sensei8

I've both editions, and I paid about $120 for the 2nd edition, and I agree, the money was well worth it. I also agree; Harry Cook is VERY knowledgeable about Shotokan, and any serious Shotokan karateka would have this book in their home library, imho. Check this link about Mr. Cook... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Cook And here's an interview with Mr. Cook... http://www.theshotokanway.com/harrycookinterview.html

Unsu is the only traditional Shotokan Kata that has Roundhouse kicks in it. I found that some what interesting considering that the Roundhouse kick is one of the more used kicks during Kumite. The world of Bunkai has so many INTERPRETATIONS of any said kata, and Unsu is no exception. That jump and spin towards the end has some solid interpretations from all four corners of the karate world, but, it also has some far fetched interpretations as well, imho.

Congrats and very well deserved!!

Did you know that during Mas Oyama's 300 man Kumite, Oyama wanted to go a fourth day, which would have made it a 400 man Kumite, but no one else was willing or able? Did you also know that Oyama's 300 man Kumite took place not long after he had completed his mountain training?

Other Okinawan Karate awarded the Menkyo Kaiden... Bushi Matsumura passed on his Menkyo Kaiden to his grandson, Nabe Matsumura. Then... Nabe Matsumura passed on his Menkyo Kaiden to his nephew...Soken Hohan. Then... As I've already mentioned within this thread....Hohan Soken gave his Menkyo Kaiden to Fusei Kise prior to his death in 1982. Then... Isao Kise, son of Fusei Kise, just might end up with his own Menkyo Kaiden from his dad, when and if that time ever presents itself. That's an impressive line of OKINAWAN Karateka's that have awarded as well as received the Menkyo Kaiden. A certificate that's...well...Japanese. I could, I suppose, award my most senior student the Menkyo Kaiden, but I'm not in the Sokeship lineage, and in that, I have NO RIGHT.

My first thoughts are respect, not marketing. Nothing, when its used in its proper context, but I'm referring only about the Menkyo Kaiden. I believe that the Okinawan equivalent IS Menkyo Kaiden, nothing more...nothing less...nothing wrong with that, imho.

I don't believe Mr. Trias ever received a Menkyo Kaiden.

Some people's eyes tell you that they've seen things. His eyes tell you that people have seen him. Solid post!!

Just for grins and giggles...Roberta Trias is Hanshi and Menkyo Kaiden...her discipline is...Okinawan Shuri-ryu. Because her Menkyo Kaiden was issued within an Okinawan organization; does it mean nothing? And/or....should it be stripped from her? And/or...should she be shunned because of was awarded the Menkyo Kaiden? Other noteworthy Okinawan's have issued the Menkyo Kaiden. For example...Hohan Soken gave his Menkyo Kaiden to Fusei Kise prior to his death in 1982. Sounds to me that NOBODY "owns" the exclusive rights to this title, and in that, both Japanese AND Okinawan organizations can issue one if they want to. Does anybody know the Okinawan equivalent of the Menkyo Kaiden?

It's time to give the Yankees a big shout out of support..... GO YANKEES!! Give your favorite team a big shout out of support...

These links might help you... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_football http://ncaafootball.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Football_League http://www.nfl.com/

Respect begets respect!!

My computer dumbness is about to ask...how do I back up and into what, etc?

More importantly is that your doctor knows the human body, in that, I'd strongly suggest that you refer to your doctor and not what's on the internet. Stay strong in your faith!!

For the posts thus far, I thank you!! To Adamo: No, I didn't back it up. Why? I'm stupid, it's just that plain and simple. I was trusting that the software was doing that on its own already. To Elizabeth: I tried what you suggested but I didn't and I still don't know how to do that and/or as simple as your suggestion was, it was above my abilities. You know, with me and computers, I'm like a calf that's staring at a very strange gate. To mindsedgeblade: My computer won't let me run Norton until I get an external hard drive for more space. Norton wants to download some updates, but, on that computer, the space available on the hard drive is limited, and I've deleted as much from that hard drive as I can without causing new problems with its operations. I'm getting real close to taking this computer to my computer girl, who's a genius in that stuff. I deserve to pay out the nose for her to save my bacon. Sheech....way to go Bob....duh!!

Are you saying that no Okinawan arts practice/use/etc Menkyo Kaiden? Historically - it does not exist. If modern groups have made it up, then that’s their business - but it is not how Okinawan arts were taught. That’s not to say they are any better or worse, but traditionally Okinawan dojo did not follow the Menkyo pattern. Sojobo I know for a fact that there are many Okinawan karate styles that have awarded the Menkyo Kaiden. It might be Japanese, but, the Japanese don't own the exclusive right, or they shouldn't. It's possible that my Soke saw the value of the Menkyo Kaiden within the Japanese systems, and adopted it into our By-Laws...I don't know because I wasn't there when our By-Laws were created, nor was I there when our Soke decided to actually award it to our Dai-Soke; it was his right. In the scope of this topic, I'd say both Japanese AND Okinawan Karate has the right to award the Menkyo Kaiden. It's not really for me to say either way because I might feel one way or another, but, I'll never have the right to award the MK because I'm not in the Sokeship lineage, nor do I want to be.

