sensei8

I don't like to fight either, but, if it comes looking for me, I believe that I'm prepared for whatever comes my way. Either I'll lose or I'll win, but I'll put up a real good fight; as good of a fight as I can from what I have to offer. Am a warrior? Only to the sense that I've got at least one great fight left inside of me. I pray that I've not trained all of these many, many years in vain.

I'm not saying that WWE wrestlers can't "wrestle" if they had to. What I'm saying is that I don't think that WWE wrestlers can truly seperate the fake wrestling of the WWE from the real mma wrestling. Brock Lesnar has proved that it can be done it the UFC, but Brock, for now, is the only one. Ken Shamrock couldn't seperate the real mma wrestiling from the WWE fake wrestling, and it showed, to such a point that nobody in the WWE wanted to "work" Ken Shamrock at all because he'd all of a sudden revert back to his mma roots, and WWE wrestlers were afraid of getting hurt.

How one looks on the outside has never beaten anybody, it's just a look! Never, ever judge a book by its cover! How one looks from the outside, doesn't always speak at all about what's in the inside. Having said that, I wouldn't ignore any possibility until the truth is discovered. Then I'd give them the respect that was due to that! For example, if they look strong, and then its discovered that they truly are strong, one had better respect that strength, or one will pay a hefty price for ignoring that strength.

Another very solid post!!!!!!!!

Although, one might consider practicing outside as showing-off, drawing attention to one-self, and might not feel that that would be appropriate.

Ours are conducted in front of a panel, either at the individual dojo's or at the Hombu. Any rank can test at the Hombu if they so desire at the Hombu's testing cycle every June/July. However, those tests for Godan thru Hachidan are only conducted at the Hombu each and every June/July, if there are any approved testing candidates of those levels.

Now, that's a very solid post!

Thanks Patrick!!!!!!!!!!

BINGO! Very admirable! Possible, those who speak ill about lineage are those who have no lineage at all. It's one thing to stand on ones own feet; seperate and alive. But, it's another thing to completely ignore ones own background. Letting ones own knowledge speak for itself on the floor; either one can or one just can't. Can we expect everyone to respect us and/or our lineage? No, because it's not practical to do so. Imho, people will believe what they want to believe, no matter what. If I had been actually trained by Bruce Lee himself in JKD, I suppose I'd let that fact/lineage be known. Who'd care about that? Well, I guess that those who'd want to learn JKD might find that fact hard to ignore, as well as an important requirement.

Within KarateForums, one can find many topics concerning kids/children earning/receiving a black belt; should they or shoudn't they. Depending on which side of the fence one is on, opinions widely differ. Therefore, I've decided to offer to the members of KarateForums a slightly different approach to this phenomenon. Here we go. There are children/kids that have black belts, this can't be disputed, it's a fact. There are children/kids that have rank, 1st Dan, 2nd Dan, and 3rd Dan. It's this child/kid 3rd Dan that I want to concentrate on as we discuss this with the interested members of KarateForum. Basic preface is this. Karate considers the rank of Sandan [3rd Dan] as the rank where one is generally considered the first teaching level of karate. A Sandan is the "stepping out" ranking because it is much farther distant from nidan than nidan is from shodan. The Sandan is expected to have a clear understanding of all the underlying principles of all techniques and body movements. A Sandan should be able to independently produce Shodans [1st Dan], taking students from white belt to black belt without any outside help. Here's a hypothetical background. A child/minor with a legitimate 3rd Dan wants to start teaching on their own. This child is age 16 years. The only thing in the way is that an adult can't enter into a binding legal contract with a minor. So, the parent(s) open a dojo for little Mary or little Tom. Sensei Mary/Tom do all of the teaching and the like while the parent(s) run the "front office" of the dojo. Now, the testing cycle is upon this dojo/dojang... >Can this child/kid, who holds a legitimate 3rd Dan, issue rank and/or certificates up to 1st Dan? Lets please forget the arguements about who would want one and the like, please! Lets please also forget the arguements about what this kids very own instructor might or might not say and/or what their styles governing body is going to say. Lets please forget about disrespecting those black belts that are child/kid black belts. These are great arguements, I'm sure, but I think these arguements might be best served for another time and another topic. Please! Let the discussion begin!

Kanazawa Sensei is quoted as saying the following... "Sport is ok, but sport and Budo are very different. Sport is the same as a male and Budo is the same as a female, both human but very different. Male and females are opposites, same as sports and Budo. Opposite thinking." This was his answer when he was asked about Sport Karate, more specifically, WKF Sports Karate. Your opinions?

