Montana

The ribs will heal and not be a problem when they do. Sure, no problem...I can help. Send a bank draft to me for $500 (USD) and I'll set you up with the basics and guarantee you a yellow belt by the end of summer.

I agree. The video looked like a belt factory class. Do the minimum and get a belt.

For me, the arts are only about one thing. Being able to protect yourself, a loved one, or a total stranger if you chose, in a self-defense situation...period. That's what it was developed for origionally, and that's the way that I teach it and practice it. With that in mind I've got a lot of stories over the past 25+ years of teaching, but the one that sticks out the most is when Latigo, a 14 year old boy, and his father walked into my dojo one day and wanted to talk to me about learning to defend himself (Latigo, not his father). When I first say Latigo, he had 4 stitches over his left eye, a fat/split lip and a missing top front tooth. His father said he had been in a schoolyard fight two days previously (a Christian school) and the school bully, 1 grade higher and considerably bigger than Latigo, had punched him out for no apparent reason other than to do it. The school did nothing to the bully other than suspend him for a day. Anyway, the father had gone to sign up Latigo at a local Aikido sensei's (a VERY distinguised and excellent sensei) class and asked him to teach his son how to defend himself. I know this Aikido sensei fairly well and have great respect for him. This sensei talked to the father and son about what happened, and what their goals were and told them to come talk to me instead because learning Aikido would take to much time to be useful. Latigo's needs were immediate, not a few years down the road, so he referred them to me. So, after talking to Latigo and his father, and stressing that my most important rule was that what I taught (Shorin Ryu) was to be used for self-defense purposes ONLY, and that I would not condone a student of mine starting a fight for any reason, I accepted Latigo into my class. Latigo was a serious, and attentive student from that first day of training. About one month after starting classes he and his father came in for normal class and his father told me that Latigo had been in a fight at school again with the same bully that did so much damage before. Apparently the bully was picking on a much smaller and younger student at the school and Latigo went to his aid. The bully turned on Latigo and pushed him to the ground. Latigo got up and told him that if he touched him again he was going to knock his block off (or words to that effect). The bully attacked again, Latigo parried the attack, countered and knocked the bully flat on his butt with a bloody nose. All of this happened with teachers present on the play ground, but they did nothing to stop the bully. In conclusion, Latigo and the bully were suspended from school for a day, and Latigo's father was taking him to a movie, out anywhere he wanted to go for dinner, and then shopping for a new, expensive bike. His father was VERY proud of what his son had done (I was also) and was so very thankful to me. He is a sign painter, and a week later came by my school with the most beauiful sign for my dojo window I could hope for...free of charge.

I've had people ask me about private lessons numerous times over the years, and I just look at them and tell them that "You cant' afford it." No, I'm not being cocky by saying that to them, but rather my time with my family and friends is important to me, not to mention that I work a hard 44 hour week with rotating days off, different hours, etc...and I value my free time more than I value some extra $'s. Sure, if some fool wants to pay me a ton of money for private lessons, I'd do it just for a laugh. I believe there is no advantage to private lessons as opposed to a group class. Actually, I believe that if you only take private lessons, then you won't be nearly as good of a martial artist as someone that takes group classes. You need to work with as many different people as you can, as nobody reacts or moves the same.

I charge $40/month for 2, two hour classes/week. No test fees, no contracts, no overinflated uniform/equiptment charges. I'd actually not charge anything for classes if I could, but I've found over the years that if you don't charge anything that the majority of people put little or no value in their training, and often will not come to class because they have nothing invested in it. Odd how the thought process works sometimes.

I've been a kata judge/kumite referree for 25+ years now in open, all style tournaments and not knowing the kata you performed, I would have scored you high because of strong technique, good balance/timing, etc. it was a good kata. On the kumite, I'm normally the center ref and I will NOT let my corner judges sit on their fat keesters or stand in one place. When the judges first are assigned to a ring, I have a quick 60 second meeting with them before we start and tell them what I expect them to do. They move with the action, get involved, or I get another judge and replace them. There are a lot of bad judges out there and because I'm pretty "senior" at these tournaments, I normally get to choose who I want to be in my ring as a judge. I pick some good people that I know will call legitimate points and know what they are doing. Sure, we're not perfect, but we do the best we can and I'd say that we're pretty accurate most of the time. You're a brave man for posting yourself on the net and opening yourself up to critisism. You have nothing to fear as you're a good martial artist and have had good instruction. Bravo to you and your sensei!

And one other thing to consider is that in the martial arts, you don't really "peak" until you're in your mid to late-50's. You can't really say that about many other "sports" (I don't like to call the martial arts a sport). Well, except maybe bowling and golf...

