sensei8

Yet, without the human factor, the martial arts is nothing. What? It couldn't have been created without the human factor being directly involved with its totality. Music, for example, is nothing UNLESS there's a human factor involved in its totality! Therefore, without the human factor, the martial arts is just a thing; nothing by itself. Add the human factor, well, that's a different matter. Why? The human factor adds life to 'it' and when that happens, the summation of why is to the summation of because! 'It' can't be independent from the artists if there is no human factor in its totality. 'It' just is! IMHO!

One of the Board of Regents brought something to my attention this afternoon. The testing room will be packed! "Huh?" was my response. "Think about it. It's not everyday that someone tests for a Hachidan, let alone a Hachidan in Kobudo. More importantly, it's not everyday that someone gets to watch the Kaicho/Hombu Chief Instructor TEST! The room will be packed" says the member of the Board of Regents. "Do I get a percentage of the door?" was all I could say at that time.

With your permission...I could show your cert to my Dai-Soke for a complete interpretation.

My belt...my rank...Doesn't make me who I am as both a person and a martial artist. No! My belt/rank; are nothing more than platitudes! What's inside of me}heart, mind, and soul} this makes me who I am as a person and a martial artist. You want my certs? You want my belt? You want my rank? Here they are...you can have them. But...my knowledge/experience is MINE! The DMV can take my drivers license and all of its priviledges away, but, guess what? They can't take away my driving knowledge/experience. I'll get a bus pass!

Our interpretations of Kata are only limited by our imaginations, but, are they effective?!?!

I was a Jr. Black Belt, 14 years old. I was in my Dai-Soke's office, which was allowed, but what I did wasn't allowed...ever...when out of nowhere I did the stupidest thing... I saw it hanging, I was tempted, and I was by myself...three wrong things for a curious kid, as I was, to be... I committed the biggest sin in a Dojo...or at least in my Dai-Soke's Dojo... I couldn't resist it....it begged of me to do it... I put on my Dai-Soke's belt.... AND I WAS CAUGHT RED-HANDED!!!! My Dai-Soke wasn't happy, this is to say the least, he was furious! "What are you doing?" yells my Dai-Soke I jumped out of my skin from fear alone...what should I do? What should I say? I was stuck with my mouth wide open and I was shaking... "I said, What are you doing?" my Dai-Soke yells even louder I stammered...no...I nearly wet myself... "I was pretending to be you!" was my answer... "What? GET IT OFF Nnnnnooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!" This was followed by some words in Japanese that I still don't know what my Dai-Soke was saying, but, I'm sure it wasn't good...for me that is. I was suspended for 2 months! Harsh? No! I knew better, but, sheech, I was just a kid, a curious dumb kid! My Dai-Soke forgave me! I never EVER did that again!

Enjoy... http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ys-rcscantmiss061109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I didn't follow the NHL this year...sorry that I didn't. Congrats to the Penquins!!!!!

Nice! I liked the original...it's old like me.

Series is now 3 - 1. Go Lakers! When it's all done, the Lakers will win, series will be a 4 - 2. Why? I think that Orlando will win game #5 because of their fast break game style. Orlando won game #3 because of their fast break style and the Lakers played Orlando's game and lost. If the Lakers at the end of game #3 had just slowed down and took their time, the Lakers would be the Champions NOW! IMHO! GO LAKERS!!!!! Yankees rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had to give a shout out to my Yankee's

Congrats! Feels good; doesn't it? It should!

XMA Bo work is dizzyingly fast! Training with a heavier Bo until its amazingly fast, then switch to the lighter composite Bo, this is Kobudo 101 and it's solid advice! Is the XMA Bo's speed as effective as a heavy Oak Bo? Yes! The key word for me here is...SPEED...of the Bo. If the XMA Bo is spinning as fast as an airplane prop, it's going to hurt! Shoot, swing the Bo like a baseball bat back and forth, that's going to hurt. For that fact, swing anything fast and it's going to hurt...alot! The thing for me that makes the speed work is CONTROL. Control over any Kobudo weapon must be achieved first and foremost! If the XMA practitioner appears to be in control of the Bo, and is of a matter of fact in control of the Bo, then control X speed = OUCHY for the attacker. However, if you lose control of the Bo...RUN!!!!

You might not like my answer. It looks ineffective to you because: 1) You're doing the combo/techniques wrong in totality 2) You're not allowing one tech to finish before the other begins Whether the block/punch look the same, each are seperate. Remaining tense througout each technique only slows it down. Tense at the very end, then become relaxed to allow the next technique to begin. Both the block and the punch are seperate!!!! The reverse direction as you describe isn't counter-productive. As the block has caused you to go to, for example, the right. The punch is being helped by your hip rotation as you come back from the right into center of your target. Hips are vital and the sooner martial artists understand hip movements and the like, the better martial artists they will be. You must stop the force of one technique before the next technique can begin! I mean no disrespect to you at all! It's possible that you're just beginning on your martial arts journey, if so, that's fine. Things will become more clearer to you over time, be patient, and seek knowledge! If you've been a practitioner of the martial arts for some time now and things don't make sense to you. That too is ok, let time be your teacher...or...ignore what is useless and absorb what is usefull...or practice until it becomes clearer...or...don't try to understand it, just do it! But not understanding it is wrong! Master Han said to Grasshopper..."Pick one!" For some, the martial arts is a sound pick, while for others, the martial arts isn't for them!

