Luther unleashed

Check out this form, it is karate based with heavy Kung fu influence. It's a very fun form to practice. I like the quick direction shifting and the jump at the end, it's a 39 year old jump but still fun haha! https://youtu.be/xroRSTgeOAg

First off congratulations on all of your success because it sounds like you have really put in the work and succeeded in many ways. Those are great numbers for those circumstances. I agree with the things you are saying but objectively speaking I have had locations that were in great areas do poorly and I have had crappy locations do well. I think that it's certainly possible to teach in your backyard or garage or wherever and be successful but I think it is misleading To simply call out those numbers under those circumstances because in most cases it is a lot harder to pull people than it sounds. Adults these age in many ways are really not geared towards traditional martial arts so depending on what you teach can depend on how well you do it first. Kickboxing and jujitsu really have a hold of the adults and what seems cool to do so traditional martial arts are really turning into something to teach the kids discipline and so on. As with anything it's always about a little bit of luck and how you market yourself. From the standpoint of risk and things of that nature renting your own space can simply be a lot more rest and some of these other ways though which was kind of my point. In my dojo if I did not maintain a certain amount of students I could not pay the rent, at the recreation center if I do not maintain a certain amount of students I simply cannot pay my bills but there's a big difference because it means I go out and get a different job or A second job but the recreation center business does not go out of business because of low numbers unless I choose to walk away. I understand your point. I don't agree with Traditional arts being something only for kids and adults not being geared for it. I do not teach kids under the age of 16. Just my personal issue. I teach Matsumura Shorin Ryu (or what my organization now calls Matsumura Suidi) and only have adults attending classes. My youngest student is 28 years old. I think the issue is how you teach traditional arts or what most think is traditional arts based on their definition. We teach the old ways. What was taught before Japan took over most arts and the way they are taught. Most teach the "Do" and we still teach both the "Jutsu" and the "Do". Having said this, the main difference that I have seen is that we still teach the old ways. We pass on to our students Torite, Tegumi, Kyusho (not the Dillman Kyusho/Tuite but what was handed down) and we teach this in conjunction with the Kata and not as a separate component. Our students learn the real world applications of which are contained within the Kata itself. I have found that this interests most adults because they are looking for not only a way to stay in shape but more importantly to defend themselves. They find that most of what can be found within the popular arts now a days is contained within Karate. I appreciate the fact that not every location is agreeable and depending on where you live dictates how you market your art and how you teach it to be able to draw in new students. However IMHO I have always found that the art itself is the best marketing tool that we have. I show them and allow them to see what they will be taught and it pretty much does the trick for me. Of course I am not dependent on a certain number of students as I have a full time occupation and do not need the additional income that more students present to the full time instructor. I merely point out that the location is not what sells. What sells is your knowledge and your passion for the art. You are what pulls in the students and makes them want to stay irregardless of where you teach. If the quality of instruction is good the location can be crappy and your students will keep coming back. And the fact that I do not need a certain number of students does not escape me. I realize that numbers dictate whether a Dojo's doors stay open or close. This is the reason that I choose to not rent until I had an ample number of students to maintain the rent. I am not sure how I would fair if my income was dependent upon a certain number of students. I don't claim to be in your shoes. Having said that I still firmly believe that to sell yourself and the knowledge and skill that you have obtained and can pass on is more important to students than the location in which they learn. I may be wrong and our opinions come from our personal experiences so in no way am I diminishing yours. I wish you luck and know you'll find your success. Best wishes. It just isn't my experience that the average adult is drawn to karate. These days anyways, so in essence when I say "these days" im saying older adults might be, but for the most part adults are into things like BJJ and kickboxing. It's easy to understand why. When we had a BJJ guy come to our place when I was at my last dojo training, he would lean on the wall, and if he was late to class would mosey on in, and if he was waiting for a rotation would put one foot on the wall while leaning. It was hard to break these habits. I have been around BJJ and it's just that way, even at my dojo before I closed down I had a really high level guy there, a high level Gracie guy and was very respectful, but he treated it like a gym, not a sanctuary like a karate guy would. The same for kickboxing, it's the lack of rules, and discipline, and lack of "do it my own way" that isn't as appealing. I'm an adult and I'm 39, it's always appealed to me, so obviously some are ok with it, but if your saying that if you walk in the average karate studio that iit will be as packed as a BJJ place or an MMA branded place I just think that's crazy. There is something many adults could learn from it all, but many won't sadly.

