sensei8

Welcome to KF, Wamp; glad that you're here!!

Nukite is one of those tools that truly depend on so many situations and the like; effectiveness depends on the practitioner, of course. Don't see it much, if at all, outside the dojo. Inside the dojo, well, it's trained on quite a lot for whatever the reason(s). After all, the Nukite is NOT only used as one might imagine as a spear strike, and only for that.

That's part of the 101 ways to use Electric Tape; been using it for quite a very long time. I STILL get a smile when I apply it to a student obi because they've that puzzled look all over their face..."What's Sensei doing?!?!?!?!?"...priceless.

Solid post!!

Absolutely!! I enjoyed watching their couple Naihanchi; the couple that Naihanchi together, stays together!!

Bulldawg wrote: I'm impartial as to the given venue one way or another, although I gravitate toward the dojo more than the outdoors because habits are hard to die.

I/we allow our Student Body to train in other MA styles; we encourage it because not one style is infallible!! Cross training, imho, is an invaluable aspect of learning the MA. After all, this isn't yesteryears where that was deeply frowned against; being eclectic wasn't sought after by any students for the fear of repercussions from their instructor and/or the Governing Body. I was finally allowed to cross train in TKD in my high school days, but only after pestering my Sensei over and over and over, and when I had been a JBB for several years already. To even mention the likes of cross training was strictly prohibited, especially in Soke and Dai-Soke's presence, and never ever on the floor. Ever since then, I've crossed trained without any regrets, and if I can cross train, then by and by, so can my Student Body. Once our Governing Body saw the logic in cross training, they never ever said a word against that; to learn is to grow.

Congrats on earning MOM, wildbourgman; well deserved!!

I like that structure because are we, as instructors, answering to our Student Body's needs of effectiveness or the needs of rank?!?!

Entirely?? No, not in a billion years because human beings want recognition, they are starved for it in some shape, way, and/or form. Gi and belts are badges oftentimes for both the wearer and the observer; the exclamation of ones own self-esteem, and the lack thereof.

Divisions within the same lineage aren't anything new or surprising, not at all. Perhaps I'm bitter, but ego and money seems to me the root of all possible evils. Not everyone can be in charge of everything, no matter what they might think. Human beings don't get along right off the bat or it festers until scratching no longer serves a purpose across the board. Splinters and division can't always to avoided, and oftentimes, it serves for the good of all concerned. Go or stay or this or that...pick one and go with it. Lineage division will never end as long as human beings are involved. Imho.

To Noah and Stephanie, I want to wish you both my most sincere congratulations on your up and coming wedding on October 24, 2020. May your wedding be something to always cherish and remember for all eternity, wishing you unending happiness my dears.

Nope, not yet.

Welcome to KF, ChpsahoySE; glad that you're here!!

We've 10 Dan Ranks. NO honorary Dan Ranks. We've Junior Black Belts reserved for students ages 13-18. ALL ranks are subjected to Testing Cycles up to and including Hachidan. Kudan is reserved for the current Kaicho. Judan is reserved for only Soke types; of which, we've abolished in recent years back.

Feedback from an experienced instructor is vitally important across the board. Without proper feedback, bad muscle memories set in, and once set in, it can be very difficult to correct. In short, how is one to know if one's doing something wrong and the like without proper feedback?! Train at home all you can, after all, correct practice is everything...and crucial for any noted improvements in ones own MA journey. Train hard and train well.

That's great news; thanks, Ken for that info.

We're staying home on Halloween; not even passing out candy this year. I really like your Halloween plans, Patrick; drive-in movies are always fun.

For the most, slowly response, in an overall sense. I had a telephone appointment with my Urology department on October 9, 2020. They asked me several questions mostly trying to gauge how I was feeling, and all. They fielded some of my questions and concerns, which eased some of my feelings of being in the dark. I've now a Social Worker assigned to me. The main goal will be applying at every possible means for Grants that concentrate on Prostate Cancer Grants. These Grants will help paying for my treatments; I've every faith that this will be successful. When we speak towards response times, my social worker was scheduled to call me back later this past Friday; I waited all day but to no avail. No call today either!! I wasn't given a phone number for me to call back because that was to be given to me on the callback. Things like this heighten my overwhelming feelings; loneliness is frightening. I do understand that I'm not the only patient under their care.

Welcome to KF, Bullduawg; glad that you're here!!

We've only one junior rank, and that is JBB.

Nowadays in the world we all live in with the Covid-19 pandemic, MA schools are needing to reinvent themselves to survive and succeed. This is where on-line grading just might be the most appropriate and responsible thing for MA schools to embrace. I am seriously considering on-line grading, being remote versus on-location grading; still tossing the idea around. Those students that still don't want to return to the floor during this pandemic, just might be receiving class and on-line grading remotely. Change is inevitable, aka, Who Moved My Cheese; change or die, in a business sense.

Alan Armstrong wrote: No!! I dictate the teaching methods and attitudes in class...in my dojo, no one else. The style or the system, to me, are just a tangible thing that made the core...the building blocks...the foundation...but never the end of its own means. Imho.

Solid post!! Knowledge and experience is forever, and can't be taken away by any outside source.

Thank you for the encouragement! I really didn't want to put it this way to Zach, because while he is halfway (rank-wise) to shodan, he still has at least 2-3 more years before he's eligible to test for shodan-sho (junior shodan), and he won't be able to test for full shodan for 5-6 years after that (due to minimum age requirements). I'm going to have to do what I can to keep him motivated as the time between gradings increase. As for me, I'm feeling that in many ways I'm halfway to shodan myself. I've now been training here for about 2 years, and I've probably got another 1.5-2 years before I'm eligible to test for shodan. I've now learned most of the material for shodan, except seisan kata and bunkai. Looking back, I can see/feel how my speed, power, and technique have improved, but unfortunately my CV conditioning has not. I really need to take the next 1.5 years to work on that so that doesn't hold me back. I'm finding you guys to be a big source of encouragement as I post each of my updates. Thank you all I'd not give Zach the halfway talk, either; that talk was meant for you, and you alone. Training is NOT for rank; training is for knowledge and experience. I'm sure that Zack's aware of the ranking structure because most dojo's have the ranking structure hanging on any given wall, which is a constant reminder. If Zach, through his CI and yourself, embraces that training is for the knowledge and experience, and not for just the earning of rank, he'll be much more well rounded as a MAist. Train hard and train well!!