sensei8

What does the AMA initials stand for?? Do they have a website?? The Governing Body that I've been with for 53 years, the SKKA, and that I've been the Kiacho of for 10 years, doesn't have the minimum of desire to compare with any other Governing Bodies found all over the world. Why?? Our direct concerns are towards one thing...the betterment of our Student Body. How other Governing Bodies cross their 't's' and/or dot their 'i's' is of no concern of ours. We don't judge the how and the why of other Governing Bodies, just ours, and ours alone. This was our Soke's desire, to be separate across the board from every other Governing Bodies of the MA, and I carry on his desires. To be fair... The initials of SKKA stand for Shindokan Karate-do and Kobudo Association. We do NOT have a website, though we've tried, and failed to create one for many years; for various reasons, we've tabled that project for an undetermined time frame, and I doubt that'll ever come to fruition.

Any Governing Body, wait, scratch that, I'll get back to that in a moment, any CI worth their salt would never ever grant permission to any prospective student any other belt than a white belt IF you're not remaining with THAT AMA sanction. Why?? If you're a new prospective student seeking to join another style of the MA, as well as a new dojo, then by all facts, you're a beginner, thus, a white belt under their brand/flag. IF you're switching dojo's yet remaining with the AMA Governing Body, then that shouldn't be an elephant in the room type of decision for the CI to make, or for the AMA Governing Body to accept. Same this and that!! Moreover, rank is totally immaterial across the board. It [MA] shouldn't ever be about rank whatsoever; knowledge and experience through the betterment of the MA. If you were to come to my dojo as a prospective student, with absolutely no Shindokan tenure, and even if you're have an earned Ikkyu from the AMA, I'd welcome you with open arms without any reservation. However, I'd present you a white belt. And if after I present you with a white belt, and you hem and hawed about the white belt, I'd ask you to leave, and to not return until rank means absolutely nothing to you. As you being an Ikkyu in AMA, you should already realize that within the MA world, ranks mean nothing outside ones current Governing Body AND ones current dojo. A BB in one style is a Green Belt, for example, in another dojo and/or Governing Body. Even if I was in the AMA Governing Body, and I was a CI of my dojo, and you wanted to join my AMA dojo from another AMA dojo, I'd, more than likely, present you with a white belt, until you meet my strict expectations. Why?? My dojo is my dojo, and the AMA Governing Body has absolute no authority over the comings and goings of my AMA affiliated dojo. If the AMA Governing Body insisted that I accept your approved rank of Ikkyu in my dojo, I'd seriously contemplate leaving the AMA because no one dictates how I operate my AMA dojo. This, what I've posted, I believe you already know that per your opening post. Transferable?!?!? I'd make a call to the AMA Governing Body AND your current CI AND the AMA dojo you're wanting to transfer to...in that order. Transferring should be an easy enough process, but that's where the politics make the tangible into the intangible because one wants to dictate, the Governing Body, while one wants to rule, the current AMA dojo's CI, while one wants to possess; it's hard for them all to see eye to eye because they demonstrate just how important they are, and just how unimportant the student is. Imho!!

I say that I've been blessed with total control over my toes. I can move them into the desired position for whatever's necessary. I've blessed toes!!

Great topic, Himokiri Karate!! For the life of me, I can't think if one, sorry. But, I'd not be surprised if there are more than a few. I play games like SOCUM, Metal Gear Solid, Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Halo, which I don't believe have any forgotten MA.

Excellent OP; thanks for starting this thread/topic, OneKickWonder!! Absolutely!! The other tragedy is when we don't take the necessary steps to educate our students, and our own family, just in case the unforeseen occurs. Kids of all ages and backgrounds can be educated, but the play has to be both practical and serious just enough to get the kids to pay attention while learning, as well as understand the severity of it all. It all depends on how the CI approaches it!! That'll make a world of difference!!

More influence by the Soke may have worked in a more conformist culture, but, the US is not very conformist. He was wise enough to realize a change needed to be made and humble enough to realize he needed to change. While Soke has never read, "Who Moved My Cheese", he slowly learned that change was inevitable...change or die...he choose to live.

What you do seems ideal. You provide a basic structure to ensure the integrity of the overall training, but provide enough freedom for a business owner to operate according to their needs and conscience. Thank you!! It wasn't an easy road to pave, but Soke and Dai-Soke were sensitive to those boundaries. But it wasn't always that way!! The SKKA had to not just teach lessons, but they had to learn how to learn lessons as well.

