Maybetrue

When teaching(or posting in this case) , i tend to speak to the the "MASSES". the masses can attain the concept of "straight line is easiest" while very few(talking 1% or less) can develop "shifting,torque,combo,angles,etc" to be an effective concept. Sort of like watching Lebron james and trying to teach everyone to do slam dunks from the free throw line, why teach it when a hand full of humans can do it out of 8,000,000,000 on earth. The concept of dunking from the free throw line is possible but i rather teach doing "layups" as everyone can accomplish it. I am sure a handful of humans on earth can catch a punch in mid full speed UNREHEARSED flight, but why teach that? Teaching unattainable concepts and techniques is honestly detrimental to anyone (IN MY OPINION). I can try and do my Lebron Free throw dunks for my entire life time and NEVER EVEN COME CLOSE to doing it. "I just wasted my life time trying to be LEBRON"..... Disclaimer: Listen to your instructor over a random person(ME) posting on the internet. I'm trying to understand what you're trying to say, but for the life of me..I'm lost! By "while very few(talking 1% or less) can develop "shifting,torque,combo,angles,etc" to be an effective concept."..are you sying that very few people can learn and use the fundamental techniques and properties of the martial arts??? In over 30 years of teaching the arts using just those concepts you mention, it's been my experiencve that the vast MAJORITY of people can learn, and use, those techniques. It just takes time, practice and effort. Yup, people can "learn and do" but can they actually be applied effectively is the real question. since you mentioned that you have 30 years of experience teaching and you started in 1975 in your profile. Really hate to do this(as you see i just put Karate and no rank on my profile) in 1975 i was a nidan and as a sandan in 1979 Kata and Kumite champion of a very large organization. In the early 1980's had coverage of big traditional Karate tournaments i have won covered by Major Martial Arts Magazines...... enough about rank and accolades..... But it seems that ones "dan/rank" is important to many here. Rank is important but not the only defining factor of ones knowledge. If one has great Karate and APPLIED it in competition,training and students success, the "dan/rank" becomes less important... i could care less about my rank, Karateka know what i did and what i do. that is enough. Does anyone know who holds what rank? I believe sensei8 is an 8th dan, and I'm assuming Nidan Melbourne is a 2nd dan, but that's all I know. Rank doesn't matter. Ability, experience, and the drive to improve are what's important. Even people here who are just starting out have valuable things to say that make me consider a different point of view. Stop being blind. i see a lot of posts that include Rank,years and ORGANIZATIONS. none of what i care to post about. You are right with one thing. I DO LIKE to read what beginners post because they are a "clean" blank canvas that has not been brainwashed by instructors that have a "chip" on their shoulders.

When teaching(or posting in this case) , i tend to speak to the the "MASSES". the masses can attain the concept of "straight line is easiest" while very few(talking 1% or less) can develop "shifting,torque,combo,angles,etc" to be an effective concept. Sort of like watching Lebron james and trying to teach everyone to do slam dunks from the free throw line, why teach it when a hand full of humans can do it out of 8,000,000,000 on earth. The concept of dunking from the free throw line is possible but i rather teach doing "layups" as everyone can accomplish it. I am sure a handful of humans on earth can catch a punch in mid full speed UNREHEARSED flight, but why teach that? Teaching unattainable concepts and techniques is honestly detrimental to anyone (IN MY OPINION). I can try and do my Lebron Free throw dunks for my entire life time and NEVER EVEN COME CLOSE to doing it. "I just wasted my life time trying to be LEBRON"..... Disclaimer: Listen to your instructor over a random person(ME) posting on the internet. I'm trying to understand what you're trying to say, but for the life of me..I'm lost! By "while very few(talking 1% or less) can develop "shifting,torque,combo,angles,etc" to be an effective concept."..are you sying that very few people can learn and use the fundamental techniques and properties of the martial arts??? In over 30 years of teaching the arts using just those concepts you mention, it's been my experiencve that the vast MAJORITY of people can learn, and use, those techniques. It just takes time, practice and effort. Yup, people can "learn and do" but can they actually be applied effectively is the real question. since you mentioned that you have 30 years of experience teaching and you started in 1975 in your profile. Really hate to do this(as you see i just put Karate and no rank on my profile) in 1975 i was a nidan and as a sandan in 1979 Kata and Kumite champion of a very large organization. In the early 1980's had coverage of big traditional Karate tournaments i have won covered by Major Martial Arts Magazines...... enough about rank and accolades..... But it seems that ones "dan/rank" is important to many here. Rank is important but not the only defining factor of ones knowledge. If one has great Karate and APPLIED it in competition,training and students success, the "dan/rank" becomes less important... i could care less about my rank, Karateka know what i did and what i do. that is enough.

