Jiffy

Bearich, you summed up my thoughts on it exactly. What was once mysical and scary is now common known medicine and is therefore nothing more than basic biomechanics.

We have proper ones and training ones too. The training ones we have are of two types. One type are just two PVC tubes with cord between them. They are a little too light though. The better set has a small dowel in the centre (about 1cm in diameter) and is then covered in foam, then attached by cord. The proper ones we have are solid timber with a chain.

I agree and disagree. I agree that if you are sick, you should be thinking of your fellow students and stay out of the dojo till you are better. On the other hand, for me personally, I see sick people as nothing more than an opportunity for me to strengthen my immune system and therefore, I will still train with them, so it doesn't bother me personally, but I understand what you are getting at.

Man, this, I don't do well. I think I have a "work ethic" problem. I hate missing work, because it makes me feel like I am not accomplishing anything, and I don't like to put a strain on my co-workers, who have to cover for me. I know they would do it, but I hate to put them in that position. As for missing out on training, I can do that, but I hate doing that as well. It makes me feel guilty. But, I don't want others avoiding me because I may get them sick, either. Good advise, Sohan! True, but if you make them sick too, it's going to put even more strain on the remaining part of the team.

Oh, failing that, maybe we can organise some sort of joint-school seminar.... drop me an email...

Hi Black-Crane, I live in South Australia, so I'm not familiar with individual schools. In rural areas, you will find difficulty in gaining the level of experience you are after. There are a couple of groups you can contact though. First I would contact the Australian Karate Federation. They are a governing body for Karate organisations in Australia and the link to WUKO (World Union of Karate Organisations). They will be able to assist you. Alternatively, check out their website... http://www.akf.com.au/ The other group I would contact is the Melbourne University Karate Club. They are a little closer to you than we are, and although they are not affiliated with the AKF, most of their training is based around Kata. They do a lot of work with the Pinan kata and more specifically applications. If you speak to the chief Sensei (Alexander Ablert), he is a really nice guy and I'm sure he'd be happy to help you or point you to a good resource. Once again, check out their website, I believe it has some good stuff on there from memory. http://www.microbiol.unimelb.edu.au/people/dyallsmith/MUKC_archives/MUKC_2005/ If none of that is good for you, drop me a PM or an email combatdefence@gmail.com and we can chat some more.

I find that very all-or-nothing thinking oriented and don't agree with it because it is too absolute of a concept. People don't operate in absolutes - they just think in them. There are plenty of people who are still learning things who might not consider themselves "students" necessarily of another person but who might consider themselves "students" of a field of knowledge. There are plenty of people who have outgrown the need to have a mentor out there. In almost every field of endeavor, people "graduate" eventually to become experts in their own right. It is only due to Japanese cultural influences, for the most part, that so many martial artists believe that if they are not attached to some greater organization or calling someone else "Sensei" that they are not really working their thing. I've done Shotokan for a long time. I don't know everything little thing about it, but I long passed the point when my learning curve was steep, and I find it more stimulating to look elsewhere for things to learn. Mostly, when I learn new things about Shotokan, they are pretty small things and I'm not particularly impressed to have learned them. But right now I find Shito-Ryu and Goju-Ryu kata fascinating, and I am enjoying learning their technical methods and learning more about where Shotokan's highly modernized system came from. So, I still consider myself to be learning - learning is fun. But let's not be so bold that we assert that martial arts are like rocket science and that they are bottomless pits of information. That's mostly just a warm and fuzzy platitude - it doesn't really play out on the floor where many very intelligent long-time experts yawn hearing the same old speeches and performing the same old kata over and over again for decades and yearn to do something a little different. So you reached a level in which your considered an expert in Shotokan, and what did you do? You became a student of other things. If your learning something from someone else, regardless of what you want to call it (its just symantics), your a student, plain and simple. That's not a narrow minded way of looking at things, its exactly the opposite. I can't be the expert at everything, and it is my, as well as just about every other human on the face of the planet, wish to attempt to learn new things. Unless of course you want to take what you've learned so far, and lock yourself away from the rest of the world with it, never to return. Everyone is always a student in something, or we cease to have drive to do anything that we haven't already done. Exactly. There are actually many instructors out there that fit into this category. They reach a certain level of competence and knowledge in their one art and think that is all there is. They are more happy being a big fish in their little pond than stepping out of their little comfort zone and really embracing the arts as a whole. How unfortunate that these people are permitted to teach others.

