sensei8

Fast as a speeding bullet! Fast as greased lighting! Fast as a flash! Faster than light! Faster than a kiss! Faster than a blink! However one might describe themselves as to their martial arts speed, it's only as fleeting as one might imagine it to be. Yes, having consistent speed in the martial arts can't be ignored as showboating, for what one can't see, one can't defend against! Speed, and having it, are essential to any martial artist! How one obtains breath-taking speed, maintains/improves ones speed, and how to intercept said speed have been debated/discussed for along time amongst martial artists, and will be debated/discussed for many years to come and then some. How fast am I? I don't have to be fast; I just have to be effective!

Once I die; I won't think about death any more!

Thank you! :::High five::: to Ed!

Nice compilation! Thanks Patrick!

While failing can be a very disappointing feeling, passing a test is fantastic! In the martial arts, we must have trials and tribulations, as in life. Pass and failure must go hand in hand; the Yin and Yang of tests. One must have both the good as well as the bad; can't have one without the other. In that, one must fail first before one can truly appreciate a passed test! If one passed every Kyu/Dan test before him/her, there would be nothing positive of the experience in testing. Huh? After awhile, all of the tests would just become one long thing, nothing special, nothing to gain, and nothing to learn. I've failed my share of tests and I'm glad I did. Anything of worth shouldn't be easy...ever! I failed my Hachidan in Kobudo the first time I took it, but, this experience made me a better martial artist across the board. Hence, I passed my Hachidan Kobudo test the second time around. I failed my Shindokan Hachidan...THREE times! Yet, these 3 failures didn't go ignored! No way! Each of these failures made me appreciate just how much harder I had to work than the times before. I knew where I kept messing up, but, I didn't let these failures dictate whom I was. I'm complete in my totality NOT because of my success', but, because of my many failures. Show me someone's who passed every test and I'll show you someone who's never been truly tested! While I expected to pass each and every test, I didn't! I wasn't sitting on the testing board, I was BEING tested BY the testing board. One runs the risk of being failed, it's bound to happen when one is being tested by someone and/or somebodies. Emotions do run amuck when one fails, it's normal. Shake it off, and know this, you will test again and this has helped me through each and every failed test(s)! A failed test might feel like the end of the world, but, it's not, it's just another opportunity in ones continuing martial arts journey.

Second times a charm, in my case...I finally passed! I failed my first Kobudo Hachidan test in 2007. NO MORE TESTING FOR ME...EVER! [Thank God!]

Don't you love it when you go to the doctor because of a martial arts related injury and when you tell the doctor how it happened, the doctor says..."Why? Why would you do that willingly?" How do we usually reply? "Because it's fun and I love it!" Doctors will usually just shake their heads in disbelief and just say..."OK?!?" My favorite is when a doctor says..."Obviously you're not that good at it, were you?" No doc, stuff just happens!

I get a kick out of the people watching a weapons demo because you can see them from time to time flitch because they were very sure that the weapons practitioner was going to let go of said weapon, and that the weapon was going to come flying towards them, and then they were going to get hit with said weapon. Then at almost the same instance, they breath a sigh of relief when they discover that that fear didn't come to realization. While I get a kick out of seeing this from spectators, I can understand their uneasyness because it would surely hurt to be hit by an out-of-control weapon. Is the applause from the spectators for the practitioners skill, or, is it because they weren't hit by said weapon? I'd say...both! They're very glad that the skill of the practitioner prevented them from being hit by any weapon.

Does anybody have any other martial arts FEATS to list in this thread? Whether one likes or dislikes the word 'feats' and 'martial arts' used together, they're there for us to admire or for us to be repulsed. Either way, humans are very curious, and this example is brought to the light everyday when one's driving and they come upon a traffic accident...we've just got to look at it! I'm not saying that any martial arts feat is a good/bad thing for the martial arts. I'm just saying...it's just something to look at!

Aren't the laymen of the world concerning the martial arts so....cute! They say the darnest things!

OK?!? It's just a topic, not a do all to end all topic, but, it's just a topic. I don't doubt the complete totality of any martial artist, therefore, just because I'd love to do the 100 Man Kumite, it doesn't mean that I don't understand my style of Karate either.

