sensei8

Check these out... http://www.angelfire.com/ms3/memphisshotokan/ http://www.shotokanmemphis.com/ Good luck!

Please let me add a comment if I may. In the OP video, there are many references that this person is of Shindokan Karate. This person is NOT or has NOT, past and/or present, ever been associated in any shape, way, and/or form with Shindokan Karate-Do as founded by Soke Fuyuhiko Saitou Sensei, which is currently under the leadership of Dai-Soke Yoshinobu Takahashi Sensei!!!!

Here are some more videos about this person and/or those affiliated with this person, although these videos aren't as disturbing as the OP video, but, well...you decide for yourself...

This is one of the most disturbing videos I've ever seen... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1dCc1Ae3nY

I commend cathal 100% and I wish cathal the very best and much success! I'm just so facinated that the school was so willing, when it's been my experience that school's are very closed-minded about being so willing to help outside programs. "Not on school property!" is what's heard the most from principals/administrations. Therefore, it's not what one says, but, it's the way it's said. I go in with a clad-iron program and presentation, then, cathal, for example, walks in with a clad-iron program and presentation, but, the school/administration picks her over me. It's not what I said, but, it's the way I said it. Maybe, I wasn't clear enough and cathal was. Again, it's not what I said, but, it's the way I said it. Maybe, I gave them everything that they were looking for, but, I was short/rude/down-my-nose to them and cathal wasn't! Cathal...I bow to you and I sincerely wish you the very best!

ABSOLUTELY and SOLID! One of my sensei's biggest maxims for his instructors was to NOT fraternize with ANY student. Reason for this was to keep the association of sensei/student professional. Also, things are presumed/assumed by the student when fraternizing occurs. In this, the student thinks that they're at liberty to get away with some/many things in the dojo and the like because of the so-called friendship. Signals are misunderstood by all and in that, fraternizing is taboo! A big no no! This is why my Dai-Soke/Sensei's circle of trusted students is so small. It's sad! Why? Because many Shindokan students only know about him from afar. But, if they knew him as some of us do in a more personal way, then, they'd see him more differently.

This has been said before but I feel that it bears repeating. As crazy as it makes me, I don't see much of a problem with little kids/pre-teens wearing a full gi outside of class. Yes, I make it understood to each and everyone of my students, but, little kids/pre-teens are so darn proud of themselves and this includes the gi/belt. So, they wear it outside and to and from the dojo...I'm ok with it. I too was once a little kid/pre-teen, I started in the martial arts when I was 7 years old, and even I wore the gi EVERYWHERE my mom/dad would let me...I WAS SO PROUD OF MYSELF! Yes, my sensei didn't tolerate the wearing of the gi outside of the dojo no matter the age, but, even he surrendered to little kids/pre-teens because even the hardest heart will melt under the gaze of a puppy-eyed look. What's one to do?

Congrats armanox!!!!!!

Interesting way to describe a snap/thrust! I like it!

The unbalancing of an opponent can be mental and/or physical! Physical is more vital than the mental, but, both are important depending on the situation and the situations aren't constant. Physical unbalancing requires a sharp distancing ability, both creating and closing. I can initiate the action(s) OR the opponent can; both are the same. Huh? I can use the actions of the opponent, and, when that occurs, both actions are in motion, but, the opponent isn't in an advantage. Footwork is important! Proper footwork can dictate angles and proper footwork can expose flawed angles in the opponent. Mizu no kokoro and Tsuki no kokoro are the elements of mental unbalancing an opponent. One either has it or one doesn't! If the opponents confused, angry, upset, scared, unfocused, distracted, etc. Then the waters are no longer calm and if the reflections of the moon are cloudy, then, the opponent is at a great disadvantage if I'm in full Mizu no kokoro and Tsuki no kokoro. This is as simplistic as I can explain kuzushi. WNM, might be able to shed more light on it.

I just wish I would shrink in the wash sometimes...ROFLMBBO!!!!!! You and me both! But, I can't fit in the wahing machine...DRAT!!!!!!!!!

Even though I already know the answer, I just have to ask.... Isn't the Axe kick a front kick type?

The school didn't bark at it because it's a for-profit program? They just let you hang up the posters...on school property? Again, it's not what one says, but, it's how one says it!

Bottom line...my bottom line...my choice... I will "flee" whenever the opportunity presents itself to me! This, fleeing, is my virtue to a proportional response. In that, it's my personal moral obligation to avoid/end the fight just as soon as the opportunity presents itself. After that, the rest, imho, is mute. In my martial arts, I'm complete in my totality!