I can respect that TJ-Jitsu as an opinion. I certainly do think that's a bar in full contact is something that can get one ready for a fight. The fact of the matter is that some people just have a knack and ability to fight. When I was growing up outside of Chicago I watch a lot of Street kids simply know how to fight from fighting and if any of them took martial arts I certainly do think that even if they took a martial art from a school that is very little full contact Sparring that martial arts in general could help them elevate their ability to fight even though it was not teaching them through sparring Full Contact. That being said I think it's obvious the benefits of Sparring and I always say that it is the most lifelike fighting situation I can give students so I am certainly agree I just do not think that one needs to spar full contact in order for it to help them handle themselves that's all. The more full contact you go The more it will obviously become more lifelike but that does not mean that it will not help you learn and that is really my only point and where we seem to have a slight difference of opinion.

Common term we all know is "don't judge a book by its cover quote. I personally create my own website and I am constantly trying to update it to make it better and to be quite honest I know very little about things like that. I do 100% of it from an app on my phone. I can't imagine being charged so thoroughly from my website. If this is the case in shortly I am damaging my program by having anything up there because I'm quite certain I do an OK job at representing myself at best. I could only imagine if I had somebody else helping me out that I could not afford to pay for instants, that easily could write something when making a webpage thinking it sounds right but just a few simple keywords would make it all seem suspicious too many of us. My only hope is that if I'm going to be judged that I am judged more so based on somebody who has visited my class and much less on what they see on the web.

I think that a little principle teaching is good, but with the standard time one trains per week I feel as a teacher, that heavy principles should be reserved for after black belt. Getting a very strong foundation in good technique will lead to better applying principles after black belt. This is the way I think of it anyways. I will always take some tyke to go over concepts like distance and timing, but under black is heavier into technique. When I asked everybody what they thought about form application and when they teach it (I asked this once on the forum) I forget who, but an answer that stuck with me was "application should be reserved for good karate"! I believe this and it is very similar in response to your post. Teaching a white or yellow belt basic principles are ok, but good form is necessary over those ideas at first. Everything in martial arts should be about steady progression.

Yeah actually bushido my kids of been helping me from the day I started because it's awfully hard to do it without help but that's how I started out. I'm always trying to give them breaks when I can because I always feel bad having them help out in class when I know they're getting a little tired of it and want to do other things. At some point I started to realize that as long as I'm not overworking them it is very good for them and obviously especially for her. I think your statement is very correct. Many times she was struck her shoulders when it's time to go to class because she's not always up for it but I think once she's in it even though she might not realize it it is doing her a lot of good mentally.

Ahh the greatest headache I have had to date. Nobody can argue with the effectiveness of having a class size of 5 students, and having at the very least a beginners group, intermediate group, and advanced. Also having a black belt class will help things to be very effective. If we are talking one teacher, I approach it like this when I'm alone as I have been a great deal lately and I don't think to hard about it anymore. I often work on the same material as a group. Now, how does the red belt be more advanced then the yellow belt if you teach 9 classes in a row where they are doing the same things? Well, if we are doing kicking drills I tell students over such and such rank to perform this kick, and students under that rank to do something else. Also, I often view rank as quality and not quantity. The red belt will clearly be much better at those things because of doing them more, they look like a red belt performing these moves, and the yellow belt has been there less time so has done them less and again looks like a yellow belt doing the moves. This approach must be seen as "less is more" or more specifically "it's not about how much you know, but how well you know something"! Again the ideal situation will always be that I have 3 assistant instructors and we are always broken into groups of classes by rank, but that's not always possible and even if a place has that now, things can get sticky. I sometimes view my classes when I'm in a tight spot and I'm alone, as a seminar. I teach just as good, but you may have to really pay attention and work hard to be as good.

Thanks both of you, she's doing good and nothing was handed to her. She's in the fight of her life, literally! To help me in class with other youth students as she does is pretty amazing.

