Shorin Ryuu

When you have time to spare, please tell us if you are alright.

Post has been updated to reflect changes. New: Added a list for those schools offering temporary lodgings to martial artists in their homes or at their schools. New: Open Suggestions and Information Thread. Again, please run this idea by all of your instructors to spread as much benefit around as possible. If you feel uncomfortable asking, I would appreciate if you passed on their contact information to me so I could ask them. Thank you.

Best of luck to you. You're in my thoughts and prayers.

Permission to post granted by Patrick I have launched my site whose purpose is to facilitate communication between those martial arts schools affected by Hurricane Katrina and those schools who want to help them. Here are the basic rules for it, to give you an idea of what this is all about. Or, you can visit the site here: http://martialartshurricanekatrina.blogspot.com/ Brief Summary: This site is a compilation of martial arts schools that were affected by Hurricane Katrina and martial arts schools wanting to help. The listing of contact information in a convenient place allows those schools to individually contact one another. This site is not meant to specifically give relief, only to facilitate it by providing an essential ingredient in all interactions: information. Short term aid in the form of bare necessities is needed, but long-term aid tends to focus on city infrastructure rather than that which makes us human: communities. Therefore it is up to community institutions such as martial arts schools, chess clubs, garden clubs, drama clubs, etc. to help the long-term recovery of their counterparts in affected areas. Rules and Recommendations 1. This is meant solely for aiding the long-term rebuilding of community as opposed to just re-erecting buildings. More specifically, the long-term rebuilding of martial arts communities in areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina through the sharing of information. In other words, I want to match those who are in need with those who want to help. This is a rule. 2. If you are a martial arts school in need, please send me the head instructor's name, style (or category, if applicable), and location. This information is needed to ensure validation. For school contact info, please put a phone number, email, website, or all the above that apply. For your school address, please put your school's street address, city, and state. The school's information will be made public. I understand the pain this may bring, even if your school is completely destroyed. However, I do not want this to turn into a scam, and old addresses are useful for validation. Contact information is a necessity, as the purpose of this site is to facilitate communication between those in need and those willing to help. Style is listed as an item of information because as this is meant to facilitate peer-to-peer institution relationships, perhaps some schools would be even more willing to help if a sister style or similar style is in need. This is a rule. If you are in this category, you can send me the information via email or post a comment in this thread: List - Martial Arts Schools Needing Help. 3. If you are a martial arts school willing to help those in need, please me the head instructor's name, his or her contact info, your school's name, style (or category, if applicable), and location. This information is needed to ensure validation. For school contact info, please put a phone number, email, website, or all the above that apply. For your school address, please put your school's street address, city, and state. The school's information will be made public. Contact information is a necessity, as the purpose of this site is to facilitate communication between those in need and those willing to help. Style is listed as an item of information because as this is meant to facilitate peer-to-peer institution relationships, perhaps some schools would be even more willing to help if a sister style or similar style is in need. This is a rule. If you are in this category, you can send me the information via email or post a comment in this thread: List - Martial Arts Schools Offering Help. There is a separate thread for those schools offering temporary lodgings for displaced martial artists and their families, either in their schools or in their homes. If you are in this category, you can send me your information via email or post a comment in this thread: List - Schools Offering Temporary Lodging for Martial Artists and Families. There is a separate thread for those schools offering a temporary "instruction refuge" for displaced martial artists. If you are in this category, you can send me your information via email or post a comment in this thread: List - Temporary Instruction Refuge for Displaced Martial Artists. 4. Even if you are engaging in efforts already to help rebuilding or restoring a fellow martial arts community, you are encouraged to submit your information to this site. For example, if you are a member of an organization and you are already helping a sister school out, you are encouraged to send me your information. Because it takes a lot to bring a school back, the workload is easier if spread out over multiple schools. There is a saying which goes "evil begets evil." But I believe "good begets good" and the more people see that help is being given, the more generous they themselves will become. This is a recommendation. If you are in this category, you can send me your information via email or post a comment in this thread: List - Paired Martial Arts Schools. 5. Suggestions on what to do to help. The long-term rebuilding of anything at all, like the name implies, takes a long time. Those who run a martial arts school know it is difficult enough to keep running even in the best of times. Therefore there is a wide degree in what it is that constitutes "rebuilding" and the goal here is to get people back on their feet, not to carry them forever. Anything that does happen is coordinated through the schools themselves, but here are just some things that come to mind: Spare equipment: Uniforms, pads, bags, mats, weapons, martial arts books...if it is needed to run a school, some people will need it. Old equipment is okay, just make sure it is useable. Fundraisers: Money always helps. I will not be handling any of it, but it helps. Time: Those who are extremely generous can even aid the rebuilding or restoration of sister schools damaged by Hurricane Katrina. They can also hold seminars or guest classes to respark interest in an area which is starting to get back on its feet and has time to engage in other activities. You get the picture. These, of course, are all recommendations. 6. If you have suggestions for me or any information you think may be useful, I am willing to hear them. You can send me an email or post a comment in this thread: Open Thread for Suggestions, Feedback, Information. 7. If you want to discuss martial arts, politics, religion, anything-not-related-to-martial-arts-schools-affected-by-Hurricane-Katrina, then please kindly use another venue. That is not the purpose of this site. (See rule #1) This is a rule. 8. Common courtesy. Please be respectful to everyone. Please do not use vulgar or obscene language or disparage others. If you wish to do so, do it somewhere else. This is a rule. 9. I am NOT sponsored by anyone, nor do my views or actions necessarily represent those of the Air Force, the government, my karate instructor, my karate organization, the next-door-neighbor's dog or any one at all except for me. 10. I am not responsible for the actual conduct of aid or interaction that takes place because of this site. Any harm, damage, legal trouble, etc. that results from users of this site is sadly the responsibility of those involved. Moreover, I wouldn't even have the ability to resolve anything which did occur. Consequently, people participate at their own discretion. 11. I don't want to end on that negative note. I strongly believe that the rebuilding of communities outside of the bare essentials for life is essential in creating a strong society and civilization. I feel martial arts as a whole tends to foster discipline, respect, and close relationships that aid this ideal. It is my sincere hope that this site betters the re-establishment of martial arts communities disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. When a good act is done, the benefit is given not only to the recipient, but to the performer of the act. Let us go about bringing as much benefit to everyone as we can in an endeavor we all love: martial arts.

