Shorinryu Sensei

Prior to your post, I've never heard of it. There's not a whole lot on Google about it. My bud Shorin Ryuu will no doubt post something, and he's the most knowledgable guy on this forum IMHO about different systems, especially Okinawan systems.

Agreed! You might have just found the ultimate McDojo! Run, don't walk, to the nearest exit sign.

*yawn*...let me knowwhen you're ready to learn one handed, two finger hand stand pushups.

The number of pullups I can do is in direct porportion to the size and ferocity of the dog below me that is trying to get my feet.

Welcome! But the Introduction forum is on the main page and down about a page and a half. You might want to post it there.

Wow..wish I would have seen that. I don't have cable and watch very little of the 4 channels that I do get. I'm also amazed that a 30 day wonder could fool an experienced panel of judges. What sort of things did the guy do that the judges were watching?

I totally agree that it would be a rare occassion that anybody would ever have to use a "deadly technique", and I hope to never have to use one myself. I disagree that "any" technique is deadly with enough training. A roundhouse to the knee won't kill someone, but certainly can cripple. That isn't deadly, it's crippling. Deadly is where the potential to end someone's life exists. Also, I, and the majority of other martial artists, don't train exclusively in deadly techniques. They are there in our training, but they are not emphasised. As I said, it is a very rare occurance I think where a deadly tehchnique is necessary. There have only been two situations in my life where a life threatening technique could maybe have been used, but I didn't because I didn't need to. One was with a man with a rifle in a bank, the other was when I had a fight with 3 guys in a parking lot. Each situation was resolved without using anything more deadly than a punch to the nose or a kick to the stomach.

Obviously laws will vary from place to place. Here, all I'd have to prove to a jury is that I was in fear for my life. When talking about multiple attackers, or anytime there is a deadly weapon involved (knife, gun, club, etc)...that is proof enough. Yes, you would possibly have to go to court, but generally if the police investigate the situation properly...especially if there are witness's, and they find that I was justified in believing that I was in danger of being killed...deadly force would be justified and I wouldn't spend more than a few days in jail waiting for the investigation t ofinish, then released.

Obviously you have no experience or training in dealing with multiple attackers. I'd suggest finding a different art and instructor. Also, I have no killer instinct. I don't even go hunting anymore. I have a strong self-preservation instinct however, and there is a HUGE difference. Did I say somewhere that I was going to kill someone while they were on the ground? That could be an option if the situation warranted it. You appear to be arguing just for the sake of arguing, and your statements are getting weaker and weaker with each post. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the definition of a "troll"?

James Bond-ish? well, you and I look at the arts differently. You view them as a sport (judging from previous posts you've made), whereas I'm a traditionalist and view them as a means of self-preservation foremost, also interesting, challenging and fun. If I was in a situation as previously described against multiple attackers that I felt meant to kill me, or had weapons that could kill me...then I would use every dirty, nasty, mean and yes, deadly technique including breaking a neck that I have at my disposal. I would not go for the "knock them down and run" techniques, but rather I'd use the "rip their testicles off", "shred their knee ligaments to pieces", "gouge their eyeballs", "smash their throats"...and yes, break a neck if the opportunity presented itself. If it's a "Me or them" scenerio...I'm going to do whatever it takes to stop my opponent as quickly and effectively with the first or 2nd technique I toss at him so that he doesn't get up again. I don't want to have to deal with the same guy more than once if there's more than one. But hey...I'm really a nice guy.

I'm 52...you ARE a kid!

I agree...very interesting, thought provoking, and I can't argue with your logic. But being the traditionalist that I am...all I have to say is.... If it ain't broke, why fix it? Maybe there are better ways of making my muscles stronger or faster, my reflexes and senses better. Not everything new is better you know. But if what I'm doing, and I have proved in numerous street fights started by the "other guy(s)" that what I have learned and trained in works for me, then I'm satisfied. Besides, I don't look good in spandex (bad visualization here right now) with a bunch of electrodes and wires dangling off my body. I'll leave that for you kids to experiement with. Good luck!

Please describe the scenario other than war, where it would be necessary to break someone’s neck. I'll take this one: 1. Multiple opponents hell bent on doing you serious, or fatel harm. 2. Any sort of deadly weapon used against you. (knife, gun, baseball bat). The law of this state, and probably most others, allows you to use deadly force if you are truly in fear of losing your own life. Below is the state law for Montana concerning deadly force. However, he is justified in the use of force likely to cause death or serious bodily harm only if he reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily harm to himself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

I used to be an elementary school teacher and have also taught children as young as 6 martial arts myself. My personal opinion is that children younger than 8 are marginal at best as to whether or not they are going to be able to truly do the martial arts. Yes, they can wear a gi and learn some movements, but 50% of the time you'd be better off and cheaper dropping them off at a babysitter rather than a martil arts class because that's all the instructor is going to be doing for them...babysitting.

