Hawkmoon

Not ever read the book but then the way my mind works, when a book title use a term like 'big profit' its already not making its way to the top of any of my reading lists! 100 students across different classes to serve different ages and abilities! Sounds about right, yet still I am aware of clubs with smaller head count that that that have been operating for years! With due respect to all, a dojo IMO should come into being for plain and simple love of the art, profit, profit comes later! club dues,licence fees, and so on pay the rent, pay for equipment, like cooking get these ingredients right the results/rewards is measure in a larger student base and silver ware! To look at MA as a profit line, I say to you three letters: G.K.R.

To seek glory to search it out.... really ! This is not The X-Factor! "I'm ready to grade now" no arrogance in that is there? When you are told you are to grade, the person granting you that opportunity has seen something in you and has deemed you ready to represent the art going forward. To demand it, to seek it out at every opportunity, reminds me of Donkey form Shrek! "Pick me! pick me! pick me!"

LOL! I hear that! When I first mentioned about coming back to MA,to my wife she new nothing about MA at all, or the Ryu that I was going to pick back up again! She did some research for the one I do ... and now she thinks I'm a complete head case!! LOL!

A suggestion.. In our Dojo we've introduced in the last few months the idea of a 'pre-grading'. A session held a week before the actual grading for students to help get students more familiar with the whole situation, and where a little more polish is needed! Its important to note that we also hold our gradings in private, so just like the real grading these pre-gradings are held in private as well, its just them and the grading panel in attendance! They are treated as if they were actually grading but unlike a real grading come the end there is no 'pass or fail' conversation, its a 'work on this and that' chat!

The profound answer would be "fight the person not the style".. Seriously forget that he is a Thai fighter at all just fight him! What you described is not uncommon to any other schools of MA around, you get high pressure fighters (always on you) you get fighters that come at you from range (like a fencer (sword fighter)) and so on... He needs to be looked at like a high pressure fighter...so move around him let him press in and pass you as you side step and fight him! No matter how hard you work at keeping at range or off to this or that side he will get in close from time to time so you will have to deal with predicament when he does! He is after all fighting you as well! He has already looked at you and said to himself 'this karate guy will want to fight at range so I need to get in close!' Have a surprise waiting for him when he does!

Took my shodan August last year,had to fight 20 guys at knockdown after a 3 day test to earn the right the put the belt on... 47 year old ! Earlier the year before I completed my novice fights and am now an 'open' fighter! (Could be fun... possibly short but fun none the-less!) If I may offer, your are not made of glass, if feels like you are, but you are not, two or three strikes in and the uncertainty vanishes and everything comes into focus, fight the man not the grade. Relax and above all enjoy!

Bats all the way!!!

... an old thread and not the one I recall that I was actually looking for. Sorry can't find it if someone does (mad as this sounds) work out the thread I'm referring to please speak up! This is close to the same subject, in that the concept of training at all is to protect you and yours ... The thread I was looking for looked at MA with a view to getting to grips with the LAW surrounding it. (I made a comment about 'having no grey areas or regrests about your actions...."?) Below are some quotes the powers that be in the UK: This next one was interesting only because the police officer unfortunately became a target! can't speak for the rest of the world, but in the UK, an officer in or out of uniform is required to present upon request there 'Warrent card', a card that proves/confirms they are an officer of the Law. Simply, "no card, no officer! So why the interest? No, nothing to do with giving an officer a hard time at all, I've a couple of buddies in the service. No the interest is due to a theoretical scenario (and as the next piece shows) that can happen very easily,and it worries me a little! So ... To impersonate an officer of Law is a crime, to attack an officer of the law is a crime, so...read on.... In this case the prosecution could not prove the unlawfulness of his actions, although the assault on the officer was a mistake: This does not give you the right to 'fight' because someone looks at you in a funny way, but it does offer you the defense, the option you don’t have to wait to get hit/assaulted before you defend yourself. FYI: A myth here in the UK about the ‘3 warnings that you do Karate’ is..... a myth! So that said ... What is necessary or minimal force? How can you judge what will stop an attack?

