sensei8

Absolutely! That's all of the philosophy I have for that! Anything else would be blah, blah, and more blah!

That pretty much sums it up for me...I agree with tallgeese!

I enjoy one great mma fight as another, I'm looking forward to UFC 100, but, after awhile, imho, all of the mma fights start blending in and looking just like the other fights, with an occasional wow-factor here and there. Now, take away all of the rules...yahoo...now we're talking! I'm sick that way at times, heheheheheheehehee! This is my opinion on MMA these days!

Absolutely! Without a doubt!

I think that making the distinction between styles of Martial Arts is important, but it is moreso to those of us who have put a lot more time and energy into it than those who have not. So naturally, this kind of generalizing will strike a cord with us. I would think that by now, with the kind of exposure that the Martial Arts gets as a whole, that we would be far beyond this kind of classifiaction. There was a time when much of what came out of Korea was called Korean Karate, but as you said, much has changed since then, and even if TKD and TSD do carry Karate heritage, these styles have differentiated themselves from that. When discussing the semantics of Martial Arts, I don't take offense when someone refers to what I do as something that it is not because of some superiority complex. If someone mistakes what I do as Karate, I would not be upset because they called it Karate. I would just politely inform them what it is that I do, and perhaps what it does entail, should they inquire further. To be called Karate I don't view as an insult, just a mistake. I do think that it is tough to get too frustrated with the layperson when it comes to these things. However, as a journalist, I would expect that they might dig a little deeper into the research, so as not to cause this kind of misinformation to be presented. Why would this be important? Well, anytime you put that kind of time and effort into acquiring skill in some area, then you tend to become partial to what you do, and you like it to be recognized for what it is, and not generalized too much. Have I ever told you Brian...you're my hero! Thanks for untying my tongue and saying what I wanted to say...but more clearer.

Joe, Nopper! Although I've been called many things before, but, Freud and Eriksson!? Just kidding Joe! I thought I was complimenting ironsifu with what I said. If I didn't, my bad, it wasn't my intent at all. I concur. We reach a rung in the ladder of development, then, when appropriate, we reach the next rung above us. Yet, there's no reason why a practitioner CAN'T revisit previous rungs for one reason or another; absolutely. I agree. Perfection is impossible because we're not perfect! Mastery is an illusion that will reach up and smack you one to just remind you that you're not all that and a bag of chips like you thought you were.

A long, long, long, lo....you get the point, I was a Jr. Black Belt. I earned it when I was 13 years old and I wasn't allowed to advance in rank until I turned 18 years old. In Shindokan, one must attain the age of 13 years old minimum to earn a JBB. Having said that, the current kids today are getting black belts AND rank as young as 7 years old; I don't like that for personal and private reasons! I concur with those here who've said that it must be looked on a school to school basis as well as the school must have a solid syllabus/curriculum. Even then...7 year old black belts...what's next? A 5 year old black belt! Help! BINGO! 7, 8, 9, 10 years old black belts? Many of todays "Karate" schools are in business for one reason and one reason only...that's right, you've guessed it....MONEY! Some to the tune of 100, 200, 500 thousand annually in "sales!" What's one to do! Some school are riddled with integrity while others don't even bother with it! Why? You can't deposit integrity in your bank account! I guess I'll stay in the poor house...and love it!

I agree! But...one must prepare for the unforseen when it finally does happen.

Sure they do! Why? Because most of us have a wrist or two, and when the attacker FINALLY decides to grab it/them...I'll have some things to help me become free. Yes, some of the wrist grab escapes that I've seen have caused me to scratch my head in disbelieve as to its effectiveness. Not all techniques work because our attackers weren't cut out of some cookie dough; they're different across the board, to say the least. Also, some practitioners of the martial arts are beginners, some are intermediate, and some are advanced in thier martial arts, the lack of experience/knowledge might be another reason as to why wrist grab escapes and the like don't work. Also, some instructors of the martial arts don't have a clue as to what they're doing and these instructors are providing a false sense of security to their poor students; that's all I have to say about that. Tuite is a powerful tool...when performed properly!

Including Kata, which I believe is the focus of this thread! Kata isn't and shouldn't be written in stone, but, it is for me because I'm stubborn and I will evolve in the Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai of the Kata, not change the Kata.

