Killer Miller

Hi all, I'm known as Killer Miller, a name I was blessed with from the guys in my past training days... An interesting story as to how I was given that name, but this is an introduction - perhaps another time... I am a Shodan in Karate, JKA/AAKF Shoto-kan, and trained for 17 years under Hidetaka Nishiyama. I have had the absolute pleasure to train with some of the best teams and karate-ka in the world - Oishi, Shirai, Matsura, Mori, Japan team, European team, Iran team, etc..., to name a few. I was about one month from my Nidan test, and a couple of year from making the Team, and incurred a seriou injury. This ended my heavy training. I had several Dojos after that, then got married, went corporate - Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., and then just kind of faded out of the art. I have just had surgery for my injury about a year ago and I am doing great since - back in action!!! But not in Karate, I am an avid Table Tennis practitioner/competitor. The techniques used in karate are identical to table tennis techniques. I devote several hours a week to the sport, and promote my karate techniques/concepts to the sport - I have a website on my Table Tennis concepts. The work out I get from table tennis training/competition is almost as intense as from my karate days. Just lower impact on the body, and the only thing you have to block is a stray ball heading toward you face, or an occasional poor sport loser... I don't know if I will get back into Karate, but just the same, I love discussing it with others. Sometimes I feel guilty not passing on what I have learned, and whom I've learned it from... But that's life I guess. Although, in a way I have through table tennis. And I can still put my finger through a 8 1/2 x 11" piece of paper haning on a string - great at parties when there's a big guy talking tough and I do this and they can't... Favorite book: "Gorin No Sho" (Book of Five Rings) Favorite Katas: Gan Kaku, Niju Shiho, Unsu (sp?) Favorite karate competitor: Takeshi Oshi Favorite training concepts: Kake Waza, Sasoi Waza Favorite saying: "Mizu No Kokoro" (Mind Like Water) Nice to meet you all! - Killer -

It seems to be around 10 - 12 hours a week to be the ideal amout of hours to train - how you spread that out is up to you. Back in my team training hay day, I was training 6 to 7 days a week about 3 to 5 hours a day - and so was most of the team members (around 30 to 35 hrs. a week). We would all typically meet for meals after training...and eat like pigs! However, we couldn't keep our calories up!!! Many of us, myself too, lost a lot of weight with this training regimine. We all felt very healthy, quick, strong, etc... Although, in reality, we were actually very unhealthy. I went from 180 lbs., down to the low 140 lb. range - other team members did the same. Two team members went from the 200 lb range down to the high 130 lb range and got "Mono" as the result! Most of us had cut back our training to the 20 hour range and started to get healthy again and gain weight. I personally cut my training back to every other day - my weight returned back to the 178 lb range by doing so. I hope many of you enthusiasts learn from my mistake. Generally you have "one" chance to train "properly" in Karate because the result could affect your Karate careers/goals for the rest of your life!!! An injury for improperly training can scar you for good... Any other similar experiences out there??? - Killer -

I wouldn't worry about it too much... Your first test is just about given to ya - I probably shouldn't be telling you that though... They know you're nervous, they know this is your fist test, they know you're trying your best! Unless you totally forget your kata, or forget and make no effort to continue, and you know how to step, punch, and kick, you'll pass. The second test on though, that's a different story - those won't be so easy. So be sure to train, train, train... Secondly, the day before your test, don't train - just relax. If you don't know it by then, you won't remember it when you test... You want to be fresh, full of strength, and have a great mental attitude. Also, enjoy the test and learn from it - don't ever think of it as a failure. We have "ALL" been there before. Yes, you will be nervous. Yes, you will forget things. Yes, you will perform at about 50% to 60%, at best, of how you normally train. Thirdly, when you test, it's more like performing. There is the "art of perfection," and then there is the "art of performance." You have some experience in the art of perfection through your weekly training. But you have not had the experience of the art of performance, which you will be doing in front of people in your test - a totally separate learning experience. So, just enjoy it and learn from it. Notice why you were nervous, what were the symptoms of it, and how were you able to overcome it??? Think of this during your test, and you will learn from it. The next test will be much easier. In closing, there's not much you can do about this first test. It's part of the process and you just have to get through it the best you can. All anyone will ever expect of you is to just "do your best..." - Killer -

Shodan - JKA/AAKF 17 years under Hidetaka Nishiyama Green Belt - 6 Sigma concepts - Killer - P.S., how do you get the "Black Belt" avitar on the left panel??? Are you awarded it, or is there somewhere to go and get it? Or is it like many American Karate dojos where you just go and Buy it...

That's why he was known as the "Founder of modern day Karate." The art had to be changed, and originally was very high stances and open hand killing techniques - the day of the Samurai... Karate can never be taught as it was intended originally because the concept was training for the "Perfect Execution of Technique." In basic terms, the perfect "killing" technique. When I taught classes, when I had my Dojos, I had to be careful about using the word "perfect killing technique," the parents would come unglued!!! However, this is the concept that you had to train with to truly understand the art... If you get a chance, read the book Gorin No Sho (spelling?), "The Book of Five Rings." If you want to get a true taste of what fighting was really about in the old days, read this book - very facinating... However, immagine trying to teach these concepts in today's Karate! You would be arrested, or sued at the very least... Immagine teaching your students perfect killing techniques, then telling them to go out and "Kill" each other for testing!!! LOL, your black belt exam would be that you are still living>> So yes, Funakoshi was definately a hero because he effectively preserved the arts in a civil mannor. Shoto-Kan practitioners ("Shoto" being Funakoshi's pen name, and "Kan" being building or dojo) are very strong and effective in their Kumite and Kata because these principles are still taught. And please, I don't want to hear how it's a "hard" style, because you would be comparing the lower level practitioners and not the higher, fluid, and more experienced levels... - Killer -

I bet I could Kick your butt! In Table Tennis that is.... I challenge you to a match!!! You got to come here though.... - Killer -

I haven't been around for awhile and just wondering if there are any AAKF people on the group here - Primarily the Nishiyama group... If so, just wanted to say hello and how things are going at the Dojo, who's still there, and How's Nishiyama doing these days??? - Killer -

Hi, I'm Jack and I'm new to the forum. My brother told me about the forum and I thought I'd check it out. I'm not training any more, but like to talk to old buddies, and discuss karate in general. I trained JKA/AAKF for about 17 years under Hidetaka Nishiyama. I was getting ready to test for Nidan when I stopped training (Still Shodan though...). I was hoping to make the team, but inquired a serious injury. I finally had surgery for that injury about a year ago and doing great but feel too old and sore to continue with Karate and not enough time to teach it anymore either... I've always been an avid Table Tennis player/competitor since I was a kid. Karate movements and technique is actually identical to table tennis. I have a table tennis website that fucuses primarily on the relationships of the two sports. I get almost the same workout with table tennis as I did with karate, except much lower impact on my body... Anyhow, favorite Kata(s)??? Kanku Dai, Goju Shiho, Unsu (can't remember correct spelling?). - Killer -