Not corny at all. Noting one's own struggles as motivation to continue is great. And more than likely, you are an inspiration to those around you. I wholeheartedly concur with both posts!! Agreed! What a great thread seriously! We're all in here chatting helping guiding each other and the 'browse by' readers on what we do, what we say.... but we get and need guidance, direction and help when we go back to that other world, the physical world and train! Shihan, he makes me push hard without me realizing until afterwards! Mr. S, top man pushes me hard lets me explore different things. Mr. A, top man pushes me encourages me to push harder. 'Nat', a junior! 16 years old, sharp, fast, powerful seeks me out in the dojo every class to fight! In the dojo I'm the happy guy, the clown to some the friend to all, but these guys really make me feel like one of them! Its nice to see, I'm long past any fight career, yet I'm included in planning for this or that upcoming event the decision making of how we get there!

As spoken by Lawrence Fishburn in 'Predators': "the difference between Dogs and wolves", eg: like the difference between confidence and arrogance... In an ideal world a calm mind an even tempered person etc can do so with no effort and be correct, but we don't live in an ideal world... Our peers are the best gauge for us and our efforts, the skill is in finding an external view that is not as equally biased as your own. A view that compliments your own but is different enough to create honest debate not open conflict! A person on there own no not possible, a sample of one is not a sample at all, its a count. A person and a second party, going to be more 'who shouts loudest' situation, not going to that helpful either! Get more than 2 peoples input 3-8-22.... yes going to get a pretty fare and accurate representation of what you and your ability!

Love this post/thread really do! I was at a training coarse not so long back, a few weeks earlier I'd passed my Shodan grading and had had to fight 20 people at full knockdown to earn the right to wear that grade, yet on the coarse I was told I was not aggressive enough! That image you refer to is an image that some people promote and yet other seek out, an image I dislike and where ever possible is not presented, rather I seek to keep out of the line of conflict. My work sorry to say has me working in full tilt geek mode much of the day, IT security! So when I'm not on an Xbox racing, in the dojo fighting or fighting the good fight, I read and watch films! Reading allows me to switch of from the world and films makes reading soooo much easier .....!

Sosai Oyama, took solace in the mountains twice! The first time at the suggestion of Nei-Chu So. Sosai planned to spend three years on Mt. Minobu, he didn't and returned to the world, he later returned to the mountains and worked from Mt. Kiyosumi. Both periods isolation count up to 3 years of isolation working with nature as a opponent as well as training partner. Today Kyokushin students work where possible with nature to train. e.g. http://kyokushin-matsushima.jp/e/?p=7040 http://www.bkkwales.co.uk/2015/11/23/waterfall-training-2016/ I'd planned to go to this event ... completely messed up my dates and didn't go. I've run in the snow, which is to be perfectly honest very very refreshing and a true adrenaline rush once you get going, trained in the woods and pounded the roads all in full Gi! I'd love to train on a mountain using nature as my opponent and training partner! ( ... but I'm a country boy at heart so big open spaces are a big thing for me (No pun intended) If you get a chance to do any type of workout with nature (as it were) take it its a truly amazing feeling.

Sorry yes, I ment getting a third gi probably wouldn't help. I fully intend to get the compression shorts. Shotokan karate; is that what you mean? Yes! What you were describing sounded to my mind, familiar!

I'm not a religious person, as I've said in the past I respect people of faith/other Ryus and only ask that they show me the same! Maybe a history lesson into the Templar Knights would shed some light on the religious warrior and maybe allow them to consider a broader more balanced view, then move to Shaolin kung Fu and teh monks that practice it! I remember watching a film one time called "The Cross and the Switchblade", it started a chap called 'Erik Estrada' (aka: Officer Frank Poncherello) well I was a fan of CHiPs and Starsky and Hutch back then! That was a Christian movie, not that I realized it at the start, for me it was another 'gang' movie, I'd watched 'Warriors' and thought gang films were exciting! Well meaning as the idea or project starts the stronger minded will take over if they are not kept in check, and when you are peaceful in mind and intent thats not an easy thing to deal with!

