sensei8

Shindokan Karate-Do = I started on October 18, 1964...44 years so far Hachidan = awarded June 15, 1999 Hanshi = awarded July 19, 2000 Tae Kwon Do = 1 year (I don't remember the governing body)(Young Ik Suh was the Grandmaster) Green Belt (When I was in high school)

Good grief! Who would want to wonder what style of the Martial Arts is the easiest/fastest way to obtain a black belt? If someone asked me this while visiting my Dojo, I'd say..."Not my style! Try down the street." Care only about obtaining an effective and viable knowledge base; not rank and the swiftest way to get that said rank, therefore, rank means nothing! Proof is always found on the floor!

Kicking with ones shin is akin to striking with a baseball bat. Striking with ones foot is akin to being struck with a 90mph fastball. Therefore, I'd rather hit someone with a baseball bat than with a baseball. The shin offers a more larger area to strike with! The foots striking area is much smaller. Both have their advantages as well as their weaknesses; therefore, choose your weapon, choose it acorrding to preference/circumstances, and choose them well.

I choose the second one. I'd only want the penetration, not the acting. We all practice and practice until the wheels fall off, but, I truely don't care what my attacker will feel as a result of my technique(s). I was attacked, therefore, let "it" do all of the work, let "it" be automatic as my muscle memory kicks in gear. I don't care if my attacker(s) screaming and writhing in pain, and if I freeze up for whatever reason, I submit this, I've might not practiced enough to avoid that! I believe that the orange will offer the same resistance as the eye itself, therefore, penetrate, and do it fast and unyielding. http://www.macula.org/images/ana101.jpg To gouge the eye; the path of your thumb/finger(s) is this... Cornea: This is the most outer part of the eye, therefore, it covers the front of the eye. Aqueous: The humor circulates throughout the front part of the eye, maintaining a constant pressure inside the eye. Iris: The iris is the colored part of the eye. As light conditions change, the iris may dilate to make the pupil bigger or constrict to make the pupil smaller. This allows more or less light into the eye. Lens: After light travels through the pupil, it must pass through the lens. The lens of the eye acts much like the lens of a camera; focusing in and out. Vitreous: The eye is filled with a clear, jelly-like substance called the vitreous. The feeling of penetrating this part of the eye who'd be akin to penetrating an ORANGE; kind of a squishy feeling. What happens after that...curl your thumb/fingers and give it a yank. There will be alot of blood...and your attacker will scream and writhe in pain...possibly go into shock...so be it! Don't think about it...just defend yourself....just do it! Could you truely do it?

Testing with a board of directors isn't stupid! It's smart, if you think about it! Yes, the teacher knows his/her student the best and he/she has sole responsibility in testing them. The presence of a testing board adds validity to any test. How so? Most important documents have more than one signature, witnesses, of the affirmation of the document(s). Therefore, while the Sensei/Chief Instructor has ultimate authority, the board gives the test more solidification. One person might be disputed, yet, many can't argue with the presence of witnesses to any said test of the Martial Arts. A testing board eliminates favoritism as well as overlooking/missing mistakes. One set of eyes can see only so much, where multiple eyes can see much more. Stupid, you say, no...smart I say!

I can't think of anyone better for you. Please check this out... http://www.scriptshifter.com/montrealshotokan/en/home.php You won't be disappointed!

This would take one governing body to see this to fruition, imho!

As far as that goes, the ranking system isn't even an original part of Karate...I'm so glad that someone finally said that!

McDojo? OK? Maybe/maybe not! Yeah, this doesn't mean anything because I've seen "Karate" on mostly every Tae Kwon Do Dojang's (school) because "Karate" is a universal tag for mostly every Martial Arts school worldwide; per the laymen consumer. A consumer identifies every Martial Art as "Karate!" The belt ranking for me here is weird only because Purple is listed right after White Belt. Thing about that is...rank can be anything and in any order with all kind of combinations of stripes/colors. I mean, the white stripe in the center is usually reserved for women in Judo as well as Jr. Black Belts, therefore, the order/color/stripes/etc are not restrictive nor are they etched in stone. A style can do whatever it wants, no matter how weird and strange it may look to me. I didn't see the camo belt amongst it belt ranking...did anybody? Hhhmmmm... For me, the name is meaningless, as to it's Bunkai/Oyo and Kata's other beneficial elements. I've seen some weird Kata's that had equally weird names, including who, where, when, why, what, and how a technique(s) appear at in the Kata's of a style.

