sensei8

So far so good! Thanks for the posts! Remember....MARTIAL ARTS RELATED bucket lists!

A black belt ISN'T in a superior class! A black belt is someone who can do something that a non-martial artist can't....for that moment....things and people change, some for the best and some for the worse. And you know what, a non-martial artist can do somethings that a martial artist can't. So much for being in a superior class! Sibylla hit the nail right on the head. For real, it's just a belt and if someone is treating their black belt like it's something that it's not, and that black belt makes them think that they're something that they're not; then that person is only in the martial arts for the belt. What was said about nobility in the Fighting Chicken article that Sibylla linked us to was...right on! I train, I practice and I do it because I love it and I love it more each new day, but, I'm a martial artist first, and what rank I am is so unimportant because I'm not in the martial arts for the belt and/or titles and/or platitudes and/or whatever else. Sure, there was a time when I was in the martial arts for the belts. But, that was when I was 9 or 10 years old. When I was a child, I did childish things! IndoSilat says... Absolutely and solid!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!

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!