Are you saying that no Okinawan arts practice/use/etc Menkyo Kaiden?

Aaarrgghhhhh...I call out to anyone here at KF who's a computer genius/wizard for help. I just discovered that I've lost EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT that I had stored in one of my computers. It has/had Microsoft Office 2007. Today, I went to continue writing my karate memoirs, which was in the DOCUMENT FILE, amongst many, many, MANY personal/important documents, but, a note from my computer says that the fileS are corrupt!! Then my computer asks me what Microsoft Office I have, like it doesn't know that, so I click on the appropriate link and I find myself staring at a 2010 version that I can BUY for over $200. Even if I update to a current version, would that bring back EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT?? OR... Should I go to a computer wizard shop in the hopes that they might be able to recover them, or at least print them all out? HELP!! If you're asking me..."Why didn't you update ALONG time ago?" My answer is..."It [Microsoft Office] wasn't broke, so I didn't ever see a need to "fix" it."

LOL...Seeing that this forum is for discussing things concerning the martial arts...I create most of my topics/thread, like this one, for the sake of us to discuss 'it' amongst ourselves; to have a friendly and informative conversation. Nothing more, nothing less. Our system has had only one Menkyo Kaiden: Our Dai-Soke. It was awarded to him by our Soke, shortly after Soke retired and just before Soke's death in 2008. This Menkyo Kaiden was over 60 years in the making; Dai-Soke became Soke's student in 1940.

First of all...great topic!! I did when I was a child. If I may quote from the bible... "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."`KJV As an adult, to answer your questions...I never have and I never will!! Not when I was part of the general student body! Not when I was a member of the Board of Regents! Not when I was Kaicho! Not when I was the Chief Instructor of our Hombu!! The word I've always accompanied with those of any hierarchy, including ours, is just simple RESPECT across the board. In my own dojo, I was always BOB, just plain old BOB. Formality has its place within its proper context and/or its proper content!! To me, this is nothing more than another form of RESPECT!! I've only one Master, and He lives on High!! Yes, I use Soke or Dai-Soke or Kaicho or Kancho, but whether it's in a forum, such as this, or it's in a Shindokan dojo, and/or in any normal conversation, I suppose, it's just become a natural thing for me. Especially in any forum, again, such as this is, but that's mainly for two reasons. One: RESPECT!! Two: It sure is much easier to type in the manner of which I do, than to type out that persons official title(s). No!! I behave correctly because of the way my parents raised me; that's first and foremost over anything my Dai-Soke and/or anybody else in the martial arts world has tried to instill in me. I'm the worse follower in the world. I respect my Soke/Dai-Soke, but I'm not theirs to do with as they see fit. I question everything, not because I'm disobedient, no, but because I want to see/know for myself firsthand. For every argument and/or disagreement that I've ever had with my karateka "Seniors", I could've of filled one volume after another after another. Because I'm consistent in my ways, my karateka "Seniors" have learned to respect this part of my character, and in that, they've trusted me without question. I suppose I've earned the right of being a thorn in their sides. Again...NOPE!! If I end up doing a push-up...cool...push-ups are part of training and building up my body, so, shoot, give them to me. That's not punishment to me. And again, I say "YES SIR!" because that's how I was raised. Before I became a "Senior", they were better than me, only as a karateka, NOT as a person!! Not one Shindokan "Senior" has ever demanded me, or anyone else for that fact, to treat them in a "God-like fashion"; our Soke/Dai-Soke wouldn't have allowed it because they didn't act all God-like. I've seen others, not of the Shindokan Hombu, act in this fashion you speak of, but, whenever I see that, I excuse myself immediately because there's only one God, and they're NOT!! They put there pants on just like I do. When any "Senior" speaks, I listen until I discover that they start to walk/talk like they're all this and a bag of chips in their style(s), and guess what to all the "SENIORS"...nobody is unbeatable...NOBODY!! Everyone of them...each and everyone of them. It's our way. We don't shun and/or belittle any Shindokanist...no matter kyu/dan. Funny thing...Ever since our Soke and Dai-Soke have passed away...I've more seniority than anybody in Shindokan, including our new San Dai-Soke...and I'm about laid back as a long sunny day with a cool glass of tea. I'm nobody special and I'm surely not better than anyone, and I mean ANYONE!!

Who has the right to select an Menkyo Kaiden? Someone in the Sokeship line ONLY? Administration ONLY? Executive ONLY? Student body via an election ONLY? Just who has/hasn't the right? Is this right absolute? I suppose that one might be asking....What is a Menkyo Kaiden? http://www.shotokanryukaseha.com/other_languages/budo_themes/themes_2004/7_menkyo_kaiden.htm Would the selection of said candidate be based on a personal choice or a professional choice?

SOLID POST!! In your situation, it was the case that you were starting to do things [techniques, etc] wrong UNTIL Lindsey Sensei brought you back to the right path, and it's made all of the difference for you. Again...SOLID POST!!

