sensei8

Time contributes to ones wear-and-tear whether one like it or not. This October will usher in my 54th year in Shindokan Saitou-ryu. However, my being 60 years old, 61 years old, as well, this October, have had my share of dings with the knees, my right knee in particular. How do I continue to train A static body can't remain strong and healthy!! I exercise the tar out myself, and it every known part of my body, especially where my knees/legs are concerned. Without turning this thread into an Health, Training and Fitness forum... Strong knees require strong quadriceps, glutes, and calves!! I've a strict routine at the gym, and my lower extremities are no exceptions. I've an extensive series of knee strengthening/extension exercises that I do daily, both at home and at the gym. For example... Mini or partial squats Standing hamstring curls Marching in place Heel raises Quad sets Straight leg raises Wall slides with a ball Clams Glute bridges Side leg raises Resistance band leg 4 corners Knee extension machine (AT THE GYM, unless you own one) Leg presses (AT THE GYM, unless you own one) Those are some of the exercises I do daily. Some other things I do, and am not ashamed about... Compression Knee Sleeves Stretching routine Swimming Biking Let's also not forget one of the easiest exercises that strengthens the whole body, not just the knees...walking!! No matter all of the care I take to protect my aging knees, there's one factor that I can't ignore, and that's not effectively defending my knee, however that might be, from a well placed kick, and if the knee is struck at the optimum angle, well, the knee's simply toast. For me, I keep moving, and just jam the crap out of them, while leg checking them as well, when they try to gain distance from me, well, I'm like that irritating glue that you just can't get off and/or get away from. I also try to keep my right knee in the rear of my stances. I do all that I can do so I can continue to train. Anyway, hope this helps a little.

Kaicho/Kancho are not ceremonial roles, by any stretch of the imagination. Dai-Soke held the Kaicho position, under Soke, from 1950 to 2008, 58 years. Nothing!! To our knowledge, neither did anything to warrant their decisions, personally and/or professionally. So why?!? Reason of Redundancy!! The Board expressed that having a Kaicho AND a Kancho, while they're important positions for the sake of the check and balance affect, were antiquated, yet, we admirably had fulfilled our expectations, as well as our responsibilities of obligations. The Board, furthermore, expressed that the existence of the Board was far more than adequate to run the day to day operations effectively, whereas, the Kaicho and Kancho positions are superfluous, in that, the Board absorbs both the Kaicho and Kancho, henceforth. Our Legal Team states that a Silo Effect seems to have taken residency unwittingly by either parties. One other reason, directed directly to me, was the Mobility Clause; however, that was ruled in my favor due to the fact that I was grandfathered through Dai-Soke to administrate mobile, in which, conference calls via Skype and/or cellphone, are admissibly approved by all parties.

Thanks, JR; your support, as well as your kind words always mean a lot to me. There's more than one way to skin a cat, and if that way's not forthcoming, then I'll make a way.

All Hierarchy departments are still active, therefore, executive leadership across the board exists, for the moment.

Point 1. Anytime you have more than 3 people "in the room", there's the potential for "politics"...an unfortunate truth. Point 2. I couldn't agree more...I wish more did. Solid post!!