Absolutely! After all, I believe that that's exactly what we're talking about. Why? Because 'it' is the overall progression of martial arts training, as well as the lifelong relationship the student will enjoy with his or her instructor.

Enjoy...

roflmbo

I love a hot dog just as much as the next guy...but...I'll pass on these! My favorites, I know nobody asked, but, is the Chicago Dog. After that, any hot dog from any street vendor in Manhattan. After that, Cupids Hot Dogs in the San Fernando Valley in California. Forthly, any hot dog at any Baseball game...Dodger Dog, for example! Ok...now I'm starving! [A drooling emoticon would go right about here]

Most solid point I've ever seen! Very solid!

Sure it does! And when that fails; use whatever to survive! Use a truck, use a car, use a bat, use a stick, use your teeth, use everything and anything within your means, after that, when the opportunity arrives...RUN!!!!

I'm 6' 1", therefore, I'm going to attack your base repeatedly. Why? The bigger they are, the harder they will fall! I'm going to use combos for attacking your base. Yes, I might hit you one time, but, it'll be to only set up my combos to your base. I'm going to angle in/out, but, I'm going to drive forward at all times. Keep chopping at the tree, even with the smallest axe, it will still bring down the mighest oak!

For all the tournaments I attend, if this happened they would be virtually impossible to run because you'd have no judges. Most of the larger schools will enter students into every category and this would mean their instructors couldn't judge in any of the categories. No matter how large or how small a tournament might be, integrity must be upheld. There's no tournament so small that an instructor, for the sake of upholding the tournament integrity, can't bow out of that "ring" for the time being!!!! Don't judge your own student at any tournament...I won't!

That's an understatement! Kata's do, but, they should and they shouldn't. Huh? "Traditionalists" instructors will keep the Kata's the same within the style through and through. Nothing, for example, will be changed from one Shotokan Dojo to another "Non-Traditionalists" instructors will change the Kata's as they see fit based on the preferences of that instructor. Example....ABKA founder Denny Holzbauer, Judan, uses the Heian Kata's in his ABKA, BUT, he made changes to each of them to be unique to his style that he founded. His background: 7th Degree Black Belt (Sichidan) Sei Bu Kan Shoto-Kan and 5th Degree Black Belt (Godan) Kyokushin-Kai Kan. Is either right? I don't know; ask them! Their answers shouldn't surprise you.

My students!

Fear doesn't exist in the Dojo/Dojang! Or does it? Preception is reality to each person! Sensei's are respected by thier students but I think that the students are fearful of their instructors. How they're precieved by their students goes along way. How the instructor barks, carries themselves, and the awe struckness of what the instructor can do...to them if the instructor wanted to. Students shouldn't fear their instructors. Why? BECAUSE THE STUDENT IS THE CUSTOMER! Therefore, instructors MUST respect their students as just that...students that are their CUSTOMERS!

Dana White is nothing more than a businessman/promoter concerned only with Zuffa's bottom line! White's not even trained in the martial arts, which, I'm cool with because in his current role, White doesn't have to be trained in the martial arts. Wyatt Earp? I don't think so.

Pro-Wrestiling is preceived assumptions! Could the movements truly hurt? Yes. Would the movements be effective? Yes. Would've, could've, and should've are all possibles.

Sounds like what I'm reading here is akin to shunning. Works for me! Lessons must be taught in the martial arts, not just physical ones!

I'm not going to beat you up, and you're absolutely correct when you say its just a theory. Here's my theory/opinion based on your observation(s)... All 4 of your "phases" are infinite. Huh? Learning, understanding, applying/fighting, and mastery/perfection are REACCURING in the practitioner each and every time when the practitioner is faced with a "new" technique(s). When is it "new"? When something has never been experienced before! One never truly goes from one rung to another and stay there, therefore, each rung must be revisited as things are learnt no matter the rank/experience. Even within that, the 4 phases are constant with no end because one can't truly master anything in the martial arts. Why? One reason is that we're flawed humans, therefore, we're not perfect. Two, mastering something is no more than an illusion, therefore, mastery/perfection don't exist. Master/Expert are nothing more than labels attached, but, these labels assume alot about "us" as humans. I'm a Hachidan/Hanshi and blah blah, but I'm NO master and I'm NO expert because my learning curve changes from moment to moment as well as from discovery to discovery. This is my path in the martial arts!