Nidan Melbourne

Thanks for sharing that! Something I kind of want to add to my previous points which is that a Black Belt is supposed to give us a better perspective on how things are going in this world and to give us the tools to assist us. Now how we use those tools varies person to person, one being know when to talk abou being a Black Belt in a Martial Art over not talking about it. To me it is like my knowledge/skills are that little pocket knife that you keep in your back pocket; you don't go around telling people that you have it but when you need it its there. So with that when I go out, i'd talk about everything else but MA. Even with my friends, the closest thing I talk about MA with them are movies and TV shows that talk about it. For example; how much it annoys me when I watch "Bloodsport" (yes that Bloodsport about Frank Dux), of how Jean-Claude Van Damme does his weird hoppy style fighting stance. Especially after a kick where its a skip skip skippy knee. Even where I get into situations where a fight is possible; i'd rather communicate to see if i can resolve it first that way before having to use something else. Which I believe is a skill that not many instructors teach nor the same at schools/universities. If we were simply taught to use our words first above all else, I wonder how much less conflict there would be?

In terms of size; I'm pretty sure NFL are by far bigger. But it is hard to compare positions between the two, as they are so vastly different. Speed and Agility as well is a strange thing, because both sports have high demands on it. Rugby [Union] is 15 a side (League the less common brother is 13 a side) - there are no offensive or defensive teams. Everyone plays Offense and Defense, meaning everyone has to have a high level of Cardio and Muscular Endurance. The longest you would find a stoppage (without the Referee talking) is maybe 30-45 seconds. And that is where a Scrum is having to be formed from an infraction of the rules. They know the importance f keeping their position, but ignore the potential long term consequences. You don't get longevity in a game like the NFL, as you don't many players who last more than 4-5 years in the Professional League. Now I don't know much about the lawsuit. But out of the people that you listed; I believe the Doctors had their best interests. As at the end of the day, if something happened they could lose their Medical Licence.

First of all welcome to the forum! Where in Japan are you looking at travelling to? As that will greatly help the other members provide you with helpful suggestions. Does your club have any affiliations in Japan? May be worth speaking to your sensei if they know any other Shito-Ryu Clubs that are members of a Japanese Organisation.

From what i've seen, Yes it is less dangerous. The rules around tackling are strictly enforced, where it is effectively around the waist and from the front. Anything above Sternum is a High Tackle. So there are No Tackles from the Side or Rear. A few people I played with, received concussions during the course of a match. They had to immediately report for Medical Assessment, until cleared to return they aren't playing. They can do supervised training; but is more about movement and cardio. We had a few exchange students from the US, and played a match or two with us. I remember talking to them, and what shocked them was how safe the game of Rugby is in comparison to NFL. IMHO at the end of the day the Coach has the final say about who plays and who doesn't. Also they are the ones responsible for Player Safety. When I was a coach (I coached Basketball), and had players ruled out due to injury. Now a few times - I had a few parents, or even club management try to force me to get an injured player to get court time because they had organised a scout to come watch. However I strictly refused, and the scout came to me to ask what happened and why I didn't play a certain player. Now I explained to them that I do not play a player that is injured, as it is my responsibility for their safety and if I did let them play it would just be reckless. However I have heard disturbing reports from various places that coaches at the High School Level push their players to unsafe levels during extreme heat.

I know the Taxi Whistle as the Wolf Whistle. But I have never been able to figure it out even with instructions on how to do it. Although where I live, its not that much of a skill that is needed. I think the only people i know who who use it are farmers or footy (AFL) players. For me I regret not expanding my opportunities to have met people as a kid/teen. A Big one was moving Basketball Clubs from one where I could have met more people to one where it was all people that were in my year level. As I feel super awkward making friends; and felt super jealous of those i knew who had friends from multiple places

