Shorinryu Sensei

Once again, I bow to Shorin Ryuu's knowledge. Bud...I'm really hoping our gathering turns out and you can make it up here to Montana. Not to take away anything that Shorin Ryuu said, as I agree 100% with it, but a simpler explanation might be a comparison between a novel (the Okinawan systems), and a 2 hour movie (Shotokan). The novel (Okinawan systems) goes much more in detail and depth than a movie (Shotokan) will ever be able to do, and the movie just hits the high points and doesn't get into the tiny, more complex details of the entire story. Again (where's the applauding icon when we need it?), I bow again to Shorin Ryuu's expertise and knowledge. Keep it up bud!

Something else to consider here is that a weapon is just an extension...technique-wise anyway...of a hand movement. In Shorin Ryu at least (I can't speak for other systems), the techniques using weapons and empty hands are very similar in their applications. For me, and I've done this many times just for the heck of it, I see no problems whatsoever in taking a sai, kama, tonfa..whatever, and using it in a karate kata. With that said I'll pass along a little caution here from my experience. When doing Pinan Yondan with kama, be VERY CAREFUL not to jab the point of your kama in the ball of your foot when executing the simultanous hammer fist and front snap kick to the side. Kama's will stick in the ball of your foot pretty easily and bleed like hell!

My opinion of board breaking is that it's all for show and has no purpose of function in the martial arts other than to make kindling for the wood stove. An axe works better. People will tell you it improves power (it doesn't) and focus. As for focus, you'd better learn to get that focus down immediately, because a person you're going to hit isn't going to stand there for 5 minutes while you breath, take 10 practice/warmup shots, etc like you will see people do before breaking an innocent pine board. Now, before everybody gets their panties in a bunch here...this is my personal opinion, which I'm entitled to, and no one is going to convince me otherwise that breaking of any sort (other than bones) has any real merit in the arts. Sorry....it's theatrics and instills a false sense of power to individuals/students.

This is a martial arts myth that has been going around since the '60's (at least!) That's all it is...a myth. Nowhere in the world, except Okinawa, did a martial artist have to register their hands as lethal weapons. For a short time after WWII, Marines that were taking martial arts on Okinawa had to register their hands in an attempt by the military to keep these Marines from getting into fights in the bars. It didn't work, and was discontinued after just a few years...but the myth perpetuates.

Not necessarily. If you know what you're doing, you will know NOT to leave that gap in your defense. Or you should anyway. Usually, yes...but not "everytime, all the time". If the person you're fighting is prepared for you to do this, he will nail you "everytime, all the time". Question...your sensei is teaching you this stuff, or are you making it up??? If your judges are that bad that they can't see points, then you're at tournaments with some pretty crappy judges IMHO. Point fighting, or the street...yes, don't limit yourself to just one technique. But...you need to fight wisely grasshopper. Mix it up...sometimes one attack...sometimes two.,..or three...or more. To get into a pattern of any sort is never a good idea. An experienced fighter will see that pattern and exploit it to his advantage.

Ask your sensei if he has any white belts kicking around. I know when I used to sell a lot of gi's, I was tripping over the darn things because my students would be wearing colored belts and didn't need the white belt that came with the gi. I even dyed a bunch of them yellow one year to save some $'s on ordering belts. Worked pretty good too!

Interesting topic. I've been asked several times to put on some seminars in this state and only charged enough to pay for my expenses. Anything over and above that, and I'm embarassed and try to give it back. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Attempting to train others in something that you have no idea about yourself is not a good idea. I've seen many sensei's that don't have any formal training in kobudo (weapons), and nunchauku being the most abused, self-teaching themselves a bunch of garbage that "looks cool", then passing on that garbage to others as legitimate technique. There students don't know any difference and accept this garbage as gospel. It's one of my strongest peeves that I see.

Well, I'm certainly no "master", but I'll tell you about myself anyway. I was a band and choir *stop laughing out there * student all through high school and college, and still sing *I hear you guys giggling out there* 2nd bass in a community choir. When I joined karate, I had just been out of a stint in the Army for about a year and was in pretty good shape. I've never been an athlete or a fighter. Still aren't.

Well, Adam was easy...Eve took a bit nore time *ahem* Hmmmm...I don't know. I'll ask one of my lower ranked students (don't want to use a higher belt, just in case it works) to let me try it on them. I'll report back later on the results.