LLLEARNER wrote: I appreciate your thoughtful words!! I've been with them 54 years this October 18th, and there's been way far to many great days, than there have been bad, and we've experienced our share of devastating tragedy, but as a Governing Body, we've lived up to the well known maxim that says..."7 times down, 8 times up!!" Things happen, and this latest thing shall pass, and it will not define me whatsoever. My passion grows stronger day by day for my students, for the entire SKKA Student Body, and for Shindokan...to my last breath. MatsuShinshii wrote: Rereading my OP, I didn't write "removed". However, if by "removed" you mean "eliminated", our positions, then yes, for now, just like Soke types were eliminated, therefore, Kaicho and Kancho have been eliminated. These eliminations will be duly recorded appropriately. MatsuShinshii wrote: No...Yes...Yes!! Neither of us, Kancho and myself, have violated any By-Laws whatsoever for us to be "shunned" for; we are both still very much active in the comings and goings of the SKKA/Hombu, just not as Kaicho/Kancho. Our memberships are also valid!! Because we, and several others as well, have been grandfathered in our membership, and therefore, have no expiration dates. These Life Time Memberships were awarded by Soke alone to the chosen few. We both can still teach/promote under the SKKA umbrella. MatsuShinshii wrote: Nothing whatsoever affects my students and/or dojo...nothing. They can eliminate all they want everything that they want until the cows jump over the moon. The SKKA is forbidden form interfering with any networked dojo in any shape, way, and/or form. My SKKA position, or the lack thereof, has no bearing whatsoever on my students and/or myself. If I was ever ostracized, for cause, my students and myself would be fine, and not even miss a step or the SKKA. The SKKA is just a thing, and I've way to much knowledge/experience across the board to allow a thing to affect us/me. After all, proof is on the floor, and only there. Thank you for your kind words, and great questions. You and I share way to many similarities whenever the MA is concerned through our training and in our Governing Body histories. So much so, that I feel that you and I are kindred through our MA journeys/experiences across the board. This, for me, is great and refreshing!! To many times I've brought to the forefront here at KF both the good and the bad news/information and the like, and that was not to toot my own horn, but to share Shindokan/SKKA/Hombu with those outside of our little circle of MA misfits. So others might see behind the closed doors of a thriving MA Governing Body, for whatever benefits can be garnered, and possible help them through their own circumstances when dealing with a Governing Body for whatever that might be. The Pred wrote: Thank you for that. We'll ALL be fine; life goes on. Chunmonchek wrote: Thank you, Chunmonchek. I'll always have my students' back for life...and yes...The Road Not Taken...because it has made all of the difference. Politics will chew you up and spit you out and not think twice of you...IF you let it, and I most assuredly will not allow politics to win. Politics might take the wind out of my sail, but it'll only be for a abrupt split second. I might lose the battle, but not the war!! Spartacus Maximus wrote: Thank you for that, Spartacus Maximus!! Politics are that unforgiving beast. The Governing Bodies of the MA are no different, possibly worse, than any other political endeavor. I've vetoed so much ego driven crap that's ended on my desk as Kaicho, that I often wonder just who in the ding-dong world are these people?! Solid MAists, through and through, but once you get them off the floor, and into a boardroom, they've not a minimum of a clue what they're doing, not in the slightest. But they all, each and everyone of them were duly elected into their positions. There's the wise saying... "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Seems quite fitting concerning my new found dealings.

...of what you assume. Because if you don't, that thing which you feared the most, even though you believed that the impossible could never ever occur, will reach up and bite you in your apparently doubtful backside, when you least expect it. What I'm about to share, could be right out of a nightmare, and this has happened to me and our Kancho (Vice-President). I find myself in complete, and unexpectedly, befuddled as to the how's of this... How did this happen?? How did I not foresee this?? How did I miss it?? How did I fail at this most basic of my responsibilities?? How?? How?? How?? Our By-Laws, as written by our Independent Legal Team, were worded in such a way, that ever possible scenario considered had triple redundancies to ensure, and protect the SKKA/Hombu, and in turn, its Student Body, for the long term. An error, somehow slipped unnoticed, and unavoidable, between the cracks of between the lines. However, and nonetheless, an inconsequential error that does nothing to lessen the value of the report and/or the By-Laws. Apparently, Lawyers, for both sides, have fenced with one another, and now that the dust has settled, the other side seems to have a far more cleaver knowledge of the law than our Legal Team, in which, they, the other Lawyers, obviously can read between the lines far better. There's no legal recourse!! Unanimously, the Hierarchy, as well as the Regents, have eliminated the Kaicho and Kancho positions!! Both Kancho and I have been ceremoniously ushered into the unemployment line, with cause, it seems. How?? Through a proxy vote, which is both legally binding, and irreversible, unless, by sheer luck, there's a majority vote to reverse it, which is highly unlikely to occur, and it wouldn't make any sense to do so in the face of the most recent vote. Why?? The SKKA tends to be quite dysfunctional from time to time ever since the passing of Soke and Dai-Soke, respectfully, in which the SKKA loves to throw a big stick into the bicycle spokes just to see what happens, sitting back with some popcorn and soda as they watch the crash. So, be careful of not reading, nor understanding, in its entirety, of any and all documentations asap because your future within the Governing Body and/or your school of the MA just might depend on it, especially if you're part of the hierarchy. There's the saying... "Be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, you build the trust of those who are present." ~ Stephen Covey

Why stop at salutations? Why not get rid of foreign language terms for techniques, kata names, titles, and so on? Because you start to lose the origins and traditions of the system. I personally think some of the terminology and traditions go a tad too far, but I’d much rather keep it than get rid of it. My post was just a passing thought. Nothing more, and nothing to be taken serious.