I find that very all-or-nothing thinking oriented and don't agree with it because it is too absolute of a concept. People don't operate in absolutes - they just think in them. There are plenty of people who are still learning things who might not consider themselves "students" necessarily of another person but who might consider themselves "students" of a field of knowledge. There are plenty of people who have outgrown the need to have a mentor out there. In almost every field of endeavor, people "graduate" eventually to become experts in their own right. It is only due to Japanese cultural influences, for the most part, that so many martial artists believe that if they are not attached to some greater organization or calling someone else "Sensei" that they are not really working their thing. I've done Shotokan for a long time. I don't know everything little thing about it, but I long passed the point when my learning curve was steep, and I find it more stimulating to look elsewhere for things to learn. Mostly, when I learn new things about Shotokan, they are pretty small things and I'm not particularly impressed to have learned them. But right now I find Shito-Ryu and Goju-Ryu kata fascinating, and I am enjoying learning their technical methods and learning more about where Shotokan's highly modernized system came from. So, I still consider myself to be learning - learning is fun. But let's not be so bold that we assert that martial arts are like rocket science and that they are bottomless pits of information. That's mostly just a warm and fuzzy platitude - it doesn't really play out on the floor where many very intelligent long-time experts yawn hearing the same old speeches and performing the same old kata over and over again for decades and yearn to do something a little different. So you reached a level in which your considered an expert in Shotokan, and what did you do? You became a student of other things. If your learning something from someone else, regardless of what you want to call it (its just symantics), your a student, plain and simple. That's not a narrow minded way of looking at things, its exactly the opposite. I can't be the expert at everything, and it is my, as well as just about every other human on the face of the planet, wish to attempt to learn new things. Unless of course you want to take what you've learned so far, and lock yourself away from the rest of the world with it, never to return. Everyone is always a student in something, or we cease to have drive to do anything that we haven't already done. I agree with the whole mentor thing (hahaha, check my previous post), but what I don't agree with is the whole "Non-Bottomless pit" idea. Martial Arts have been formed by hundreds of people in many countries at the same time over thousands of years. If you think you can learn all that in one lifetime, you have a somewhat different view than I do.

That is a good approach. However, I would maybe say that practitioners remain practitioners. But, I do agree that masters can still be students, but some don't see themselves that way. Same concept. No matter who you are, you should always be a student. There will always be someone who has advanced farther along the path than you have. Find that person and learn from them. If you can't learn, you can't teach. I agree, except for the fact that you need to find someone higher to learn from. I believe that as you progress, you learn to self-teach. You learn to research and also to discover things for yourself. I don't believe a mentor is required for you to learn more.

That is a good approach. However, I would maybe say that practitioners remain practitioners. But, I do agree that masters can still be students, but some don't see themselves that way. Then I would say this. If a master no longer considers themselves a student, they are no longer a master.

Syphax, I couldn't agree more!

You raise some good points there, some of which I agree with, some I don't. Definately there is a coaching issue here. As part of an instructor, I agree that they should try to pick up on the level of boredom (a lot easier said than done) and try to help to get through that. I don't agree with your suggestion that there is not enough content in the kyu grades. The problem is that most instructors don't teach what there is. The grade system in Karate has worked for a long time and still continues to work, but often the instructors are held to the whole "minimum 6 months" (for example), without really having the knowledge of what should be contained in that time. I believe the slump is a normal part of training in Martial Arts that often occurs somewhere between the ameature students starting to gain technical skill and the enlightened student. I personally see this stage as a stage of transition though where the student should focus on the finer details of what they are doing. Unfortunately, many instructors are not compitant enough to provide those details.

Oh, good question!!! I think it's a bit of both. I think technical ability and knowledge is required to promote the fighting spirit, but the spirit itself comes from the person (either born with or developed over time).

Yeah exactly, I agree.... well now that you have clarified. It's dangerous to make assumptions cos more often than not, they will fit into one of those exceptions you spoke about. I too believe it's best to maintain a certain amount of professional distance, but each situation varies.

Sounds like you've got the right idea now. Let us know how you go.

Here in Oz, some schools have hired private security personel, but that is generally only the ones that have a big history of violence.

Elementary School: Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade Middle School 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade High School 9th Grade (Freshman) 10th Grade (Sophomore) 11th Grade (Junior) 12th Grade (Senior) There may be some other terminology for the grades, but this is the standard outline. Thanks

Be careful of your assumptions. What you are quoting is your personal experience, not the style. I am currently teaching a traditional martial art and one of my students is one of my closest friends outside the dojo (Zorbasan on this forum). In the dojo, I expect the same respect from him as anyone else. Outside the dojo, we are just as any other friends are. While I would not make a habit of making friends from students, in this particular case, it was more a case of making students from friends (he was a friend before he was a student). Then of course, there is our Chief Sensei. He is my father....

I agree. I too think that the point it starts is not at adressing your seniors as your senior, but that it starts at the requirement to do so.

Your absoloutly right, if you do report it, there's a chance it may escalate if you report it and he finds out. Ah-huh, this is the clue you needed. He is a bully. Bullies work by controlling others. If they meet someone they believe they cannot control (usually someone bigger), the do not attempt to control them and back down. Luckily, the principle to beating bullies is rather simple, just take away their ability to control you. Most bullies control you by instilling fear. What you need to now do is take up on the challenge and make sure you win. Show no fear, in fact, show enthusiasm to engage in combat. With any luck, this will scare him and he will back down. If he doesn't, you cannot back down from this point, or you loose indefinately. I know this is much harder in practice than in theory, but at least you know that you have a choice. First, decide if you could take him, if you could, try it. If not, don't, cos you can't stop half way.

Sorry, to hijack the thread, but I gotta ask. How does the American schooling system work? We hear terms like Sophmore and Freshman all the time but we have no idea how they work. Here in Oz, it works like this... Junior Primary - year 1-3 Primary - Year 4-7 High School - year 8-12

looks more like a gadget than a practical tool.

Of course you realise that is your personal opinion and 90% of adults do actually enjoy and alcoholic drink from time to time. I understand you don't like it, but to answer your question as to why people would do it, well for most, they actually enjoy it.

As mentioned, this is an issue that sometimes arrises. Unfortunately, the onus is on you to predict your time schedule for the year, not for the instructor to accomodate changes in your status. All I could suggest is to get to training as much as possible and in the meantime, be a little more careful about signing contracts.

Attach a metal loop to the floor and then between that and the bag, attach a heavy elastic strap. That should do the trick.