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Thus far, you’ve received solid feedback to your OP question. Instead of providing more detailed information/explanatios to your enquirer, please allow me a more simplified answer… Whether a kata is or isn’t either “beginner” or “advanced”…one’s Governing Body makes that decision.

First of all, welcome to the forum! You sure are coming out swinging with this subject! What you are proposing is essentially pre-Queensbury bareknuckle boxing, with the slight modification of not allowing punches to the head instead of it simply being uncommon due to the danger of injury. That's fine, but it's not karate. The way I see it, Shotokan and Kyokushin both significantly diminished the effective curriculum of karate by focusing almost exclusively on kicking and punching in their sparring, to begin with. You are then proposing to take one of those arts and strip it down even more so that it is just punching the body. At that point, you're just doing bareknuckle boxing. Everything that makes it karate is gone. You essentially admit that you understand this when you point out that it isn't a style of karate, and that it can be slapped onto any curriculum. I am in no way trying to offend you when I say this, but it sounds, to me, as if you DON'T actually want to train in or teach karate. Nothing in your post suggests, to me, that you actually value the art, as it is. You just value full-contact fighting, and you don't like how people are doing it. I'm afraid I will have to contradict your position on protective gear and the value of body-only sparring, as well. The fact of the matter is that protective gear allows for more consistent sparring without injury, at all levels of contact, whether you like it or not, and sparring without punches to the head develops very bad habits that will carry over into every form of fighting you try to do. As others have already mentioned, you will also have a hard time dealing with insurance as a full-contact school that uses no protective gear. I just don't see enough value in this methodology to outweigh the issues, and I certainly don't see why it should be attached to karate, at all.

I have personally tossed around and dropped Kyokushin 1st, 2nd, and 5th Dans, while I was a 2st Dan, myself. These sorts of generalizations and style-vs-style claims don't hold up, and don't serve any real purpose.

You say "Always" but there is a flaw to your logic. Kyokushin in itself as a whole has their own specific rules when it comes to kumite in the dojo and for tournaments. In comparison to the "other" styles where they all often compete against one another with a unified ruleset. At tournaments here in Australia we have National All Styles (NAS); which all styles (including Kyokushin) compete under the same rules. And Kyokushin Fighters often are at a disadvantage when it comes to those bouts. Then we have Karate Australia; which operates under World Karate Federation (WKF) Rules. So no Kyokushin Dojos have joined or compete in those tournaments. So for your logic to work effectively; you would need fighters to fight on an even basis where the competitors can demonstrate their styles to their fullest. Which in my mind is close to the UFC. Now something I do when teaching, but with Adults with sufficient experience and their consent and forms signed stating that they didn't hold me, the club or the other participants liable for injury. Is to do rounds of sparring; but as close to realistic as possible so slaps, grabbing, pushing, shoving all that fun is ok. But to start our rounds we just bow to each other as a whole, and go. But we do also rounds with specific situations; but we don't give the "attackers" or "defenders" any guidelines on what to do. Just to either be a threat or stop the fight.

Thank you all. This is quite the honour to have been awarded this five times. It is humbling. Again, thank you all.

There was one Okinawan teacher who got rid of yakuza types who attempted to intimidate him thinking he was an easily scared old man. They would not so subtly remind everyone that the building where the dojo was and many other parts of the neighborhood was their turf, and therefore owed them something. They often showed up acting arrogant, threatening and belligerent demanding recognition and « respect ». Instead of cowering in fear, the 9th dan 70 something sensei invited the yakuza in and showed them his personal makiwara, which was basically a piece of iron/steel sheet. After striking it a few dozen times with his hands and then with his toes(similar to sokusen kick in uechiryu), he asked if any of the yakuza characters wanted to have a go. One tried to look tough not to loose face, but visibly winced and very obviously could not continue beyond a couple of halfhearted punches. The sensei asked if anyone else wanted to try, but they all looked at each other, gave a sheepish bow and left. They never bothered him afterwards, even ignoring him if they saw him.

In Uechi-Ryu, we have a saying, "All is in Sanchin", and as far as stances go, this is no exception. Almost all of our kata and drills are performed in Sanchin stance, and this stance is pretty basic yet subtle. You can tell someone "feet shoulder width apart, move one foot forward slightly, turn it in about 30-45 degrees." However, that is the beginning of Sanchin. There are quite a few subtleties that you only learn after practicing Sanchin kata for some time and having instructors test your stability. We perform kata almost exclusively in Sanchin, we perform our drills in Sanchin, and to a certain degree, we are expected to fight/spar in Sanchin. The other stances we utilize are all derived from Sanchin, and are used in specific situations for a specific purpose. We have a neko dachi (cat stance), which starts in Sanchin where you basically shift the weight to the back foot and lift the front foot up to rest on the toe (not the ball of the foot). This is frequently used prior to or immediately following a crane (e.g. shin) block. We also have a version of Zenkutsu dachi, where you start from Sanchin and use your rear leg to drive yourself forward, usually to do an elbow strike into an opponent's sternum. Where your foot naturally lands -- that's a Zenkutsu dachi. Finally, we have a low stance, nominally a shiko-dachi, which starts from a sanchin stance, and you slide your front foot forward and to the (out) side enough to drop your center of gravity such you're below your opponent's center of gravity, and an elbow strike will land right at your opponent's sternum. Again, these 3 other stances are transitional stances, and used for specific brief sequences. For the vast majority of our kata and drills, we live in Sanchin

At this testing we had a white belt, a high orange belt, a low blue belt, and a recommended black belt testing. Overall, I saw good things from all the students. I saw good technique from top to bottom (rank appropriate, of course), and improvements are coming along as I would expect. White belts: all kids, and they were pretty nervous. I’d seen them all do their form in class well, but here at testing the nerves showed up. Their first run-through of Chon Ji hyung was all over the place. We reset them, talked with them, and I had them all take a deep breath and let it out, and had them go a second time. In their first run, they all botched up the second half of the form. On the second go, they all did much better. And they all handled the one-steps pretty well. Their memory is good, they just need to be more confident in themselves. High Orange belt: I saw a need to get more fully into stance, especially after turning into a front stance. Just stepping a little too shallow. There was also some confusion on crossing arms inside or outside based off whether the technique was a block or a strike. Otherwise, good technical execution. I’d like to see more power. On a side note this was one of the twins that tested. I was surprised they both didn’t test, as I figured they’d hang together in rank. But this may be good for both of them. Low Blue belt: Good technique. It will get better as the student learns to relax the shoulders and hips more to generate power in the strikes. I saw knife hand blocks that looked more like strikes (extended too far). In both the forms and one-steps, I saw points where foot position was not quite right for side kicks and follow-up kicks in combination. Pre-pivots can help here, along with focusing on where a kick lands and how the foot lands to be in better position for the next kick. In sparring, she was getting more kicking worked in, better combinations. Great to see! Recommended Black belt: lots of good stuff here. To start the testing off, the student had to read aloud the essay required for the rank, answering three questions. I was encouraged, as the student stated he did not plan on quitting after getting his black belt, as he had previously told me his plan was. I’m encouraged, but we’ll see what happens. The low rank forms looked good, done the way a black belt should do them. I saw some shuffle stepping, or “sugar-footing” on stance transitions, but this can be worked on. He got all the forms done, and all the one-steps. For board breaking, a lack of body alignment showed up, and this has been addressed in class, so it’s up to him now to start fixing it. Observations for the overall testing: when doing the 270 and 180 degree turns, the higher ranks especially need to not stop-step when turning. They need to focus on the whole transition happening in one step and keeping the stepping foot close to the base foot when turning in order to retain balance better and make foot placement much easier. Sitting back in back stances more is needed. I told the students when they are sparring, if they keep doing the same thing and getting blocked, it’s time to change it up! For final comments, the main point I made was that I enjoy testings a lot, because they not only show us where the students are in their progression, but it also shows us as instructors what we need to focus on in class in order to correct the things we see. It tests us as well as them. Finally, the CI handed out new rank, and all the black belts came up and addressed the new black belt on our experience in hitting that rank, and how it was kind of a new beginning, and what was in store going forward. Me and the CI kind of both had the same thoughts; I told him he now had to make the decision to either be someone who got a black belt once, or he could say that he is a black belt by continuing his training. I also mentioned that he was at a point where he could say he’s someone who does TKD, or he could become a Martial Artist, and told him to think about that. Overall, another enjoyable test. Unfortunately, my work schedule shifts to afternoons with weekends off, so I won’t be getting to TKD class for a couple of months, unless something weird happens with the schedule. So I’ll be the absentee instructor for a while.

