Points to ponder

[James Kovacich]

Fighters from all around the world are great. I just think that we have bigger numbers, thats all.

Abilities are hard to judge. Tito Ortiz came out of nowhere, he wasn't that great early on and look at him now competing against some guys that have trained all of their lives. Same with Frank Shamrock. Chuck Lidell, at first I didn't think much of him, I was wrong. Cung Le is a great kickboxer , has an extensive wrestling background, but sticks to kickboxing. Ricco Rodriquez is on a roll but I haven't really seen much of him yet.

Mike Tyson is "one" of the baddest men on the planet. George Foreman is a great boxer and at his age I think he will be the oldest great warrior out there. Paulie Ayala has had a great career and is a great boxer.

I can't rate them at all. I couldn't even come close to just naming them.

But for Ortiz, shamrock and lidell, they are great because they are well adept in "all ranges."

 

[A.R.K.]

Well thus far this has at least been an interesting character study

Interesting to note the lack of courtesy on the parts of some. I believe that courtesy is one of the more admirable attachments that have been associated with the Martial Arts.

Ryushikan,

Because you do not agree with several poster's opinions does not give you the right or authority to be disrespectful or antagonistic. You continue to make smart aleck remarks, inuendoes and assumptions despite firsthand knowledge of any of us. You seek to discredit people without having that firsthand knowledge and end up dicrediting yourself. This is sad and is your loss. I don't think anything I can say or add will satisfy you as you have a pre-conceived idea and an unwillingness to engage others in anyway that may promote fellowship. That chip on your shoulder must indeed be heavy.

Martialartist,

I'm not sure why you think my training is predominatly Japanese. By and large it has a Chinese infuence, although it has a fair exposure to Japan, Israeli, Canadian and Great Britian. I prefer the kyu/Dan ranking structure which is why I have chosen to include it. It is proper Mandrine. As for mixing/matching terms, I have seen no rule book that prohibits this. If their is one then we need to address Korean Yudo, American Karate, Brazilan Ju Jitsu, and then there is the whole Agni situation. I look at it as a tribute to those systems that I have been fortunate to train in as well as to those Grandmasters/Masters who have had a part in my development. If someone differs in opinion on this that is fine. But it does not diminish the system except perhaps to those who agonize over such things. But then, those people are not amoung my students.

Dac, Akja and others, I appreciate your kind words as well as your understanding of the content of my post. Nobody likes everybody and some don't like anybody I put them in prayer and move. He who issues insults and antagonistic remarks suffers from low self-esteem and is to be prayed for and not hated.

Peace and Love

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Zhao Dai Wei

Ryushikan,

Because you do not agree with several poster's opinions does not give you the right or authority to be disrespectful or antagonistic. You continue to make smart aleck remarks, inuendoes and assumptions despite firsthand knowledge of any of us. You seek to discredit people without having that firsthand knowledge and end up dicrediting yourself. This is sad and is your loss. I don't think anything I can say or add will satisfy you as you have a pre-conceived idea and an unwillingness to engage others in anyway that may promote fellowship. That chip on your shoulder must indeed be heavy.

Still not going to answer the questions I asked I see.
Just so you don't have to go to the trouble of looking them up I will post them again.

Schultz,

You never did answer my question about who you got your 8th dan from in Pangainoon.
Since it is such a high rank it could only have come from a higher ranked source which would lead us to someone in Okinawa.
I will make it a real simple question so there is no confusion.
Who did you test for 8th dan with?
Since Pangainoon now uses Okinawan Kobudo which system of Okianwan Kobudo do you use?
Also, do you know the name of Pangainoon in Chinese?

You still have yet to supply a list of those names of teachers that teach “Shuri-Te Ryu” down in Okinawa. Who are they?

You mentioned the kata of Pangainoon before.

What are the names of the kata in Pangainoon?

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by akja
Second, RyuShiKan, martial arts does not have anything to do with with country bashing, not if your for real. By the way, your "what we offer picture". WEAK! Looked like a typical AMERICAN Karate class to me! You've been trying to clown me???

I invite you to train with RyuShiKan any time and reevaluate what you thought, based on still photos, to be "typical" American Karate... Good luck - you'll need it.

When then martial arts came here, the terminology came with it. So the terminology is ours now. Theres other terminology that we have too. Tacos, burritos, you name it something from every culture is here and it isn't going to be the same as it is there.

The terminology stemmed not from the art, but from the language of the person who trained in it. When the language came along with the art to the US, arrogant monolinguals merely mimicked (poorly) the words they heard.

We have something in the US called "chilitos" also, but I doubt most Americans are aware of what that really means in Spanish... Go ahead, next time you visit Mexico, ask to have a "chilito." Be prepared to be laughed at as an ignorant boob.