Either my students are or my students aren't!! I don't dwell on it, even though it's my longest desire, and that's for others to determine, if that's their thing to do. I never set out 53 years ago to be better than my Dai-Soke, either I am or I'm not. But to be honest, I don't care one way or another if I am or if I'm not. As Dai-Soke's student, I do truly think, like many of you here do when you think about your Sensei, that my Sensei is beyond contestation with his amazing MA abilities; untouchable and above me in every way. Like I do with my own children, I want my students to be better than me across the board. I give my students the same love and guidance that I've given to my own children with an unlimited resolve. I give me students, and my children, all of the tools I believe that they'll need to be that successful MAist, and that beacon of hopes and desires and dreams; attainable and reachable goals to touch the stars and beyond. If either, my children and my students, aren't better than me, than I've failed them!!

We, at the SKKA, under Soke and Dai-Soke was a measured lesson of how a Governing Body needs to get out of it's own way, and they did get out of the way, and out of that dojo's way within the SKKA's network. Under my leadership, the SKKA has ramped up it's own accountability towards the Student Body to ensure that we TEACH, and that we never put the SKKA/Hombu above anyone who's part of the SKKA. Student Body first, SKKA LAST!! Showing that sincere appreciation that's tangible as well as paramount to the Student Body has been a vital ingredient for the Student Body to exceed all expectations. If the horse doesn't want any dumb water, after I've led it to the waters edge, then the horse won't drink any dumb water until its thirsty!! The SKKA can meddle all it wants in dojo internal politics if it wanted to once again, however, if the Student Body wanted the SKKA's dumb forced opinion, they'd ask for our dumb forced opinion. Seeing that they've not asked for our dumb forced opinion, then the SKKA will not force our dumb opinions upon them. If we meddle, then we might as well pay their bills too. But seeing that we don't own any networked dojos within the SKKA, whatsoever, then the SKKA are obedient from a respected distance. The SKKA has an open door policy, and whenever any dojo want's our advice, they'll ask because we're that support function for them whenever they value our advice. Nonetheless, they must want to ask for our dumb opinions in the first place; we're masters of keeping our opinions to ourselves as well as keeping our mouths closed...no matter how bad we might want to express our opinions. I don't like the taste of my own foot in my mouth!!

Aha...Thanks Alan Armstrong and G95champ!! G95champ, what were you SMH at??

Solid post!!

Solid post!! Nothing says it better than when a student humbles themselves willingly. You'll be fine, so just train hard and train well!!

Naihanchi Naihanchi Naihanchi Naihanchi Naihanchi The entire series, of course. Outside of that, I'm quite fond of Wankan, Meikyo, Kanku Sho, Pinan Godan, and Unsu.

Welcome back to KF, G95champ; glad that you're back!!

Well...well...well... My American League won against the National League by the score of 8-6. The game was a home run derby of its own...10 home runs...One was predicted...three were go-ahead...two were back-to-back. Aaron Judge, of my Yankees, started bombing the yards in the 2nd inning...of course, I cheered...ok...I cheered LOUDLY!! Then Mike Trout, of the Angels, did his part in the 3rd inning. Then, Jean Segura, of the Mariners, who predicted he'd go yard, and guess what, he did...it wasn't the prettiest HR, but a HR nonetheless. Next, and I love his first name...Scooter Gennett, of the Reds blasted a 2 run HR in the bottom of the 9th. Game now tied 5-5; now we're in extra innings. Wait, wait, wait...it's not fair of me to forget the notables in the Natinal League who went yard, so, Joey Votto, Willson Contreras, Trevor Story, Christian Yelich also HR'd for the NL. My blood pressure went down shortly after my American League recaptured the lead when Alex Bregman of the Astros went yard in the 10th inning...with the go-ahead. But to not be outdone, Astros teammate George Springer went yard for back-to-back HR's. 10 times both Leagues went yard, which broke the record of 6 HR's, which was done back in 1951, 1054, and 1971. Yes sir/ma'am...that was one for the books, and one exciting game for this dedicated Yankee fan because as of late, that midsummers game wasn't the most exciting thing to watch, except for the Home Run Derby. Ha Ha Ha, this year we fans were treated to two Home Run Derby's. This is why many consider, and I'm included among them, baseball is the greatest past-time. OK, time to come back to earth, and back to MLB regular season. I got to get back behind my Yankees and cheer them to the playoffs, and then to the World Series...the land where dreams come true. GO YANKEES!!

