sensei8

So says who? The By-Laws of my style are quite exacting in their definitions/meanings/intent! Every Jr. Black Belt has completed all of the needed requirements according to our grading syllabus, and this syllabus doesn't signify between whether one is a child or an adult. You're correct when you say that our JBB's aren't black belts...full fledged black belts that is. This means that the adults can achieve Dan rankings while a JBB can't! BTW, age is a minuscule portion of Yudansha, both JBB and an adult Shodan must meet the requirements satisfactory of the three K's...Kihon, Kata, and Kumite. The only thing that differs the two is AGE as far as our Hombu's By-Laws ranking guidelines are concerned...any student that's under the age of 18 may not possess a Shodan, full fledged black belt, but this student may obtain the rank of Junior Black Belt. A Yudansha of the rank of Shodan MUST be at a minimum age of 18 years old. Our JBB's cannot achieve any Dan ranking whatsoever, not until they meet the age requirement for Shodan...18 years old. Even then, when our JBB's reach 18 years of age, these JBB's must apply for testing for Shodan but they must wait a minimum of 6 months of having reached the age of 18 years of age, AND even then, these JBB's must be invited by the Chief Instructor of the Dojo to test for Shodan. Therefore, having reached 18 years of age means nothing to the testing board of the Hombu...other than when a JBB would be getting a birthday card from the Hombu. As are ALL of the ranks within ANY style of the Martial Arts that puts value of the ranks over knowledge. I wish the belt ranking system wasn't ever invented but it was and it's here, yet, it's value has been misplaced, imho! Opinions vary and our JBB's would agree with you that while they're not full fledged black belts due to having not reached 18 years of age! They'd also agree with you that they shouldn't be teaching a class...without the very close supervision of their Sensei/Chief Instructor AND the Hombu. To think in this manner is a sign of disrespect to the Chief Instructor, the Hombu, and the JBB's who have worked JUST AS HARD as the adult Yudansha's. Age requirements must be set and obeyed for the sake of the JBB's growth in the Martial Arts as well as for the betterment of the style. No I wouldn't go to a Dojo and the like if a JBB was the Chief Instructor as well as teaching on their own without proper supervision/guidance of a highly qualified adult Yudansha. I'd go to the Dojo if a JBB was teaching UNDER THE PROPER GUIDANCE OF A HIGHLY QUALIFIED SENSEI/CHIEF INSTRUCTOR. Otherwise, how's the JBB going to learn anything about teaching. My style REQUIRES ALL STUDENTS to begin "assisting/learning how to teach" at the rank of Sankyu no matter the age. Our Hombu thru the By-Laws has things in place to cover/protect/benefit all students, all instructors, and the Hombu when in comes to "teaching" and "Jr. Black Belts" and in this, there's no ambiquity whatsoever! BTW, close supervision doesn't mean that our JBB's would be on their own on the floor...NO WAY! My Yudansha's and I are on the floor right beside them every step of the way. This journey is to sensitive across the board to be left for the JBB to experience, learn, and discover on their own. You're in Goju-ryu and Goju-ryu has JBB's, therefore, don't you believe in Goju-ryu's own JBB's as well as the Goju-ryu By-Laws?

It's common practice to see upper ranks to help/assist lower ranks. For example, it's not uncommon to see a yellow belt help out a white belt OR for seeing a green belt help out that same white belt, and what's important to note is that this is always done under the close supervision of the Chief Instructor and/or other Yudansha's on the floor. Does this mean that this yellow or green belt in the example above ARE teaching the class and/or teaching the student that's getting the help? NO! Both have just stepped aside away from the class as to not disturb the rest of the class. Upper Kyu's are expected to assist the Sensei/Chief Instructor with younger or less experienced students. One higher ranked student is just helping the lower ranked student at the directions of the Chief Instructor/Sensei and/or other Yudansha's on the floor.

White (Jukyu) White with black stripe (Kukyu) Yellow (Hachikyu) Orange (Nanakyu) Green (Rokyu) Blue (Gokyu) Purple (Yonkyu) Brown (Sankyu) Brown with white stripe (Nikyu) Brown with black stripe (Ikkyu) Black (Shodan - Judan)

Iain Abernethy, at the time of this video, Iain was a Yondan; Iain's a Godan at the present. Thank you for this video; I enjoyed it!