I would add a little subtle comment to this; figure out how to train around minor injuries and not make things worse.

I think the evolution of stances as the way we see them in forms/katas now has more to do with aesthetics than actual practicality when using techniques. I agree that stances should be seen as the means for transitioning between techniques or generating power in techniques. I see more and more applications of this as I train in Aikido, which is not concerned about static stances, but the movements required to get from point A to point B.

Apologies for being late to this. I will inevitably parrot some thoughts in my answer that have already been presented, so apologies for a lack of obvious originality, but I will try and introduce some nuances from my own perspective. To parrot the earlier posts to an extent: The perspective of those in the governing body who are responsible for the syllabus, and where they feel kata ought to be placed. In reviewing syllabi, I would say I have observed several factors which seem to have dominated the thinking of the syllabus architects: 1. The length of the Kata 2. The athletic challenges of the Kata 3. The number of novel movements present (Hence novel applications) 4. Relevance to other core exercises (Pre-Arranged Exercises/Drills) 5. Does it introduce knowledge or build upon/challenge existing ability To demonstrate this observation I am going to break down the nine core kata of the Wado-Ryu Syllabus. These, in my experience, are the most adjusted from their Shotokai/Shito-Ryu equivalents which are the origins of Otsuka’s kata. Plus, I only earned a Shodan in Wado-Ryu, and I belonged to a multi-style organisation, so I never really learnt the kata beyond the core nine as my teacher felt the Shito-Ryu or Shorin-Ryu versions were better, and we changed over to a shorin-ryu club at the start of 2013 which was only a few months after I got my Wado-Ryu black belt. Anyway, onto my analysis: Pinangata – Built around Kihon, but contain novel sequences, though they are largely variations on fundamental techniques. They also introduce the primordial shapes of the system (Stances and Postures) in a sequential manner and the kata also very brief. Does include the use of two hands at once, but also predominantly involves hikite. A lot of the movements are also found in the Kihon Kumite of Wado-Ryu. Kushanku – The longest kata in the system. Hironori Otsuka appears, in my eyes, to have made it align much more closely to the previous Pinangata movements that are borrowed from this kata. In the Shito-Ryu and Shorin-Ryu, the Pinangata and Kusanku Dai, have a lot of very similar movements but there are subtle differences. That, however, is an aside point. As a kata it is more athletically demanding because of its length, and it has a couple of athletically demanding moves such as a drop and rise from the floor, and a jumping front kick, but it largely reinforces elements from the preceding kata. Naihanchi – Builds upon Meotode (Hands working together) as introduced in some of the Pinangata. To perform the kata well also requires proper use of posture and the waist because you cannot rely on momentum to give an impression of speed and power. It also has a rooted stance, while the previous kata largely impress light-footedness upon the karateka. Seishan – The first part of this kata largely builds on the lessons of Naihanchi. It works from a rooted stance and features a lot of movement on the spot requiring good use of posture and the waist. One novel element though is the focus on controlled breathing. It also uses a combination of fast and slow movements, where in comparison all the earlier kata focus on sharp and graceful movement. The second half features some challenging movements for someone with poor balance, such as the knee lifts to a step behind, a front kick from a cross step, and a cycle kick near the end. Thus making it more athletically demanding. Chinto – On the surface, Chinto is quite alien to the preceding kata. It contains few examples of kihon waza, unlike the pinangata and kushanku, nor does it have a focus on rooting like Naihanchi and Seishan. However, when one looks closely we can see the points it is building on. There is significant use of the hands working together, as in Naihanchi and Seishan, and it has athletically challenging movements like Kushanku, and a number of the sequences can be seen as variations on novel movements from the Pinangata and Kushanku. Plus, the single leg stance introduces and demands the ability to root, have good posture, and use the waist, to be effective. Chinto, should, in theory challenge you to get better at all the previous lessons. It is also a relatively long kata. I think, based on my observations, I would argue that you can identify the Pinangata and Naihanchi as beginner kata, Kushanku and Seishan as intermediate kata, and Chinto as an advanced kata. They increase in length, athletic challenge, and introduce novel concepts in a progressive manner, before culminating in Chinto where all the prior lessons are needed to perform it well. This can also be seen in the Goju-Ryu core syllabus of 12 kata. Gekisai Ichi and No contain all the core techniques but done in a hard manner, with a focus on forward momentum, north south-movement, and the use of a lead hand. Saifa (Which I believe may be Miyagi’s reorganising and interpretation of Naihanchi) introduces the uses of angles, the blend of soft and hard movement, meotode, and movements on the spot requiring use of the waist and proper posture. Along with Sanchin and Tensho these are Kihongata/Heishugata/Tanrengata which are intended for physically conceptualising principles and developing a martial body. These are all core to progressing to the Kaishugata which focus on applications, and the Kaishugata generally progress in length, athletic challenge, and number of novel techniques, and each generally builds upon the theme of the last. In both examples, the earlier kata are preparatory for the latter kata. They introduce principles relevant to the following kata, and which are needed to perform the following kata properly, and to understand the new principles the later kata are introducing. They prepare the body for the evolving challenges of the later kata. Anyway, in short, and to give a more direct answer to each query To repeat myself - 1. The length of the Kata 2. The athletic challenges of the Kata 3. The number of novel movements present (Hence novel applications) 4. Relevance to other core exercises (Pre-Arranged Exercises/Drills) 5. Does it introduce knowledge or build upon/challenge existing ability Yes, the first kata teaches the process of learning kata. Thus, it should introduce the most essential components to build the learning process on. A poorly chosen initial kata can derail the learning process before it begins. Yes, but different people will determine difficulty in different ways. Depends on the system. Some focus the training of principles through Kihongata/Heishugata/Tanrengata designed specifically for physically conceptualising principles, and isolating them for practice. The later kata should then be performed with these principles while focusing on the novel possibilities for applications. Others will introduce the principles as they become relevant to the applications of the kata. Depends on if the syllabus was built around an understanding of the concept of Bunseki, of which Bunkai is only one element. Without that knowledge a kata syllabus could be purely built around obvious athletic challenges. To give a more personal answer. I do not believe there are innately beginner and advanced kata. There are kata that have been designed for beginners and novices as mentioned about, however, I agree with Wastelander that kata are as complex as what you put into them. As you gain greater understanding, and you revisit kata you learnt earlier, you should be pulling back and applying later lessons to them. To give an example from my teaching approach. With the Pinangata my focus is on Koshi, the use of the waist, as a foundation for the development of Muchimi, Gamaku, and Chikuchi. Pinan Nidan – Use of the Waist with techniques off the front hand Pinan Shodan – Use of the Waist with techniques off the back hand Pindan Sandan – Use of the Waist when using hands in tandem Pinan Yondan – Use of the waist in quick succession Pinan Godan – Using the waist in foot work As the student progresses, they should then, and I do guide them in this, take the lesson backwards as well as forward. I also introduce Naihanchi Shodan early with a focus on Muchimi, and Sanchin with a focus on Chikuchi. As students advance, they should then bring all the lessons together in all their kata. Thus, as they progress their performance of the kata should become more advanced, turning them into advanced kata as they find more innate challenges within the kata to overcome. With that said, another angle to consider is what I call “Flavours” in kata performance. Each system has its own core which is reflected in its kata performance. Shorin-Ryu is often quite staccato, with deliberate breaks between techniques to generate and perform techniques explosively. Goju-Ryu often has a strict divide between hard and soft techniques, giving