Thank you Bullshido and I'm Sorry.

[diducdat?]

So... yea, you were wrong.

.

I guess so. And I'll definitely take your word for it. I only actually met the guy a handful of times. But most of those Aikidorks in the higher ranks seem weird like that.

I know at one time,he actually approached Shevitz and told him he wanted to try fighting a bout in the local MMA circuit. I guess the other Aikidorks talked him out of it. But I actually thought it was respectable.

At another time,a friend of mine,(who is getting old btw) talked to him about "retiring" into Aikido. Something easier on him then Judo and boxing. Shon admittedly told him it probably wouldnt work well against trained opponents.

So from what you are saying,and what it looks like to me,is that he tries to impose himself upon/take advantage of teenagers. But when it comes to battle-hardened OG's,he's sort of timid. I'll definitely have to take a trip there.

Think Deardra's still there,btw?

[Zerstörer90]

I guess so. And I'll definitely take your word for it. I only actually met the guy a handful of times. But most of those Aikidorks in the higher ranks seem weird like that.

I know at one time,he actually approached Shevitz and told him he wanted to try fighting a bout in the local MMA circuit. I guess the other Aikidorks talked him out of it. But I actually thought it was respectable.

Wow, that does sound respectable. I never knew that had happened. However I did see a paradigm shift towards the more "ki" stuff at a certain point, and he also started speaking out openly against competition where before he was ok with it. I suppose that explains that bit.

At another time,a friend of mine,(who is getting old btw) talked to him about "retiring" into Aikido. Something easier on him then Judo and boxing. Shon admittedly told him it probably wouldnt work well against trained opponents.

This is unbelievable. Huge double standard there. He openly constantly said to us that it would work against trained opponents, and that they would fail because of their "sport oriented" training.

So from what you are saying,and what it looks like to me,is that he tries to impose himself upon/take advantage of teenagers. But when it comes to battle-hardened OG's,he's sort of timid. I'll definitely have to take a trip there.

Think Deardra's still there,btw?

Feel free, just don't bring me up (i'm kind of a sore subject at the dojo I guess). And she isn't there anymore. Something about going up to train with Shevits a bunch without talking to Shon.

[Spilt Cake]

In this thread, how many of you have had to overcome ego problems similar to this in the past? What was the breaking point? What was an example of your "lowest moment" before you tossed the ego aside and just started training? Or if you can't relate to this at all, then why are still reading this thread?

Good on ya for making the decision you did. I had a very similar experience. I used to train in Shorinji Kempo, which isn't the same as Aikido but certainly shares a lot of its characteristics. Lots of wrist locks against compliant partners, little to no sparring, that kind of thing. When I started, I was sucked in by the Asian mysticism of the whole thing, and became convinced that I was learning secret d34dly techniques passed down through the ages by the samurai. MMA? BJJ? Just a bunch of meatheads who liked to beat on each other.

Then while walking home one night some drunken little **** assaulted me in the street. It was a moment of harsh, harsh realization: my years of training had left me totally unprepared for an encounter with anyone other than a non-resisting partner. The kid was too drunk to do any serious damage, but it was a harrowing experience nonetheless. I stood there, frozen, having absolutely nothing to fall back on. You'd think afterwards I would have been upset over my close brush with what could have been a very bad situation, but all I could focus on was how my martial arts training hadn't taught me a single useful thing. All the precious self-confidence I had built up came crashing down overnight. I quit the dojo, started BJJ the following month, and haven't looked back.

I agree with many of the sentiments stated earlier in the thread. I think that the ego is something that should be recognized and sated with a desire to improve through competition. Removing ego isn't as easy as many "masters" would have you believe. Does anyone else feel that people who have supposedly abandoned their egos actually have some of the hugest ones, and that such people are really just asserting themselves over others by claiming to have less ego than the rest of us? To me the whole thing felt like a pissing contest, smallest ego wins.

[diducdat?]

This is unbelievable. Huge double standard there. He openly constantly said to us that it would work against trained opponents, and that they would fail because of their "sport oriented" training.

What he says to his teenaged students and the way he behaves around a veteran fighter with a provable record are different, I'm sure.

Feel free, just don't bring me up (i'm kind of a sore subject at the dojo I guess). And she isn't there anymore. Something about going up to train with Shevits a bunch without talking to Shon.

I won't. I've got a few girls I'll bring with me,hehe.

And he got bent out of shape for training with Shevitz?!? What a weirdo.

[Zerstörer90]

What he says to his teenaged students and the way he behaves around a veteran fighter with a provable record are different, I'm sure.



I won't. I've got a few girls I'll bring with me,hehe.

And he got bent out of shape for training with Shevitz?!? What a weirdo.

Have fun. I look forward to hearing about it through the grapevine. And yea, it was more she was training with Shevit_ in leau of training at his school. He probably felt he was losing a student. lol.

[It is Fake]

Also there was a matter of a student losing their temper over a conversation and breaking their sister's face (eyesocket/cheekbone needed surgery). The student was not reprimanded for this obviously un-aikido-like thing to do. Not even after he had just received his sankyu rank.

I know there is much more to comment on, but I think this is interesting. You were kicked out because you were homeless and didn't call, but a douchebag broke his sister's face and recieved his higher rank?

While I understand family life is not my business, as a former instructor, If I found out about BS like this we would have a long talk. Oh and you would have had a refund for your test at the least. There are very few things, that I can think of, that would allow you to continue training under my tutelage.

[Zerstörer90]

I know there is much more to comment on, but I think this is interesting. You were kicked out because you were homeless and didn't call, but a douchebag broke his sister's face and recieved his higher rank?

Yea, this was a double standard I couldn't ignore.

While I understand family life is not my business, as a former instructor, If I found out about BS like this we would have a long talk. Oh and you would have had a refund for your test at the least. There are very few things, that I can think of, that would allow you to continue training under my tutelage.

This is precisely why I was so baffled by it. His reasoning for keeping him around, at the same rank was this:
a) The instructor had no dan grades under him, and he was the closest to becoming 1st dan.
b) The instructor said he was a "vital" part of the "dojo community", and couldn't be let go. and
c) They were buddies outside of class, often spending days together working in each others vegetable gardens and such.

And there was a "talk". It involved them sitting around and drinking beer and a lecture. That's it. Also, said student and his sister went to therapy over it. I don't think that's enough personally. Any time someone's face is broken outside of competition(or training**), I think jail-time and lawsuits are a must. Just my opinion though.

[Mr. Machette]

Removing ego isn't as easy as many "masters" would have you believe. Does anyone else feel that people who have supposedly abandoned their egos actually have some of the hugest ones, and that such people are really just asserting themselves over others by claiming to have less ego than the rest of us?

You can tell beause they brag about how above bragging they are. There's something to be said for a little humillity.

[DKJr]

You can tell beause they brag about how above bragging they are. There's something to be said for a little humillity.

Oh that's the worst. "Why would I need to fight to PROVE what I do works. I'm above such brutish egotistical things. "

[shotodefense]

hmmm. . your right.