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Things that p*ss me off...
- Thread starter Matt Stone
- Start date
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RyuShiKan
Guest
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RyuShiKan
Guest
From the website:
"Weapons training: The academy teaches classical weapons, such as nunchaku, sai, bo, tonfa and swordsmanship, but also many improvised weapon arts including the Tengu Kenjutsu (double spinning swords) taught nowhere else in the world. Certainly these arts are offered only to those who have demonstrated the physical and emotional maturity to respond to the discipline of training. The decision to teach weapons is a joint one among student, teacher and parents."
Too bad nunchaku, Sai, and tonfa are Okinawan weapons and not Japanese..........which is odd since Ninjutsu is Japanese.
Gee does anyone really need to ask if this guy is making this junk up......:rofl:
"Weapons training: The academy teaches classical weapons, such as nunchaku, sai, bo, tonfa and swordsmanship, but also many improvised weapon arts including the Tengu Kenjutsu (double spinning swords) taught nowhere else in the world. Certainly these arts are offered only to those who have demonstrated the physical and emotional maturity to respond to the discipline of training. The decision to teach weapons is a joint one among student, teacher and parents."
Too bad nunchaku, Sai, and tonfa are Okinawan weapons and not Japanese..........which is odd since Ninjutsu is Japanese.
Gee does anyone really need to ask if this guy is making this junk up......:rofl:
KennethKu
2nd Black Belt
He is a 10th Dan too! His bio is a load of crap. He is a certified case officer of the CIA anti terrorist task force. Riiighhhttt! If there was ever such a position. Case officers work under deep cover and would NEVER reveal any association with the "Company". ONLY the FAKE would flaunt his CIA connection. He was also in the special forces too.
:soapbox: Chufeng,
movie? Forget the movie. I've read about 75% of the "Destroyer" novels that the movie was made about. I took a summer of Kenpo in 1980 under Sterling Peacock(hahaha) I mean Matt David(post cult). I read those 60 odd books or so and rejoined kenpo under Skip Hancock in 84. Sinanju was my inspiration and kenpo was my reality. If you train hard enough you are dealing with some of the same concepts and (believe it or not) the same abilities. I'll never catch bullets(intentionaly) but my ability to inflict bodily damage only grows. :asian: The ubsurdity of the Koreans being the master race was a toungue and cheek way of pointing out how the martial arts actualy do feed that idea(for what ever country) and it helped us white boys realize that maybe we arent either.
movie? Forget the movie. I've read about 75% of the "Destroyer" novels that the movie was made about. I took a summer of Kenpo in 1980 under Sterling Peacock(hahaha) I mean Matt David(post cult). I read those 60 odd books or so and rejoined kenpo under Skip Hancock in 84. Sinanju was my inspiration and kenpo was my reality. If you train hard enough you are dealing with some of the same concepts and (believe it or not) the same abilities. I'll never catch bullets(intentionaly) but my ability to inflict bodily damage only grows. :asian: The ubsurdity of the Koreans being the master race was a toungue and cheek way of pointing out how the martial arts actualy do feed that idea(for what ever country) and it helped us white boys realize that maybe we arent either.
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RyuShiKan
Guest
I have to give credit where credit is due.
I checked with an organization that can verify if people are fake SEALs or the real deal and here is the email they sent me.
Normally I'd send you to our reporting form at www.authentiseal.org/report.htm - but yes, Shannon is in fact real so I'll just tell you and skip the form.
So to all the folks that were moaning about how it was impossible to verify things claimed on the Internet I guess it is possible to verify things.
I checked with an organization that can verify if people are fake SEALs or the real deal and here is the email they sent me.
Normally I'd send you to our reporting form at www.authentiseal.org/report.htm - but yes, Shannon is in fact real so I'll just tell you and skip the form.
So to all the folks that were moaning about how it was impossible to verify things claimed on the Internet I guess it is possible to verify things.