their kata a fast and slow rhythm. Many systems influenced by the WKF Competition circuit have a more dynamic appearance focusing on kata being done in sequences, and motions being sharp and powerful, or slow and graceful, which give them a percussive flow done well, or lead to looking rushed done badly. Many systems influenced more recently by Chinese sources often have a flowing appearance with the moments of fixture being brief, and the stances often being less defined and more mobile. My point being that, over time, all the kata in your own system might become “beginner” like in difficulty to you. However, were you to try a kata from a system with a different “flavour” their beginner or intermediate kata may feel advanced to you. Because it demands a different kind of martial body, or it places emphasis on different elements of motion you have not trained for. To be lazy, and not make this post any longer than need be, here is a link to a post on a topic on seisan: https://karateforums.com/topic/51847-seisan-kata/page/2/#findComment-574610 Most versions of Matsumura Seisan can be traced back to Kyan Chotoku, and other versions traced back to Ryu Ryu Ko. Personally, Chito-Ryu’s Seisan looks closer to a version of Matsumura Seisan than it does Goju-Ryu’s. And Kyan Chotoku was Chitose’s first teacher. However, I do believe that it is an amalgamation or is Aragaki’s version as Chitose seemed to favour Aragaki’s teachings in his creation of Chito-Ryu. Furthermore, Funakoshi’s Hangetsu looks like Matsumura Seisan, and he got his Seisan from Aragaki. A counter point to this is that Miyagi, the founder of Goju-Ryu, purportedly got his from Higoanna, who reportedly received it from Ryu Ryu Ko. Aragaki Seisho was a senior student of Ryu Ryu Ko to Higoanna. If they both got their versions from Ryu Ryu Ko, then Chitose is plausibly doing Kyan’s versions due to the differences. Alternatively, Miyagi changed his Seisan, which would not have been out of character for Miyagi. Either way, nothing definitive. The following is speculation, and I have little to no evidence. I have been told by a handful of old Okinawan Karateka that kata in old Okinawan Martial Arts, and to an extent Chinese Martial Arts, that most forms have two or three versions. Either a Sho and Dai, or a Sho, Dai, and Gwa set. As in modern karate some of these were taught sequentially. But under some teachers you would abandon the less complex version as you learnt the more sophisticated and comprehensive version. Alternatively, you would be taught the version that the teacher thought suited your level of ability, or the version they were still confident performing if age and injury were a factor. The differences could be because they received different versions from the same teacher, or as you have speculated, the students chose to keep the version they preferred. It is a kata that is both rudimentary and complex. It can be used to introduce effective fundamentals including rooting, breathing, and generation of power through the waste. However, it can present some athletic challenges, if one wants to put them in there. It is easy to break into sections for easier learning, and it contains the majority of the most fundamental techniques. I can see many arguments for it being the first kata of a system Now, I will add some brief thoughts on things I have learnt since in my research which are relevant to the linked post. Patrick McCarthy appears to have been the primary populariser of Aragaki Seisan, and he originally learned the Kata from Richard Kim. Due to Mr McCarthy’s reputation as a historical researcher, I somewhat naively assumed he labelled the kata Aragaki Seisan because of a high degree of confidence it was related to Aragki Seisho. However, two points have since come to my attention: 1. The label of Aragaki Seisan was given by Richard Kim. It could have been arbitrary as there is no evidence this kata is connected to Aragaki Seisho. 2. The current Aragaki Seisan kata promoted by the IRKRS is Patrick McCarthy’s own personal interpretation of the kata based on lengthy study of many versions. Thus, I must discount it as evidence in my original hypothesis. Arguably, Richard Kim may have received the kata from Arakaki Ankichi, hence the choice of kata name, who apparently joined Yabu Kentsu in his brief excursion to Hawaii in 1926, but that is a hypothesis based on very slim documented evidence. I am doubtful the credited Arakaki Ankichi is the famous one, as both the surname and forname are relatively common Okinawan names, and there is no documented evidence of the famous Arakaki visiting Hawaii that I can find. Plus, even were it the famous Arakaki Ankichi, there is no documented connection of him to Aragaki Seisho. Either way, it leaves that trail cold for now. Furthermore, with additional research I have conducted since, I have become sceptical of the claims of Nakaima regarding Ryuei-Ryu’s origins. Again, I have detailed those reasons for doubts in another post: https://karateforums.com/topic/51859-okinawan-ryuei-ryu-karate/#findComment-574680 If Chito-Ryu’s Seisan, which may come from either Aragaki or Kyan, does come from Aragaki it could be considered the “true” Aragaki Seisan. Then my standing theory still holds water but this loss of two key point of evidence has made it leaky. I plan to revisit it in time. I know Seishan, Naha Seisan (Goju-Ryu), Aragaki Seisan, Higoanna Seisan, and Miyahira Seisan. Through all those versions the key point is to have a forward focusing (Not necessarily square) stance, flexibility in the knees, and the hara lowered through the hips. You should be able to bend yourself forward at the hips without losing balance. Sanchin artificially forces this by having the bladed fleet. If you try to stand completely upright with your feet in sanchin position you will immediately feel off balance, and the only way to correct it is to sink. But yes, you are essentially trying to adopt a stance adapted for wrestling. Naihanchi Shodan – the more you learn about karate, the less you feel the need to change it. It, on the surface, contains all the fundamentals needed to make all of your kata better, but the more I study it the more find principles hidden in plain sight, but I didn’t have the vision to see them previously. I have previously created three kata, however, I do not teach them. For various reasons, but I created them when they had a purpose, and then the purpose faded. Kimarite I created for competition training purposes. I based it on 12 combinations/fighting manoeuvres I identified as functionally the same from many different sources. The kata could be performed in a line, or with turns designed to imply throws. Each sequence had a pad-work drill, and application drills. The application drills were based on using the sequence as an offence, as a counter set up or, to use fencing terminology, as part of a counter riposte. I also created variations to adapt to different rule sets and Miai: thus, a variation for sundome, a variation for full-contact striking, and a set which included clinches and the takedowns. I used to teach it to my students interested in competition, or used it as a tool when I did guest coaching. But I have not taught a competition session since before Covid, and I havve subsequently developed shadow work exercises connected to the Pinangata and my organisations basic bunkai, along with pad work drills, which keeps everyone grounded in the traditional karate, but gives flexibility for competition training. I also developed a kata called Shirokuma. A nickname I was given when I was in Okinawa because I was white, but hairier and bigger than a native member nicknamed Kuma. But also I built it around a Kata my Shorei Kempo teacher taught me simply called Bear Kata. I designed it to focus on body-to-body grappling techniques, as at the time I felt traditional kata only really dealt with arm length grappling and striking. Subsequently, as I have learnt more about bunseki, and more about the principles behind kata performance, I have had this erroneous view corrected, and I find plenty of body-to-body techniques in almost any kata now I know what to look for. To repeat myself: the more you learn about karate, the less you feel the need to change it. But I do feel there was a benefit in creating the kata, as they led me to a deep appreciation and knowledge of the old kata. Lastly, I created a kata which became a tribute to a friend called Tsukai. I based in on Wado-Ryu’s Jitte, his favourite Kata, but I incorporated the five fighting combinations of the Kempo Karate system he taught. At the time we were trying to build a club together, and we were going to ground it in the Kempo Karate he taught as he was bringing along the student base, but we were going to introduce exercises and Kata from Wado-Ryu, which we both knew and where we knew each other from. Thus, I was trying to create a unique kata which blended the two traditions, and also sneak in some principles from Shorin-ryu. Sadly, he died during the covid crises, but I completed the kata as a tribute. I taught it to his students, but whether they still practice it I do not know. I try to run through it on his birthday as a private tribute, but it is not part of my regular practice.

