sensei8

I think that a Aikido practioner would say that their art is effective against multiple attackers as evident by observing an Aikido "master" in action. Having said that, I'm not an Aikido "master"/practitioner. But I can see that Aikido has effective techniques with their multiple attacker scenarios. Moving this way and that way, causing attackers to run into themselves, twisting and tying attackers up amoungst themselves, and allowing the attackers to use their own energies against themselves. Now, I've only one question to KF members on this subject... How many multiple attackers are we referring to? In Shindokan we have many effective techniques against 2-5 attackers and in reality the odds of successfully defending against multiple attackers greatly goes down as we go from 2 attackers to 3-5 attackers, but, anything more than that...like a crowd...I'M GOING TO Rrrrruuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnn faster that the Flash. Capt. Kirk of Star Trek can say that he doesn't believe in the no win scenario, but, I believe in the no win scenario because there's a time when one must recognize one's way over their head and flee for safety sake. If one can't run for whatever reason....well...do your best! Still, I think Aikido has some very effective techniques against multiple attackers, BUT, getting knocked down to the ground is another thing against multiple attackers. If one gets knocked down, one better get up fast or be very skilled on the ground or be prepared for a bad day. >What about the multiple attackers RUSHING to attack at the same time? >What about the multiple attackers RUSHING to attack at the same time and the attackers have WEAPONS? Sometimes empty hand effectiveness against mutiple attackers become ineffective based on different parameters. Train in every possible scenario against multiple attackers daily. Failure to imagine! That's what will defeat the unprepared.

I've mentioned this before in another similar thread here at KF, and that is this. Anybody in the ATA please correct me if I'm wrong on the following.... I like what the ATA does for their black belts....ROMAN NUMERALS for 1st - 4th degree, and after that, A STAR/STARS (1 star = 5th degree, 2 stars = 6th degree...5 stars = 9th degree) It's simple and it doesn't crowd the belt!

In Shindokan, we use "dan bars" as rank identifiers. Our Renshi, Kyoshi, and Hanshi holders will drop the rank identifiers and do the following: Renshi = 1 gold bar on both ends Kyoshi = 2 gold bars on both ends Hanshi = 3 gold bars on both ends

Emoional content, not anger or fear! Freezing up is a side-effect of fear. Having a mind like water and a mind like the moon are important aspects to learn and train in in any martial arts. Therefore, without me going into any great details, these sayings are based on this. Mind Like Water means to BE CALM. Fear and anger both create waves in the water, therefore, the calmness of your mind becomes unable to see and unable to feel and unable to positively react to whatever the situation might be. Mind Like the Moon means that my thoughts must be able to reflect onto the surface of the water, and anger/fear create clouds and the more fear I have the more clouded my mind becomes...thus I might freeze-up. Having my mind calm like the water allows me to reflect my thoughts [moon] clearly! As previously mentioned in this thread by Throwdown0850: spar and spar and spar. Tallgeese's post is solid and bears to be considered as valid ways to address fear--there excellent points! Having butterflies isn't the same thing as fear, imho! My pastor shared something once that spoke well to me, he said the following.... "Fear simply means, Future Events Appear Real, and in that, fearing the unknown is not believing in yourself and your abilities." My pastor went on further to expand his thoughts, but this is enough. Believe in yourself and in your abilities and train and spar and just relax. It is not 'I' who hits, but, 'it' hits all by itself; this can only happen if one trains in totality daily! Consider Crocodile Dundee. In the movie, a man attacked him with a knife. His lady friend screamed out for fear but he was at peace. Why? Well, let’s look at what happened. His lady friend said, “He got a knife.” And Mr. Dundee's response was, “that’s not a knife, this is a knife.” After which he pulled out his knife that looked like a machete and the attacker ran off. Mr. Dundee was not afraid because he had a bigger knife. Same thing for us martial artists. No matter the situation, know that you're "weapon", with is you and your martial arts, is much bigger than whatever your opponent has. Again, believe in yourself and in your abilities! Fear can be both healthy and unhealthy, either way, fear is unbelief; therefore, believe! Mizu no kokoro (Mind Like Water) and Tsuki no kokoro (Mind Like the Moon! These are vital keys to every martial artist.