The truth is our form may be lacking (compared to the perfect ones) but WE ARE THE BEST FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD!!!

If your form is lacking, then you aren't the best anything...

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[DAC..florida]

I guess you recieved my reply from yesterday, you did a great job of picking it apart and taking everything from its original context so that you could attack it, therfore i will not respond to it.

There is still one question that i asked that you seem to be avoiding..............Do you ever add anything positive to this site or is it all negative?


Ryushikan...................you should open your mind, everything in this country has been adopted from another culture from our food to our language........................When it comes to the martial arts why should that be any different...........As you well know the people that have any heritage in this country our American Indians everyone esle and thier culture are foriegn................


My master once told me that close minded people can be compared with a frog living in the bottom of a dryed up well not relizing that thier is a whole world outside of that well.

maybe you should take a look at yourself and ask how deep your well is........................................Respectfully yours DAC

 

[Matt Stone]

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

"Waste to a thing is terrible a mind."

So now I am going to start teaching folks to speak the way that second sentence is worded. It is "my way," and I like the way it works for me. The traditional methods are too confined for me to express what I know adequately, so I am going to create my own way...

How much respect do you think I'd get for that drivel?

Can nobody else see the simple connections that make the arguments of some folks on this thread fall apart completely?

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by DAC..florida
I guess you recieved my reply from yesterday, you did a great job of picking it apart and taking everything from its original context so that you could attack it, therfore i will not respond to it.

Yeah right. Mostly like because you are out of your league and can't compose any sort of logical rebuttle.

Originally posted by DAC..florida
There is still one question that i asked that you seem to be avoiding..............Do you ever add anything positive to this site or is it all negative?

Yes, I do. If you would bother to read ALL of my posts you would see that.

Originally posted by DAC..florida
As you well know the people that have any heritage in this country our American Indians everyone esle and thier culture are foreign……

Yes I know WE do. My mother is a Native American.

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
I invite you to train with RyuShiKan any time and reevaluate what you thought, based on still photos, to be "typical" American Karate... Good luck - you'll need it.

I get comments & challenges from sxxt talkers like him from time to time.......…..and the very few that actually do show up change their minds.

 

[DAC..florida]

What tribe is your mother from? My mother is a full blooded Native American from the Narraganset Tribe in the new england area, my father is also 50% Narraganset.

The way that you have been bashing American "SOKES and GRANDMASTERS" and stating that westerners shouldnt use those words I had you mistaken to be of japanese descent.


What is your nationality?


Why are you so disgruntled and angry to see American martial artists founding thier own styles?

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by DAC..florida
The way that you have been bashing American "SOKES and GRANDMASTERS" and stating that westerners shouldnt use those words I had you mistaken to be of japanese descent.
What is your nationality?

US…………I think if people would look under my user name they would see a WWW which will take them to my website……….not to mention my user profile lists my name which isn’t even slightly asain.

Originally posted by DAC..florida
Why are you so disgruntled and angry to see American martial artists founding thier own styles?

I have nothing against Americans forming their own arts.
It’s the constant bogus claims to Asian styles that don’t exist or they never actually trained for very long….if at all, misuse/misinterpretation of Asian words, bogus ranks and titles etc that piss me off.
If someone just said “hey I teach Fred style martial arts” and made no claims as to any bogus Asian style or misuse/misinterpretation of Asian words I would say great.

It’s the fact that they ALL have to claim some dubious crap to qualify them as “legit” and I have yet to meet any Grandmaster-Soke that was worth a crap.

I met a guy a few years ago that I really respect.
When I asked him what he studied he said he made his own art. Thinking “oh no another one” he surprised me and said I don’t call it anything, he made no claim to ranks of any kind (although later I found out he was a nidan in Judo) didn’t use any asian term to describe what he did and was a pretty damn good MA to boot.

 

[chufeng]

DAC,

I had you mistaken to be of japanese descent.

Exactly...YOU were mistaken...YOU ***-umed...
You should have done your homework before commenting.

I saw many comments regarding RyuShiKan's "racist" attitude...
I don't know if it was you or someone else...I'd have to go back a few posts to see...but, regardless, THAT kind of commentary we can do without.

RyuShiKan is NOT a racist...he simply points out crap where he sees it...hopefully, those who are attentive can avoid the crap before they step in it.

BUT, there are many on this board who are undertrained and over-ranked who take issue with his approach...Too Bad...So Sad...but that's life...I do think it interesting that those who would challenge him are separated by THOUSANDS of miles...I've not met him personally, but one of my students trained with him for a while when in Japan...My student gives him two thumbs up...and that is GOOD enough for me...because my student is much like RyuShiKan, he questions EVERYTHING...

I think that I would have my hands full if RyuShiKan decided to come after me...and that's OK...because I don't claim to KNOW everything...I don't claim to be a SOKE (a very misused word) or anything like that...I would welcome any lesson RyuShiKan could offer...