Thanks for sharing Patrick. I'm a big history nut and I truly loved the article..very solid! Thanks Patrick! I'll bookmark this one for sure!

I echo your sentiments exactly!

Congrats to Federer! He's once again proven why he's number 1 in Tennis! I too was pulling for Roddick, but, it wasn't to be.

Websters Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word "Feat" as... 1. Act, Deed 2. a: A deed notable esp. for courage b: An act or product of skill, endurance, or ingenuity. With that being the understood and acceptable definition of the word 'Feat', let's list some martial arts feats. I'll start... 1) Masutatsu Oyama's 300 Man Kumite: It was with these examples in mind that Oyama decided to test his own abilities. And he would go one day better! He chose the strongest students in his dojo, who were to fight him one at a time until they'd all had a turn, and then they'd start from the beginning again, until the three hundred rounds were up. He defeated them all, never wavering in his resolve, despite the fact that he himself suffered severe physical injury in the process. Each student had to face him about four times over the three days, though some never made it past the first day due to Oyama's powerful blows. Oyama was willing to go for a fourth day, but no one else was willing or able! This took place not long after he had completed his mountain training. This feat is well known throughout the martial arts world, and its not been bested or neared, yet! Calling this feat unparalleled would be an understatement, at best. Not many have tried and completed the 100 Man Kumite; 14 in total. In the 50 Man Kumite; 17 have tried and completed it. Would I love to try it? You darn skippy I would!

Simply stated, it means "hold, break, leave" which are the levels of learning of a person. Shu, the practitioner tries to obey the rules. Ha, the practitioner tries to break free from the old rules. Ri, the practitioner tries to leave/depart from the rules. That's as basic as I can put it.

A "Thank you, but, I'm here to just watch!" might work. If one doesn't have more than enough judges to run, then don't run one. Only problems might occur when a tournament is under staffed.

Say...BEACH BALLS! Now, go get some BEACH BALLS! Get, as many as you want, the more the merry. I use BEACH BALLS for these age groups and here's some of the drills we do: 1) Line up the kids and then throw the BEACH BALLS at them, kind of like dodge ball, but with BEACH BALLS. >>This drill teaches "awareness" 2) Bounce the BEACH BALL at them and have the kids execute a punch, strike, kick, or block. >>This drill teaches "focus" and "accuracy" 3) Place the BEACH BALL directly in front of you, then, have the kids execute a kick over the BEACH BALL. >>This teaches "balance" and "knee up high" 4) Place the BEACH BALL directly in front of the kids. Place the kids in any stance. Tell the kids to move the BEACH BALL forward WITHOUT kicking the BEACH BALL until they get to the wall on the other side. >>This teaches stance "transition" and "posture" 5) Have the kids line YOU up at the wall and then have them take turns throwing BEACH BALLS at you...reverse dodge ball. >>This teaches...well...who cares what it teaches....but it's FUN! Kids love it when they get a shot at you instead of you at them. Besides, BEACH BALLS don't hurt!

Whew...that's a solid statement! One's a 'student' and the other is a 'customer', and for me, which "floor" we're standing on at the time dictates whom they are. I'm Sensei, no matter what floor I'm standing on.