The concept that you speak of is one that's not been tried...often. I see the concept working, and this surprises me because I'm very old school when it comes to testing/formality...it's what I was raised in, therefore, it's what I still do. Nevertheless, I do like your concept. I'm constantly aware of each and every students progress because I see them on an almost daily basis. Why should I invite a student to test? Isn't the invitation an indication of my students capabilities? Sure it is. Otherwise, I wouldn't invite them in the first place. But, performing under the stress of a test is a test in itself. By that I mean this. A self-defense situation requires one to harness and control the stress so that ones mind is clear and undistrubed so that the techniques just flow freely. The stress of a test is nothing to the stress of actually defending oneself, but, the stress of a test is still stress, albeit a low-grade type of stress, and needs to be considered to the techniques one must perform to pass said test. Still and again, I like the concept! But, I'll stick with the old school type of testing with all of its formalities and the like because I'm an old dog and sometimes an old dog can't learn new tricks....or doesn't want to. The key for any test as their Kaicho/Sensei is for me to NOT add any undue stress for my students.

270 degree turn to the left

Speaking for myself...I'd never do that to you....ever!! More than anything I pray that I'm completely wrong on my thoughts on this topic. I only support you and any decision(s) that you've made!! I just want to offer an ear and a shoulder to you for when it's needed! That's really really, awesome, Bob-sensei! and I verymuch thank you for that! Or to use a phrase I made up - a pocketful of fly. =] Its awesome that I seemto have friends and allies on this forum! it warms myheart. LIke in my dojo, I feel I belong to a family here. Anytime! I meant everything....they weren't idle words. I love your phrase...a pocketful of fly.

Yeah...I noticed that too.

How about them Cowboys...11-5 season record....yeah!?! Cowboys dominated the Eagles and won the NFC East title. Now, we play the Eagles...again...in Dallas...in the playoffs. Hopefully, the Cowboys can keep the momentum up and win against the Eagles again. Who are you cheering for during the playoffs? Wild card Saturday January 9, 2010 NY Jets VS Cincinnati Philadelphia VS Dallas Sunday January 10, 2010 Baltimore VS New England Green Bay VS Arizona For a complete look at who's in the playoffs... http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ys-09playoffpicture&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

A belated Happy New Year!!! New Year resolutions? Ahhhhh...How about them Cowboys!?! Patrick, do you have any new years resolutions?

First of all...Welcome!! It's very hard to determine which one of the clubs you've linked to is best for you by just looking at their websites. VISIT EACH SCHOOL...SEVERAL TIMES...then...make a choice as to which one would be better to provide you with what it is that you're looking for. Good luck...train hard!

Congrats to you WireFrame!!! Well deserved!!!

Speaking for myself...I'd never do that to you....ever!! More than anything I pray that I'm completely wrong on my thoughts on this topic. I only support you and any decision(s) that you've made!! I just want to offer an ear and a shoulder to you for when it's needed!

This question is often asked of students, kyu/dan, within the Shindokan Hombu. My answer is this, as crude as it can be. If you're of legal age to sign contracts/documents and the like, then Shodan works for me. Why? Who am I to tell someone of legal age what they can or can't do? No one! Maturity in all things is desired, but, who's the final authority? Me? No! The Shindokan Hombu's By-Laws state that an instructor MUST be a Sandan minimum to receive Hombu credentials and the like. I say, open the dojo as a Shodan, and then, if after one finds themselves way over their heads, seek out their own instructor who has the proven experience/knowledge to properly guide one to success. Opening a dojo is one thing, but, keeping the doors open is another thing. Impossible? No! Allow me to introduce to you my analogy of this. If I was in the ocean, and I was drowning, I mean I've gone down twice already and I was about to go down for my third and final time, and an inner tube floated by my way and it saved me from drowning; I'd worship an inner tube for the rest of my life! I just want to learn effective martial arts, whether it's from a Shodan or from a Judan or in between...I JUST WANT TO LEARN!!! If the Shodan can teach effective martial arts, that's first and foremost for me, AND run a Dojo as well; it's just an added plus for me. Be a Shodan and run the Dojo...it's yours. Get into a bind, then get help from those who've been there before. Never be afraid to ask for help! Here's another analogy that might help. This guy's walking down a street, when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep. He can't get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up "Hey you! Can you help me out?" The doctor writes him a prescription, throws it down the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up "Father, I'm down in this hole, can you help me out?" The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. "Hey Joe, it's me, can you help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole! Our guy says "What are you doing? Now we're both down here!" and the friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out." Your friend is your sensei or the Hombu or a fellow martial artist and we've been down here before and we know the way out! Please don't let rank dictate your desires, but, at least try to listen to what some have suggested from all over the world and it's solid advice across the board; be patient and wait to open your dojo when you're a Sandan at least. Ball's in your court to do with as you want!

