sensei8

Nice post Brian...thank you for it! RIP George and Bob! The All-Star Game did some nice classy stuff during the game to commemorate them both...it was nice.

I use to compete quite heavily. It was a personal choice for me. California was a hot-bed for open tournaments and I probably competed every weekend, both as a kid and as a adult. I just loved the competition across the board. The win-some lose-some was more than evident within California because there were many, many talented martial artists, no matter the division. It made you to want to compete just to see what might or might not happen. I was part of the weekend warriors that traveled all over California. And yes, for me, it was fun! My last tournament was in Bakersfield, California at the Bakersfield Open in 1998. It was STILL fun! My Dai-Soke never pushed and/or encouraged us to compete in tournaments. It was our choice. He never deswayed us from tournaments because he told everyone, all the time, what we do outside of the dojo was none of his business unless it relects negatively on him and his dojo. Inside his dojo we did Shindokan and Shindokan Kobudo...nothing else! I echoed my Dai-Soke and in that, we did Shindokan and Shindokan Kobudo...nothing else! I never pushed and/or encouraged my students to compete in tournaments. Tournaments are fine, I loved them, but I've no desire to teach tournament sparring and the like. I never kept and/or never allowed tournament flyers to be posted in my dojo. My students in California knew I went to tournaments, and I went to a lot of tournaments. But, I went to tournaments for myself, and not for my students and/or for my dojo. As a matter of fact, I never once displayed any of my trophies in my dojo because I never liked that sort of thing. Whenever my students would ask about a tournament that I went to over the weekend, and how it went for me, I'd just say "It was fun", nothing more and nothing less. If my students asked about tournament competition and they wanted to compete...well...that's up to my students. They can investigate and research about tournaments all they want and if they want to compete...I'm not going to stop them unless they do something that reflects negatively on me and my dojo. My students were at the dojo for one reason and one reason alone...learn Shindokan! As of late, I've been entertaining the notion of competing in the Senior/Master Divisions at ISKA tournaments. Who knows, I just might.

Not at first, maybe later, if that Kyuodan Dojo is still in operations. Originally in Oklahoma; no! I was born in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1957. Moved to California in 1958; lived there until 1999. Moved to Dallas, TX in 1999 when my mom wasn't doing so well; buried my mom in 1999. Then I moved to Oklahoma in 1999; stayed in Oklahoma until 2008. Moved back to California to take on the duties of Kaicho/Chief Instructor of the Shindokan Hombu. Now, I'm back in Oklahoma. Let me see if I can jog your memory a little. Do you remember when you, John, and I had tried to get together to meet/train? Well, I was living in Oklahoma at the time. And yes, I'm very aware of how close you and I live near to one another, we're practically neighbors.

No, that Kyuodan Dojo is closed, and has been since very early 1999. I know this as a fact because...I owned that Kyuodan Dojo. Each dojo I've owned, one in California and one in Oklahoma, I named them both Kyuodan Dojo. Saticoy and Louise...old stomping grounds. Memories!

Yeah, but my typing fingers haven't. LOL!

I’ve not walked away from the martial arts. NO! On the contrary! I will continue on my journey. I will continue to be a student of the martial arts. I will continue to seek and explore, and in that, I will continue to discover the untold and unfounded possibilities that are still within the martial arts. I will continue to be what I’ve always been…a martial artist! I will continue to seek perfection in my techniques, but I know that I will never find that perfection. Why? Perfection is an illusion that evades us all because we’re not perfect and we will never be. It doesn’t mean that we have to stop trying! I’m proud to wear the badge proudly and I’m not ashamed to wear the badge. What badge? The badge that says I’m a martial artist, and it’s in my heart...forever! The martial arts will forever be in my life…always! I can no more remove the martial arts from my life, than I can remove the air that I breathe; they both sustain me! To deny me of either, denies me of life. Still, I find me asking myself a reoccuring question... Have I walked away from my students? I'm not sure that there is even an answer for this question that will satisfy the critics or myself. Possibly, I'm just being selfish in asking this question of myself, over and over. Perhaps I feel guilty for one reason or another because I am imagining in my mind that I've abandoned them in reality. The martial arts and my students will be in my life forever!

