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Brian, Are these stripes awarded in the order that you've described here? If, not, how do all of the instructors know who knows what? Typically, Bob, yes, the stripes were earned "in order," mainly because of the natural flow of things in the class. Basics, then forms were learned, and one-steps followed. However, if there was some deviation, say, one-steps were learned first, then I would put that stripe higher up on the belt, and leave room for the other stripes below it. That usually worked out well for me. Aha! I see! I like the format! As you said..."because of the natural flow of things in the class. Basics, then forms were learned, and one-steps followed." Thanks for the info!

SOLID! Hey, UFC...hey Strikeforce...Hey, MMA promoter...SHOW THE FEMALE FIGHTERS!!!! Sheech! Male or female fights...some are boring and some are great! Can't have one without the other!

Joe, Don't hate me, but, I feel I need to say this, if nothing else. Of what value would it be to learn/train how to apply joint locks if one ISN'T going to learn/train how to counter joint locks? Shindokan Tuite would be meaningless without the relationship of application and countering of joint locks. Ok, I'll go back to my corner. I agree with you, Bob, but to be honest, it wasn't something that I have had a lot of exposure to yet. This has really been an eye-opener for me. I understand! Imagine, if only for a second, for example, that I learnt Shindokan without ever knowing counters existed; Shindokan would be very one-diminsional. Scares the beetlejuice out of me! I'd have all of the bullets, but, no gun to shoot them with...WORTHLESS! What good are the bullets without the gun to shoot them, for any martial arts, what good is the offense without knowing/understanding the defense...or that one or the other doesn't even exist at all?

Nice, very nice. Thanks for sharing that Joe!

OUCH! Rank is important in the right hands, but in the wrong hands, "vanity/pride" take a front seat over everything else...this is wrong! This is one of the reasons as to why I've authorized the removal of ALL Yudansha RANK indentifiers in Shindokan, no matter the rank. Titles are, in Shindokan, a trillion times harder to earn than rank; titles are rare. That's why title indentifiers are the ONLY things that's allowed on any Yudansha.

I do concur with all three of you...excellent points! I'd rather use neither because I'll more than likely cut myself or shoot myself...with my luck. But...if I had a choice...of the two...I still would prefer the gun, where, I'll more than likely get sliced and diced by a knife expert...I can't win for losing. So, I'll just RUN AS FAST AS I CAN! I don't doubt that a bit. Gun...Knife...whichever...someone's not going to have a good day when the smoke clears.

I love watching Kathy fight; tremendous talent/skill. Anyone know what she's going to be paid? BTW, On August 15, 2009 Kathy made her debut in Mixed Martial Arts, defeating Avery Vilche. Here's the story... http://www.calledoutmma.com/2009/08/17/results-from-called-out-mma/

Sounds like a letter(s) to the governing bodies of those MMA bodies might be warranted! I know that I'd watch the female fights, and not just the male fights! Could it be that while there are many qualified female's that are ready to step into a MMA ring, but, there's not enough female fighters to go around. I mean, who wants to watch Kyra Gracie VS Gina Carano over and over and over and over again, and btw, I'm referring to the fighting, not where some of your filthy minds might be at right now. Money is a problem and it might always be that way. Look at how female pros in many other sports are treated; men get paid ALOT, while the women get paid very little...and it's not fair, if fair is the right word to use here. Until the stable of MMA female fighters grow, then we have what we have. I don't know the ratio, but, I'm sure that there are many more men than there are women in the MMA.

But, as far as the Yin and the Yang are concerned. One has to choose because both are connected. You can't have Yin without the Yang, and in that, you can't have day without night, or soft without hard, or fast without slow, or right without wrong, etc....! Therefore, as far as Yin and Yang are concerned, one has to serve BOTH because BOTH control the Yin and Yang universe.

Because it is the american way of wanting things...hot and ready and out the door...in my dojo I only guarantee that the door is always open... I don't see this as that big of a deal where I am at. I don't have students coming to me about how much longer it is going to take, or any of that. I think that it is unfair to state that Americans want things the cheap and easy way all the time. I don't think that other cultures are immune to this. I hear what you all are saying! So, if somone asks me this question again, I'm going to say... "It takes 3 -5 days to get a black belt!" I'd say. "What?" a shocked person might say. "Yeah, Century can send you a black belt via UPS in about 3-5 days ground." I'll respond. "Funny! Ha Ha!" a person might say back to me. "Well, a black belt via the mail or a black belt wanted in a real hurry are the same thing...meaningless!" I'd say, imho.

