Montana

OSensei Soken Hohan. Probably filmed (not video taped) in late 1960's. OSensei was probably in his mid to late 70's when he did this.

I own several handguns and several knives...my questions is...why are we choosing one...for what? Selfdefense?

I've always had an open door policy towards any visitors. I've run into the same problem as you've described and the sensei needs to talk to the person as the problem happens and let them know that they are welcome to watch the class, but need to control their kids, as they are disrupting the class. The same goes with talking or any other activity that distracts from the class. Cell phones are a problem now days and I require that people either turn them off, or put them on vibrate...NO TALKING ON CELLS DURING CLASS. Yes, they are "paying customers", but YOU are the boss in that environment and if they can't respect that, I would ask them to leave. If they take their student with them....oh well.

Oh yeah...least practical...probably the tonfa (Okinawan weapons anyway). It's a good weapon in general, but has limitations against weapons such as knives. It's more designed for defense against heavy hitting weapons, such as the bo, baseball bat and the like.

Periodically I have my students bring whatever they want into the dojo and we spend time working on everyday items as potential self-defense weapons. Also once per year I take my students for a "walk about" around town in street clothes to see what might be usable in a street defense scenerio. We walk down alleys, go into a bar or two (I always talk to the owner/manager prior to doing this so he knows what's up) and just wander down the street. Just about anything can be used to help defend yourself if you open your mind and understand the concepts of weapons and how they can affect the human body. Finding a bo-sized weapon or cue stick is unrealistic, as is having a tire iron at your fingertips. My tire iron is under a mat in the back of my SUV and would take a precious minute or two to dig out, but my bull cane (a heavy cane used to prod cattle) is within easy reach from my drivers seat.

Just about any Okinawan Karate system (Shorin Ryu, Goju Ryu, Issinryu, etc) would be a good all around system.

Limited blocking ability? Sorry, but you're wrong. The nunchauku has excellent blocking abilities against empty handed attacks, as well as against weapons. You just need to know how to use them. As for reach...typically, the nunchauku gives you an added 2 FEET of reach over yoru normal hand length. That's considerable better than a knife, sai, tonfa and many other weapons. Again, this all depends on if you know how to use the weapon or not. In most "real" fight scenerios, one sai is out while the other is in. Both can block, both can strike...keep the closed sai out front, the extendede on as the power weapon.

Don't feel bad...I hadn't a clue of what it was either.

I've worked and trained with many Okinawan weapons over the last 30+ years and the cane is easily assimulated into that training. Personally, I absolutely LOVE working with the cane! It's hands down my favorite. I have several canes I've picked up at thrift shops and yard sales, but the best cane by far is a cattle or bull cane, found at many ranch/farm stores. It's used to prod cattle. Fairly light weight, but thick, sturdy and strong as hell! I have no idea what it's made of.

I recieved my shodan in 6/78, then my sensei moved out of state (from Montana to Minnesota) in '80. I was on my own without a sensei until I was put in contact with 6th Dan Sensei in Minnesota also. My sensei no longer taught, so I travelled in January (cold as hell that week) of 1980 to train with Sensei Ohl. I had explained to him prior to going there that I had been on my own for nearly 10 years and he offered to train me for a week. Long story short, he told me he was impressed that I had made no major changes or had any major faults during my visit, and he awarded me my nidan on my last training day with him. It was unexpected and there was no actual formal test.

You beat me to it...but exactly what I would have said. The double bone block is just that...a block, not an offensive strike. It allows more blocking area to absorb a blow than a single bone block.

Maybe it's because of where I live (Montana, USA) and the way we think up here (bravery, honesty, integrity, honor, chivalry, facing your fears, etc), but the thought of running from a fight just sort of turns my stomach and brings up pictures in my head of cowardice, fear and being a wimp. Part of it my be my generation also (I'll be 55 next month) and we were raised to be men and to face our adversaries head on, rather than running away like cowards. Everybody trains in the martial arts for different reasons, and the various ares (karate, TKD, kungfu, mma, etc) have different goals and ways of looking at things, but I train to defend myself against and person or persons if attacked. Sure, given the opportunity, I'd much prefer to walk away from a fight, talk my way out of it..whatever it takes to avoid a fight...but I'll be d**ned if I'll run. I'd rather take a chance at getting my butt kicked than to look at myself in the mirror the rest of my life and know that I'm a coward. Everybody's going to do what they think is best for them...run, or fight. Personally, I'll take fight.

Of course this varies from dojo to dojo, but probably because at that level most non-martial artists can't stand the sight of that much blood all at once.

If a person has you in a good trap/hold of your leg in the scenerio you've described, your hands are being occupied by holding your face off the ground and the "trapper" is in a perfect position to kick your face and torso at will, or knee your lower abdomin/groin at will, and if he's strong enough, spin you around and slam your head into something (wall, pole, etc) pretty darn easily, and there's little you can do about it. Trying to bring your other leg to bear and attack his head with it isn't really much of an option. You might be able to push kick his torso, but you won't have much power behind your kick, and you would have only a very short amount of time to do this before he can do very serious damage to you. Your best bet is to curl up towards his legs and grab his legs with your arms and try to take him to the ground, or to at least make him let you go.

Actually, if your opponent has you in a proper trap....that torque you're talking about is going to rip all of the ligaments out of your own knee...even possibly causing severe damage to your ligaments and muscles in your hip. At the least, you're going to be chewing up grass.

Heck, I wallpapered my house and garage and working on the outside of the house next week with the articles! Need to figure out how to waterproof them though.....

I was in the top 10, so I bought all of the issues available...sorry.

During our testings it really doesn't matter...you don't know you're being tested until the instructor (me) says "Congratulations...you've just passed and been promoted."

My advice is to get out of that class, and stay out. Regardless of what he says, he's crossed the student/sensei line and will do it again if you went back. No promotion is worth what he wants you to "pay" for it.

Ah...OK...a scratch. Yeah, I've done that before also.

I had a good friend...a Hung Gar Kung Fu practioneer, that did a one finger board break at a tournament a number of years ago. He did it (2 attempts) and immediately afterwards came up to me and said ..."Paul, if you EVER see me try to do that again, STOP ME! I think I broke my FINGER!"

Um...how do you cut yourself with a sai? They don't have a "blade". I've dropped the point of a sai on my foot before (sooooo embarassing!) and sliced the bottom of my foot really badly with a kama blade (don't ask.... ) and whacked various parts of my anatomy with nunchauku and even bruised a rib once with a bo.

I started when I was 22...I'll be 55 in November.

Do what your sensei teaches you.

I had frost on my car windows yesterday morning.