sensei8

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

Chest cold still remains. So, no gym!! Rule of thumb is that if you're sick from the neck up, go to the gym; might help to clear nasal sinuses, for example. Sick from the neck down, do NOT go to the gym; might develop bronchitis or pneumonia. Chest cold can last up to 10 days. Today is day number 7. Coughing attacks are from mild to severe; then I get a stupid dull headache. My wife, Linda, suggests that we go to the ER, but I'm not a willing person in that regards. No gym for now!!

Another Testing Cycle put behind you both; congrats, and well done!!

I consider any over-training and/or under-training a deep and personal decision made of that practitioner, no matter any advice received from near and/or afar. I decide how I will train, and will do so without any contestation, no matter how well intended any advice might or might not be. I've endured many setbacks while doing one or another from time to time; either way, I learned something them all...with an open heart and mind. I'm more than aware of doing either, therefore, I pay very close attention to what my body tells me. My point is this...the final decision belongs with the practitioner alone. While I don't need anyone to approve my choices, I do ask that my decision(s) are respected. Like right now, I've a chest cold, and so I am not going to the gym and/or to the dojo until I get rid of this nagging chest cold...this, for lack of a better term, is, for me, under-training to the Nth degree.....quite frustrating.

Thus far this week... 3 times to the gym [November 1, 2019 - November 3, 2019] Same workout those 3 days... Stairmaster for 20 minutes Treadmill for 20 minutes Stationary Bike for 10 minutes Rowing 10 minutes Free weights for 10 minutes Calorie Burn = 607 average Then came Monday, November 4, 2019... Caught a chest cold; coughing my head off, or at least wishing it would just fall off already. Starting to feel better, we'll see what tomorrow, November 7, 2019, brings as far as whether I return to the gym or not. Afib and a chest cold aren't fun at all.

I echo everything Brian's said. It's been both a privilege and honor to follow both of your MA journeys, and I say, there have been far more ups than downs across the board. Thank you, both!!

There's nothing wrong with a rhetoric response at all, considering the venue is greatly encouraging us in discussions and the like here at KF.

However... In my 55 years MA journey, I've cross-trained for as long as I can remember, ever since 1980. Therefore, while I've cross-trained a lot, I've never joined the plethora of MA schools I've trained at...more of an exchange of methodologies and ideologies between styles. I mean, imho, not one single MA has everything a MAist wants and/or needs. I knew that with Shindokan, that's why I trained in TKD for their kicks because Shindokan only kicks waist down, and primarily groin down to upset my opponents foundation. The wider my knowledge and experience that more solidify my core base...this path has been invaluable to my MA betterment in the long run. I never find the fault in the style, but only in the practitioner....for not being able to effectively execute said style. I've tasted so many MA outside of Karate and TKD, and in doing so, I've tasted that they are good...it's the practitioner that's not good.

I agree!! And because he was a human being, he was far from being invincible, as all of us MAists are, however, Bruce had a edge that placed him in a very small percentage of being defeated.

We are ALL in the position to open the minds that doubt one step's effectiveness, whether one chooses to do so is up to that practitioner, and in that end, the effectiveness is up to THAT practitioner.

There is nothing mutish here about one step, as seeing it for what it is can help younger people towards understanding how it might benefit them, by having more educated choices to look at.Watered down one step for children is fine but when taught to adults the same way then there is an obvious problem. Karate blocking has come under scrutiny in the wider marital arts community, there is an obvious problem with it being viable the way it is taught. All techniques can be modified to make them safer to train with the safety latch switched on, blocks included, which to my mind is what is happening. Take the safety latch off when blocking it becomes something very dangerous, as a block or deflection is also a devastating strike. Does anyone really think that traditional martial arts is the same as it was in the past? As in the past techniques were brutal and life threatening, today the health and safety latch is firmly in place, something to consider, not only when training but also in life threatening conditions. Sometimes being brutally honest with the truth is not favourable but there is no denying it's effectiveness It is mute if I as the CI, says so, whether one agrees or not because I run said dojo without any ambiguity whatsoever. If others believe my decision, as CI, is wrong, harmful, and/or injustice, then so be it because it's my right as the CI. Btw, I fully support one-step and so on and so forth. If I didn't, then I'd say so, and it would be so as to any training done in my dojo, and I'd care less what anyone would think!! Proof is on the floor!! Having a window on other people's opinions, is this not interesting and insightful, also in some way inspiring?Depends on many things, whether they are or not. I've an open mind, until I've cause to have a closed mind, as well.

There is nothing mutish here about one step, as seeing it for what it is can help younger people towards understanding how it might benefit them, by having more educated choices to look at.Watered down one step for children is fine but when taught to adults the same way then there is an obvious problem. Karate blocking has come under scrutiny in the wider marital arts community, there is an obvious problem with it being viable the way it is taught. All techniques can be modified to make them safer to train with the safety latch switched on, blocks included, which to my mind is what is happening. Take the safety latch off when blocking it becomes something very dangerous, as a block or deflection is also a devastating strike. Does anyone really think that traditional martial arts is the same as it was in the past? As in the past techniques were brutal and life threatening, today the health and safety latch is firmly in place, something to consider, not only when training but also in life threatening conditions. Sometimes being brutally honest with the truth is not favourable but there is no denying it's effectiveness It is mute if I as the CI, says so, whether one agrees or not because I run said dojo without any ambiguity whatsoever. If others believe my decision, as CI, is wrong, harmful, and/or injustice, then so be it because it's my right as the CI. Btw, I fully support one-step and so on and so forth. If I didn't, then I'd say so, and it would be so as to any training done in my dojo, and I'd care less what anyone would think!! Proof is on the floor!!

Solid post!!

In my honest opinion... Whether one supports it or not becomes quite mute when the CI decides what will or will not be taught/trained. If the student likes it or not, it will fall on deaf ears because the CI runs the dojo and not anyone else. Get use to it!! If not, go somewhere else!!

Opinions about Bruce Lee about his fighting abilities are all over the map. We can measure all we want, and discern even more, however, whether his fighting skills meet our expectations truly don't hold water. "I'm not in this world to meet your expectations, and you're not in this world to meet my expectations." ~ Bruce Lee Many renown MA have stated their opinions about Bruce and his fighting abilities, and it seems the their opinions in this regard are highly unanimously respectful to Bruce's fighting abilities. The discerned eye can tell as to what one possess in this concern through many trained observations, and in that, the summation of 'why' is to the summation of 'because', whereas, I hold Bruce in high regards in this concern.

By humbling oneself daily!! No one knows everything about anything. Coming across as a know-it-all about anything, even if one is well versed, humbling oneself daily can go quite a very long way, especially in the regards of peace in the midst of a calamity. For starters, at least!!

What I find fascinating is that every new student is a different opportunity for an instructor or coach to learn something about how they teach or coach.Let's take your 62 year old new student, for instance. This person will probably have a skill that considerably younger students may not have; patience. This provides all kinds of avenues to take as an instructor. However, where this student shines with patience, he/she probably lacks what the younger students have; physical ability. This will present it's own set of challenges when it comes to teaching or coaching. However, we also have to be aware enough to take into account the possible life experiences that either the young or old student present to us, and take into account all those things when approaching each class we teach. The old saying... there's more than one way to skin a cat...albeit, there's more than one way to teach; teaching IS that inevitably change to that process!!

Solid post!!