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RyuShiKan
Guest
As far as I know the Karate Kid story was created by Jerry Weintraub, who came up with idea for the film and the script was by Robert Mark Kamen.
The name Miyagi could have been chosen to give reference to Miyagi Chojun?? Who is a fairly familiar persona in Karate as well as being from Okianwa.
Oh, I could have told you that he attended BUDS training. That has been verified by at least one other person than me, which is why they probably already knew.
AFAIK, none of his other claims seem to pan out. CIA can not confirm his story because it is "too secret" according to them. (Well, if it was secret, why are they talking aboutit?) No one I trust has yet to say they can confirm the stories about Vietnam, Special Forces, CIA case officer, etc.
But what gets me about the pictures is that huge gong they have. Is that really a part of Asian MA practice? Maybe it is a Chinese thing. In some dojos in Japan I have seen Taiko drums, but I can't think of seeing a gong in a dojo. Is it maybe Okinawan, like the sais, nunchakus and such he uses?
I just get this weird thought in my head (I am probably dating myself) of some poor guy trying to show off his kata for the class, only to have to leave the stage after Jamie Farr gongs him.
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zen_hydra
Guest
I don't no anything about the verity of this guys claims, but why are you folks complaining about the way he decorates? You don't have to be an Asian-wannabe to appreciate Asian art. If this guy likes gongs, does that have any bearing whatsoever on his ability? This guy may very well be a fraud, but it's not because he spent a lot of money on Asian decor.
Speaking for myself, I think of the whole "more Asian than the Asians" as a form of extreme stereotyping. I live in Japan and have studied in some pretty traditional dojos, and none of them come close to the level of kitsch that this place has. In fact, the best dojos all seem to radiate a sense of understatement and simplicity that is the complete opposite of this. It is like people are trying for some sort of "Mr Miyagi" type of image that is a gross stereo type.
I think others get mad at the fact that the teachers that do this often use it as part of establishing themselves over their students with the "Master teacher" image that people think happen in Asia. You may note that on the picture page is one of the "master" elevated on a platform as he surveys and instructs his students. I have yet to see that type of scene in Japan. People do give more repsect to teachers as a whole in Japan, but there is a whole lot more to it than that. These people tend to take the images they think will benifit them, strengthen it, and propogate a very warped and rather insultin stereotype just for a little more power over their students.
That may be why people get mad at these things. Some of us are just laughing.
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RyuShiKan
Guest
Don,
ItÂ’s hard to explain to people outside Japan/Asia how ridiculous that guyÂ’s dojo/"restaurant" looks. I have yet to see a dojo here that has all the crap that guy has in his.
ItÂ’s funny, the old JKA World HQ was a converted bowling alley that you could still see where the lanes had been filled in.
The teacher/student relationship in Japan is, as you say, rather different than that of the west.
I rarely see Japanese students go into what I call “suck *** groveling Samurai mode”, however I see it a lot in the west.
ItÂ’s hard to explain to people outside Japan/Asia how ridiculous that guyÂ’s dojo/"restaurant" looks. I have yet to see a dojo here that has all the crap that guy has in his.
ItÂ’s funny, the old JKA World HQ was a converted bowling alley that you could still see where the lanes had been filled in.
The teacher/student relationship in Japan is, as you say, rather different than that of the west.
I rarely see Japanese students go into what I call “suck *** groveling Samurai mode”, however I see it a lot in the west.
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zen_hydra
Guest
I understand what you guy are saying, but I would point out (and I am not defending this guy in particular) that Americans, in general, tend to be much more overstated than Japanese. Japanese culture encourages subtlety. American culture encourages bluntness. Keep in mind these are broad stereotypes. My point, is that this American sensei who lives in Japan should not really surprise anyone when he decorates like an American using an Asian theme. His taste may be tacky, but if he has always dreamed of running a school out of a movie set/restaurant where is the harm? Does his taste in furnishing actually affect his ability to teach? ...and if the martial arts thing doesn't work out for him he can start serving udon.