Are you suggesting that one has to spar full contact to be a"real martial artist"?!? There are many variables in training for conflict. Throwing strikes is very effective and non-complex but there are other parts like the ability to calm your nerves and breath, there is a lot more adrenalin in a serious situation compared to sparring, even heavy handed sparring. Also, in a fight people will typically grab you IF they they think they are stronger or have more skills, and full contact sparring won't help you there unless you mean grappling involved as well. There is also the fact that we all get older. To a young man, a real martial artist is an effective fighter, to an older man it may be a person with a certain mind frame like calmness in chaos! The actual timespan of a martial artist as a fighter is relatively small compared to the timespan of other faces of vein a martial artist. I jokingly call forms training "old people karate" because as I myself have gotten older and suffered from back injuries, forms training is the less aggressive training to my body like my back, and other parts. I'm 39 and I feel 39, I was also a mechanic and my hands often hurt from years of abuse. I can't hit a heavy bag like when I was 22. It's a lifelong journey and fighting is not the main focus of my current path. Therefore I'd say "YES" we have a different definition of a real martial artist! On a purely self defense level I don't agree you have to block a kick to catch it. On a street level and not talking skilled fighters, if a strong street guy rushes in as you move to perform a roundhouse it's likely they will "smother" your kick. If that doesn't happen you may get lucky sure, but you could also get caught on one leg, and that's not always a good place to be. I'd use a roundhouse when I was younger, as my back has set me back (pun intended lol) I don't think I would unless it was to the knee or something, as you said it depends on the person doing it but the fact remains in a fight everything you do is risky. To me, I don't mean to challenge your way of thinking but to me, the only risk free way to win is to walk away. I was a street kid who was very troubled. The biggest allure for me personally was the heart and strength it takes to walk away, not to fight. Fighting is easy and to me the real martial artist strives to lay down his ego and walk away. There will always be a time you could have to use it, but I think 99% of these things can be avoided! When I teach self defense I inform student that most often the best self defense move is the simplest to execute, and is the most direct way. If that happens to be a roundhouse to the head then great. Can you take a risk and succeed, yes. As long as you understand a roundhouse is more of a risk then a straight palm strike to the face I'm ok with it, that's what I would tell a student!

I do agree though and what is being said about it because I do not use the term on my website for obvious reasons as you all have pointed out, but I would like to think that if I was to use it that some may assume I may have been practicing a mixture of martial arts prior to how it is used now and that does not necessarily mean I am trying to mislead people, because maybe I am just stubborn and would like to use whatever I would like to use.

I agree that it would be misleading anyway if one was to use the term mixed martial arts but they're teaching traditional martial arts however I would make the argument that I would be able to use this term and I should not be judged as a place that is not a for real place if you get what I'm saying. I don't see why I would have to be a McDojo just because I might use the term. Typically I describe what I do as a blend of traditional martial arts because I know what people will think however I should not be locked into that and if I wish to use the term mixed martial arts I should be able to do it because I do teach several martial arts mixed together which would absolutely qualify it as a mixed martial art. There's no question I can be misleading but it also can be simply the way a person describes it. I have been involved in martial arts since prior to the UFC and the term becoming popular mixed martial arts. The fact of the matter is people were mixing things all the time and it was a common practice in the 80s and 90s, using the simple phrase should not dictate whether you are a serious place or not . I teach Tang Soo Do, Jeet Kune Do, Boxing, Kickboxing, Taekwondo, and a few others blended together into one program with one martial arts as more of a foundation but the fact is that I do teach a mixed martial art. We can let popularity determine that I am not using it accurately but in fact if you dissect the meaning of the words I am clearly using it accurately. I refuse to be bound by societies "What's popular now" words lol!

First off congratulations on all of your success because it sounds like you have really put in the work and succeeded in many ways. Those are great numbers for those circumstances. I agree with the things you are saying but objectively speaking I have had locations that were in great areas do poorly and I have had crappy locations do well. I think that it's certainly possible to teach in your backyard or garage or wherever and be successful but I think it is misleading To simply call out those numbers under those circumstances because in most cases it is a lot harder to pull people than it sounds. Adults these age in many ways are really not geared towards traditional martial arts so depending on what you teach can depend on how well you do it first. Kickboxing and jujitsu really have a hold of the adults and what seems cool to do so traditional martial arts are really turning into something to teach the kids discipline and so on. As with anything it's always about a little bit of luck and how you market yourself. From the standpoint of risk and things of that nature renting your own space can simply be a lot more rest and some of these other ways though which was kind of my point. In my dojo if I did not maintain a certain amount of students I could not pay the rent, at the recreation center if I do not maintain a certain amount of students I simply cannot pay my bills but there's a big difference because it means I go out and get a different job or A second job but the recreation center business does not go out of business because of low numbers unless I choose to walk away.

