sensei8

Within the Shindokan Hombu/Association, rank/titles are importantly vital in that they serve a purpose but only in the formality that accompanies it per the context that it's used in. Outside of the Shindokan Hombu/Association, rank/titles are subjective to the proponent of the individual's own value base. Whenever I'm a guest/visitor at someone's Dojo/Dojang/school/headquarters I give them the respect that's due to them, as well as to their rank/title/office. I'm Hanshi, I'm Kaicho, and I'm the Chief Instructor of the Shindokan Hombu/Association, but, I'm a student first and foremost within the martial arts and I'm still learning from day to day...with no end in sight. Therefore, the title of "student" is far more important to me than anything in and out of the Shindokan context/content. Having said that, I'm only a student and this is how I like to be refered to. As a matter of fact, I'm Bob, nothing more and nothing less. Within the confinements of what is known as the Shindokan Hombu/Association, I'm still just Bob, with the exceptions of when formality is called upon and when formality arises in its proper context/content in the Shindokan Hombu/Association; then and only then am I Kaicho, Hanshi, Chief Instructor.

From my family and I; we wish everyone a merry christmas and a happy new year!

Are the duration(s) of the pauses set by the creator of said Kata or by the practitioner or a combination of both?

One of my 13 year old Brown Belts came up to me just as class ended. Here's the conversation.... Me: Hello sir. Student: Hi Sensei Bob. Me: How's everything going with you and your family? Student: Fine. Student: You know what I figured out? Me: No, what? Student: You can't mess up with spelling your name. Me: Huh? I can't? How do you mean? Student: Well... Student: You spell BOB, B-O-B, right? Me: Yeah. Student: You got it made sir because you can't spell it wrong. Me: Ok, how's that? Student: You can spell it forwards, backwards, and upside down and no matter what you still get BOB. Plus, its only got 3 letters. Nobody can mess that up. Me: [laughing] You know what? Student: No, what? Me: You're absolutely correct! [laughing] Student: Yeah [laughing]. Student: Sir, maybe they had you in mind sir when they came up with BOB sir! [laughing a little more louder] Me: Yeah...You just might be right. [laughing a little more louder myself] Simple, to the point, I can't mess it up and you know what? My students know me way to well, lol!!!!

Here's an excellent example of the TYPES of pauses that are found in Kata/Form as performed by Nao Morooka, Female Japan Karate Champion... Nao Morooka displays with such perfection: the music of Kata, the drama of Kata, the concert of Kata, the theatrics of Kata, and the pauses found in Kata/Form. Very Solid!

Kata is important and vital as far as the three K's of Karate is concerned. For any style of the martial arts that practice Kata/Form, one thing seems to be quite evident: THE PAUSE. What pause? The pause that seperates one technique(s) from another technique(s) that composes the Kata/Form. Within any said Kata/Form there is a tempo, a rhythm, and/or a flow. Pauses within any said Kata/Form is akin to the varying rests that are found in any piece of music. These rests add to the bueaty of that piece of music. A built up to the crescendo as well as a calming down in the decrescendo; without the different dynamic music quotations in a piece of music, well, the music would be monotone. Kata/Form is the music of any said martial art. Kata/Forms are sometimes referred to as a dance. One can't dance if the music doesn't come alive. A Kata/Form without the music isn't a bueaty to behold; monotonic Kata/Form is movement that's asleep from boredom. The pauses found become as much as a part of the drama, or the play, that's on display as the Kata/Form itself. As in any good play, theatrics must be present to be enjoyed and to be shared and to be experienced, but, not for just the practitioner of the martial arts, but, also for the spectator as well. A pause is delivered in a play as the visual cue within the drama of the play. A pause in a play causes the audience to wonder what's going to happen next. For example, the snapping turn of the head in a Kata/Form speaks loud in visual volumes. Another example, the facial gestures in a Kata/Form create chills in the audience. For a play to be performed well, all of the players must be know their roles and in knowing their roles, body language that's appreciated and understood must be included within the script. The conductor taps his/her baton to signal the orchrestra that it's time to sit up, backs straight, and play your music great. The director of the play shouts out for all of the actors/actresses that something is about to begin with...Lights, camera, sound, and action! Questions: A) Why are the pauses, in Kata/Form, where they are/aren't? B) Why are the pauses, in Kata/Form, as long as they are/aren't? C) Why are the pauses, in Kata/Form, as often as they are/aren't? D) What do the pauses, in Kata/Form, depict? E) Are the pauses, in Kata/Form, important? F) Should there be more/less pauses, in Kata/Form? G) Why are Kata's/Forms performed the way they are? H) Was this how the originator of said Kata/Form created it? Your thoughts?

I concur with this! Solid product and solid customer service. Imho, the Kanji won't be wrong from Eoshin Panther.

I didn't know that swimming was listed as a martial arts; very interesting to me. Thanks for the info Ichi_Geki

