MASIsshinryu

Meet their aggression with equial force, but greater skill. Use your experience to teach them the right lessons. Holding back does not show them a true picture of you as a Martial Artist, and might be hindering the emotional development that they need to more fully appreciate those that train with them.

I think it varies widely, depending on your own strategic doctrine, and your personal strengths. Some say strike the weapon hand/wrist to cause grip failure, some say gain attachment and maintain control, some suggest almost ignoring the weapon and take them out. For me, attach and control seems to work the best. Time your approach, gain a grip on the weapon arm (lower arm/wrist, or it's not effective!) then kick/strike them while maintaining that control. Based on the differing approached of various styles, you will probably get the response that there are as many options as there are styles, and then some.

In practice, very well. He was about 90% accurate against padded incomming fists, and seemes to close enough to mess up the normal timing. I do not know if he ever had to do it on the street. I moved out of that area about 4 years ago.

I used to work out with a guy who practiced trying to headbutt an incoming fist. He thought it was a good "no-other-option" defense, and might throw off the attackers timing enough to catch the fist prior to it being fully clenched for impact, and guide it into the forehead, rather than the face. On any given day, it seems I can either speak or write English, but never both.

Absolutely true. There are too many environmental variables, and even variations in individual physiologies to believe that anything is going to work 100% as planned. Anyone can be beaten, if the variables fall into place.

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I absolutely agree that it can happen with or without gloves, but I think a person who trains for contact with hands wrapped, then find themselves having to fight without that added support, is more likely to suffer from this type of injury. In the Tyson example, if I recall correctly, he struck the lower jaw, not even the actual skull (I could be wrong, but I recall a lot of tooth/lower jaw damage being inflicted). Much like people in industrial settings who wear back support belts constantly tightened, then suffer from muscle failures/strains when they lift at home without one, the body can become dependant on external support if it is provided over an extended period of time. SevenStar: I am glad to hear that you have never suffered a hand injury, and I would never wish otherwise on anyone (unless, of course, they are attempting to hurt me / mine). (Mistype on my last one, too: Should be "skin provides little if any padding," not skill.)

One well respected instructor suggested, for those that have never tried punching a person's skull: wrap a bowling ball in a beach towl, and punch that. The skull is well suited for protecting it's contents, and the layer of skill provides little if any padding. As previously stated (thank you cross): Hit hard parts with soft parts, and hit soft parts with hard parts. Remember also that if you train with your hands padded or wrapped, they will get used to being in that condition. See Mike Tysons history, for an example of the consequences. Yes, the guy was knocked out, but with pretty significant damage to the striking hand.

Welcome!

Sounds like a good choice of complementing styles. Good luck!

I think the transition from one art to another is one of the most challenging things a person can do. In order to give the new art a chance, you have to allow yourself to un-learn a lot of what you did before. If you had been involved in any repeatative training previously, you have some motor-memory to undo. That takes a lot of time and effort, and can be very frustrating. I started my MA expeience with a full rotation punch, and found the initial transition to the Isshin ryu punch very challenging. Stick with it and keep your open mind. Some of the things you see and do may seem overly basic, but thay will all help you work towards that un-learning/learning process. Good luck!

Some do, but not all of them are this untrained. Be careful with underestimating them, as they may surprise you. Be happy if that is what they do, but don't expect it. I once had a confrontation with a guy who carried himself like he didn't know much about fighting, but he turned out to be a strung out, ex-pro boxer (not a great record, from what I heard, but a lot of training).

The bottom line is, check your state statutes. They will define under what circumstance you may use force to defend yourself, to defend others and in most states when you are justified in use of deadly force. As previously mentioned, some jurisdictions require that you attempt to disengage, if reasonable; some do not. There is a wide range of variation from one location to another. As with most legal matters, you might also want to contact an attorney, as these are often written in a not very user-friendly manner, and the actual findings of court rulings will also come into play. This is a great topic for a dojo to touch on, in an informational presentation. It is not unheard of for a local prosecutor to attend a class, to outline what may or may not be considered reasonable.