I agree that a certain level of charter and skill should be involved in black belt graduates. Every single person has their own standards, some closer to the concepts of others and some much farther. With any Jr rank one must place less emphasis on phisical in most cases then middle aged or young adults, many kids just haven't found their footing so to speak, with phisical activities and many are clumsy and haven't had it all come together yet. Summer programs will never award black belt to Young students and others will create programs where they are black belt and then move up to the next age group to train from white belt again. When dealing with older people I believe it's very similar as well as they are not going to have the same physical abilities. In the case of my daughter who knows the material she unfortunately does not have the physical abilities to achieve some of the things she used to in the way that an older person would also not have the same ability that used to. She can't walk the same or do many of the activities the same so it becomes more character as it would in older adults or very young students. The standard that many try to set in stone is often manipulated by the demands of each particular dojo. It is often changing and growing and refining as it needs to accommodate the particular students who enter. There are times I work with kids with Down Syndrome or ADHD or Autism. I do not teach them a different technique as if they are not capable however in many cases that same technique is not going to look the same or even have the same emphasis on power and in some cases it will never. It is in this way that you must set a specific standard for each person as an individual rather than let your program be stale when did standards. I personally believe as an instructor that martial arts as well as my personal program need to be a living breathing things and always evolving and if we only stay stuck in standards and one way of doing things it becomes Limited. This is just my opinion and it definitely varies from many opinions here as I have seen and many martial artists out there will agree and disagree with me, this does not make me feel outcasted or befriended but in fact it makes me feel that it is what brings Beauty to martial arts. Everybody is different and pulls something different from it.

This Is an example that it can go either way but it should only be a first choice if you are you at it. Even then this particular kick is at s disadvantage from many many ways to strike Sombody.

Bruce Lee was way ahead of his time, but he wasnt perfect. He thought Muay thai wasnt a very practical fighting style, but its beaten every striking style there is since his time. Ronda (and everyone else for that matter) getting knocked out just shows the effectiveness of a head kick. Of course, what most people are missing most are the relative questions that will determine if a head kick is a good idea: -can you throw one (well?) -how skilled is the person you're throwing it against? When talking self defense, we're typically talking you're regular joe street fighter. Basically an untrained person, a scrub. If you're a trained fighter you can pretty much do whatever you want, headkicks included, while you crack jokes, and update your facebook status at the same time. The closer the skill level of the two examples above, the more difficult and perhaps less practical an attempted head kick becomes. I disagree with your point that a street fighter is on the losing end easily in your scenerio. People are people so it's always up in the air but I'm going to be completely honest, many martial artists I have seen wouldn't hardly mop the floor with guys from my neighborhood. Where I'm from guys lift a lot of weights, they are strong, they are tough, and they aren't afraid. They don't have half of the respect as many martial artists and I don't see it going how you described it. I don't think Bruce meant it shouldn't be used but the fact is that it is a fair comparison. A low kick has much more weight behind it, a mid section kick has much more reach with its use, a high kick is at a disadvantage. Also, in a street situation I assure you idlf a man isn't good, I mean fast and hard hitting, with a high kick then it's highly likely somebody will grab it. If we make the assumption that the person using it is highly skilled I hear you, but FYI Brian (bushido man) is totally right. I did see the fight, and there were not a tremendous amount to of kicks thrown. It was about timing. Only a fool would walk up on a grappler and stick to head shots. I say to adult students in particular "theres a time and a place for everything". I say it to more adults because adults seek what's practical, and challenge things mentally. It's important for me to help students see that what's practical depends on many things. I have some basic grappling skills, but I bet I can take some people with my mobes, that makes them effective in some situations. A jiu-jitsu guy would make me a pretzel, not so effective. Not always about the techniques but how well you can execute them.

