MatsuShinshii

I don't see this ever happening. I think this is a equality pipe dream.

Not saying that everyone is stuck on anything. I just made the comment that if you do put a specific arts name on the door/Dojo teach it. There are many that claim one thing and teach another. Just an observation for potential owners. I guess this is a matter of how you view these things. I agree that trophies are gimmicks because all they prove is that you were faster than your opponent or you were able to use gimmicks to beat them. As far as belts and certificates are concerned I do not think of these as gimmicks or marketing ploys. They are earned or at least they should be. If they are not and given like candy then yes they are gimmicks. No offense but this sounds like an after school program or a jazzersize class not a Dojo. Bowing is a sign of respect and teaches respect for our teachers. I guess the military presence is directed towards old school Dojo's in the manner that the art was taught but to be perfectly honest I prefer the good old days and I think they produced very competent fighters/Karateka. Agreed. Whatever you can find and where ever you can find it. The main focus is to teach not to own the taj mahal of Dojo's.

I am sure you are just parroting what is common in the arts Alan, but this is cheating pure and simple and exactly what I would expect from McDojo's. This is akin to telling the world that you have to enter your Shodan as Sankyu and your Sankyu as a Rokkyu because your students are not good enough to compete at those levels. What do you think your students think when you demote them so they can compete? It tells them that trophies in your dojo window mean more than quality instruction. This is an unethical way of competing and it makes me sick that this goes on. If you can't win based on your grade, your Sensei should re-think the requirements for that grade and start producing better martial artists. This is my problem with modern Karate. They put trophies for winning a game of patty cakes and made up "extreme" Kata over producing competent Karateka that can hold their own in their grade. This is just sick!!!!!!!!!!!! Demote your student because they can't compete at their present grade? The instructor should take a good look in the mirror because this doesn't reflect on his/her students, it reflects on him/her. Teach the art, uphold high standards and this should never happen. Furthermore stop giving in to societies whims and stop producing BB's that can't fight their way out of a paper bag! Teach the art not some made up rendition of how you think a judge will perceive the art for a silly tournament. The art is perfect as it was created. I don't care how many years or what grade some judge is. If they can't appreciate the REAL art then stop competing and teach your students how to defend themselves. DEMOTE YOUR STUDENTS? Just sick! Put a banner above your Dojo door that reads "sub par instruction, but don't worry, we'll demote you so you can win a trophy and I can put it into my window to attract more unsuspecting students". "No your grade and that belt around your waste doesn't actually have any meaning whatsoever but by the time your a Shodan you'll be able to beat the best Hachikyu out there". Very sad and very sick! And people wonder why the arts have degraded and are no longer respected as a viable self defense system and so many turn to MMA. Well look no further. It's hard to cheat a real life fight. What does the instructor tell their students? "Don't worry I'll make sure we put you against an inferior thug on the streets". Just sad.

This is great except when you advertise it as a specific art. IMHO if your going to advertise that you are offering instruction in an art, teach that art. I would say that unless you already have potential students you're going to have a hard road to travel in just renting a space. You compound your issues because without students paying, your rent falls on you which mean you have to advertise which costs more money. I would suggest starting out small. Teach out of your back yard, converted garage or even your house until you build a reputation and out grow those area's. If you belong to a church see if you can teach out of their basement or community hall. Find a place to teach that's free or doesn't cost much to rent. Renting out a space in a strip mall or the like costs more than you can typically pay starting out because there is not enough students to offset the costs. Don't forget water, heat, air, lights, insurance, etc. etc. Jumping in head first and expecting students to flock to your doors is a mistake especially if there are other schools in your town. Again if your going to advertise an art, teach that art. If you're going to teach multiple arts or many aspects of different arts call it something other than your main art. You will send traditionalists running for the door and this is nothing less than false advertisement. There is nothing wrong with offering other arts, IF YOU'RE QUALIFIED TO TEACH THEM. But if your going to put Shotokan or some other arts name on the school make sure that is what you are teaching. If not call your school something else and state that you will be teaching multiple arts or a hybrid art. There is no worse way to start out than to falsely advertise and build the wrong reputation. MMA is great but if that is what your teaching then don't advertise a traditional MA when it is not the main focus of the school.