Check with the nearest large university, and see if they have an active "study abroad" program. If so, they might also have some very good contacts. Although probably not directly related to the Martial Arts, they might be able to get you in touch with good sources for housing, transportation... etc. They might even have someone who has spent time in Japan, that could sit down with you for a bit, and share some observations. Definitely learn some of the language. It will help you get by more easily, but it also shows a certain level of respect if you have at least tried to learn their language ahead of time (this is exacly why I am learning some basic Japanese).

I used to work in a building that had an empty tenant space in one part of it. I managed to get a key to the area, and would go there on my lunch/breaks and practice kata. One nice aspect of this was that the space had a uniformly laid 1' quare tile floor. Using the grid created by this as a reference and occasional spot-check guide, by stances got quite a bit more polished.

Is the student required to purchase the new gi from the school, or simply required to obtain one in the new color?

Anyone else read Sensei Javier Martinez's book on Naihanchi? Some very interesting information, and good bunkai. He does a lot of good research on his topics, and provides good detail in the writing/pictures.

Reportedly, there is a group of Ex-SEALs who track down people who claim to also be Ex-SEALs, attempt to verify their status through military records, then go "have a talk with" those people who are falsely making such claims. It's a shame that there is no way to adequately catalog people with respectable Martial Arts training, as a way of verifying some of the claims in our arts. As stated previously, these things are such a hinderance to the growth of the Martial Arts, and the level of respect and dignity which good instructors and students deserve.

Anyone can be beaten, given the right variables and circumstances. Do I feel I have a "better than average" survival chance, yes. Do I feel 100% confident, never. Too much random chance, too many unknowns.

I find it very useful in that it prompts me to look into new research topics, or review things I have looked at previously from a new perspective. For me, the Martial Arts have always had a very strong intellectual / conceptual aspect, which KF brings even more alive.

Front snap... Angle ... Side (Knife Edge) ... Side (Ball of Foot) ... Back ... Switch! (Do them slowly, but repeat until exhausted) Now, that's a fun time!

Look at the blowup of the certificate closely...the description says ninjuitsu, but the certificate says shotokan karate. OOPS...looking again, there are two certificates...sorry!!! Even better! I can get ranked in BOTH Ninjutsu AND Shotokan???? Any "2 for 1" deals listed?

Isshin ryu is a system developed by Shimabuku Tatsuo, as a hybrid of Shuri te and Naha te (Shorin ryu and Goju ryu), with a intention of pulling the techniques and concepts the founder thought were the best of both systems. He added to this his experience in Kobudo (weapons), to complete the system. He studied directly under several of the most respected sensei of the time (Miyagi Chojun, Kyan Chotoku, Motobu Choki, Shinken Taira), and earned enough of their respect that they endorsed his newly founded style, when presented to them. Isshin ryu utilizes stances, fist configuration and blocking methods which many believe to be better suited to street applications, and the ergonomics of combat. It was originally transmitted to the US through O-Sensei Shimabuku being selected to teach Marines who were stationed in Okinawa. Disclaimer: Although I have studied a few other martial arts, this is the only style of Karate I have practiced, so my opinion will be skewed. I have worked out with practicioners of other styles, and continued to feel that I was most suited for what I have been doing, but this does not by any means suggest that I have spent enough time with qualified intructors of other karate styles to have a comprehensive understanding of them. As a result of the type of work I have done, and continue to do, I have had to use these skill far more often than I would like, and have always been pleased with the techniques made available through my training. What art to learn is highly personal. A good instructor, as this sounds to be, will not have any problem with you "giving it a try" for a while, to see if it is right for you. In fact, the best instructors will all but demand this, before you commit years of your time, and thiers, to a given art. Good luck!

Balance come with experience, but not just in class. When walking, and with NO traffic, walk on the curb. If there is any traffic, try walking only on the edge of the sidewalk. Use your balance as much as you can, and you will hone it over time. Practice kicking, try doing hand techniques balancing on one foot... all good ideas, as well. You sense of balance is a product of your bodies awareness of itself. The more opportunities you give your body to get used to changes in stance, movement, etc, the better your balance will get.

I'm all for the simple, white gi. I think my sensei allowed black, upon reaching Shodan, but when my time came I never even bothered to ask, as I never planned on getting one.