sensei8

I apologize in advance for my answer....however, there's no such thing as the "best", imho, because the "best" is nothing more than an illusion because things change from one moment to another; nothing is consistent. For me, for something/someone to be considered the "best", it/they must be consistent across the board. That's difficult because we are fallible by nature.

"How do I get out of that?" Sometimes you can't, no matter what!! What happens after that? I suppose that that will be left up to your attacker.

Absofreakinlutely right. Doublelytriplely ditto.

Great question! It's quite possible that we'll evenly pick either offense or defense. This, imho, is more than likely because of a personal preference more than what a style dictates to its practitioners across the board. Both, offense and defense are critically vital across the board because one can't live without the other for long. Offense will need to depend on defense for one reason or another, and vice versa for the defense. Shindokan teaches us that a well placed defense/block/deflection can stop an attack. Therefore, per Shindokan through our Tuite; our offense IS our defense and vice versa.

Very solid, and I concur!!

To all; I sincerely thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart. For your nominations, and for your voting, for your confidence in me across the board. Congrats to the other winners, for they are well deserved! This is unexpected, however, it's greatly appreciated! THANKS TO ALL!!

Yes, there are other Shindokan dojo's in the US. Although, the Hombu, for a very long time, was the only Shindokan dojo. I can only assume that the current student body of the Hombu will be referred to neighboring Shindokan dojo's. I'm not for sure what's going to be done in that regard. I'm not in the room! You bring up some valid points in your first paragraph. Here's the thing. I, nor anybody else for that matter, that I'm aware of, knows what our Dai-Soke said, if anything concerning the future of the Hombu, to his eldest son, now our San Dai-Soke, in private before he passed away. If need be, then my retirement was short lived. I've already offered my services to them in any capacity that they feel might be necessary for the betterment of the Hombu, and its students. Time is running out fast!

Hind sight and all that! Yes...I retired from the Hombu this year. I was the Kaicho (President) and Chief Instructor of the Hombu. Before that, I was a member of the Board of Regents for over 21 years. Now, I'm Kaiso, and in this role, I've no voting obligations and/or power. I had refused, just very recently, an offer to resume my prior responsibilities as the Chief Instructor of the Hombu.

I've just finished talking with Kaicho Forsythe, and what he informed me of this morning is, to me, both shocking and very upsetting. The Shindokan Hombu is relocating to, of all places, Nanjo Okinawa. As of January 3, 2011, the only home that the Hombu has ever known is CLOSING!! Yes, closing; it's not even going to remain as a USA Branch of the Shindokan Hombu of Nanjo, Okinawa. What in the world is going on? November 17, 2010, the Shindokan Hombu was in session at the request of our new San Dai-Soke, Iwao Takahashi, the eldest son of our late Dai-Soke, Yoshinobu Takahashi, brought a petition [to move the Shindokan Hombu from it's current USA location to Okinawa] for a vote to the following Teams and their departments: 1) Executive Team, [Kaicho, Kancho, and the Board of Regents], and it's three departments---> A) General Affairs Department B) Instructors Department C) Administration Department 2) Legal Team After several closed, as well as open door meetings, and on December 7, 2010, the vote was unanimous in the favor of our new San Dai-Soke. I was not part of the vote, as I'm now only the Kaiso (Senior Advisor), and the Kaiso has no voting options, just an advisory role. My advise wasn't counseled until the after vote was passed. That's fine, as that is their right because our By-Laws are structured concerning the Kaiso in such a way that my advise is at the discretion of the San Dai-Soke, as well as the Executive Team. However, I've always been very outspoken, and possibly because of this, only now, they're seeking my advise. I've given my advise, however, the move out of the USA is a go! Reason(s) as to why our San Dai-Soke has decided this is quite understandable to some degree. Seeing that our San Dai-Soke is the eldest son of our late Dai-Soke, after all, he's now our leader, so, he felt that the Shindokan Hombu, and more importantly, Shindokan itself must return to where it was founded by our Soke, Fuyuhiko Saitou; Okinawa. But why Nanjo? Our late Dai-Soke was born in the tiny village of Tamagusuku of the Shimajiri District. In the neighboring village of Ozato is also where our Dai-Soke first meet our Soke when he was about 8 years old, and thereafter, started a life-long relationship between these two that well surpassed teacher and student. Okinawa is the birthplace of Shindokan Karate-do Saitou-ryu. Therefore, "Shindokan is going home" per our San Dai-Soke. Moving the Hombu so drastically across the world is going to be quite an insurmountable task across the board. Not only are they literally ripping the Hombu away from the USA to Okinawa, but they're going to be ripping away from the students that daily attend the Hombu for classes. This isn't to mention the fact that our annual testing cycles at the Hombu will be in Okinawa. Well, who can afford to travel to Okinawa? Not many! The Hombu isn't just a dojo, but its an entity, to say the least. How big is the obscure Shindokan Hombu? Here's a KF post I wrote, entitled "A Glimpse Into A Hombu"... http://www.karateforums.com/a-glimpse-into-a-hombu-vt36501.html?highlight= By this, you can possibly see what's involved in moving across the ocean. Not only are Shindokan students going to be greatly affected by this decision, but also are those who've depended on the Hombu for employment. Their decision, imho, also concerns more than what's on the surface. Yes, employment has been offered to everyone who wants to move to Okinawa, and the Hombu has agreed to pay for all that's required to relocate those employees. For those who choose to not relocate to Okinawa, well, a handsome severance package is being offered, however, that severance package depends on how many years one has been employed with the Hombu. I've no desire to live and work abroad. Study abroad, yes, but that was then, and this is now. My path is clear, even more clearer than it's ever been before, as to what I must do as Kaiso...and that is this. Convince the Hombu to establish a USA Branch Office!! If I fail at convincing the Hombu about a USA Branch Office, then I would've failed the entire Shindokan student body, and in that, I feel that I've already failed every student by my retiring. Because if I was still there, I'm pretty sure that I would've been able to squash this petition during the voting procedures. If I fail, then this will be, imho, the beginning of the end of Shindokan. It seems that way, it feels that way, and it tastes that way. Did the passing of our Soke and our Dai-Soke already doom Shindokan, as well as its Hombu? I'm trying to make sense of this, but I can't become a proponent of what the Hombu and it's hierarchy is...no...HAS done!! Your thoughts/advise...etc will be greatly appreciated and respected!!

