Taido/Blog

10/02/2006 In Georgia Tech Taido, Rankings / Evaluations by andy

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This year will mark the completion of ten continuous years of operation for the Taido club at Georgia Tech. We are the first group to have successfully administered a Taido program in the United States outside of the honbu dojo. We are also the only non-commercial Taido practice group in the country. This year, we will promote our first three black belts, as announced here.

Over the years, black belt tests in American Taido have come to be little more than a formality that occurs after a few years of training. While we aren’t suggesting that the physical black belt test is all that big a deal, Bryan and I have long thought that it should be the final step in a process of black belt candidacy that is at least somewhat transformative to the student. This process should require growth and demonstration of competence in the core areas of Taido practice and philosophy.

This year will mark the completion of ten continuous years of operation for the Taido club at Georgia Tech. We are the first group to have successfully administered a Taido program in the United States outside of the honbu dojo. We are also the only non-commercial Taido practice group in the country. This year, we will promote our first three black belts, as announced here.

Over the years, black belt tests in American Taido have come to be little more than a formality that occurs after a few years of training. While we aren’t suggesting that the physical black belt test is all that big a deal, Bryan and I have long thought that it should be the final step in a process of black belt candidacy that is at least somewhat transformative to the student. This process should require growth and demonstration of competence in the core areas of Taido practice and philosophy.

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28/02/2006 In Experiments / Ideas by andy

In light of the recent hokei assignment I gave the Tech Taido black belt candidates, I decided to post some notes on a couple of hokei that I have created. Though neither one would fulfill the requirements I set forth in the assignment (because they were designed for reasons to be outlined below), their presentation may prove beneficial to the candidates as an example of the kinds of thinking that may be useful in the creation of a new hokei.

Hen/Hen no Hokei (”double weird”)

Sometime around 2000ish, I got to the point that I had become competent in performaing every hokei in the American curriculum, and a couple of others that only a very few older instructors had ever seen. While I could have continued to practice them forever, continually discovering greater depth, our organization was in a very expansive mood at the time, in terms of technique. I thought some creative hokei interpretations would be a good idea.

In light of the recent hokei assignment I gave the Tech Taido black belt candidates, I decided to post some notes on a couple of hokei that I have created. Though neither one would fulfill the requirements I set forth in the assignment (because they were designed for reasons to be outlined below), their presentation may prove beneficial to the candidates as an example of the kinds of thinking that may be useful in the creation of a new hokei.

Hen/Hen no Hokei (”double weird”)

Sometime around 2000ish, I got to the point that I had become competent in performaing every hokei in the American curriculum, and a couple of others that only a very few older instructors had ever seen. While I could have continued to practice them forever, continually discovering greater depth, our organization was in a very expansive mood at the time, in terms of technique. I thought some creative hokei interpretations would be a good idea.

Continue Reading...

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16/03/2006 In People by andy

I am not a violent person. Despite my skill at making others want to hit me, it has always been more my style to ignore insults and walk away from physical confrontations. My quick wit has been a tremendous advantage to me in talking my way out of potential trouble. However a few years ago, I found myself preparing to be (painfully) thrown out of a pub by some very large men who worked there. These men were smart enough to see that, if they did not intervene with what was happening in our corner of the bar, someone would have ended up hospitalized.

Luckily, no punches had to be thrown. The “other party” (oddly, a friend of one of my mentors) apologized, and we all went on drinking and having a good time. As the evening continued, it was obvious that he could tell I would not have hesitated to fight him had he not spoken up when he did. And I wouldn’t have: he had been trying to make an ass of Bryan sparks.

I am not a violent person. Despite my skill at making others want to hit me, it has always been more my style to ignore insults and walk away from physical confrontations. My quick wit has been a tremendous advantage to me in talking my way out of potential trouble. However a few years ago, I found myself preparing to be (painfully) thrown out of a pub by some very large men who worked there. These men were smart enough to see that, if they did not intervene with what was happening in our corner of the bar, someone would have ended up hospitalized.

Luckily, no punches had to be thrown. The “other party” (oddly, a friend of one of my mentors) apologized, and we all went on drinking and having a good time. As the evening continued, it was obvious that he could tell I would not have hesitated to fight him had he not spoken up when he did. And I wouldn’t have: he had been trying to make an ass of Bryan sparks.

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27/04/2006 In Experiments / Ideas by andy

There is a saying I’ve heard in various forms that goes like this: do not do what the master did; seek what he sought. The wisdom here is very applicable to us in Taido.

Who’s the Master?

Who’s the baddest mo-fo low-down this side of town? Well, that would be the Shogun of Harlem, but in our case the master was Shukumine. I don’t feel that’s the end of the story though, because I think the entire point of practice is to attain mastery for ourselves.