That’s quite presumptuous to indicate because, again, it’s the practitioner that one must face on the floor of battle and not the style itself. Imho.

Well thats what we're all here for! To ask questions and have them answered from people who may know how to help. This is why I love this site, so we can all learn something or even have a change of perspective.

we had / did similar drills at the lower / intermediate belts. we called it one step sparring drills. another is having one person stand static in the fighting position, either foot forward and circling them while throwing kicks or punches to open areas, good practice for beginners to ease into sparring. as one progresses movement can be added to the static side from just back and forth "bouncing" or "weight shifting" to more in-depth movement. it is a usual practice for more sport based systems but is actually good for everyone, to learn coordination. control, aim, and footwork. we didnt start sparring until green belt (4th belt in our style), and these were some of the exercises that would ease each level up to the point of full on sparring. but are still fun and useful even after getting into the full sparring stage. or for those with injuries or just no desire to full on spar. thanks, i like hearing others training methods also

We have several different sets of 2-person drills. At the white and yellow belt levels, we train in yakusoku kumite dai ichi and dai ni. These are basic prearranged sparring drills that start with a basic back and forth sequence of punches and blocks. They start off with one punch/block, one punch/block and then move up to sequences of 2 or 3 different attacks/defenses. As students progress to green belt ranks, they learn our kyu kumite and kicking drills. These present more complex sequences of attacks and defenses, and these also start introducing the concept of manipulating the attacker. For example, in our kicking drill, we have a sequence where the attacker comes in with a side kick (yoko geri). The defender sweeps the kick out of the way, which encourages the attacker into a spinning hook kick. As students mature, they start making these connections, where if I do this as a defense, the attacker is likely to do that. At brown belt and black belt levels, we practice our dan kumite drill. This drill introduces the concepts of flow, and it is expected to be done in renzoku style, that is, in one seamless drill with minimal pauses between sequences. Nominally it is done in 12 sequences -- partner A is the attacker for sequences 1-5, partner B attacks on sequences 1-5, partner A attacks for sequence 6 (which involves a takedown/throw), and then partner B attacks for sequence 6. However, for advanced students (1st kyu and up), it is expected to be executed as one flowing drill. It is also at this level that students are expected to start demonstrating a balance between speed, power, and technique. Last, but certainly not least, we have our hojo undo (supplementary exercises) techniques. These are very similar to kihon drills in other styles; they consist of short sequences derived from our kata. For example, one of them is circle block/front kick. At the beginning of class we will do these right after our warmups. However, these can also be done with a partner, where the partner attacks with a mid-level lunge punch, and the defender replies with the assigned hojo undo technique.

Also, at the risk of sounding slightly rude (if it is then i apologise) can i ask what level you have gotten to in Kyokushin and / or Shotokan? I am much junior rank wise to a lot of the people on here (people don't usually make comments here based on rank which is refreshing) but some of the sentiments i am hearing are similar to ones i have heard before from newer students / members who have not trained enough to work out why some things are as they are. Sorry if this embarasses them but @Wastelander has multiple dan ranks in a variety of styles (including practical karate ones) and @bushido_man96 is a 5th dan in TKD plus works as a LEO (so will have real hands on experience of defence situations) and they both have laid out cogent points as to why body only striking as you espouse may not work for self defence. If you are equally as credentialled / skilled then fair enough but it is possible that this is a case of "you don't know what you don't know".

Oooh...that's going to leave a mark.. sorry couldn't resist

In my opinion, there really isn't such a thing as "advanced kata," per se. I do think there are some kata which are very obviously designed for beginners, such as Chibana's Kihongata, or the Taikyouku series, which are short, simple, and generally contain the most basic of lessons. That said, those can still be done in an advanced way, turning them into "advanced kata." Pretty much all the other kata are going to be subjective as to what level they are, because different kata are easier or harder for different people on a case-by-case basis, and the way the instructor teaches them also makes a difference. Some people consider Naihanchi to be black belt material, for example, while they tend to be the first real kata that you learn in Shorin-Ryu, but the versions of the kata are very similar, so there isn't an actual concrete reason for Naihanchi to be "advanced kata" for some and "beginner kata" for others. If the instructor struggles, themselves, with correctly performing the kata and learning the applications, they are more likely to present it as "advanced" material, and if they find it easy and understand the applications, they're more likely to present it as "beginner" material. Also, the more nuance they teach for the kata, the more "advanced" it can be. If everything in kata is done the same basic way as all the other kata and drills you've learned before, it's probably "beginner" material, but if there are subtle shifts in the footwork/stances, different movement patterns connecting familiar postures, or fine details with regard to hand movements that are unique to the kata, it's more likely to be considered "advanced." There is also, as you allude to, a tradition factor involved, because if someone is taught a particular kata as a beginner, they are more likely to consider it a "beginner kata," and the same goes for "advanced kata." That's why it is important to be critical of tradition, and not just repeat it thoughtlessly. I realize this may not be too terribly helpful, but that's just my view on it. The kata are as "advanced" as you make them, basically. To answer your final question, I would say that Naihanchi still represents my approach the most, but I'm not averse to the creation of new kata, provided they are created with the right intentions and understanding. I have created kata myself, as well as guided others through the process, and have found it to be a great way to get a new perspective on the potential application of kata, as a whole, although I have never gone on to teach any of the kata we created. I've considered developing one to teach, as of late, though.

Good points, too, @ryanryu. On a side note, at our recent testing when this kid I mentioned read his essay aloud, he stated he doesn't plan to quit, he plans to keep going. So we'll see what we've got now.

I know how that goes, @aurik, dealing with inconsistency in training. I've been fighting that the past few months. Every now and then I have a good week, but more often than not it seems I have bad weeks with a good day here and there. I have to pace myself in classes, too. As we get older, we just have to figure out how to manage our time and energy better. It's tough, for sure.