Methodology and/or Ideology. One is preeminent; but that depends on whom one is talking to when it comes to the martial arts. By definition...[Merriam-Webster Dictionary] Methodology: 1 : a body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline : a particular procedure or set of procedures. 2 : the analysis of the principles or procedures of inquiry in a particular field. Ideology: 1 : visionary theorizing. 2 a : a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture, b : a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture, c : the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program. Questions: 1] Which one is your style's organization a proponent of? 2] Which one are you a proponent of? 3] Which one is your martial art based on? 4] Which one is your martial arts dependant on? 5] Are they seperate beliefs? 6] Are they said same beliefs? 7] Are they interchangable? 8] Can ones belief survive without the other? 9] Can one become a prisoner of either belief? 10] Does one belief or another truly matter? Let our discussion begin!

Bruce Lee had some awesome forearms. He knew that his forearms had to be developed in such a way that his forearms would compliment his totality. Here is a summary of what a normal day of forearm workouts would look like for him: Forearm Exercises 1) Underhand Wrist Curl [4 sets of 17] 2) Overhand Wrist Curl [4 sets of 12] 3) Leverage Bar Curl [4 sets of 15] 4) Bar Curl [4 sets of 15] 5) Reverse Curl [4 sets of 6] 6) Leverage Bar Twist [3 sets of 10] On top of this exercise he would do a bunch of grip training. This was to build on all of those tiny muscles you have in your hand and around your wrist. He felt it was necessary to do those because the hands and wrists compliment the forearms. In addition: *500 fist push-ups *2 Sets of 6 Reps Bench Press *2 hours of punching drills *Wrist Roller (Bruce Lees favorite where you roll up a weight attached to a pole with a string). Enjoy your workouts!

Solid post!

So much for my little saying... "White belt is the most important rank because without white belt, there's can be no other colored belts; no black belt." So, I guess that the Kukkiwon has no regards whatsoever for any Gup ranks? That's so sad!

Wise decision! Whenever in doubt; don't! Will the nerves still be there? Yepper. It's what you do with those nerves that will tell a lot. Do you master your nerves or do your nerves master you? Btw, you're not alone in this! Do your best and let the test take care of itself. You're going to be fine, good luck!

I get a kick out of the title of this thread/topic. Why? Trying to put McDojo's out of business isn't going to ever happen, at least not in my lifetime, because they've [McDojo's] firmly planted their feet, and as much as it pains me to admit, they're [McDojo's] here to stay. The only way to lessen their impact is to provide our students with a higher quality of instructions than any of our competitors, not just the McDojo's, imho. Besides, there's NO GOVERNING body over the martial arts as a whole! So, the McDojo's will continue whether we like it or not. McDojo's are protected by the very same thing as you and I are...Free Enterprise!

"I am the Avatar!"... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NEwysO0ywE&feature=related

