sensei8

Thanks for sharing that. Experiences like this are beyond mere words. Sounds to me like you were that sponge, and took it all in! I'm sure that you'll have many other experiences with your Shihan in the near future. Hopefully, you created a training diary, and took notes while it was fresh in your mind.

Thank you. I prepare for Shodan but i have to wait about the 1 year. sensei8 do you know any another site like this about Karate ?? Before you know it, that year will be all over...and you'll be Shodan!! Hang in there and keep practicing until the wheels fall off, and then some! No, I don't. This site is far superior to many moderated forums that I've seen in the past; personally, imho, this is the best forum site by far!!

And the discussion continues... The reasons of my Soke are HIS reasons and HIS alone, and in that, he wasn't interested in our opinions nor did he seek our approval. More than likely, his reasons won't be accepted and/or approved of by those outside of the Shindokan Hombu. It's all good! Because our Articles and By-Laws don't allow it! Because they're children! Here's our Soke's own words..."We know of many children who are excellent in the physical aspects of Shindokan and we might call them Junior Black Belt to recognize their proficiency, but they are still children. In the Okinawan/Japanese systems, wearing a black belt is a sign of maturity; in other words, the student has demonstrated mature physical growth, knowledge of the physical basics of Shindokan, has demonstrated over time an ability to make sound judgments thus revealing mental maturity. None of this is accomplished very quickly even if the student is an adult." I don't, you don't, or anybody else for that fact doesn't have to agree with my Soke, and that's fine, but, on the other hand, he doesn't care what I, you, and/or anybody else thinks and/or says. It is what it is because Soke said so! Some TKD federations/organizations use the JBB based on age requirements related to dan promotions, and may grant younger students pum (JBB) ranks rather than dan ranks until they reach a certain age. Hhhmmmm, a certain age; aka and/or hence, children. This tells me that Okinawan/Japanese styles of the martial arts aren't the only ones using the JBB. The JBB, Shodan-ho, syllabus approximates the adult but gives greater scope for grading and hence differentiation between levels of ability. The JBB syllabus is markedly different as it focuses not on civilian defence but on developing foundational coordination, core body strength and kinaesthetic awareness. All of these are crucial to development in the martial arts as a teenager or adult, however they are just as important in daily life. For an example, during testing, a Shodan-ho only executes Kata's Pinan Shodan - Pinan Godan and Naihanchi Shodan, whereas a Shodan executes Kata's Pinan Shodan - Pinan Godan, Naifanchi Shodan - Naifanchi Nidan, and Kusanku-Dai. In short; the Three K's are shorter for the Shodan-ho, whereas the Three K's are longer for the Shodan. Nope. Only a vote of yeas and nays were allowed at the final petitional vote. Yet, in the arguementive sessions the majority of them sided with our Soke's reasons. Only, the then Kancho, one member of the Board of Regents, and I have been opposed to the Shodan-ho Articles and By-Laws for these many years. We offered our petitions, seperate and together, and then the vote came; the three of us were unanimously voted against...again! Ok, that makes your sentence more understandable, thanks. The 'R' key on my keyboard sticks, so I can understand.

What's, in your opinions, a great food to consume pre AND/OR post daily run food? Here's what I tend to consume: Pre>>1 Bannana and small glass of water DURING THE RUN>>1 small bottle of water Post>>1 small container of Cottage Cheese and a large glass of water Lately I'm thinking that at 52 years old, almost 53 years old, I might not want to maintain that daily run diet; tends to be heavy at my age. Also, I'm cutting down my daily run from 5 miles to 2.5 miles for no special reason but my age. I know, it's a dumb reason but I only did 2.5 miles this morning and that will be for the entire day. Could be that the stupid humidity in Oklahoma is KILLING ME!! Thanks in advance!

Some clips... AND

Second One?

Fancy stuff!? No, simplistic at it's best. Your thoughts/comments?

ok, it's time for me to go watch it. I just hope it's not like most asian made martial arts movies...flying and fighting for half hour.

I've enjoyed the show thus far, especially when they're out of their elements.

Happy Birthday Danielle!! Your not old...sheech...I'm old! :::SINGING::: Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Danielle, happy birthday to you...and many more!!

I concur!!

First of all, welcome to KF!! Secondly, good luck to you when you do finally test for Shodan.

I thought Bruce Lee is movie legend, am I wrong? Sensei8, how big are you? Have you had real fight with significantly bigger oponents? Bruce is first and foremost, a martial arts legend, movie legend secondly, imho! I'm 6'1"...why?

I'd third that advice!!

Possibly, this Wikipedia article can cast a helpful light onto this thread... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido_styles

One's just gotta love that, and I do!!

I suppose that I'm of the crowd that says the only way to prove these one-touch KO's is to have them performed on...well...me! Otherwise, it's heresay and conjecture.

Forgive my ignorance, but, what's Ross??

Yeah, I'm with Brian on this one. For me, it's not the same as...Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Man oh man, I'm a 1 thru and thru, even though, from time to time, I can be a 2 as well. I'm sick that way..."Go ahead, keep hitting me, but, boy oh boy, when I get a turn, it's on like donkey kong!" Besides, Shindokanists love to stand toe to toe and let the chips fall where they may; we invite and create close quarter engagements.

