Shorinryu Sensei

Definitely! No quesiton about that! Sad, huh?

I don't carry a handgun with me unless I'm out camping or otherwise in "the woods" because we have critters in these woods around here that eat people sometimes. However, if I did, and felt forced to actually shoot someone in self-defense, I would shoot to kill..period. The main reason for that is the same reasoning that I would shoot to kill in the event someone broke into my home. If my attacker is dead, it is my word against his as to what happened. Assuming it was just the one attacker, I would empty my weapon into him. Most likely, into his torso..upper chest area because it is the largest target, and I'm sure my nerves would be pretty jittery to try for a head shot. Take out the lungs, heart or other vital organ and chances are, he's done for. If, however, he's still breathing...RELOAD! I found it interesting a few years ago when I was in the UK for a month, how many people think we, as Americans, are all walking around on a daily basis, armed to the teeth. I spent a few nights being asked all sorts of questions by my lady friends 23 and 26 year old sons and their friends while having a pint in the local pub with them. I don't think I laughed so hard my entire life with the questions they asked me!

Hi all! I just wanted to give you a little insight of the difficulty I've had for nearly 3 years now, but more recently in the past 3 months. A bit of history first. I was invited 3 years ago to play volleyball on a Olympic specification sand court on Labor Day. Being at that time, 48 years old and feeling my oats with a court rulled by mostly 20-something year olds, I spiked feriously, dug for low balls and generally, played like I was in my 20's too! Well, after 5 games in a row, we decided it was time to hit the "keg" and have a few, and as I walked to a seat with beer in hand, everything was fine. Until I started to sit down that is. My butt got halfway down to the seat and something went "SNAP" in my lower back. I rolled out of the chair (even spilled my BEER!!!) onto the ground, and the pain was God awful! I layed flat on my back for maybe an hour, then had several of the "youngsters" help the old fart (me) to my truck and I went home. I had to call in sick a couple of days at work, then finally decided that it wasn't going to heal itself and bit the bullet, and went to my chiropractor. It took 5 sessions I think to get it where it didn't hurt anymore, but I have had the same recurring pain and injury maybe 2-3 times/year since then. This past late December, I was working with my class and threw a hard front snap kick during a kata. Not anything unusual, but at the extension of the kick I got this severe pain in my pack again and it dropped me to the floor in agony. I'd waited a few days and tried it again when my back felt better. Same thing. Just a stupid front snap kick! ARGH! The frustration has been really bad, but thank God I have a 2nd Dan senior student and a couple of brown belts to take over the class. About all I can do currently is to grab a chair and supervise my class, while others teach it. I've been going to the chiro for a few weeks, and it does seem to be getting better, but not to the point I feel I'm ready to start hitting it again hard. Heck, right now I can't even stand uap for more than maybe 10 minutes wihtout it starting to hurt! Have I gone to a regular MD yet? No, I don't have health insurance as of right now, nor the money to pay for the exam, x-rays and God knows what other tests. Plus, I'm afraid of what he will tell me! Has anybody else ever had anything like this? I'm hoping this isn't permanent, and possibly end my martial arts training. I'm to young for that!!! lol

That's right smr..how could we type on this forum with screwed up hands?

LOL! I've never had a problem hanging onto a bo, but I had a sai get away from me once in a demonstration I gave during a local school assemby. Darn near skewered a kid! Man, was I embarassed!

Hitting people. Well, you asked!

Tom makes excellent points I'd say on a charging attacker. There are many body shifting techniques designed for just such an occurance, but if you aren't trained in them, and don't practice them often (like daily), they won't work for you when you need them. As for combat Hapkido...I've never seen it so I have no opinion. But think about combat ANYTHING...aren't basically ALL martial (warring) arts combat? Rather redundant I'd say.

I've had a pretty easy time learning all of the kata's, but performing them well...now, that's another thing entirely! Whether it is a Pinan kata, Nahaichi, Passai, Chinto or whatever, I strive to do the best that I can each time...but I'm NEVER satisfied that I did it well enough. Once in a rare while, I really think I hit it perfectly...but I know better. Maybe in another 30 years, I'll have at least one of them down pat. Until then...I'll keep working on it!

Generally, I use this method when looking at makiwara. "everythings good in moderation". What I mean is this. I use, or have used, both a canvas makiwara hanging on a wall or a post and also a 2x4 wrapped in twine. Both are good and can definitely improve your punching, increase power and get you used to hitting something hard. However, I personally teach my students that over use of the makiwara to the point your knuckles get overly large is not a good thing. I don't recommend anyone under age 18 do it though, as the bones are still growing. Continued practice as you get older will possibly cause arthritis or other permanent damage in your knuckles. It's not worth it. As a general rule of think, we strike the makiwara solidly, but if your knucks start to bleed, or the skin starts to tear between the knuckles and gets sore...STOP! Let it heal fully (100%), then do it again. I've done this for nearly 30 years and my hands are fine and I can hit a solid wood wall nearly full force without damaging my hands. There is no loss of flexability in my joints (I'm 51 years old), no stiffness and no pain. I have every confidence that if I had to hit a person solidly on the chin, that my knuckles would hold up just fine, and that down the road, I will have no problems with my knuckle joints.

