Shorinryu Sensei

I'll try to keep my responses brief, as some of the questions you ask would take maybe a whole page to answer halfway effectively! The system that I have been practicing (and teaching since 1978) is Okinawan Shorinryu Matsumura Seito (Orthodox) Karate and Kobudo. All of the above. Light contact and point sparring for quickness and speed practice, full contact using Okinawan bogu gear, and medium contact without gloves for realism. NEVER! We believe there is no point to it, and it's flashy *. Although, some schools do breaks...we don't. All of the above. As to what kind? Geeze...sorry, but I don't have all night here! lol All of our kicks are low. We never kick higher than MAYBE the bellybutton, but usually lower abdomen or lower. We do a spinning back kick, but teach that it is powerful, but dangerous to the user and leaves you off balance and vulnerable. We do a few jumping kicks, but they are to cover distance to your opponent, not for height. All of the above are taught. Emphasis of this system is practical and effective self-defense. Some of our dojos teach quite a bit of the Okinawan terminology, but I don't. My sensei didn't teach me or use it himself, and we use very little in my class. We start teachjing weapons at brown belt level. We figure you need to know how to use your bare hands effectively first. One new weapon is taught with each promotion, starting with the bo. Kalispell, Montana. My origional sensei was Sensei Denny Miller, who hasn't taught classes since he left Montana back in 1980. I Have also trained under the late Grand Master Yuichi Kuda of Okinawan, Sensei Greg Ohl of Minnesota, and Sensei James Knoblett of Washington state.

Whoa! A pair of said for $120? Tonfa for $60? That's NUTS! Keep looking bud...those are WAY to expensive!

I've seen that too! What system was that? Parker Kenpo maybe? We will do something similar, but not intentionally slap the chest/gi for effect, but rather the "slapping hand" had just parried the punch away and down from your body and you punch over it to your opponent.

Yes, in kata the majority of techniques are with the hand because hands are more versatile than legs/feet are (oh oh...here comes the TKD people to argue that one! lol) and most fights end up closer in where the hands have the advantage. In self-defense training, we use about 50/50 on the hands and feet in theory, but in reality, I suppose it's more 75/25. Our kicks are low and fast, and all parts of your opponents body are considered fair game.

Yeah, what he said! I prefer to wear a full gi when I train, just because it seems to get me more "into it", and feels more "normal I guess. However, my dojo can get quite hot in the summertime, so usually about the 1st of May we go with gi pants and a decent t-shirt and belt unbtil the snow starts to fly again..usually about early October around here. Just my opinion here, but that "snap" of the material you are wearing isn't always a good indication of power and speed. A beginner can make a heavy weight gi snap with little effort, and poor technique usually. As Sasori_Te stated...a heavy bag, or full contact sparring is a much better indicater of speed and power. ROCK THAT SUCKER!!!

Thanks. I've been testing students since 1978 (yeah, a long time) and the more I think about it...I test them every day in class in my mind, so why make them suffer through a long, stressful testing process? I've always felt it was a formality anyway, and I never test them until I know they can pass. Every one of my students has earned his/her rank. When I see them compared to other systems wearing the same rank, I always smile and take great pride in what I have done to these people and feel that belt for belt, they can hold their own against just about anybody (except the pro's probably) from any system.

It's not really a bad idea but it doesn't sound like you're getting rid of the belt system. I'm considering doing awaywith formal testing myself and just awarding a belt when I feel the student has reached the level I want for the next test. I have done this with a few of my upper students before, just gave them their next belt and certificate and no formal test. I have been tested this way myself for my 3 black belts.

*sigh*...oh no...not another one??? It seems there are "new and improved" systems popping up all the time spouting that they take all the good of all the arts and combine them into their new, and improved ultimate nmartial arts system. When will it stop???

One thing I've learned to do is when people bad mouth my particular system is this..."Have you ever seen or practiced it?" The SHADDUP!!! lol Well...no, I don't tell them to shut up, but I do tell them that they are entitled to their opinion, and I to mine. To each their own. All systems have their strong and weak points. Some have many more of one than the other I'm afraid sometimes, but that's another thread on a less tolerant forum I'd say....

You only know a few basic techniques, and you feel qualified to start your own system? *rolling my eyes here* Think about it for a second, and maybe you'll realize how rediculous that sounds. I can't believe this thread has gone 10+ pages now. I'm done posting on this one people. NEXT!

When I first moved to this part of the world in 1985, all I heard about was this high school kid..11th grader at the time..who was supposed to be this martial arts marvel. Well, after a few months of that, I sought him out and asked him if I could watch his class. He had maybe 8 other high school kids, and it was the funniest thing I've ever seen in my 29+ years in the arts! Absolutly PATHETIC! He proudly showed me 2 shelves full of video tapes and books about variosu arts, and a wall full of weapons. I asked him what sort of formal training he had, and he said he took a few months of San soo locally a couple of years before, but felt he could learn more from his videos and books. Long story short, the kid was basically at a total loss as to what the arts are about. His technique was weak, powerless, sloppy and just plain worthless. I see the same thing in your words risingdragon. Take the advice of others. Find a good school, learn a REAL martial art, and maybe...just maybe...in 20-30 years, you might be good enough to start your own art.

Never heard of it before! Try a search on Google..I did, and came up with quite a few sites. Looks like in it's later stages of trying, it takes techniques from shorin-ryu and shorei-ryu.

