sensei8

Which of these combatants are more than likely to win in an unarmed fight? ~Combatant #A = SKILL (You pick the Skill) OR... ~Combatant #B = WILL (You pick the Will) In essence people will react differently to warfare. War is not about killing the enemy, that is only the most visible aspect of warfare. War is about wills clashing violently. People don't fight over nothing, there is always something to gain and something to lose. SKILLS or WILLS... Either one...Just Bring it to the fight!

Again...WOW! Making an error or two is one thing, but, to botch forms quite badly during a test, any test, is an automatic failure in the Shindokan system. Either one is ready or one is not! My statement isn't to criticize but, rather, to say that in one style.... a black belt isn't... quite the same as in another style!

Yes, I'm aware of that, being the three K's of Karate. But in the context that I'm refering to, knowing more than in ones own Kata syllabus, isn't what a black belt is. It's nice, but not important, to know 45 or so Kata's versus knowing ones own 26 Kata's. Does knowing 45 or so Kata's make a black belt better?...no. Does knowing 45 or so Kata's make one more knowledgeable...yes...if the knowledge is used properly instead of it being used to "show-off"! It's more effective to learn and master one Kata really well than to learn many Kata but do not know any of it's Karate Bunkai for specific self defense situations. Okinawan Master Choki Motobu supposedly knew only 2 or 3 Kata at most but he mastered their Oyo to a level where his street fighting skills were unmatched. This means that he probably understood the multitude of applications for every set of techniques contained in a Kata. For him, mastering the 3 Naihanchi Kata and understanding it's Karate Bunkai were more than sufficient.

From time to time it's always been discussed amongst one practitioner to another about what a black belt is. Well, let's reverse that to...What A Black Belt ISN'T! Allow me this....A Black Belt Isn't.... *...based on how many Kata's one knows *...an immovable force *...based on platitudes *...based on whom she/he knows *...for every practitioner *...the end all of everything that's the martial arts *...without difficulties and/or problems *...perfect *...free from seeking knowledge *...the most important thing in the martial arts *...an excuse *...the final solution *...a three year committment; it's a lifetime I've started...please....finish the thought....A Black Belt Isn't!

"Worry about your own style, and I'll worry about my style", one practitioner says to another practitioner. Hype? Sincerity? Compassion? Rudeness? Devotion? Truth? False? Yes? No? No matter the entity, let it worry about itself! Unless...what if the 'it' is effecting your style? Matter? True? False? Having said that, I shouldn't be worried, no, I'm not worried, because, for my style to be effected by another styles' opinion and/or opposition, I must first allow those others who would be worrying about my style effect/affect me. Kind of like the...you worry about your backyard and I'll worry about my backyard....just as long as your backyard doesn't affect my backyard! "Don't stick your nose where it's not wanted and/or belonged", one practitioner says to another practitioner. Safety from anonymity versus safety from the self-appointed critics of the martial arts world. Which one is preferred? Which one matters? Does it matter at all? "I stand on the fifth", is this an all to convenient statement which becomes easy to hide behind? After all, we're not in a court of law? Or are we? We are always passing judgement on styles that aren't ours. Is it effective? Is it false? Is it this or that? Is it for the betterment of the martial arts? Shotokan needs to worry about Shotokan! Tae Kwon Do need to worry about Tae Kwon Do! Mixed Martial Arts needs to worry about Mixed Martial Arts! McDojo's need to worry about McDojo's! Judo needs to worry about Judo! WTF needs to worry about WTF! Sports Karate needs to worry about Sports Karate! The Olympics needs to worry about the Olympics! Shindokan needs to worry about Shindokan! Brazialian Jujitsu needs to worry about Brazianlian Jujitsu! Karate needs to worry about Karate! Kung-Fu needs to worry about Kung-Fu! [Fill In The Blank] needs to worry about [Fill In The Blank]! My point is this. How effectively am I to the body of Shindokan if I'm worried about other styles of the martial arts? I'm not! I'm not of much use to the body of Shindokan! I'm not of much use to the entire student body of Shindokan! I'm not of much use to the Shindokan Hombu! I'm not of much use to the betterment of Shindokan! How much time do "you" spend worrying about the comings and goings of another style of the martial arts? How much time do "you" spend worrying about the politics of another style of the martial arts? How much time do "you" spend worrying about if another style of the martial arts is doing whatever correctly? How much time do "you" spend worrying if another style of the martial arts is doing whatever better than you? I'm not referring to the training exchanges between practitioners! That's improving thus widening ones knowledge base through one being eclectic, and this, I see it as, being a good thing! Bob needs to worry about Bob...it this same context...Shindokan needs to worry about Shindokan! Let the other styles of the martial arts worry about themselves because, frankly, it's none of my business!

