sensei8

Imho, no matter the type of respect, respect is earned, and never given on a whim; integrity should always be paramount.

Congrats, wagnerk; well deserved!!

It's a good question. Maybe there isn't any?.... What are the benefit(s) if there aren't any formalized drills?? Perhaps uncertainty of any continuity of some degree for either the student and/or the instructor. Possible chaos on the floor...should I learn this first....or that first...or at the same time...oh never mind... The benefits that I see in formalized drills is that there must be a learning starting point somewhere and somehow. Then perhaps, once a learning starting point is understood and established, the non-formalized learning point begins. In learning/teaching anything, a starting point must be understood and established. Baby steps at every turn of learning/teaching, whatever those baby steps are.

Perhaps it would look more obvious if watching adults ice skating for the first time, chaotic looking to say the least.None maists attempting Sparring for the first time, is gonna look more like a Brawling than anything else, like every thing else, just takes time to develop some basic skills. For the most, it lacks the resistant training, which is a Shindokan staple, because these participants don't want to be handled. They want to be coddled and go through the motions, and aren't receptive to our brand!! They seem to think that fights happen in slow motion and their attacker will stand still the entire counter. Still, I'm giving my instructors a wide berth to fine tune this program.....open mind, Bob, open mind!!

E-Bogu and Seidoshop!! Their Tonfa's are top notch in my book, and are reasonably priced. Not saying that Century MA Supplies, my go to MA supplier, sells inferior Tonfa's, because imho, they don't. Seidoshop and Century MA Supplies for the Bo!! The Seidoshop Bo, while it was quite pricey, over $250, yet, it was as solid as I've ever seen.

I'm pretty sure that Soke and Dai-Soke didn't need outward identifiers for any student whatsoever; and neither do I or does most CI's. As Spartacus Maximus points out, business had a lot to do with the advent of satisfying the business side of the school via the students, as well as parents, rank inquiry.

Even why I'm trying to sincerely support the one day self-defense class, and things seem to me acceptable across the board, it still seems and feels wrong to me. But I'm keeping an open mind!!

Solid post!! Funny thing about JBB obi's, as far as Shindokan was concerned, are there were no outward identifier at all in Shindokan, but in a very brief moment of time, by the time I earned my 6th Kyu, JBB obi's had the white stripe running down its entire length of a BB. How were JBB's identified before that?? They weren't!! Only Soke and Dai-Soke knew whom they were by a glimpse. I distinctly remember seeing Brown Belts that had 4 stripes on their obi's in my infancy at the Hombu; and that was Soke/Dai-Soke's outward identifier for JBB's.

Solid post!!

Muscle memory seems quite evident here. Re-Training one's muscle memory is possible, but can be very difficulty to do so. How long one's been doing something, even if it's correct, over and over makes it even more difficult to Re-Train ones muscle memory. I believe that while Re-Training ones muscle memory can be somewhat difficult to accomplish, a seasoned and much qualified instructor CAN, by all means, Re-Train a students muscle memory. Albeit, one can have multiple muscle memories. Kind of like being able to speak several different languages; an internal switch is voluntarily flipped. So, one can do multiple MA successfully by flipping that internal switch on and off at will. Again, for that, I believe that the key there is found within the quality of instructor(s). There must be that effort and accountability on both the student and the instructor equally. Imho!!

My wearing blinders towards one day self-defense classes all of these years has stifled my Student Body's chance of fruitful and effective expectations through their own MA betterment. Some say, better late than never, yet, I'm not sure if that's overly fair to my Student Body, whereas, better late...is still late, nonetheless. Thus far, things are looking up.

Solid post!!

Well, I think that my harshness is limiting possible potentials that are not mine...they are of that individual who wants to attend and learn as much as they can from a one day self-defense. Who am I to deny that individual to learn something, even if it's just one thing. If an individual attends a one day self-defense class and learns only one thing, then that one day self-defense class has tremendous value. A tangible value that money can't buy; it's the knowledge and experience, no matter how brief the exposure might be. So, after a meeting of the minds with all of my instructors, my dojo will conduct self-defense classes for its very first time, and on a regular basis. Hopefully Soke and Dai-Soke aren't turning in their graves...to much!! I now see the value of adding self-defense classes to our Seminar calendar. Not just for the potential financial benefit afforded to the dojo, but for the value of that one student who wants a one day self-defense class. Everyone here knows just how much of a proponent and advocate I am for my Student Body; Student Body first, dojo second, me third/last.