Nope no respect lost at all! because we're human and also at the end of the day we're able to have an open and honest discussion. Cheap Shot? Maybe The way I see it, after some reflection is that it was probably the only way you could put things to words. Out of curiousity; what do you mean by responsibilities? For me there are Three Categories (and students know it even if they don't recognise it) 1. Students who don't teach at all (and are promoted to Shodan and above 2. Students who also teach (They may alternate Teaching/Training in the same class) 3. Students who also teach but keep the two very separate (They train in a different class or elsewhere) So I class as both 2 and 3; due to the fact that I will jump between the two where required. Usually where I am not required to teach. None of our Instructors that are under 18 can assist at Gradings. Obviously I don't know how your organisation was run nor do I know how your Soke or Dai Soke ran things. But from my humble opinion; it did seem like there was a curve to how things were taught due to the d'ifferences in competencies in how they fight. When I look at both a JBB and a Shodan; there can be a massive discrepency between a JBB and a Shodan or even Shodan-Ho in the way that they're taught. But in my mind; even though a JBB is young there should be zero differences to a Shodan or even a Shodan-Ho. The only difference should be that the JBB be pushed harder than others. Especially how to cope with violence by an adult or by a fellow person their age.

Before i respond; i might disagree with stuff you have said BUT at the end of the day what you wrote is your opinion and how i respond is mine and that is ok. It is always ok because I know full well that there is a Generational Difference between the two of us; especially when it came to how we treat one another. Also the big difference being that in my lifetime (Mind you i'm a 1992 baby) we never dealt with a National Draft, but see what has happened with the Twin Towers, Y2K, Financial Crisis, several Invasionary Wars (because of alleged Nukes being owned). In comparison to yours where violence was a by far a more commonn thing in what was going on in the world. To me it does in a way come across as an insult. Why? In this context, it makes me go if I want to go expand my knowledge and skills if I was young person beyond a 1st Kyu. But to be told that I couldn't do it because I was too young. i'd be pissed off. As I was effectively tested the same as an adult for everthing up to that point. The way I was taught; is that the belt system is a curriculum check and that you should be competent to fight people your age. Just like how in BJJ they say a White Belt should be able to hold their own against other White Belts and be challenged by a Blue Belt. and by the time they're a Brown Belt, they can start being a challenge to a Black Belt. But the difference between Karate and BJJ is that there is no distinction from the beginning for the two for age groups unless your 4 or 5 Years Old. In comparison to BJJ where the curriculum for adults start at 16, so by the time you go for your black belt your well into your 20's. If a Child believes this; then I believe that both Instructors and Parents have coddled that child into that. Every kid I teach, especially when they get to 2nd or 1st Kyu I remind them that they may have some skills and knowledge. But for their age, they need to be aware that there are people out there, who both know or dont know how to fight but either way could severely harm you. So before they can grade for the Black Belt; they have to demonstrate that they are more than capable for handling themselves against an aggressor. Not what i see in a lot of instructors where they are playing a game of tag against the kids. They need to control the fight, get me down any way possible OR get away from me. By that I tell students that when its their turn against me; that I am not taking it easy, i'm going to either try and hurt or pick them up and put them on my shoulder. They can't let that happen.

When we are on the street and dealing with all types of violence; even if we aren't paying attention to it or looking for it. For instance; I was taught that I can relax but be paying attention to whats going on around me. From the people sitting in my immediate area to the people that could be impacted from an accident in my immediate area. I'm not looking around like a crazy person, but I have that awareness. Why? when I pay attention, I can listen to how people are talking and if there is a shift I can be ready for things to explode. So if I did have to get involved; I have a better sense of control of where its coming from and what the threat is. This also falls down to simply observing what gets served to the tables around you and what doesn't. So are they getting lots of alcohol and nearly no water or food? Like I rarely drink these days, and if I do its literally 1 or 2 drinks. So when I am like this, I feel a whole lot safer than not listening to whats going on. Any of those change how you interact with them, especially if they are armed! Do I tend to opt to hit them? No Do I listen to them and treat them kindly? Yes Do I treat them like a child if they are like that? Yes Sometimes I ask them "Hey, I'm starving where should i go to get some good food?" if their homeless I don't ask it. Otherwise if their drunk or high they get ridirected very easily. I agree, because in the Ring its Knockout or Be Knocked Out or Lose by points. In the streets its Live or Die. I think its well known here that I dislike Violence a lot, and I try to redirect it as much as possible. But if I do have to fight i will, yet will use every tool in my box to survive and not have to hit someone.

