Zen_Diva

you are right. I have to be willing to put myself in your hands as my Sensai and learn what you have to teach me and also learn from myself as I progress. I have much work to do. I, too, have been in therapy for many years for self-esteem issues. I am a product of a broken home with a Dad that didn’t bother with me after he left home and a Mom who favored my sister over me who was emotionally abusive. Then I got into one emotional abusive relationship after another, where the partner had total control over me because I gave it to them. I had no sense of power from within. Yada, Yada, Yada. Well, I don’t want my life to be like this anymore and my son, quite frankly, would expect more of me than this. In fact, I expect more from me than this!! You ARE a true friend and as I said in my post on 411, a loving person. It is I who briefly failed you in the loyalty department. If you no longer wish to work with me, I understand. I hope you will forgive my last email and that at the very least, we are still friends. I also now understand after your story, the difference between you and I in the world setting, and the you and I teacher and student. I know now you are not “tearing” me down because you’re on a power trip or any such thing. It is part of the training. I wish I had brought this subject up when it first happened and you could have explained it to me, instead of what happened. I’m sorry. The good news is I’m still training, although can’t jump rope for very long. That is to be expected though. I hope you accept my apology and will still work with me. HAI!!!!!!!!!!! Name Withheld by Author

I thought I would share the letter and her reply. For someone new in the art, this might have something of small value;

My instructor left for Tokyo to train for 10 years when I was brown belt. Another brown belt and i had to take over the dojo, mostly green belts under us. We gave demos everywhere but it was a hard slog. Even our original club had only a few members, only 2 of which made it to Shodan. We had over 25 students at our peak eventually, by working at a college and mostly faculty and students would come. It was free facility and we charged 35 dollars a month. But students come and go as they graduate and faculty made it to blue belt, but not beyond. Then I worked with AIDS, gays, women, people with disabilities. I got a police officer to train me in self defense to add to my karate training. That was good, different, and very rewarding. Anti gay bashing programs got some interested in karate too. Then I taught children, and that is a money maker. But it was awful, I loved them, but too much work for an old man. Then I went back to adults, and couldnt rebuild the dojo. Plus we train traditional, not very sexy, just lots of repetition, no sparring. So not so successful. So most successful for me was going to community center and becoming salaried fitness staff to teach, or health club, or college. My Sensai bought and renovated an Aikido dojo this year, at 42 years old, he practiced since 9 years old consistently, finally he has hombu. Long road, no?

What you guys say is reassuring. I agree with everything thats been posted. Whew......I thought for a moment the world was full of 16 year old Godans....who know 156 kata which all kinda look the same.....thx all.

I was browsing through some web sites and there are instructors out there who claim Sandan after only 11 years. According to Funakoshi Sensai, 3 years, one kata. Jutte 3 years Jiin 3 years Bassai Dai 3 years Matsumora Rohia 3 years Seinchin 3 years Hein Kata, lets ignore, but there are 5 Neseitch, 3 years Jion 3 years What is total now? I see 21 years, not 11 years. We must be careful to not inflate dan ranking. 2nd Dan....10 years is good 3rd Dan....must make significant improvement, minimum 5 years after 2nd dan YonDan...very advanced, should only be a handful in country GoDan....rare Shihan.....extremely rare My comments.

I think sport has virtually destroyed karate. There is no sport in the battlefield. So something new has been created, gives many people happiness to win, but overall, the effect has been devastating.

White belt knows nothing, expects much. Wait ten years. No basics, cannot spar.

Anyone else struggling with this one? Working on 3rd dan for a few years now, glimpses of ki, then evasive. Anyone at similar dan rank (+10 years training) working with this slow learning curve? Your thoughts, ideas, techiques?

These are the only 2 I have seen. The knot in the front must form a square not, both ends project outward. The knot is worn low, over the tanden, to help awareness of body center. The length of the free ends should extend to mid thigh or less. There are 2 ways to wrap the belt. One is for the rolling arts, such as Aikido, and one for the striking arts, karate do. The difference is that the belt is wrapped in place for rolling, resulting in a flat surface at the back, which is safer for rolling arts. The karate way, the belt is placed with the free ends facing backwards, then the belt ends are brought around the body, resulting in an overlap at the rear. This gives extra support to the lower back for fighting from the standing position. I wrap my belt Aiki way. The purpose of the belt is 3 fold to maintain continual awareness of moving from body center to support low back to use as a weapon, a tournequet It also indicates rank but this is not the old way.

There is a trap in sparring, so be careful. Without contact and throwing, including the clinch, it trains reflexes which have no foundation in karate, but in sport. Once the path of sparring is chosen, one is committed to it for a long time, it takes years to become proficient. So do be careful, not of injury, there will be few, but, of dedicating your time to the right things.

Thx for the warm welcome. Its true, wherever you go in the world, fellow karateka show warmth and respect. One of the reasons I love traditional arts. Been in Vancouver just less than a year.

And hello to Gheinisch, thank you for making a stranger feel welcome. I like master Funakoshi's quote on your text. My new favorite quote is from Shigo Egami; "as a man ages, his abilities deteriorate conspicuously" TY for welcoming me.

Hello....Italian guy...sparring was bad for me....but good for many people.....I agree, its fun.....and it builds skill......but my teaching was very traditional. Since many people spar these days things have gotten safer and I can appreciate your love of it..... Sekokai (Shito Ryu); Teacher Greg Angus, O Sensai: Sato Sensai, student of Suzuki Sensai student of Sakagami, student of Mabuni. Mabuni and Funakoshi were students together. Shito Ryu means Higoanna and Itosu's style. My teacher is also Yon Dan in Aikido, trained with Endo Sensai of Hombu Dojo, Aikiki...Tokyo. So my karate absorbed irimi and some sword footwork, due to my Sensai's love for Aiki practice. He now only teachers Aikido has own dojo, handmade, I still only practice te, but he still instructs me.

Just joined the board. Looking forward to good discussion. Nice to meet you all. Me, 2nd dan, practice for 15 years, before that Jeet Kune Do and Judo, Blue Belt. Instructor: self defense, practice; jodo, tonfa, nanchuka, tanto. Just another kata man. My saying; karate IS mixed martial arts.....mixed martial arts was on the battlefield, sparring makes technique weak, karate is moving meditation, the only useful sparring is life and death, so.... Only practice kata now.