Interview by Master Willie Wilson and Master William Mason with Master Butch Hill
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Question by Master Wilson

1. Master Hill, when I was elected to the IIKA board you were the president, since 
then you have stepped down from being the president and also a board member to 
just being a member, why is that?

Answer:
It was an honor to have served as president of the I.I.K.A. board of directors.  I 
hold a deep respect for and friendship with the men and women who serve on this 
board.  They are dedicated practitioners of Isshinryu who give unselfishly of their 
time to coordinate this association.  Due to personal and professional demands on 
my time I felt compelled to step down as president.  Also, my personal training 
regimen has taken me away from the day to day instruction of Isshinryu karate.  
It was only fitting that I relinquish my board position to make room for someone 
who is actively teaching this art. 

Question by Master Mason

2. I know why I am training in Modern Arnis with the Karate 5, can you give me 
your input on why you are doing Modern Arnis with the Karate 5 as well?

Answer:
When we made the decision to add the principles of Modern Arnis to the 
Nashville Dojo curriculum, Master Wilson and the Karate 5 graciously agreed 
to take us under their wing and train and mentor us in this new direction.  We are 
fortunate to be getting the finest instruction available from within our Isshinryu 
family.
	
Question by Master Wilson

3. There is a lot of emphasis put on tournaments in karate today, what is your 
views on the effect it is having or does it have an effect?

Answer:
Karate tournaments can be as valuable as any other sporting event as long as 
things are kept in proper perspective.  Success or failure in sport play should 
never be taken as a measure of ones ability to succeed in the real world.  Almost 
daily we see top athletes fail miserably in the areas of life which really matter; 
those outside the insular world of their chosen game.  I believe that tournaments 
are most useful to the under 18 age group, especially if care is taken to insure that
the adults who are present serve as positive role models by their conduct and 
attitude.

Question by Master Mason

4. Since I have been back from retirement in the martial arts, I keep hearing the 
word, “working masters”, what is the deal with that?

Answer:
I am familiar with the word, however; since I didn’t coin this phrase, I will refer 
readers to Master Shaffer  who has explained this term thoroughly and eloquently 
in numerous writings on his website. 
   
 Question by Master Wilson

5. Do you think we are offering our members in the organization enough for  joining?

Answer:
When I served as president we never had an event which received 100% 
participation by the membership.  Most folks will go to a limited number of events
 no matter how many are offered during the year.  Time and resources dictate this 
fact.  Obviously, the more variety that is offered, the more likely that you will 
appeal to someone’s interest.  The IIKA offers excellent instructional clinics 
covering the various areas of Isshinryu karate.  There is even a separate Ladies 
of Isshinryu group led by Master Sandra Strong which addresses gender specific 
training.  Board members and master instructors donate their time without 
remuneration.  I believe that IIKA dues are very affordable; especially  when 
compared to those groups who pay their instructors expenses.

6. The price of tournaments are going out of the roof, what can you suggest to the 
ones that are hosting these tournaments what they can do to hold down the cost so 
competitors can compete and not just the ones that can afford it?

Answer:
The karate tradition of outlandishly huge trophies and the sheer number of 
divisions is the largest expense of any tournament.  The IIKA could raise its member
dues substantially and subsidize the tournaments it sanctions.  Another alternative is
to hold a smaller shiai as Nashville Dojo does every 3 months consisting of 3 or 4 
schools in the immediate vicinity.  Trophies are eliminated, which result in better 
sportsmanship.  Everyone is a winner by virtue of his participation.  This concept 
has been used by Master Toby Cooling and the Order Of Isshinryu for many years
with great success.  Master Shaffers annual Dragon Jam is another fine example 
of an affordable event with small group dynamics.

7. Master Hill, some of the martial artists see you as one of the elite in our field, 
how do you feel about  that type of status?

Answer:
When I started Isshinryu at Nashville Dojo, I was trained by some truly elite 
karate instructors.  It is my hope that whenever I teach; I can do justice to their 
legacy.

Question by Master Mason

8. Master Hill, I hear a lot about teaching students how to get home at night, has 
too much tournament fighting caused students not to know how to defend 
themselves?

Answer:
There is nothing wrong with training exclusively for tournament competition if 
your interest is for sport and health purposes only.  On the other side of the coin are
those who claim that their technique is so dangerous as to prohibit competition at all.  
All technique must eventually be put to the full-speed test against a non-compliant 
opponent in order to validate itself.  The main reason boxers and grapplers usually 
defeat karate traditionalists in no holds barred events is not because their style is 
superior but the training methods are! They train like they compete; all-out, 
full-speed without holding back.  Obviously, injury is a major concern, hence the 
various rules of play.  The more realistically you train, especially in the striking 
arts, the more you risk  injury.  Much thought and experimentation with safety 
gear has to be done in order to find the right balance between realism and the 
ability to minimize injury while training.  In my experience no single style covers 
all the bases, hence, cross-training.  I strongly believe that one’s foundation of self 
defense tactics should be multi-layered.  You should have a toolbox with various 
tools of the trade.  A mechanic knows that every problem can’t be fixed with a 
bigger hammer.  As you discover empty drawers in your toolbox, seek out new 
tools and training to help fill them.

Question by Master Wilson

9. Master Hill, you are a friend of Master Shaffer and his website has been the 
cutting edge of getting some issues that will not be touched by others, how has 
that improved the concept of Isshinryu or martial arts as a whole?

Answer:
Constructive criticism is useful in preventing complacency and encouraging 
growth.  Having never been one to sit idly by when he deems such criticism is 
needed, Master Shaffers writes commentaries which initiate dialogue about 
relevant issues facing Isshinryu today.  Also, he has used his site to acknowledge 
the accomplishments and abilities of many people with whom he shares mutual 
respect and love of training.  This practice adds greatly to the brotherhood of
martial arts. 

10. Tell me about the Modern Arnis camp you have been attending and the one 
coming up this April 15-16-17, 2005?

Answer:
Prepare yourself to be somewhat overwhelmed at first glance.  There is an 
incredible array of technique demonstrated during the course of training.  Due 
to the excellent quality of instruction even the beginning student gains a great 
deal.  The work ethic and high degree of professionalism is top notch.  Each 
camp I attend builds upon the previous one.  If you are the least bit intrigued by
the martial art of Arnis, don’t miss this event!