On another note; if your organization requires Yudansha to be tested at the Hombu or by other senior instructors then I can see where some could and do fail. I wasn't thinking in these terms in my previous posts because I was thinking more of Mudansha gradings. In this case it is very probable that the instructors have never seen the student or have only seen them a few chance occasions and given a certain time and upon the recommendation of ones teacher they would be called to test and could fail depending on the requirements and standards that a testing board would enforce. This is very probable. So I guess I revise my previous statements too, if this is your direct student and you are capable (grade depending) of testing them I see no way that you do not know if they will pass or fail, if they are going before other instructors then there is a chance they could fail based on their standards and requirements. However I will supplement this with the following statement; if you are sending your student to be tested by a board you should already know their requirements and standards and unless the student chokes, should pass.

They may be ready to grade, but depends on their attitude and what they do during the physical grading itself where they may fail. I know a couple of students that are absolutely amazing when they put the effort in and have the right attitude. But then they are also shocking when they don't want to put the effort into something. Agreed that attitude and effort play a huge role but if this is a problem I would not allow them to test until the behavior has changed. My following statements are not pointed at you or anyone else. I think this part of the issue now-a-days. Students some how think they have the right to grade at a given time frame. This is in large part due to instructors or organizations implementing set time in grade standards. This is primarily due to the number of students in large or mega organizations because there is no way for an instructor to watch every student and know their progress or the lack thereof. So in a sense the instructor has no idea if the student will pass or fail, they just have an idea based on a few observations. In small Dojo's this is not a problem because you see and interact with your students every class and know without doubt when they are ready. I have never had this problem (knock on wood). I did not implement a time frame for each grade and neither did my Shinshii. You're ready when the instructor feels you have gained the knowledge and skill for that grade and not before. If you have a behavior problem or exhibit a lack of effort, you don't test. Depending on the severity you could be shown the door. I don't feel that just because an organization states that a Hachikyu should test in three months that this holds accurate, in fact I feel this is seldom the case. Establishing time frames negates the fact that each student will progress at their own rates depending on their physical and mental attributes. To set a standard is akin to saying that all of your students are clones and have the same abilities. This couldn't be further from the truth. So I stick with my original statement, I already know they have achieved the grade before I invite them to test. If they were not ready why would you give them the chance to test? Unless you teach at a McDojo that makes their money off of multiple testings (and everything else) there is no purpose in testing a student you know will fail. I guess if they become a behavioral problem during the test they could be failed. Minus the unlikely possibility that they develop a split personality and go crazy during the test, if they have put forth the effort, gained the knowledge and skill and exhibit this during the test I see no way they could fail. Don't get me wrong, I have failed students in the past but that is when I was young and not as patient. Now they wait until I feel they are ready, no questions asked. I do not let my organization or my students dictate how I teach or when I test. They dictate their readiness after they have proven that they have learned the curriculum and gained the skills necessary. Their abilities will dictate how fast or how slow they progress not some standard that an organization puts out. Once I see they are ready and unless something catastrophic happens, they will pass.

Try to avoid it! Gi snapping / popping probably means you are doing the technique poorly. K. Why is gi snapping wrong?What is right for one style might be wrong for another. In some cases - and usually when performed by karate-ka that are very good at what they do - it is OK. But, to tailor a technique in order to make your gi snap, is likely to send you down the route of incorrect movement, particularly if you are still learning the fundamentals. For example; a fairly ubiquitous technique in many karate styles is a front stepping lunge punch (Oizuki / Junzuki). By definition, a 'tsuki' is a thrust - like a piston. Do it correctly and there is very little sound, simply because the there is very little of the 'whiplash' effect that your limb / gi material make. Do it poorly by 'winging' out your elbow will generate the whipping / snap effect. Great if that's what your goal is, but you are doing the technique poorly. K. Could not agree more. A gi will snap with some techniques but not all. A back fist is one technique where the snap will happen because the weapon is thrown out and retracted at the same rate. this causes the Gi to snap back onto the arm thus creating the snapping sound. However other techniques would not cause the arm/leg to impact with the sleeve/pants leg and thus should not snap. Causing a snap is artificial and causes misalignment. Making the Gi snap on every technique means you are forcing the body to be out of efficient alignment in order to create the snap. This is great if your trying to impress the judges of a tournament but has very little, if at all, benefit when it comes to actual self defense. If you practice a certain way the body will recreate this as if second nature and when you need it in a real life altercation there will be no power present or worse you will injure yourself because the joints are not aligned and thus not capable of taking the jarring effect of a full power strike on a target. Don't practice snapping your Gi. Concentrate on the correct body mechanic's and if the technique naturally creates a snapping effect, great. If it does not don't make it happen. You are doing it improperly and other than a snappy sound for the inexperienced audience you are destroying your joints. The body is not intended to do certain things. Over time everything we do that is correct takes a toll. The things we do that are incorrect take a worse toll.

