sensei8

At the dojo level; testing cycles are done every 3 months by invitation only. The individual sensei's are closely evaluating their students every single day on their Kihon, Kata, and Kumite. Then when it gets very close to a testing cycle, that sensei will send out invitations to those students who the sensei believes is ready to test, via U.S. Mail, and only those will be allowed to test. All individual dojo's are required to then send all testing results to the Hombu to be officially recorded two ways. One way the results are recorded is on the Hombu's computers 'Hard Drive' and the other way the results are recorded is on the students 'Hard Card' that's located in Hombu's file cabinets. At the Hombu level; testing cycles are done every year in June by invitation only. But these yearly testing cycles are mainly for Godan and above candidates, even though, all ranks, both kyu and dan alike can test at the Hombu. Those Godan and above candidates MUST submit an Application For Testing to the Hombu whenever that candidate has meet the required tenure of that said Dan rank as a minimum prerequisite. Not every application is approved, for one reason or another, by the Hombu. No matter whether the testing cycle is done at the individual dojo or at the Hombu, ALL MUST BE INVITED TO TEST, no matter the kyu/dan rank! No Godan and above are ever tested at their individual dojo's. This is prohibited!

I've no preference either way because no matter what's done in the UFC or anywhere else; critics will still be critical of karate, whether its pro or con. Sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Yes AND no, because no matter what's done, some will respect Shotokan and some won't respect Shotokan....again....no matter what's done! Yes AND no, because no matter what...some will respect Shotokan and some won't respect Shotokan....again....no matter what's done! It's the old saying that says...""You can please all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time."

Congrats!

Fight Fight! That's it? Fight! Ok...fair enough...but...fight how? How will fighting satisfy ALL/everyone?

Possibly some martial artists might preceive retiring as a slap in the face of those who came berfore or that that individual just isn't all that and a bag of chips. Martial artists, like, Ueshiba and Nishiyama continued a teaching schedule up to their passing. Many martial artists might see those examples of what a true martial artists is, and in that, anything short of 'that' is a failure. Some martial artists might view retiring as quiting, no matter what positive things were accomplished in the martial arts.

When would it be acceptable, as viewed by the general martial arts masses, if one was to retire from: >Teaching the martial arts [Full-time or Part-time]? >Administrative Positions?

Well...the Lakers are ahead against the Thunder.... 2 - 0. Now, it's time for the Lakers to go to OKC and redeem themselves from the crushing that the Thunder gave them the last time they meet in OKC. Bynum and Gasol have dominated the Thunder inside of the paint and Kobe....well...Kobe does what Kobe does. GO LAKERS!

That's a good question. Allow me to try to adequately answer it. The martial arts can be thought of as an organic, living thing; it must grow, adapt, and change in order to thrive. Take a taste, and hopefully you'll see that the martial arts in all of its variety is good.

I agree...it won't hurt.

Interesting discussions! It's hard to truly say and unfair to say, imho, that the traditional martial arts, ie karate, is unwilling to prove their art. Why? Nobody's visited every dojo in the world and/or trained with every martial artist in the world. How is one to prove their arts effectiveness that will satisfy all?

No students left behind! Most, not all, McDojo's rankings as far as the context of one being prepared, is akin to graduating from a high school with only a 2nd or 3rd grade education. Public schools, K-12, push their students from one grade to the next, whether they're ready or not. The majority McDojo's do the same thing. Both turn out unprepared students! But, this problem isn't with just McDojo's.

Imho...The prices are too high! Not way to high, just too high.

Here's what was said and asked in the OP... I'm not singling out TKD at all. My post was along the lines of "marketing/advertising"! I've seen many TKD dojangs over the many years that don't even hang up any signage on their dojang that says "Tae Kwon Do", for example, as well as in their printed materials. I've seen other forms of the martial arts that use the word "Karate" as I've described, yet, these that I've seen will get upset if you remind them about Karate or call them Karate or asking them if they're Karate, and it boils down to the huge sign that reads "KARATE". If your TKD, for example then be proud of it and market/advertise TKD. But if they want to use the word "KARATE", then that's their business, and that type of marketing/advertising isn't fraud. Why? Because nobody owns the rights to the word "KARATE", no more than any word found in a dictionary. One of my students is a lawyer and he'd tell whomever that the word "Karate" in marketing/advertising is just a general term, and it would hold no merit in a court of law. If the dojang says their XYZ and they teach XYZ and they tell their students that they train in XYZ and their ranks are in XYZ, then what's on a sign means nothing as far as fraud would be concerned.

I concur with you!