A few other observations off their website..and yes, I agree that this isn't a good place...RUN FORREST...RUN!!! "It is our job to help YOU reach your TRUE POTENTIAL. We only teach in private, one to one or small class sizes so that each individual's self-growth is maximised.": For Gods sake, if you're going to post a website, at least use SPELL CHECKER!!! And only private or small classes is, IMHO opinion, a mistake. You need lots and LOTS of variety with different people while training, because not everybody moves or thinks the same in the world. The more exposure you have to different people while you train, the more prepared you will be if you ever need to use your skills for real. "We train students not to reach the next grade, but to become a MASTER. Continual progression through to Black belt and beyond." Oh bull-pucky! The goal of ANY arts is (or should be anyway) to make you a better person, not to get a belt or become a "Master" BAH! "The first step is to book a free interview one of our purpose built Dojo's ideally situated in rural settings ...etc" A Free Interview"? Has anybody evert heard of an interview you had to pay for??? *scratching my head here* Plus that whole sentence is terrible! (ex-school teacher here) "Words of Wisdom...The foundation of a good style is based on loyalty and respect. Every time an Instructor teaches you, he proves his loyalty and respect, you must prove your loyalty again and again inside and outside the Dojo. (Master Chusan)" Yeah, and keep paying those God awful high dues every month too! About 4 years agoa, I was in Lowenstoft, UK for a month. Bummer I didn't know about this guy at that time. I would have loved to have stopped in and meet him! Maybe take a few classes. That would have been interesting! lol

*blushing here as I take my walker out to the kitchen for a glass of milk of magnesium*

I have to go along with Tom on this. Another thing is this. There are a vast number of different stick fighting arts (jo, bo, niton bo, etc) out there, Shorinryu for one, that are effective, non-flashy and very effective for the street. Have you considered possibly training in one of those instead of making it up as you go? I don't claim to be any expert, but I've been at this one system for a while now and the weapon techniques that are taught are EXCELLENT and practical in their applications and founded on real life experiences. Just my opinion, plus I have heard MANY stories about these organizations that will ":legitimize" a new system. Sure, pay them the $'s, and they'll give you a a certidicate taht says you're the founder. As I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong here) that the majority of legitimate martial arts systems laugh at these sort of practices.

Well, as one of the "old farts" in on the forum , this was my perception of karate and the martial arts through the 60's-80's. I think my first real exposure to the arts was either the TV series "KungFu" with David Carridine, or "The Green Hornet" with Bruce Lee. I really don't remember which came first. I'll never forget in the pilot for "KungFu" where Chang (Carradine) kicked that knife out of that cowboys hand and it stuck to the ceiling. Man, did THAT make an impression on me! Growing up in a town of 12,000 people in North Central Montana, there wasn't much of an opportunity to participate in the arts. We basically had two choices in the early 70's. A Hawaiian Kempo school, and a TKD school. Both of the instructors were TERRIBLE people and frequently went out to the bars picking fights, beating their chests, and generally not behaving as good martial artists (IMHO). I chose neither at that time because I didn't like what I saw. When I was a junior in high school (1969-70), we had a new Spanish teacher that was rumored (never proven though) to be a karate black belt. He made hand gestures often that could have been taken, if you were thinking about karate at the time, as various subtle hand movements. Then in 1971, "Billy Jack, starring Tom Laughlin came out. Oh baby, was I hot to learn the arts then!!! But again, there were only those two jerks available to learn from, and I wasn't going to go there. In the fall of 1972 I was drafted (yes, really drafted!) into the US Army. In the Army's infinite wisdon, they chose NOT to send my skinney, 6'6" 200 lb buttocks to VietNam (ahhhhhh...I was so disappointed! ), but rather to West (back when there was a East and West) Germany instead. While there, a friend of mine that held a brown belt in some sort of karate (I never found out which one) and I would get together now and then and play karate a bit. It was fun, but looking back, I really wonder if he had much real training. At the time however, it was all good. Bruce Lee was at his height during the early/mid 70's and there were frequently movies of his shown at the post theatre. This further sparked my interest in learning something, but again, there was little opportunity to do so where I was at. When I was discharged out of the Army in the fall of 1974 I returned to my small town in Montana to find that still, there were only the two jerks teaching. I was disappopionted, but what was a guy to do? One day just after New Years (1975), I called a good friend of mine and asked if he wanted to cruise around town and drink cheap beer (our usual past time). He told me he would, but after his karate class was over. I, of course, asked him which of the two jerks he was learning from, and he told me there was a new guy in town...Sensei Dennis Miller, who was teaching an Okinawan system. I asked my firend if he thought it would be OK if I came and watched, so I did. As I went into the duplex apartment where Dennis was holding his class in the living room and was introduced to him by my friend. Dennis told me to take my shoes off and get in line, but I said "I just wanted to watch". I'll never forget what he said to me that changed my life so much since that day. "If you're interested enough to watch, then you're interested enough to try it."...which I did. My friend had to quit a few weeks later, and I'm still at it and trying to get it right nearly 30 years later! lol

