sensei8

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!

Rats...I didn't get to see it because the bids over.

Lakers are leading the Finals... 2-0 over Orlando. Go Lakers!!!!!!!

Me neither...and I still suck at it! My tears are because...I'M GETTING OLD....ER...EST...MOST! AARP...here I come!

Having read this statement many times emitting from more than one Hombu/Federation/Association, it sounds to me like someone's let the authority go right to their head(s). As Brian's stated quite well... I'm of the opinion, once a Shodan, for example, always a Shodan. Way beyond that, once knowledge/experience obtained, knowledge/experience irrefutable! Bow/Heel/Kneel...These times no longer exist, in that, one can't take away what's no longer their's!

13 times and then...BONK...turns into...OUCH...as on the 14th practice run they've hit you dead on your fingers. Do 13 practice runs when I'm at the testing table and this student will be sent home...test over...fail!

"In the event of violation/termination, all certifications must be returned to the XYZ Organization." Can an organization take 'your' certificate(s) away from 'you'? AND/OR... Can an organization reduce 'your' rank?

OUCH! This is what happens when one drops their hands and decides to block with their head! Crazy celebration at the end of the fight...nice and humble!

Good luck!

I concur that there's no Kata for the Shinai because, again, it's a training tool. Swordmanships use a bokken for drills as well as Kata until the bokken becomes live in Katana use. Therefore, I guess one could use a shinai when learning a new Katana Kata and/or new waza's. Have you asked your instructor as to why he gave you a Shinai? Nothing ventured is nothing gained. I'd thank him for it and then I'd ask him. I know that my Soke and my Dai-Soke use to walk around during class with a Shinai to adjust our Kihon and the like. They never struck us with the Shinai, thank God! But seeing them walk around with them sent many unpleasurable thoughts through my mind when I was a kid. I behaved!

Some time ago, I was teaching a seminar at the Shindokan Hombu during our annual testing cycle. The required attire WASN'T our Gi's; street clothes was the only attire allowed. Well, during one of the drills that I was leading, I was demonstrating how to press-close up to an attacker to limit his movements. I was teaching the class the finer points of Tuite in close quarters while pressing an attacker into a corner, thus how to use the building to aide in the Tuite. I instructed my training partner...MY Sensei, to do something different this time. What was different...do WHATEVER he wants to to get me off of him while I'm pressing him into the corner. Wrong thing to do! Things were going just fine and dandy until I said..."Get out!" I had him too! Key word here...'had'! I wasn't paying alot of attention to him, dumb...I know! I pressed him and just as I pressed close...WHAM...WHAM...WHAM directly into my right shin bone as fast as he could. HE WAS WEARING STEEL TOE BOOTS!!!!!!!! OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was 13 years ago and I've still got the INDENTATION to prove it! Did I let me out? Yyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssss! Did I continue to press him? Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Class was rolling in laughter with my Sensei leading the ha-ha. My Sensei says to me, "You said I do whatever...I do!" He had planned it from the night before when he and I went over the materials for that seminar. He knew I'd do something to drive a point home to the students at sometime during the seminar, so he decided to wear steel toe boots in case I did, well, I did. Dirty rat! He still laughs whenever he sees my dent or I talk about it. Shin kicks WORK!

Oh my word, people really do this. I thought the author was just kidding or something, I mean, I read this around 1975. Sheech! Knot riddle boards are almost impossible to break. Seems lately at a local name brand supplier, I find more knots than not. Makes testing/demos more difficult to get when all one finds is knots after knots. Besides, who wants to break a board that's cost a small fortune to break and then throw it away? Not me because I'm extremely thrifty...cheap!

That's about one of the best on-line mags I've ever seen! Solid! Even though I'm primarily Karate, I've some TKD background, still, I know a great magazine when I see one! Thanks for sharing! AWESOME!

Great replies...thanks...please keep them coming!

To Kumite or not to Kumite; that is the question. Whether/While its up to the individual; I subscribe to that as well! Unless... ...One is wanting to know how to defend themselfs. One can't learn how to defend themselfs by doing just Kata. One can't learn how to defend themselfs by doing just Kihon. One can't learn how to defend themselfs unless someone attacks them. By engaging in every aspect of Kumite drills, including Jiyu, one will start to understand and know what it's like to have someone trying to remove their head. IMHO, without Kumite, you're in a world of trouble! Is someone able to box by just doing shadow-boxing? NO! I've never seen a shadow try to remove another boxers head. I subscribe to that! And I'm going to be the individual who gives his students the whole pie, not just a piece. The surgeon that wanted to protect his hands, I understand his reasons, but does anyone truly think that this surgeon is truly able to defend himself against a live target? I doubt it sincerely! If after I explain to the student the pro's and con's of doing and not doing Kumite and the student decides that he/she still doesn't want to do Kumite, then I'll explain to the student that they need to excercise their rightful options, including, don't do any martial arts. I subscribe to that as well! We are there to help our students and this includes to not provide a false sense of securities. This, imho, is what will happen if students of the martial arts don't engage in live sparring! I'm not going to lecture my students, but, I'm going to properly educate them across the board. We're to teach our student the most EFFECTIVE way to defend themselfs, and imho, sparring is as paramount as learning how to fly IN an airplane in order to become an airline pilot. I've never understood why anybody would take up any martial arts for any other reason than for self-defense. Karate is great for exercise and the like, but, that's not what the martial arts is about...learning how to properly and effectively defend oneself is the martial arts after one peels away this label and that label. Everything from the outside when a laymen looks at Karate speaks in volumes that Karate is self-defense. One doesn't want to spar, then quit the martial arts, because sparring is vital and essential, imho. Want to join Karate for exercise? That's not Karate! You'll exercise and Karate provides a dynamic excercise, but, meanwhile, one's going to also learn how to defend oneself, whether one wants to or not. If one doesn't want to learn how to defend themselfs, then quit Karate and find another means...but....in this Dojo, we spar! Through Karate, one learns how to avoid a fight, but, when the attacker is determined to do one harm, one will be extremely grateful that one learned how to defend oneself, after all is said and done, that person will be so glad that one sparred until the wheels fell off and then kept going. Sparring against live "targets" are essential, imho! Everything in Karate; the movements, the combinations, the drills, the Kihon, and the Kata screams outloud...SELF-DEFENSE/MARTIAL ARTS!

SOLID!