sensei8

Whilst many kata practiced within the main styles of "traditional" karate share the same genus, I would argue that each Ryu-ha's version of the kata is unique. Take Wado-ryu's Pinan Nidan for example, and compare it with Shotokan's equivalent (Heian Shodan) - to the casual observer they are very similar, however what's going on under the hood is completely different. It's not so much what you are performing as part of the kata it is how and why. K. Solid post!! I don't know of any unique Kata's within the Shindokan syllabus, and that's because, to us, our Kata's aren't unique, at all! We're an Okinawa style, therefore, we've the Pinan series, the Naifanchi series, and so on and so forth, yet, these aren't unique to us. Being a believer in Kata and all of its attributes and the like, and the amount of cross training that I've done over the many years, I'm familiar, and that means I've learnt and studied them, with the different styles' Kata's in the hopes of opening up my eyes to the world outside of the Shindokan circle. Very few, thus far, Kata's listed in this thread are unique to me, and that's because I've not yet had the privilege and/or the opportunity to have studied and learnt them. So, to answer the OP question...Shindokan DOESN'T have any unique Kata's!!

Life happens before any MA training!! Schedule conflicts will arise from time to time, that's to be expected. The good news is this... The floor will still be there, and you'll be welcomed back with open arms...continuing where you left off from!! Meanwhile, train at home when the time is allowed!! I always encourage my students to work on Kihon and Kata when one can't make it to the dojo. Do something...jumping rope, hit the heavy hanging bag [if you've one hanging at home somewhere], sit-ups, push-ups...something...just do something, and please keep stretching...if nothing else, do that!!

Welcome to KF, Kung Po; glad that you're here!! I'm unable to help you in your search, but there are many KF members here that live in the UK, and hopefully, one or more of them will chime in here soon to help in your search. Don't despair, helps on the way!!

No, I've not experienced what you've experienced. I suppose I've been lucky in that area. I've experienced aching wrists at first, but that was because I was using a heavier sai that I should've been while I was a green belt kid, and I was over torqueing my wrists to get the darn thing where I wanted it to go. And, I've poked myself with the Tsume in my sides before, and not just once or twice. Hey, I've also stabbed my right knee with a Kama because I stepped out with the wrong foot, and the Kama was stuck in my knee!! And let's forget about how many times I've rang my bell with the nunchaku!! Welcome to the wonderful world of Kubodo!!

Well, to get the ball rolling... Here are the questions: 1. What is your favorite word? Yes 2. What is your least favorite word? No 3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? The unknown possibilities 4. What turns you off? People that think they know it all 5. What is your favorite Martial Art word? Shugyo [suck it up] 6. What sound or noise do you love? Laughter 7. What sound or noise do you hate? Whining 8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? LEO [Law Enforcement Officer] 9. What profession would you not like to do? Coal Miner 10. If your Sensei/Instructor has requested that you're to report to the Hombu/Headquarters immediately, what would you like to hear your Sensei/Instructor say when you arrive at the Hombu/Headquarters? GET IN LINE!! Hopefully, more members will take the Pivot Questionnaire!!

Yankees...86-69...4 games behind the Blue Jays, who are in 1st place!! Only 7 games left in the regular season. The Astros are 82-74...close...very close. I made a bet at the beginning of the season with a friend for $100 between the Astros and the Yankees, in a The Best Standings at the end of the regular season. And with only 7 games left, it's still anybody's bet to win. So, there will be a time before the end of the seasons final games, that one of us will have won the $100. Another nail biter that I've, as of late, been dealing with. So, with that being said... GO YANKEES!!

Wait, Your cousin plays for the Cubs? WOW! That's way to cool! Give him my bests because it's not easy to make it to the show...and stay there!!

Cowboys lost to the undefeated Falcons: 39-28!! ::sighs deeply:: Hopefully, your Dolphins will shake the problem off, and start doing what's expected of them. Good thing for both of our teams, and the rest of the league for that fact, the season is young, but it can get away from them in a quick moment. GO COWBOYS....PLEASE!!

Whichever technique(s) one decides to use...one better do something, and if not, one better start running for the hills!!

Congrats; well done and well deserved!! Feels good, huh? You'll improve in time!! Thank you. Yes its a great feeling. 3 months of hard work rewarded. We had a 74 year old from Japan doing the grading. I believe he is head of the Japanese Federation. I cant remember his name now unfortunately. His flexibility was out of this world and it was a real privilege to have been able to attend one of his training classes today To the bold above... That's cool to have that type of experience during a testing cycle. To be graded by him is indeed both an honor as well as a privilege; one not to be soon forgotten!!

Kick if you have to! Kick if you need to! Kick if you want to! Don't kick if you don't want to! Don't kick if you don't have to! Don't kick if you don't need to! The choice, is that of the practitioner!!