A belated great news about the progress!!

Like the saying goes... The family that trains together, stays together!!

Yes, and very nice looking dojo; looks right out of Okinawa.

Recently I read that Dan Inosanto and Shannon Lee voiced their disapproval of how Bruce was being portrayed in this movie, and they were distancing themselves from this movie.

Welcome to KF, Mykaratejourney; glad that you're here!! Tough choice; boils down to preference. Tokiado; a proven quality Gi in its cut and endurance, and I love the half sizes, which the Seishin doesn't. Price wise, well, the Tokiado WKF Yadudo is about $230 USD, while the Seishin Gi is about $270. They each are WKF approved and they each promote different advantages in respect to size, weight, and extras. Might require you to flip a coin!! Good luck, and please let us know what you decided.

Is the Hulk broken??

Congrats to the both of you; 1 down, many, many more to go!! Train hard and train well!!

**Wastelander's replies to my previous posts here are in italic** Being quite at odds on this one is to be expected from time to time because we come from different methodologies and ideologies. In that, I take no offense to anything you've posted here, and I respect your differing opinions. It's cool!! This is where I was referring to the difference in methodologies and ideologies, and this is never where ones wrong and the other is correct; just different, no matter how drastic it might be. We might look at the same thing, and recognize it, but we reach our conclusions differently, yet they're both effective. Yes, the drill can be drilled the way they're applied...absolutely!! CI discretion as to how the student is trained!! When I speak about maturity, I'm not speaking about the person being immature, but the technique and its understanding. NOT THE PERSON, but the technique(s) in themselves as they're executed by the practitioner. Age of the person has nothing to do with their maturity, and I will not judge ones personal maturity, but I will judge their maturity of their technique(s), and the lack thereof!! Therefore, I'm addressing the manner of which how said technique is being executed in order to achieve the optimum effectiveness. None of my students that have 13+ years on the floor have the maturity their technique(s) should have, and must have. They're still very much unsure of themselves, and it is so very evident to me. They're still afraid and sloppy and inconsistent and so on and so forth. However, in time, their techniques will mature. I'd say this, and I say it with great respect...you do not have the maturity of technique like Sensei Poage had, and Sensei Poage didn't have the maturity of technique like Sensei Bethea, and Sensei Bethea doesn't have the maturity of technique like Hanshi Judan Shugoru Nakazato. Same with me, my students don't have the maturity of technique like I have, and I don't have the maturity of technique like Dai-Soke had, and Dai-Soke didn't have the maturity of technique like Soke had. Everything takes time, and often time, there's never enough time to mature technique wise. That's why we're always a student first, and we accept and depend on that, before we can teach others. You and I might not ever be in complete agreement on this subject at hand, but that doesn't mean that either of us are wrong; just different methodologies and ideologies, yet were quite effective whenever its required. It's like, I don't like sweet potatoes and asparagus, but someone else does, and in that, there's no way that that person is going to convince me to ever eat sweet potatoes and asparagus; to each of his/her own. I respect that, now and always!! Why?? Teaching methodologies/ideologies are different, but effective in our approaches. Absorb what is useful, discard the rest thinking is evident in the two of us, both as students, practitioners, and teachers. I do admit that my curriculum might need a more fresher approach, but I do see the value of what I was taught, and therefore, I will teach what I was taught, but with by own type of flair. I agree with you and your assessment across the board. What those you speak about here is what they don't do, but I've been doing it as both a student and as a teacher for 54 years, and with seriousness...Live Resistant training, and discarding the robotic movements that have the air of ineffectiveness. I do not believe in any technique without live resistant training because the attacker on the street isn't just going to go along with whatever the defender does, not in real life. Resist me to your Nth degree, and that live approach will expose that which is ineffective, and then that effectiveness must be fine tuned or discarded!! The floor is that unforgiving witness, and can't be lied to or hidden or ignored. Yes, they are, and they speak about that much needed resistant live training, that is sorely lacked today. In closing, I respect you across the board, and I always will. Imagine just how boring we'd be if we two, or anyone else for that fact, agreed with each other all of the time. I argue with fellow Shindokanists all of the time because we both need that so that our MA betterment can grow.