At the risk of being looked upon as one who resembles Brian's statement, let me say a few things. There once WAS a time in my martial arts training that rank MEANT everything to me, but, that time has passed away along, long time ago. Rank has its place and in that, rank is vital. I'm very proud of every accomplishment I've achieved within the martial arts, including rank/title. I've earned them, therefore, I'm very proud of myself, yet, as I've matured in both my personal as well as in my martial arts, I've concluded that KNOWLEDGE is more paramount than rank/title can ever be. Yes, I've very recently tested for, and passed, my Hachidan in Kobudo, and while I'm proud of this new accomplishment, it adds nothing more to me personally. It is what it is in its proper context, nothing more and nothing less. BTW, I failed my first Hachidan test in Kobudo in 2007. Rank means nothing to me if knowledge isn't first, and in that, knowledge must be paramount in my martial arts training. Knowledge means everything to me across the board! Rank means nothing to me outside of its context! I possess rank, but, rank doesn't possess me. Therefore, rank doesn't matter to me if knowledge is to be shunned by any practitioner. Achieve the knowledge first that matches the rank, and then surpass the rank with greater and more broader knowlege. I've never said that kids shouldn't be black belts. I've said that kids under the age of 13 years old shouldn't be black belts. I believe in this philosophy and I stand by it as well. I subscribe to this believe because it's what my Soke and my Dai-Soke believe in! Therefore, I believe in it! More importantly, they, ranking/title requirements and the like, are stated very clearly in the Shindokan By-Laws. Having said that, I will obey the Shindokan By-Laws as set forth without any ambiquity whatsoever! Under the age of 13 years old; Mudansha's will NOT possess a Junior Yudansha, NOR will a Junior Yudansha achieve any Dan rankings. Under 13 year old, Mudansha's will continue in the Kyu rankings, even Ikkyu, and hold that highest given Kyu rank until the age of 13 years old, and only when that Mudansha meets all testing requirements for the Junior Yudansha. Rank is reserved for adult Yudansha's ONLY! Call it a closed mind philosophy if one would like to, but, it's the philosophy of the Shindokan Hombu, and as the current Kaicho, I will not ammend the Shindokan By-Laws pertaining to ranking/title requirements, now or later. It's the Shindokan way, and I would just seek everyone's understanding, for these are our ways alone. In return, I will, from this point forward, honor and respect the By-Laws of every martial arts style concerning how they award belts and rankings for all of their practitioners, including children. I don't have to like, but, I will respect it! I thank you Patrick, for your post here was key in opening my eyes to some things that I was failing and/or refusing to see.

I treat my students as just that...students first...customers second. "Customers" is the label that my students wear when they're off the Dojo floor. BUT, in that, I don't succumb to the customer, because a customers ISN'T always right. I run the Dojo, both floors! I've dismissed many a students/customers who thought that they were going to dictate to me just because they're the customer. That don't fly with me, then and now! I will respect my customer as long as they don't try to use the "customer" card on me. I treat my students like customers because that's just what they are when their no longer on the Dojo floor, but, they're on the sales floor. It's called...customer service and I pride myself in my customer service. When the customer starts trying to "teach" me about the martial arts while on the sales floor, that's where it stops. They're a time for things in their respective place and I adhere to it. When the Dojo floor is concerned...there are NO customers...only students! I remember a time when I was 15 years old and my mom stepped onto the Dojo floor to speak to my Dai-Soke without his permission because she wanted to discuss something immediately. My Dai-Soke yelled to my mom..."Get off the Dojo floor NOW!" She refused and this made my Dai-Soke red. He yelled..."Yame!" Walked up to her, pointed to the door and told her to get off the Dojo floor NOW! She still refused, my Dai-Soke picked her up by her biceps and walked her to the waiting area and placed her into a chair. He then told my mom to be quiet and when class in over, he will be more than happy to sit down with her to discuss the matter, but, until then, "Please be quiet and don't ever come onto the Dojo floor...EVER!" She sat there, fuming, but she sat there. My moms mentality UNTIL that moment was of the customer is always right, but, the customer might be right, but, my Dai-Soke wasn't going to be told anything by any customer in his Dojo; customer or not! Student...Customer...no matter how one looks at the duality of either...I still respect them both accordingly!

At this moment I'd just like to say that Patrick makes many solid points! Thanks Patrick, you've given me something to think about...carefully and respectfully! Will I change my mind after weighing in everything? Probably...No!

Yahoo....congrats! Feels good, doesn't it?

Yeah, that was cool! Don't feel bad Brian, I can't nail two boards together! In the dictionary under the "Don't let this person do Home Improvement!" is a picture of me. Thanks for sharing Patrick!

Our annual testing cycle is complete. I beleive that all of the candidates did very well and I'm very proud of all of them! Most did well, while some will have to re-test next year. Our Dai-Soke was pleased across the board with the entire event, especially with every testing candidate. My test is complete! I've learned along time ago, don't assume anything at testing cycles because while one might think that they did great during the tests, one can still fail! I've failed a few of them when I thought for sure I aced the tests. I'll get the results tonight at the awards banquet! At the conclusion of my test my Dai-Soke asked me how I thought I did; "Sir, fine, Sir!". This is all I said, which he replied, "We will see!"