LLLEARNER

One with a sword concealed in it.

Nothing new until I call my doc for the results of the nerve conductivity test tomorrow. Then a trip to the neurologist late next month.

Update... I had a nerve conductivity test in my legs. I have been too busy to get the results. I will have time Thursday. I also started PT once a week. They are mostly concerned with keeping my back in alignment. I am not hopeful for a reduction in the numbness from PT. Late next month I have an appointment with a Neurologist. My doc seemed concerned with the white matter lesions in my head, but when the neuro got my records he was not as concerned. I think for the time being that they are throwing the kitchen sink at me in the hopes of something sticking. So far they have ruled out... Lyme, Guillon Barre, Disk problem (I thought this was it) and the neuro is going to be investigating Multiple Sclerosis. I have no family history of this. I suspect that it will lead to nothing and the numbness will go undiagnosed.

We only wear our school patch on the left breast. It is small and subtle. I am just curious why you add a shoulder patch and what it is. I grew up in the Boy Scouts so patches intrigue me. We collected and traded them. I hope you have success with your new organization and are able avoid legal pitfalls. I know you are not in it for the money, but for the art, so I wish you enough financial success to keep the art alive. Sorry, I am an Accounting and Finance student. It just comes naturally.

I hope I was not coming off as disrespectful. Obviously I am new here and do not know many of the ins and outs or many of the details about the people here. I also do not know the details about many art forms. I was only trying to give my view point on keeping your art alive. I was not suggesting that you take students that you feel would compromise the way you teach. I was thinking more that the organization would allow its Instructors to have the option and tools to do so. I never want to see anything become a McDojo.

I am not sure how much my opinion counts here. I am only a year into my MA journey at yellow in Shotokan with Judo and Jujitsu mixed in. I am far from an expert. Allowing children and expanding your colored belts seems to go hand in hand. Children, especially young children, have a difficult time seeing the long-term. It is natural. I can see the additional belts adding motivational steps along the way. As long as they are used as tools for this purpose and not as primarily a revenue generating scheme. Yes, it would naturally generate revenue, just as allowing more people to join would. But, that is a consequence, not the primary goal. My business sense, sys revenue is not a bad thing. It would still be possible to keep traditional grading and testing methods. Brown and higher testing or black and higher testing above the dojo level would help ensure integrity in the testing process and help prevent selling rank. It will also keep those who want to buy rank away if the process is known up front. Any organization needs revenue and profit to survive and grow. Allowing younger participants can help with that as well as gain lifelong practitioners. But, if the goal is to keep tradition, that can be worked in as well. Create a syllabus that must be followed to keep the branding. But, don't tell the CI who they can and cannot train nor how they teach (safety considerations aside). I don't think it would be appropriate to teach 5-year-olds chokes for instance. But, if a CI wants his place to have a strong after school program, the kids are in a healthy environment, doing healthy activities that can encourage them to continue with MA for a lifetime. There is revenue being generated, which helps the dojo and parent organization stay financially stable and growing. Also, change is tradition.

Stay out of the pool!

I feel most instructors would understand your work schedule. If you are committed and train in your off time then the result will show on the floor, if not, that will show too. It might take longer to get your next belt due to less in class time.

The eye poke is something I will teach my daughter when she is old enough to understand it responsibly. If attacked squeeze your thumbs into their eyes until you feel popping.

Would you have more stress if you had to step off the floor? You have been in MA so long it would be a shame to lose your contributions as a Sensei.

Thank you for your concern. It is much appreciated. I can easily fall into that trap of reading to much. Fortunately, I have too much going on to fall into that trap for the moment. It is part of the reason I am not telling others around me. It would distract me from doing what needs to be done. At this moment it is unknown until a diagnosis. I will continue to train as the symptoms do not seem to be affecting that other than lacking grace, which I have never had. I seriously feel like Godzilla rampaging through Tokyo when I do Kata. I also am operating on the theory that doing more to help with balance, coordination, and strength will be a net benefit in the end. I also want to continue to do what I can to be an example for my daughter. I accept that the day may come when I have to limit my training. But, today is not that day. Depending on what happens, I may be able to write something like a guide for practitioners with physical limitations. I know, too much too soon. I have to know what I am talking about first. I know I am also fortunate to have had almost 40 years (so far) of great health. Others are not so fortunate.

