Shorinryu Sensei

Picky, picky, picky. Since when is a movie supposed to have actual REAL martial arts in it? She wears great outfits...isn't that enough? Heck, if I hada couple of gals like her in class, you think I'd care that hteir techniques sucked?

What do I call students in my dojo that are there to hit on the women? Competition...then ex-students!

Is Chinte/Chintte the same as the Okinawan Chinto? Anybody?

I've seen the Shotokan version of the kata, and that movement is quite a bit different than the Shorinryu version. Similar yes...but very different also. The same goes with a lot of the Shotokan kata that we do also...same...but not the same. Which reminds me...I need to go watch that Shotokan class again one of these days just for the heck of it. Nice people.

Go to a fabric store and check out the patterns. The ladies that work there will help you. If you know somebody that sews, they can make you one really cheaply to any size you want. Just make sure to make the seams really strong.

Well, there are differences between your sensei and I. First of all, if I see a student making a mistake...kata, self-defense technique, whatever, I tell them when I see it and don't pull them aside. They know I'm trying to help them and I've never had a complaint that I've embarassed them with my comments. Another thing I never do is ask the class "Who's ready to test?". That, to me, is a bad mistake on your sensei's part. What if you said "ME ME ME!!!!", and the sensei didn't think so. Wouldn't you feel very disappointed, especially if for the last few weeks or month you've thought you were ready, and found out you're not..but Joe Blow next to you, who you think sucks..is told he will test? As I said...his way isn't wrong for him...just different. I do it my way, and I'm satisfied with the results...and so are my students.

First a disclaimer...I test all of my belts this way for a reason, and I am not saying your way of testing is a bad thing...it's just not my way. As an active instructor who participates in every class in my dojo, this is how I test. First of all, when my students first begin training with me, they know from that first day that they are being tested during each, and every class. They are tested on attendence, participation, effort, skills, precision, speed, power, balance..and anything else you can think of. My lowest student currently is a white belt, my highest just got his Sandan (3rd degree black belt) last month. With each promotion I expect better all around performance, power and accuracy in their technique, and I watch them with a critical eye during each class. Each student is made aware during each class of mistakes they are making, what they need to work on to improve, what I am expecting out of them, and how I feel they are progressing. For example: Rod C. has been with me for over 7 years now and is a Sankyu (1st level brown belt). Rod is the same age as I am and I couldn't ask for a more dedicated, hard working student. However, Rod has problems remembering kata's and makes the same mistakes over and over again. He will correct them...go home and practice them, and make different mistakes at the next class. He is aware of this and has no problem with not getting his promotions in a timely fashion. We joke around that he's on "the 20 year black belt plan" a lot. With all of this in mind, my testing procedure is really very simple. I see improvement in a student...I watch them closely and make corrections. If I see these corrections being made by them so that I know that they have it down pat, they will get promoted...period. I usually will have a certificate made out before class, and at the end of class I will present it to them. They are responsible for purchasing their own belts, which most get from a large commercial TKD school here in town, or some will order them. What my testing method tells my students is.."When you're there, you'll get it." simple, and I think effective. They know they have to work for it, and when I see it..they get it. I don't like this 2-3 day testing process I see in some schools like boot camp. What is the point? Don't you know where your student is at at any given moment during their training with you? Whether it is a black belt, or a yellow belt promotion, if they are ready for it and have the necessary skills and knowledge, why do I need to put them through a big, stressful test? That's my outlook on it anyway. I like things simple and uncomplicated ... just like me!

Now wait a second here...I'll have you know that I have based my entire martial arts life...30+ years now...on that movie!!! You're telling me it's not good martial arts??? But to be honest with you, I'll take about a dozen of those gals in my class ANYTIME!

Ohhhh....well, you didn't say anything about THROWING them...just which ones we liked BETTER! That's why I asked you to rephrase the question origionally, because it didn't make a lot of sense. Still...I'd take a knife over a star any day. A knife couyld (despite what the movies show, most knifes don't penetrate enough to hit anything vital) penetrate and kill if you throw it, whereas a shuriken won't. A shuriken will only penetrate maybe an inch...probably less. Besides, anybody that throws their weapon at an opponent is desperate and not to smart. By throwing it, you've lost your weapon and given up control of it. Chances of hitting someone with either in a fight is slim at best, and in the case of the shuriken, what's to prevent a person from taking the shuriken out of his chest when you hit him with it, and throwing it back at YOU? Not as likely with a knife.

I don't know of any links, but try a google search and see what you get. Do you have any concept of how much work and thought...not to mentioin finger cramps it would take to type out a whole kata in detail? My best suggestion would be to take an empty hand kata and add the tonfa to it. Hey Shorin Ryuu...you getting chicken in your old age?