Congrats; well done and well deserved!! Feels good, huh? You'll improve in time!!

I wholeheartedly concur!!

For me, and for now, the standard hanging heavy bag will have to suffice! The price doesn't bother me, and I'd only have this at the dojo and not in my home for various reasons. In the dojo... *Can multiple bags be hung? If not, then this device is only for solo training and NOT for group lessons because time is a valuable commodity, and waiting ones turn at this new toy will eat of floor time. Imho!! I wouldn't want to have multiple apparatuses hanging from the ceiling because that might make getting around the floor quite busy, and in the way of class, and I wouldn't want to hang bags up and take bags down all of the time.

Those were the days! I miss them quite a lot!!

probably end up visiting once in a while after i get heat for posting my opinions. Fun reading and great points of view. For anything... Your posts, thus far, have been a bit of fresh air, for me, and I've enjoyed them immensely!!

YES!! Without students, the floor is a lonely place, and of no purpose other than having a nice place to train by oneself!!

In Shindokan, we don't kick higher than the stomach, and 99% of our kicks are for set-ups and the like to the legs for our hands; which are used 85% of the time. As for blocks! What's a block? We deflect and/or receive the technique(s). I learned TKD back when I was a JBB while I was in high school for one main reason...TO LEARN HOW TO KICK above the waist. To learn how to kick above the waist allowed me to properly deflect/receive those type of kicks at open tournaments; they were eating me up for lunch. Axe kicks particularly were the bane of my existence...hated those darn things!!

I've not experienced any problems with Eosin's website, as of yet! Did you call them to find out what gives?

I agree with you! When I first encountered the slapping techniques as a score...I was befuddled, to say the least, because to me, and others, the slapping techniques lacked penetration, or the appearance of dynamic penetration. A hit was a hit and a slap was a slap, and a hit earned a point, while the slap shouldn't have. But, tournament arbitrators back then saw a way to make a slap worthy, and I believe that that was possible because the tourney was theirs to do with as they please. In that, a slapping technique became a point. So, whenever I entered tourneys that amplified and encouraged the slapping techniques over the penetrative techniques, it was hard for me to adjust right away, and in that, I ended up being disqualified for the dynamic penetration as being a technique that lacked control, and that became a safety issue for that tourney. Change is inevitable, but at times, not all changes are good, imho!! You must have loved how competitors gained 4-6 inches of reach by stretching there "FOAM" century hand pads . classic. Yeah, that was equally upsetting. Anyway to get a point, but I mean, sheech!! Then the loud kiai that earned a point...man, oh man, I was expecting running out of bounds was the next way to earn a point!! Let's forget about a clean and undeniable technique as the way of earning a point!!

Ippon is 1 full point!! not according to the WKF.... they think ippon means 3 points. WKF does not understand that if they are trying to get "KARATE" into the JAPAN GAMES, they should change some of the crazy terminology they have. Example: Japan should take a sport like bull fighting and change all the traditions and terminology and try and approach Mexico/Spain with adding it to the olympics if mexico or spain ever host the olympics. Solid post!! To the bold type above...Well, in that case, the WKF, then I stand corrected!!

I agree with you! When I first encountered the slapping techniques as a score...I was befuddled, to say the least, because to me, and others, the slapping techniques lacked penetration, or the appearance of dynamic penetration. A hit was a hit and a slap was a slap, and a hit earned a point, while the slap shouldn't have. But, tournament arbitrators back then saw a way to make a slap worthy, and I believe that that was possible because the tourney was theirs to do with as they please. In that, a slapping technique became a point. So, whenever I entered tourneys that amplified and encouraged the slapping techniques over the penetrative techniques, it was hard for me to adjust right away, and in that, I ended up being disqualified for the dynamic penetration as being a technique that lacked control, and that became a safety issue for that tourney. Change is inevitable, but at times, not all changes are good, imho!!

What you have picked up on seems to be a difference between groups within the style of Wado-ryu. In my experience, the JKF Wado-kai tend to withdraw the kick and place the foot next to the supporting foot before advancing into the Shuto-uke. The Wado-ryu Renmei on the other hand seem to put the foot directly down without withdrawing it - effectively dropping backward into the Shuto-uke! Worth asking the question whether you look at this technique as a kick or something else of course. K. Solid post!! To the bold type above... That's something to consider, and something to understand because, like a block, it's not always a block. Same thing for a supposed kick within a Kata. If that technique was indeed suppose to be a kick, the kick was sloppy, imho!

Solid post!! Times surely have changed quite a bit from then to now!! And not just bits of pieces here and there, but the whole thing across the board has changed; a new horizon has emerged

Yeah, the Urquidez family had the advantage there because they didn't have to look to far to fill up their team!!