sensei8

I was confusingly surprised that the Cowboy FINALLY won. Even though the win was over the Texans, a win is a win! What's up with the Chief's? 3-0 Congrats to the Chief's and to Brian!! Whatever thier doing...keep doing it!! Surprising loses and wins these past 3 weeks! Packers VS Bears...Monday Night Football...I'm going to pick Bears...Score 27-20 GO COWBOYS!!!!!!!!!

There's only one word that comes to my mind...AWESOME!! Business 101 would call this...Established Goodwill!! Thanks for all you do to make this community the success that it is because without your positive managing skills and the like, this milestone wouldn't have been possible. Congrats Patrick!!

That's a very important and valid point!

Learn from your mistakes so that you'll not repeat them. Cherish the things that you've learnt from your mistakes, hopefully, they've made you a better person.

Good luck to you!!

I don't agree with the practice of kids ages 6-12 wearing a full fledged black belt, but it's there way and I can't prevent it, nor do I want to. Our JBB's aren't full fleged black belts in the sense that adults are, both of thier curriculums/testings leading up to the JBB/Yudansha are different across the board.

A very valid 2 cents, imho!!

As I've stated before...McDojo's are here to stay no matter what we may or may not think about them. I'd rather spend my efforts in things that are more to my martial arts betterment than trying to shut down McDojo's. Consumers decide, not us of the martial arts world!

Then, by some of the posts, my style and myself are WRONG because we, Shindokan, issues JBB to those karateka's that are between the ages of 13 - 17, even before our reasons are truly understood, and/or, respected by the masses. It's just our way, but, it appears to me that that's not acceptable to those outside of the Shindokan Hombu! It's all good!

Everything in the martial arts is game; no boundries. Therefore, in the martial arts, there's NO such things as...opps!!

BINGO!! You only see LEO's wear a bullet proof vest to protect their body because of the body's large size compared to the head. Not that it's impossible to strike the head, but, I believe that it would be much easier to shoot the body than it would be to shoot the head. Same principal in MA; body over the head!

And in that...SHUGYO...suck it up!

In sport fighting, honor means everything; bushido. In self-defense, honor means nothing to me; survive. Webster dictionary defines HONOR as... 1. honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: a man of honor. That's not how my attacker attacked me. I must meet distainment with distainment. My attacker only wanted to distroy me and/or my loved ones, therefore, I don't have the luxury or the time to worry about honor. "He who hesitates, meditates horizontal"~ Ed Parker I don't hit; because it's honest! I don't hit; because it's fair! I don't hit; because it's in line with my integrity! No! I hit because I must!! I will hit anyway I can because my life and/or my loved ones life is in danger. Allow me to me frank and honest; I'll do whatever I deem proper at that exact moment because I want to and because I have to and because I must! Can I display honor, and/or can I be honorable while I'm engaged in a self-defense situation? Yes I can! But, I'm not thinking about me being honor at that time. No. I'm only consumed at that very moment with one thing; my and/or my loved ones survival. Honor is important, but, only in the moment of the context as well as the content. I'll let honor take care of itself while I take care of business!

Elbow blocks...I LOVE THEM and I can't ever see me NOT elbow blocking. That type of blocking is so easy and for me, it's so natural. Having said that, it's quite important to remember to properly align the elbow with the target. Otherwise, injury to the elbow, for one, becomes more often than not.

Sorry Biskit...CONGRATS on your tournament success...great job!!

It's not only appropriate, it's necessary!! Gender seperation, imho, has no business in any type of martial arts training. As a martial artist, I'm not there to touch anyone inappropriately while I'm training, but, if I do touch someone, in thier opinion, inappropriately it's only in the course of the moment of the training across the board. If the "techniques" at hand dictate to me that I must strike and the like in that "inappropriate area", then that's what I'm going to do without any hesitation. Otherwise, when it's for real, man or woman, I'll hesitate when I should strike without any reservation whatsoever!! My attackers aren't only going to be males!

In the past few days I've given something a lot of considering. Now that I've just lost my Dai-Soke, and lost our Soke two years ago, I've decided that I'm going to write a memoir. This memoir will be titled: Empty Chairs!! It's a look into the lifes of my Soke and my Dai-Soke. A look on how they molded and touched my life. A look on how the Shindokan Hombu survives their passing; especially their passing that's not so far apart. Rough Chapter Outline: Chapter One: Soke Fuyuhiko Saitou (1917 - 2008) Chapter Two: Dai-Soke Yoshinobu Takahashi (1932 - 2010) Chapter Three: Make It Or Break It (Can the Shindokan Hombu Survive?) Chapter Four: Reflecting On Their Influence In My Life My problem is that I'm far from being a great writer, although I do have my moments, but they're not as often as I'd like. Possibly, I could have a ghost writer, if that's acceptable when one is considering a memoir, as I am. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I feel very strong about this, whereas before, I wasn't. I always thought that someone has to be great to write a memoir. Well, in my opinion, Saitou Sensei and Takahashi Sensei are great men; to Shindokan and to myself!! Am I responding to my pain in losing my Dai-Soke? Yes I am! How can I pay my respect to these solid karateka's? There's many ways, but, right now, me writing this memoir is my way. Will anybody truly care one way or another if it's written or not? I don't know, but, if nothing else, this might lessen my pain. I won't know until it's written!