Thanks guys, I took the video posted above and added her being awarded 2nd degree black belt at the end of it. I had just gone through and evening of testing and paused at the end to make the announcement, she had no idea and it was a special moment for sure. Thanks guys again, it takes a lot to put this kind of thing out there so I don't take those that posted lightly. It's potential controversial and a topic many might not want to touch. I want to make it clear that no matter what some will see it as pity rank, and I understand that perspective but it's not. As a stated my inspiration was a guy once that hurt his knee too bad to finish to black, although he was right there. I saw him awarded black belt at the end of testing and I took it as he had earned it plenty on the mat, and was understood why he couldn't complete testing. I look at this the same way, for me, and as it was for me, you tested every night you stepped on the floor. The "Testing" is just a formality. It's in this way I awarded her the rank, not out of pity and having not earned it. At the end I said bow to the flag, and bow to angela. This is not the norm, and it should have been bow to instructor Lex. Just teaching students about respect and humilty, I never even mentioned me. Great night. Final video https://youtu.be/z2HqfsTERxY

Thank you very much of course. Things are very good and we have weathered a huge storm and we are in a very positive place. As for testing I'm open to people's opinions but certainly I've decided to do it as already ordered everything. I once witnessed something similar in my old dojo, where due to injury a long time student tried to cone back and finish t O black belt, he couldn't and after a few years they awarded him the rank anyways. This is where I got the inspiration. When something is earned something is earned, I don't think it always has to be within the same structure.

As some of you know my daughter Angela was diagnosed with cancer in December of 2015. Only 8 short months ago. She is in the fight of our life and has been through a tremendous amount. She often has visual problems, dizziness, he throws up a few times a week, numbness in parts of her body and many more things. She's sick most of the week and we have had to switch to homeschooling, it means I can't hold a day job and martial arts instruction in the evening is all I have to help financially. She is as of now, in full remission but has 2 more years of treatments and hospital stays and spinal reps to make sure they kill all of it. Angela has stopped training since December of 2015, but she has never stopped helping me teach. She misses classes of course depending on how she's feeling but she has never completely stopped helping me. She knows material to 2nd degree, she helps me with videos, she takes groups aside to teach them, she even occasionally runs a full class back to back. This is a tremendous amount of weight for a 14 yr old but she does it with a great attitude. She has made me watch what I complain about, and I have come to realise that she's is probably more deserving of her rank then some adults. I am holding my first black belt testing tonight for a young lady, and I have not only decided to let her sit at the table with me (a notion I have toyed with but never done) which is a pretty big honor, but also I'm going to be awarding her, her 2nd degree black belt. She earned her 1st degree black belt under Master Chris Guffey in September of 2014, which is exactly 2 years. This is jr rank and upon reaching a certain age she will have to learn more to earn adult rank, however I do not take jr rank lightly and give it away. This is a complete surprise and he doesn't know. Each black belt level will receive a different color lapel stripe color. This I submit why hers is going to be yellow, because that's for second dan. White is my other student who is testing for 1st dan. What do you guys think? Some may read this cringing. I'm ok with that. Feel free to put your opinion out there, I'm always open for an argument of pojnts, and I welcome others opinions. Short video to give you visual perspective. It would be better with the ending being her earning her rank, but not till tonight. https://youtu.be/5c5gz5IrD6k

Check this one out, about a year ago I suppose. An example of how I incorporate boxing into martial arts. Notice I'm standing more sideways and the front hand is out and not tucked near the cheek as the rear hand is, that lead had does however, still return to cover the chin when punching with the rear. Yeas I'm a southpaw lol. Also, I was heavy into train hands at the time as I had a run in with some young guys in the neighborhood who stole my kids bikes, I witnessed them, almost got phisical but they had eventually backed down, gave me motivation in case they changed their mind haha. https://youtu.be/rUAJBkS2uZY

So this part really stuck out to me. I have witnessed studios doing this and it's intelligent for sure. The problem for me was I felt I was going to have better success in my place of residence where I live with my social butterfly wofe , my Rec center was a 35 min drive away and that's the only reason I chose to make a second location rather then created a location from filtering my rec center students into it. Also, I would of course have to charge closet to $100 a month or more, at the rec center I'm half that price, not all would follow. Live and learn, I learned that I could have been more patient, but all in all it lead to another opertunity with a private school and 24 students in one night seems like I'm on the right path, even if I got here through a stressful detour lol. Sensei, negotiating is important. There's no garentee as you said, but that is kind of my point, this topic brings light to the fact that there are a few ways for the common martial arts I structure to really maximise chances by taking a similar direction.