I started in the Martial Arts when I was 7 years old. I began to LEARN HOW TO TEACH when I was a Sankyu...under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke...I was 11 years old. Then as the years went by, I earned my Nikyu and then my Ikkyu, all the while I was learning more and more about teaching under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke. When I was a Jr. Black Belt I was 13 years old. I was still learning how to teach...under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke. Sometimes I was "teaching" the kids class and sometimes I was "teaching" the adults...under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke. Here's the catch...I NEVER TAUGHT ON MY OWN!! I didn't start teaching on my own until I was an adult Shodan, even then, I was still under the very watchful eye of my Sensei/Dai-Soke. As an Sankyu thru Jr. Black Belt I was just ASSISTING my Sensei/Dai-Soke. I wasn't allowed to completely teach on my own until I was a Sandan! My main point is this...I WAS ALWAYS UNDER THE VERY WATCHFUL EYE OF MY SENSEI/DAI-SOKE!! Can a child black belt teach the adult classes? ONLY UNDER THE VERY WATCHFUL EYE OF THE SENSEI/CHIEF INSTRUCTOR!! Other than that...NO WAY!

Bad instructors and bad organization for not encluding the lower ranks into the learning/training pow-wows...There's no such thing as "secret" and that's the real secret behind the Martial Arts. I'll brag...my students of all ranks are invited and included into learning/training all that is within our style...this has been allowed a long, long time in my Dojo as well as from the Hombu. Secret...okie dokie?!!??

For me...I'm a very curious person. Within my style it is well known that I've always questioned as to who, what, where, when, why, and how. I've never followed anybody blindly, not even my Dai-Soke and/or the methodologies of my style. Why? Because I want to find out if what I'm being told is true/effective or not for me. I depend on my Dai-Soke for his awesome knowledge base/skills, yet, I've just got to take apart the radio to see just how it works beyond what the technical manuals as well as the experts in the radio industry say. I want a better radio, I want a more effective radio, and I want to take it apart over and over again, thus I'll never be satisfied...I'm always learning and I'll never know everything about anything, especially the Martial Arts.

Oh my Gosh...I'm 51 years old, yet, I'm too young for the AARP...which is fine for me. I've been in Karate for 44 years thus far.

Any Chief Instructor has it made. How's that? Well, I keep my entire Gi inside my office. I don't allow any of my students to wear their Gi's outside of the Dojo, it's an automatic suspension. How will I ever know that their wearing their Gi outside of the Dojo? Fair question. I won't and that's fine because what I don't know doesn't bother me nor do I think about it. Martial Arts is suppose to be private, therefore, don't advertise whatsoever; wearing a Gi outside of the Dojo is advertising. Kids are kids and they'll do it every once in a while, but, again, kids are kids. I'll just gently remind them that they shouldn't and why they shoudn't...but...they're just kids and alot of the time....these kids are just so darn proud of themselves that the wearing of a Gi outside for them is so cool. For my students though, there's no ambiquity whatsoever on the rules the govern the wearing of the Gi outside of the Dojo. If I saw a student of mine inside of a grocery store in full Gi while shopping I'd say, "Nice Gi! Enjoy your suspension!" Then I'd excuse myself and be on my way.

Here's my dumb question of the day... What hurts worse, A finger sprain thru Kumite OR A finger sprain thru Basketball? For me...a Basketball finger sprain is by far the worse of the two, imho. Finger sprains are as bothersome and irritating as an ear ache and/or a tootache. There's little to bring comfort, yet, any is better than none at all. Can finger sprains be avoided in Kumite all the time? Yes/No! Yes, if one learns how to properly block; still no guarantee. No, if one is lackadasical in ones blocking efforts; accidents are then increased. To my knowledge, there's no such thing as a finger block, which is why it is said that there's no such thing as a face block. Either learn to properly block or just don't be there.