Are you a martial arts school hurt by Hurricane Katrina or one that wants to help those that were? If so, please send me your school's name, style (if applicable), location, contact info, and if you need help or are willing to offer it. You must be willing to have this information public. For details, email me. Thank you.

Hugh Hewiit had a great idea on his radio show today. He said essentially it is one thing to rebuild a city and another thing to rebuild a community. Therefore there should be a concerted effort for peer-to-peer institution charity. In other words (an example he uses), the American Red Cross will not rebuild a chess club, but there are tons of chess clubs that may sponsor the rebuilding of New Orleans chess club. Or churches, garden clubs, sports teams, etc. As Kicks mentioned, a TKD school is organizing a fundraiser to help displaced TKD folks. Right now, the focus is rightly on the necessities. But when it comes time to rebuild, there needs to be a rebuilding of the various avenues for spiritual and cultural pursuits. Maybe there can be a concerted effort for martial arts dojo sponsorship in devestated areas?

Everyone be sure to open up your hearts and do what you can to aid disaster relief. It is a trying time and as we can see even from posters here, affects many of us.

I repeat...some people watch too many movies.

Who was your instructor? I'm not grilling you, I'm just curious. I know some instructors who have trained on Okinawa and spent a lot of time in Vietnam. I don't chat with them on a regular basis, per se, but maybe I can ask them if they knew your instructor back then.

Everywhere and nowhere. Doesn't that sound just like the nonsensical pseudo-answers that everyone likes to quote in order to sound smart, wise or mysterious? In this case, it is actually somewhat true.

You watch too many movies.

3 sessions a week...guess I should edit that.

Yes , most of karate schools do I'd say most Japanese karate schools do the whole "Osu" thing a lot more. Okinawans may say "osu" every now and then (like at the end of class or something like that) but it is usually said naturally and in a normal conversation tone of voice. I've noticed more Japanese systems tend to say it loudly, sometimes extending the length of the word. They also may say it to indicate affirmation, the fact they are paying attention, or just when things are really quiet to liven up the mood (just kidding on the last one...sort of). For those not accustomed to it (me) it is kind of humorous at times talking to those people while in a dojo or something. Of course, a lot of rituals tend to be humorous to those not accustomed to them. I mean, c'mon...what's with those guys wearing white pajamas and bowing to each other?

English. Any attempts to speak the language of love on a permanent basis have usually ended up leaving me speechless. I can fake Japanese to some extent...I need to stop flirting with it and get fluent. My reading comprehension is actually better than my speaking ability.

It is not rare to get a lot of students like that. It is less common to keep all of them as time passes.

