never ever enter any conversation with a student because they're there to train.

Bruce Lee wrote: This quote of Bruce reminds be that he didn't have a fixed way of teaching for his Student Body. Inasmuch, he tailored JKD to the individual, and not to the group. Like the potter, gathers up the broken pieces of a vessel he wishes to mend he doesn't put it back together like a puzzle but on the wheel he molds it again; he molded the student in order to find their own strengths...their own weaknesses...to be honest with themselves. “A good teacher can never be fixed in a routine. Each moment requires a sensitive mind that is constantly changing and constantly adapting. A teacher must never impose his student to fit his favorite pattern. A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence. A teacher is never a giver of truth; he is a guide, a pointer to the truth that each student must find for himself. I am not teaching you anything, I just help you to explore yourself.” ~Bruce Lee I can not teach you, only help you to explore yourself. Nothing more. ~ Bruce Lee Brian, what can we do to wet the curiosity to get others interested in our conversation here?!?

Solid post!! As far as "Heavy" is according to ones understanding. In Shindokan, I'd most assuredly say that we're "Heavy" in grappling. We train in grappling from day one because our founder was a firm believer that sometime during a fight, it'll end up on the ground, and a lot of that will come to pass because we take the fight to the ground according.

Welcome to KF, Bobd400; glad that you're here!!

While I'm staunchly opposed against earning a BB on-line, nonetheless, you're post is solid!! Welcome to KF, Bobd400; glad that you're here!!

Made me smile, lol I'm glad! I wonder how many get it...Hopefully quite a few! Yes, I got it too. Btw, none of my Okinawa friends and contacts have ever heard of the gi in question.