tallgeese

Yeah, I really like this show. The mythology grows as seasons progress, the fight scenes are incredible, characters are fun to watch. Yeah, it's a win. Just getting better by the season.

Always hard setting these yearly goals, but important. So, here we go: Grow Academy by 10 percent. Maintain 4 day/ week average in training. Get back into a weekly dose of PTK. Maintain 2-3 days of additional conditioning. Be smart enough to not aggravate injuries while trying to attain points 2-4.

Congrats! Well deserved!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

"Stomp the groin" "Re-Stomp the groin."

I'm in agreement here. You've been around longer than most to attain rank. That gives you a degree of freedom in suggesting change or bringing up concerns. I think a sit down to discuss it is the place to start. Also, as Brian said, if this doesn't end to your satisfaction or the meeting is refused, then it's time to move on. You're in that room for so much more than learning technique. If it's adding stress to you life instead of reducing it or cutting down on you ability to stay in shape instead of increasing it, then it's not helping you as much as it should. And remember your first point. You're paying to be there. At the end of the day you're in a consumer relationship with the management and have every right to discontinue that and go somewhere that is in line with your goals. Good luck and keep us posted.

I agree! Congratulations, everyone and thank you for your contributions that continue to make KF such a great resource.

Welcome aboard! Glad to have you.

Again, I believe that many use who are the sole instructor of said MA school, use the name/initials to become important; to fill a void of some type. I didn't coin the phrase; Saitou Sensei did, as his right being the Soke of Shindokan Saitou-ryu. Under some definition, I suppose I do fit into the CI category, some how and some way. Please don't misunderstand... I have no issue with the term nor those that use it. My personal opinion, after studying in a few arts with some using different titles, is it's much easier to have every one call you teacher or as you said by your first name than inject many titles. However if this is what the man responsible for the art/organization instituted, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Years back someone in our organization petitioned the board to include Shihan (which is purely a Japanese title) as a title to differentiate Senior instructors from their students/instructors. They did enact this but very, very few of us ever used the title nor did our students ever call us by that title. Its always just been Shinshii. I'm of the mindset that first names would, as you say, be even easier. Unfortunately traditions are hard to change after decades, centuries of use. I guess I look at this the same way I do belt colors. No matter the color, if you are good then it will show. Students and even other instructors will know what grade (or close to it) you are because it will show through your abilities, skill and knowledge. Belts and titles are irrelevant compared to these. No one would enter my Shinshii's Dojo as assume that he was a student or that any one of his instructors were in charge. But to each their own. As long as your learning to defend yourself it matters little what the title is that your instructor holds. As you always say, proof is on the floor, and a title does not change that. I do however feel that those that are not what they purport to be use these titles as a way to hide behind and elevate their ego's without having to prove what they claim to their students. If the title is legitimate and it's your arts tradition to use it as a sign of respect for your accomplishments and contributions then there is nothing wrong with these titles. Personally the only title I have ever had an issue with is "Master" for reasons I have outlined in other posts. Yeah, we are pretty laid back. Most everyone is on a first name basis. There's the occasional "coach" used by newer people, but that's as formal as it gets. I too agree that in most adult programs a first name basis is the way to go.

There are a lot of assumptions here about people rolling with strikes, SD uses, etc. There's a whole sport side to jiu jitsu where all these arguments are irrelevant. It's all about what people are utilizing it for. Seriously, go train. Have fun. Do what makes it fun for you.

Welcome to KF!

Welcome to KF! It's a tricky thing. Honestly, I agree with JazzKicker. There is a high likelihood you'll get frustrated with no other adults. That said, if this is the only option I'd stick with it. We can all talk about what a best case scenario is but really it sounds like this might be the only option at this time. If you're enjoying it and like about everything else about it then it's certainly better than not training. As was suggested, talking a friend into taking class with you might be the best short term option. It will give you someone of size/ weight and an equitable background to work with. That will probably bode well for you to stay involved. Let us know how it goes!

Congrats! That's great news!

Yes, I've read it several times over the years. For me, right now, most of the value is the conceptual. For instance, the concept of leaning many things from one. On the face, he's talking about learning the way of strategy for many men from swordsmanship. From a modern perceptive, it's directly related to structuring the system of your teaching to link skills and fundamentals through multiple techniques to make learning and anchoring skills easier. For example, advanced techniques in jiu jitsu are largely just fundamentals applied in unique ways. One of the first warm ups students learn is a stand and base line drill, or technical stand up, various names. Here's the thing, if you as an instructor present it right the student should see that what appears to be a complex deep half guard sweep is really just a stand and base applied from a position underneath the partner's hips with a very specific foot position. From one thing, 10,000. It's just and example of one of the maxims from the book and it's application. There is also specific application of tactical principles. The Fire Scroll is a treasure trove to anyone is a blade based art. We talked about this all the them in Kali, specifically his discussion to movement to the left and outside the primary attacking angle of a blade. Good stuff all around. If you're taking the time to really sort out it's application your spending a ton of time dissecting your art, that's a good way to really begin to master it. Highly recommend the book. Over and over again.