"Being Able To Award Rank?" as this topic is titled. Within my style one must be a Sandan to award a Shodan, therefore, the awarding rank must be 2 ranks above the testee, and in that the chief instructor of said Dojo must be a minumim rank of Sandan to award rank! A Shodan/Nidan might or might not be allowed to sit at the testing table, and in that, no Shodan/Nidan's name ever appear on the official ranking certs per my Hombu's By-Laws. My style awards certs from 5th Kyu (Green Belt) and up.

The higher the rank the longer the testing within my style. My Hachidan test took me a week due to the amount of the material per the grading syllabus.

But the tone of which I received your post then is why I mentioned the happenings of today. Larry Tatum, for one, Ed Parker dies...Tatum starts an Kempo organization...and in that, he's now a 10th Degree Black Belt. What was wrong with the rank he earned under Parker? Nothing that I can tell...but...Tatum wasn't satisfied with that...ego became his new sensei. Or... Fumio Demura is expelled by his Shito-ryu organization and then he starts his own Shito-ryu organization. Now he's students have to be graded under his newly founded Shito-ryu organization because any ranking certs under the original Shito-ryu are voided, therefore, no longer accepted by the original Shito-ryu. One's not cool and the other is, imho. If I've offended you, I'm sorry for that wasn't my intent!

Congrats JusticeZero!

ABSOLUTELY! Anything else is putting the rank before the knowledge base, that's unacceptable, imho.

Whatever the price is that you finally reach...remember it's the Martial Arts and in that...is it truly worth $150 and up per month? Come on! Especially during the economic downturn that we're are dealing with what's more important...needs and wants. For me....it's the needs! California has a high-cost of living and it always will! Oopppssssss...I forgot...ones got to pay the rent/utilities...therefore....high tuition will help one meet/exceed the overhead...my bad! Monthly is the way to go! Ask some here and they'll tell you that I've done many things to help my students and I'll continue to do whatever is necessary to help my students.

Century Martial Arts Supplies has a fantastic line of "tools" that would be excellent for 3 year olds in that they'd have fun, be challenged, not get bored, and learn the Martial Arts.

Size and maturity. I allow students that are 13 years old to be in the adult class, but, this is based on a child to child circumstances. For example, size and maturity still bears consideration. Everything has the appearance of it being a workable thing at its beginning, but, will that come to fruition once its considered more, that remains to be seen. Some kids love to spar adults because it's an honor thing amoungst kids, especially when the child scores on the adult with a great technique that's not based on size and maturity; a pure technique.

"Punk!" I wouldn't say that, not even under my breath/to myself in the fear that he'd have superman hearing/mind-reading abilities.