Randy Strausbaugh
Master Black Belt
It's amazing what some instructors will present as "traditional"- almost as amazing as how eagerly the public laps this stuff up. I work with a guy who claims to have practiced martial arts, and when I asked him what style, he didn't know the name, but said it was "kind of like Tae Kwon Do, only not"(???). He further claimed that his instructor, as a test of the prospective student's sincerity, made said student take an oath of celebacy lasting one year, and then got women to try to seduce him in order to see if he could resist. Personally, I have made it my goal in life to find this instructor. I'm willing to take this test, no matter how often I fail. Bring 'em on, sensei!
Trying to avoid life's potholes,
Randy Strausbaugh
Trying to avoid life's potholes,
Randy Strausbaugh
OP
OP
Matt Stone
Master of Arts
Again with the instructors that don't...
There was one instructor I knew years back that taught Taijquan to his students. He learned the form very quickly, very directly, had the applications explained and demonstrated, and benefitted from a very good teacher.
When he had his own school, he started teaching completely differently than the way he had learned. He taught the form one posture at a time, with practice times for each posture running from a week to a month just for one posture. His argument was that "the ancients" taught that way, so there must be some use for it (not that he apparently knew that use, mind you).
The real kicker was when he started trying to tell his students that that was how he had learned in the first place...
There was another instructor of a Korean kung fu style that came into our town a few years after our school had began developing a decent reputation. He borrowed a video of our teacher's (containing our methods of Taijiquan and Baguazhang), and lo and behold several months later he began claiming to teach... wait for it... Taijiquan and Baguazhang. Additionally, he changed the existing sash system used in their style to conform to our method. I was never told why, but I suspect it was to better blend with the competition and draw away those who had seen us and were interested in training with us, but who wouldn't know enough to differentiate between the two schools...
Gambarimasu.
:asian:
There was one instructor I knew years back that taught Taijquan to his students. He learned the form very quickly, very directly, had the applications explained and demonstrated, and benefitted from a very good teacher.
When he had his own school, he started teaching completely differently than the way he had learned. He taught the form one posture at a time, with practice times for each posture running from a week to a month just for one posture. His argument was that "the ancients" taught that way, so there must be some use for it (not that he apparently knew that use, mind you).
The real kicker was when he started trying to tell his students that that was how he had learned in the first place...
There was another instructor of a Korean kung fu style that came into our town a few years after our school had began developing a decent reputation. He borrowed a video of our teacher's (containing our methods of Taijiquan and Baguazhang), and lo and behold several months later he began claiming to teach... wait for it... Taijiquan and Baguazhang. Additionally, he changed the existing sash system used in their style to conform to our method. I was never told why, but I suspect it was to better blend with the competition and draw away those who had seen us and were interested in training with us, but who wouldn't know enough to differentiate between the two schools...
Gambarimasu.
:asian:
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TLH3rdDan
Guest
well i like the layout of that floor he has but i could do with out the decoration... just add a few racks to store weapons and equipment where he has his gong and that would be a decent dojo... just my 2 cents on it
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jdmills
Guest
Why a guy who was a legitimate SEAL (I also checked it out with cyberseals.org and received a response that the Shannon is legitimate) would then go on to make so many claims that were almost certainly false is beyond me.
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Kawika Sensei
Guest
I just received an email suggesting that I look into the chat room since someone was speaking "negatively" about my dojo - sure enough, there it was, a string of terribly vitriolic accusations about someone you have never seen, met, nor obviously know the least thing about. Some of my students wished to respond, however, I decided this time I would speak to you myself.
Following your conversations reminded me of a small clique of children in the corner of the school playground snickering at and making fun of their teachers behind their backs - grow up guys, isn't that what your Sensei's are teaching you? - or should be.
