sensei8

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!!!!!!!

Welcome back to KF!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

I concur with your post. I've seen this type happen in a countless amount of dojo's across the USA. Yes, student instructors who are Sankyu - Ikkyu start to learn the ins and outs of teaching and assisting for the reasons that you've already mentioned, BUT, none of my Sankyu's - Ikkyu's are ever left unsupervised, AND, none of my Sankyu's - Ikkyu's instruct/assist more than they receive instructions themselves. Our Sankyu - Ikkyu student instructors ratio is: [Average 288 minimum hours of class per year, and that consists of 3 classes per week, and each class is 2 hours.] 72:18 For every 72 hours of class time, the Sankyu's are only teaching/assisting 6 hours per month. For a total of 18 teaching hours in 3 months. 144:40 For every 144 hours of class time, the Nikyu's are only teaching 8 hours per month. For a total of 40 teaching/assisting hours in 6 months. 288:120 For every 288 hours of class time, the Ikkyu's are only teaching 10 hours per month. For a total of 120 teaching/assisting hours in 12 months/1 year. Again, all of the teaching that's done by the student instructors are always under the direct supervision of a Sandan and above. This is a mixed ratio, by that I mean, the hours are a combination of TEACHING AND ASSISTING. The ratio for Sankyu - Ikkyu teaching and assisting under the direct supervision of Kaicho/Chief Instructor is: 120:100 For every 120 hours of teaching/assisting time, the Sankyu's - Ikkyu's are under my direct supervision for 100 hours per year. The remaining 20 hours are under the direct supervision of a Sandan and above. Why don't I supervise all 120 hours? To give our student instructors some time under my Sandan's and above. For every one of those 120 hours per year of those student instructors teaching and assisting are video taped for the Instruction Team to review/critic/approve/disapprove/suggest, and for our records as well. Each of those 120 hours that have been taped per year are availible for those student instructors to review whenever they're not in class or teaching or assisting.

Excellent! Self-defense skills aren't just against a human attacker, as evident in this story. Way to go!

This I understand, but, I'm referring to schools who don't care if their students can or can't do anything effective/correctly, no matter thier rank, just as long as the student pays their money.

Yeah, let me clarify this some. We absolutely encourge every kyu ranked student to go to their Sempai for any and all kind of assistance. What that rule is stating has some ambiquity, therefore, ask any and all black belts for the final word on anything that's Shindokan. Having now seen the ambiquity in this statement; I'll change it properly so that there's no amiquity whatsoever, and I'll change it immediately. Thanks for bringing this is our attention.

Oh to have Bill Gates' loose change!

SOLID!