I already know that they have passed before I test them. Why else would a student be asked to test, unless you thought they were ready?

Yes one of our Sensei was female when I was a kid taking Matsubayashi Ryu. She was very competent and capable. I think overwhelmingly it is a male dominated activity. However that is not to take away from the fact that many more females are engaged in the arts these days. I don't think it's an equality issue at all. Being a student of the arts, we are all equal in that we are learning. Being an instructor of the arts is based on the merits of the instructor whether male or female. If you have the knowledge and skill and can use it then I see nothing holding either gender back. It's not equality at all, either you can or you can't. I think too many jump to judgement these days in that they wish to make everything an even playing field across the board. This will never be the case. There will always be someone faster, stronger, more knowledgeable. Not everyone can get a trophy and not everyone can teach. It's just the way it is. It's not a gender thing. It only becomes a gender thing when someone that can't complains that it's not fair. The thing is there is nothing fair about combative arts. There is a winner and a loser. The one that is more skilled more often than not is the victor. Gender/race/creed/religion should not be a talking point when talking about the arts. You either can or you can't and it's on your own merit, hard work, knowledge and skill. It's an individual activity and the only one to look at if you find your not up to standards is yourself. No room to blame inability on anyone else or on anything else. It's you and you alone. Having said this, take a look at TKD or many of the Korean arts. It's around half and half of the few Dojang I've observed. Yoga (not saying it's a martial art) is dominated by women. Is this an equality issue? I do not believe so. Your interests are your interests. If more boys interests are in MA and more girls interests are in Yoga (just using something I have noticed, certainly not making a sexist statement ) then what is the issue? If girls want to participate in the MA's they can. I see no one holding anyone back, especially these days. In fact I enjoy watching the women fight in the UFC as much if not more so than the men. They are vicious. Great fights! If the UFC, a sanctioned fighting event, is not holding women back I doubt any Dojo owner is. It's a matter of choice not inequality.

It depends on their knowledge and ability. Age is never a guarantee of knowledge. However it takes the age that comes with many years to be knowledgeable enough to run a school and pass on said knowledge. IMHO, I can't see a CI any younger than 25 minimum. I would expect the CI to be a Sandan to run their own school. Assistants would be a different story. However the example or a 17 yr old with a 15 and 14 yr old assistants is ridiculous IMO. Age is a factor whether some would like to believe it is or is not. We judge based on age. If you do not believe this then I ask you what your first thought would be walking into a dojo and seeing a 10 year old conducting class? Second what would your reaction be if you then found out that they were the CI? You might find that this 10 yr old can beat you hands down (I can't see this ever happening but for the sake of argument...) and ultimately win your respect. But the bottom line is most of us would walk out if we are being honest. Age makes a difference on both hands. Some would ask at what point would a Sensei be too old. The millenniums would be the factor in the too old argument. From what I have heard/read they would much prefer a teacher closer to their own age. Either way it plays a factor in how we perceive our teachers. If you were a 5 or 10 yr old kid, a 18 yr old instructor wouldn't seem outrageous but that same 5 to 10 yr old might have an issue with a 50 yr old instructor. It's perception. However it's also how many years it should take to gain a specified grade. There are some that would say it makes no difference. But this IMHO is an excuse to shorten requirements. I personally would walk out if I saw a 18 year old Sandan teaching class much less a 10 year old Shodan/pick a Yudansha grade. However I would have no issue with taking instruction from a 25 to 30 year old instructor. I also would not have any issue taking classes from a 90 year old instructor. However I would expect the 25 to 30 to be Nidan to Sandan grading and the 90 yr old to be at least a Nanadan to Kudan grading. I would not expect to see the roles reversed. Unfortunately in this day in age you will see 25 to 30 yr old Hachidan. ABSOLUTE JOKE! For this I wouldn't walk out of class I would run.

The purpose for technical training is to teach students how to do the techniques. It is not supposed to be done at full speed or with full power because one - it's to show the proper way to do it and for two - the instructors job is not to injure students. This is true for any martial art. The reason that Uke gives and goes with the technique is so that the instructor doesn't get hurt applying it and the student doesn't get hurt while he applies it. I watched a student with a huge ego, big bad dude complex, resist his instructor in a Judo class. You could see the frustration mounting in the instructors face until he caught himself and asked the student to sit down and called up another student. The student with the big ego lost some pride points after class when he asked the instructor to try that again on him. This time he went full speed and full power and slammmmmed him to the mat. The point is, it's not that the technique doesn't work, it's that the object is not to injure the student. By being non-compliant you risk injuring yourself or the one your are practicing with. This is fine in a fight but in class there's no purpose for it as this is a place to learn.

