sensei8

I've a new battle to win.... Prostate Cancer!!

Sure...why not?? After all, the street is the proving ground for what we've learned from over the many years of training, perhaps from a dojo, for example. Albeit, the responsibility belongs to the individual. If what's been taught/learned in the dojo, and the like, aren't effective anywhere else, then they'll not be effective in the street whatsoever. Imho!!

I'm with you, Bob! It seems I'm running into layoff after layoff, stymying my ability to improve. But, we've got to just keep plugging away at it. After all, like Martial Arts, it's about the journey, and we have to keep walking that path!I wholeheartedly agree with you!! My life depends on it, and after seeing my PCP yesterday, even more so.

No doubt there. I've struggled and struggled with consistent training these past ten years or so, and it isn't going to get any easier as I go along. I think a lot of people get like this, and feel like if they can't train regularly, then they just won't do it. I hate to see this, and as an instructor that struggles with consistency as well, I would hope other instructors would find it in their hearts to be willing to work with individuals that run into this.In that regard, if one's still stepping on the floor after many years, no matter how irregular, than that student is still considered long term. There are full time and part time students, nonetheless, they're still considered long term.

Kanazawa Sensei will be sorely missed!! His impact on Karate, namely Shotokan, and the MA in general was felt worldwide. His lineage is undeniable with his teachers being Gichin Funakoshi and Masatoshi Nakayama. I, too, would like to offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends and his students around the world. RIP, Kanazawa Sensei!!

My chest cold is finally GONE; back to the gym Monday!! The beast in me has to be released because it's time to renew myself once again; I did it before, I'll do it again.

Excellent posts so far. For the most part, we do a plethora of Kumite, anywhere from Ippon Kumite to Jiyu Ippon Kumite. At no time are students left of there own devices to fend for themselves on the floor. We break things down...tear things down...then, we rebuild it so that students have a clear and concise understanding of what is up or down or inside or outside, and we don't leave said subject until I'm satisfied that they do understand. I love to drill my students as though there's no tomorrow, including Kumite. For me, and the way I was taught, get out there, and spar until the wheels fall off, and then some. Students never spar the same sparring partner because it can become quite stale and dead. I've used video for as long as I can remember, and yes, this is a great and valuable tools for the students; they see their mistakes, and they're gently guided towards them understanding by my Instructors and/or myself.

To do this, as the CI, can be quite daunting, and of no great concern at the same time. Daunting because spotting a long term student is akin to predicting an earthquake before it happens. Of no great concern because as a CI, I don't care one way or another if a student becomes long term or not; that responsibility belongs to the practitioner to decide within themselves one way or another. Long term students train for themselves and oftentimes, they train for themselves beyond their own surface of interests. I don't feel that either way is wrong, at all. We all train for our own different reasons, and while we do not require others to approve of our reasons, we do expect that our reasons are respected. When they train for themselves, they just want to train no matter what; sick or not or whatever, they show up, and on time, to train seriously. Maybe they get excited over a new technique or Kata or whatever, but they always find the spark to train, and for a serious purpose. They don't consider how long it might take to learn the new technique or Kata or whatever, and that's because time means nothing to that student. When they train for more than themselves, perhaps they have aspiration deeper than we CI can ever imagine. Like they want to go very deep into the history of their core art and/or the MA in general. Maybe they desire to teach the MA, and to carry one their core art in any positive way that they can think of, and to hopefully pass the knowledge and experience. Seems that long term students also want to help train not only with other MAists, but to offer themselves available to their fellow dojo mates in whatever problem they might be having; sometimes more than one set of eyes can see what one set of eyes can't. A long term student wants to go beyond the confinements and restrictions of their own core art; to cross-train as often and as much possible. To absorb that which is effective to them, beyond their core art, which does have the ability to trap one with limitations. The long term student isn't persuade away from their MA journey; they train long term because no matter how long, they are going to always be a student of the MA. I never expected, nor desire, to become that long term student, it just manifested itself in me over time. I never missed a day at the dojo, except during Little League and High School baseball seasons, and whenever I was on the floor I train seriously. In time, I helped anyone and everyone that I believed needed my help with a technique or Kata or Kumite....no matter what I felt that I could offer them some help. I feel in love with my core style, and then I feel in love with the MA in general, and 55 years later, I'm still in love with my core style as well as the MA in general. When I do spot a long term student of mine, I do not give them any special attention; all of my students get my all everyday every time. No special favors and no special expectations. Do I keep an eye on them?? Do I encourage them to teach?? NO!! All of my students are treated the same, and in that, perhaps, that's an ingredient in making a long term student. Your thoughts, please.

How was everyone's Thanksgiving this year?? Mine was blessed, with all of its trimmings that one can hope for. It was just the 3 of us; my wife, Linda, and our son, Nathan, and myself. We watched the 93rd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and yes, the balloons flew, but quite near to the ground because of the wind. Then we watched the Bills literally smashed my beloved Cowboys 26-15...boo hoo. Then we went to the movies where we saw Ford v Ferrari.