I believe the sai were used in Okinawa by the palace guards because they weren't allowed to have bladed weapons by the Japanese. The said would be more appropriate than a bo for example, because a bo needs more room to use than a sai does. They were used in pairs, not three's, and if they were thrown...which I feel was a rare occurance, it was generally aimed at their attackers feet at close range in a quick, downward movement. Now...I'm getting pretty old, but not so old that I lived in the time that sai were actually used for a weappon, or farm implement, and we all know how martial arts myth's abound out there. I seriously doubt if the Okinawans threw their sai very often...if ever, because they have lost the use of the weapon as soon as it left their hand. Also, tying a rope to a sai so you can retieve it is simply nonsense. More Hollywood mumbo-jumbo crap I'd say. Back to the origional question...I think the only way you can throw a sai, the same as a knife, without it flipping end over end, would be a "palmed" underhand throw. This would be fairly up close and not have a lot of power behind it I suspect. You'd certainly not be able to stick in it in somebody unless yo utip was VERY pointed...and sai weren't normally made that way. They were made of cheaper, brittle metals that weren't suitable for sharpening.

Just a guess here...Shorinji Kempo Kobudo (weapons) perhaps? Do they use weapons as a part of their art? I don't know.

Agreed. 30 years in the martial arts and an instructor since 1978, and I've never done a flip or handspring yet. Oh...I guess I've made OTHER people do a few flips...but not what you're talking about. Join gymnastics if that's what interests you, as it has no "practical" application in the martial arts.

I wish I was shorter so just ONCE somebody would try to do that to me.

Most definitely pictures will be taken. I have a 5mp digital camera with a 256k memory card, so I can take LOTS! After the gathering, I'll contact Patrick...he said he'd host a place to put the pics.

*ahem* I really the to say this, but I have a gi and obi (belt) that has more time in the dojo than he does in training.

Taking a picture of a piece of furniture with pieces taken out of it proves nothing. I have a desk and chair with pieces missing also, but that's due to frequent moves and normal day to day living. Sticking cards in styrofoam is totally believable and I'm sure just about anybody can do that with cards. I think what we're asking for here is perhaps a website from one of these experts in this technique that might have a video on it showing them sticking cards in hardwood. Years ago I saw on Ripley's where a man threw cards a long distance and stuck them in cardboard or styrofoam or such in a drawn circular target. Yes, that takes skill and practice to get the accuracy...but the actual sticking part isn't difficult in that sort of material.

Agreed! Any links to sites, or do you have pictures to verify this claim of taking chunks out of hardwood? Myself, I'd say it was impossible out of even pine.

Obviously high rank varies from style to style. In mine/ours, 10th Dan is the head of the system and there is only the one. Basically, anything over 6th Dan is honorary anyway and goes with time in grade, contributions to the art, continually practicing and teaching and improving your technique. I doubt if I'll get any higher than I am already, which is OK by me. I know the 6th-10th Dans of our system that I've worked with have been excellent and very impressive and knowledgable.

Shorin-ryu kennyukan? I've never heard of that branch. Do you happen to have any links to it, or tell me where it comes from...background of it?

Just a quick post here to get this thread back up at the top where people can see it in case they want to participte or ask questions. I'll do this every now and then.

Hey now...I resemble...I mean resent that remark! And this is the first time in my life (making the calendar here) that I've EVER heard a woman say she WANTS to gain weight! What the heck for? As TM said, make muscle..not just weight. Personally, I think squats kill your knees...might want to check on that before you go to crazy with them. And SpiderWOMAN I think would be more appropriate...right? 5'4" and 105...you'd look GREAT in that getup!

As I said in an earlier post, I've never seen..or even heard of a sensei being sued. This subject comes up often at "after tournament gatherings" (meaning beer and pizza) of all the sensei and senior students taht attended the tournament. Nobody else has either. Now...that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened...but I think it is rare.

SS, you thinkin what I'm thinkin......Ripley's Believe or Not You got it bud!

Just a quick tip on throwing cards. Leave them in the package, still wrapped up...you can throw them quite a distance that way and the impact is greater. ShogunMisha...you can "pierce drywall and gash hard wood"? I can see the drywall.d..maybe, but gash hardwood? Mmmm..I'd have to see that to believe it.