Keep the Questions Coming
This is beautiful. The questions keep coming
John you've got no arms of legs mate. Don't be upset when your taken the wrong way ; you will not restate or clarrify .
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I'll express a few opinions and questions on the divergent thread you have spawned John.
1. The non scientific poll on these forums seems to indicate that the majority of people do indeed join and participate in Uechi to learn self defense.(100 views, 15 yes zero no) The opinions expressed in the poll I expect are by numerous dojo operators and students who base their opinions on what they see and experience. How can you tell them they are wrong when this is the reality of their dojo . What can you offer that supports your point of view ? You claim this is not why they join. I believe most people joining a M. A. program are looking to develop some defensive skills, this is based on the information the students who train with me have provided. Are you suggesting my students are lying, are you suggesting I am lying? I’m suggesting that you are wrong, that the majority of newbies want to become killer ninja dudes without sweat and bruises. The majority are uninformed, but the majority walk into the dojo expecting to learn to fight not discover themselves .I would suggest to you John that the self defense assumption is not an assumption but a fact. I would also suggest that it is you who has been making the unsupported claims. How can you tell us why our students train with us? Have you met our students, have you met us?
2. You state
On what do you base this statement? I’ve never witnessed a Uechi guy on these forums claim that Uechi is not good for self defense. The exact opposite is the norm. I expect the majority or readers believe Uechi is a great system of defense. Why do You believe a new student wishing to learn self defense will lead to challenges to the TMA programs?There seems to be a holy, unquestioned assumption around this table that most new students take karate for self defense purposes. This unsupported foundation leads to all sorts of challenges to TMA programs as being unsuitable for street confrontations and for being rigidly structured and unwilling to adapt to what is preceived to be the best methods to protect one's self in these violent situations
3. Could you please post define what you define as
Traditional Uechi? I think what your calling Traditional is the modern system with all the bells and whistles. I fancy myself a traditional Uechika as well. What I study however does not include the school exercises, stand on the spot drills,and not all of the new kata. (I did add Kanshiwa and Seichin, it’s the heritic in me
) I don’t teach Seisan Bunkai. We do not do point fighting. We do continuos contact sparring now and then. We do not study foreign custom or language as it adds nothing to our ability to apply the skills. Knowing how to say catch a punch in your hand in an other language does not improve your ability to do so. 
I actually see myself as the traditionalist and the mainstream group as those non traditionalist who are changing Uechi. Bit of a paradox from where I sit. I’m happy to see people train as they wish, I’m disappointed with posts that appear to only be focused on schitting on a method because it is different. George taught me long ago that it is better to say what you do and why than to diss someone”s method.
George is a wise man! 4. I’m confused as to what you were saying in this statement John.
I find this comment most distasteful. Possibly I misunderstand what you are attempting to communicate. The way I read it is: good fighters are fear mongering to support their selfish interests. Sounds like your saying that good fighters are scarring the crap out of folks so they will show up knocking knees and all for a lesson from the fighting champion fear mongering capitalists. Is this what you intended to communicate? Maybe you can clear it up:Hello .... aren't the forebodings being skewed to support the points of view of these ready able-bodied fighters who are arguing for their selfish interests?
Who is experiencing these feelings of fear?
How are these feeling being distorted to support a point of
view?
Who are these already able-bodied fighters?
What are their selfish interests?
5. John you seem to indicate that everything one needs for personal defense is in Uechi.
Realistically, if you are properly trained in Uechi-Ryu you have all you need for self-defense.
I’m pleased you are so fond of our system. I am too that’s why I’ve stuck with it as my base since the seventies. I have also explored Boxing, Judo, FMA’s, BJJ, Impact weapons, Edged weapons, Firearms , Chin Na, etc. Are you suggesting that my explorations in these areas were not required that I could have found what I learned in these explorations in Uechi kata? Which ones mate?
George Mattson puts on a summer camp each year, I’m sure you have heard of it. During the event many fine Sensei teach. In the past Uechi experts in BJJ, FMA’s,etc.have taught. Experts from other systems modern and traditional from all over the world have been invited to instruct as well.
Are you suggesting that George and all these fine instructors and those in attendance at this event have not been properly trained in Uechi and that their explorations outside of Uechi is not required?
I do not believe we are making any and I’m about to leave this thread as I expect none will be made and if I continue to participate in this discussion I’ll violate a few forum rules. Best just to leave the troll to troll control and go visit a thread that has something of substance.Are we making some progress?
I don’t allow anyone in the Dojo under 18. But I guess if it did teach kids and took money for it I’d focus on giving them what they paid for and not seeing it as a source of revenue to fund the dojo. I have visted a few dojo where the kids pay and the adult class gets the benefit. I’d feel like a whore is I operated that way. I watch Rick Wilson teach kids all the time. It’s not something I could do. But my hats of To Sensei Wilson because the kids don’t bank role the adult class, they pay for quality training and get it. John in my dojo, children and parents pay for nothing because I provide training only for adults. Your blanket statements never hit the mark. Yours is not the only dojo or situation, no one is the norm…hell, I’m sounding like George!IMO most of the new karate students are children whose tuition is paid by their parents and it's these fees that pay the rent, keep the lights on and the liability insurance premiums current for dojo owners.
I disagree with your approach, I disagree with your words…but it’s not a total loss…I have been an opinionated A-hole on these forums. This is a good experience for me. Always humbling too peer into the mirror! Thanks for that John.
I do not believe we are making any and I’m about to leave this thread as I expect none will be made and if I continue to participate in this discussion I’ll violate a few forum rules. Best just to leave the troll to troll control and go visit a thread that has something of substance.Are we making some progress?