Great thing to bring up, as it can happen or where people sandbag themselves below their actual skill level. No I haven't experienced this in a tournament myself personnally. Why? Because I already compete in the 3rd Kyu + Division as an Adult. IF I did enter another division, the organiser would recognise it immediately, as I know so many people in Victoria that are either Referees or Instructors that they would immediately say something. The only time I would enter another division is if I was in a legitmately different MA or style of Karate (i.e. Kyokushin). But if I did plan on entering a Kyokushin Tournament, I'd contact that organiser to get their opinion on what they want me to do. As it is the fair and right thing to do but also i'd be tellinng them that Yes i am a 2nd Dan in Goju but a White Belt in Kyokushin and inexperienced inn their style of Kumite. If I had reasonable belief someone was entering one of my Tournaments as a Lower Grade or was purposefully Sandbagging i would do 1 of 2 things: 1. If It was BEFORE the start of their event; i'd speak to them and their club to find out their actual rank. If unlisted, I would want verification of their most recent grading. 2. If they are Sandbagging; which is often a lot easier to recognise as they tend to smash that division easily or have a stupid number of wins in that division (unless they are a BB). I'd speak to their club, and force their hand to promote and i'd adjust them to the appropriate division OR i'd say that due to their performance we're upping them to the next bracket for a challenge. I never have had to Verify my rank at any tournament, as it seems that they all go off the Honour System. But if I wanted to compete at a higher level (eg State Championships); i would need to provide a recognised club. Even my coach if he was to attend needs to be an accredited coach. However Karate Australia has recently changed their system, where you can register directly with them and have your insurance covered by them. But you do need to put in your current rank and who it was awarded by and when.

Its not exactly the NFL (that we know of), but more the coaching staff forcing players to return early. Especially where the "Star" Players are involved, as coaching staff (and most likely background non-coaching staff) are pressured t get these players to return early. Sports Trainers (Physios/Sports Physicians etc) are really pressed to medically clear those players. Even if they aren't clear to play ergo negligence. Obviously research is more focused on the Professional Level; but from what i've seen/ heard a lot more players come through the High School and College Ranks. So the trauma is increased god knows how much. When I played Rugby through my School Years; the organisers of the competition were super strict in regads to Scrums. Even at the professional level; if someone replaces a "Front Row" Player that is inexperiennced, then it has to be "Uncontested" aka No Pushing. Tackling is still very controlled; and a lot safer than other sports. When you look at all tackles 99% of which are front on, allowing the person to crumple.

Thats a frustrating situation that you are in! I find that annoying in a lot of instructors, BUT I do find that a lot of instructors also forget that there are people who have knowledge and skills that exceed their actual rank and chose not to grade because of various reasons. For example one of my instructors, has been a Godan for a long time and is content at that grade. If you looked at his training history, and if he graded like a "normal" student he very much would have been an 8th or 9th Dan by now. But his knowledge and skills is at that level. People have said the same thing to me, I may be a classed as a 2nd Dan - but have been eligible to grade to 3rd since 2018/2019. So by Time in Grade if I did grade (and pass) when i was supposed to grade, I would have technically been a 4th Dan by now. I believe that everyone after a while develops their own vision of what Karate is, and how it is treated and practiced. For me I am at the Tai Chi stage of my Karate Training, where the fast flashy stuff isn't appealing. It has changed so much over the years for me, even when I was teaching. You can always wait for that teacher, BUT it could be a long time before that happens. OR you can train with someone that has opposite views to you, and how they understand things can be different to yours also. This is where we are able question what we learn and develop our minds even further. Yes the instructor needs to have an open mind to questions and be ready to answer them, but also be able to push you to question what you have learnt and to understand how things are taught and why. I totally understand that you focus on the WHY over the HOW! From experience, everyone is one or the ot her and less often both. When I learn (anything not just Karate) - I learn the HOW do I do it and along with the biomechanical movements. But fortunately my instructors have incorporated both the WHY and HOW. We get show shown how to do it, but then why it is done in a particular way. For instance the Jodan Uke - I learnt the HOW we do it, after a while we learnt the why, j