The inner bargain hunter in me would say keep it low. The practical side of me says consider the value of your time and the location of the school. Like real estate, location is one of the most important factors. look at what other established schools are charging for similar services. Is there something that differentiates you in that marketplace? Style, lineage, business hours, etc. A great resource on this forum is Sensei8. Do you have any business training, or have a resource that does? Discover what your differentiating feature is. Examine other schools costs. Add up your monthly expenses (rent, heat, lights, equipment, etc). If you add up your expenses you should be able to come up with a break-even point (number of students) pretty easily. There will be surprise expenses. Sensei8 started marketing by hanging flyers. Maybe you can do demos at schools to get interests. Consider every face to face moment an opportunity to promote your services. Do not forget about profit. This is a business necessity.

Well, the good news is that I do not have a ruptured disk. In fact, nothing is wrong with my lower back. The bad news is that the issue may not be easily solved. The unknown news is that there may be a problem with my brain (beyond my disturbing sense of humor). My doc (I now have a doc) is sending me to a neurologist for MS testing. Until that appointment, I am largely ignoring any potential issues. Only my other half knows. If the news turns out bad then I will let others know. Good thing she is a nurse and can direct me to good docs. So the issues I have with leg numbness and lack of coordination may continue to affect my karate training. Good thing I am going to school for a double major in Managerial Accounting and Finance. Then I can make a living with my brain and not my body. One of the biggest concerns that I am ignoring for the moment is how it will affect my training. I guess that is a concern for another day.

Pork Chops!! Great meal and snack.

I bet you won most of them. Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris won the rest.

One of the pieces of advice I will give the girl spawn when she is old enough is the same thing. Grab their head and squeeze your thumbs into their eyes until you feel popping and hear squishing. If things are that desperate then who cares if they get blinded as a result of their actions.

Duct work, pipes and electrical all prevent that stuff in the areas where I'd have enough room to move around the bag. A bag stand would work had it not been for the aforementioned stuff too. The basement just wasn't designed to hang a bag. If I could knock down a supporting brick wall near the back, it would be perfect:) Knock out that supporting wall. Who needs a standing house when there are bags to hang?

Outslayer does make a bag weight that does attach to the bottom of a double ended bag. However, it won't solve your problem. I just hung my Outslayer. Fortunately my basement it tall enough. I was considering using some 4x4's or 6x6's lag bolted between the floor joists to gain a few extra inches. It might work for you.

Congrats. 10 years is a long time.

Maybe you have hit on the fountain of youth. You could be turning into a teenager. Seriously, I understand the sleep thing. Even on nights which I get less than five hours, my legs do not want to settle down. Then I stress that I am keeping the other half awake. So I go to the couch and watch Netflix. While not your situation I can empathize more directly with parts of it. I have an MRI scheduled for my back in two days in an attempt to resolve my leg numbness and restlessness.

I am in the same boat. I can get to my shoulder after a good warm up for fronts and crescents. Anything that is to the side I can hit just above my belt (after a good warm up). If I kick to high to the side it is painful on the outside of my hips and sometimes I fall. From my understanding (for me) it may not be a flexibility issue so much as a hip abductor strength issue. The best cure for that is to keep doing it. Eventually, they will get stronger. Practice, practice, practice.

My take on this is that it is like anything in life. It is a mix of natural ability, repetitions, and quality. I am a decent pistol shot without much practice. If I practice 10,000 shots badly I have only developed bad habits that need to be broken. I would get more benefit from 1,000 shots practiced with proper grip, and trigger control. I have never been called graceful. At this point in time I feel like Godzilla tramping around Tokyo when doing my kata. I can only be amazed at the grace and smoothness others achieve. I know with time and QUALITY practice I will get better. My biggest problem right now is it feels like it takes an hour for my hips to loosen up. When I tested for yellow the dojo was empty and my mother had my daughter so I got to spend 3 hours before class practicing. I worked at a moderate pace switching between kicks, kata, and conditioning. I felt so good by the time testing started.

In the spirit of the new bag, I am considering a weekly kick and punch count goal. Something like 500 kicks and 300 punches. I know it sounds low, but I do have to balance these goals with full-time school and work. I would focus the kicks/punches on whatever needs the most work at the time. Like my Mae Geri is better than my spinning back kick. So I would work more on the spinning back.

One of my goals was achieved. I received an Outslayer Muay Tai bag for Christmas. Now to clean my basement and get it set up before school starts again. Does this mean I need to set another goal?

Or be Royce Gracie.