I undertook my Sho-Dan grading a few months ago, I can offer that was - 3 days! Day 1 was intense, all kata, kihon was covered in detail, the following two days were fitness driven but more than I expected demonstrating the same level of focus and commitment to kihon and kata as was shown on day 1. Ni-Dan testing I understand takes the same amount of time, and demands the same focus and drive where San-Dan requires even more! San-Dan I understand is 'x' weeks worth of attention culminating in an intense testing exam/cycle like the above. *** When does a test for this or that DAN grade step over the line form being a test of knowledge, skill and fitness and mind set into somemore akin to torture? My Sho-Dan was a 3 day test, as will my Ni-Dan exam, so when re-reading this thread I remembered I sat in (unexpectedly so) on my sons club and there grading for black belts, it was a 3 hour test. So re-reading the thread and my first post (above ***) it seems to me that each school and each governing body will seek and test for traits and and people (by type if you wish) that embodies what they feel is a correct and ideal role model for new students. That being so a test will be exactly what is needed to do just that be that a 3 day test or a 3hr test.

Hi there, question,what is your ryu/system?

mwhahahaha!! Before seeing it again ...Bad Hawkmoon! Now I've seen it again ... Good Hawkmoon! And Amazon are even taking pre-orders for the DVD! Hurra!!

Look back from before that kick... The fight looks to have become a 'bad tempered affair' long before that incident, which should have ended the fighters continued inclusion in the event! Sure because of the rule break but more importantly the opponents safety and well being ... I get the irony of this being a fight and thats' the point but this is a tournament not a war! The others persons life is ... well ... lets me clear open and honest...more important than the perceived earlier infringement that looks to the root of the cancer for that incident. A late punch after the fight wad been halted for some infringement (Camera cannot see it ...wrong side) seems to be the trigger. 1:17... ................................. Questions: 1. Was the referee correct to take the action they took here? - should that maybe have taken harder line or ... ? 2. The fighter in white, was or was not prepared for the fight? - Should there have been a private word to up the game or leave the mat? (TKO) 3. The fighter in black, is pushing but are they in control? - Should there have been a private word to settle down or leave the mat? (TKO) 4. Both fighters act up should they both have been called together and spoken to about the poor sportsmanship? ................................. I personally based on that kick alone would disqualify the fighter in black, there was and is no need ever to take a cheap shot like this, the point is yours the action takes that away! However, 'it' on its own is simply not enough to use here. There is and there always is a trigger, some action, some input that will wind the other person up and each infringement has to be openly, clearly dealt with, and reprisal ... even doubly so, has to be stamped on, the referee not the fighter is in charge and they have to see this, they have to understand this they HAVE to respect this!

29/2 1hr - Assist Junior class! - Knockdown for the older and senior students. Body conditioning mixed though out general exercise. (Preparation work for when they join the senior class! ) Senior class speed fights - clicker style minimal contact. kata senior 2-3rd DAN 1hr - fights 50% body conditioning. 2/3 Self defense kihon application from 10th kyu to 7 kyu. - each/all strikes, blocks per kyu applied three or more different ways 1hr - fights 50% body conditioning. Finish on senior kata...

Confidence, experience all make for a character that can deal with the change in status/situation when a person changes from student to instructor. Profound, well meaning inspiring ... personally no not what see feel expected and sadly what experience has shown me over the years! For years I worked with any club, system that would allow me to work with them. Only one actually made life difficult, the others were ... tolerant of me. I really do not think that an instructor is even little more than a good hard working student themselves! To me a good 'instructor' is a student who is or (I feel a better piece of head space) is not aware that they are demonstrating true humility with a clear open mind that is driving to and promoting more and better from the people around them ... a certain amount of selflessness in what they do! On a personal note since being invited to assist with the pee-wees and the junior classes I welcome the respite of the senior class where I join the lines as a student I find it a clear and humbling experience being merely a student! Confidence and experience make for a character in control of themselves.