This statement is so true. I can see this point as a very valid one. I forwarding day organising and keeping track very hard at times, depending on student could take as you said.

I very much agree with Sensei8. The olympics are certainly not a focus of mine and have never been. I'm sure TKD schools will benafit some but Karate is just not as popular. In fact if you loom at what makes TKD so popular I'd have to argue the Olympics are the very reason. I hear what your saying Matsushinshii. I have never ever enjoyed sport martial arts, and this is a major reason I never cared for rank when I was 17 or so. It's because I wanted to use the best things to defend myself and unless I was going to take a belt and strangle somebody in self defense it wasn't doing anything for me haha. I am not a purist because my back round is not pure based on this same statement about what I sought out. I don't teach one martial art, and I don't follow everything just how I was taught as I wish to learn different ways to do things and maintain an open mind. So that being said I don't comercialise my program to fit business only. I think in order to make your program successful you have to conform to the desires of the comunity some though. I hear guys say I'll never do this or that and I don't care if I only have 5 students. Well, that's personal success because everybody is different. For me I need students to live so I will conform more then a stubborn teacher that doesn't run his program as a business, but just teaches on the side. Hand out belts and make karate all fun and games? No way not me, but I often find myself trying to make things more fun, because nobody wants to just have that military feel and never see students smile. At least I dont. I would not really care either way to be honest if Karate made the Olympics because I don't believe I have to have the popular art, to ha e the packed program. The art is usually very little conversation, it's the way the classes are run now days that pulls them in, then the exact way a technique is thrown.

What I mean to say is there are many ways to teach and make a living that don't involve open on a dojo. I am on no way at all wanting to detour anybody from opening a studio. I'm simply trying to give insight to the subject. I recently walked away from my own studio after 4 months or so. 4 short months. My family was having financial struggles to the point of eviction from our home. I could ha e kept going with the studio but I was a few hundred short on rent there, and short the electric bill. I could have gotten through it, but I chose to walk away for my families sake, it wasn't east to walk away but I did what a man should do and chose my families well being above all else. It needed to pay for itself or I was walking and I did. I didn't however walk away from my recreation center location because there is no overhead, no electric, no rent, no bils, no risk, so no brainer, don't walk away. I can't charge as much for services but that seems to balance out with a constant flow of people in the rec center with me not worrying about advertising at all. The more people the more income, even at a lesser rate. Today was my first day at another location I started an after school program. The school doesn't want a penny, as they just want to offer a great program, nothing more. 24 students attended tonight's class, a successful number indeed. Again, not an ounce of advertising on my side. In my studio FYI I never really cracked 15 students, it was in the summer and many people were vacationing but still, location location location. What dojo has a better location then a school, or a recreation center where there is a constant untapped we'll of potential students? Id's opening a dojo a bad idea? Nope! There are much more effective ways though IMHO to have a very solid program. Ways with no risk, and no going put of business. If I get down to 5 students at either program, I make less, but I don't go out of business. It's for this reason I actually never wanted to open a dojo but after over a year of trying get a second location at a rec center or school I fell short consistently. Why? Well it's because of the risk and the money needed to drive that ship, the other methods I mentioned carry much less stress and that's worth plenty.

Thanks for the compliment. Tang Soo do has its roots in Shotokan and northern Kung-fu. I have always seen the more Chinese influence in the forms I do. Many versions of TSD perform a more rigid technique more like Shotokan, I have always preference the softer style I do as well. Originally my teachers came from MDK. I don't know where many other popular organizations get their lineage from to be honest but it's different. Also, the style I perform has more hip movement to as which is from Soo Bahk Do, and although I never ranked in Soo Bahk Do specifically, there are certain things that are very specific to SBD that I do. I'm just describing it, I don't get into too much if the history because I just go buy what I see, clearly my style is a bit different though. Going to check out the video when I get a second, got to run. I'll post a follow up in a bit.

Japanese version Bassai Sho why a guy again better than me. Bassai Soh performed by me https://youtu.be/wEdDi2kNGvM I feel these have much more differences than the first version or most popular version. The pattern is still the same for the most part but techniques even more different. Taekwondo variation?