sensei8

They're both martial arts! Not by name and not by literal definition! Gung Fu could be applied to anything of acquired skill. In a sense, Karate can be a Gung Fu, though it is a mixture of terms (like bo staff-East and West termed together) Still...not by name and not by literal definition!

Why? Do they freak seeing your strange underwear? Seriously, I cannot fully understand the pupose of this thread. For be it as it may, if one is all these things when they take off their belt, why bother to put one on in the first place? For FUN...cool? And, why not! I sometimes create...real dorky topics and sometimes I don't...cool?

...or walking into any brick wall...over and over. As long has the brick wall is pretty and decorated Oh...but of course!

Well, first President Obama gets a Nobel Prize....then he gets an honorary Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do...cool...good grief! Here's a very brief article about this.... http://www.kidokwan.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=387:president-obama-to-receive-honorary-taekwondo-belt&catid=41:kukki

My prayers go out to Brock Lesnar and his family... http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/5027.html

Mine would be... Passing my Hachidan in Shindokan Kobudo...finally! AND Becoming Kaicho and Chief Instructor of the Shindokan Hombu

Yes...you're right! Thanks for straightening me out because I wait until it gets cold...dumb of me.......duh bob!

I do like, at least it's different, that the ATA uses roman numbers to depict black belt ranks. If it's a preference to wear or not to wear, the practitoner whom chooses either way SHOULD BE RESPECTED as to their preference, imho. But, that's not the case per my previous post.

RichardZ, My bad. That article was written by Black Belt Magazine, Michael James (Publisher, Black Belt, p.6, April, 2000), NOT by the website I linked to. I'm sorry I didn't make it more clear, again, that was my fault and my bad!

It's that time of the year where it's time to get some hot chocolate. Here's 20 Chocolate receipes to warm you up... http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Drinks/Hot-Chocolate/Top.aspx = Yummy!

Brian, Just Sparring...I LOVE IT! Nothing better than JUST SPARRING! Just spar, just spar, just spar, just spar, just spar..... Sometimes my black belts hate JUST SPARRING with me. They'll wonder out loud at times..."AREN'T YOU TIRED YET?" My usual response..."NOPE...KEEP GOING!" Heheheehhee, I love just sparring!

Aww, yes!! Raw cookie dough! Its the best. Now, if I combine that with my post-workout chocolate milk, I'll be sitting in high cotton! Awesome... Ok, maybe no one should take nutritional advise from me... ROFLMBBO!!!!!!!!!!! Brian, now, THAT'S FUNNY!

No thanks, I don't like raw eggs.....yuck!

Good reference. Allthough I like to point out that working out alone is much harder for beginners, per motivational accounts. True. But, if a new student is lazy already, it won't matter if they're by themself or not. Likewise, if the new student isn't lazy already, then that student will train hard no matter what.

Why do people choose to disrespect those who have rank indentifiers. These people are quick to pass judgement before they ever get to know the person. I've meet people who disrespect others about the rank identifiers, then, I meet their instructor, and then I see that their instructor has rank indentifiers him/herself. These people can talk bad about others, but, they won't say the very same thing to their own instructor. Hhhmmm! People talk about respect, but, just as soon as the conversation turns to rank identifiers/stripes, the attacks happen, and respect is thrown out the window. Words like ego, show-off and the like are not about respect, but, about hurting someones feelings. For me, it deeply hurts me when the attacks start becoming personal. I wear stripe indentifiers, and not because they look cool, but, because it's in our By-Laws and I will respect the By-Laws as set forth by my Soke and my Dai-Soke. I've also belts that have "title" stripes; 3 for Hanshi. I've also belts that are white with Shindokan in Kanji on one end and Hanshi in Kanji on the other end. Bottom line for me; PROOF IS ON THE FLOOR, not on the belt!

I've no combo's to present regarding the backfist/knifehand strikes that could be used in tournaments. In Shindokan, being 85% hands, and in that, our hand technques are used to set up our Tuite, not for getting a point. Our hand set ups have gotten me more disqualified than I can remember. Our Tuite in Shindokan is entire body violence and this got me in trouble on the tournament circuit. So for me, it's going to be a backfist by itself with no other hand set ups except feints and the like during a tournament. Sorry!

Interesting article.... http://www.ohdokwan.com/martialarts.html Your opinions?

For those who might not be aware.... Rectitude Courage Benevolence Respect Honesty Honour Loyalty Yes! It's possible that the Code of Bushido sounds like the Boy Scouts of America oath, but, it's beyond that. Each of the seven tenets are inside of us; each one of us. Whether one likes to keep them private and to themselves or not is of a choice. Are these "real" guidelines set? Not only are these guidelines real, but, God made them, therefore, they're set! I hope that the code of bushido is in me, but, more than that, I know that God is in me!

...or walking into any brick wall...over and over.

I took up TKD when I was a Jr. Black Belt in Shindokan while I was in high school. One of the main reasons why I took TKD was because TKD practitioners were beating me constantly with their many deceptive kicks. There's no better way to learn how to defend against these deceptive kicks then to learn them and understand them and recognize them at their conception. That's what I did, but, only with the approval of my sensei. What I took away from that one year with GM Young Ik Suh was a solid TKD base, but, I also figured that the best way for ME to stop a TKD practioner is to jam them at the conception of their kick(s). I've crossed trained my entire life. Shindokan is a great fit for me, but, I also want to know about other styles of the martial arts and in that, I'm like Hem the mouse, learn to adapt and move with the change or die. Shindokan isn't the only way, it's just another way and I want to know more ways. I'm extremely loyal to by Dai-Soke; I've been with my Dai-Soke for 45 years...is this blind loyalty? NO!

I dont quite understand....please explain...thanks I don't quite understand your question..why don't I charge, or why did I quit charging? I quit charging because I wasn't teaching for the income. Sure, the extra money was always nice, but I felt I had knowledge that I wanted to pass on to others that were so inclined and felt there was no need to charge them for this knowledge. I had even stopped charging for classes at one time, but that was a disaster! (another long story, but I won't get into it here). Exactly whi I dont charge. I cant seem to charge for knowledge obtained. I cant seem to understand a meaning of testing upon information that should be seen as progress in the making. However, if there is overhead, charging for lessons is a must. But, what is not a must, is to "nickel and dine" for anything. BINGO!!!!!!!!!!

That's a great point. I was amazed when I discovered that not all body builders have physical strength. That seemed like an impossible thing for me to comprehend at first, but, it was true! But man oh man. Their bulk sizes are intimidating enough to make one to be cautioned. Example.... WOW!

Feints are the next best thing to sliced bread in the martial arts! The better one's at feinting the easier it is to manipulate a opening. The better one can feint the easier it is to expose intentions. The better one can feint the better one can eliminate any detectable telegraphing. Feinting is like a fine wine; aged until it's as perfect as it can be. In whether it's used in the dojo, at tournaments, and/or in any self-defense situation; feinting has become a lost art, find it, embrace it, reclaim it, train in it, but, by the power of Houdini, master the feints' slight of hand techniques.

Internetorder Do ROFLMBBO!!!!!!

Yes, this does seem to be a fine piece of satire. Unfortunately, like any decent satirical commentary, its sting comes from truth. Though exaggerated, it does illustrate the effects of allowing tradition to take the driver's seat. Thank you for sharing this, sensei8. Where is it from? Black Belt Magazine January 2010 issue.