justb

Sensei is a very generic title for teacher. If you ever hear anyone call themselves by their title (or for that matter, put it before their name), they are making a major faux pas. Titles go after the name in at least Japan/japanese styles, and you would ever hear anyone say their title when introducing themselves, on letterhead or business cards, etc...It would be considered pompous and probably quite a bit silly. Calling or awarding the title of master is kind of funny. People study for years to get a "master's degree" in the US...That needs to come from a nationally accredited institution. In the Martial Arts, where we teach life and death situation control, one can simply show up for a number of years, break a few boards, bla bla and get the title of "Master", after paying several hundred, if not THOUSANDS of dollars for the privilage. Same guys who buy their college degrees "based on life experiences" through SPAM. Of course I'm simplifying but I think everyone gets the point. Run the other way if they introduce themselves as master. Who cares what they call you, as long as you know what you know. Most people don't know that they don't know, hence the title confusion. Thanks B

I think some of it is style dependent - but I have been told that there are 5, just like there are 5 Heian Kata & for the same reason. Thanks B

Depends on what I want to happen. Is this an initiating attack? How long have we been fighting? Does he have a weapon? Do I? Where do I want them to go? For attack sequences, generally I try and think in a direction...I want them to go down, I want them to go back, left, right, or simply drop them right there. Depends on what is going on though, there are definitly standards that I try to adhere to do make my life simpler - tried and true. Thanks B

I think it depends on the types of fight one is in, though generally the enhanced reach of a taller/larger person is a distinct advantage. Weight advantage obviously figures in differently and matters in different styles of fighting. Thanks B

We worked on bunkai for Taikyoku (empty hand, weaponry, grappling) then learned the kata. Our style regards them as essential to development for a number of reasons. From what I know there are 5 total Taikyoku, mechanically the remaining 2 that most do not know are similar to the other 3. Thanks B

Perpindicular to the cutting surface & wax them in. You can also use steel shot for a similar effect. Hope this helps Thanks B

Sakura sells swords that can get you started. Real blades are quite pricey and can be very dangerous given inappropriate training. https://www.sakura-0.com Thanks B

Thank you for an intellegent reply to my post. I don't know who any of the people are that you describe, so unfortunately I am not able to accomodate your implication that I know less than they do on the subject. I am not stating that proper training on how to shoot a gun will keep a person alive, I am stating that proper training on the appropriate way to react when a gun is brandished increases the chances of coming out alive (especially if the defender is professionally trained on how to respond and the attacker is not properly skilled in their firearm). I apologise if I was not clear on that point. I don't know if those people you mention advocate that or not. One of the most important things to realize when facing a gun or knife, or any weapon for that matter is the understanding that you will get hit/cut/injured. Understanding that point & reacting with the intention of minimizing damage will undoubtedly assist in preserving the defender's life, though of course nothing is certain & there is a very fine margin of error when facing any person with any weapon, especially with one is not armed. Good fighters/soldiers get injured and killed all the time. Also, I don't believe I said a knife is useless at long range, please understand the difference beween what was typed and what you inferred. There is obviously no secret, only an understanding of how weaponry is used and their relative strengths and weaknesses. Assuming there is a secret to any combat tactic other than that is delusional. I wonder if bowmen carried knives as well of if Musashi was skilled in archery? I look forward to your response. Thanks B https://www.seishinkan.com

A black belt is a certificate of completion and tenure. If the student is physically & mentally capable of performing to the standards set forth by the dojo they should be permitted to advance regardless of age. Some people get it early on, some never. I think a lot of it depends on how the organization is structured. I think that late teens is a good time as the student is still full of energy and relatively resillient. They also often don't have much else going on in their life, so they can afford to invest the time to do the training and repetition for the intensely physical starting dan stages. Wait too long and the yudansha become stagnated with those who want to rest on their laurels. Thanks B

Why is it cowardly to carry a gun? Are you calling law enforcement people cowards? A gun makes tactical sense in a modern society. Does that mean that people who carried swords 300 years ago were cowards as well? You may be suprised to know that as the gun became more popular in Japan and East Asia, it had a dramatic influence on armor and therefore tactics of the classical Ryuha. I would imagine that they have had a similar effect throughout the ages and cultures. Thanks B

My opinion is a gun at close range is about as dangerous as a knife is at long range, given the appropriate training. You have to match (or change) the situation to match the weapon. If you are inexperienced then you're probably going to die anyways. Guns are great, people have known it for centuries. If they weren't why would the military use them? Thanks B

If a person was faced with a situation where a physical attack was eminent, what do you think their first reaction would be? Duke it out "mano e mano", or find a weapon to get the advantage? I would disagree with Ibouchet regarding defending against the knife and having the knife- the techniques are similar - but the applications are the variation. If you agree with the above assertion that one's first impulse is to reach for a weapon, how will they use it? Would one avoid picking up a knife in a fight because "they don't know how to use it?" Conversely, if faced with an opponent using a knife, would you try something different other than what you know? Thanks B https://www.seishinkan.com https://www.sakura-0.com

Aikido most definitley has strikes, but whether or not they are emphasized depends on the style and instructor. I've seen them when working with the Yoshinkai students that cross-train with us at times... As far as multiple attackers go - you should look at some of the sword arts- iaijutsu/kenjutsu. A lot of the engagements will focus on more than one attacker. May give you some good strategies, though I think that simple, direct & efficient are probably the common elements across all styles in dealing with a situation like what was presented. Hope this helps Thanks B

We envision a triangle made from the forehead to the shoulders and focus on that. Alternatively, you can focus on the hollow of the neck. Really though, you shouldn't be staring at a point to the exclusion of all others. Especially if you find it distracting in an engagement. Only my opinion though. I've seen some styles of Silat that specifcally want you to look anywhere but directly at your attacker. The reason being is that they believe that your natural tendacy to respond to movement in your peripheral vision allows one to react quicker as less "processing" occurs before the reaction...Dunno, never tried it. Hope this helps Thanks B

Our style teaches applications for the basic blocks beyond simple percussive attacks. Remember that in a real fight you may be hit with more than just fists & feet. Basic blocks are just that - basics. I would make sure your instructor can give you reasons for why you are doing them, and also give you the key points on the blocks (and explain why they are key points) - that will help you train & develop for whatever your style holds as more advanced applications. Hope this helps Thanks B