Just a quick little story here which shoudl make my view point clear. Maybe 15 years ago I attended a seminar the night before a tournamentthat was hosted by a 10 year old, 3rd Dan black belt. He was supposedly a National Champion of some sort. During a break in this seminar, which consisted of this 10 year old showing off his high kicks and general "flash-crap" (as I like to call it) I was talking to other sensei in attendance when this kid comes up and just starts taking over the conversation. I don't know what made me do it...just an impulse I guess (I get those sometimes)..but I grabbed the kid by his lapels, picked him up and put his back against the wall so that his head was level with mine (I'm 6'6" tall), and our noses were maybe 6 inches apart. I said to him..."Now what are you going to do?" Well, let's just say that I was worried he was going to pee his pants, so I put him down. I know this sounds mean, but you'd have had to been at this seminar to see this pompous little ...uhhhh...turd... strutting around like God Himself to understand what made me do what I did. His parents cater to his every whim, he has students that kiss his ....cheeks, and he just thinks he's top of the heap. AT 10!!! I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I don't want to take classes from a young kid. 15/16+ is OK, but any younger and I won't do it. Not a whole class. Sure, help with something like a basic or a kata perhaps, but not a whole class.

Well, a 3-4th degree BB in 4 years is, IMO, a "shake and bake" quickie way to get higher rank. You may have the knowledge of techniques and kata, but you don't have the "seasoning" that comes from experience for that rank. A 1st Dan..OK, I don't see a problem with that...but a 3-4th? Nope. Smells of "belt factory" mentality to me. Sorry, despite being from a very reputable institution (Concordia), I think it's a load of crapola.

Are you to old to do the arts any longer? Here's a link to a video from the early 1970's of OSensei Soken Hohan at about 80 years old performing Chinto. Stories abound of this man performing tossing 20 year olds around his dojo well into his late 70's.

IMO, absolutely NOT! Bouncing puts you into a definite rhythm that an experienced fighter wil luse against you. I've used this myself, and if you tiem your attack to move forward when your opponent is just starting his upward "bounce"...he can't move his body away from you until he comes down from that bounce and is able to push awy from the ground with his feet. It takes practice and training, but very possible. Fighting is all about using your strengths against your opponents weakness's and openings.

Our back stance is around 40/60 (front/back) weight distribution. We don't like to overcommit to anything, as that can leave you vulnerable. At 40/60 you can still go forward quickly if needed, or back, but the wieght is slightly off the front foot. As for the foot position, generally pointed forward, but could be angled. Angled telegraphs to your opponent (if they're skilled enough to pick up on it) that you are more prone to trying a side/roundhouse kick. With the foot straight on to your opponent, you can do anything.

A karate dojo is not a democracy. Students don't have a vote (basically). They are students, you are the instructor/sensei. It's no different than public school really, except that the student can quit if they don't like it.

Correct

Weight distributed 50/50 on both feet. This allows you to move forward quickly, or backwards just as quickly. Using a cat stance continuously just opens you up to getting your front foot swept out from under you. Yes, use the cat stance, but not all the time.

Research the US Navy S.E.A.L.S...that's as close to modern day ninja training you'll find.

You need to change your wording somewhat, in that when you say "karate", you are lumping many, many different forms of martial arts all into one basket as the same thing. Shotokan is just one system of karae. There are many more, and not all like Shotokan. Many styles of karate are excellent for self defense.

Both a taller person and shorter person have advantages in a fight. It's how you use those advantages is what mak3es the difference. For instance, I'm 6'6" tall and 240 lbs, so my best advantage is reach and raw power. Basically, I hit and kick with a lot of force behind it, so my aim is to nail a person at a distance first before he can get into his own range. As for a shorter person having an advantage in close? Generally I'd say yes, but a lot depends on the skill of each person. I'm comfortable in close, or on the ground. A shorter persons best advantage is quickness and in certain circumstances, leverage (such as in judo throws).

I don't think you need to ask permission in as much as you need to at least tell your sensei that you're going to take another martial art. Some instructors, myself included, aren't real hot on students doing that. It takes many. MANY years to master just one martial art. I've been doing the same one for over 30 years now and still haven't got it down yet, nor do I expect I ever will. Training in two or more at the same time dosen't do justice to either of them. Find one that suits you best and dive into it full out. If it's not what you expect out of an art, then quit and move on until you do find what you desire.

I started in January of 1975 after getting out of the army. Yeah, I'm old.

Well, that's interesting, since JKD doesn't have any rank structure. RUN FOREST>>>>>RUN!!!