For those of you not familiar with the history of the Philippines, it was an American colony from the very tail end of the 1800s until 1946 (or so...I'm too lazy to look it up). As a note, there was a long process towards its independence under American colonial rule as part of American policy which was underway even before WWII occurred...it wasn't just part of the Post-WWII decolonization deal. Most people from the Philippines speak rather highly of the American colonization (it's the Spanish they hated...). And as for Goju_boi's question, that is a fairly common and unfortunate misconception. Answered in a longer entry in this thread by me: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=18002 Short answer: Karate has a long history of incorporating weapons training.

Which brings up the debate over how much stances used in kata should be used in sparring (or fighting). I think most people tend to use their kata far less than they "should" while sparring. Some of this is due to the nature of sparring in that some stances which are practical while fighting are not practical while sparring with rules and limitations. I agree you shouldn't be so set in your ways that you can't adapt to a situation, but I feel there is a definite utility in stances (which should be transitory anyway). I wrote a post on this a while back: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=17994

Yes. And ditto.

I think there is a bias, sometimes unfair, among traditional practitioners against those starting their own martial art. Some of this is the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" mentality. For others, it is a fierce sense of loyalty to their way of doing things. For others, it is a recognition that very little is new under the sun and unless there is a rather unique formulation that is so radically different from something already existing and at the same time is actually worthwhile, there is little "need" for it. Even if there is something like a political split or instances where someone does not get along with a style hierarchy, it is considered a bit odd to go out of your way to market your style as something really revolutionary. For example, if I end up leaving my present organization (no plans on doing that whatsoever in actuality), I'm not going to name my system Grand Ultimate Karate Kungfu Deluxe (combat edition)...I'd probably just call it "Okinawan Shorin Ryu". On the other hand, in Okinawan karate (and karate in general), the notion of rigid style distinctions is a relatively new one and most "styles" were based on the individual teacher as everyone's karate was personalized...Bruce Lee would have been happy had he done more of his homework. Furthermore, most existing styles that are deemed traditional are instances where "back then", people of sufficient skill and understanding formulate a systematic way of teaching their understanding of the martial arts and not merely just a hodgepodge of techniques from various styles. That being said, the ratio of those forming their own system who offer a coherent and well-integrated approach to martial arts regardless of how many styles it incorporates (one, two or more) to those who merely lump together techniques from various styles is rather small. Due to the ability of people to train nowadays from a wider range of choices than usually was available to people "back then", I recognize there is a chance for someone who really analyzes what they do to come up with a personalized way of doing things that may not fit well under the label of one specific, existing style. There are some who manage to do this. But again, the trend is for people to gain breadth rather than depth, causing their system to be viewed with less legitimacy than others.

20 dollars a month for 3, 2 1/2 hour sessions. Edit: That's 3 sessions a week.

I think it's not really good. External movements show no indication of how your internal biomechanical structure is working. I doubt the game is advanced enough to sense any of the subtleties between movement that looks like martial arts and movement that is martial arts. It would take quite a leap in technology to reach the point where it is practical or accurate. It does sound fun though.

That's all I've read of him that I clearly recall. I think there were maybe some of the Conan the Barbarian novels written by him (which were good...it's been such a long while ago though I can't remember too well...).

I think the most common mistake in attempting to use "basic blocks" (or basic understandings of them) is the tendency to statically stay in one place and try to go through the whole exaggerated range of it.

The pronunciation for empty (kara) is the same as the one for China (kara). The "kara" referring to China (Tang Dynasty) could alternatively (and more commonly, I believe) be pronounced as "Tou" (that's a long o).

Actually, everyone always citing the McDonald's coffee case always bugs me. 1. Old lady was held partially responsible because she put the coffee cup in her lap. 2. The coffee was heated about 40-50 degrees hotter than it should have been. (I'm unsure on the exact numbers for the coffee temperature...but they were way higher than "safe" levels) 3. The coffee gave her 2nd and 3rd degree burns. 4. She originally asked only for enough money to cover her medical expenses (way less than a million dollars). 5. McDonald's refused to pay and settle outside of court, even though there were other cases of too hot coffee reported (they heated the coffee excessively hot so it would last longer without having to replace it in most all their locations). 6. The amount was determined by the judge: 2 days worth of coffee sales. It was more of a preventive measure to prevent negligence from happening again. 7. McDonald's clearly was at fault for negligence here and causing risk to customers by offering dangerous products (even if she just drank it she would obviously burn herself). 8. There are plenty of examples of frivolous lawsuits...choose one of those instead.