There Are No Gods Amongst Men/ Dojo Hunting

Today I'd like to talk about the traditional set up of dojos, and beginning students perception of the traditional dojo system. Originally there were no belt systems accept maybe the senior students would wear a blackened belt. Often the belt was blackened from being old and dirty. All students were like brothers and sisters and the instructor was like a father figure. Ranks below Shodan (now called 1st degree black belt) were called "kyu" (like steps on a ladder). the lower your Kyu, the higher your rank was. 1st Kyu was the highest rank before Shodan, and "Mukyu" meaning "no Kyu" was the lowest rank (i.e. a beginner).
The system changed after the American occupation of Japan. Americans watched Jigoro Kano's, who is the founder of judo, class and saw that the darker the belt was, the higher the skill level was. I guess they assumed that the belt was a symbol of what level of skill they were at. When in reality the black belts were just a way for Jigoro to see where his senior students (Senpai) were when there were many students training. Jigoro noticed that the Americans looked at the belts in this matter and this gave him an idea. Gichin Funakoshi the founder of Shotokan Karate, and friend to Jigoro Kano also noticed this phenomenon. As they both started training more and more Americans they decided to develop a belt color system to cater to the way Americans thought so they could better understand (I guess). This obviously was so popular it's still around.
After a while , for some reason. The black belt turned into the ultimate prize for western civilization. I don't know why they did not realize that Shodan (1st degree black belt) meant "1st class" like first grade in school . It meant you are now ready to begin learning the art. To the Westerners the black belt meant "You have become a deadly weapon and all should fear you". Needless to say that is and was ridiculous. Now, the Shihan who had 5th or 7th degree black belts, well, if 1st degree is deadly weapon then , of course, 7th degree must mean you are some sort of GOD!!! Sadly that is about how it went. In the dojos in America men of this rank were treated like royalty. They constantly had "yes men" around them, as in "yes sir, can I shine your shoes? It would be an honor for me to paint your house! Can I build you a new Dojo? I'll even PAY you to do that. monthly fees brought on testing fees brought on "yearly dues" (wtf?!) and so on. It's gotten to the point were MANY American dojos are 2 steps away from being a cult like Tom Jones or "the gateway to heaven" guys.
These ranks are just a way to tell where you are in learning the art. Even the shihan (nanadan 7th degree blackbelts) are still learning. If they tell you otherwise then you shouldn't study under them. My dad always told me this saying. I think it's a saying at least. It went something like: "If you meet someone who thinks they know everything, walk away. If you meet someone who KNOWS they know everything, then run away as fast as you can".
Boys and girls, please do not join dojos where the head instructor acts like he is an indestructible god and has his students talk him up as such. Before you join have a conversation with the MAIN instructor. Ask as many questions as you can. If he is humble and doesn't puff himself up then that's good. Also find out about fees. If there is a fee for like ridiculous things, then that should be a red flag. Next talk to the senior most student. Ask him a lot of questions about his teacher and how the class is run. Try to get a feel from him; is he confident in himself? is he afraid of his instructor, or does he have healthy respect? Does he tell you the cons of the dojo along with the pros?. Next stay and watch a class or two (observe a children's class if you can to see how the head instructor works with children. That's a really good way to gauge his skill and his overall aura. Observe the "Senpai" or senior student during class. Watch his behavior. Does he show respect to lower ranking students? Does he help them with their mistakes and not micromanage their every movement? Is he overly rough with lower ranked students? Does he have a "holier then thou" feel about him regarding lower ranked students? Lastly what does the relationship between the senior student and the head instructor like? Does he shoe proper courtesy and respect, Or is he kissing the guy's ass and just saying "yes, yes, yes" pampering him like a god/man? All of these tips will help you find the right dojo and avoid the dojos who have contracted the "cult" disease. Keep in mind that there are dojos run like cults who have VERY skilled instructors. In fact they probably ended up this way BECAUSE the teacher was so skilled and there was no one outside the ring to check the behavior of the group as a whole thus creating a situation where the head instructor lives in a microcosm where he is all but worshipped and seems to have lost all view on the original purpose of the art and his job as instructor.
Well, I hope I helped someone out with this info. Good luck dojo Hunting!

