Spirit Training

[Hawaiian Warrior]

I have recently received the black belt list from my sensei. The primary objective of this list is to make all of your arts into the real thing. Intent is the best way to describe it. I personally like the concept of opening a gate and releasing everything. I don't know what everyone thinks about the human spirit so I could be asking a unanswerable question. I believe that the IS a certain energy that can be derived from the earth and the heavens. I would like to know if other people have something similar they would like to share.

[David Craik]

Nina, you're up...:D

[Jeff C.]

Clay, Welcome to Budoseek!

I'm afraid I have no clue what you are asking. Can you please clarify?

The older and more experienced I get, the more pragmatic I get. Understanding intent is essential. Intent is also very simple too.

Jeff Cook

[CEB]

The most important thing in Life in is ONE thing. You are 19 years old and you list 5 martial arts in your profile. You need to pick one thing. You have to do the ONE art until the art does you. Otherwise you are just playing around with yourself.

[Jeff Burger]

David had the right reply.

[Musubi Dojo]

Ok, "opening a gate and unleashing" is probably throwing everyone off. Makes them think of chi balls and video games.

Intent is bang on. Martial arts without intent are folk dancing. Actually even good folk dancing has intent...

If you are talking about the mild euphoria that comes from adrenaline when you start smacking some one (unleashing?) that's real but detrimental to serious training. It takes you away from focusing completely on what you are doing. Ignore it and focus on the task at hand.

What Ed said about picking something and sticking with it. Absolute minimum of 5 years in one art before you really start to get it.

Cross training is good stuff but get a base first or your training will appear broad at the front but in fact be very shallow.

My 2 cents.
c

[Hawaiian Warrior]

Ok sorry "opening the gate" is just the visualization I use for using everything in my arsenal. Using the specific bow for this list, we strike the ground and draw our energy and focus from Shi or earth. Now I'm not saying that I draw energy from the earth as it was put "Like in video games," but there is something there. And I feel much more focus afterward. I guess what I am looking for is way to build up my focus and intent levels.

[Jeff C.]

Kata. Lots of it.

Jeff Cook

[Hawaiian Warrior]

Thats a given. I practice at least 9 hours a day. When I said that I am devoting my life to the study of the martial arts I am not kidding. I seriously want to do this and only this for as long as possible. In the Jujitsu class I am taking our kata requires another person thus back to the issue of not having someone to practice with. Most of the people that attend the class are college students. don't understand how you can do nothing physically all day and not have enough energy to train how you are suppose to. Maybe I'll focus on trying to do kata on my own time and by my self. Thanks. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

[CEB]

9 hours a day is too much. Maybe spend some time on occupational development or chase some girls. ( Be careful what you catch though) Karate doesn't pay worth a darn.

[Hawaiian Warrior]

I already have a job. I do Concrete and stone work. I do three weeks of work and that keeps me going for a while. According to the job that is. If that work is longer then I get longer off afterwards. I didn't need to go to college because I had a high paying job right out of high school. I make 75,000 a year and only work 5 months out of the year. As for chasing girls, I think my girl friend might be a bit mad about that. Not that she isn't disgruntled at the amount of time I put into training. I usually get up at about 5:30 a.m. and start training. Then talk a break and make some business calls and such if needed. Then go to classes. This job to me is only there so I can train with out having to spend much of my day doing a useless job that except waste my time.

[Dennis Monk]

Just trying to do the math:
24 hours in a day
- 9 hours training at least (every day)
= 13 hours remaining

- let's say 6 hours sleep
= 7 remaining hours in the day
- 2 hours for meals, daily commutes and multiple daily showers
= 5 hours remaining.

You are able to make $75k a year working five hours a day and only a few weeks at a time? I am in the wrong business.

[rgoad]

The most important thing in Life in is ONE thing. You are 19 years old and you list 5 martial arts in your profile. You need to pick one thing. You have to do the ONE art until the art does you. Otherwise you are just playing around with yourself.

So, Polonius, how many arts have you studied??? :D

[CEB]

Two.

1) Hitting

2) Grabbing

Seriously though at age 19 - 2 arts.

4 years of Shotokan Karate. Dojo closed when I was 14. Then a 4-5 years of Judo.