I shouldn't ask, but, what's SMH stand for??

You know what gets in the way?? Judges and competitors!! However, what fun would it be without either...or both!!?? Do the best and hope and pray that everything works out in the end.

It is said that the one who understands the rules better than the others...wins. This is true for much anything, including the MA. The inevitable changes without permission, so, one has to learn to adapt faster than others...or be left behind.

While it’s true that a lot of high ranks are political promotions, “political” needs to be defined IMO. Quite often, that “political” means what the person has done for their art and organization, and for the MA overall. Someone who’s continually trained very high quality and deservingly high ranking MAists, and has spread and furthered his/her art and organization is typically worthy of being promoted to a high dan rank without any negative connotations of what people consider a “political” move. Add to that most very high ranking MAists are advanced in age and have been through many, many physical tests, and a “political promotion” isn’t a bad thing at all. As far as Bruce Lee studying and pulling elements of multiple arts to create his own MA is concerned... While it’s true he did that and did that effectively, Bruce Lee is a bit of an anomaly here. Just because he did it the right way doesn’t mean anyone nor everyone can. Nor should they. I’m certainly not saying no one else should nor anyone who does so must be at his level, but citing Bruce Lee is a like an average boxer citing Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson saying ‘hey, he did it’; it doesn’t quite hold up very well. Keep in mind Bruce Lee didn’t train in Wing Chun for that long. He studied under Ip Man (and his students) from 13 or 14 years old until he was 18 or 19, so 5-6 years. He was allegedly quite good and trained hard for long hours daily, but he didn’t “complete” the system nor was he considered a master of it in the traditional sense. I don’t know if Lee was ever formally authorized to teach Wing Chun at all to be honest. I’m not saying that to take anything away from him; just stating facts here. Solid post!! What you've posted above in the bold type... More often than not, the words "politics" and "Senior Dan's", used in the same sentence, are thrown around with the tone of disrespect without considering the points you've made here, imho. Thank you!!

Like I'm fond of saying... Proof is on the floor!! Not all high ranks are political. I earned my Kudan through a Testing Cycle; it wasn't given to me through some political ploy. Even though the SKKA tried to force it down my throat for many years through a political excuse via our By-Laws.

Check this out... https://www.martialartsentertainment.com/michael-jai-white/

I've absolutely no expectations about it whatsoever. I seriously doubt that much will be televised for one reason or another; one can hope, though. After all, it'll not be as popular as Gymnastics or Swimming or Track And Field or Boxing, just to name a few.

Great responses, everyone, thank you!! I've been on the floor for 53 years, and the one thing I'm sure of, MA wise, is... Proof is on the floor!! It's always been that way, and it'll always be that way. The floor will judge you extremely harshly with cause, and unapologetic; can't hide from it, and can't fool it either, even though many have tried to fool the floor, and many have failed in their attempts, and many will continue to do so. If one thinks that their better than the floor across the board, then that's when the floor is at its most resolved.

If I was the instructor teaching Karate/Eskrima and I had a student tell me they were leaving to train in BJJ I wouldn't take it personally, I would just figure that BJJ is more their thing and so that's what they should pursue. I would know that Karate and Eskrima aren't for everybody and if BJJ works better for a particular student than they should do that instead, just as BJJ isn't for everybody and there might be students who quit BJJ in favor of Karate and Escrima. That's just me though, I can't speak for your instructor as everybody reacts differently. Yeah, that's it!! The student should be able to explore the many facets of the MA quite freely without facing any type of discouragement whatsoever from anybody. If a CI take offense to a student wanting to learn another MA, then that CI is lacking from one thing or more. Imho!!

Point sparring is another tool for the student to utilize. However, for any tool to be advantages for the user of the tool, proactive seriousness must be garnered effectively. Nonetheless, if the tool, point sparring, in this case, is only being used to earn a tournament reward [trophy and the like], and to not improve the MA betterment of the student, then that's the damaging side affect of point sparring. Imho!!