Check out this thread...it should give you some good links to where you can buy a good cane: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=11397

I have several foam dipped gloves kicking around somewhere in a box, but we don't really use them for sparring. We prefer no gloves at all, and good control istead on impact. Hand blows are light to the head, body shots are medium contact. You learn to block, or get used to being hit. it works for us! lol

Your friend is a "certified Samauri"? *bells, whistles and flags flying here* You have some good advice from Delta and WhiteWarlock. I don't know, but your friend sounds like a teen, martial arts "wanna-be" perhaps?

Knife defense techniques are pretty much the same used for empty handed, with the exception that you have to be more aware of the blade and where it's going. As WolverineGuy stated, you will be grabbing the arm more than with empty handed so you can have more control over the hand weilding the knife. As for gun technique, as WolverineGuy said, he has to be close, and I tell my class "If all the guy wants is your wallet..GIVE IT TO HIM!" Now, if the guy says "I'm going to kill you", then you'd better try something. We do gun control and disarm about once/month using an old .22 cal pistol I have, with the cylinder out of it and the barrel cleared. We will hold it somewhere within arms reacy and cocked, and take turns doing various defelction or control techniques with it. The entire class watches as each of us works with it and determines if the holder of the pistol, when he pulls the trigger, would have hit the defender or not. I have pretty good luck with it, and a few of my students do also, but in a real situation? I doubt if I would chance it unless absolutly necessary.

[quote name="soul fighterThats why I want to compete, to know if I'm any good or not . first of all, a tournament will NOT give you a measure of if you're any good or not. Why? Because tournaments have rules, referee's and as close to a "perfect fighting environment" as they can get. Meaning mats, safty equiptment, etc. With taht in mind, a tournament is only a measure of that competitors ability to score a point faster than his opponent. in a real fight, there are no ref's calling points, and I have seen thousands of technically good "points" scored in tournaments, taht on the street wouldn't have done a thing to their opponent. I had a youing brown belt student that consistently won trophies at tournaments until his head got so big for his ego that he couldn't hardly walk through the dojo doorway for class. He quit trying to learn the art of karate, and just wanted to "play" karate. He had such great potential, and finally quit my class because we butted heads to much. He was a teenager, and knew it all I guess, and my 20 years (at that time) of experience I guess didn't matter to him. Again, read what I said above on that. That's sparring, not a street fight. HUGE differance there. This should give you a clue as to your grappling skills. Not having seen you in action of course, I can't give you any advise on what to work on, not am I familiar with your system in your bio. Maybe you need to consider switching to another system/dojo that will give you what you're looking for?[/b]

I second this. Short of going to Okinawa and having a set made for you, these are the best that I've ever found. The Century ones are OK for beginners, but I've broken maybe 5 of the darn things because they're just made of cheap pot metal. My Shureido sai are tough, well balanced and durable, and as far as I can tell, will be the last pair I'll ever need to buy.

I haven't bought a pair in years. I have a friend with a lathe and access to good, solid oak which I stain to match whatever color I'm in the mood for at the time! lol Maybe not as nice as those you have, but the cost is more attractive....try....FREE! lol I've taken them and beat them pretty good against a plywood wall I have in my dojo, and so far (talking years here), I haven't broken one yet. Plus, i just can't justify paying that much for a set. Food on the table and a roof over my head has priority right now!

Personally, I'd say that's just plain stupid! For one thing, you may challenge the wrong guy that won't bother telling, despite what words come out of his mouth, that he's not going to follow any rules, and he could just plain mess you up...BIG TIME!!! I'm talking broken bones, or worse. You have an ego there kid, and you'd better put a govenor on it, and your mouth down a bit I think, or somebody that's got a bigger ego and mouth, and far superior skills..will do it for you. I'm just trying to save you, and your parents, a whole lot of potential grief.

All of the above! The worst injury I've personally seen and sustained myself is a torn cruchia (sp?) ligament in my knee. While demonstrating a technique with a student he swept my knee. God, did that hurt! I had orthoscopic (sp?) surgery to it and it still gives me problems sometimes. The other worst injury I sustained was working out in a park in my sensei's class one summer day, and while doing kata, this dang bush was in the way when I had to kick, so I just kicked through it. Well, what happened was, the bottom of my foot dragged alone a sharp branch and put a 6" gash in the bottom of my foot!

There are various branches and offshoots to Shorinryu, so it would help if you could find out what particular branch he is in, and who he is affiliated with, such as an organization name he belongs to, or his instructor. The more info like that, the easier it is to nail it down. Unless of course somebody knows the guy personally.

I agree. If you're going to teach them your chosen art, then teach them the whole art! Kids can handle learning kata just fine, but it requires more patience from the sensei (trust me, been there, done that!)

I used to teach kids, but don't anymore. To limited amout of time and space presently, plus I'm more into working with adults because they give me somebody to "play with". I taught kids for many years however, and I have an Elementary Teaching backgroud. What I've found is kids 6-8 (I never took anybody younger than 6) might...or might not..be able to handle martial arts training from a "seriousness" standpoint. Sure, younger kids can "play" karate at any age, but I taught kids the same things (mostly anyway) that I teach adults and didn't use my kids class as a daycare. I would tell the parents that their son/daughter can try it for a couple of weeks, but if at the end of that time I felt they weren't mentally "with it", I would ask the the parents to pull them out of class. I won't waste my time on a kid (or an adult for that matter) that isn't there to learn, and I won't be a babysitter for them either.

*sigh*...Champ, you're such a newbie! j/k I took my shodan test in June of 1978 before the head of the system. Scared the heck out of me, but I didn't know (or expect) that I was being tested at the time. I just did what Sensei Kuda asked. Anyway, good luck ESA-Shotokan...now the training will start for real!