Teaching proper weapons retention should go hand-in-hand with learning the deployment of any said weapon. While the tactics/techniques of the martial arts in the teaching these areas are effective, I venture to even say that they're seriously limited. No organization, other than the military, teaches weapons deployment and retention better than law enforcement...NOBODY! Not even the martial arts!

How did you get the school to agree to this????

Well, I've never thought about the belt being able to shrink. But, why not, after all, it's made out of some type of fabric(s). That'll be my new excuse...I'm not getting big in the tummy area; my belt shrunk. Go figure!

I'm with rogue2257...speak to the instructor! Here's some links... http://usajoshinmon.com/jks_1_website_004.htm http://sabaki.8m.com/katashorin.htm

In Shindokan, we use: *Ball of the foot *Heel *Instep

Date all they want! It's their right and I'm not their dad! I'd only speak with them if their actions were disrupting, being inappropriate and/or interfering with the school.

cathal, EXCELLENT! Before you know it you'll have more kids than you want, if that's even possible. You got them, now keep them! Sounds like you did everything right. Did you have fun? Did the kids have fun? Did the kids enjoy you? Did the parents enjoy you? My key with this large of a group is to be just be a kid with them. Using the teacher the way you did is excellent! I wouldn't change that for all of the peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches in the world! Don't lose your assistants/volunteers because they'll make your life so much easier and better. If you can, find some trustful parents to help you with sign-ups and sign-ins and what nots. That will leave you free to be amounst the kids, whether it's for kidding/talking with them or helping them out before/after class. I commend you! Prepare for next class when many more show up because they heard about your classes from the kids that were there.

No! Yes! Do what feels right! Imho, it's up to the victim to defend themselves, and, if fleeing is ones choice, then it's an honorable duty. If one doesn't want to leave, this is ones choice, and in that, it's ones right. Stay, leave, do what one must. But, if one doesn't leave when one had a chance to and something happens, well, then one will have to explain it to the police and then possibly to a judge. Who cares who started it. That's NOT the martial arts! Two wrongs don't make a right. Defend oneself, YES! Assault/Battery someone, NO! If someone starts it...I'm suppose to finish it? To suggest that directly or indirectly is to forget that we're martial artists. Martial artists that are trained to not use our knowledge inappropriately and without cause. If the virtue of a proportional response is self-control, then there's no "However". It either is or it isn't! Isn't there a saying that says..."He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day!" Yes, I know that it's just an opinion and just a saying, but, there's nothing wrong with it. Besides, you'd not be far from your ethics and/or your morals at all for doing what's right or what's honorable or what's legal. It's possible! For a vice to exist, I have to really like it and then I have to really depend on it. I really don't like to fight and I really don't depend on it [fighting]. I don't see any noble virtue in fighting, especially when the opportunity to flee/run presents itself and I don't. There's nothing virtue in a just fight because, imho, it's just a fight and it takes two to fight. I'll fight, but, when the opportunity presents itself, I'm fleeing. What's wrong with fleeing? Is that unmartial art? Is that against some martial art code? Aren't most, if not all, martial artists taught to not fight unless one has no choice? If I have an opportunity to flee and fleeing is wrong, then let me just be wrong!

What does your instructor advise? Have the Bo fit your height, or as close as you can without holding something that looks like a pole that's used in cleaning a swimming pool. As far as material. I'd say this is based solely on your preference. Seeing that you're going to be using it for competition and sparring, get a Bo from the hardwood family, although it might be like weilding a tree; heavy. It'll spin but not like a composite/graphite type of material; a feather. You might have to get two Bo's: one for Kata and one for sparring!! The sparring is going to mark up the Bo quite well, and it might not be conducive in Kata, especially at a tournament. Good luck!

CONGRATS DWx!!!! Feels great, doesn't it? Well, it should!

Yes I have. Basically it's the same as any of your classes that you're conducting right now, but, it's just on a much larger scale. Establish your authority in a firm but friendly manner or you'll have 200 out-of-control kids. Speak loud enough to be heard by all, use the "mirror" method, move around the class; don't stay in just one spot, challenge them each and every step of the way, keep it fun in both the activity as well as in the delivery of the instructions. This is the short of it all, but, JUST KEEP IT FUN AND INTERESTING or you'll lose them to boredom.