Well said and very true.

Understood. With that explanation I agree 100% with what you stated. Thanks for the clarification.

To the bold above. Love that mind set.

Solid point.

Good points. Unfortunately it's not just new students. As we age, even though we train, our bodies break down a bit and things like arthritis and popping/creaking joints and old injuries start to play a role. Staying in shape and being active definitely reduce the effects but eventually age happens to all of us. Ah to be young again.

Congrats. I'm glad you found a solution.

This could be true but it really depends on whether it was differentially heat treated. Being a higher carbon steel doesn't necessarily mean anything. An Iaito can be softer than a Shinken because it is not intended to be used for actual cutting. Does it have a (real) Hamon or temper line? If it does there is a decent chance that you are absolutely right and it could be polished and utilized as a live blade. Not sure how much I'd trust it cutting but that doesn't mean that it couldn't. The problem is that Iaito are produced differently than Shinken in that the heat treatment is not done exactly the same. A live blade is differentially heat treated to produce a hard edge, spring middle and soft spine. This allows the blade to absorb the shock of impact, return to true and maintain a hard enough edge to cut and hold an edge without shattering due to the entire blade being hard (Martensite) or to bend due to being too soft as in being in an annealed state. This is typically performed by the use of clay as a medium to control the rates of cooling when the blade is quenched before it is tempered. This is particularly true of modern steels like 1060. The method of utilizing high and low carbon steels and forge welding them together to create a high carbon outer skin with a low carbon center are only utilized by a few smiths. If the singular high carbon steel is not differentially heat treated the effect will be catastrophic for the user in that the sword will bend and be ruined or it will crack/break. Either way you loose your investment or worse, you loose a body part. This is definitely not to say that Iaito do not undergo the heat treat process or are not differentially heat treated as many are today. However it also is dependent on the heat treat process, quenchant used (rate of cooling) and temper process to produce a specific brinell or rockwell hardness within the blade. I'm sure the manufacturer can provide you with this information if you chose to polish the blade. This would definitely tell you whether it would be worth pursuing. Oh and unless you are a skilled polisher do not attempt to do this yourself. You could ruin the blade.

Just to have or to use? If your planning on using them for Tameshigiri I would suggest spending the money and buying something that will withstand the rigors of cutting. Also read up on the Shinken and read what others have said before buying anything. You will notice than many will say for soft targets only and others will say for both soft and hard. It's depending on the steel the process of heat treating and how and what it was made for. Blade geometry comes into play along with many other factors. If you are buying it for use make sure to do the research before investing. This would not be a weapon to scrimp on. It may cost you more than you could ever save. Good luck. I appreciate the advice! My iaito is intended for practice. When it comes to a live blade, I'm probably going to just have them on display (the only person who taught iaido here is no longer teaching, from what I can tell.) I don't think I'd hesitate to use them for cutting, however. Paul Chen's business model was based on providing the population with blades suitable for all types of practice (simple drawing, light cutting, heavy cutting, etc.) Besides, I'd feel less bad about scuffing up a blade that cost me ~$300 than I would scuffing a blade that cost me ~$3000. I understand your thought process because I am a total cheap skate, but... I wasn't really concerned about scuffing the blade. I am aware of Paul Chen's blades. I don't personally own one but do know others that own them. However you should look at the blade material (steel) and what the characteristics of it are for intended use before buying a sword based on price alone. I am not talking about how good the adornments are or how the sword looks. The only thing I find important is the blade itself and how it is mounted. A small concern would be the material used for the tsuka ito as well. Wouldn't want your sword flying through the air when your hands get sweaty. You also wouldn't want your blade flying out due to a poor mekugi. The old expression goes "it's all fun and games until someone gets their eye poked out". Well thats not the greatest concern with Shinken. Oops! There goes an arm. A scuff would be the least of your concerns if you choose the wrong blade for the intended purpose. Not all "live" or "combat" blades are made equally. There is a huge difference between 1045, 1080, 1095, L6 Bainite, Etc. when it comes to toughness, durability, flexibility, ductility, ability to maintain an edge, and so on, etc. etc. etc. You may also want to know the depth of the Sori and the geometry of the blade. Thickness, width, length, length of the Tsuka. All of these factors play in to personal preference but they also effect the cutting effectiveness of the blade. I am merely pointing out that cheap is not always better especially when it comes to Shinken. A little research goes a long way in being satisfied with the sword you choose. Price is important but performance is equally important when choosing a Shinken and so is safety in purchasing the right sword for the purpose. An Iaito is another story.