I know it’s taboo in martial arts to aim for mastery. We’re supposed to “follow the path” without thinking of the goal. Goal fixation and the lust of results are sure ways to stultify our development. But I’m talking about something different. Mastery is not a result at which we will someday arrive; it’s a process we live. I believe that thoughtful practice of Taido is one means by which one can choose to live the path of mastery.

There is a saying I’ve heard in various forms that goes like this: do not do what the master did; seek what he sought. The wisdom here is very applicable to us in Taido.

Who’s the Master?

Who’s the baddest mo-fo low-down this side of town? Well, that would be the Shogun of Harlem, but in our case the master was Shukumine. I don’t feel that’s the end of the story though, because I think the entire point of practice is to attain mastery for ourselves.

I know it’s taboo in martial arts to aim for mastery. We’re supposed to “follow the path” without thinking of the goal. Goal fixation and the lust of results are sure ways to stultify our development. But I’m talking about something different. Mastery is not a result at which we will someday arrive; it’s a process we live. I believe that thoughtful practice of Taido is one means by which one can choose to live the path of mastery.

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08/06/2006 In People by andy

note: Some people didn’t understand this article the first time around and took parts of it as an attack on my teacher - a man whom I greatly admire. I have attempted to abate this somewhat by narrowing the focus of this article and dealing with tangential issues in separate posts. Some of the content originally included here has been moved, but I have not significantly altered my general tone or message. Please understand that I am a little sarcastic sometimes, and my humor is extremely dry. There is no venom here; just an honest look at a man few people really understand.

Mits Uchida is the founder and head instructor of the “United States Taido Association.” Much has been made in recent months over my apparent falling out with him (due in large part to misinterpretations of the first incarnation of this article), but I maintain that this is essentially one-sided. Though I cannot support certain aspects of the way he runs his business, I have a deep respect for his abilities, talents, and accomplishments.

note: Some people didn’t understand this article the first time around and took parts of it as an attack on my teacher - a man whom I greatly admire. I have attempted to abate this somewhat by narrowing the focus of this article and dealing with tangential issues in separate posts. Some of the content originally included here has been moved, but I have not significantly altered my general tone or message. Please understand that I am a little sarcastic sometimes, and my humor is extremely dry. There is no venom here; just an honest look at a man few people really understand.

Mits Uchida is the founder and head instructor of the “United States Taido Association.” Much has been made in recent months over my apparent falling out with him (due in large part to misinterpretations of the first incarnation of this article), but I maintain that this is essentially one-sided. Though I cannot support certain aspects of the way he runs his business, I have a deep respect for his abilities, talents, and accomplishments.

Continue Reading...

6 Comments

04/07/2006 In Georgia Tech Taido, Rankings / Evaluations by andy

It’s potentially interesting to note that there have been no written examinations for black belt promotions in America for several years. This is sloppy administration. A quality school offers quality instruction, tested through quality evaluation methods.

I believe that Taido requires intellectual understanding as well as physical ability, and as a result, have always taught in a manner that I feel provides both. When Bryan and I began discussing the possibility of promoting students to black belt, we had no doubts as the quality of our teaching, but we were concerned about the quality of the evaluation.

To that end, we decided that we would require a written examination and essay/creative component in addition to the physical test administered by the american headquarters. I’ve discussed the hokei assignment previously. In writing the theory exam, I wanted to be careful that the questions were actually testing the things I hope to have taught. For those of you with no experience at test-writing, i’ll let you know right now that it is difficult to write a good test - this from someone whose job requires him to do it often.

It’s potentially interesting to note that there have been no written examinations for black belt promotions in America for several years. This is sloppy administration. A quality school offers quality instruction, tested through quality evaluation methods.

I believe that Taido requires intellectual understanding as well as physical ability, and as a result, have always taught in a manner that I feel provides both. When Bryan and I began discussing the possibility of promoting students to black belt, we had no doubts as the quality of our teaching, but we were concerned about the quality of the evaluation.

To that end, we decided that we would require a written examination and essay/creative component in addition to the physical test administered by the american headquarters. I’ve discussed the hokei assignment previously. In writing the theory exam, I wanted to be careful that the questions were actually testing the things I hope to have taught. For those of you with no experience at test-writing, i’ll let you know right now that it is difficult to write a good test - this from someone whose job requires him to do it often.

Continue Reading...

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19/07/2006 In Event Log by andy

The annual Tama Taikai is a regional tournament held in Higashi-Kurume. Participants include much of West Tokyo and parts of Saitama, Kanagawa, and Yamanashi Prefectures. It’s one of the larger “local” events, and considered kind of a warm-up for more more serious events at the end of summer which determine the teams for the four national events held each fall. This year, the Tama took place on 25 June - one day after my birthday.

This was my second year representing the Yokohama dojo at the Tama Taikai, and I was determined to do better than I did my first time around.