Your statement that "fist fighting was far more common than it is today" is most likely true, in a broad sense, but I don't agree with the proposal that this means karate is "supplementary training for 'the guy who can already fight.'" I'm not sure where you got that idea from, as I have only ever heard that from people who train in MMA and have little to no actual karate experience. I can't think of a single reputable instructor or historian of karate that has made such a claim, and if we are looking specifically at the history of Okinawa and the development of karate, this is simply not the case. The form of combat that the majority of Okinawan people had exposure to and training in was tegumi/muto, a folkstyle no-gi submission grappling sport, meaning that if karate were supplemental to anything, it would be the ability to grapple, largely on the ground. Untrained people certainly got into fist fights, but there was also a saying in Okinawa that went something along the lines of "if you see people fighting with closed fists, move along, but if they fight with open hands, watch and learn." Despite how it is presented in the modern day, karate is much less about punching than people realize. We must also bear in mind that karate was developed by nobility for three main purposes; self-defense, law enforcement, and security/bodyguard work. None of these contexts is really best served by learning how to fist fight, and the people involved in developing these arts were not the sort of men to get involved in fist fights, more often than not. COULD you use the sparring format you propose to teach students "the bare instinct of how to 'fight,' with more traditional karate techniques being taught along side it as...supplementary knowledge?" Honestly, I don't think so. What I DO think you would get out of it is the development of grit and the mindset of aggression, which are definitely beneficial for people who want to learn to fight, and I think that's really what you're getting at, but I think the skillset developed by the format is too limited to actually teach someone how to fight effectively. It also doesn't matter how many other techniques you teach if this is the only type of sparring you do, because if you never use the other techniques in sparring, you'll never develop the skill necessary to use them, so all you will ever use is body shots. I realize that I'm not telling you things that you want to hear, but I truly don't think you're going to get the benefits you're looking for out of the format you've proposed. There is no singular sparring method which is perfect for pressure testing karate, which is why my late Sensei and I employ a layered approach where we employ multiple different sparring formats to develop different skills and attributes, and to cover gaps left by the compromises and limitations of each format. I'm not saying that you shouldn't spar the way you've described, but it has some glaring flaws that need to be addressed by other forms of sparring. I also don't think removing protective gear is beneficial, at all. If you want extra conditioning, do body conditioning bareknuckle in controlled training exercises, as it is traditionally done. Wear protective gear for sparring, not just for insurance purposes, but because it increases the safety, health, and longevity of those involved without significantly reducing the effectiveness of the sparring.

When I first started my club, I did not bother with a Dojo Kun, as I was largely teaching adults who had already formed a world view. I saw the dojo kun as largely an educational device. As time has gone by, I have taken on youth students for whom such teachings are invaluable, but I have also realised that they are a statement of intent. They explain to a prospective student what the dojo environment is intended to embody, and they help manage expectations. It means a student knows what I expect out of them more clearly. My choice of five, which has been parsed down from seven in the past, are: Karate wa gi no tasuke - Karate is an assistance to justice Saki Sei Sono Kokoro – Take the Previous Rule to Heart Kazokushugi - Family-Centrism Makoto – Sincerity and Truth Hito no te ashi wo ken to omo - Think of hands and feet as swords Below are my explanations and intended meaning behind each: Karate wa gi no tasuke - Karate is an assistance to justice. I did once have Karate Mu Sente, which I did replace for Karate ni sente nashi, but neither really encompassed what I wanted to transmit. Both being phrases for their being no first attack in karate, it just led to pedantic discussions. What I wanted it to transmit was the idea of not initiating problems. Which is to say the attitude you take to things is a part of the reaction you receive. If you head into situations with an attack first mentality, whether literal or metaphorical, you are going to invite problems. You invite people to be defensive, and then the situation is at once antagonistic. When re-reading Funakoshi’s 20 precepts I was reminded of Karate wa gi no tasuke – Karate is an assistance to justice. I felt it worked on several levels. Someone going and starting fights is not being at all lawful, but it also spoke to a deeper level of the consequences of gaining personal strength: you can use or misuse that strength. Thus, this precept being first. I feel one should use our strength to pursue a better world. Also, my view that as autocratic as the dojo is, it should still be a place of fairness. Plus, I feel the idea of justice also includes values of courtesy and integrity. Saki Sei Sono Kokoro – Take the Previous Rule to Heart Long story short, I had a couple of banners I made years ago which were copies of the banners in the Miyagi Family Dojo in the Karate Kid: Part 2. When I found a regular venue for my current club, I used to take them and hang them to give the place some atmosphere as it wasother wise a rather characterless function room. Someone did recognise them once, and quoted to me the meaning given by Mr Miyagi, and I had to point out the actual meanings: There is no first move in Karate, and senseigoshin: First, have a sound mind. After that, I went and got a banner with Karate ni sente nashi made by a professional to replace my tired, amateur attempt at Karate mu sente, and I retired the second banner. However, when I sat down to figure out my dojo kun I decided to include this seemingly throw away joke for a few reasons. To keep myself humble and take the dojo space seriously: I should not decorate it with things thinking they have no consequence. Everything in the dojo should have a purpose towards training. Secondly, it is a thought device to remind people to consider all the precepts interconnected. None of them exist separately. Lastly, to emphasise how seriously I take the first rule, and that it is the first rule for a reason. Kazokushugi – Can be roughly translated as Family-Centrism. My teacher named his organisation on the concept at the heart of his approach: of members all being part of a family. That it is important that members feel part of the association they have joined, and don’t just feel like a number on a membership list. Thus, I have this as one of my dojo precepts as a reminder to embody this in my dojo too. Plus, to remind people of their other obligations in life beyond the dojo, the association, and karate: their friends and family. Makoto – Sincerity and Truth Depending on context it can be translated either way. However, what I intend in Makoto is sincerity towards one’s training, and to honesty to oneself. Having a clear vision of the intent of your training, being honest with oneself about one’s progress, or lack of, and having a realistic understanding of one’s ability and the purpose and limits of one’s karate. Hito no te ashi wo ken to omo - Think of hands and feet as swords. This is another of Funakoshi’s precepts, but I chose it due to an oft quoted statement for Chibana Chosin: “Your fingers and the tips of your toes must be like arrows, your arms must be like iron. You have to think that if you kick, you try to kick the enemy dead. If you punch, you must thrust to kill. If you strike, then you strike to kill the enemy” Thus, I have this precept as a reminder of the need to train the body effectively. A sword is forged though hard work, the use of the right materials, and expert knowledge. But the quality of the sword produced lies in the efforts of the craftsman. Plus, a sword must be maintained: polished and sharpened regularly. Lastly, to carry on with this metaphor, a sword is only as dangerous as its wielder. A karateka must always be aware that their limbs are their weapons and treat them as such. Similarly, they must remain aware that these are the weapons of everyone else. We must practice awareness of the dangers others pose. And when we train with each other, we must take mistakes in our defences seriously. An error in the dojo should be treated in the same manner an error in a real fight must be treated: potentially lethal. An error should be taken to heart and learnt from.

I've seen many of Rick Hotton's YT videos, I love his approach and philosophy, though I'm not a Shotokan guy I find him very relatable. I don't find him at all eccentric. People like him, who are the real deal, don't need all the titles, Hall of Fame awards, etc. I've run into a few belt collectors, people who made up their own styles, exaggerated their backgrounds, had to close up and leave town in a hurry. I assume the OP is referring to basically harmless weird behavior, "colorful" or outlandish. We've all heard the horror stories of instructors who were abusive, sexual predators, or unscrupulous in business. The one name I'll mention that is most controversial is George Dillman. I went to some of his seminars in the 90's. At the time his theories and applications were eye-opening, a new perspective that made sense. He was also a brazen self-promoter, selling books & videos. But he got increasingly far-out, and lost a lot of followers when he got into "no touch" knockouts.

