BDPulver

http://www.isshin-ryu.com/ This is my sensei's site. One of our black belts is actually credit'd with doing the site up. Not sure of the program he actually used but he told me it was just basic HTML so that changes can be made daily or whenever.

This kinda goes under the discipline we have. Everything has a reason behind to the help the student learn. Like stripes ours was on the left. Gi top was also a issue, right side first then left side over top. ( I saw alot that never knew how to put a top on ). Some even learned how to hide the flap from the obi exposing in the back to make it look like one belt.

Pretty much Truestar and Bushido nailed it. You will want to have parents there for the first few minutes and have them run there 'errands'. The other is and we have had this work too is a sibling, or parent will join class also. This has the shy person see that hey if mom/dad can do this so can I mentality. The major problem is with kids that young, I've taught 5 yr olds and its a two sided coin. The key to success with them is to always keep them occupied. We usually did little games and stuff to help with anxiety and shyness and it does do wonders.

Steelers

Depends on the mood I'm in. Classical if I'm just going through moves of katas and what not. Heavy metal if I'm doing a intense workout. Techno type music when I'm shadow boxing or sparring with a partner.

Oh man. Um.... my favorite one is jet li and jackie in forbidden kingdom. Chuck in the Octagon final fight. Not really a fight scene but my favorite part in Rambo when Rambo goes to the mercs Live for Nothing or Die for something.

I can only go from experience in my style. I've been studying, practicing, teaching isshinryu close to 30 yrs. Does this make me a master of other styles as well. I wouldnt think so. All I know is isshinryu and kobudo. I still wouldnt expect to be a master of isshinryu even with that long of training in it. I still dont know every thing there is in my form. I love my style though. And thats the other thing also to mastery, theres a Love to your style that only you yourself can explain.

we pretty much have it set as wearing too and from class only. If you have to stop at the store take your belt off and wear a tshirt instead of the top.

You are a true hero in my eyes. I've worked with one female who was totally deaf and I think she had tunnel vision. Not sure of what they actually called it, she had no proliferal vision what so ever. I learned how to sign cause of her and she was the greatest. And man she had a mean right hook. Another guy I worked with had two, yes two fake legs. Talk bout a strong kumite fighter, he could do it. He knew how to distance himself well and use his upper body. What does this mean. You work to your own rythym. If you dont think you can do it dont. If you want to try go for it. I've worked with a lot of people with disablities and they always fascinate me how hard they are willing to try something.

cool thanks Tallgeese. I'll have the check the Jordan one out. I think I read that Salvatore one though, its been awhile though.

and that is where one will never get mastery. Like my O-sensei said along with tori. One will never achieve mastery of the art until they have found nothing in the art to learn from period. There is always knowlegde there on techniques/forms/principles and people to learn from.

I think it worked with our school. The big thing with my teacher is report cards with kids that I forgot to mention earlier. If they arent doing well in school he gives them a time frame to keep coming to class but to get those grades up first. And with adults its usually the pushup routine or sit in zen and count your breaths exhales, then inhales.

I'm actually looking for a new book. Anyone know any good fantasy ones dealing with eastern philosphy or has MA in it ??. Seemed everyone I picked up was the typical fantasy novel you find everywhere.

with the kids, we usually had a time out. If they got too loud, started doing the looking around while do techniques, or picking on (even laughing) at someone or something. They sat down for usually 5 to 10 mins. Adults hated when I was going through class. Where I just got out of the army I loved doing pushups and sit ups. If they started getting carried away it was usually till the black belt got tired then they could stop.

I'd have to disagree on the mastery. Even now with 30 yrs under me I am still learning aspects of my art along with others. There is always something to be learned no matter what rank you might attain. It follows a old chinese proverb I think where a student asked the master if he was to train one day a week how long till he became a master? Master replies 15 yrs. Frustrated at that the student then goes what if I train 3 days a week, Master replies 30 yrs. Furiated the student goes what if I practice every day of the year from sun up till sun down. THe master says with a smile 90 yrs. Quietly the student reflects on this after a week and comes back to the master why would it take so long to become a master training harder then ever. The master looks at the student and says cause no matter how much you learn a skill to master you are still learning like I am of you. Remembering this, we must remember that even though we want to achieve master. Do we ever truly achieve it ? Even practicing on my own I discover techniques in a technique and try to write them in my journal. Its a circle of life we all face though.

I love my dad but he never taught me how to fight. My mother saw how much I loved martial arts and pushed me to follow what I love. Most encounters I ran or rode my bike to avoid and it got to be scary growing up and I think she knew it. Somehow mom's always know. Pretty much my mom always said my dad was a lover and not a fighter and never really understood that till much later in life.

I've sometimes wondered this myself also. Lately when I go and visit my sensei I'm always hearing that my teacher's sensei would look at old records and come back saying this is how Tatsou trained and tried to do same. So a kata I was taught years ago comes back with how it was originally done and even though its suttle changes I always looked at those suttle changes as being evolution of the kata. So it kinda goes back on what I originally said earlier is that you can trace the roots but if your trying to make it like the original is that really tracing the roots of the style being traditional???

In a matter of speaking...Yes bushido.

It's hard to say if I really do favor side. I will fight with either side forward but the only limitation I have is I have a bad left shoulder but dont try to let the other guy know bout it.

I always looked at traditional as not being flashy (ie XMA). You worked for your belt like my school does. And you can trace the roots of your style.

Pretty much I agree with Tallgeese. Both of those no matter how well trained you are you are either going to hurt yourself or die trying to get free. I do knife training alot and rule of thumb is even a amateur is dangerous. Now if the scenario in #1 was different say not pinned to the wall you have a better chance, you can gauge how far back you might need to shuffle and throw the attackers wieght off guard. Scenario #2 I've trained that alot when I was in the army. Mainly, no matter how well you might know the technique to get out your still going to end up with a cut sorta speak. Plus, that kinda technique with the attacker is usually used as a ambush attack or instant guerialla kill. Hence the army training.

38 here. been training since I was 10ish (to be honest I think I actually started at 8 but mom insists I was 10)

Catching up on this. I'll start off at how my teacher brought me into teaching. I started Isshinryu at 14 (been studying ma when i was 10ish). At that time I went to class as much as I could. I wasnt your typical kid growing up so I think thats why I was more mature then most of the adults. At around 16 I was promoted to brown (or more accurately 3rd since my sensei went backwards on brown kinda like a countdown 3,2,1 - shodan). When I got that he suggested I started coming to adult classes and after a few he let me teach kids classes only. I did this for probably about a year before he allowed me to help and I stress help teach adults. Now during this time we had some programs going on with the local schools which I would go too and teach those for him if he couldnt make it. He was our athletic director of the high school so you can imagine how busy his schedule would be. Pretty much doing all that and since I viewed that as my childhood (all I wanted was to graduate and get in the army) I was trying to mature to fast to impress him. I didnt realize this till I got out of the army, had a attitude bigger then my ego and started some, well you know. I got in trouble by my sensei for this and it took awhile for him to trust me again. After I finally gained his trust back I moved to KY and have taught a few people here but mostly from word of mouth cause I'm too strict and old fashion. Now to answer the question, under the right circumstances yes but to go through what I went through NO. They need to enjoy there childhood and not have any over burdens put on to them. I still believe that one should not gain a black belt till there 18 as this is a mark of achieving adult hood but 16 should be voted on by other adult black belts. I've been through it and know the downfalls of it.

Just to be with my daughter is the only gift I can think of.

Havent heard of this. Whats the basic story line of it without giving away any plot to it if possible. Thanks