Very interesting to note...thanks for sharing it! This causes me to think...outloud...What truely seperates a Shodan from a Nidan? Then, beyond that...What truely seperates a Shichidan from a Hachidan? Is it a new Kata? Is it tenure? Is it experience? Is it knowledge? Is it a little bit of each? Or alot of each? Should a Hachidan be able to "beat" a Shodan/Nidan with ease? Afterall, what truely does seperate a Nikyu from a Ikkyu? Or...A 10th kyu from a 9th kyu? I've my own opinions on the above as well as I have the Shindokan By-Laws and the like for the formality that's required for its proper context. But really!?!?!?! I believe that what seperates a Hachidan from a Shodan, for example, should be like day from night!

ps1...Killer Miller...ROFLMBBO...now that's...FUNNY! Let us know if you get anybody that's serious in your offers...Hehehehehehehehehehee

I hear what you're saying Tony. I just want the kick to look like the kick being executed. I don't want a side kick to look like a roundhouse kick vice versa when all is said and done. Even if the kick is deceptive to fool ones opponent, it should look like the kick that's being executed, imho.

Absolutely! Bad/sloppy practicing does tend to turn into bad habits and bad habits tend to turn into incorrect muscleo memory on the floor, especially if their instructor doesn't snip it at the moment it begins to happen...all this is bad.

Very interesting! Another martial artist who said....what handicap!?!Excellent! Thanks for sharing that!

Great point, besides, it would be so much cheaper than the other alternative; launch to the moon.

Yes, very cool homes indeed! I particularly loved the Villa Deys, Rhenen, Netherlands...minus the snow...I see...DOJO!

Those were cupcakes? WOW!....and...YUMMY!!!!!!!!

First of all, I want to say good luck with you Dan test. Glad to see that you've got the essay out of the way, now, you can concentrate on the three K's. As far as your question is concerned...OH YEAH! The higher the ranking, the more the butterflies/nervousness I felt.

I thank you one and all!

I just want to say this for now...IMHO, the 'punch', no matter which one it is, must be done correctly first! For the punch to be correct, imho, the SNAP must be solid, no snap, then it's a push! Therefore, to not recoil is to not snap is to not punch! The physics favoring the recoil punch isn't so surprising to me. My questions are these...did the subject do the punch correctly? Did the person using physics understand what's all involved in a 'martial arts' punch? What was the level of experience/knowledge of the one who is punching? I'm just asking some questions....nothing else...just questions!

DING! DING! DING! DING! "Johnny, what do we have for the winner?" ninjanurse, you hit the nail right on the head! SOLID! We can only show them how to properly execute/practice the side kick, but, it's up to the students to practice as they've been shown/told to by their instructor. As long as students practice poorly, then we'll have these half side/half round kicks until the end of time. Each and every class, I/you, can tell who's been practicing as well as who's been practicing correctly. On the other hand, I/you can tell who's NOT been practicing correctly in mere seconds of observing them. I/you ask them...."Have you been practicing?"..."Yes Maam/Sir!"..."Yeah, nice try, but, would you like to try that answer again because from where I'm standing, and I'm standing right here, I can tell you've NOT been practicing and you've NOT been practicing correctly!" Drives me to drink a diet soda....and....I hate diet soda's...yuck!

I too, remember this story. Brian's right, it was a very nice story. Again, Kyle was telling the martial arts world, experienced and laymen both...what handicap!?!

Does anyone here at KF know, read about, and/or seen a report on tv about any Deaf Instructor's? I've not ever heard, read, and/or seen any report on tv like this. A deaf black belt is one thing, but, a deaf instructor MIGHT be another thing! Or is it? What problems would there be for a Deaf Instructor? Would a Deaf Instructor need an interpreter/translator? Would the students obey the instructors commands through a interpreter/translator? Would having an interpreter/translator on the floor at the same time with the instructor confuse the students? (The interpreter/translator would have to be on the floor beside the instructor) I'm wondering out loud!

While Shodan has the distinguished honor of being 1:10,000, any Nidan thru Hachidan similar figures/estimates would be staggering...or at least they should be. "Recognized" would have to be the key. And even with that, "recognized" would have to be understood/agreeded upon first, but, I don't see that happening in today's martial arts politics. Any available figure/estimates would be a puffed-up amount. Why? An especially acute problem is the large number of high-ranking black belts whose only achievement has come through self-promotion of rank. Having said that, any figure/estimate would only be an half-hearted assumption, at best.

Brian, I've thought about just that solution, but, I've got to go from thinking about it to actually doing it. Kind of the "out of sight, out of mind" thing for me. Two minutes later...I'll forget what it was that I was going to get/do! Maybe I should go ahead and get that AARP card after all. Hehehehehhehehheheehehe

Yepper...it would be expensive! But, man by its very own nature is such a curious creature first, price second.

Thank you for sharing that! Very solid!

Hopefully this isn't off topic! I'm hoping that NASA does go back to the Moon just to see if all of the stuff left there is still there and in what condition. Yeah, the other reasons for going back to the moon would be great too.

ROFLMBBO