Seems quite a harsh punishment for quitting for just one month. However, it's his dojo, and as CI, his decision is final. Demotions happen more often then we might ever realize, albeit, the students are responsible for their actions. Would I have demoted you after just missing 1 month?? No, no matter what the reason(s) might be; not just for quitting, If there's something under the surface of this other than just quitting for a month, then definitely not, after all, real life does get in the way. One of the reasons I'd demote any student is if they were gone for some quite some time. I'd expel a student if they were convicted of a crime against more turpitude, for cause. Now, in your situation, once a Red Belt, always a Red Belt because the earned knowledge and experience of that Red Belt can't ever be taken away. The tangible belt can be taken away at the discretion of the CI, but in no time at all, the Red Belt will once again be around your waist. In closing, if your in the MA for rank, and not for its knowledge and experience, then integrity was never an issue, nor a concern, just rank. I don't believe that this is the case, but if it is, train hard and train well to earn that which your CI demands.

Let me quote two well known sayings... "We should never be shackled by the rituals of Kata, but instead move freely according to the opponent's strength and weaknesses." Genwa Nakasone "Always perform Kata exactly. Combat is another matter." Gichin Funakoshi I believe both of these are valid points in our conversation here!!

Opinions vary!! These drills, that you speak about, are only impractical whenever the practitioners techniques are impractical. These drills are designed to strengthen the techniques in which effectiveness can be improved. None of us, and I mean none of us, move in such like manner whenever executing any step-sparring drills whenever engaged in Jiyu Kumite. Similar to Kata, whereas we execute said techniques in such manner as well, some would say a robot like manner, and not a natural manner. However, Jiyu Kumite flushes down the robot like manner, BUT the techniques practiced in any step-sparring ARE STILL THERE in Jiyu Kumite, albeit, perhaps not as technical as one would hope for, yet effective at application at target. To approach any step-sparring drills with a negative mindset, shows the immaturity of the practitioner because drills are NOT ineffective, but it's the practitioner who's ineffective for whatever reason(s). Drills in the MA have their purposes for the practitioner, and if one wants to shelve said drill, that's their right, but I feel to do so is an injustice to their MA betterment. I've Yudansha students of varying Ranks that are struggling with Uke Waza/Receiving, and that's because they're still immature in their Karate-do; it takes time to break through that which is holding them back. The Practical approach is a valid mindset, however, to much of a good thing isn't always a good thing. This, to me, calling proven drills, to me, is a slap in the face of proven drills because without drills, not even the basics are refined within the practitioner. Before one can be practical, one first has to understand, and to understand, one has to drill, including the various step-sparring through experience. I'm not here to convince anybody because each practitioner has to decide for themselves. As Bruce Lee said... “Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own” I hold step-sparring close to my heart because these drills have been the cornerstone before any of us here were born and/or before we ever thought of stepping onto the floor. I see the value of these drills for me and my students, and I will continue to teach them and drill them and practice them until my last breath. Attack me, and I will defend myself to the Nth degree, and while I am, my effectiveness will be felt and seen, but it will not be in any robotic fashion, but in a free flowing manner, yet each and every technique will be evident, and practical because of the many drills trained and practiced, and this includes Jiyu Kumite. No Jiyu Kumite is empty, but any step-sparring is a drill as a prerequisite to Jiyu Kumite, and a practitioner has to drill it for the rest of their life; an unending necessary. Remember, I'm a staunch proponent that the practitioner, and not the style, is at fault in everything. In the video provided in the OP, Shotokan is the model, a style founded by Gichin Funakoshi, and the one teaching in said video is Hirokazu Kanazawa, a student of Funakoshi Sensei...are they wrong in their mindset and approach in regards to any Step-Sparring?? Do we think that we're not capable of effectively executing any said technique that we've drilled and practiced for many years at any given time we're attacked on the street??...Well I most assuredly am!! I recognize a drill from reality, and can address accordingly and quite effectively. Imho!!

Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...SING IT WITH ME EVERYBODY...Happy Birthday dear Danielle...Happy Birthday to you...and many more!!