That is great. But i mean "MASSES". not 1x1 or small groups. To develop a large(1,000's - 1,000,000's) of followers, the Head of the organization needs to be politically correct. That is just how it is. He has great points, but the great ambassadors of Karate are pretty nice about what they say about other "KARATEKA". Anyone can open a dojo, but to become well known it takes a lot of sacrifices to what true KARATE / Martial Arts is. Sacrifices like "softening" ones teaching and requirements. He will learn later when he gets older and his "Dojo" has a ceiling of a handful of students. There are plenty of schools that didn't "sell out" and water down their arts because of numbers. Even in the US. While Kyokushin is more splintered than a windshield that was hit with a brick, they've got big numbers. World Oyama karate, Enshin, etc. Then there's a Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing, MMA, and so on. I think that here in the US, karate has been stereotyped as a kids' point fighting art across the board. Wrongly so, but it is what it is. The people who would have taken full-contact or hard nosed karate are basically going to the MT, kickboxing, MMA gyms rather than karate. If these options weren't available, I'm sure it would be like it was in karate's "golden age." Not that I'm saying full-contact is the only type of karate that's worth anything or even effective. I study Seido Juku, and it's not knockdown like Kyokushin. The McDojos are what they are. But if you look around, there's plenty of serious karateka and dojos around. They're just not advertising and/or on every corner with huge signs and posters. They'd rather you come to them than them coming to you. Marketing, Marketing and Marketing. Even "Hardcore" knockdown Martial Arts have great Marketing behind them. Its not "selling out" it is the changing culture. If i were to teach how i trained , i will get law suits and complaints every week.

That is great. But i mean "MASSES". not 1x1 or small groups. To develop a large(1,000's - 1,000,000's) of followers, the Head of the organization needs to be politically correct. That is just how it is. He has great points, but the great ambassadors of Karate are pretty nice about what they say about other "KARATEKA". Anyone can open a dojo, but to become well known it takes a lot of sacrifices to what true KARATE / Martial Arts is. Sacrifices like "softening" ones teaching and requirements. He will learn later when he gets older and his "Dojo" has a ceiling of a handful of students. I hear you, real world, paying the bills business model, but I guess he may be one of the lucky exceptions to the rule in that students come to him because of his traditional attitude to karate. Most definitely would not work for everyone. I have never met the guy, but I believe he has a pretty good reputation in JKA circles. There's not a lot on Youtube, but there is quite a good interview with him there somewhere. I like what that guy says. the problem i have is his delivery. He is screaming for everyone for respect. That in itsself is not "BUDO". The reason some great Karateka become popular is their "personality". Kanazawa,Asai,Higaonna,etc .. they would not say other peoples Karate is "Rubbish/fake" to the masses(they may say it to there best and closes instructors, but NOT TO the average masses). That guy sounds like a Yahara or Tanaka mold. beat up people and hit people in seminars or training . But as those great Karateka age, they become less sought after. He may be good now, but he is just going thru the "PHYSICAL" aspect of True budo karate... he will get it later on in life. I personally when thru that stage when i was competing and younger "just do it this way" "just punch" "stop complaining and do it" . It is like a "kyu" rank in the complete life of a Karateka. Another thing i disagree with according to his "BUDO". I dont think jumping around organizations is good "BUDO" . Loyalty is very important to the Japanese culture / BUDO. I could go on for hours on Bushido/budo . BUT LOYALTY is where it starts (REAL BUDO/BUSHIDO).

That is great. But i mean "MASSES". not 1x1 or small groups. To develop a large(1,000's - 1,000,000's) of followers, the Head of the organization needs to be politically correct. That is just how it is. He has great points, but the great ambassadors of Karate are pretty nice about what they say about other "KARATEKA". Anyone can open a dojo, but to become well known it takes a lot of sacrifices to what true KARATE / Martial Arts is. Sacrifices like "softening" ones teaching and requirements. He will learn later when he gets older and his "Dojo" has a ceiling of a handful of students.