For me, this has been a great discussion, no matter what side of the coin one maybe on. In that, I'm in agreement with BOTH sides, but, as Brian has stated; I'm beholden to things that aren't in my sole control. Nonetheless... Yes, you're right; laws aren't always 100% right, BUT, they're still LAW! Again, you're right; laws are changing all of the time, and you're right also when you suggest that it's time for my Hombu to change its rules. Boy oh boy, I've tried to do just that for over 15 years, since I joined the Board of Regents, but, not once have the votes been on my side. Therefore, this "law"/rule is STILL what it is; unchanged! Now that I'm only a Senior Advisor and no longer the Kaicho, the remaining/new leadership will have to make the necessary changes as they see fit to do so or to not do so! Yes, because it is less. Shodan is less, Nidan is less, Sandan is less, etc; because 'it' is!! Because 'it' isn't the rank above 'it'!! By the reason I've just stated; yes JBB is a lesser rank, and for no other reason!! It is right to deny Shodan to those under 18 years old, and I thought I made this clear before, is because the Articles and the By-Laws, that were created by our Soke, say so without any ambiquity whatsoever!! It's not like saying "Sorry kid" because the testing syllabus for those under 18 years old ISN'T the same as those that are 18 years old and older...IT'S NOT THE SAME!! No! It's like saying "Congrats on your JBB"!! That's what a JBB tested for and that student under 18 years old DIDN'T take the Shodan testing syllabus, no, they took the JBB testing syllabus...as it was created by our Soke!! JBB candidates DON'T ever take the same test as a candidate for the Shodan!!

I wholeheartedly agree!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!

Very nice!!

That's a great attitude to have. But what if your integrity tells you that an under 18 truly deserves a bbelt? Then I'll present that student, who's under 18 years old, a Junior Black Belt, not, a full-fledged Yudansha until that student reaches 18 years old because I'd still be under the umbrella of the Hombu! My Hombu won't allow it, it's just that plain and it's just that simple. Oh sure, I can issue any certificate I want that's under my authority, but, I might as well've done the certificate on toilet paper because the Hombu would send it right back to me with a big INVALID stamp affixed upon the certificate, as well as a nice reminder letter. Is that true integrity then? You think the person deserves to be a fully fledged blackbelt, equal to all the other over 18s with the same ranking, but because your Hombu says you can't you won't give them the full rank but settle for the lesser(?) rank of junior blackbelt. And lets' face it, it really is a lesser rank otherwise why distinguish between the junior and senior ranking at all? Is it true integrity to know that a student deserves a rank but then deny them it because your leadership says so. Not getting at you Sensei, just throwing this out there for a bit of discussion I know you're not getting at me. So, for a bit of discussion... Yes, it is true integrity. Just as it's true integrity for one to obey the laws of the land, I, therefore, obey the laws of my Hombu. Like the laws of the land, whereas the law says what we can and/or what we can't do, and we obey them whether we like these laws or not, otherwise we find ourselves in violation of the law, and find ourselves in jail, rightfully so. In that, I obey the laws of the Hombu, just as any member of any martial arts association does, not because they agree with every rule/law, but because said law/rule exists and it's right that they do so because they're law/rule abiding individuals. JBB is a lesser rank? OK! In that, so is every other rank before the JBB and as the JBB is to the ranks that are above the JBB!! Should the terms Senpai and Kohai be viewed in the same context as the JBB? No, and neither should the JBB! They're accepted and therefore they're willingly practiced. Should the terms Sun Bae Nim and Hu Bae Nim be viewed in the same context as the JBB? No, and neither should the JBB! They're accepted and therefore they're willingly practiced as well. It's a lesser rank in only the terms of the Yudansha, but it still deserves respect unconditionally and without reservation. Who's lesser? The rank or the practitioner who wears and/or awards said JBB? Neither!! Again, it is, imho, true integrity to deny rank, no matter my opinion, because the leadership says so! Why? The act of true integrity, in this instance, is that I'm accountable to the rules and the regulations and the Articles and the By-Laws of the Hombu. Therefore, it's also an act of integrity to refuse to engage in behavior that evades responsibility. My responsibility is to my students, to my Dai-Soke, and to my Hombu; seperate but equally. My responsiblity across the board means that I willingly obey what my Hombu dictates, not just because it's expected of me, but because it's correct and just. To do otherwise, is an act of dishonesty across the board!! I've never told my students, nor have I ever implied to my students that JBB is a lesser rank and therefore they're a lessar karateka. My students understand that the JBB is lessar than that of Shodan and Nidan and Sandan and Yondan, and Godan and Rokudan and Nanadan and Hachidan and Kudan and Judan. And in that, my students understand that the JBB is greater than Jukyu and Kukyu and Hachikyu and Nanakyu and Rokyu and Gokyu and Yonkyu and Sankyu and Nikyu and Ikkyu. My students understand that the number 0 comes before the number 1 and so on and so on. My students aren't concerned with how the world views their JBB. My students are proud of their JBB and what it stands for, as well as the hard work it took for them to achieve it. Therefore, I view the JBB as nothing more than just another rank, and in that, I'm very proud of my students who've earned the JBB!! Is it right to deny a student rank if in the course of a testing cycle that student fails? Yes!! Why? Because the Articles and the By-Laws of the Hombu dictates it to be so. In that, I deny the Yudansha rank to my students and I therefore award the JBB because the Articles and the By-Laws of the Hombu dictates it to be so as well!! These are the wishes of our Soke!! It boils down to one thing; rules and regulations!!