Montana

Thanks, but I've been "retired" for 10 years now due to arthriis in both knees and a bad back. I run thru my kata now and then and basics, but anything to intense and there's an audible "snap" in my back, my legs go weak and I'm literally out of commission for days/weeks. 10 years ago I had to make a decision as whether to keep teaching, or possible some day that "snap" would do somnething permanent and I wouldn't be able to work. At 52 years of age at the time, work had precedence. No, my martial arts days are gone, but not forgotten!!! lol Most of my friends came to me via the arts as students, and I think of the art daily. I'm considering judging and referreeing again at local tournaments in the Spring...we'll see.

Another bummer here from me that I would have loved to participate in something like this also. I think it's rare that Okinawan stylists get together like this to share their knowledge.

It wasn't my knee I nailed with the kama..IT WAS THE BOTTOM OF MY FOOT! I was doing a karate kata and thought I'd try it with a kama instead for fun. I did a snap kick to the side and down strike with the kama. bottom of my foot met the tip of the kama..BLED LIKE CRAZY!!! This was maybe 15 minutes before class started and I was laying on the fkloor with a roll of paper towels trying to stop the flood of blood as students came into the dojo. Embarassed? Oh YEAH! lol And yes, I've had many bonks on the head, knee, elbow, groin, shin and about everywhere else with the nunchauku.

Oh Lord..how many tests have I done? Many hundreds at least. I've said this before...I test my students each and every class, and they know it. I watch them every class..guage who is practicing, and who is not. Who is making the corrections I make, and who is not. Who is putting forth appropriate effort for their belt level, age and experience, and who isn't...etc. The test itself is really a formality. If the student has progressed to where I want them to be for that next belt and has really worked for it..they will be tested..sometimes without them knowing it. If they pass, GREAT! If they don't, they will know what exactly it is that they need to work on.

Seriously? Just 3 years? You've just started..what do you expect? lol It was around my 15th year that things just "clicked" for me. it was like a light bulb going on in my head and body, and I've never looked back. Things just started making sense.

We only teach kata specific to our system. Between the karate kata and the kobudo (weapons) kata..that's PLENTY! lol

Jyust to be clear here, I am NOT attacking you, or anybody else. I have nearly 40 years in the martial arts and have watched many different systems teaching their arts, which included many different classes of "women's self-defense". It is my opinion, which I'm fully entitled to, that women's self-defense programs, for the most part, are a near total waste of time and IMO, can actually be dangerous to the woman participant because it will give them a false sense of security that they will effectively be able to defend thenmselves against an attacker after just a few classes. As of the last I heard, this is still a free country (USA) and I have the right to my opinion, as do you. I am not attempting to insult you, or anyone else when I voice that opinion. If you think women's self-defense clsses have merit..good for you. I happen to disagree with you. As for what you said about ..."Respect towards others views is essential in creating a place we can all feel welcome."..I don't see anywhere in my comments where I don't respect your views. I DISAGREE with your views.

The idea isn't to train like karate, and give a life like situation! The idea is to give them information, and help to spark something in their way of thinking. I find your general attitude to be disappointing about it. In general when somebody posts their excitement about their oppertunity to reach others, especially those with no experience, I think it's best to post our opinions with less of a salty taste, and more of a supportive nature towards our forum friends. I also find your opinion that women training with women for a self defense situation for a man, a bit of a sexist statement. You know, when we train In martial arts and do drills, am I to feel my drills are not worth it because my attacker in the street is probably nothing like the more humble, and possibly nicer person in front of me? I happen to feel this way of thinking g could easily be called "stupid" IMHO! It's highly unlikely I'll face a person in the street who know karate, so it's a waist of time to defend against karate drills as well I suppose. Why do we bother at all? IMO...If you're taching a womens "self-defense" class aimed at women learning to protect themselves against men, it's rediculous to have your practice "attackers" women. Very seldom does a woman "attack" another woman like a man will. Very seldom does a woman grab like a man will. Very seldom does a woman have the strength or aggression that a man will. I don't know what kind of martial arts drills you do in your class, but in mine the emphasis is on the attacker attacking hard, fast and strong..not tossing out punches, kicks and grabs lightly. I emphasise realistic attacks, not wimpy attacks. Take just about any woman who has taken a couple weeks class of a womens self-defense program..wait about a week or two afterwards, bring them back and give them a man attacker that uses mid-level force in his attack, and I'll give you GREAT odds that that woman will FAIL to do anything in her own defense..anymore than she would have without previous training.

The biggest flaw I see in an all-women class is..who are they going to train with in these self-defense scenerios? Women vs women? BAH! That is just plain stupidity IMO. Is a woman going to grab you like a man would? Tackle you? Punch you? I have always hated women's self-defense classes..except for one. They are motly a total waste of time IMO.

