sensei8

Well...my family and I went to see Iron Man 2, and I thought that it was much better than Iron Man 1. Btw, when you do go and watch it, don't leave when the credits are rolling. Why? After the credits is a teaser about another Marvel Super Hero. Also, Stan Lee was in Iron Man 2, but, it was super short. Anyway, enjoy it!

What's your bucket list? Martial arts related please. What is it that you want to do before you die? And/or.... What place would you love to visit before you die?

Whether one respects someones rank or not, that's up to each martial artists to decide. But, to disrespect ones individual accomplishments in the martial arts, no matter how small or large they might be, that to me, isn't cool. To respect them; isn't that to respect their accomplishments? I'll respect that person until they give me reasons to not. I'd rather meet and train with fellow martial artists, and whenever I do; I'm training with them, not their rank. I'm totally indifferent about what rank/title someone might or might not have. Why? I just want to train with solid martial artists across the board. I've my rank and you've got your rank, but to be honest, our ranks are ok in there proper context, but again, I just want to train with solid martial artists!

Obviously my research about Tatsuo Susuki was incorrect. I stand corrected by Chitsu, and I thank him. I've egg on my face now...sorry.

Here's the article... http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Kimbo-s-run-in-the-UFC-is-over-White-cuts-him?urn=mma,239667

My mistake. I was thinking that Higashikuni WAS once a prince, but, in the same paragraph, Higashikuni was refered to as Emperor. So, I gave him the higher of the two titles. I'm like you in that I wouldn't be impressed because it's like when President Obama got his honorary black belt in TKD from the Korean government. It meant nothing to me because to me, it's just stuff. Still, in preparing a topic I sometime ask the question, directly or indirectly, to hopefully generate a more meaningful conversation. Again, we're on the same page in this. Bingo! Very solid and I concur! Respect FOR/OF the rank must be earned; therefore, the respect for the rank, no matter the level, isn't automatically given. Just because one is wearing rank doesn't mean their rank MUST be respected immediately. Until the respect is earned for that said rank, it's [rank] nothing more than just stuff.

In that, I agree with you wholeheartedly!

Many here at KF as well as from many outside of KF are proponents that rank and the like outside of owns own style is meaningless, and in that, rank outside of owns own style has no value. I'm one of the proponents! Therefore, no matter whom the noted and noteworthy martial artist might be outside of their immediate style; that's still meaningless. One might say that Kanazawa Sensei's Judan holds value only inside the SKIF. Kanazawa Sensei is known worldwide as a extremely solid karateka. But, do we hold any value to his rank outside of the SKIF/Shotokan? Rank is important only within its context, but, many still don't value rank and they never will, no matter whom it might be. In 1975, Tatsuo Susuki received his eighth Dan, the highest grade ever given by the Federation of All-Japan Karate-Do organizations. That still might not be respected or recognized by those outside of Wado-ryu circles. Why? Also, in 1975, Tatsuo Susuki received the highest Japanese martial arts title of 'Hanshi' awarded to him by the Emperor Higashikuni. Again, that might not be respected or recognized by those outside of Wado-ryu circles. Why? Surely a title, or a rank nonetheless, that is awarded by the Emperor would be respected AND recognized by many, if not all. By the Emperor! Wow! Can't get any higher than that! Suzuki Sensei is the only living person with this title in Wado-Ryu. The only other Wado Hanshi was the late Otsuka Sensei, the founder of Wado-ryu. Still this might not be respected or recognized by those outside of the Wado-ryu circles. Your thoughts?

Going this afternoon with the wife and kids!

Congrats! Way to train!

Hello! I've highlighted in bold print above because I believe that's key to your question(s)..."the same style." Therefore, I'll speak to this. I train all the time with my fellow Shindokan karateka's. I visit other Shindokan dojo's from time to time throughout the year, as it's one of my responsibilities as Kaicho/Chief Instructor of the Hombu, providing those dojo the consistent presence of the Hombu, which supports each Shindokan dojo. I'll go to their dojo and in return, they'll come to the Hombu. Sometimes I visit Shindokan dojo on either in an official capacity as well as an unofficial capacity. Official capacity, for example, would be whenever that dojo has requested a Hombu representative to sit in on a testing cycle. An unofficial capacity would be me calling a local Shindokan dojo while I'm in their town for one reason or another, and asking if I could come by to train. When I had my own dojo, I trained with my Dai-Soke as often as I could, and that would be normally about once a month. Ever since I was appointed to the Hombu, I trained with my Dai-Soke everyday at the Hombu. That was until he suffered a stroke last August. Our time together since then is now more of a verbal workout. While his stroke has made it difficult for him to train physically, his mind is still extremely sharp and his knowledge seems to know no boundaries. Nowadays, I seek to train with the more senior ranks within Shindokan for a plethoria of reasons, no one reason is more important than any other reason. I suppose, I'm seeking to train in a manner that is reminiscence of training with my Dai-Soke.