In our system, we say that all learning begins with learning HOW to bow...have you learned THAT lesson?

Regards,
:asian:
chufeng

 

[A.R.K.]

Is that like being courteous to others even in disagreement? You are entitled to your opinions, but they are just that, an opinion. Inuendo is not fact. Quotes out of context do not represent fact. Several of you get so angry that it clouds your mind's to even be courteous in disagreement. It's a shame.

Here is an example; From my second post to my 3rd there were 30 posts inbetween. Ryushikan comprised 1/3 of those 30 by himself in which he got himself quite worked up. In fact to the point of insults, inuendos, flaming etc. All of this because he is in disagreement with me on some issues. Think about that for a moment. Before I could even post back a reply to his first post to me he proceeded to lose his composure. He worked himself into a frenzy without even allowing the opportunity to respond. He has condemned me without even knowing me. This is not a rational thought process. This is not maturity. He will see this as an attack, but it is not, it is based on his pattern of response to anything or anyone that conflicts with his view. Over a span of ten posts he went from mildly abrasive criticism [no problem there] to simply making things up as he went or making antagonistic remarks or just being a smart aleck. Without even waiting for a single response. That is cause for concern.

There is a difference between being passionate and being obsessed to the point of abusivness. His insults do not bother me, but it concerns me for his own benefit. He was asked by me and the moderator to take conflict to email more than once. He never did. Perhaps he needs an audience that email would not provide. Another warning sign. Some of you need to do a self check as well. This I would imagine will fall mainly on deaf ears, but I felt it worth mentioning.

It takes a bigger man to respectfully disagree with another and seek resolution. It takes a small, weak man to continually seek strife.

I truly bid you peace, especially to those that need it the most.

Take care.

 

[DAC..florida]

You must have confused with someone else,



I have never posted my current rank.

I do not claim to be a soke, grandmaster, founder ect.

I am not challenging anyones credability in any way but like you said i do not know who ryushikan is but who is he to question someone that he does not know.

Unlike some people on this site i have done my homework. Ryushikans web site somehow links him to a shcool in Tokyo and in my opinion for him to be an instructor in Japan he must know his sh#t, but that gives him no right to bash people that he does not know.

At no point have i refered to ryushikan as a racist.


And yes i am very humble and was taught respect and how to bow at very young age, my master always told me to show much respect to all but if you demand respect you must also give it . The first post i recieved from ryushikan and everyone since have shown me no respect.

Regards back to you....

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Zhao Dai Wei
Is that like being courteous to others even in disagreement? You are entitled to your opinions, but they are just that, an opinion. Inuendo is not fact. Quotes out of context do not represent fact. Several of you get so angry that it clouds your mind's to even be courteous in disagreement. It's a shame.

Here is an example; From my second post to my 3rd there were 30 posts inbetween. Ryushikan comprised 1/3 of those 30 by himself in which he got himself quite worked up. In fact to the point of insults, inuendos, flaming etc. All of this because he is in disagreement with me on some issues. Think about that for a moment. Before I could even post back a reply to his first post to me he proceeded to lose his composure. He worked himself into a frenzy without even allowing the opportunity to respond. He has condemned me without even knowing me. This is not a rational thought process. This is not maturity. He will see this as an attack, but it is not, it is based on his pattern of response to anything or anyone that conflicts with his view. Over a span of ten posts he went from mildly abrasive criticism [no problem there] to simply making things up as he went or making antagonistic remarks or just being a smart aleck. Without even waiting for a single response. That is cause for concern.

There is a difference between being passionate and being obsessed to the point of abusivness. His insults do not bother me, but it concerns me for his own benefit. He was asked by me and the moderator to take conflict to email more than once. He never did. Perhaps he needs an audience that email would not provide. Another warning sign. Some of you need to do a self check as well. This I would imagine will fall mainly on deaf ears, but I felt it worth mentioning.

It takes a bigger man to respectfully disagree with another and seek resolution. It takes a small, weak man to continually seek strife.

I truly bid you peace, especially to those that need it the most.

Take care.

Blah, blah, blah.....Still not going to answer the questions I asked.
Just so you don't have to go to the trouble of looking them up I will post them again.

Schultz,

You never did answer my question about who you got your 8th dan from in Pangainoon.
Since it is such a high rank it could only have come from a higher ranked source which would lead us to someone in Okinawa.
I will make it a real simple question so there is no confusion.
Who did you test for 8th dan with?
Since Pangainoon now uses Okinawan Kobudo which system of Okianwan Kobudo do you use?
Also, do you know the name of Pangainoon in Chinese?

You still have yet to supply a list of those names of teachers that teach “Shuri-Te Ryu” down in Okinawa. Who are they?

You mentioned the kata of Pangainoon before.