I'm right there with you on this one. Explain stuff! Sometimes students won't understand it yet, but someday they might and it'll help them move a little further down the road. For now, I have less virtues and more philosophies, I’d say. My starting point was the 2nd Goju-ryu Precept – GOJU-RYU KARATE-DO IS THE MANIFESTATION WITHIN ONE’S OWN SELF OF THE HARMONIOUS ACCORD OF THE UNIVERSE. Yea it’s a mouthful and sounds very 19th century. But I believe that it means that there is a balance in the natural world, an orderliness, a “harmonious accord”. And Goju-ryu, as the hard-soft style, is a tool/method that practitioners can use to develop the same balance within themselves. One of the sayings that I first heard from Frank Van Lenten was that you should be as hard as the world makes you be and as soft as it lets you be. Obviously, this proportion varies for each of us, and it probably changes over time, but being able to harmonize the hard and soft is the final goal of Goju-ryu. I take that as more than just being flexible in your techniques, but knowing yourself and being in control of yourself enough that you can find that equilibrium. There’s another prominent idea in the martial arts that I think dovetails well with the idea of balancing hard/soft – that the Budo mentality is a harsh battle with yourself. For example, Shoshin Nagamine wrote that: “Karate may be referred to as the conflict within yourself, or a life-long marathon which can be won only through self-discipline, hard training, and your own creative efforts.” That resonates with me. It is really easy to follow your whims and avoid doing anything too difficult, but for those who learn how to endure, how to commit, how to take little steps consistently, it is so empowering. Of course, a student doesn't need to believe any of this to train. I've just found it enriching to have a bigger philosophical framework around my training. I've struggled to learn and articulate this aspect of my training, but it's really the core of why I've found karate to be so useful in my life. If I had to name specific virtues to support this, it’d be similar to what you have – perseverance, integrity, consistency, honesty (esp. with yourself), and courage. Perhaps temperance, prudence, patience as well? Martial arts training is powerful so a lot of these virtues exist to develop a sense of responsibility in the student.

Wow, that brings back memories.... not only as you stated with nerves, excitement and being overwhelmed. but of the later tournaments and the experiences gained and memories made of traveling the southeast circuit for the following coupleyears... that first tournament was the battle of atlanta in 1981, i was a blue belt and did manage to win a couple of point fights. so not too bad considering.....lol.......then a few local smaller tournaments , and then traveling with the group all over....those were fun, not just the events but the comradery and time spent on the beaches or in the cities afterwards or before the tournament itself....fun times indeed...... i made sure to make my last tournament before leaving for the military to be our studios / instructors yearly tournament, the Vitali Goldstar....that was the mid 80's and since returning from the military in the 90's i have probably only participated in a couple tournaments with another dojo/style since then... but those days with my first style will always be what i remember most fondly....

I have to avoid caffeine due to Meniere's disease. However, years ago I started struggling with fried or greasier foods and found out that I had Chron's disease. You might get with a gastroenterologist to see if you have developed Chron's or colitis.

Yes. My late Sensei made use of heavy bags, sometimes double-end bags, and plenty of strength and conditioning equipment. I don't currently have the ability to put up a hanging bag of any kind, but I do still make use of a lot of strength and conditioning equipment. I incorporate some degree of strength and conditioning at the beginning of my classes, just as my late Sensei did, but class time is mainly for actual martial arts training, so real dedicated S&C workouts are probably only once or twice a month. Students are expected to work on that on their own.

Thanks for asking, DarthPenguin. It is, yes! We're catching up.

simplest example i can think of this is Khabib - he was hardly known for being a top top tier striker but he managed to make it work! Much as i personally dislike Conor MacGregor i can't deny he was a skilled striker and look what Khabib did to him. Plenty of other examples out there too. Don't get me wrong - a skilled striker / puncher is by definition always dangerous but it makes a massive difference the situation of the fight plus the resilience of the opponent. Take many of the 'lighter hitting' pro boxers - i am confident that if they were to strike an unsuspecting opponent (that they couldn't hurt much in a pro fight) they would do some damage but once the opponent is prepared and braced they take it better. From personal experience the thing that got me to start training bjj years ago was going to a class and being absolutely destroyed by someone i was almost a foot taller and probably about 70 / 80lb heavier than. At the time i, while by no means amazingly skilled, had been training in striking based styles for a decent amount of time and usually found i could hold my own decently with experience people due to a combination of some limited ability plus size. When it came to grappling that was a complete no! To a lesser extent i have noticed similar since i started to train judo too - i have an awareness of grips and once we hit the ground i feel comfortable but when standing i am basically a throwing dummy for a skilled practitioner!

While attempting to master the one punch knockout is great, if that is all a student is focusing on, they are severely limiting their ability.

Congrats, @Wado Heretic! Your posts are always informative and inciteful.

agreed, i know many people who , out of choice, never tested beyond 1st degree, but have many years experience..i myself never tested beyond 2nd degree. yet have over 40 years in the martial arts.just saw no need to for myself. did i miss out on any training by not testing, no, not at all. testing for the most part is a visual sign of experience for lower belts. but not always an actual level of capability afterwards....

@DarthPenguin this is from his initial post. Don't forget that @Wastelander is very open in regards to his training. Considering he is a Yondan in 1 style; it is impressive in itself as not many clubs have someone with that rank in itself. Same goes with @bushido_man96 and his years of experience. Like I'm a Nidan, but some have said I have the knowledge/experience for a 3rd/4th Dan. As I am well overdue to grade for my 3rd Dan in itself. But on the same hand; Rank and Experience can be two vastly different beasts. Like I haven't graded for the last 7 years; when I very much could have to be promoted to Sandan then be eligible to grade to Yondan this year. Even if I can't train; I am still educating myself and breaking down the basics to their biomechanical movements and doing the same with kata. Then working out how they can be best utilised for Self-Defence Routines. With respect; I do encourage discussions as to why we often do things, as it should enhance our understanding of how things work. But for that to work; both parties need to be respectful to one another.

As a Scot i can wholeheartedly recommend Still Game though in the interests of fairness i am not sure how well the humour will translate to some other countries! When i lived in England they didn't understand it at all!

Patrick’s a GENIUS; that’s why he’s our leader!!

Thank for the post @Revario! Great questions! To me; a "Beginner" Level Kata is one that has maybe 1 or 2 concepts in them for students to understand or to be introduced to. For instance; Taikyoku Jodan (The first Kata in Goju-Kai if used) introduces basic manouevring from Sanchin Dachi to Zenkutsu Dachi and turns (180 + 90 degrees). But to be fair there would be some Intermediate Levels also which lays somewhere in between Beginner and Advanced. However, the ones I mention here are often the first taught at many Goju-Ryu Dojo. So Gekesai Dai Ichi and Ni along with Saifa would be my Intermediate forms. "Advanced" Level same idea as the Beginner Level; however contains more concepts. So for the Goju-Kai Syllabus; I'd say Seeiunchin or Sanseru would be the start of the Advanced Forms. However, it can be a tad subjective because each club may approach kata difficulty differently. Like I have the Gekesai as Intermediate, yet others it would be a Beginner level. Yet whats funny, is when I have students take a step back and view the kata as a whole then go to break it down. Because to me even the Beginner Kata can provide you with tid bits that can become quite practical for Self-Defence Routines. There has been some discussion around a specific kata being the Styles "Signature" Kata. Sanchin being Goju's Signature Kata. When I discuss it with other Black Belts; often who are far more experienced than myself. A common theme comes up that learning it is delayed or revealed when the student is ready to learn it. If the Styles "Founder" placed importance in one kata, then in my mind that kata must (in a way) contain the knowledge that makes their style. Which when I look at Goju-Ryu (even my Goju-Kai), Sanchin blossoms into a large foundation of knowledge that the techniques taught can easily be performed there. The masters when they were creating their kata, would have to contain a piece of knowledge to help students. At the moment, I feel the closest to either Gekesai Dai Ich or Seisan. Gekesai for its simplicity but also in its viciousness and straight up slapping the person (IYKYK). Seisan for all those sweeps that are included in several different forms.