Yeppers! We're in the middle of a 7 year drought here, so camping may not be an option. We'll have to wait and see. No matter, can still do lots of stuff around here.

Go to https://www.mapquest.com and put in your town and the other is Kalispell, Montana. Should bring you right here. If you're coming I can give you my numbers to call me when you're close and I will come and guide you to my house. Like going to any new town, getting around has its own little "tricks". Mine has a West North address...which has always confused the heck out of me. Coming?

More money in the dojo's/sensei's pocket I guess. Must make for a "colorful" class.

That's been my experience also. They will argue to death that "we don't do that"...when in reality, they do. They just can't see it from their perspective.

Teaching in a situation like you describe where you have semesters and are expecteed to "grade" your students like they do in regular academic classes is a different situation than in a regular dojo. I can see where each student needs to take more of a formal test in that situation. I taught a class at the college years ago also, but it wasn't for credits..it was more of a club, so we didn't have the pressure of testing at the end of a semester. Classes were held twice/week in the evenings and other than being in a "club" status rather than as a "college class", we pretty much did what we wanted in there.

I believe one-steps are beneficial, but as a stepping stone to more complicated and advanced concepts. They are a good foundation that lead to bigger and better things. That series of pictures is absolutely comical and suicidal in it's application. Is that something that is actually taught somewhere as a real self-defense technique?

OK...I'll address these also if I may. a) evaluation under stress Why? I see my students at every class. I knowbetter than they do what they can, and can't do. I see no advantage or purpose for putting them through the stress of a long, extended testing process. b) testing should reflect a student's regular practice Yes, that's why I say I test my students...through my observation of them...at every class. Every regular class is a test of their efforts to learn and improve themselves. In a situation where I used assistant instructors and where I didn't attend classes myself on a regular basis...yes, I think a more formal testing by me would be appropriate...but that's not the case in my dojo. I'm there for every class normally. c) more how a student handles himself in an unexpected moment than in technical knowledge Believe me, the students never know what I'm going to throw at them at any given time in class. I don't evaluate them on history or "text book" knowledge, but on their karate training. d) following time period given used for corrections and help I believe they either know it...or they don't. I make corrections as I see them in class. If they know it, they are promoted..if not, they aren't...simple. e) people who left practice for too long should not be able to enter where they left off I don't agree with this one bit. If a person earns a promotion and belt, as far as I'm concerned...practice or long term away from training...they still earned that belt and have that rank. However, if they return to class after a long term absense, it will take longer than usual to advance to their next rank as they have to get back to the level they were at first before advancing further. f) do not promote out of fear they will leave That's not going to happen. If a student isn't working out and threatening to leave, or I think they are going to...then leave. I may personally like the peson, but if they aren't performing and working as they should be, then I don't want them in my class anyway. g) rank should reflect level Exactly! And of course, this level will vary from dojo to dojo. What I expect at a certain belt may not be what anybody else expects at that same belt. Thanks. My methods aren't for everybody of course and there's people that love the more formal testinjg process. I like how I test and feel that for my style of teaching, it's effective. As I've said, my students know they are being watched and evaluated everytime they are in class. They also hear it from me often enough that they know that if they screw around or don't give me their best effort, they failed in my mind for that day.[/b]

If all you want is a black belt, but you want it fast...order one from the back of any martial arts magazine. This will not, however, automatically give you the knowledge and skills that a black belt represents. If you want to learn and be proficent any martial art...it takes time and a whole lot of work. There are no shortcuts to being good at anything, and this is especailly true of the martial arts. If your goal is to learn a quick form of self-defense...buy a gun.

I could name a dozen dojo's right off the top of my head where that scenerio would be the truth! GREAT!!!

Sounds a lot like our association certificates, but the kanji is on the right side of the certificate, English on the left. Association membership for sutdents is optional, but required of the instructors. All of my certificates are 1/2 and 1/2.

On our certificates, the student hs the option of joining our small association for $25/year and getting a very nice certificate half in kanji, the other half in English...or I can give them a much cheesier certificate myself. So far, except for my senior student, the other students have opted for my certificates.