Should a Christian do the martial arts? Why not! I'm a Christian and I'm also a martial artist. My sister's a Jehovah's Witness, and along time ago I went with her to the Kingdom Hall and when I was speaking with one of the elders, I was told that I can't join until I quit Karate. I told him that that would never happen. That was 33 years ago! Religions shouldn't tell me what I can or can't do because I think man makes scripture fit into whatever the situation is. It doesn't matter what man may say. It doesn't matter what religion may say. It doesn't matter what your pastor says. It only matters what Jesus says!

Dobbersky, You're not alone with this! Call it "writer's block" if you want, but, all of us experience this at one time or another. It could be that you've plateaued due to limited skill in whatever topic/thread is being discussed. This isn't your fault because nobody knows everything about anything. For example, when the conversation is about firearms, I've not much, if anything, to contribute to the topic/thread because of my limited skills with firearms. What I can contribute to a firearms discussion wouldn't fill a thimble. I know that I don't want to ever be shot because the bullet hurts and death is very possible. I respect firearms ALOT! Don't try to respond to everything. If your skill is in Karate and nothing else, then, stay in that forum. Even then, you don't have to reply to everything. I don't reply to everything, because, either I've no experience with it, or the topic isn't interesting to me for whatever the reason might be. Again, writers block or whatever one might want to call it, it happens to all of us from one time or another AND you're not alone my friend. Just let it happen and don't force it! Don't give up!

SOLID!

A gun fight is when people are shooting at each other, and if I bring a knife to a gun fight, I'm going to get shot from any distance/angle, while I can throw my knife, and then I don't have a knife anymore because I threw it. Imho, a gun has more damage capabilities than a knife. Depending on the caliber and what have you, a gun can leave a rather large hole in someone. That's why I said what I said.

Check this out... http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92967?fp=1 I've only got one thing to say about this...OUCH!

Excellent question Joe! I want all of my actions/reactions to be automatic, without obsessive thought! Either you can or you can't; the floor reveals everything.

I don't use any music for any reason in the dojo because I'd be way to easily distracted by a great song. I'd stop meditating and/or training because I'd want to sing along with it...play the air guitar...play the air drums...or whatever else instead of what I'm suppose to be doing...like training!

Yeah, no matter how the saying goes, it's solid. I'm more familiar with the saying that goes..."You fight how you train!" Nonetheless, both are solid in both their meaning and intent!

Have you been able to use your sai in a self-defense situation?...nor have I ever used a nunchaku, tonfa, kama, bo, katana, naginata, eku, tekko, tinbe-rochin, surujin, tambo, kuwa, nunti bo, and/or sansetsukon either in a self-defense situation. I believe in the damage-factor of these traditional Okinawan weapons, as well as my own abilities with these traditional Okinawan weapons, but, again, only a ding dong would bring any of these to a gun fight. Besides, most if not all, are against the law outside of the dojo.

Traditional to whom? If you're referring to the martial arts, and I'm only assuming that you are. I'd say that none of them are effective now a days because only a ding dong would bring a knife to a gun fight.

What's the virtue of a proportional response? There is no virtue to a proportional response...it is what it is. At times we only have what we have, therefore, my response will be whatever is necessary in order to deal with what was brought to me. My main goal is survival and if survival means to just run away, then so be it. I'm not out to do harm, but, I will do what I must do. ABSOLUTELY!!!!!! If I end up in jail, going to court while defending my loved ones, friends, and/or myself...then...I'll deal with that whenever that might happen, and hopefully a judge will see it my way. We might think of it from time to time, therefore, we've an answer for it right now, but, when it happens, I'm not thinking about anything other than what it is that I'm doing to protect my loved ones, my friends, and myself. Is this right or wrong? I don't know, but, my body will be saying...THANK YOU! This is a tough one to truely answer! Darn if I do and darn if I don't!

Joe, Don't hate me, but, I feel I need to say this, if nothing else. Of what value would it be to learn/train how to apply joint locks if one ISN'T going to learn/train how to counter joint locks? Shindokan Tuite would be meaningless without the relationship of application and countering of joint locks. Ok, I'll go back to my corner.

It's crazy, isn't it? I've seen some schools, not many, use the "patch achievment" system and I've got to tell you that it can be crazy because their gi's look like a boy scout patch sash.

Brian, Are these stripes awarded in the order that you've described here? If, not, how do all of the instructors know who knows what?

I've been fortunate enough to have a very close friend who's been a Nidan for over 30 years. What? 30 years as a Nidan? Yes! Why? The last rank that he had earned before his Sensei's untimely death was...Nidan! Rank doesn't interest him!