Blade96, In your opening post you said this... To me, this could be a red flag warning. The following made me think that it might be... I don't know one way or another if it was or wasn't sexual harassment, therefore, I'm just offering some info that might help you.

Could this be defined as "Sexual Harassment"? Please read these links... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_harassment OR... http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/teensexualharassment.html OR... http://www.answers.com/topic/sexual-harassment

Whatever the meaning of the name might be....it's a very solid Kata across the board.

Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva......................Evans Paul Daley vs. Dustin Hazelett.......................Daley Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout.............................Lauzon Jim Miller vs. Duane Ludwig...........................Miller Junior dos Santos vs. Gilbert Yvel..................Yvel Martin Kampmann vs. Jacob Volkmann..........Kampmann Dan Lauzon vs. Cole Miller............................Lauzon Steve Cantwell vs. Vladimir Matyushenko.......Matyushenko Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen.........................Jensen Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger.......................Ellenberger John Gunderson vs. Rafaello Oliveira.............Oliveira

It's been my experience that the size of a Gi was going to provide Height factors more than weight factors. I could be wrong. Bold Look carries sizes 000 - 12, but that varies from line to line. However, Bold Look does not sell products directly to students, you must buy Bold Look merchandise through your school or organization.

That's skill/talent! Very cool! I can't even sew on a button back on my shirt.

Just to mention some of them... It's a Wonderful Life The Greatest Story Ever Told Jesus of Nazareth

I've no favorite students! For me, it's like having a favorite child and I don't have a favorite child; I love them all equally. The reason I don't have a favorite student(s) is because that would violate the instructor maxim. Yes, I'm aware of which student(s) are training/practicing harder than others, but, I push them ALL equally hard. Testing, for example, can't ever be decided by favoritisim...it just can't exist! During a testing cycle: I don't know the student(s)! During a testing cycle, my student(s) are strangers to me and I keep it strictly business; pass or fail isn't based on whom they are as individuals and what they may or may not mean to me: They're nothing...they're just a body. Harsh? No, not for me. I've got to remember that I'm their Sensei and in that, I've a responsibility to myself, to my Dai-Soke/Sensei, to my Hombu, to every Shindokan practitioner, and to my students. That responsibility dictates that I must be totally and completely impartial across the board concerning every past, present, and future Shindokan karateka; student of mine or not! Favoritisim only fogs up the Dojo! I don't allow it, therefore, I don't need a life boat to rescue me because my integrity cuts right through the fog! Clear sailings and only clear sailings!

I determine who can test, not my students and not time in grade. Time in grade only acts as a prerequisite for a pending testing cycle, but, it's not a guarantee that one would be considered and/or invited to a testing cycle! Come to class and train! Don't worry about when one can test and when one can't test: just train! Just train with all of your heart and soul and the testing cycle will take care of itself. I'll know when someone's ready to test and that's when they'll test and not before. The fastest way to NEVER be invited to a testing cycle is to not practice and/or practice very little; trust me, I know if someone's practiced or not. Testing a student based on time in grade can only serve against the means. Time in grade lets a student know when they can submit a request to attend a testing cycle and in that, time in grade lets me know that a student has meet the minimum requirement to submit said testing cycle request. The momma bird only kicks her baby bird out of the nest when that baby bird is ready and no time sooner; the momma bird knows!

"The warning signs recently placed on each side of the Dragon just do not get the attention of some truck drivers." This is from that link Patrick, very interesting info, thanks for it, I enjoyed it. Funny thing about those signs...these signs are HUGE and they're bright ORANGE, with large lettering! That would tip me off that maybe I shouldn't continue. Here's a link of those signs... http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html

Personally, I don't call any martial artist...."Master"! I have never called my Soke or my Dai-Soke "Master"! I call them by their name, or by "Sir", or by "Sensei", but, never "Master". I'm aware that within the Shindokan By-Laws, Godan and above is at the "Master" level, but, I've not meet a Shindokan Master yet. I'm a Shindokan Hachidan, but, I don't want to be called "Master" in any shape, way, and/or form. How can I, being imperfect, have mastered anything, I'm flawed at the core. I'm a student of the martial arts and in that, I'm still seeking that one perfect technique...still!