When the wheel was invented, it went through it's many changes UNTIL it reached it's current style, and in that, anything added to it will only improve it's tread footprints. So is the martial arts. Each and everyone of us has had more AHA MOMENTS than Carter has Liver Pills. So true is what ninjanurse has said... Have you finally realized that you've been doing said technique(s) wrong for an x-amount of years? Or...is it that you've, after all this time, only been refining/tuning said technique(s) into the shape of your desire? Not always is an instructor to be credited for this realization because the practitioner does the discovery while training away from the dojo/dojang. Sure, the instructor has jarred open the door to discovery by this suggestion or that suggestion, but it's left up to the student to finally open the door wide to its unlimited possibilities. My Dai-Soke helped me to find the door ajar through his instructions as well as his guidance, but it was always left to me to force the door wide up through my own discoveries as I matured as a martial artist. But, then the door would be slammed shut again because I was not ready to learn/accept what my Dai-Soke was now teaching me. Not because the said technique(s) was wrong. No! It was right, but it was now being reshaped into something better across the board. Then again and again and again, until my Dai-Soke jarred open the door again for me to find the new discoveries awaiting me through my desire and through my endless training, but I've never been satisfied with my martial arts. Therefore, I endure, I survive, I seek, I fumble, I believe...I KEEP TRAINING...I KEEP TRAINING...I KEEP TRAINING!! IF ONE EVER REACHES THE MOMENT IN THEIR TRAINING WHEN ONE IS SATISFIED WITH ANY SAID TECHNIQUE(S); THAT'S WHEN IT'S TIME TO QUIT TRAINING AND IT'S ALSO THE TIME TO QUIT THE MARTIAL ARTS!! I re-ask this: Was the who, what, where, when, why, and how of any said technique(s) that you did WRONG? OR... Were you just starting to mature across the board as a martial artist? EDITS: Spelling errors

It is always unfortunate that the black belt practitioner is deeply intertwined with the politics of any said organization, whether it's by design or not. Forget the politics and/or ones devotion to said style and/or to said organization; we're martial artists first and foremost. The organization, as important or not, is nothing more than just a building without its student body; black belt or not.

Those are the million dollar questions, and in that, there are a million different answers. In any system that propagates the kyu/dan ranking, the Yudansha is everything. The Yudansha is the end of one beginning, and it's the beginning of the never ending journey. Yes AND no!! Again, in any system that propagates the kyu/dan ranking, and depending on what side of the political fence one stands on, the Yudansha opens some doors, while sometimes it closes doors. For the Yudansha to help a follower of the kyu/dan rankings, it's the only way to the next rank, and depending on how many ranks decorate ones Yudansha, some things are required, and in that, yes, the Yudansha does help. To teach: Sandan might be required. To administer: Godan might be required. To oversee a region: Hachidan might be required. To train: Nothing is required other than a constant desire for betterment of oneself and of one's martial arts. To train, one doesn't need any type of decoration, for decorations can sometimes fuel the ego, and ego has no place in the martial arts; it can destroy the betterment of self. A Yudansha guarantee's NOTHING, but it might require EVERYTHING. Albeit, the Yudansha is just a belt to some, yet, to others, it's one's very soul, heart, and breath. Maturity in the martial arts requires no belt, no matter the color and/or the decorations upon it; only knowledge. No matter the style of the martial arts; politics will exists. One who plays the political game better than the rest, weaves his/her Yudansha like a cobra that's only seeking its prey for a means that defies all reasoning's. In my countless years, I've been on both sides of the political fence; part of the student body, as well as part of the administration; have held several key positions. However, I never played the evil side of the politics, and this was my choice, one I've never regretted for one second. On the political side, I've always looked out for the student body, no matter kyu/dan they held or didn't hold. I fought and won many political battles, very few I lost for one reason or another. I've stood face to face with the political machine, and I've fought toe to toe because I've never agreed with everything that my Soke/Dai-Soke/Hombu fought for, in that, I always spoke my own mind no matter if it was popular or not... Student body Soke/Dai-Soke Hombu In that order without any exceptions and/or any reservations! Now, my Hombu has left the entire student body to fend for themselves. Once we had a home, and then, we have no home. Did politics play a role in this? I've no idea, nobody does because our San Dai-Soke only says that this was "the desire of his father" [Our Dai-Soke] before he passed away. I say that our San Dai-Soke must have misunderstood his father's meaning because the student body always came first to our Dai-Soke. The administration elected our San Dai-Soke into office; it's ended up being our demise. My Yudansha has meaning and value to me; but that depends on the context as well as the content of the moment at hand. Still, I've never needed any organization to train, and this is what I eagerly do each and everyday. So much for the value of our Yudansha's and how much it [Yudansha] helped us in the long run. I'm extremely sensitive these days when it comes to organizational politics. All of my days;, yesterday/today/tommorw,I have eagerly placed my Yundansha at the foot of Him who is more than worthy!!