I get an education/knowledge!!

Solid post!!

How about...salutations uttered in one's own native language, and not in Japanese/Uchinaaguchi, unless one's from Japan/Okinawa, for example.

I've never heard of that before, which is of no surprise, seeing that I'm computer/etc illiterate to the core when it comes to things like this. Interesting concept/idea, though.

Solid post!! I wholeheartedly believe that most, if not all, of us will miss the camaraderie that were each share and relish with those we truly treasure both on and off the floor. I most assuredly know that I will miss them/you all when that time arrives in my own journey; these aren't idle words, and I mean this with all of my heart and soul!! I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank each and everyone of you/them for each and everything you/they have unselfishly done for me/my family/my students/my MA betterment/for the SKKA/Hombu, and its Student Body...I BOW TO EACH ONE OF YOU LONG AND DEEPLY!! Each of you have shown and taught me the true meaning of...Proof Is On The Floor!!

I agree with you. Every now and then, I see some students get particular about where they are in line during line-ups, and I always use that opportunity to tell them exactly that. Its one of the best lessons a student can learn. Agree, with both!! The line is just a line, really, it is. There wouldn't even be a line if there was never the first White Belt to stand there!! Besides, worrying about line positions starkly becomes quite clear when one understands that there's one spot in the line that they'll never ever stand at/on/in... IN FRONT OF THE LINE; that's where the CI's AT/ON/IN, and you, as the student, ARE NOT. Is the goal of your school to destroy student's aspirations? Why will they never ever be the chief instructor? To the bold type above... I'm speaking in present tense, and NOT in future tense!! I'm the CI of my dojo and our Hombu has a CI as well, so, when I'm in house at the Hombu, even though I'm Kaicho, I'm not the CI of the Hombu; there's no room, or reason, for me to stand in front of the line where the Hombu's CI stands. Aspirations are find and all, and I wholeheartedly support them, but until the current CI of wherever steps down, that spot in front of the line is reserved, for the moment. Anyone that knows me on and/or off the floor knows that I'm a staunch proponent for the Student Body, and that I encourage the entire Student Body in whatever their aspirations are, wherever they might be, and that includes becoming the CI wherever that might be.

Even though that last day will occur, that unavoidable day shouldn't repress ones MA journey whatsoever because it's what one does until that day that truly matters. Imho!!

The age IS the decider says the founder, says the Governing Body, and says the By-Laws of said style no matter what the masses might say because of the founders given right to say/do/enforce so.

I agree with you. Every now and then, I see some students get particular about where they are in line during line-ups, and I always use that opportunity to tell them exactly that. Its one of the best lessons a student can learn. Agree, with both!! The line is just a line, really, it is. There wouldn't even be a line if there was never the first White Belt to stand there!! Besides, worrying about line positions starkly becomes quite clear when one understands that there's one spot in the line that they'll never ever stand at/on/in... IN FRONT OF THE LINE; that's where the CI AT/ON/IN, and you, as the student, ARE NOT.

With learning from very limited sources comes very limited knowledge. How ever, that would depend greatly on just what are those limited sources. The great thing is that those limited sources are geared for you and by you and afforded to you from wherever they might be, near and/or far. If I had not decided to cross train, would that mean that my limited source from just Soke and Dai-Soke would've been a determent of my acquiring effective knowledge. Maybe. Depends on the individual/practitioner. With learning from very great source comes unlimited knowledge, even if the source is limited. Who's to truly determine that which is limited and that which is not?? The practitioner, I suppose!! It's not what you do with it, it's what you do not do with it.

You're welcome; glad that that link helped.