Then after college.... move to a new town wind up with a new art. Ended up doing Goju for almost 3 decades. Now I play a little Judo again .....I mean Gracie Jiu Jitsu for fun.

So my "resume" is

Goju Ryu 5th Black
Jujutsu 3rd Black
Kobudo 3rd Black
Judo 3rd Brown
Gracie Jiu Jitsu 3rd White

I am a beginner ... I suck.....but I have fun.

[Hawaiian Warrior]

LOL I wish it was like that Dennis. When I'm working i don't get to train as much or at all some times. When i work for three weeks or so i have 10 hour work days and that leaves me pretty beat and sometimes no where near the dojo.

[Dennis Monk]

I figured as much. Just playing with you a little bit.
Besides, $75k in Hawaii, isn't that like living on 30k a year here on the main land? :D
I have heard horror stories of grocery and restaurant prices there.

[Hawaiian Warrior]

Yeah, it can be. The horror stories are probably from Maui though. Not that bad, but it gets tiresome. Luckily I have fruit trees so I get a lot of groceries from that. FREE FREE FREE!

[arod]

You smell what I smell?:bsflag:

[CEB]

from day one

[jwinch2]

David had the right reply.

Agreed. David wins at internet. :up: :laugh:

[Hawaiian Warrior]

Well, I could care less whether you believe me or not. So much for trying to gain some knowledge from an online forum. Real welcoming telling new people they're B.S.ing. I'm sure younger practitioner's want to stick around in this environment. Lesson learned I guess. Don't worry you won't have to deal with my "B.S." anymore.

[arod]

David, I know it's supposed to be a secret but I like a good joke… What's the Nina thing all about? (I was embarest to ask in public but Jeff made me do it.):D

[Michael J. Bray]

:bow: I strongly agree with the reply by Jeff Burger. Being tough, is doing what is right at any cost. Defining your values and honoring them is what defines one's self. I can't imagine having nine hrs. a day to train. I barely get to be home for nine hours a day. (read that wage slave) I have been at the martial arts for many years. I have been called Sifu and Sensei. I still consider myself a student with much, much to learn and perfect. That is why I continue to train, and seek out knowledge. May I never become so arrogant as to think I have mastered any art. For a long time though, I considered training and conditioning as the same thing. They are vastly different. Remember the old saying,"Practice makes perfect"? Most of us know that isn't true. Perfect practice makes perfect. Perfect is a very, very high goal. I sure haven't reached it yet.

[David Craik]

David, I know it's supposed to be a secret but I like a good joke… What's the Nina thing all about? (I was embarest to ask in public but Jeff made me do it.):D

No real big secret, Andy. Nina is a member here who has shown an interest in...shall we say rather esoteric subjects in her posts. The idea of drawing energy from the earth and heavens seemed to be something that would be right up her alley.

[arod]

Gotcha. After reading some of them I see what you mean.

[Jonathan Randall]

Two.

1) Hitting

2) Grabbing

Seriously though at age 19 - 2 arts.

4 years of Shotokan Karate. Dojo closed when I was 14. Then a 4-5 years of Judo.

Then after college.... move to a new town wind up with a new art. Ended up doing Goju for almost 3 decades. Now I play a little Judo again .....I mean Gracie Jiu Jitsu for fun.

Mr. "Prose", what is the sound of one hand clapping?
So my "resume" is

Goju Ryu 5th Black
Jujutsu 3rd Black
Kobudo 3rd Black
Judo 3rd Brown
Gracie Jiu Jitsu 3rd White

I am a beginner ... I suck.....but I have fun.

Impressive. "Clay Prose" (interesting name, isn't it?) should listen to you - provided, of course, that he is what and as he says.

Mr. "Prose"; what is the sound of one hand clapping?

[Hawaiian Warrior]

I have to apologize for my earlier statement. I sounded like an immature child. I was angry at the time and it had nothing to do with you guys. I lost a major contract and wasn't in a very good mood. Once again I am sorry.
To the matter at hand, when I say that I train 9 hours in a day it is only when I don't work, and those 9 hours include meditation and stretches, but also time in the dojo. I'm not saying I am practicing 9 hours straight either. I practice when I have the time because when i work I don't have ANY time to.
I don't know what the sound of one hand clapping is, but if one of you would like to explain I am willing to listen.