It's a wonderful Kata; powerful start to finish. I love it as well as I also love Kanku-dai. Fun...fun...fun! On to some of your questions/comments... Yeah, this jump is much easier than the second jump. I concur! This second jump is an introduction to another big jump in another Kata...UNSU! The jump/landing in Unsu, imho, is a much bigger jump than the jump/landing you're refering to here in Kanku-sho. Yes! Chest high! As you know, just before this jump, your bring your left hand 180 degrees at chest high, ever so slight pause, then, JUMP...cresent kick your left hand with your right foot. Key, TRY, to be at YOUR chest high when executing the cresent kick. If not chest high, get it as high as you can, but proper training to achieve the desired height is essential. The more you practice this, as in anything, the easier it becomes. Just get up...and yes, it's just that simple. Watch your posture on the way up because any leaning this way or that way will cause you to lose your balance in that given direction. Also, watch that your feet don't get tangled while getting up, your feet shouldn't get tangled up, but, one never knows. I don't understand as to why because the following seguences that follow the side snap kicks aren't the same, not even close. It's possible that your brain doesn't want to continue in Kanku-sho because of the up and coming BIG jump, therefore, your brain wants to do Kanku-dai where there's no jumps to do at all, except with the little flying front kick at the very end! I'm spit-baling here as to why you go from Kanku-sho into Kanku-dai at the side snap kicks. I love Kanku-dai and Kanku-sho both equally! It took me a couple of months to get the jump right. Why? Getting the jump is one thing, getting the proper height in the jump to turn, kick, and land is another. My Dai-Soke got us to the proper height by stacking mats until we achieved the proper height consistently. Then, he moved the mats away and had us go at it. I must tell you, when my brain realized that I had no cushy mats to land on, my brain said..."No mats!" SLAM into the floor with the grace of a hippo. Once my brain got ok with no mats, I was flying with the birds...with an occasional THUD. GET THE PROPER HEIGHT...it's downhill from there! How did it feel to you when you did the landing your first time? It freaked me out! Why? The ground was coming up fast and I wasn't! Banged my knees up alot because I used my knees to absorb most of the impact. Flying is easy, landing takes skill! Kanku-dai VS Kanku-sho...Which one LOOKS easier? Which one IS easier? Kanku-dai LOOKS easier and Kanku-dai IS easier, imho!

I'm very stubborn and set in my old ways. Having said that, anybody training in the martial arts is ALSO training in "self-defense" whether one will admit it or not. One can reason it away until they themselves believe it, but, a by-product of the martial arts is that one will be learning some type of self-defense whether one wants to or not. One might not want to learn how to fight, but they'd rather learn the martial arts in order to learn how to live a healthy life mentally and physically through discipline, control and virtuousness. But if someone grabs them from behind, they'll be ready for that, too, and they'll be so glad that they learned some self-defense at the same time.

Keeping records in a notebook is an excellent way of mentally training as well as remembering what you've been through. Some of your notes might cause you to cry, laugh, and/or remember with a sigh/grimice/smile. Either way, it's an important tool of your training. Look at what Paul Walker did. Paul Walker related and shared his experiences of living and training in Japan at Master Hirokazu Kanazawa’s Headquarters Dojo in Tokyo from August 1996 to July 1999 where he took an extensive diary of 279 lessons during his stay. What happened? His notes where turned into a book! Nothing ventured is nothing gained!

Try to contact your local University's Japanese Language Professors/Students to get the help you're wanting. Good luck!

Interesting debate going on about Kata here. I'll just say this...Hhhhhmmmmmmmmmm! That's it! I've got my own viewpoints about Kata ( I'm a firm believer in all aspects of Kata training), but, if someone doesn't believe in Kata, for whatever their reasons might be, I'll never be able to convince them otherwise!

Imho, Bruce is dead! How could someone like Bruce stay in hiding all of these years? I don't see that as a posibility! I believe that Bruce died after having a reaction to Equagesic, which was given to him by Betty Ting Pei because Bruce complained about a headache.

I would like to start this topic with a preamble! In order for you to survivie a hand-to-hand attack, your WILL must be far greater than that of your attacker! Yes/No/Maybe?!

Thanks to all! This test covers 3 seperate days, it's NOT a closed-door test: Day 1: Kobudo Kata's Day 2: Kobudo Kumite Day 3: Oral Interviews, three (3) total, covering testing candidates Thesis material isshinryu5toforever, You'd love the Eku; I do. Although, at first, it was more of a love and hate relationship between me and the Eku. Usually before learning Eku properly, one has to master the Bo. Some of the unique characteristics are the displaced center of gravity, its weight, it's heavier than the Bo, and is considered more difficult to master than the Bo. Techniques of the Eku are are dependant on its generated momentum of its large circular attacks, these are seen in its Kata. One of the coolest things about the Eku's blade is how it's used for creating/manipulating air pressure, therefore, giving it a higher acceleration/manouvering velocity. At first I thought the Eku would easily transfer from the Bo, but, boy was I wrong. The Eku isn't nowhere near the same as the Bo, although there are some similarities as far as transitional movements, other than that, Eku is the Eku and the Bo is the Bo. I'm a little rusty on the main Kobudo Kata, Chinen Shikiyanaka no Kun, because I don't practice it as often as I should, which my Dai-Soke loves to remind me of over and over...I see where I get some of my loving qualities from when I'm on the floor...apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Having said that, time to practice!

