Why can't people say, 'My style does it. They're style doesn't and that's ok. We're just different.'?
Why does it always have to be, 'My style does it. They're style doesn't, and that's too bad, because the martial arts are really going down hill because of it.'?
It always comes off sounding like, 'Well that's not the way we do it so it must be wrong.' This more than anything is what I suspect has driven off so many of the senior instructors. I don't really think it's the snot nosed punks. The seniors know to just ignore those people. It's this deep seeded intolerance for those different than 'us' that is truly annoying.
The mindset of people online is so set in what they know/have been taught/believe/read somewhere/whatever. Some of you occasionally come off as very beligerent towards other systems, and I don't really think you mean to be.
Renfield, does Niina Gosoke teach free practice of any type or does he encourage his students to take up Kendo? I can't recall you ever specifying one way or the other. Just curious.
Charles Mahan
Iaido - Breaking down bad habits,
and building new ones.