Martial artists from the four corners of the earth spend an untold countless amount of hours, days, weeks, month, years, and decades literally on one thing; perfecting themselves. In this noble venture, certain things aren’t so easy to accept, therefore, the journey of every martial artist isn’t a vain and/or self-centered desire to improve their kihon, kata, and kumite. To raise one’s very own expectations beyond where eagles sore isn’t a futile exercise of uplifting our ego. No! Our search is never satisfied because we’re extremely questioning ourselves at every turn in our martial art journey, and in that, we must be honest with ourselves; we can do better! I can do better! I don’t search because my instructor’s instructor says so. I don’t search because my instructor says so. I don’t search because it’s the popular thing to do. I don’t search because my friend says so. I don’t search because my training partner(s) say so. I don’t search because a notable martial artist says so. I don’t search because some judge at some tournament says so. I don’t search because those closest to me say so. I don’t search because it’s required of me. No! I search because that’s what imperfection does; seeks perfection. I search because I’m the proponent of that which states that the summation of ‘why’ is to the summation of ‘because’. I search not on someone else’s time; instead, I search on my own. For me: and for no one else. I search on my own not only because it encapsulates my deepest and innermost desire, but it also drives that unquenchable curiosity of mine. So says that well known proverb; curiosity is what killed the cat. What if? What might be? What? When? Who? Why? Where? How? I need, no; I must satisfy my curiosity if I’m to be honest with myself, both as an individual, but as a martial artist as well. On my own I search, prod, seek, find, ask, doubt, discover, reveal, hunt, quest, shakedown, sweep, chase, pursue, reconnaissance, scout, canvas, survey, explore, probe, and forage. This and so much more, but again, I do it on my own. I do it on my own because ‘it’ is mine alone. On my own I search until tomorrow. On my own I search the world until there’s no tomorrow. On my own I search because I’m still learning. On my own I search because the opposite; the void, isn’t an option. I walk this journey of the martial arts willingly. On my own! I'm not speaking about loneliness. No. I need any and all of the help my fellow martial artists can provide me, but, it'll be on my own conditions and stipulations, but more importantly; my search will be ON MY OWN!! As your martial arts journey is on your own! I love the martial arts! I love my martial arts! I love my search! I love my journey! But only on my own!!

It is with great sadness that I must tell you, my fellow friends in the martial arts, that my Dai-Soke, Yoshinobu Takahashi, Judan, has passed away at the age of 78 years old on September 16, 2010 at 1411 at his home. Another empty chair sits before me! This was his second stroke. His first stroke was August 25, 2009; this stroke forced him to retire. Yoshinobu Takahashi is not only my Sensei and my Dai-Soke, but he's my best friend in all of the world. He's been like a dad to me when my mom and my dad divorced when I was very young; now he's gone. Just a few years ago we lost our Soke, Fuyuhiko Saitou, Judan, at the age of 91 of natural causes. That was extremely sad for everyone in the Shindokan family, it took a lot out of our Dai-Soke for him to lose his Sensei, his best friend. Now for me to lose Yoshinobu, that, for me, is devastating. My Dai-Soke was never able to return to the Hombu in any capacity, although he's made numerious visits to the place he loved the most...the Hombu and to his students! Each visit, he looked much more stronger than the last visits. Who can say each day is guaranteed to us; we can't! I'll never forget him, I'll think about him each and everyday, with great fondness and memories. I love you Dai-Soke...and I always will!! I bow to you! I thank you for teaching me! I thank you for showing me myself! I thank you for believing in me! I thank you for pushing me beyond myself! I thank you for your gentleness, yet, your firmness, and at times, your strictness! I thank you for showing me that holding on to the "old ways" isn't wrong, even in todays martial arts! I thank you...I thank you...and I miss you...and I love you more than you and/or anyone might ever know!! OSU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [i normally finish my posts with a smile face emoticon, but, there's no emoticon to demonstrate how I feel, except possibly this... !!]

There is no first attack in Karate! That's what Karate ni sente nashi means.

It certainly does. In south florida at an all age TKD school, they have a belt system of white, yellow, orange, blue, purple, brown, red, and then black --- there are 2 milestones per belt one much reach (represented with a black duck tape stripe on the end of the belt). Also, for certain achievements, like the split club or know certain specials forms, or even winning some kind of in-school tournys, you can award stars or stripes for the gi or pant leg. But again, this school has all of the rainbow, but, I'm referring to a rank system of White AND Black ONLY; two belts, and no more!! I don't think that this, White AND Black ONLY, would go over well in the mainstream of commercial martial arts schools today. Why? M-O-N-E-Y!!

An absolute solid post!!

Similar in the tenets/maxims of Karate-Do, and by that, each martial art has it's own "Codes" to follow with no ambiquity whatsoever. Thanks for sharing that Joe...absolutely breathtaking!!

Please check these out... Weapons: If you were to judge this, how many points would you award and why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkdwCSu5Ay8 If you were to judge this, how many points would you award and why? Empty Hands: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RumTyMwk5GM&NR=1 If you were to judge this, how many points would you award and why? If you were to judge this, how many points would you award and why?

Ev, OSU!! I'm so proud of you!!