Put forth the effort and learn. Only testing tip I can give. There is no big secret as far as I am concerned. Learn the information of each grade and put forth the effort. The more you do the better you get and the better the chance you have of progressing. As far as tips for taking a test goes, make sure you have put in the effort, know your material and relax and do what you know. Some students psych themselves out before testing due to nerves. If you have put forth the effort and have learned the information for each grade you have little to worry about. The instructor will not invite you to test until your ready to test. Other than that there are no mysteries. Learn and give 100%.

Could not agree more with your statement that not all are equal. I also agree with the premise that sport compared to combat effective are not equal as well. Can you clarify your definition of theory when applying it to the study of Okinawan MA as compared to Chinese MA. To clarify only for my arts practices - Physical is a major portion of our art during the Mudansha and early Yudansha grades. However creative thought is also a major portion of the art. We guide but the student must learn through self discovery. This means proof testing what they have learned and applying it in real situations. Critical thinking and analyzing the applications within the Kata and gaining a greater understanding of them, learning to apply them and more importantly identifying what works and what doesn't for and individual is a huge component of the art. Self research and understanding not only the history but where the art came from and what it came from gives the student a deeper understanding of the meaning of the applications and how to better apply them. So the brain is engaged. In our youth the body is 70% and the brain is 30%. As we grow older this reverses when we realize that technique and knowledge can over come without utilizing our full strength/speed. Economy of motion. Why expend more effort than is necessary? This is of course human nature. Papa bull and baby bull theory. * If you don't know it I can't explain it here. I also agree with your premise that it's just an article of clothing. The belt does not make the man, the man makes the belt. If you remove your belt are you not still the same grade? I know I sounded a little David Carradine in Kung Fu there with that last question. Ancient Chinese wisdom and all.

Spartacus, You are correct. Most come from southern China and Taiwan. To add to your Kata; Sanseiru, Niseishi and Happoren. For the sake of Historical correctness I would like to add that Sanchin may have come from white crane but it is also found in all of the major arts that influenced the Okinawan founders. However this does not detract from your statement in the least. This is only to point out that this particular Hsing(Kata) is present in other Quan Fa that was introduced and it is next to impossible to determine exactly which art it came from. Strictly from an accurate historical account. I also agree, having studied an art that has it's roots in Bai He Quan that you can see the techniques within the Kata if you know what you are looking for and at. Unfortunately some historians put way to much emphasis on this, in that when reading about specific arts, it leads the reader to believe it was solely derived from that one art and this is not the case. In the case of most, if not all Okinawan arts, they were developed/influenced by many arts. I believe this is the confusion that laymen have when trying to compare the arts in seeing the similarities. They look for them to be carbon copies and when not seeing exact carbon copies, almost as if they should be the same art, they claim that there is not Crane influence within the art. Having studied and done my own research, I can state IMHO that our art is a culmination of many arts and once you understand the applications and then compare them to the arts that are to have influenced them, only then can you see exact similarities. Looking at the surface of a Kata and not understanding that it is a mere container for the applications contained within, is where the laymen fail to see the techniques and the influence of the Quan Fa. If one looks deep enough into the postures of the Chinese martial arts manuals, take the Bubishi for instance, one can see exact clones of the arts that they came from. The difference is what happened to the original intent of most arts when it was Japanized and changed to mean what it does in most modern martial arts today. In this case I would agree... I can't see it either. But a lack of understanding does not detract from the truth. White Crane techniques along with many other arts can be found still contained within the Kata if you know how to extract them. Some would call this Bunkai but I would call them the postures and the applications and techniques that they represent. To say that an art was not influenced because it does not resemble another art is akin to saying that TKD or Tang Soo Do was not influenced by Shotokan because they were Koreanized. Kata were created and added but the original Kata (although the names were changed, are still present. This is also true with Karate and the influences of Chinese MA. The Japanese loathed all things Chinese and did their level best to change the art to remove said influences but again, the underlying intent still remains even with the name changes and the intent changes. If it quacks like a duck...

Welcome to KF.

Congrats!

Just to have or to use? If your planning on using them for Tameshigiri I would suggest spending the money and buying something that will withstand the rigors of cutting. Also read up on the Shinken and read what others have said before buying anything. You will notice than many will say for soft targets only and others will say for both soft and hard. It's depending on the steel the process of heat treating and how and what it was made for. Blade geometry comes into play along with many other factors. If you are buying it for use make sure to do the research before investing. This would not be a weapon to scrimp on. It may cost you more than you could ever save. Good luck.