3 weeks today...Chest cold STILL remains. I've taking all of my prescribed medicines, and the chest cold refuses to surrender; it's quite stubborn. Yet, the gym beckons me like a harbor beckons a ship. But, in the fear of getting bronchitis or pneumonia, the gym still has to be in my thoughts, and not in my reality. In the immortal words of Ebenezer Scrooge... Bah humbug!!

It is said that those that don't believe in hypnosis are the easiest ones to become hypnotised.Hypnosis can be very entertaining Yes, that was entertaining.

I don't believe in hypnosis in any shape, way, and/or form; simply a form of entertainment, like magic and the like. Science says that a person hypnosis themselves, and that another person can not hypnotize another person. The fact is, however, according to science, that hypnosis is a genuine psychological phenomenon that has valid uses in clinical practice. With that being said, I still don't believe in hypnosis whatsoever. Perhaps my mind is closed, and I accept that, and hopefully my not believing in the power of hypnosis prevents me from it. As far as no-touch, and a possible correlation and/or causation between hypnosis and no-touch are the driving force(s) for said entertainment show. I've no idea as to the why and/or because people support and/or believe the reality of either. Maybe, they just need something to believe in so bad, that they become proponents of either one, no matter what others might believe....like me...I do not believe in either. In the context of this topic, I do not believe in Chi either; I've not seen where Chi is effective and/or real in my 55 years in the MA. Albeit, I lack the faith in all three phenomena's, and even though, as a Christian, I sincerely believe that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, but not when it comes to hypnosis, no-touch, and Chi. I do believe that if I was to be a staunch proponent of hypnosis, no-touch, and Chi, and I was to teach either of them to my students at my dojo, I'd quickly have zero students, and my dojo would close...forever. As far as animals, I believe that fear creates the hypnosis appearance, and not the exact causation in certain animals. The higher one animal is on the food chain, the easier it can strike fear in other animals, in which they become on that days menu. Fear can freeze anyone, humans including, and that fear in humans is no different than what animals experience in the wild. Imho!!

Got the most kick out of both the Karate and Cobra Kai pranks. Bystanders expressions were genuine...like this one...

Master Ken has found a very effective way for us MAists to laugh at ourselves. After all, we can tend to take things just way to serious much way to often.

Hope that you’re surrounded with the love of your dear ones on this festive season. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Thank you, Mo!!

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

A belated Happy Veterans Day; thank you to all who have served!!

Not in the least because there are far other effective and practical ways to become proficient in the MA. I don't believe that those type of activities are worthwhile endeavors to subject oneself to; no pain no gain, but OUCH!! I'd get up and leave immediately; to never return providing I was allowed to watch some classes beforehand...and if I couldn't watch a few classes first, I'd thank the CI, and then politely excuse myself.

I'd not trade what you're doing at all because the dojo, of some type, will be there for learning and training when the time is right, while being "daddy reads one book each and sings songs when we go to bed"-routines are paramount over the MA.

Bill "Superfoot" Wallace is STILL conducting seminars, and he's a busy 2020 schedule ahead of him; at 73, he's the Energizer Bunny of the MA...keeps on kicking strongly.

Bob, would each of these specialties fall into classes of their own, or would they overlap into one class, or a few classes? Yes, in each regards. I've made my curriculum in such a way that these subjects can be treated across the board; separate or together or as a seminar. The weekend you and I trained we covered a plethora of subjects from both TKD and Shindokan....not as a seminar but more of an overlay; an exchange of methodologies and ideologies.

Congrats, Nevinyrral; well deserved!!

Of course, all of the "specialty classes" are built into our curriculum. From time to time I'll invite styles outside of Shindokan to conduct 2-3 day seminars, and those Instructors decide what they;d like to teach at any given seminar for my approval. Subjects that can be found built into our curriculum to mention a few would be: Tuite Close Range Management Kobudo Bunkai/Kata Kyusho Jitsu Striking Techniques [boshi-Ken, to mention just one; my most favorite strike] Uke ...and our newest rage of the page... Self-Defense [i'm still trying this, even though the old dog in me is still having a hard time learning new tricks] No matter the focus, Resistant Live Training is paramount in our training without any exceptions 24/7!! NO COMPLIANT TRAINING whatsoever once said technique has been taught!!

But you do know Niahanchi Shodan Kata, Brian, at least, just enough to jog your memory that I taught you a few years ago. If not, then Noah is dead on about how Iain's seminars are conducted. As far as my MA Bucket List... After 55 years on the floor, I suppose that I've nothing to pick for my MA Bucket List. I've trained in both Japan and Okinawa more than a dozen times. I've trained with a very wide plethora of MA styles outside of Shindokan, with some of the very best CI's one can ask for. I've been blessed with owning and operating my own full-time dojo ever since 1977, with close to a thousand or more students that have blessed me by allowing me to teach them Shindokan over 42 years. Was elected into the SKKA Hierarchy ever since a Rokudan [1988] in 1989 to 2019, as a Regent and as Kiacho/CI of the SKKA Hombu. I suppose I've been both blessed and cursed all at the same time. So, for the moment, I've nothing remaining, nor do I have anything else to add