For me...I prefer to use open handed blocks/parry due to the ease of transitionaling into Tuite. Plus, the open hand allows me to keep myself relaxed and not prematurely tensioning. For me...closed handed blocking is prefered as to meet the power. Meeting the power with a closed handed block allows me to provide the proper tension to "stop" the advancing attack. Whether it's with a foot or a hand technique means of little to me, although, the foot attacks are usually stronger than hand attacks based on the fact that the legs are stronger than the arms due to mass. Either way, open/close are both effective; it's what is preferred by the practitioner at any given time. Point is...block as though your block will distroy the attack...Ikken hissatsu at all times!

Not all black belts can teach no matter how solid their techniques are. They can be taught to teach, but in that, not all black belts can be taught to teach because it takes a special gift to teach. Therefore, not every student that graduates from Harvard can teach. Some can teach and some can't! Some lead while others follow! I'm glad for this because as important as Teachers are needed in every field, we equally need Doctors, for example, and the like as well. My Hombu has in it's By-Laws that teaching begins at Sankyu. From Sankyu to Nidan, these individuals are under the close supervision by their Dojo's Chief Instructor as well as closely monitored by the Hombu. At Sandan, those that are able to teach and exhibit all of the marks of an instructor are allowed to teach on their own, whether it be at their Chief Instructors Dojo or at their own Dojo. Now these are just rules and regulations, nothing more and nothing less! By law, nothing is stopping anybody of any rank to teach the Martial Arts. Why? The laws of the USA doesn't governing the Martial Arts whatsoever! What's acceptable to the consumer is another! What's acceptable to the world of Martial Arts is another! Nothing in the world is stopping a Shodan from opening their own Dojo, eventhough, their Hombu/Chief Instructor might have something to say about it. Even then, nothing is stopping a Shodan from pursuing their own path, desire, and/or dreams. Is it foolish for a Shodan to do so? This is of differing opinions, mine, yes, it is foolish to teach on their own as a Shodan based on their lack of a solid knowledge base to glean from. Teaching requires understanding, therefore, understanding requires experience! Nothing is worse than both the instructor and the student learning/understanding, for example, a Roundhouse Kick at the very same time! Bushido_man96 said it well when he said..."Here, I feel, that we don't ever really stop being students. I think that there is always something to learn, or review, etc. Now, if it does come to a point when you continually pull a "duh" in front of the classes that you teach, then it might be time to look into some re-training." That's a solid statement!

Congrats John! Awesome choice by KF!

Please don't misunderstand me. It doesn't matter to me whether one wears his black belt in training or not; to each his/her own. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't; for the most part I don't wear my belt when I train informally. It just tickles me to the point of "Huh?" when one speaks down to the wearing of the belt as well as speaking down to the earning of a black belt and on the very same/next breath, they're putting theirs on faster than Superman can beat a speeding-bullet. It's both comical and embarrassing at the same time. Oh well! What's one to do?

Nice book to add to any library concerning the Martial Arts. Lessons With The Master: 279 Shotokan Karate Lessons With Master Hirokazu Kanazawa by Paul A. Walker Here's a link... http://www.lessonswiththemaster.com/

Self teaching?? Dangerious! I'd speak against it, unless one's already well versed in the Martial Arts already. Even then, the book/DVD doesn't have eyes to critique flaws that might be otherwise overlooked, hence, the birth of bad habits become false technques. Bad habits are hard to break and during a real fight for ones life, this is the wrong time for bad habits to help an attacker. I'd just say...please be careful with self teaching the Martial Arts. Music, etc., I say go for it and enjoy it!

Absolutely! I get a kick, along with shaking my head in disbelief, when someone says to me that the black belt rank means nothing to them, then this type of person will run to get his black belt and quickly puts it on, and/or this type of person makes sure that they always have their black belt on. They even wear their black belt when they're just working out alone or with a friend/partner. So much for saying what one means and meaning what one says.

Sorry, but I do not subscribe to that belief; Business Marketing 101 does, but not I. Beating students, I don't believe in that either, if this is what you're referring to.

Yes Bruce was and I am too, as well as technique(s). Technique(s) are what "entire fighting systems" are composed of; I'm looking beyond and pinpointing technique(s). Is this wrong? Not in my opinion.

Nothing! It's up to us, those who know better, to interceed on the behalf of the unknowing, so that someone can decide for themselves as to what is best for them. You can lead a horse to water, but, it's up to the horse if he/she wants any water to drink. Solid! Absolutely solid! Wa-No-Michi and joesteph both have solid points in their seperate arguements. I see both sides of the fence, and in that, I see green grass on both sides.