The annual Tama Taikai is a regional tournament held in Higashi-Kurume. Participants include much of West Tokyo and parts of Saitama, Kanagawa, and Yamanashi Prefectures. It’s one of the larger “local” events, and considered kind of a warm-up for more more serious events at the end of summer which determine the teams for the four national events held each fall. This year, the Tama took place on 25 June - one day after my birthday.

This was my second year representing the Yokohama dojo at the Tama Taikai, and I was determined to do better than I did my first time around.

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20/07/2006 In Event Log by andy

Unless there’s a damn good reason not to (like our 30th Anniversary Tournament last year), American Taido hosts a yearly practice excursion sometime during the summer. We load up the cars, stock up on beer, and drive the entire school to the beach for three days of practicing and partying together. Year after year, summer camp is one of the most exciting and fun events for American Taido teachers and students. I love summer camp.

My family skipped camp for our first few years in Taido, but I have great memories of each camp I attended. At my first summer camp in 1988, Bryan and I fed potato chips to alligators from the back porch. Later that evening, Mitsuaki and I had a joint birthday party.

Unless there’s a damn good reason not to (like our 30th Anniversary Tournament last year), American Taido hosts a yearly practice excursion sometime during the summer. We load up the cars, stock up on beer, and drive the entire school to the beach for three days of practicing and partying together. Year after year, summer camp is one of the most exciting and fun events for American Taido teachers and students. I love summer camp.

My family skipped camp for our first few years in Taido, but I have great memories of each camp I attended. At my first summer camp in 1988, Bryan and I fed potato chips to alligators from the back porch. Later that evening, Mitsuaki and I had a joint birthday party.

Continue Reading...

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20/07/2006 In Rankings / Evaluations by andy

In light of the recent black belt testing process that wrapped up at summer camp, I’ve been rethinking some of my ideas about teaching children and what happens as they inevitably grow in skill and approach black belt.

Anyone who has read much of this site knows that I have a lot of opinions about the belt/ranking system and some internal conflicts regarding promotion to black belt - especially at very young ages. This is because I feel that a black belt should understand what Taido is about. While I don’t wish to diminish the accomplishments of the younger group of candidates at this recent test, the research still stands that humans do not develop their full cognitive abilities (and i’m speaking in a purely neuro-function sense) until they have completed puberty. Some members of this group are currently ten and eleven years old.

In light of the recent black belt testing process that wrapped up at summer camp, I’ve been rethinking some of my ideas about teaching children and what happens as they inevitably grow in skill and approach black belt.

Anyone who has read much of this site knows that I have a lot of opinions about the belt/ranking system and some internal conflicts regarding promotion to black belt - especially at very young ages. This is because I feel that a black belt should understand what Taido is about. While I don’t wish to diminish the accomplishments of the younger group of candidates at this recent test, the research still stands that humans do not develop their full cognitive abilities (and i’m speaking in a purely neuro-function sense) until they have completed puberty. Some members of this group are currently ten and eleven years old.

Continue Reading...

4 Comments

25/07/2006 In Event Log by andy

August 2006

This past weekend, I participated in the first ever Tokaido Regional Meet, and I had a great time (but I’m almost always having a great time). This tournament very much resembled the 2nd Kanagawa Meet I wrote about in February in a number of ways. First, it was held in the same location - the Tokai University Budokan. Second, the competitors, judges, staff, and spectators looked suspiciously similar. In fact, it was almost the same competition all over again.

The Back-Story

To explain how this happens, I should mention a few things to which I alluded in my report on the Kanagawa meet. Specifically, it comes down to the fact that Honshu (the largest island in Japan, and coincidentally the one on which all but a handful of Taido clubs are located) is small and mountainous. The result of Honshu’s geography is that there are several distinct regions (each with its own subculture) in close proximity. Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai, etc each have their own Japanese dialects and ways of thinking. However, they are all crammed together on a piece of land about the size of California.

August 2006

This past weekend, I participated in the first ever Tokaido Regional Meet, and I had a great time (but I’m almost always having a great time). This tournament very much resembled the 2nd Kanagawa Meet I wrote about in February in a number of ways. First, it was held in the same location - the Tokai University Budokan. Second, the competitors, judges, staff, and spectators looked suspiciously similar. In fact, it was almost the same competition all over again.

The Back-Story

To explain how this happens, I should mention a few things to which I alluded in my report on the Kanagawa meet. Specifically, it comes down to the fact that Honshu (the largest island in Japan, and coincidentally the one on which all but a handful of Taido clubs are located) is small and mountainous. The result of Honshu’s geography is that there are several distinct regions (each with its own subculture) in close proximity. Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai, etc each have their own Japanese dialects and ways of thinking. However, they are all crammed together on a piece of land about the size of California.

Continue Reading...

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