sensei8

It looks interesting and if the art work is any indication of what the park will look like...COOL! http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/collections/gallery/2493/harry-potter-orlando-experience/fp#photo0 Why does Florida get all the great stuff? Sheech!

Lucky! I've been to many Yankee games, away games for them, but, I've never been to Yankee Stadium, old or new.

Please check out the list of martial arts weapons found in this link... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_martial_arts_weapons From the list above, I've some questions:[pick ONLY ONE per question please] In your opinion... A) Which weapon would do the most damage to an opponent? B) Which weapon would do the less damage to an opponent? C) Which weapon would be the easiest to learn? D) Which weapon would be the hardest to learn? E) Which weapon could be made the fastest with what's lying around on the ground? F) Which weapon do you like the most? G) Which weapon do you like the least?

That's Grandmaster Ronald Duncan in this video. Here's some info on Ronald Duncan... http://www.dojos.com/duncan/ I can only seem to agree with the rolled up magazine idea as an effective weapon from the concept of using either of the ends as striking surfaces. A tightly rolled up magazine would be akin to having a stick, similar to a yawara, therefore, if you watch the video again, you can pick out when Mr. Duncan used either of the rolled up magazine ends to strike with. Now, as far as using the tightly rolled up magazine to do slapping strikes, I don't see any effectiveness in that methodology because, imho, a rolled up magazine isn't the same as a stick when using any other part than the ends to strike with. I see the rolled up magazine used in that fashion not maintaining any of its tensile strength as it tears. Once the magazine tears enough, and it won't take long, then all you'll have is a cheaply made cheerleading pom poms. A stick doesn't tear when you do slapping strikes. Yeah, it might or might not get my attention had I been struck in that fashion, but, not to the point that I'd be incapacitated in any shape, way, and/or form. Poke me with either end of a tightly rolled up magazine in certain areas of my body and I'm sure that it'll hurt enough for me to run away or disarm him as fast as I can....if I can! Irregardless, he'd have my serious attention, not me laughing at him as I would if he slapped at me with a tightly rolled up magazine.

The following is my opinion/believe... It is true: the vast plethoria of martial arts organizations serve the needs of that organization and its practitioners...only! Everyone else are insignificant! Everyone else is false in their teachings, in their art, in their background, in their methodologies, and in their rank. If you're not part of that said organization, then your rank/backgroud/etc are meaningless, and in that, you won't be recognized! Splinter away from an organization, then you're ostracized forever, and in that, you're erased for all time and from the records of that organization. Is it right if my Hombu doesn't recognize you and/or your style; you're nothing? Or vice versa? Of course it's not, but, it happens everyday of the week within one martial arts organization after another. What does it take to be recognized by other organizations? Is it lineage? Is it ones Sensei/Instructor? Is it the size of the organization? Is it the size of the student body? Is it international or not? Is it because it has a website? This answer might only exist behind the walls of that particular Hombu/Headquarters. This is the nature of the game and to survive, one must be a master of playing the game, or the other organizations will just eat you up and then spit you out. We can create all of the organizations we want to for this reason or for that reason, but, if the organization and it's practitioners aren't recognized, then it's a mute organization; spinning its wheels while going nowhere. This can be determined by whomever for whatever reason(s) that they see fit to announce or not. New organizations will continue to spring up as often as a new thought comes to ones mind, and in that, it seems that this phenomen will slow or stop any time soon. Martial arts organizations will never reunite under one banner for the betterment of the martial arts and their practitioners, imho. Why? Mutual agreement! It's very difficult for differing methods and opinions to agree on anything concerning anything that is the martial arts. Differing values and the like are just that; they're differing. My martial arts platitudes might serve me only within the Shindokan Hombu and nowhere else. You know what? I'm pretty ok with that because I'm complete in my martial arts totality; still searching for the truth within my martial arts, and still learning from day to day, for my martial arts journey is never ending and in that, I'm ok with that too.

Not even the Yankees? OUCH!

The maxim speaks that size DOESN'T matter because knowledge DOES matter. A smaller person doesn't have to be afraid of a bigger person just because that bigger person is, well, bigger.

Yes, it's very interesting. Thanks for the article Danielle. It's like super-human strength needed to save a life, like picking up a car off of someone. It wasn't pre-planned, therefore, that needed strength was called upon when that 'moment' occured. We practice our techniques over and over and over, but, they're pre-planned...slower. Whenever we encounter something in our daily unplanned lifes and this something is an attacker bent on harming us, our responses are much faster and more focused. Still, I'll keep practices pre-planned reactions and then some because I believe that my reactions will then become automatic whenever I'm attacked, but, I'll be 21 milliseconds much more faster across the board.

Every advice I've read here thus far have been good, but, I'd caution you to first consult with your doctor for the answer that best fits you in your current condition. Ask you doctor to avoid any unnecessary injury to yourself.