I can't speak for the Japanese version of what I do..which is the Okinawan Passai...but there aren't any kata that I know of (ours anyway) where there is a kia during a kick. What are you learning is the bunkai (application) of the technique? Imagine yourself in a totally dark room. you are feeling for your opponent with your feet...reaching out and grasping their arm with one hand and the other is reaching our to the neck/shoulder. It's not my favorite..but I like it anyway! lol I accept it as a "given" and "have to know it because it's important"...but the Passai kata are two of the ones I practice the least...and really shouldn't.

HUH??? P.A.L., are you hitting the sauce a little earlier than usual tonight?

You don't like to spar the youngsters kicks? On man..they're my favorites to spar! There are few feelings of satisfaction better than having some 20-something know-it-all say something about my being old, then wiping the floor with them! Oh yeah....that's my idea of fun in sparring! And by the way kicks...I'm 52.

In my dojo, the boys/girls, men/women spar each other as equals regardless of gender, size or rank. In my experience, women can fight just as well as men can. Our emphasis is on self-defense, so why should a 5', 100lb girl not learn how to fight a guy like myself..at 6'6" and 240lbs? At the tournaments we sometimes attend, there are women's divisions. If there aren't enough women to compete in a certain division, they will poll other women's division first ...such as only one light weight woman in her division and see if she will fight the heavy weights. I have yet to see a woman say no and not enter. Often these women will actually request to fight with the men..and I like that! Afterall people, this is the "martial arts", and I believe that everybody..regardless of gender, size or rank, should be able and willing to fight everybody else.

Oh, well...since the throwing star really has no value other than as a toy, I vote for a knife. Much more versatile.

I don't understand what question you're asking us here. Could you please rephrase the...uhhhh...question?

Correct! And welcome back to the boards Shorin Ryuu...I missed you. Another theory is that karate comes primarily from Okinawa, and Okinawa is basically one big sandy beach, thus shoes weren't always worn. China on the other hand was rocky, so kung fu practioneers worn shoes.

So many questions. Keeping in mind here that this is just my personal opinion, I believe that yes, there are still ninja's in the world, and yes, they are still training and teaching...but you won't find any in schools with signs proclaiming "Ninja School of Akron, Ohio" or elsewhere. Keeping in mind how incredibly secretive the ninja were, and the mindset of traditionalism of the Japanese people in general, I believe that there are small groups of ninja keeping a very low profile in Japan...possibly elsewhere, that hand down the training to a select and exclusive few...probably just within the family, and that in no way are they teaching it to the general populace....ANYWHERE....especially in America. Yes, I know about Master this and that that can trace their ninja heritage back 32 generations...and that's fine. That doesn't prove that master So-and-Who is who he proclaims he is. He just traced his family tree back that far. If I had the interest, and my family kept better records of our ancestry...I'd be able to trace my heritage back 32 generations also. Maybe I could claim that I was the direct ancestor of King Louis XVI or something of note. My opinion anyway.

Figures...

BEWARE!!![/b] Maybe it's just my computer, but it's never done this before...when I clicked on this link it took me to a page, then I clicked on "Download video"...and about 30 seconds later my pc rebooted. A system check says everything's OK, but it spooked me. Just wanted to let you know just in case there's something not quite right here.

I charge $40/month for 4 hours of instruction/week. My classes are small and I can't say I really make any profit from them...nor do I want to. I don't think the majority of sensei's actually make their living teaching the arts. It's more for the love of the art...or a meager secondary income. But then again, there are thosethat use contracts and have fancy dojo's that are making a living at it. To each their own.

Yep, definitely looked like speed bump material to me. The last thing I would probably want to do is get out of my car since there were at least 2 of them...maybe more? And as crazy acting as he was, my first thought woudl be drugged up. Yep...should have made a speed bump outta him. One thing...I couldn't understand but maybe 1 out of every 10 words he said. And most of those I did understand weren't something I would repeat in mixed company.

My requirements are probably different than most others, in that all my students have for an actual "requirement" for a test are kata's. Basically, my students are tested at each and every class they attend. They are tested on effort, retention, knowledge and attendence. When they are ready for their next belt, they are promoted by me. I don't have "white belt level techniques/concepts", or "black belt level techniques/concepts"...I have techniques/concepts that they need to learn. Some are basic, some are harder. During any given class, all of my students..regardless if it is their first class or they have been with me for years, learn whatever technique/concept I am teaching that day. It has been working well for me during the past 25+ years of teaching.

I must have missed that episode.

You want simple? How about punching and kicking...nothing fancy or flashy, just basic techniques? Simple is good...I'm a simple man.