A brawl erupts at a Strikeforce event...what's going on?!? Check this... http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Ugly-brawl-mars-Jake-Shields-win-embarrasses-M?urn=mma,234891

Check this.... http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/taste-testing-the-new-ben-jerrys-flavors-1240855/ I can't decide which one I want to try first. So, I'll just try them ALL!!!!!!! Heheheheheehehehehheeheeee

Well, it's that time of year again. Who are you cheering for this year? I'm a huge fan of the defending champion Lakers. But, I got to tell you that I'm more than just a little nervous about the Lakers chance of a repeat championship. Here's why? The Lakers will play the Thunder in the first round. Last time the Lakers played the Thunder, the Thunder man-handled the Lakers. Before their last meeting, the Lakers had won 12 straight games against the Thunder. During that game, the Lakers had over 9 turnovers, couldn't find the hole, couldn't play basketball 101 to say their lifes, was trailing the Thunder one time by 41 points, never had the lead, never got closer than 19 points difference, never had a run, and didn't get 50 points until way into the 3rd quarter. Like I said, it wasn't pretty to watch. In addition, the Lakers are plagued, again, with injuries to key players. Kobe's right index finger is broken, but, Kobe does fine with his left hand as well, but, this injury still might hinder Kobe one way or another. He sat out four of the team’s final five games to rest a swollen right knee and a broken finger on his right hand. He’s got a sore ankle, too. Bynum missed 13 straight games with a strained right Achilles’. Ouch! Reserve center DJ Mbenga got elbowed in the head and was sent to a specialist to check on a possible concussion. Ouch! Ron Artest has been playing with a bruised left heel and a sprained left thumb, while Shannon Brown is playing with a sprained right thumb and Sasha Vujacic has a sprained right shoulder. Luke Walton just returned after missing nearly a month with a pinched nerve in his back. Jordan Farmar pulled a hamstring and sat out most of the regular-season finale. Ouch and ouch and ouch and ouch and ouch! Yeah, the Lakers will play through the injuries as they always have, but, just how effective they will be on the boards or between the paints against the Thunder remains to be seen. GO LAKERS!!!!!!

Great trade!!!!!!!!

What I think is this. It's not fraudulent to say Kempo Karate in advertising because nobody owns the rights to the word "Karate". While Kempo is the primary core of that style/system, the word "Karate" is universally recognised. As long as I can remember, Tae Kwon Do, for example, has used the word "Karate" in its building signage as well as in its printed materials. Why? The laymen understand and recognise the word "Karate" when they see it, whereas the laymen might not know what Tae Kwon Do is, and in that, the prospective student wouldn't enter the dojang at all. But, when the laymen see the word "Karate", well, the laymen understands that and they'll enter the school. Every business needs a hook and the word "Karate" is a big hook to the laymen. Now, it's up to the Kempo Karate, for example, sensei to teach their students the art as well as to its history and the like. A name by any other name is...well...it's just a name!

I agree, and I it's a lie that those people who train for a while, could actually defend themselves after they quit training totally. This is not something that you just learn and practice once, we must keep training, keep practicing. Solid post! Random question: If one has been training/learning for quite some time, i.e. 20 or 30 or 40 plus years, and they 'quit training totally' for one reason or another: wouldn't muscle memory activate when attacked? Kind of like getting back onto the horse, in that, once you've done it before, all one has to do is get back onto the horse and everything starts to fall into place.

Good question. Here's my two cents. The hook kick is designed to circumvent the angles as offered up to me by my opponent's different defenses. Just as a hook punch does; searching out for the vulnerable and unguarded angles. What is thought by my opponent to have been protected actually becomes unprotected. Some well known 'don'ts' regarding the hook kick: >Kicking too low or too slow >Jamming the kick on the opponent's guard >Impact at less than 180 degrees of the turn, and the kick lands short of a full turn. >Impact at more than 180 degrees of the turn...past the target. Practice and practice and practice....and have fun! EDIT: Spelling errors!

Would this be a true statement? I kick high because I can! Would this be a true statement? The situation dictates the kick! Btw, I'm not judge and jury as to what a practitioner should do or should not do; I'm just a student. If it, no matter what it is, works for that practitioner, then just do it! It's all good!

Forbidding a gi and the like in the UFC as well as in other MMA leagues eliminates excuses about a loss. Mano e mano!

A well known business axiom dictates....Change or die! But, what must change in order for that martial arts school to maintain and/or increase ones enrollment, especially in todays economic downturn where doors are still closing faster than lightning? So...what must change? You? OR Your business model? OR Both? I believe that one must want to succeed! Another well known business axiom dictates...Actions speak louder than words! Change is hard to implement and even harder to sustain. If changing yourself is hard, how can you change an entire business or organization or process or department? The ability to change, while remaining focused, is an integral part of maintaining and/or increasing student enrollment and business 101. Business is a game, and those who play the game the best, win!