I have to say I have been obsessive over my financial calculations. It is making me feel really ill the amount I've spent out so far but I worked it out as if I recruit around 20 students over the year I'll break even. I've gone in hard on the marketing and have had 37 sign on for trial lessons and I'm hoping I can convert at least half of them. You've got a very solid plan; excellent. The school must comp up through positive variances as well as peer variances. Those parameters will go negative, which is to be expected, but as long as the positive parameters are far much more, the doors stay open. I sincerely believe that you're solid across the board!! Again, you're in a great place in your MA betterment/journey!!!!!!!

Behind closed door discussions Soke's reasoning was simply maturity, and for him, children weren't mature worthy to accept the great responsibility he believed was required for Shodan. He also had failed a countless amount of adults testing and/or petitions for candidacy because those adults, in his honest opinion, weren't mature enough mentally, physically, and/or technique wise. With Soke, maturity had to be there for all three parameters, and not just with technique. He had absolute no tolerance for any student that thought that they were privileged because they pay their tuition and/or they've been a student for a while. Dai-Soke was even more intolerant, but that's proof that the apple didn't fall far from the tree, in their care; student like teacher, I suppose. I enforce it because it's a By-Law and to change that particular By-Law, a majority vote would have to be cast, but first that vote would have to have a motion, and then seconded, to be placed on any voting scheduling for the 2Q calendar. For now, I don't see that during my life time. Can a SKKA dojo do whatever they want in this regard?? Sure, nothing preventing that; worser things can happen, no real big deal. That dojo would have to go rogue because the SKKA/Hombu would strip them of their charter.

This might be of some interest... https://kodokanboston.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/kingairyuarticle.pdf

Oyo is Oyo; another type of Bunkai, as is Omote, being too, another type of Bunkai; not one in the same. Omote is what's noticed at first impressive glance, whereas Oyo, is going way deep and then some for effective discoveries.