IMHO... The teacher should be expected to provide their students with any and every possible tool to effectively defend themselves against an attack! This means develop content! This means customize content! This means the curriculum/syllabus isn't and shouldn't be set in stone. I'm answerable to my Hombu/Dai-Soke, but, I'm complete in my totality. I respect the Hombu/Dai-Soke but not to the end-of-all. I'm the very first one, and I've been this way for along time, to challenge the Hombu/Dai-Soke on any issue that I feel isn't beneficial to my students as well as myself. My Dai-Soke layed out the foundation for me, yet, I've built the house in which I live in and I've built my house on a rock, not upon sand! IMHO... YES! The teacher sets the path via the lesson plans on what the teacher wants to teach but I believe that this must be in concert with what the students want to learn, yet, not so that the student dictates to the teacher. The teacher is the final author of said lesson plans based on effective reality in order to give to the student the best offered. The teacher doesn't let the white belt student tell the teacher "I want to learn a flying kick FIRST!" This isn't beneficial to the student because the white belt is learning how to crawl, etc. Now as the student progresses, then the teacher must respect the students desires, yet, still guide the course in which is allowed for the student to improve. IMHO... Considered? Yes! Respect begets respect! The teacher has the final saying not the student. The student then decides if this is what they're looking for; then quit or not is always left up to the students; in that, teachers shouldn't be influenced in any shape, way, and/or form because a student wants to quit or not. Teachers teach and students learn; both are in constant concert for success to occur. Teachers must explain to the students as to whatever final decision has been made and this is because the students deserve an explanation; respect is earned! IMHO... Not all black belts can teach or should they! If one can't convey the most simple thing to a student...don't teach! IMHO... ABSOLUTELY! The invention of the wheel has been improved upon to what it is now...even in that, new patents are in the works to improve the wheel. Man always says..."What do I know that can benefit/make better/improve on [fill in blank]?" Never be satisfied with the end results because that says that nothing can ever be improved...non-sense! I'd say that I fit more into this category. Yet, this category isn't etched into my being. I'm a Martial Artist that always questions ANYTHING/EVERYTHING no matter the source. If my Hombu/Dai-Soke don't like it...TOUGH! I'm concerned with what 'it' is that will benefit me; I pass this on the my students and then my students decide if the 'it' is beneficial to them! If my Hombu/Dai-Soke try to give me something without regard to whether those things are currently applicable or can be be improved upon via modern approaches, then I will reject it. My Hombu/Dai-Soke can have a fit all they want, I'll quit before I succumb to uneffective doctrine/methodology/theories; tradition has its place but not when it interferes with sold effective doctrine/methodology/theories according to what I've experienced as well as what I know.

Nope! One side's as good as the other.

My Dojo has an active student body that meets and well exceeds your question/requirements. How can we/I here at KF help you?

My Saturday classes are "OPEN" from 10am - 2pm. I reserve 3pm - 8pm for seminars and the like, but, this time must be reserved 1 month in advance of said event. Yet, I reserve the right to deny and cancel 3pm - 8pm time-frame, providing nothings been pre-arranged, for whatever reason(s) I deem accordingly. This "OPEN" time is for ALL students to come into the Dojo to work on anything the students desire and/or to ask me questions about whatever's on their mind; I can do either individuals and/or in groups. I also work out myself during this "OPEN" workout when time permits. My attention is geared towards the students more than to myself because I've got a key to the front door and I can workout whenever the I want before/after hours. I usually get more Adults during my "OPEN" workouts especially when sports are in full gear. Besides, most kids on Saturday either want to watch cartoons and/or play. Also, the kids are on MOM/DAD schedule on the weekend, therefore, Saturday is family time; I highly encourage that! I'd say that on an average, I get about 50 regulars that attend the Saturday "OPEN" workouts. Most of my students just want an informal workout, yet, I'm there to assist in anyway that I can. I live in an area with a population of just over 393,000 in the city/Density is 2,152 per square mile/Metro population is just over 905,000 spread out over an area of just over 186 squared miles. Within my 25 miles radius of my Dojo, the population is just over 53,000 residents.

Well...I totally agree with JusticeZero and Brian...100%! Expanding the knowledge base is paramount, not awarding rank/title!!!!! This is both the role and as to how a teacher adds value to the student/teacher relationship. Be consistent and never violate the maxims that protect both the students as well as the teacher.

Sounds to me like another means to increase the bottom line. Can anybody say...the terrible 2's and the difficult 3's? Gross body movement would be about all that would be achieved overall; playing, imho. Baby-sitting is more like it....but...the bottom line would be increased! How long would these classes be? Hopefully not long at all because there's nothing worse that a 3 yr old CONTROLLING the class when the 3 yr old gets bored quickly. Early Child Development experts say that a childs attention span in minutes is equal to the age of the child. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

You probably don't like roofing tiles for the same reason that I don't like baseball bats other than during a baseball game. Why don't you like roofing tiles? If you say because of the slate that's found in American made roofing tiles, then I wholeheartedly concur with you on that. It's not that I don't like baseball bats in my Tameshiwara, it's just that I've never tried to break a baseball bats with my shins or the like. It's the unknown about it as well I suppose...I really don't know.