I agree with Squawman on this. If all he wants is your money, you have to figure what is worth more. the money in your wallet...or your life? That's what I teach my class. If they are going to kill you with a knife or gun...1st option is yes, RUN! 2nd option is to fight...and fight will all the intensity and meaness/anger you possess.

If you live in a large city, you might try China town.

Your Ms's likes gravel and doesn't take the curves well?

I'll let the Korean stylists out there answer that one since I'm an Okinawan stylist myself, but there are a bunch, just like "karate". In TKD alone, there are many different branches and organizations. Similar to each other, but different also. So, with that said..take it away my Korean stylist brother's and sisters! Educate this poor Newbie! lol

It sounds like you're in, or close, to a large city, so there should be TONS of places available. Yes, taekwondo and other Korean arts are very prevelant out there, so I think I'd recommend shopping around, watching a whole bunch of classes, and get a feel for what it is that you are looking for from a martial art. Like I said, don't really be swayed by trophies on the wall, or the number of black belts in the class. Those really give little indication of the quality of the instructor or the system. Go with your gut feeling. Also, I would try to avoid any lengthy contracts until you are sure that the school and system are what you really want. Maybe a 3 month contract at most. That should give you a good idea by then whether that system, and instructor, are what you want. Price compare! The more money they want for instruction DOES NOT necessarily translate into better training and learning. Myself, I don't need a fancy health club-type dojo with a juice bar and free weights. You are paying for all of those, so if you don't plan on using them, then why pay for them? I hope this helps.

I've had several bikes over the years. Presently, I have a 1978 yamaha XS1100cc street bike, similar to a Honda GoldWing. Back in it's day, it was THE bike to have! It only has 23,000 miles on it and goes like a bat out of hell (when I want it to that is)

I think an important question to ask here Gloi, is "Is this an open tournament with many (all) styles attending, or just a TKD only tournament?"

What I would like to know is this. What is available in your area? Do you specifically want to do a Korean system, or is that all that's available? My suggestion is to go and watch whatever you have in your area and see what looks like something you'd like to try. Every instructor will tell you that what they are doing is the best, so don't listen to that. Also, don't be impressed by lots of trophies on the walls, unless you'd like to learn a competition based system. That usually, in my experience, doesn't mean they can handle themselves in a real fight. Also, if it looks like the class is top heavy with black belts, then it could be a belt factory. Just some suggestions.

Congratulations! Yes, as amatter of fact, I tested on of my students, a 15 yr old young man, just this past Thursday for his yellow belt. This is what I test on: Proper Stance's inside block outside block high block low block hand block front snap kick roundhouse kick side kick back kick shin kick stomp kick reverse punch back fist Kata Pinan Shodan Light Contact Sparring He did VERY well, but then again, his father is my 2nd Dan Senior student too! lol I never look for perfection, especially at this level, but rather competency. The same with power. At this level, I look for good technique, not power. Power will come.

I've been an instructor since 1978 and had to leave a class in another town because I moved to where I am now. I have a scrap book with items like this, where students of mine had to leave for whatever reason, such as going off to college or moving out of state, and those letters mean more to me than anything else I own pertaining to the arts. I agree with grandmasterchen in that thank you letters with heartfelt words of appreciationg and thanks from all of the students, a class picture and maybe a small token of their esteem. I've often thought that if I ever won the lottery, I'd seek out my origional sensei in Minnesota and drop about a million dollars in his lap and say "Thanks Dennis. You have no idea how what you had taught me for those few years has affected the rest of my life."

Okinawan Shorinryo Matsumura Seito (Orthodox) Karate/Kenpo. White Yellow Green Green w/black tip Blue Blue w/black tip Purple Brown Brown w/black tip Brown w/black stripe running through middle of belt. Black Red and White Solid Red

I don't know anything about those shoes, so can't help you there. On the poll, there should be an "Occassionally" option, as we normally don't in class, but occassionally do wear street shoes and clothes for practice.