sensei8

No, the Cowboys should TAKE you up on your offer...for real!!

I wouldn't treat ANY of my students that way EVER!! Without any hesitation on your part at all...LEAVE that so-called school ASAP.

I believe that many KF members might find this interesting, especially those who have a keen interest of history. Enjoy... http://yamada-san.blogspot.com/2008/02/meeting-of-okinawa-karate-do-masters-in.html

How about them Rangers? Rangers beat the Rays 5-1, and now the Rangers will face the Yankees in the ALCS. I'm only concerned with Cliff Lee; he's dangerious! But...the Yankees will win the ALCS and effortlessly walk into the World Series, and whomever the Yankees have to face in the World Series will only mean one thing for the Yankees....YANKEE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS...AGAIN!! GO YANKEES!

Children's interests change as often as the wind. In the martial arts, one needs motivation more than being athletic inclined or competitve or being gifted. Your kids must WANT to do the martial arts. You must continue to support and encourage and believe in them everyday and in every step of the way. The martial arts isn't for everyone because it's difficult, and it's suppose to be. Well, I've some bad news for you. Martial arts training will never end, therefore, they'll never finish. If in finishing you mean earning a black belt will be the finish line, well, the accomplishment of earning a black belt is huge in any martial artists life, but, taking the martial arts for the sake of earning belts isn't a good reason. And for that reason, if it is for that reason, then you're missing the forest because of the trees. Again, earning the belts is suppose to be difficult and it's suppose to take some time and it's not suppose to be the reason for learning the martial arts. Imagine if your were to rush your kids through school. That would be detrimental to their educational growth. Same thing in the martial arts; nurture their martial arts growth for that will be to the betterment of them in the long run. They shouldn't be concerned with how long it'll take, only that they train hard everyday. Keep your kids on their martial arts journey, and in the long run, you'll be glad that you did. The financial burden can't be overlooked because it's the reality of the many, many years of martial arts training. The economic downturn has taken its toll upon us all in one way, shape, and/or form. Imho, the martial arts is a want, and not a need. I don't need the martial arts to survive but I need food and shelter and the like. If the financial burden is to much, then stop your kids from taking the martial arts until your finances allow it. Sometimes, as parents, we have to make tough and unforseen decisions, and in that, our kids don't fully understand as to the reasons. The process of the martial arts is akin to your kids' regular school; one grade at a time, no matter how long it takes to complete each grade. That's the martial arts, as far as the belts are concerned, in a nutshell. Knowledge is paramount in the martial arts, not the belts!! Practical? Do you think that your kids are learning how to defend themselves? If not, then voice your concerns with their instructor. If they are, then it's worth it and it's practical. But in order to be good at anything it'll take a lot of training and a lot of time. Again, speak your concerns with their instructor. You keep speaking about "FINISH" as though that's the most important element of the martial arts, when it's not! Although, if black belt is 'your' goal for your kids, then your kids won't learn what's important from the martial arts, and that is, KNOWLEDGE!! Black belt isn't the end, it's only the beginning! Karate is karate, please forget about the adult karate and the kid karate stuff. And yes, it's an aesthetic sort of thing, where they either get it or they don't. Each martial artists reaches their AHA moment many times, over and over, while on their martial arts journey. The martial arts isn't for everyone because it's difficult across the board. It's not so much different from one instructor to another within the same style, but, it's different from one style to another! Instructors in the same style teach differently, yet, the instructors reach the same goals for their students within the By-Laws of the governing body. In that, not all instructors of the same style are always on the same page because not all instructors teach the same, and in that, not all instructors have interpretated the same style the same way. Not all black belts can teach!! Within the same style, yes, for the most! Although, if you were to switch from one style to another, well, that's a big NO!! If you go from one Shotokan instructor to another Shotokan instructor, your rank should transfer unabridged. However, if you go from Shotokan to Tae Kwon Do or even Goju-ryu, then you're going to have to start from white belt because you'd have no prior experience with TKD or Goju-ryu. By the time a practitioner reaches brown or black belt, they should already be physically fit to compete as a brown/black belt because by the time they've earned a brown belt, they would've been in their style for several years already. Good luck and I wish you and your kids the very best!!

Gaining a belt in any style of the martial arts is suppose to be difficult. Besides, gaining belts is a bad reason to want to begin any martial art. Train very hard and let the belt tests take care of themselfs. I wouldn't classify Kyokushin as brutal; it's a 'hard' style. Effectiveness of any martial arts is up to the practitioner, and in that, if the style is ineffective, it's not the fault of the style, it's the fault of the practitioner. Every style has beginners and every style needs beginners. Imagine if Kyokushin no longer had any beginners for one reason or another. I think that would start the downfall of that style. No! You're a beginner in Shotokan, so, switch asap. What I'd advise you is to not switch over and over and over and over. Taste and see if Kyokushin is good for you. Whatever the style, it must fit YOU across the board!! One final piece of advise if your going to switch to Kyokushin, and that is this. Learn a new word...SHUGYO...SUCK IT UP because you're going to need to call upon as much fortitude as you can and often! Good luck and train harder than before!

Well, I'm not all to surprised by the Cowboys LOSING AGAIN !! Romo has mastered throwing the interception....ARGH!! TRADE ROMO for a riding lawnmower!! GO COWBOYS!!

Who will face the Yankees in the ALCS? Rays? Rangers? Well, we'll find out soon enough!! GO YANKEES!!

Absolutely!!

You join the NFL! Step a side...monster's in the house. Seriously...you learn to use them both responsible.

Yeah!!!!.....like posting...on a Martial Arts forum......Good point...you meany.

