Goju-Shorei Systems

Martial Arts for the 21st Century

Dave McNeill's Blog (221)

Tick, tick, tick

At least twice a month I have lunch with my instructor of almost 45 years, GM Archie.

I cherish these moments as we talk about martial arts, our private lives, martial arts, funny memories, martial arts.

I hope all martial artists are able to establish and maintain a close relationship with their instructors. Time passes quickly so if you haven't contacted your sensei for awhile, do so now. Tick, tick, tick.

Added by Dave McNeill on March 13, 2015 at 4:55pm — No Comments

Control Points

I've written previously on the overall strategic goal of breaking down an opponents structural integrity, and of the specific tactics of blending, entering and avoidance footwork to keep your power and integrity intact while weakening and misaligning him. Let's add some more specific tactics to your arsenal. 

As you come into contact distance, whether…

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Added by Dave McNeill on March 10, 2015 at 4:30pm — 1 Comment

1 Picture = 1,000 Words

Added by Dave McNeill on February 9, 2015 at 11:08am — No Comments

Differences Between Okinawan Karate & Japanese Karate

A couple of points:

If one is to have a commercial martial arts school then a large student population is needed to keep the doors open. Basic economics. 

I question the purpose of teaching the use of weapons that the student could never have with them in public (big surprise). 

This article is from the excellent web site, …

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Added by Dave McNeill on January 19, 2015 at 12:31pm — No Comments

1,000

Time to think about how you are going to welcome in the New Year. If you've done 1,000 pushups before, pick another method/exercise to embrace the coming year.

I've done pushups, crunches and squats so this time I plan on swinging kettle bells - from 106 pounds to 35 pounds - 1,000 times.

Some people may think doing anything a thousand times is…

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Added by Dave McNeill on December 28, 2014 at 5:00pm — 2 Comments

From Sensei Pete Bowie

                                                              CATCH

Sometimes we see someone who is far above the norm in athletic or martial arts endeavor, someone who is more fit, maybe, than most, or more successful, or maybe more kick-ass in whatever he or she attempts. It's always easy for the rest of us to rationalize what elevated that…

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Added by Dave McNeill on December 18, 2014 at 4:49pm — No Comments

6,000 Hours

6,000 hours is the amount of time my student John has spent flying planes of different types, from props (1 and 2 engine) to jets. He has spent 200 hours in the Grumman Mallard pictured above.

Saturday all that cockpit time paid off. 

We were going to fly to Death Valley to spend the weekend and John wanted to take his beloved Mallard. It was…

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Added by Dave McNeill on November 26, 2014 at 2:30pm — No Comments

Another Goju-Shorei Black Belt

Goju-Shorei attracts people of great talent in many different areas. I recently posted a video of Dani Carroll and now here is Skip Ewing. Both people wrote the songs (plus hundreds more) that are featured in these…

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Added by Dave McNeill on November 18, 2014 at 3:11pm — No Comments

Bunkai

This little girl sets a high standard for child and adult alike.

Added by Dave McNeill on November 18, 2014 at 7:00am — No Comments

What a Goju-Shorei Black Belt can look like

This episode of Nashville Unleashed features Dani Carroll Kooyman at the 20 minute mark and a bit at the end. Dani (the wife of Goju-Shorei Karate Director Master Larry Kooyman) is a Black Belt in TKD and Goju-Shorei Weapons System as well as the Ultimate Black Belt Test.

Her martial and musical skills are at the elite…

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Added by Dave McNeill on November 14, 2014 at 5:30pm — No Comments

Belt Test Preparation

I sat on a 2 day test board last weekend at Evolution Marital Arts Academy in Sparks, Nevada, and was impressed by the depth of

the curriculum the students had to know, and the intensity with which they performed. I did not see one hesitation or one misstep. Very impressive.

But I have certainly seen the exact opposite. Which brings up the following:

If…

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Added by Dave McNeill on October 16, 2014 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Goju-Shorei Karate Green Belt Technique #9

Don't forget to do the self-directed add…

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Added by Dave McNeill on September 7, 2014 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Except...

During cane class Tuesday I taped marbles to the bottoms of the feet of 4 people, and I taped three of their fingers down. Now they were roughly at the mobility level of Nicky (fourth from left) who has Cerebral Palsy. An hour of walking on marbles, swinging a cane and defending themselves gave a nano second experience of what Nicky goes through daily.

Nicky…

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Added by Dave McNeill on September 4, 2014 at 2:00pm — No Comments

The Belt Should Mean Something

Saturday, at open mat for BJJ, we were visited by a two stripe blue belt that had some serious skills, which he displayed on most everyone. Finally our instructor, a brown belt, rolled with the visitor and the skill level differences were telling. The visitor was tapped out in about 15 seconds the first time, 30 seconds the second time and about a minute the…

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Added by Dave McNeill on September 4, 2014 at 11:24am — 1 Comment

Head Lock Escape

What is your favorite escape from a headlock?

Video it and post it here, or write a description of the escape and post it here.

No judgements, just sharing.

Added by Dave McNeill on August 30, 2014 at 4:03pm — 1 Comment

ALS Donation Challenge

Added by Dave McNeill on August 25, 2014 at 1:23pm — 1 Comment

Self-Perception/Self-Delusion

This is what I think I look like when using kettlebells.

And this is what I really look like when using kettlebells.

The same is true for the martial arts. Many students (and I count myself as a student…

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Added by Dave McNeill on August 22, 2014 at 3:42pm — 1 Comment

Kumu Narte

Kumu (teacher) Narte is one of those people that I deeply love, respect and trust. We met years ago in 

connection with the martial arts and now Kumu spends the majority of this time healing people rather than breaking them. His martial skills were at the highest level, but his healing skills are off the charts.

In 2004 he worked on me before I left to…

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Added by Dave McNeill on August 13, 2014 at 7:00pm — No Comments

The Bramble

Hickory cane and the tools used to make it.…

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Added by Dave McNeill on July 22, 2014 at 7:04pm — No Comments

The Wasp

Signed, hand crafted, walnut cane I call the Wasp has sharp 'stingers' everywhere except the gripping areas which are somewhat softened.…

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Added by Dave McNeill on July 8, 2014 at 4:43pm — No Comments

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