This is a common argument used to support the claim for the need to train full contact. It is also fundamentally flawed. Allow me to explain why. If the first time you ever get hit hard, it is in the controlled environment of training, then that can only mean that you've never been hit hard in a real confrontation. If you've never been hit hard in a real confrontation, then with respect, any notion of what it's like to be hit hard in a real confrontation and how one would react is pure theory. Someone who has never been hit hard in a real confrontation, by definition, does not have the experience needed to understand how they might react to being hit hard in a real confrontation. If training for self defence, training full contact is not ideal for another reason. You train to minimise the risk of someone knacking you by, having someone knack you. You train to mitigate the risk of a stronger opponent possibly punching you in the head and rattling your brain, a very remote possibility if you know how to avoid trouble, by actually going to a place on a regular basis and actually volunteering to have someone try their very best to punch your head and rattle your brain. Some folks want to train full contact. Each to their own. The information about risks is widely available so they can make an informed decision. But its illogical to do it for self defense. One Kick Wonder, you are discussing things in circles here. If I understand you correctly you are saying that he only way to truly prepare for an attack on the street is to go out and get attacked on the street. Not quite. What I'm saying is that training full contact is nothing like being attacked in the street. The only way anyone can ever know what it's like to be attacked in the street is if that's happened to them. That's not to say that folks should go out and look for trouble. That would be silly. Then you will understand the flaw in the full contact argument better than most. You say that the only way to prepare for being punched really hard is to have someone punch you really hard. But I bet you wouldn't say to your young recruits that the best way to prepare for a determined foe trying their very best to kill you with machine guns and grenades is to go somewhere and have someone fire machine guns and grenades at you with live ammo so you know what it feels like. Actually, One Kick, we do. In order to get soldiers prepared for combat (and I am not talking recruits or basic training, I am talking about once they get to their units), we put them through extremely realistic training. This training includes live fire exercises. No, there is no one shooting back at you, but there is a possibility of soldiers getting shot by other soldiers...and it happens, unfortunately, and sometimes soldiers die. This possibility does not stop us from continuing to do hard, realistic training. We don't shy away from this because of the possibility of someone getting hurt. That would be irresponsible. A leader is not doing his duty if he doesn't train his soldiers hard to get them ready for combat. US Army Ranger school is another example. Part of the mantra of the course is to make the students as stressful and as miserable as possible (via food deprivation, sleep deprivation, extreme stress, extreme terrain, and continuously hard missions) in order to have the students prove to themselves that they are capable of overcoming great stress and deprivation and still succeed. Does either one of these training methods perfectly simulate combat? No. That is impossible, but it is the best we can do. Now I know I am explaining military training, and martial arts schools are not the military. I understand that. I also understand that people train in martial arts for different reasons, which can be as diverse as: wanting to get into shape, join an organization, better discipline, competition, self-defense skills, etc. I personally don't have anything against any of these reasons, but the student must know that sometimes some of these focuses are exclusive of others. If I join a place that teaches cardio kickboxing in order to get into better shape, this is legit. However, I must be honest with myself with the truth that cardio kick boxing is not something that is going to get me prepared to defend myself on the street. Each style is different, and even dojos within the same style can be different. To each his own for what he or she wants to do. My dojo can offer a lot of things: discipline, fitness, joining a larger organization, learning about Okinawan culture, but, admittedly, there may be better dojos out there for these pursuits. My main purpose, and where I focus, is to prepare my students for life protection (self-defense) on the streets. When I teach students how to defend themselves, I am including the ability to take pain as part of this. I put them outside their comfort zone so that they know, when the stress is high, they can overcome. This is not my magical idea--this is proven to be the best way to train by the greatest military in the world (see above). That being said, this training is still controlled. I push things to the limit, but not over the limit. Does this training method perfectly simulate street self-defense? No. That is impossible, but it is the best we can do. You are right when you say a real life situation is a "lose-lose" proposition. No matter how fast or good you are, you are still likely to get hit or feel pain. Part of being able to defend yourself is to overcome this pain. Can you perfectly simulate this in the dojo...no. But you can give your students confidence that they can overcome, in a general sense, by putting them through hard training in the dojo. Look at some of the Okinawan masters. Morio Higaonna comes to mind. His style is Goju Ryu. This is not my style, but I will say they go through extreme body conditioning with Hojo Undo (Body Strengthening exercises) and Ude Tanren (Forearm Conditioning exercises). His hands are like bricks, plus he is in his 80s and still practicing (as many of the Okinawan masters are). Finally, if I see someone with cauliflower ear, or shins that look like they have been conditioned by kicking a rubber tree, or fists like Master Hagionna’s, well, those are people I don’t want to fight. Regardless of who (them or me) can land a cleaner punch, these guys can definitely take pain, and that is something that makes them hard men (and women) and tough in a fight! One Kick, you train for your own reasons and that is fine. If you don't want to train the way I am proposing, that is also fine. Karate no michi. Solid post, Fat Cobra!!

What I'm about to express, is for conversation, and not for judgement to be passed, please. I was an unwilling student who was trapped in a By-Law for 5 long years. History... In the very early days of the SKKA, which wasn't founded until Soke, with then Kaicho, Dai-Soke, moved to the USA in the late 1950's. Slowly but surely, their Student Body grew in a respective manner. Over some time, the Student Body was an equal mix of kids and adults. Promotion within the Kyu ranks slowly grew from Jukyu to Ikkyu, and the Hombu faced their first Shodan Testing Cycle. Kids were excited about that!! But their excitement was quickly dashed with one sentence from Soke... "You're not old enough!!" Soke never offered an explanation as to why, except..."Because I said so!!" Complaints reeled in from many parents, and as fast as those complaints came in, they were cast away by an unfeeling and dauntless Soke; he was firm in his commitment. Here at KF, this very subject has been covered from many different angles from both sides of the fence; pros and cons. Hopefully, this thread's a different angle...hopefully. From the era Soke was born in, 1917, passed away in 2008, and from where he came from, Nanjo, Okinawa, and arriving in the USA to establish the SKKA/Hombu in the late 1950's... Shortly after the very first Shodan Testing Cycle, where kids have earned an Ikkyu, had came and gone, Soke was vexed just enough to authorize the Junior Black Belt for those Ikkyu who earned the right to earn a JBB. However, same Testing Cycle for the JBB AND Shodan, but no one under 18 years of age is allowed to earn Shodan. BTW, that rule still is enforced to this day!! Was Soke wrong in not allowing kids to earn a Shodan Testing Cycle??