I think karates future is going down the toilet pretty quickly. There will always be pockets of "traditionalists" (like myself) that will teach the old, authentic ways without bastardizing their systems with adding elements from other systems (such as high kicks and board breaking for systems like what I taught), just to please the students and keep them coming in the door. With the advent of adding all sorts of new, flashy techiques to systems just to please the students, older traditional schools are becoming a thing of the past in many dojos. Personally, I don't like it, and would NEVER do it. My philosophy is..If you don't like what I'm teaching and would rather do something else..then by all means..LEAVE! I'd rather have a small, dedicated class of people wanting to learn it the way it was taught then to teach "new and improved techniques. I had a brown belt once that started cross training in Parkers Kempo. He'd come back to my class and spend the entire class telling everyone how great it was. I finally had enough and after class one day I asked him to stay for a few minutes and told him..."If you like the EP Kenpo so much, then please..quit my class and go there to train. If you want to stay in this (my) dojo, then please keep your mouth shut." He stayed.

I've had competitors at open (all style) tournaments come before me as a judge and do similar techniques with their nunchauku during a weapons form. I score them low and after the competition is over I will go up to them and explain why I scored them low. To prove my point about the ineffectiveness of their flashy twirling of the weapon...and it is a weapon...I have them do the twirling then I stick my hand out and let it hit my arm...it typically falls to the ground and leaves them looking rather embarassed that it didn't break my arm. Sorry, not even a bruiise. Good techniques gets good results..bad technique gets bad results..simple.

Different video, but I think it's the same girl..or at least what I was referring to anyway. Look guys, I do appreciate her GYMNASTICS AND TWIRLING ABILITIES..I certainly can't move like that...but as a martial artist? Sorry, I don't buy it..and would never allow that sort of garbage in my dojo. I worked hard for many years to be able to do what I can do, and reach a certain level of expertise in my chosen art. I consider myself a martial artist, not a gymnast or baton twirler. My opinion of course.[/u]

We do point sparring, continuous sparring and full contact using Okinawan Bogu gear. All have their merits IMO, and their shortcomings. Point sparring teaches you speed and to look for openings. Continuous teaches you to not stop and to use multiple techniques and followups. Full cobntact teaches you to defense, and what really will rock an opponent.

I just tell them..."When you're ready..."

This varies alot..in our system skill has to be done along with time in grade for advancement up to, and including 7th Dan..after that it's rpetty much if you're still active and contributing to the art...administrative so to speak I guess. We don't test in physical abilites (ie: pushups, situps,m etc) in any of our tests...it's martial arts skills and good, solid techdnique that is looked at.

It's not uncommon for Okinawan (legitimate anyway) masters to gather and train together from time to time. As for Chuck Norris...I'm not sure who promoted him, but I'd assume that as the founder of his system he's pretty much understood to be a 10th dan...he certainly has the time and effort into it imo. I'm not a fan of the Korean systems, but for years CN has cross trained with other systems so the TSD he origionally learned is just the core system for his organization, which bears little semblance to TSD as he learned it. He sold his franchises many years ago (they still have his name on them though) and only trains the black belts once/year in Las Vegas..or that's what he was doing some time ago. I don't follow him so no clue what he does any longer.

Uhhhh...being 62 years old and not really up on all this "blogger" stuff..isn't what you're talking about the same thing as what we're doing here on this site???

Chest here. You can see the arms and legs from there. I never liked looking at their face as some people are pretty good with faking with their expression. My origional sensei was real good at scaring the heck out of you with his expressions!!! lol

The nearest schoot teaching a similar, or same art as myself was...ohhh...maybe 500 miles away or so. I taught in Montana and the nearest school doing the same thing was in Seattle to the West, or Minnesota to the East, and Texas to the South.

Yeah, it does look like fun! I wouldn't be interested in the competitive aspect, but in the dojo...yeah, I'd do it!

I used to subscribe to BB mag for many years, but it became such a joke during the "Ninja craze" in the '80's with various "masters" doing stupid, rediculous things and claims that I got fed up with it and cancelled the subscription. I came to realize that I really didn't care much about what other people were doing and concentrated on my own studies for the most part. If I was curious about what other systems were doing I would seek out information and instructors that were teaching it and talk to them an/or watch their classes.

It looks like slap fighting we did fooling around in high school..some 45 years ago! lol Plus adding in soem breakdancing for the heck of it. PASS!

Yeah..what he said! lol I aqree. Using both hands..or really, any 2 parts of your body (hands/hands, hands/feet, hands/body shifting, biody shifting/feet, etc), simultanously, is generally worked on very early in Shorin Ryu.

Good Lord..he looks more like 12 than 16!!! I'd give a big thumbs down to this.

I'll stick my head out and say this...in my 40 years in the arts, I'd personally estimate that phony 9-10th dan "masters" is well OVER half of them, especially in the US. I'd bet it's more like the 80%+ range. But I guess if you start your own style, you can make yourself any rank you want...right? That's why you see 30-something year old 9-10th dans. Do they have the skills or experienc to back up the rank? Of course not...but they aren't breaking any laws, so why not. Oh, by the way, I'd like to announce that I started my own system just today..and I'm now a 15th Dan ULTRAMASTER (Chrome belt) of the martial arts! ALL HAIL THE GREAT, AND POWERFUL MONTANA!!!