Lineage must be important to some, but apparently, lineage isn't important to everyone. How many times have I seen this when others have described Kanazawa Sensei... "Kanazawa also learned from the founder of the Shotokan style, Gichin Funakoshi, and is one of the few living karateka to have done so." OR "He is one of very few still teaching today to have been taught by Master Gichin Funakoshi. He was a student of Master Masatoshi Nakayama (Former Chief Instructor of the Japan Karate Association)." Things like these quoted comments, speak in volumes about, and to lineage. Obviously, lineage is very important, otherwise, quoted comments similar to those wouldn't be found everywhere. As I've stated before in this topic, lineage is important within its proper context, otherwise, it's subjective, imho. I couldn't truly give a bent pin about who and/or whom Kanazawa Sensei has trained under. To me, acts like these about Kanazawa Sensei are nothing more than wow factors to the laymen. Kanazawa Sensei has my respect, not because of the above quoted comments, but because Kanazawa Sensei is an exceptional karateka across the board! This can't be disputed!

Black belt? Yes. Rank? NO!

Practice until the wheels fall off! Yes, and not just your dad. Him being a brown belt will help you. Spar your classmates, with permission from your instructor first. SPAR, SPAR, SPAR endlessly. Spar with a purpose. By that I mean. Work on timing, blocking, distancing, strategy...etc. Study your opponent, study yourself, make a plan, and then carry out that plan. Work on not running away from your opponent. At first, running away from your opponent can't be avoided, that's where sparing over and over comes in. You'll start getting use to seeing various attacks coming at you from all directions. Beat your opponent to the punch! YES!!!!!!! Preparing for a tournament, you might want to practice more often than you normally do. Practice makes perfect so the saying goes. So...practice, practice, practice...... Keeping it simple. A quick side-kick to the stomach as the opponent steps towards you. A little side step to your strong side, then block, and then punch/kick....Don't forget the loud kiai. Sometimes in tournaments, you've got to sell the techniques to the judges. Sparring is nothing more than a game of cat and mouse. Be alert, listen for your name, be at the designated ring and not at the wrong ring. Walk smartly when your name is called. Speak in a loud and clear voice. Don't forget your name or the name of the form or the name of your style or the name of your instructor. Bow in and out of the ring. Remember, you're a sells person and you've got to sell it to the judges. DON'T act cocky, but be confident. Wear a clean and pressed uniform. Don't forget your weapons if your doing any weapon forms. Don't forget ALL of your safety gear, especially your mouthpiece and have your groin protection. If you forget your form and/or you drop your weapon, and it happens, stop and ask for permission from the judges to start again. Will you be nervious...OH YEAH...just RELAX and BREATH! Get a good night sleep! Eat a light and smart breakfast. Possibly a banana or some fruit. I usually eat a banana with some toast and some OJ. During the day, well, I don't know if your butterflies will let you. For lunch, MAYBE, an orange/apple and water, for example. Whatever calms you down...do that. Whether it's a good book or some music, whatever it is, do that which calms you down the most. Don't be stage fright, it happens, but just BREATH. Take as many cleansing breaths as you need. Shake yourself to remain loose. Also, practice your forms, sparring, or whatever else. There's always some place to practice. You'll not be the only one practicing at the tournament. Biggest thing.........RELAX and HAVE FUN and LEARN from this experience! Good luck and let us know how it goes. Hopefully, I've given you some help. Ask all the questions you want! Talk to your instructor, as well as your dad. Your dad's been there!

BINGO! I'll steal a baseball expression, if I may...THAT WENT YARD!

Very solid post Brian...very solid! Before and after...genius idea!

I'd want both because I believe that they could/would benefit each other. The strength, especially in the muscles that are primarily used in Tuite and the like. To be slim, especially at my age/high blood pressure, my doctor says I don't need any "excess body fat".

Never mind...I just realized that I can't fix my spelling boo-boo.

Doh! It should read....DUMP. [i'll go fix that right now] Thanks for spotting that!

Congrats GeoGiant....well deserved!

Manhandled? To me, it seems that you don't think much about traditional martial artists, that's cool, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

That's ok, even the losing team, in this case, imho, the Celtics, have to have some fans, 2 or 3 or maybe 4, cheering for them. LOL! I'm just kidding Brian, I'm just kidding. I predict that the Lakers will win in 6 games.

Possibly it's just that we differ in what a bully is when one speaks about black belts in reference to the many ways there are to motivate a student. And in that, I'll continue to use the diplomatic approach.

My bad! I was confusing and mixing up the facts between with the 2010 Guatemala City Sinkhole AND the 2007 Guatemala City Sinkhole. 2007 story... http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070226-sinkhole-photo.html

Here's the link... http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/huge+guatemala+sinkhole+appears+after+tropical+storm+agatha+batters+central+america/3665832 This sinkhole "swallowed a three story building and 12 homes."