Very Solid!!! She belongs to Shitoryu Shito-kai. For those who might not be aware of the "red belt" and the "blue belt" that's used by every participant at this international tournament isn't to indentify "rank" but it's to identify who's what in their respective Kumite/Kata Divisions. "Red" is known as AKA and the "Blue" is known as AO. For example, in Kumite Divisions, there are two competitors. These two competitors are indentified as one is the "blue" fighter and the other is the "red" fighter. Notice that the competitors in Kumite wore matching gloves, "red" or "blue", as well. These "blue"/"red" belts are similar as to what one would find in USA tournaments, but, one fighter would wear a "red" cloth tucked into the belt from the back, now, this is the "red" fighter. Why wear those belts during Kumite/Team Kumite and Kata/Team Kata and not their own black belts? Belts of grade aren't permitted. If one wears a belt of grade, then a competitor has violated the dress code and has 1 minute to correct the violation or be disqualified/disbarred. The "red" and the "blue" take away the focus on ones belt and rank because the Kata and the Kata performer are what's being judged. Each Team Kata is exclusively male, or exclusively female. The Individual Kata match consists of individual performance in separate male and female divisions. For example, "Red" and "Blue" will compete against one another in Kata. Both the "Red" and the "Blue" will do one of the required Kata for that round. First, the "Red" will execute the said Kata, then, the "Blue" will execute the same said Kata. Then, a whistle will sound twice, judges will render scores, and the competitor with the highest score moves on to the next round. Judges will have either a "red" or a "blue" flag. One would find this wearing of the "Red" and the "Blue" belts at many, if not all, international tournaments. Yes, the competitors wearing these "red"/"blue" belts are in fact...black belts!

B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez........................Penn Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo.........................Mir Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida.......................Florian Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce..............................Fitch Paul Buentello vs. Stefan Struve..................Buentello Alan Belcher vs. Wilson Gouveia..................Belcher Shane Nelson vs. Matt Wiman......................Wiman Johny Hendricks vs. Ricardo Funch...............Hendricks Rousimar Palhares vs. Lucio Linhares...........Palhares Damarques Johnson vs. Edgar Garcia..........Johnson Kevin Burns vs. T.J. Grant..........................Grant

Shoe Hand full of small rocks/dirt/sand

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!

Try to just relax and enjoy the tournament. When it's your turn to perform your Kata, just perform it at the tournament exactly as you've done many times before in front of your sensei/class mates. Make sure you breath because many don't. Keep your head up, your posture upright, and nice loud kiai's. When your name is called. Stand up, bow in to the ring, walk sharply, stop right in front of the judges in your ready stance, and introduce yourself, your style, name of the Kata you'll be performing, ask permission to begin, and be confident. About 26 seconds later you'll be done, then, after you bow at the end of the kata, remain still in your ready stance while the judges render their scores. Once the scores are presented, one of the judges will dismiss you, then bow again, turn sharply and exit the ring. Will you be scared? Yes. Will it be the end of the world? No. I'm sure that you'll do just fine. Your nerves will be shot, just like they were when you performed in front of your sensei and your fellow students. The atmosphere at a tournament is on a much larger scale then what your use to at the dojo, but, it's pretty much the same. Did I get nervious? Oh yeah, each and every time. Everyone has butterflies in their stomach I'd imagine for whatever their reasons are. But for me, I knew that it would be over in a blink of an eye and that I'd be ok. Relax, breath, don't over think everything, and have fun. Visit with friends and meet new friends. Who knows, you might even win a trophy and that's cool! Good luck!

Please check this link... http://www.newschannel10.com/global/story.asp?s=11622511

Congrats!

If my comment was hurtful and wrong, please forgive me. It was NOT my intent. I made light of your wording and this was wrong of me. Please, please forgive my stupidity. I was wrong. What I said was taken out of content, but, nonetheless....I was wrong. Please forgive me, please!

And if you do... then how in the world are you going to relate your experience to us?

Congrats!!!! You told your age?!?

Did anybody see Steven Seagal's new reality show on A&E called "Lawman" last night? I enjoyed it! For those who aren't aware of it.... http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-12-02-seagal02_ST_N.htm?csp=34

Didn't I say that my analogy was crude?

The drive-by media has latched onto this story and their sinking their teeth in deeper. That's all I've heard and seen all day on the radio and on the tv...Tiger Woods and his extra marital affairs. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Tiger Woods FINALLY admits to affairs. Here's the link... http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-tigerwoods&prov=ap&type=lgns AND.... http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93214?fp=1 He hasn't lost his sponsors...yet...because the sponsors are watching him closely to see how he handles the situations in private as well as in the public. Man....I don't think that it was really worth it? Now the focus won't be on the game/sport of golf but on Tiger's extra-marital affairs. People will still talk about his greatness on the links, but, will people talk about Tigers affairs before/during/after/while they're talking about Tigers greatness in the game of golf? Sheech!!!!!!!!

My list is very long, especially with all of the channels that are availible. One of my most favorite CHANNELS shows old TV shows from yesteryear with Gunsmoke, Adam-12, Hawaii Five-0, Starsky and Hutch, Andy Griffith, and Happy Days to name just a few!

Nearly isn't always! You're right....their not just going to "stand there"! Is the martial arts that useless? Why is a hit to the throat "nearly improbable"? Couldn't someone like, Fumio Demura, Mas Oyama, Hidetaka Nishiyama, GSP, Hirozoku Kanazawa, Cung Le, or Lyoto Machida or (you fill in the blank) find/create the opportunity to hit the throat? If not, then why even bother with anything concerning the martial arts? Especially, if the throat is nearly improbable. Doesn't anyone have the ability, the speed, the tenacity, and/or the veracity to pull off the improbable? Wouldn't it reason that if I can reach my opponents throat from the front with either one or both of my hands that I should be able to hit my opponents neck SHOULD the opportunity present itself? I'd like to think that there's some logic in my question/statement. One of my most favorite "off-buttons", Tuite 101, is a thumb/finger jab/poke to the throat...while their moving/ducking and the like. It's effective and I can do it at will 9 out of 10 times. How? I create the opportunity via feints and the like. What? No 10 out of 10...why? Nothing is guaranteed, therefore, I'm allowing a slight varible. Something bears being repeated....Nearly isn't always!

I want to emulate my Soke and my Dai-Soke across the board...still, but I'm not them...I'm me. I'm ok with that.