What's in one form of the Martial Arts isn't the same in another. This is true of "Black Belt" in that the evolution happened and it could've been a bueatiful thing to behold. Instead, it became an ugly thing to behold. Why? Because bad is opposite of good and in the Yin/Yang of rank, this had to have happened in its many forms. It's sad, but it's true! Often, what's a particular rank in style 'A' isn't the same or even close in style 'B' and each style is quick to state that very thing. The unity of the Martial Arts is no closer to being realized because of the many differences from 'A' to 'B' and this isn't Bushido. This is true and was to be expected because of "Man's" involvement. History shows all of this to be true, whether we accept it to be so, is up to the individual. I can be wrong in a thousand different ways, yet, I'm still wrong nonetheless. It should! Yet, it (rank) is nothing without knowledge. Rank isn't the end all of all things in the Martial Arts. Rank has it's role and it should be kept in it's proper context/content so that Rank isn't seen as the ultimate goal, because it's not! Expressing oneself honestly through the Martial Arts is the journey that one should be seeking, not Rank. Rank is over-emphasised and I wish that rank didn't exist, especially in its present form. I hold a high Dan rank, but, I know that it's not the rank that defines me. No! I define it through my actions and therefore, I'm complete in my totality! When I say "Proof is on the floor" I mean exactly that. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Either you can or you can't, hence, rank is a ornament, for it's not what rank can or can't do, and rank can't do anything for the fact of the matter; it's what the Martial Artist can or can't do. Step it up or step off the floor! And how was that? Rank shouldn't be the emphasis of any syllabus within any style of the Martial Arts. Rank has its place and rank doesn't belong anywhere other than around ones waist. For schools to grade with the goal being Rank, then I say that this school has missed the mark by miles. The totality of the Martial Artist should be measured by not what's around the midriff, but, what's the content/context of ones techniques, like the three K's (Kihon, Kata, Kumite) of Karate as well as ones character. Rank doesn't hit, but, the Martial Artist does. Yes! If they graded tougher! Not a bit, but alot! Rank shouldn't take forever, yet, it is a lifelong journey of dedication. In this, rank should take as long as it takes because a rushed flower is a wilted and deformed flower; hence a dead flower! Each style of the Martial Arts is responsible to itself, yet, it should be responsible to the code of Bushido; what one does effects everyone at one time or another. This, imho, is up to the individual to decide. Universally understanding takes unity first and foremost. The element of unity is missing in the Martial Arts; therefore, the Martial Arts can be stale, tasteless, at best and at times. Again, this arguement is best left for each Federation/Association to answer within itself and its student body per it's own By-Laws. In order for rank to start to mean something will require more than acceptable age for 1st Dan. It will require that Rank ISN'T placed on a pedestal in any shape, way, and/or form. I do understand what you're question above is aiming at, yet, my complete answer would violate the User Guidelines of this forum. Therefore, I reserve to leave this answer to myself. Let me just say, this phenomenon you speak of in this question above is here to stay, as unfortunate as it is, and we must learn to remain true to our cause and stay true to the code of Bushido within our own Martial Arts. This very question that you ask in the opening post of this thread will remain a question for all of time. In that, arguements on both sides of the fence will be debated on for as long as the Martial Arts is around. We, I, can only hope the best for all of the Martial Arts as well as each Martial Artist.

Oh you're all going to hate me for my answer. Sorry, in advance for it, but it is what it is. Question(s): ...if everyone had their own definition as to what constitutes a "Martial Arts technique" proper? Is there a way you define a technique in this way? My answer: Anything and everything! Labels have/can/do ruin what one is truly seeking/searching for.

Coconuts don't hit back! Seriously though, he would've had to hit these coconuts dead center, even then, the coconuts weren't supported. Coconuts are round and round things unsupported roll/move; this is what happened many times. I wouldn't have done this type of demo to save my soul. I've done some DUH things before but this...Okie dokie.

I will answer you this way. Not all Black Belts can teach! Either you can or you can't! Proof is on the floor! It takes more than platitudes and a black belt around ones waist to teach!