I would agree that complicated self-defense techniques are generally a bad idea, but it's pretty rare that I come across anyone in the practical karate sphere who teaches self-defense techniques that I would consider complicated. Certainly nothing more complicated than you'd find in any other martial art or combat sport, and some pretty complex things can be pulled off, even in high level competitions, by people who have trained appropriately. I would also add that the existence of Kyokushin's knockdown sparring method actually runs counter to your argument about continuous full-power strikes. Yes, they can wear down an opponent over time, but I've seen MANY Kyokushin matches where the continuous shots to the body didn't amount to anything. Full-power strikes to vulnerable targets work, but you're going to get WAY more mileage out of striking the neck and head than you are the body. I know that this originally said "Don't live in America," rather than "bad areas," but the fact of the matter is that your location has very little to do with the types of attacks you are likely to have to deal with in a self-defense situation, because human violence tends to be gendered and age-determinate, but otherwise quite consistent. Chokeholds and bear hugs are common attacks against children and women, especially, so maybe YOU don't need to worry about it all that much, but plenty of people do. Plus, there is simply no guarantee that a statistical anomaly won't happen to you, and you get put in a chokehold or bear hug. You don't get to choose what the attacker does. Plus, the "if you don't live in bad areas" argument can be made about self-defense as a whole, as avoiding high risk areas lowers your risk in general, but doesn't have any impact on the TYPE of attack you're likely to face. Making this argument basically weakens your points about training for self-defense, because if you "don't live in bad areas," your chances of even needing to punch someone go down just as much as your chances of needing to grapple someone. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is very demonstrably false. A good punch only eliminates the need to be able to grapple if you drop the opponent with one shot before they get their hands on you. One-shot KOs against someone expecting violence (which someone attacking you will be) are rare, one-shot body KOs are even less likely, and self-defense situations don't always happen with you knowing where the attacker is and that they are going to attack you. Self-defense isn't a striking duel, like Kyokushin is. If someone attacks you, they don't have any reason to stand and bang, especially if they have any idea how to grapple someone, even without real training, and if you hit them hard, chances are they will not agree to your terms for the fight and let you keep hitting them. You wouldn't go into an MMA match as a pure striker and expect your opponent to have a kickboxing match with you, right? Same goes for self-defense. If both grappling and striking are possible, you NEED to be competent with both in order to be effective.

most here seem to have a few years in the game. i myself began this journey, life, back in 1980. trained 5 or 6 days a week 2 hours per day on three of those days of the week. did so for the first 6 years before joining the military. while some buddies and i would train in the PT sawdust pits, trading ideas and techniques, that was the first of my lapses in actual training at a dojo or a particular style... i did resume training after leaving the service for a few years in a different style. then came the second drifting away, after getting married and starting a career that required travel. once we got settled in halfway across the country i found and started training again. but this was only for a year before another move, again across country, took place. this was followed by a lapse of 5 years or so. afterwards i did start teaching for a few years for a local dojo, settled in and dove deeper into the philosophical side of life. looking back its cool to see the changes we go through and how we have matured or the directions taken. these humps, obstacles and lapses come and go, but the life always calls one back..... that last dojo went out due to the owners age/health and the timing of the pandemic.... but even before then i had built my own training area in the back yard, a full outdoor workout area with gym machines, free weights and multiple benches. and a full indoor dojo. just for myself and a few students i will occasionally take on......so, from an activity/sport in 1980 to a lifestyle today, interesting journey, is this just another lapse, so to speak, or is this finding the meaning of sorts. a coming to a new chapter or realization....... what are some of your stories? any lapses or times of drifting away?.....lessons in themselves of who you are?

Masutatsu Ōyama demonstrates a similar posture in his book he identifies as Maeba. Although, his is more upright with weight off the front foot, and the overall posture slightly bladed rather than square. Motobu Choki also shows a similar posture in his books, although, he tends to have one hand low and the other high. One can argue the posture is somewhat implied in many Goju-Ryu Kata. The opening repeated moves are often done with both arms in front of the self, sometimes closed as in Miyagi's Sanchin Kata, and sometimes open. If you relax the arms, open the stance, close the chest and round the back as done at the end of a couple of Goju-Ryu kata, Sanseiryu springs to mind, then you can argue that is the actual "fighting posture". Many Chinese Martial Arts from the South such as Xingyiquan, Taijiquan, and Baguazhang all have postures involving bringing the hands up in front of the self in a similar manner as described in the opening post. Most importantly so does White Crane which had a significant influence on Karate in the late 19th/early 20th century. I cannot speak for other branches of Shorin-Ryu, but our Kakei Kumite as I was introduced to it in Okinawa basically uses that posture as one of its starting points, along with the wrist-to-wrist pushing hand position. Were I to hypothesise as to why it is not so apparent these days is because of the influence of Jiyu Kumite and Sport Competition. It is not very efficient for point fighting, and has limitations in competitive, full-contact fighting against a trained opponent. It is excellent for intercepting an attempted attack if the attacker commits, and can be great at fending off grabs and wild, swinging attacks. These do not tend to happen in point fighting, or even full-contact karate, where people move in and out very quickly for fear of giving away a point, or are making methodical attacks involving feints and set ups for combinations. When people became more focused on Jiyu Kumite from the 30s onwards, and Yakusoku Kumite against the fundamental techniques of their own systems of Karate, a practical self-defence posture gave way to what worked in sports and what worked best when you know what attack is coming. And bladed stances where you keep one hand back, or a closed stance where you keep the hands in and close, works quite well in both those circumstances. Both work well for moving off line, and getting good explosive power out of the limbs. But they do make it difficult to intercept attacks, do not offer as much protection against strikes you do not see coming, and do little to prevent the collapse of distance. Most, if not all, systems of Karate practice Seisan which implies this posture. Thus, I would not have been surprised if it were more ubiquitous in the past. Plus, it is a fairly natural stance to start Kakedameshi exercises and bouts from. With regards to its presence in Kata, in the Shorin Cannon of Kata as I have learnt it the only fighting posture that readily presents itself in any kata is what Masutatsu identified as Enshin and Motobu as Kaishō Kamae. A bladed stance with the hips pointed no more than 45 Degrees, with both hands in presence, but with back hand held a little back with the hand hovering around the elbow of the lead arm, and the posture offers good protection to the head and body and allows for fairly good north-south and lateral movement. One can argue all of the kata postures can offer primordial fighting shapes you could use as a fighting pose if the context and circumstance allowed. After all, Motobu supposedly used the opening posture of Pinan Yondan in his famed bout with a boxer. Although, I suspect it was his usual open hand stance, but he brought both hands up to head height to account for the boxer's punching, and it bore a resemblance to Pinan Yondan and the journalist had no better idea. But my current operational theory is that the kata often represent a situation where the fight is already under way - there is no time or point of getting in a "fighting stance". Hence, we do not see fighting stances in Okinawan kata very much or at all. An alternative hypothesis that has just struck me is that the karateka of the past already knew the fighting stances and saw no need to put them in kata. And as time has gone by and the basic and fundamental teachings have changed, the stances no one had a use for have gone extinct.

