On becoming disabled I still find I cast a giant shadow.

 

When I became disabled around 7 years ago and the shape of what my martial studies could be, changed forever, I had to fight to find a way to continue my studies, for I could not stop.  The limitations which I was now bound within was not a reason to discontinue anything. It just assumed new shapes for me to work with.

 

In a sense it was no different than when I was a new black belt and almost immediately without a local instructor to guide me. So I began teaching the young through the Boys Club, more rigorously competed in Open Tournaments, started visiting local instructors to train with adults in any art, and began to look at so many different things.

 

It was not an even playing field.

 

I discovered I had a lot to learn to become a better instructor.

 

I pushed myself because I was on the tournament floor often against national champions, and drove myself to do better and better.

 

Visiting acquaintances I met at tournament and when invited to visit their schools, I found everything. The good… the other. So I focused on the good and attempted to learn whatever they showed. The more I saw about incredible systems from those instructors was of course fun to learn. Very worthy studies,. but the thing is the more I saw the more I wanted to make my Isshinryu stronger and stronger.

 

And in my personal studies the more I looked at the more I found ways it was already present in Isshinryu.

 

As a rule I spent over 5 years on any study before I came to use some of them for subsidiary studies for my students.  First to support their Isshinryu studies, Then to give them a personal touch of what others do, to let them not be concerned at other ways people studied. But the more advanced reason was to allow them to use actual techniques from other systems to work against and defeat with Isshinryu. Not just movements but against skilled  execution of those same movements, for they first had developed skill.

 

I had nobody placing any limits at what I could look at, so I kept looking everywhere without limit.

 

Now disabled I have not stopped looking everywhere. I share some of my studies to find others who are willing to share more so I can continue to learn.

 

What I have discovered is that I know so little there is so much to keep discovering. Through my posts, my blog and my personal messages to my students, I hope to share with everyone.

 

The more we learn, the further we have to travel.

 

To infinity and beyond !