I've placed this post here in "Karate" because I'm a karateka. If it would serve better somewhere else, please move it accordingly. Our annual testing cycle at the Hombu has been concluded. My sincerest congratulations and best wishes go out to each and every testing candidate, whether theirs was successful or not. Now, for the message at hand. It's offical! My time and my days are at hand, thus they're at past, within the Shindokan Hombu as its Kaicho as well as its Chief Instructor. It's with great sadness that I must vacate a position of honor as well as a privilege, as I had promised when I submitted my resignation to the Shindokan Hombu on 05/04/2010 at 0820 hours; to those that were in attendance at our Hombu’s monthly open-meeting. Even still, I find myself full of great joy and excitement as my replacements have been nominated, and now, they've been elected unanimously to fill the following positions within the Shindokan Hombu. 1) San-Dai Soke: Iwao Takahashi, *Judan (Hachidan and Son of Dai-Soke Yoshinobu Takahashi; Judan, and former member of the Board Of Regents ~ Director, Assistant Manager of Technical Department & Qualifications Department) 2) Kaicho: Greg Forsythe, *Kudan (Hachidan and Former Kancho & General Manager of Technical Department & Qualifications Department) 3) Chief Instructor: Thomas Stillwater, Hachidan (Former member of the Board Of Regents ~ Assistant Director, Assistant Manager of Technical Departments & Qualifications Department). *Note: Newly appointed Dan ranks per the Shindokan Articles and By-Laws! This is a brand new chapter for the Shindokan Hombu. A chapter that has yet to still be written, but, its authors are more than qualified to write, and as equally prepared to march the Shindokan Hombu as well as the entire student body into a bright and promising future. New nominations and new elections will take place in the next few weeks to fill those positions that have been vacated to fill the top seats of the Hombu. What happens to me at this point isn't of any significance. Although, I've chosen to accept the title Kaiso (Senior Advisor), but, I'll fulfill this position from afar. First, Kaiso is a part-time position/pay. Second, I'll be back with my wife and kids on a full-time basis in Oklahoma. When I took the positions within the Hombu as Kaicho/Chief Instructor, I did it, and the Hombu gladly accepted these conditions, with the complete understanding and knowledge that I'd be working in the Hombu Monday - Friday; 5 days a week, and then I'd go home to my family on the weekends. Hence, I flew back and forth quite a lot. I go back to the same city, Owasso, to the same street, and to the same house that my family and I have known for so many years. Don't let anybody tell you that working in another state while you're away from your family is easy, because it's not. Our entire family has invested so much where we live in Oklahoma. Our kids are established in school and the like, that for my wife and I, we didn't want to disrupt this balance. Our kids are old enough to understand that I went to the Shindokan Hombu during the weekdays was just a place where I did my job, even though my wife and kids know my endless love for the martial arts, Shindokan, is paramount while I'm on the floor. God first, my family second, and Shindokan third! I gave, yes, I gave, my most senior student my Kyuodan dojo. I wasn't in a position to do both, working in the Hombu as well as being Chief Instructor of the Kyuodan dojo. Now, upon my return to Oklahoma, I won't be taking over the Kyuodan dojo because the Kyuodan dojo already has a Chief Instructor, if the Kyuodan dojo is still in operation. Why resign? This is personal and private, therefore, I'd prefer to keep it that way, for the time being. Why tell members of KF? That's easy. KF and its members have always been my trusted and admired friends outside of the Shindokan Hombu! Thanks for listening!

My earlier post in this thread contained an edited quote of Bruce Lee by Freewebs... "There is only one type of body, 2 arms, 2 legs, etc that make up the human body. Therefore, there can only be one style of fighting. If the other guy had 4 arms and 2 legs, there might have to be a different one. Forget the belief that one style is better than the other, the point of someone that does not just believe in tradition, but actually wants to know how to fight is to take what you need from every martial art and incorporate it into your own. Make it effective and very powerful, but don't worry if you are taking moves from many different arts, that is a good thing." After reading this edited version of a Bruce Lee quote, I feel that, although it brings the message across to the reader, but, it misses the Bruce Lee flavor. Here's the unedited version of that Bruce Lee quote, which may or may not add that forementioned flavor... "You see, actually I do not teach Karate, because I do not believe in styles anymore, I mean, I do not believe that there is such thing as like Chinese way of fighting or Japanese way of fighting, or whatever way of fighting because, unless a human being has 3 arms and 4 legs, we will have a different form of fighting. But, basically we only have two hands and two feet. So, styles tend to not only separate man, you know, because they have their own doctrines, and then the doctrines became the gospel truth, you know, that you cannot change, you know, and, but if you don't have styles, but, if you just say, well, here I am, you know, as a human being, how can I express myself? Totally and completely! Now, that way, you won't create a style, because style is a crystallization, you know, I mean, that way it's a process of continuing growth."~Bruce Lee: The Lost Interview [index at 6:39 - 7:42] So, whether one practices BJJ, Judo, Karate, Kung-Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Ninjitsu, Aikido, or any of the literal hundreds upon hundreds upon thousands of the known and unknown styles of the martial arts, it's not about the style, but, it's about the process of continuing growth within the martial artist. Every growth must have a beginning, aka, our core style, but then, as knowledge is discovered, growth doesn't end, no, it continues unabated and unrestricted.