What are the names of the kata in Pangainoon?

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by DAC..florida
Unlike some people on this site i have done my homework. Ryushikans web site somehow links him to a shcool in Tokyo and in my opinion for him to be an instructor in Japan he must know his sh#t, but that gives him no right to bash people that he does not know.

No, the website doesn't "somehow link" RyuShiKan to "a school" in Tokyo. It is his school.

Being an instructor in Japan equates with "knowing (your) *****?" Not hardly. You should see some of the yahoos that teach in Tokyo, native Japanese as well... I hate to pop the insular American stereotype bubble, but Japan is really just like every place else - their martial arts community has just as many crackpot wannabes as any other place. They have just as many frauds, just as many liars as any other metropolitan industrial nation. They do not have the corner on the market of ethical martial arts instruction.

His being an instructor and yondan under Taika Seiyu Oyata - now that means he knows his *****.

And yes i am very humble and was taught respect and how to bow at very young age, my master always told me to show much respect to all but if you demand respect you must also give it . The first post i recieved from ryushikan and everyone since have shown me no respect.

Three things, DAC -

First, you don't deserve respect any more than anyone else. Another bubble I hate to burst (actually, one I love popping, especially where I work), but it's true. You earn respect or you don't. Personally, I don't concern myself with earning anyone's respect. I say what I feel, call 'em like I see 'em, and shoot straight from the hip. I am honest in how I deal with people, even when that hurts sometimes. If I earn someone's respect in the process, so be it. If I piss someone off, that's fine too. But when I look in the mirror in the AM, I know I am true to myself and what I know to be right. I was told long ago by someone I respected greatly "don't try to impress me. Simply be impressive."

Second, you should be careful who you call "master." No religous motivations for that here, just a simple thought - those who are most in need of masters are those who are most ready to be made slaves. I understand the way you intended to mean the word, but you should be careful nonetheless.

Third, you missed the entire meaning of what Chufeng meant when he said our first lesson is "learning to bow." Think about how you would bow without bowing... Therein lies the real meaning of bowing.

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
…….I hate to pop the insular American stereotype bubble, but Japan is really just like every place else - their martial arts community has just as many crackpot wannabes as any other place. They have just as many frauds, just as many liars as any other metropolitan industrial nation. They do not have the corner on the market of ethical martial arts instruction.

One thing we DON’T have as many Soke as the west though.

In fact the only Karate “Kocho” / Soke I have come across here in Japan is Mr. “Stun-Gun” Castro who is pretty much a laughing stock.

 

[chufeng]

DAC,

My comments were intended for general readership...I bounced off of your post more out of convenience than anything else...

I think I made it clear that I had no idea WHO posted the "racist" accusation...I did not mean to imply it was you...

Further, I never intended to insinuate that you claimed to be a SOKE...but one of the people you have defended on this board HAS made that claim...

If I've stepped on your toes in any of these posts, I'm sorry...

I think it interesting that just a few days after ZhaoDaiWei enters the scene with his (paraphrased) "I am here to offer guidance..." rhetoric...and then his claims to SOKESHIP...you show up from the same area of the country and with similar training background...

I am not accusing you...I have seen mostly positive stuff in your posts...but I do think that granting dan rank to someone who is not of your system is ridiculous (not that you've done that)...
So when you defend or appear to defend someone who's credentials are VERY CURIOUS...I wonder what your real affiliation is.

Regards,
:asian:
chufeng

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by chufeng
I do think that granting dan rank to someone who is not of your system is ridiculous (not that you've done that

I don't understand why anyone would want that?

 

[Matt Stone]

I stand corrected.

With the exception of Hatsumi of the Bujinkan, I have only ever heard the title soke used respectfully and rightfully in one other instance, that of Don Angier.

Everybody else has been suspected of being, and typically proven to be, questionable in their training and knowledge.

It is hard for the blind man to describe what the sighted man can see. So the blind man believes his reality to be all that there is. Only the sighted man has the ability to know both realities, and it is impossible to show the blind man the error of his beliefs.

For many people in MA, they are like the blind man - thinking their art, their training, their titles are the pinnacle of reality. Too bad they are unwilling to try to understand things from the perspective of the sighted...

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
I stand corrected.

With the exception of Hatsumi of the Bujinkan, I have only ever heard the title soke used respectfully and rightfully in one other instance, that of Don Angier.

There are several people in Japan that have the authentic title of Soke but are the heads of schools that date back 400~500 years and have been passed down through each generation. AND, not always to a family member.

I have yet to hear or see any of them refer to themselves as a Soke. It has always been used by someone that introduces them and even then used on rare occasions.
About the only time I have ever seen it used in print is for the pamphlet given out at the Nippon Budokan for the Nippon Kobudo Kyokai or Nippon Kobudo Hozon kai demos.