Hi there Johnboy101! I have a son who lives and dies all things xBox and mindcraft...well CoD nowadays! A few years back a cupboard clean out had a very old very tatty Shogun Gold weigh GI fall out onto the floor! My son asked me what it was because it was to grubby and to stiff to be PJs! I explained what it was which prompted an avalanche of more questions.... All good fun a few memories came back and a promise to go into the attic to get my box of trophies down for him to look at! He asked if he could have a go, so I had a look for local clubs for him to take a look at, my own club had (I thought) had closed up and was no more. A local kickboxing club was found he had a look, then had a go, he's now a top brown rank (1st kyu) looking to go BB later this year!! ...at which time he's informed me and his mum he'll stop kickboxing and focus on football! We are working on him to keep going past the BB grading (if he is successful) but I get the feeling all this is doing is pushing him further and further away from his art ! For me its a little annoying because although he does kickboxing and I do Kyokushinkai (yes I returned to MA because of him!) we had an extra, another bond ... and to be honest I liked the idea of this connection. Later on we realized he was working to be a brown belt like me and that he was gong to be better than me !!... that setup up a competition between us! I'm now a 1st Dan the Shodan rank I wear has been I fear the only reason he is still working at kickboxing ... he wants to match me and my rank! I'd suggest don't push him, let him explore the art, maybe others (if possible) do make it fun and not a chore or something he might look upon like homework for example!

Hi philippeb, thats' pretty much me about 4-5 years ago! Although with me it wasn't muscle ...quiet the opposite to be honest! Stretch and stretch some more, all of it relaxed none of it pushing none of it looking to be better than the last time. What everyone has said above and (as I always say) breathe, its the exhale and relaxing effect it has on your body that you are trying to enhance! Everything else and I do mean everything else will come along naturally! 4-5 years ago I came back to MA, my weight was up, my fitness was down, and my shape was round ... not bad for a former Kyokushinkai 1st kyu! '4 in1' exercise', as well as box splits and stiff leg kicks will help. The kicking acts like a pendulum, the mass (your leg) drives the muscles to pull and stretch a little, the return swing acts like the exhale its relaxed, all your focus is on keeping a straight leg. Its work and not a race when you stretch. When you stretch, breath in as you go wider or longer, exhale and focus on relaxing as you do, the muscles and tendons will in time reward you with more and more movement obtained with less and less effort. I really cannot stress enough to you the need to breathe and relax in any stretch!

Sosai Oyama worked daily on his art, both teaching and self improvement. Andy Hug trained most days, he would train hands one day legs the next and so on! Morning sessions to afternoon sessions were separated with workouts ... pretty much his routine for the week! A dedicated artisit! Daily work in your art will add to and increase your ability, natural or not, so I've a question ... Do you work at a daily routine for an hour with a couple (three for example) monster/longer sessions say 2-3 hrs? Or Do you undertake 3-4 hourly daily work outs 7 days a week? When a summer camp it 10 hr work days for the duration, I was much fitter, much clearer and I found I have to work less on being focused on my movements as they we now more fluid...the daily work outs?? I'm wondering if a 1 hour daily workout in addition to the dojo sessions on top of a running program I'll start in the next few weeks is worth investing in.

Yes it is to be honest ( I'm aware I present the activity as some kind of chore, its not, thats just my humor.) To see them act on what is said or put into practice a concept is rewarding ... teaching is not my thing just now, not something I'm driving towards. I consider myself a student now and for some time to come, but they see and respect my input and views which is nice ... even a surprise tbh! 15/2/16 1hr Pee-wee class 1 hr junior class - Clicker and speed work. Senior class. Conditioning work - an hour mixed through the night with bag (leg) work. New training aid - rope! - pull rope taught across the the hall, crotch high, mawashi geri followed by ushiro mawashi geri - left, once over the rope repeat - right, keep going until you reach the end, then repeat. x5 kick at the rope mai geri, aim to hit the rope (as a target) with the ball of the foot. Conditioning work over the rope making contact with your training partner on the other side holding a bag at chudan then jodan height! Finish the night with kata. All pinan kata to a count of 4! 17/2/16 1hr Pee-wee class 1 hr junior class - Clicker and speed work. Senior class. Whole night fights (25-50%) mixed with conditioning work. (Regional is coming!)

... GKR Rant rage rar! ...putting that tone to one side ... to be even handed ... the behavior of the person/persons handing out the leaflets during a class, as has been mentioned is massive disrespect! No need to ask if or not here, its clear. However, teh action will identify to you or anyone else ...oddly ... the students in need more guidance in humility and respect or where to find the door! .... mid class, complete stranger handing out slips of paper, student stops accepts .... A lesson to be learnt I'd suggest. As to it being GKR ... no idea if such behavior is a driven/promoted activity on there part, but like the errant student shows a lack, a critical lack of understanding and respect.