sensei8

I can't truly help you with the Axe kick. What I can tell you is this. In my tournament days, the Axe kick was the bane of my existence, and this was for most TKD kicks...at first. I found success against the Axe kick/TKD by jamming them. Axe kicks were/are fast, deceptive, and man, they hurt. I've been hit with the heel and with the bottom of the foot, either way...OUCH!

Truly I wouldn't worry about that because many have been successful with 3-4 combos/favs during kumite/sparring. Whether you can add more to the few you have right now, they'll reveal themselves to you when you're least expecting it.

Congrats! PS: [My daughter, from my first marriage, lives in Olympia, WA]

Is this the methodology of your style? Here's a demo of it, Bob, with the demonstrator suggesting that multiples are for tournaments. http://www.ehow.com/video_2356188_doing-front-leg-roundhouse-kick.html I can see it in a self-defense situation if it's one shot against the side of your adversary's knee, likely using your lower shin, but it would have to be followed up, so it'd probably be the start of a combo in self-defense. I don't see a problem with the way the lead leg roundhouse kick in the video is done. It's just not Shindokan's methodology, but, again, I've no problem with that. I even would say that the kick in the video would reach target sooner than the Shindokan's methodology...possibly. Thanks for sharing that!

is your shizentai like _ o _ ? shizentai should be \o/ No, it's not my shizentai!!!!!! In kicking, not every kick, the relationship from the lead leg to the supporting foot IS as you've noted. The supporting foot is 180 degrees opposite of the kicking foot/leg. This is the methodology of Shindokan.

Actually, in our style, we are taught that the optimum position for the base foot is more 135-165 degrees (depending on the kick). If you are limited by flexibility then you can go more towards the 180 position but ideally you'd only go as far as 135-165... Then, that's the bueaty about methodologies!

You've just got to love the Dad, because he handled it very well!

Is this the methodology of your style? If not, possibly, he's not as concerned with his supporting leg/foot moving those few inches. Possibly he's not fully streched and that's effecting him. Possibly he's just working on power, where he'd not be as concerned. Either way, his supporting foot shouldn't move up, back, side, forward a few inches...unless...this is the methodology of the style. Why would it be? Only he/you could answer that. However, a little move isn't all that bad, but, imho, a few inches is quite alot.

After giving this question some thought... At first, everything surprised me. Then, as the years went by, nothing really surprised me. Now, I don't allow anything to surprise me.

This was about the greatest thing I've seen in MLB for such a long time; my heart melted... http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/ModernTube-Young-Phillies-fan-rejects-dad-s-fou?urn=mlb,189941

Let's, for just a moment, forget the black belt; NO belt, no matter its color, should be easy or fast!

I still don't see it as a viable effective technique! Has she ever actually done it? I wonder what medical doctors say about this 'technique'?

She's seen one to many movies! Yes, she warns against this move, unless it's life/death, but, wow, legal issue are ignored. Again, I don't see this as an effective solution/technique because the attacker is so compliant in the demo. How do we know the blow on the back of the hand will even work for every attacker? How do we know that the finger manipulation will even work for every attacker? How do we know if the attacker will react at each movement? How do we know that the attacker is going to stay down and/or stay in place long enough for 'me' to apply/execute the open the neck/neck break? In this next paragraph, remember, I'm playing the attacker. Smack me on the back of my hand, if I'm the attacker, it's on like donkey kong, or I'm laughing at you. Twist my fingers, if I'm the attacker, and 'your' grip isn't firm, it's on like donkey kong, or I'm still laughing at you. Let go of my hand, if I'm the attacker, then I'm getting up while creating distance while I go to plan 'B' or something, as I'm still laughing at you. Twist my neck, if I'm the attacker, and the only thing you do is adjust my neck like a chiropractor, then, I'm going to thank you, and then it's on like donkey kong, or I'm going to be rolling on the floor laughing at you. Now, use sensible and effective techniques, then, I, as the attacker, am not going to be laughing, no, I'm going to be hurting. Thanks for the video cathal!

Interesting posts and fair enough! The management team has always been in place, but now, minus the 'headmaster', but, what if, for example, the current 'headmaster' is incapacitated for one reason or another, and the current 'headmaster' can't/hasn't name(d) a successor for one reason or another? What's the management team suppose to do meanwhile?

More than likely, if a martial artist breaks someones neck, a judge would throw the martial artist under the jail for quite awhile. Why? Because there are so many other non-fatal techniques availible to a martial artist. The I don't hit, but, it hits all by itself excuse won't impress any judge in any court of law. We, martial artists are suppose to be in control, but, breaking a neck is being way out of control, imho.

Whether its the lead leg roundhouse or the back leg roundhouse, the one thing I've noticed is this. Why in the world aren't martial artists, including high Dan ranks, turning their supporting FOOT out a 180 degrees? I just don't understand it!

Yes...Yes...and...YES!!!!!!! As in any training drill....I will get my turn and then...well...I get a turn too.

I concur!

Tuite training in Shindokan for our Yudansha's are known as "Air Miles" and this is due to the amount of throws/sweeps that Yudansha's are taught/trained in. The lower the Yudansha rank, the more Air Miles. Why? The higher the Yudansha is in rank, the more counters/reverses that are availible to them, therefore, the lower ranked Yudansha's are more apt to be thrown by the higher ranked Yudansha's. Knowing what is coming is not always a good thing. From many hours of practice, every Shindokan karateka knows that he/she is once again about to be on the receiving end of a very fast Tuite throw/sweep. Up, up, and away... No...these Air Miles can't be turned in for any rewards! How many here can relate to this and be a member of the Air Miles club?

Attend the testing! I observe my students each and everyday, therefore, that's when mistakes are corrected...in class...not in testing. Student's aren't invited to testing if they're not ready, and this is determined through my daily observations of my students.

Everyday...all day...all of the time! To do otherwise, would be irresponsible of me. Now, what the student decides to do after I've supplied the necessary info, well, then that's up to them. For me, I will do whatever is necessary to protect my family, my loved ones, and myself. After that, I just hope the judge will see it my way. My style, Shindokan, doesn't cover the Neck Break technique...boy...I feel cheated!

How does one spell martial arts? P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E!

I said old ways, not prehistoric. Back to the old ways for Shindokan, at this time, is to eliminate rank indentifiers. This has been done.

Students reflect the Sensei; either, is good or, is bad! These child black belts reflect the good because Kanazawa Sensei is good. In that, every instructor and every student in SKIF is good. Kanazawa Sensei wouldn't have it any other way because it would reflect negatively on him. Imho, if you see students of the martial arts that look bad, then watch the Sensei, he/she probably looks just as bad. Does most, of if not all, of the blame go to the organization for allowing this in their student body? Yes, imho! The organization is suppose to be governing the entire style, including, how the style is represented by its student body, including their Sensei's. Simply stated...if the organization's bad, then the students are bad because the Sensei's are bad. Do I fault the students? No. Not if they don't know any better because this is how they were taught. To these students, they think that they're solid across the board, but, when in reality, they're not even close. IMHO!!!!

I can't truly add anything to any of the other posts to your question because white owl, joesteph, and cathal have done an excellent job of heading you down the right path of "Balance". If I was to add something to this discussion, it would be this. STRETCH FIRST...THE ENTIRE BODY...NOT JUST PORTIONS!