Yeah, I can see your point..."They all matter." Nobody, and I mean NOBODY should ever give up no matter what it is that they bring to the battlefield...something is better than nothing! If nothing is all one has; then at least bring some heart. Knowledge is a dangerious thing. Knowledge ISN'T the same thing as size. When I say size doesn't matter, it causes me to think about something I read once when I was a kid in a Judo book...SIZE DOESN'T MATTER! The small guy CAN defeat the larger guy. To me, that's KNOWLEDGE. Knowledge can still be obtained, even if techniques aren't.

Imho, techniques have no age barrier. From day one, we teach our students techniques that are effective, yet, it's not the techniques that we need to worry about. No. It's the practitioner who's weilding those said techniques. Yes, we instructors of the martial arts provide moral guidelines for these techniques, but, imho, it's the responsibility of the parents to put that necessary exclamation point on what we're teaching our students.

The Yankees dominated the Twins to advance to the ALCS against.....that's not been determined as of yet because the Rangers are leading their series with the Rays by 2-1 with a game 3 today. YANKEES WIN TO ADVANCE TO THE ALCS!! GO YANKEES!!

Let me just say this...good luck, relax, and before you know...the test will be over and you will have PASSED with flying colors. As corny as this might sound...believe in yourself and let the test take care of itself!! Let us know the results!

While flexibility is important in any martial arts, having the ability to perform the splits ISN'T necessary in the martial arts. One of the key things, imho, for anyone, beginners to advanced, is to NOT bounce while stretching. The reason for this is that bouncing can cause microtrauma in the muscle, which must heal itself with scar tissue. The scar tissue tightens the muscle, making you less flexible, and more prone to pain. This type of repetitive bouncing stretch is called ballistic stretching, and in that, it can strain your muscles and tendons because they aren't quite warmed up yet. One more small piece of stretching advise comes from Edward R. Laskowski M.D co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center In Rochester, Minnesota, Says, "no pain, no pain" may be a better philosophy. Dr. Laskowski insists.... "Never hold a painful stretch. You should back off just to where it's not painful, and hold for the duration of the stretch. Stretching lengthens muscle tissue, making it less liable to trauma and tears. Stretching should be a relaxing part of your exercise session." No pain, no gain was redundant the day it was first used.

Welcome to KF!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!

Sleep on it. If when you wake up and you still feel the same way about it, and if that be that you'd rather not test him, then don't test him. I personally have never had this type of situation, therefore, I don't envy you for the decision that your facing. Speak with YOUR instructor for his/her advise and/or speak with your organizations governing body for their advise. Your organization might not approve the test if your student can't remember all of the required Hyungs. I'd also speak with an expert in the field of learning disabilities in order to get their advise as well. Learn about this disibility!! Bottom line is that it'll be your decision in the end. Aside from not remembering all of the required Hyung's; is this student black belt material in YOUR eyes? I'd seriously consider the learning disability, then, I'd come to my final decision off that. Good luck!

I'm not that bored out of my skull!! First, you have to know the Hombu as I do to truly understand why I feel as I do. The Hombu will ask one time politely, then after that, no matter how clear the response might be, they hound you and hound you and hound you until either your resolve or theirs gives in. Yes, I'm greatful and very thankful for the Hombu's continued support and believe in my abilities across the board. Nonetheless, I'm retired! More importantly to me than it is to the Hombu is this; Dai-Soke has just passed away and I'm mourning his passing harder than I thought I would. In that, I'm not ready, for now, and I'm not sure if I ever will be. Time heals all wounds. My services as Kaisho are still theirs without any reservation because it's the student body that's important. The Hombu doesn't want to hear that. NO! They want to act like a bill collector and hound me unceasingly. I've advised them as to what they should do...and that is...pick a name from the list of three names that I've submitted just recently as quailfied Chief Instructors...bingo...vote on the chosen candidate...and if the votes are unanimously...then there's the new Chief Instructor for the Hombu! As Kaisho, Senior Advisor, I've done my roll...I advised. If not, tell the current Kaicho to fullfill his dual duty as the Chief Instructor of the Hombu. Give me some grieving time, however long that may be! Is that to much to ask? No, I don't think it is.

Before I retired from the tournament scene, Wankan was my signature Kata to perform that last year. By signature I mean that Wankan was the only Kata I'd do.

Very nice story, one I enjoyed a lot. Isn't it amazing how easy it is to "see" through the forest when one removes all of the tree?! It had been staring at you all of these years, but in you being uncomfortable with your skill set, this caused you to not have neither Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro all at the same time. Then, for no special reason, came your AHA moment as you started to just flow. "How did that feel to you?"..."Don't think, FEEL!" "It is like a finger pointing away to the moon!"..."Don't concentrate on the finger or you'll miss all of that heavenly glory!" Every martial artist experiences their AHA moment from time to time...it's all good! Congratulations to you on your personal triumph, and I agree with you...this will take you to the next level. I sincerely bow to you!!

Zen is not a religion, in the same sense that Christianity is a religion. Therefore, there is no reason why Christianity and Zen cannot co-exist. Christians are discovering that Zen meditation practices invigorate and deepen their prayer life and spiritual growth. Zen training is especially helpful to those seeking to integrate prayer with ministry or social action. The tensions which seem to exist between religious ideals and life "as it is" are dissolved by the practice of awareness both in sitting meditation and in daily life. If Zen was a religion, then mixing Christianity and Zen would be an oxymoron. Besides, I don't want religion at all, no, I want a personal relationship with Christ. So often do the laymen criticise the martial artist who is a Christian. The laymen thinks that martial arts teaches only how to kill/hurt/lame; that laymen knows nothing! The martial arts teaches peace. My grandma, on my moms side, always told us kids..."If you don't like it, then don't do it, but if you love it, then do it by all means!"

To much of a good thing can spoil good training. Therefore, take a break once in a while...do something other than the martial arts.