Good stuff. But he needs to be more "politically correct" in his statements. A lot of instructors think like he does but cannot be so "hardcore" due to having to deal with the "MASSES". If this "guy" ever starts to actually "TEACH" and have his own "DOJO", he will realize that training as a "STUDENT" is much easier and he may begin to start realizing "WHY" the true way of Karate-do is not really practical to "pay the bills". Its a "fine line" between Karate-do and being able to keep a dojo open. He is young and going thru the Physical aspect of "KARATE-DO", wait till he gets older and his skills diminished and if he ever gets good enough to have his OWN dojo and pay bills, His "ideals" WILL change. Its just part of learning. KARATE-DO.

That guest instructor knows what he is talking about. listen to him. Spend A LOT of time just stretching out daily.

When teaching(or posting in this case) , i tend to speak to the the "MASSES". the masses can attain the concept of "straight line is easiest" while very few(talking 1% or less) can develop "shifting,torque,combo,angles,etc" to be an effective concept. Sort of like watching Lebron james and trying to teach everyone to do slam dunks from the free throw line, why teach it when a hand full of humans can do it out of 8,000,000,000 on earth. The concept of dunking from the free throw line is possible but i rather teach doing "layups" as everyone can accomplish it. I am sure a handful of humans on earth can catch a punch in mid full speed UNREHEARSED flight, but why teach that? Teaching unattainable concepts and techniques is honestly detrimental to anyone (IN MY OPINION). I can try and do my Lebron Free throw dunks for my entire life time and NEVER EVEN COME CLOSE to doing it. "I just wasted my life time trying to be LEBRON"..... Disclaimer: Listen to your instructor over a random person(ME) posting on the internet.

Paint A to Point B. straight line. If anyone "CAN" trap,catch,shift,deflect,etc.. they should be capable of doing something EASIER like just getting straight to the point. Simple,practical and just more scientific(fastest point to anywhere, a straight line.)

knowing the "terms" "sayings" will not equate to actually experience and executing that "FEELING". 1,000,000's of karate-ka throw around the "terms" but will never actually "feel" it. dont "think" or set goals on "terms", when you train and kumite for 1,000's of hours you begin to get a "feeling". If you learn the "word/term" first, you will only "think" about the feeling and rarely have it NATURALLY. stop reading. it hinders your training. Its not really a "STYLE" thing, it is a individual "feeling". MOST WILL NEVER HAVE the "terms" being thrown around. That whats separates the great Martial artist from the good/average.

"Dan" are watered down already. for people that are young and starting out , a sandan or yondan in his 30-40's year olds are the best to learn from, they basically still at peak condition and dont worry about anything else but training. for someone that is a black belt and need to learn Karate-DO. you need to find a higher rank with experience in all aspects of Martial arts. Most "6th dan" are just average karateka that put their time in and follow what the 'Head" figure said for decades or people that just jump around organizations trying to collect "dans". Odds are 90 to 10 ratio(might even be 95 to 5) 90 average 6th dans 10 Really good 6th dans. The more the instructor has to talk about the ORGANIZATION and DAN, the more likely he is one of the 90 average. Just train hard if your a beginner. even a good technician brown belt can teach good karate.

Its not always the instructors fault. Great martial artist can get "turned off" by politics,egos and other martial artists. The longer and more experienced one gets, the more a person will see the "BAD" of martial arts. So sad. Being a student is the easy part of martial arts, just listen and do. Have fun when you are a student!

there may be a deeper story. I would open a class in the same rec center same room on the same day , time slot before and after if that classes instructor has done something(wrong) to MY INSTRUCTOR,Me or organization in the past. In fact, one of my dojos is having a small problem with a instructor from a same style(diff. org) that may cause me to open a "dojo" in state which i live in now, i will inform those instructors close to me about why i am doing so, those instructors will need to inform the "heads of their organization to kick that instructor out or i will just open up close to their affiliate dojos in my state ... long story. for me personally, i would love to have a same style open in the same rec or next door to my dojo. no problems.

Dont think anyone will experience this "ZEN" while training in a dojo. It may happen in "spurts" while competing in a tournament and may happen in a "street fight". This is why i hate to explain "terms" or "feeling" in classes, people tend to be trying too hard to accomplish a "term/word". If one just trains, that "feeling/term" will occur naturally. Most will never accomplish this "zen" and many will mistake this "zen" with adrenaline, focus or even fear.

What are the approx ages of the instructors/masters in the videos?