Imho, stereotyping and the like has no business in any martial arts. I've known many karateka's that are superior in Karate-do, and they weren't Japanese/Okinawan. The sad thing is that "racial snobbery" still exists today, and I suppose that it'll ["racial snobbery"] never end.

You know that you're a martial artist when you get irritated while talking to your relatives because they have no discipline. OR You know that you're a martial artist when you find yourself practicing bo staff techniques in miniature with your pencil during dull meetings. And to BDPulver...that was very funny...ROFLMHO!

As far as Shindokan is concerned... Zenkutsu-dachi [front stance] = 60/40 Kokutsu-dachi [back stance] = 75/25 Kiba-dachi [Horse stance] = 50/50 Nekoashi-dachi [Cat stance] = 90/10

I couldn't have said it any better than Toptomcat, and in that, I agree wholeheartedly with Toptomcat. Train hard until the wheels fall off...then continue to train hard...never let up and never give up!

Excellent topic! No. Imho, the only difference is that one is and one isn't, and for me, it's just that simple. A true martial artist doesn't seek out or expects to be or desires a greater moral stature. If it does exist, it's only in the minds of the non-martial artist. By its definition...yes it is. But, for a martial artist to tell someone that you have a black belt isn't noble at all. To do so would only lower ones supposed nobility to one who's lower than a peasant. Wouldn't most non-martial artists just say..."Yeah...whatever!"...whenever a martial artist would say..."I have a black belt!". A true martial artist wouldn't bring any unwanted attention to themselves. Keeping oneself humble is nobility.

I agree. I'm not defined by the three K's, therefore, I define the three K's. I still respect the three K's, because, for me, it's Karate, and I can't have Karate without the three K's, and vice versa. Yet, when I look at every martial art that's practiced throughout the world, every martial art has the three K's in every which way but loose. I'm pretty sure that every martial art has its basics, drills [kata], and sparring. I agree. Sparring is paramount! Kihon allows me to refine my techniques(s), and Kata allows me to refine my transitions, and Kumite allows me to refine where the rubber meets the road.

ROFLMHO.....I'm still laughing...

LOL! It's all good! Replace the words....CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM with the word KATA. Then read it back to you a few times. Perhaps then, you'll get my analogy.

The method of how "Years of Experience" is figured, and then used in various media, is interesting to me. Well, I get a kick out of it myself. Whether a business is a small one or a large one, doesn't really determine how one might describe the experience level to a customer. Or Does it? Let's say that the local dojo/business has a total of 5 employees, including the Chief Instructor/Owner. The customer, me, for example, sees an ad in the phone book or in the mail or whereever. Somewhere in the ad, a tagline exists that speaks about the instructor and his/her experienced staff. This ad says..."We've got 101 years of experience in Karate to assist you and your needs!". I must admit, that's a lot of experience. Now, how does it read to me, Mr. Consumer? Would it have sounded better if the tagline had said..."We've got 101 years of accumulated experience to assist you and all of your Karate needs!" Are these two saying the same? OR...Are these two saying something differently? Maybe, their both saying the same thing, but in a different way. Just like I just did. This is only known by how one preceives it. Is it best to state the individual experience for each of the 5 staff members? OR Is it best to state the accumulated experience between the 5 staff members? OR Is the ad misleading the consumer to think that with all of that experience, this company will have my interests will be well taken care of? OR Is it best that Joe's Karate School says..."Between my staff and I, we've got an accumulated 101 years of Scooby-Doo Karate!" OR...If I'm the Chief Instructor/Owner say..."I've 45 years of experience in Scooby-Doo Karate" OR It really doesn't matter one way or another because consumers are smarter than I/We think. Consumers can deduct what's truly being said... Or...can they?

What about the wearing of Title bars? Most, if not all, Okinawan styles utilize the useage of the Title bars. For example... Renshi = 1 bar Kyoshi = 2 bars Hanshi = 3 bars These title bars are worn on both ends of the Yudansha obi. Yes, there are kanji for each of these, but, I'm speaking on just the title bars. Whether there rank bars or title bars, the character of the Martial Artist isn't determined by what's around ones waist, but by what's in their hearts! Your thoughts?

Not for long!

Although I'm a huge proponent for Kata, Bunkai, and Oyo Bunkai, I'm dead-set against excessive kata training. That's why in Karate it's called...the Three K's, not one K. To much of a good thing, and kata is a good thing, imho, is a bad thing. Imagine you love Chocolate Ice Cream. You can't seem to get enough of it. You don't just eat Chocolate Ice Cream, you devour it. And at times, because you love Chocolate Ice Cream so much, you take your time with it, favoring each and every little spoonful. You even rip open the container so that you don't waste any of it, licking up even the tinest morsel. You've eaten more Chocolate Ice Cream than Baskin Robbins can supply. NOW.... Imagine that there's no more Chocolate Ice Cream to be found anywhere in the world.