Well, Shindokan's annual testing cycle is very near; June/July. My plate during this is always very full; no rest for the weary! I'll be performing my duties, not as usual, because this time last year I was just a member of the Board of Regents at the Hombu. Now, I'm Kaicho, therefore, my duties have increased substantially, and I look forward to my first testing cycle as Kaicho/Chief Instructor. Having said that, my Dai-Soke has informed me that I've been accepted and approved by the Executive, Administration, Instructor, and Testing/Promotions Departments to be tested in Kobudo for my Hachidan. Just when I thought that I was done with testing...forever! Hachidan Kobudo Requirements: *Thesis on Okinawa Kobudo History *Kobudo Kata/Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai (Hachidan) >>Chinen Shikiyanaka no Kun *Kobudo Kata/Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai >>Maezato no Nunchaku >>Maezato no Tekko >>Akamine no Nunchaku >>Sakugawa no Kun (Sho) >>Chikin Shitahaku no Sai >>Shushi no Kun (Dai) >>Chatan Yara no Sai >>Hama Higa no Tonfa >>Hama Higa no Sai >>Sakugawa no Kun (Dai) >>Shirotaro no Kun >>Tawata no Sai >>Kanegawa no Tinbe/Rochin >>Yonegawa (Yuniga) no Kun >>Kojo (Kugusuku) no Sai >>Kanegawa Ni Cho no Kama >>Choun no Kun >>Tsuken Sunakaki no Eku (Chikin Shinagaki) >>Urasoe (Urashi) no Kun *Kobudo Kumite >>Bo tai Sai Yakusoku Kumite >>Bo tai Bo Yakusoku Kumite >>Bo tai Eku Kumite >>Bo tai Nunchaku Kumite >>Bo tai Tonfa yakusoku Kumite >>Shushi no kon Bunkai Kumite Well, I guess it's time for me to iron-out some wrinkles, clear away some cobwebs, and shake off the dust.

I agree with you WMN; now we're getting somewhere! Every Bunkai must have: A beginning A middle A end Now, what happens before and after each of the above isn't set in stone, therefore, no set of pictures will justify the Bunkai being shown between the pages. The above WILL happen, no avoiding it, but, how one relates/engages in the parameters of the Bunkai are important. Sometimes, one may not know what to do until it happens. How you've arranged them is solid! I thank you for that! These WILL happen and they can't be ignored nor changed, if nothing else, they might, maybe, be delayed, even then, it's only temporary; something will give. Solid! Tuite 101 I concur! Just because one does Bunkai, doesn't mean that this/these person(s) understand Bunkai; it's an illusion at best!

The article in question/discussion is just that...an article, an observation, an opinion. As someone who's been doing Kata/Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai for over 4 decades, I can speak with authority...every Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai that I've engaged against a resisting live target; every "attacker" has fought back with a vengence so as to NOT get caught in a Tuite trap. Don't let me do anything, let my solid techniques speak for themselves. If you let me do it, then you're allowing me to build upon my self-insecurities...this is wrong! Pictures shown in this issue of Jissen and many others on the subject are for tutorial purposes, at best. The pictures shown are only POSSIBLE ways that this segment could be brought to its completion. It does serve a purpose, but, the Sensei must decern as to whether what his/hers students are being exposed to are effective or uneffective and here's why. For a Kata Bunkai to come alive, many things must happen between/before each picture; things that aren't seen. For example, speed/power of the trap aren't evident because it's a still photo; staged or unstaged. Did the "defender" miss the trap during the photo shoot? If so, did the photographer repostion the "defender"/"attacker" so that fluidity is imagined/believed. We teach/drill our students unendingly with this or that until muscle memory takes hold and actions are without thought, they're natural. But, our attackers aren't some robots that move a certain way and/or react a certain way; their desperate live targets that aren't just going to stand there while we go through all of the steps. I believe in Kata! I believe in the Bunkai! But I also believe that it takes more than one might realize to do all that's taught in Kata Bunkai. Why? Things happen and as you go to step #2, your attacker throws a monkey wrench into your muscle memory. While muscle memory is fine and vitally important, it must be aware and adaptable at YOUR will, not the will of the muscle memory. I'm extremely skilled at Shindokan/Bunkai/Tuite, but, crud, I'm human and sometimes things happen and I might end up meditating horizontally. Some are masters in the dojo, while, others are masters on the street where it truly counts. I'd rather be the latter! In closing, believe, but, be careful as to what one's seeing in a magazine and the like concerning Kata/Bunkai.

Adam_XKT, Very nice and your dad's quite the carpenter...very nice!