What got me started

I suppose since I'm writing this blog I should write the reason I started martial arts in the first place. when I was young my father would kinda force me to watch that old "Kung Fu" series every Sunday. Eventually I grew to like it. I think it had some influence on me. The biggest influence would be the neighborhoods I was raised in. These hoods were filled with drug dealers, gang members, and petty crime. I would constantly get my ass whooped just for being white, and any other really stupid reason they could come up with. I finally brought this to attention to my father, and he showed me some techniques. He never told me he knew some martial arts until then. I was determined at that point to learn the arts. My father taught me what he knew, then got me enrolled at the local Karate school. I didn't train there very long. It was about a year. Then after I quit, I started reading books. I became obsessed with old Edo period Japanese culture, and Japanese martial arts. Once I started reading Maasaki Hatsumi's books. I was hooked on taijutsu. The whole time growing up I'd attend dojo after dojo, never staying for very long at one until I found the Yamaneko Dojo. The teacher there was very skilled. I was around 13-14 at the time I started. My family really couldn't afford to pay, so they would pay him by the day whenever they could. I had to stop because I just couldn't afford it. So I hit the books again. the whole time I practiced everything I learned every day. I practiced feverishly. I was completely obsessed. I would go to the Yamaneko Dojo whenever I could afford it. I learned ALOT from this dojo. I'd watch students go up in rank, then pass me, then teach me themselves. They had the money to pay for testing fees and annual dues. They basically paid their way up. I started to feel uncomfortable that people who I helped train would act "holier than thou" towards me because of some rank they obtained. I absolutely hated it. When I originally joined the Yamaneko Dojo they had no rank system. They did it the "old way". I liked it better that way. So I trained off and on for like 10 years. Doing it when I could, reading, and practicing. I then got involved in a Pima Community College Taekwondo class which I earned a brown belt (1st kyu equivalent. Which is a rank just before black belt). I ended up running into problems with the teacher and had to quit. I finally attended an aikido class at the same college which I earned a few kyu ranks. I started teaching my own version of taijutsu around the age of 25. When i was 22 I got a job as a stunt man at Old Tucson Studios which I worked at for about a year. Then I worked at the bars on 4th ave. (that is like an arts district). I also worked at a couple "gentlemen's Clubs". Working the bars and the stunt job gave me ALOT of real life experience that I Incorporated into the taijutsu that I teach. That's what makes training with me better than training with many other teachers. I have hands on experience with the martial art. I think that says alot about me. That is my history in a nut shell for all those who wanted to know.

Float like a butterfly

Okay, so the other day I'm standing at the bus stop waiting for the damn bus. Lazily staring at the sky thinking as I sip my half drinken soda. A couple behind me, scratch that, more like two beings intertwines together to make one two headed sentient avatar to some love god stood behind me giggling and messing with itself. Out of nowhere I see a bee floating like 1 inch from my face. I swat it away non chalantly, and the damn thing comes back. This time, a little more annoyed, I swat it away again. Then the damn thing comes back agressively and lands on my lip. I go into a rage and slam my soda on the floor and scream "fuck you!". This surely startled the two headed love god behind me. The bee backed off and I put my fists up in a really lazy jumonji no kamae (one foot slightly foward, arms crossed in fists right in front of left). I let out a jab hitting it squarely. It backs off a little, and the damn thing wizzes right at my face like a missle. I guess it wanted another piece of me, This time I let a right cross out which, again, hit solidly,and knocked the damn things lights out cuzz it just kinda cork screwed towards the ground and flew side to side as if it was discombobulated. then it went for my soda. I creeped up on it slowly and said out loud "yeah I got you know you fucker" then I slowly lifted my foot and BAM! Got it. the fucking bee flew up of the ground for MORE after being crushed! So I lifted my foot then my leg up high and slow then held it there. I waited for the right moment, and caught it mid air with a stomping kick smashing it into the ground. This ended it's over confident existence in this god forsaken world. I dance around and yell "yay! I win! I win!". From behind me I hear an applause. Crap I forgot that couple was there, and I'm dancing around like an idiot cuzz I won in a fight with a bee. I just got a god damn applause for a fight with a bee! The guy said "Damn dude you fucked that bee up!" and the girl said "I have NEVER in my life seen someone actually get into a FIST FIGHT with a bee until now!" It was a pretty bizzare situation. I don't know what the lesson from this is, or what the insights are, but I know there are some. Time for you all to be big boys and girls and get what you can for yourselves this time. I shouldn't have to spell out eveything for you in every post :P.