Yes I would, then I'd run away as fast as I can before the police arrive to arrest me for attempting mugging.

Wow! I think a situation like this would ruin your reputation for good. How did this person attract students after this? Was the school that big that he didn't miss his advanced students leaving? Having a brown belt walk out the door says a lot. Out of curiosity, did you let his brown belts keep their rank? That school closed a few years ago. I'd say that school had close to 100 students at that time. Nope, they weren't allowed to keep their rank when they joined my dojo.

Any broken bone is going to hurt. I've been unfortunate a time or two or three to have broken a bone. Guess what? It hurt A LOT! Last time I broke a bone it was in my right hand. I knew my hand was broken just as soon as I did it. But, I didn't show it, even though my hand was quivering and slowly growing. I kept my poker face on...then I went to the hospital. So, if someone was to break one of my fingers to escape my grasp, well, I'm sure that I'm going to let go with that hand...then I"m going to the hospital. My Dai-Soke was very fond of telling all of his students whenever they got hurt...Shugyo, which basically means to suck-it-up. That's fine when none of your bones are broken. Hehehe!

WHITE and BLACK; the rest are blah, blah, blah! Would that belt system work today? Not today, maybe tomorrow, wherever tomorrow is.

BINGO!

JiuJitsuNation, I've nothing but respect for you and your knowledge in a plethoria of MA, especially BJJ. I've not been offended by you in any of your posts, as a matter of fact, your posts are solid, and in that, you make me think/rethink the many possibilities that may or may not exist inwardly as well as outwardly with myself and Shindokan. I thank you! Now... As far as the BJJ practitioners in general, I feel that the Japanese/Okinawan styles and their practitioners, I'm of a traditional old school Okinawan style, have been, and are being labeled as most ineffective across the board. Most BJJ practitioners that I've spoken/trained with only know traditional Japanese/Okinawan styles from the outside, and not from the inside. To pass an ill judgement about ALL Japanese/Okinawan styles and their karateka's as being the most ineffective across the board, imho, is unfair to label and assume anything without extensive personal knowledge about the style, and about the karateka themselves. One bad apple does spoil the whole bunch, but, I've prided myself to seperate myself from those bad apples, whomever they might be, and to remain that way. Imho, Bruce Lee said it best... "There is only one type of body, 2 arms, 2 legs, etc that make up the human body. Therefore, there can only be one style of fighting. If the other guy had 4 arms and 2 legs, there might have to be a different one. Forget the belief that one style is better than the other, the point of someone that does not just believe in tradition, but actually wants to know how to fight is to take what you need from every martial art and incorporate it into your own. Make it effective and very powerful, but don't worry if you are taking moves from many different arts, that is a good thing." Mine, yours, theirs; it's not that I'm blinded by Shindokan, no, it's just that I'm aware of Shindokan's abilities, as well as the abilities of each and every style of the martial arts. Therefore, with abilities comes disabilities; no matter the practitioner and/or the style.

I knew of a MA instructor who dated one of his students, then they broke up, and then the student that he was dating, started dating another student from THAT same school. You talk about being uneasy? Sheech! Good thing this instructor wasn't a revengeful guy...hopefully.

Wecome to KF!!!!!!

There's an old saying... "Take a sip at first, then while tasting it, you'll see if it is good." Therefore, try it and you might just like it. Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!