LOL don't get me wrong I'm not just open the being grabbed or struck. However I believe whether it's grappling or striking I feel more like you could escalate the situation out of your favor. An unsuccessful attempt on the groin will bring dire consequences. Besides you can't attack the groin with them on your back choking the life out of you. With an experienced bjj practitioner you will find very few opportunities to apply these tactics. There are strategies used to make the opponent think of only what one wants them to think about while grappling. An example is attack the neck and they will give up their arms. Unless you spend and extensive amount of time being choked and defending chokes the brain will override what you think you would do when no fresh oxygen is being received in the brain. Everyone goes night night with the choke. That just simply cannot be argued. Let me preface what I've tried to say by just saying...when the moment is right, and not until then; whether I create it or it occurs on its own! But the 4 rules of engagement still apply: Study your opponent, study yourself, make a plan, and then carry out the plan!! Not all plans are successful!

Hehehehehee... I sure did start something by just using the word..."beginner"! Sorry!!

One time, a student was asked by a visiting Sensei... "What's your rank?" "Sir, I'm a Black Belt" the student proudly answers. And even though the visiting Sensei was wearing his Yudansha, the student still asked the question... "Sir, if I may ask, what's your rank?' "Sir, I'm a beginner" answers the visiting Sensei "No you're not" the student excitingly retorts Sure I am! I don't know everything, and in that, even though I'm a senior Yudansha, I'm always learning; each and everyday! When I train with those outside of Shindokan, I'm learning something new. As odd as this might sound, I'm always learning something new within Shindokan. Even further more, I'm always learning something new about myself. Bottom line, while I'm a senior Yudansha, I'm only in a beginner in the wide world of the martial arts. And you know what? I'm fine with that, as a matter of fact, I'm mostly proud about that!! Your thoughts!?

Very interesting. One I hadn't thought of, if ever. Thanks for that Patrick!

SOLID!!

Imho, it just doesn't take a lot of force in the groin area to get the attention of my opponent. I remember one time while I was on the floor writhing in pain for a solid half hour and this was due to a gracing glance to my groin by our Dai-Soke to prove a point to his most mule headed student...me. A lot of our most Shindokan senior practitioners hate to grapple with me because I'm always actively attempting to strike and/or grab at the groin area with much success. I'm sadistic when it comes to stuff like that.

Yes, by all means...WELCOME BACK!!

Good luck, and I'm of the opinion, that you'll do GREAT!! Remain calm & have fun!!

Now, that's an excellent article: very informative across the board...thanks for it...I enjoyed it a lot!!

It's so easy to tell when a student or anybody for that fact has been holding their breath during Kata...when finished with said kata....they're breathing becomes deep/labored! Hard to disguise that when the body needs air. I tend to mark low when I see this because proper breathing is so important.

Cheering for the Steelers huh? Just kidding! I'm just jealous that these two teams are fighting for 1st place and the Cowboys, well, aren't!! Maybe we'll get some fine 1at or 2nd draft picks out of it!! Co Cowboys or someone!!

Solid post!! Its funny how age effects you. I work out with one of the BB's 16 year old sons, mainly because this kid scares the other kids his age, but this kid will not tap and he is still young enough that he can bend certain joints like his elbow beyond the typical break point. Every time I work arm bars with this kid he's always telling me, "hey I didn't tap!" Oh to be young again...and flexible....and, well, you know, at my age, everything is an "and"!!

Joe, You've brought to life the old saying... "Necessity is the mother of all invention!!" Awesome and thanks for sharing it!!

Various systems have various interpretations of the bunkai of kata, and like all bunkai in all traditional kata there is more than one bunkai that exists for every move. The last movements of Passai are primarily a slow sweeping motion which is feeling in the dark for your opponent, then upon touching them your first hand is reaching out and grasping their arm/coat/etc and pulling them in while the other hand is reaching for a nerve in the area where the neck meets the shoulder. I absolutely agree with you! And what I presented to the forum was only one bunkai, however, in Shindokan, what I presented to the forum is the first bunkai of many that's taught to all in our student body. The dark/blind bunkai, I can see that it does have viability to it, and I thank you for explaining it to me.

Very solid post!! One of the things I'd add is that the breathing, in Shindokan, must be coordinated with all foot movements, and one must remember to relax following the breathe, and in that, not remaining tensed, and that is so one can transition into the next movement(s). However, that goes in concert with what BDPulver said... "...there's different breathing techniques for every aspect of Karate. but all are the same it depends on what what is doing." Learn how to properly breath ASAP!!

Anything's possible, but, nothing's guaranteed! There are just way to many parameters to each and everything in the martial arts...including just for points.