I own a wide mixture of gi's including brushed cotton. I really like the look and the feel of the brushed cotton gi. I don't prefer it over other gi's I own in it's totality. The gi, for me, must meet the needs for the activity that I'm doing at that time. Cotton is light, therefore, cotton is cooler whereas a much heavier gi is hotter but the heavier is great in taking the punishment of Judo/BJJ and the like. So, to answer your question.... Yes, you should notice a cooler workout from the brushed cotton over the cotton/poly and therefore, this is a good purchase, imho. Brushed cotton is also easier to care for than any other gi on the market, imho. Still, the gi must match the needs of the planned workout, imho.

Expelled or resigned from an organization might be one possibility.

It doesn't all have to be about the money side of it. I'm sure there are a lots of reasons why group tuition is favoured over one-to-one. Toptomcat's previous point about teachers being able to teach groups but not individuals is a good point. Time constraints too might be an issue. I concur! It's not all about the money side of it. I tend to put the money side of it near the very top of any list because it can't be ignored totally. Time constraints as well as the points that Toptomcat brought up are valid, and they do can't be ignored totally.

Size difference in takedowns warrants the maxim that speaks about size and how size doesn't matter in the martial arts. It's nothing to be afraid of, size of an opponent, but, it's something to accept and to embrace.

Similar to the Royals and the Chiefs; very nice arrangement as well as very nice stadiums.

same here. Same here as well!

Still, performing at a tournament after having only 10 days of EXPERIENCE with either of these Katas, or any Kata, isn't such a good idea, imho! I don't imagine that you'd be willing to execute any Kihon, Kata, and/or Kumite for a grading test with only 10 days of practice. I don't know of anybody who would! Wanting to compete is fine, but being unprepared isn't the martial arts! Any way, good luck and let us know how it went. I hope you do well!

Speaking about hair. Once I sported a grizzly adams style beard. My Dai-Soke looked at my beard more intently as my beard gained fullness and length. He'd walk up to me and stop and look and shake his head as he walked away muttering something in japanese. He did this for about 3 weeks before I asked him if I had done something wrong, to that he said nothing...still. I liked it, but my Dai-Soke finally mentioned to me that while my beard looked ok, I've given my future opponents an advantage. I asked, "How so sir?" :::YANK::: Yanked at my beard as hard as he could...then just walked away. A few seconds later he stopped...turned...and said in a very deliberate and quite voice... "Do you understand?" Man that hurt, I mean that HURT! Couldn't of he just told me, you know, sat me down and explained it to me. But no! That's not his way because he's one of those "picture is worth a thousand words" kind of Sensei. I got the point! I still didn't shave it off for about 6 months because it was getting very hot to keep it in the middle of summer.

Toptomcat, That's a very good point....a very good point! Possibly it's easier to teach the mass against the one and in that, it bumps up the revenue!? Thereby lowering the controllables on a P&I by some margin, i.e., eliminating the number of classes per day, and in that, saves on the utilities and the payroll.

One caters to the tangible while the other caters to the intangible. Can you elaborate? Because that strikes me as an oversimplification at best. I deserved that! Tangible in this case speaks about BELTS and how easy they are to obtain as well as the importance of them. Intangible in this case speaks about BELTS and how hard they are to obtain as well as the unimportance of them. I seek only that which is intangible!

james4949, Welcome to Karate Forums. Nice post and dead-on sir! Hey, at least the doc had cartoons!

Is it me or...? Has anyone else noticed that private lessons are slowly becoming a thing of the past, kind of like a drive-in theater?

One caters to the tangible while the other caters to the intangible.

Kanku Dai or Jion in 10 days? Wow! Then compete with having only practiced either for 10 days? Wow! My suggestion would be to practice either of them much, much longer before entering any said tournament with either of these kata's. I'm not saying that you can't learn either of these katas in 10 days. But, I believe that when you're performing either of these katas; you'll appear to the judges that you just learnt either of these katas...in 10 days! Not saying that you won't do an awesome job and that the judges won't give you high marks, but, Kanku Dai is a physically demanding and visually impressive form, when performed correctly, and it's one of the most popular katas in modern competition. Jion has a grandeur to it that should show through with all the movements. Jion is a powerful but very basic and honest kata. Mistakes are very hard to hide in Jion due to its calm power and smooth transitions in the movements. A student must have good Kihon to make the kata run smoothly and with power. Having said that, pick a kata that you already know inside and outside. Remember, judges aren't just looking to see if you know the kata, but, the judges are looking at, to name just a few, your focus, believibility, posture, technique, breathing, balance, understanding of said kata, and transition.

Control isn't a suggestion for the black belt student; it's a requirement!

Going right to 3:00 and watching what follows is eye-opening. I agree...very eye opening!