Not specifically. I think everyone has their "go to" movements or "A game" but that's not necessarily a list of movements you're looking for as it is what you like to do. These are two very different things. If I become too attached to a given method, and the dynamics of the fight don't lead me there I can be in deep water and unprepared. I do agree with Alan though that some guiding principles are important. This is the list that really defines what you're trying to do. These will keep your training focused and guide you to prioritizing training. For instance, in my first art of Bujin, we always worked though the steps of Evade, Stun, Unbalance, Control as a guiding set of principles. In BJJ we often look to the Gracie concept of Close the Gap, Get the Fight to the Ground, Dominate Position, Finish the Fight. By internalizing these we have more adaptability to deal with conflict. That said, everyone should use the best method for driving their training that works for them. If that's a list format, go for it.

Thank you, Patrick!

Thank you so much for all the kind words, everyone. It is humbling to have members of this group chime in on this thread. Patrick, it is just great to be here and be able to help, in some small way, to the function of this community you've built. I really am at a loss for words. Thank you all.

Indeed! Happy birthday, Patrick!!!!

Hello everyone! We are now at another half birthday for KarateForums.com and, as such, Patrick has asked another of the long time staff members to share some thoughts on the community, martial arts, and what the two together mean to us. This time the honor to say something has fallen to me. I came to KarateForums.com in 2008 - yes, that long ago - and I’ve been here since. Sometimes more frequently than others, but always coming back around. When I landed here, I had been doing martial arts in some form or fashion since 1989. During that time, I had started in a traditional art and slowly migrated to the growing grappling and MMA scene. Somewhere along the way I dabbled in Filipino arts so when I landed at KarateForums.com, I was looking at things through a very wide lens, knowing that no single system had every answer to every problem. Then I stumbled onto KarateForums.com. Here was a community that had a large number of contributors that were very well versed in their given disciplines, and there was a great variety in the arts represented as well. That diversity attracted me initially, as did the obvious depth of all the contributors understanding of their chosen system. Everyone posting had a clear passion for what they did as well as a thorough knowledge of the principles behind their tactics. I had come to realize that this level of educated discourse was rare in many internet forums dedicated to the martial arts. Moreover, those individuals were very open to a compare and contrast discussion, choosing to forgo the usual “which art is best” discussion that can dominate internet conversation. This was new. Well, to me in relation to the internet, Patrick had been fostering this level of community for some time. We should all thank him more often than we do for his commitment to holding this line in an era where it’s so rare. And that’s why I stayed, and continue to stay: The quality of the discourse here. This is a point that I feel has implications far beyond the martial arts online community. Given the way internet communication has propagated and the near lack of civility from many groups therein, as well as those far more vocal offline, I think it’s so important that forums still exist that put ideas at the forefront of discussion. Groups like this foster healthy debate about something that we don’t always agree on but are willing to talk about on the merits of tactics, facts, and principle; not a perceived character deficit on the other side of a disagreement. This lesson, this idea, is more important now than ever and as we see the internet continue to be such a force in not just the evolution of the martial arts but in how we properly conduct communication as a global society. We can’t forget the basic lessons in passionately discussing topics that has been fostered in healthy communities like KarateForums.com. The culture of learning that it builds, of looking at a problem from another’s worldview, carries on beyond just the study of a fighting system. And isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing with the arts? “From one thing, learn ten thousand things.” Musashi’s words have never been more appropriate. We are very lucky here, and everyone that posts and stays active and continues to use KarateForums.com as a learning resource for their own journey is a major part of that. Thank you for letting me be part of it. And Happy Birthday, KF!

Congrats!

I feel that the "art" part of all of this, regardless of style, is the application of the techniques and principles of the system to your unique situation. How do you make those motions work for you based on physiology, mindset, and situation. There's a far cry between each of us practicing any style. Even the same system, taught by the same person, won't set on each of us the same. Internalizing what's taught for you is, to me, the art because unlike simple technique, this process requires technical understanding AND an understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses. Plus you need to be able to modify and adjust within the parameters of your chose styles principles. That's a very fluid, and artful, thing.

Welcome aboard KF!

Welcome aboard!

There's a chance we've met. Central Illinois was my stomping ground 20 years ago. Was the USBBA crowed training with the Juko-kai guys then? I'm thinking it was earlier but that overlap was evident for a long time. PM me if you get the chance.

Welcome aboard KF!