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. Proof is on the floor! Most, if not all members here have heard me state this over and over without any ambiguity and/or reservation. It's a staple I live by in my training in the martial arts day after day. My students hear me quote this more than they'd like, but it's a true statement, or it should be, of any martial art. This topic/thread isn't a rant. It's a compassionate statement of fact, in my humble opinion! It's something that I wholeheartedly believe in; there are no idle words here. The word "you" as used in this article is a general term, therefore, "you" isn't a specific person. No malice, and/or intent are meant here. If anything at all, "you" is referred to those who've disrespected the floor as well as those who've disrespected the martial arts through our own definitions. The floor works both ways. It analyzes me as well as you without have being asked to do so, and in that, I don't fear the floor; I welcome it. I need it. I want it. The floor is unbiased in its actions/purpose. It's the silent third witness upon the floor. I didn't ask the floor to seek out what is true and what is false because the floor does it without ever being asked to do so. You and I won't outwardly say..."Prove [it] to me!" That would be rude; disrespectful and uncalled for. There's a way to properly do this without embarrassing one another. Allow the floor to do what it's designed to do, seek for the truth, by ones very own actions or inaction. Why is proof found on the floor? Nothing reveals more candidly, openly or without reservation than the floor. "But, I've got a certification that says..." That's nice, but any diploma mill can crank those out by the thousands. "But I'm certified by..." That's good; then you shouldn't have a problem on the floor. No matter the reason(s) or excuses, the floor will reveal fact or fiction as well as separate fact from fiction, all at the same time. The old saying..."Put up or shut up!" That's point blank, rude and uncalled for, but it's reality and the floor cries out for it in volumes that can't be ignored. Why all the excuses? Why all the avoidance? Invite the floor and welcome its discerning eye as I do, as any true martial artist does. After the floor has done its job, it's just a floor, something to just stand upon. Yet, the floor comes into action to re-establish itself at any given time. Only "fake/false" martial artists would ever be intimidated by what the floor reveals. By the way, I'd never outwardly ask for proof because you could show me anything. Let me get you on the dojo floor; it'll take me mere seconds to know what I already suspect. If my suspicion is unfounded, well, let's both shut up and just train hard. The floor doesn't seek imperfection because we're imperfect. Therefore, the floor seeks to expose the false, ineffective technique(s) because while a polished floor is pretty when shined, the floor is still solid and can't be hidden or denied. If you're full of falsehood, no matter how much one may try to shine and buff the floor, the floor's still going to rebuke what's not true. I don't have to say or do anything that the floor hasn't said or done yet. If I've discovered what's been revealed on the floor and you've lied to me, or worse, to yourself, then I'll politely thank you, excuse myself, and then leave if I'm visiting you, or have you leave my dojo. After that, whatever summation and opinion I've concluded concerning you will be kept private and to myself. If this doesn't suffice enough for you, then I'd prefer it if you'd just thank me and get off of my floor. Having said that, the floor isn't the proving ground where you have to prove yourself to me and I have to prove myself to you. No! The floor's where knowledge is revealed; truth is found. That discovered and revealed truth is an additional benefit. The floor asks on its own, without me or you verbally asking for ourselves. The floor reveals all things, both positive as well as negative. Don't come onto my floor... (These are the most basic list of things that I require of any black belt!) If you can't hump, bump and dump (sparring). If you can't rock and roll (drills). If you can't tie your belt properly. If you can't put on your gi properly. If you can't speak with authority. If you can't speak with confidence. If you can't speak with knowledge. If you've not mastered the basics. If you've not mastered the three K's. If you've not mastered basic proper etiquette. If you can't hold a basic conversation about the martial arts. If you can't understand basic terminologies. If you're not willing to learn. Basically... just get off my floor! The floor isn't... Where one shows off. Where one beats his or her chest. Where one practices in self-aggrandizement. Where one belittles others. Where one bullies others. 1600 Japan where challenges are made and where the loser leaves town in pure shame or is beheaded or commits seppuku. The floor is... Where serious martial artists practice seriously. Where one learns. Where one teaches self first. Where exploration of technique(s) occur. The proof is always found or discovered on the floor; either you can or you can't. And if you can't, I'd rather you get off my floor until you're willing to learn while being honest with yourself. Proof is always on the floor!

As a sign of respect to the new style/dojo/sensei, yeah, by all means, take off the old patch and put on the new patch.