You and Zack are STILL on the right track as far as all that’s required for a MAist, and you both should be very proud of yourselves through and through. Like Brian has already mentioned, as we get older we have to properly prepare and gauge and understand that sometimes a break away from training is necessary.

A few of the playoff games that will interest some members here have been scheduled. The Jets and Blue series will start on Saturday, game 1 will be played at 6pm eastern and air on TNT, TruTV, and MAX. Following that the Stars and Avalanche play game one on the same networks. Listed start is 8:30 eastern. Knights and Wild will start Sunday at 10pm eastern and air on ESPN. Devils Hurricanes and Senators Maple Leafs also play on Sunday. Kings and Oilers play game 1 on Monday, at 10pm eastern, on ESPN 2.

My concern is that I don't want a Martial Artist giving me thoughts and advice on "strength training." Unless they have certain certifications, I won't really respect their thoughts and approaches on what they consider "strength training." I know what it means to me, and if I really want to focus on strength training, I'll make the time to get under the bar at the gym and strength train. I don't want to go to a Martial Arts class where I'm paying money to learn Martial Arts and do 20 minutes of HIIT that I can do on my own time. Those are my thoughts.

Circling back on this thread -- it's not that I haven't been training, it's that I haven't been posting. Shame on me. One thing I have been finding is that the older I get, the longer it takes to regain my conditioning once it slips. So while we're now into April, I'm still not at the conditioning level I was at before my first incident back in last May/June. Of course, it doesn't help much that I took most of a month off back in November after my surgery. However, I'm still training regularly - at least twice a week for weapons and karate. I've been struggling with scheduling -- my wife seems to keep scheduling things over the days/times I usually go, which makes attendance a challenge. However, I'm training as best I can as often as I can. Of course, one thing that makes things even more challenging is that in the past year, I've added kobudo to the mix. Optimally, I'd love to be able to train kobudo/karate back to back. I usually am able to do that on Thursday and Saturday; Thursday is possible because as an instructor on Thursdays I get to pick and choose how intensely I train. Saturdays is only a 1 hour karate class and I can usually budget my energy during that class. Tuesdays is a challenge, because weapons completely wear me out. However, I'm going to start making more of an effort to train individually on off-days to improve my overall fitness. One thing I also need to do is have a frank conversation with my wife about our priorities and schedules. I mean I could in theory train on Monday or Wednesday nights, but Tuesday is the advanced adult (karate) class, which I really should be attending regularly. One good piece of news is that our CI is bringing in Tsukasa Gushi, son of Shinyu Gushi, who is the 2nd generation head of the Ryukokaku Karate & Kobudo Association. If you search for "Gushi Sensei" on youtube, you'll see videos of Shinyu Gushi performing all of the Uechi-Ryu kata, both full-speed and in slow-mo. He'll be running both karate and kobudo seminars over the weekend of May 9-11 (Mother's day). I've signed up both Zach and me up for the seminar -- I'll most likely be extremely gassed by the end of the weekend.

Love this topic, and look forward to seeing what others share. Thanks for starting it, @crash. This is only partially related, but it's something fun I've witnessed after managing this community for almost 24 years. It's actually one of the things I love talking about when I tell people outside of this community about this community. Which is that we have had people disappear for a long time (more than just a year or two... 5 years, 10 years I think) and then come back, join back in, and be glad we're still here (I hope, ha). Your activity over the years is actually an example of this sort of thing happening, because you went over 15 years without making a post, from 2006 to 2022, and then, you went from mid-2022 to this March, and popped up again, which I loved to see. I always find that really delightful because I know that some people have sort of ventured off on the internet and maybe they've done the Facebook thing or got active on mainstream social, and then decided they had enough of that and wanted more of whatever this community is to them. But there are other reasons. For example, it could tie into breaks in their training, as you discuss here. Like when they had a break, they had less to talk about. It is also true we've had people who were unable to train for a while stay engaged here as a way of maintaining touch with the martial arts, so it comes in all shapes and forms. It could also just be that something happened in their life that demanded priority, and they no longer had the time. But whatever it is, it's always fun when people come back.

The idea of an endless journey is something that resonates with those who continue to train past black belt, but I think it falls flat with most people. The black belt is a tangible goal, a status symbol, and, imo, a real measure of skill. It’s an accomplishment to be proud of and also seems like a natural breaking point in training. Yes, it would be bittersweet to see a student leave at that point. If only because of the bond you’ve formed with them over the time spent training. It is like how any graduation is bittersweet, honestly. In my mind, if we’re comparing situations, the bigger tragedy is if a student leaves in the high ranks just before black belt. There’s something about the validation, the confirmation, the “sealing” of things that comes with a black belt. It seems a shame to come so close and walk away without that "final" experience.

NFL is a money-making machine. In 2023 it was reported the NFL generated about 20 billion dollars, with projections of it increasing to 25 billion by 2027. The average NFL franchise is worth just over 5 billion. The franchise are worth more than ever and player salaries have never been higher. This means the customer, the fans, can expect to see an increase in prices for tickets, merchandise, TV packages, and streaming services. As long as enough people continue to hand over their money to support the NFL, the league will keep expanding. The tush push will be put to a vote at the next owners meeting, which is in May.

The Blues got up to an early 4-0 lead on the Avs, and were able to hold off a strong push late in the 3rd to win 5-4, for their twelfth win in a row. Even when these guys aren't playing at their best, they're still putting up the W's. These last 2 wins were also without their top defenseman, Colton Parayko (who has been out for a couple weeks) and one or their hot forwards signed last summer, Dylan Holloway. The good news is, the Blues have added two new young players to the mix. Jimmy Snuggerud was their 1st round draft pick in 2022 and just finished playing his Junior year at University of Minnesota; in his first 3 games in the NHL he already has 2 assists, and the first one was a thing of absolute beauty. They've also brought their 2023 first round draft pick into the mix - Dalibar Dvorsky, who has been tearing things up in the AHL. And then on Sunday, Alex Ovechkin broke a record many thought would be unbreakable -- Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record. With goal #895, Ovi forever enshrined his name in the NHL record books -- or at least until the next NEXT great one comes along. I thought it was extremely cool that the NHL stopped the game to celebrate that moment. I thought it also extremely classy that Wayne Gretzky was right there to shake Ovi's hand after such a milestone achievement, just like Gordie Howe was there to shake Wayne Gretzky's hand back in 1994. And even though this monumental event happened in the Islander's home rink, everyone present was cheering for Ovi.

Nah, no red flags. That's how wrestling works. Plenty of great athletes have flamed out of the NFL and gone on to be successful in other careers: Brock Lesnar had a decent MMA career, but got cut in Vikings camp I believe. Dwayne Johnson also didn't make the cut for the NFL. Kimbo Slice played football collegiately for Florida State University and enjoyed his own run of fame. Carl Weathers was cut from the Raiders roster and enjoyed a movie career. Steveson is going to be just fine. The opponent he lost to, Wyatt Hendrickson, is no slouch of a wrestler, and he is also going to the Olympic trials. So no red flags; this is the competitive nature of wrestling.

Oss is certainly my preference. Maybe I will but this on my emails, or when I sign checks out at restaurants. Just make sure the o does not look like an a. That would change everything! Oss!

Thanks for checking. No, no, I'm not. I just decided I would try to be prepared for next time (or when someone in my family has it happen).