Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Creating Your Own Dojo

In a recent article by Jesse Encamp, the Karate Nerd, he states in the lead, "When Should I Leave My Sensei and Start My Own Dojo?" Now, that is one loaded question and the short answer would be, "It depends!"


This can go back several lineages of Sensei such as his or her sensei to sensei's sensei to "sensei's, sensei's, Sensei," all the way to the guy who created the particular instance or style of karate. Let me say this, as a trained Marine Instructor as well as an experienced Teacher, Trainier and Leader both as a Marine and as a Sensei there are FEW who actually have the training to teach, not instruct, but to teach, mentor and lead.


Second, I used to say no one should attempt teaching, without direct hands-on guidance from a QUALIFIED teacher, trainer and mentor before reaching the grade or level of San-dan. Why? Because seldom have I seen or experienced a testing criteria that includes those traits one must have, believe and exude in the way they walk, talk, teach, train, mentor and actually live daily the life of a true teacher. 


As an example, here are some traits of a true teacher one must embrace and utilize to properly teach anything let alone karate as self-defense or self-fense. READ HERE https://tinyurl.com/y6mupflh


I am going to get a lot of flack here but there are few who are qualified to teach karate and that is just the way of it because it is too deeply engrained in the community and systems to believe and accept and therefore change. As a qualified instructor and knowledgable teacher, mentor and leader I stopped hands-on teaching about a decade ago because I was just not perceiving, seeing and believing that what I was using to pass on my knowledge and experience as actually effecting the end results and there is that I got older, maybe wiser and since I focused on the self-fense of karate felt there were aspects that needed a more experienced qualified teacher like those who actually lived a certain life style or worked a certain discipline that required such experiences. 


As to the San-dan requirement I stopped preaching that one because no one would listen simply because their sensei said their sensei did it this way and we should not change it type rhetoric. That is a true buzz killer don't you know. 


So, to answer the question should I step off to create my own dojo remains to be answered with, "It depends!" Just because you have a black belt; just because you hold a high grade or level of achievement as represented by your belt; and just because everyone did it this way so it must be correct DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN TEACH; DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE TRULY A MASTER; DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE QUALIFIED to teach karate. 


Here is the final rub, if you have to ask, "YOU AREN'T QUALIFIED" so keep working hard and then one day, you will know that you are ready. Meanwhile, if your dojo and sensei are not passing on teaching traits similar to what I presented in the link above and a whole lot more seek out and learn how to be a great teacher, mentor and leader and start exuding it in your attitude and personality while training, practicing and living the life of karate in and out of the dojo. 

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