To be honest with you I didn't learn the Bunkai until i was a Shodan-Ho, and I was 16 at the time. I trained at a club from 9th Kyu up to being awarded my Shodan-Ho, we weren't taught the bunkai nor the applications until then. Now I did grade as a Junior, as there was no Senior Grading the year that I was eligible. Did I have no clue to as their application? Yes and No. Even if we weren't taught the Dojo Version of the explanation until later. We were encouraged to explain it ourselves and how it works for ourselves. It was explained to us at the time; that they wanted us to use our brains to see our level of understanding prior to being taught the the dojo explanation. Bunkai and being a Black Belt in the Real World Now something that I think we overlook is that Kata and Bunkai isn't everything that we learn. Along with Violence all about Adult on Adult Violence. Now do I expect a Child to be able to fight evenly against a much Larger Adult? NO BUT I do expect them to have the intelligence to know how to respond in turn, and use their size to their advantage. Just like when we teach our seniors to do the same even if strength is more evenly matched as adults. I know full well how easy it is to knock someone out or to injure someone, but if it came to someone who is faster than myself who can use their brains to their advantage then i'm in trouble. It is something that I teach my juniors, to use that to their advantage - even using techniques that is frowned upon in the dojo to help them survive. Being under 18 and a Black Belt? Like i said i don't mind people being a Black Belt and under the age of 18. Because I believe that we teach a Martial Art to help teach us how to defend ourselves. Yes it is a typically "Adult" issue, but when you look at things that is prevalent in youth; they experience something similar. But we as adults call it "Bullying" and we degrade the violence in it that it actually is. Obviously to the extent of the violence greatly varies; but when you look at many outcomes they are exactly the same. But the difference is that adult violence someone gets arrested and charged vs. kids where "bullying" occurs and the perptrator is found yet at most an expulsion occurs. I don't know about everyone else, but I know that I got into several fights. I think 3 of those I used my verbal ninjitsu to prevent a physical fight, but countless more when I physically had to use skills that i learnt. And the reactions I had were off the routines i came up with myself prior to being shown what the dojo explanations were.

I can understand some reluctance to award a Black Belt to Minors. Something that needs to be reinforced in class, is that it isn't a "Force Field" that is going to protect them in different situations. Every respectable club should have standards for each rank, including each BB Rank. Now as anyone here would know; we all start our journey at different ages and stages of life. IMHO we are also quick to forget and compare where we were in our training at Shodan against our own students at the same time. Now as an Instructor, I look at students attempting their Shodan and compare to myself. And I look at how they can progress and be better than I was at the same time. When I sit down at gradings I look at: Technical Ability Knowledge of Kihon, Kata and Kumite Bunkai Self-Defence Routines Physical Ability How you do the above Strength, Endurance etc Knowledge Does the Candidate demonstrate their knowledge of how and when to exploit attackers Verbal How you communicate with Instructors and Candidates Verbal Skills for De-Escalation Inter-Personal Skills Values Presentation How does the Candidates values Shine during intense situations? How does the Candidates resolve their values where potentially violent situations arise. I've commented on most of your points above. There is one thing that I do disagree with it your post; is "Stay in your lane". It may be because I am closer to a Shodan in Rank than your decades of experience and current grade. Something that I was encouraged to do well after being awarded my BB was to question and ask the difficult questions. Question why

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I've had a few times where I had to physically defend myself where my Verbal Ninjitsu didn't work. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to go through the legal system having to prove Self-Defence. As each time I did it was on security camera where the entire incident was on 2 two different cameras, and had multiple witnesses to it. Both times, I did have to move and react with intent to defend myself. Each time I did react, I continued to verbalise that continuing to put me in fear and attacking will led to someone getting hurt or possibly die. From a lot of cases that i've heard about where self-defence was used and the perpertrator passed away, where the trauma was either from some concussive force unleashed something else or some form of trauma to the skull and brain.