I'll state this once only publicly for all to hear and note - I have achieved everything on my website bio and more. I have many times over, for the military, the U.S. Govt., the Episcopal Church and for my own community verified each and every claim I have made. As a resident of a large community here in San Diego, who has been featured in several newspapers, magazines and on TV news including CNN, as a member or a speaker of several clubs and organizations in this community such as Toastmasters, Rotary, Yale, Harvard and Stanford clubs I have most certainly survived the scrutiny of the Press and anyone interested in verifying my background. Just because you have not taken the courtesy to confirm my claims for yourself at your own time and expense does not give you the right to question the veracity of my resume.
I will say this, I am sorry you don't like my gong.
It is 200 years old, I got it in Indonesia. In fact, as my website states, I teach several schools of martial disciplines and the museum quality artifacts I have picked up over the past 45 years are treasured additions to our Temple (in fact, that is one of the reasons I use the name "Temple" - because of the many religious icons that I have displayed in the school) - I never heard any of our guests complain before, perhaps the problem you have is - young, arrogant wannabes being just a little too full of themselves.I was raised on the big Island of Hawaii by a Japanese family and associated daily with the elders of both the Chinese and Hawaiian communities. I also read and speak Japanese and Chinese, have lived in both of those countries, I lecture in both the Japanese and Chinese communities and have many students from Asian cultures. So, I don't defer to your loose, rather sophomoric stereotype of what is or is not their culture, martial or otherwise.
I have noted your accusation that one who teaches Japanese arts cannot for some reason be familiar with or teach Okinawan weapons, e.g. nunchaku, that is just plain silly. I guess that applies to Bruce Lee and Fumio Demura as well as a host of Americans and Europeans who have practiced with or are teaching these - my point is that YOUR point is ludicrous. Oh, and your insights into the CIA are pure comic book.
My sign has been up and my doors have been open here in San Diego for eight years. Not one person has come through that door and left saying that I'm "not for real". When you insult people you know nothing of, you say more about yourself than anything else. Nevertheless, I have my own complaints about those who claim more than they are and recognize that a healthy skepticism is valid - the key word is "healthy". In my case, you are not only wrong, but hurtful comments like yours are indeed not healthy. You could use a good lesson or two from your Sensei on manners.
Kawika Sensei, 10th Dan
Shorinjin Ryu Saito Ninjitsu
Headmaster, Temple of the Full Autumn Moon
Great first post. I am sure you will be met in the same spirit you show here. Have we perhaps struck a nerve?
Oh really? Then why the terrible Japanese you use in your article. Shorinjin does not mean "men of Shaolin" as you state. All the native speakers I talked to about it thought it was some sort of joke on my part when I told them. What rank do you have in the Japanese proficiency exam given by the Japanese goverment.
Pssssst, Fumio Demura is a noted teacher of Karate, which is an Okinawan art. And Bruce Lee did not claim a Japanese background either.
Ah yes, the Virtual Tough guy response from Sharp Phil's Guides to the Virtual Tough Guy, Trolss and Internet Defense Mechanisms.
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RyuShiKan
Guest
Oh have no fear, I checked on some of your claims.
Your SEAL claim checked out. As I am sure you are aware there are more than a few people running around claiming to be SEALs so much so that anyone that does claim so is almost automatically written off as a fake. Hence the skepticism.
As to your test of passing the scrutiny of the press.
I live in Japan and am often amused by the reports I see about Japan by CNN, ABC and so onÂ…Â…Â….in fact some of them are down right hilarious if not down right goofy!
As for what you teachÂ…Â….I could care less. However I still think your dojo looks more like a Benihana of Tokyo Resturant than a dojoÂ…Â…..no offenseÂ…Â….most dojo that I see in the US remind me of a tacky sushi shop of some sort.
Or maybe they just donÂ’t know the difference.
Uhhhh……..I work with a lot of Japanese and Chinese Hawaiians here in Japan and have found that they are just as foreign to Japan as any “howlie” (white guy) is……..most of them can’t speak Japanese at all……and the few that can sound more like they are speaking “pigeon English” than Japanese.
This is the way I picture a dojo connected to the Japanese/Okinawan arts:
