sensei8

Hypothetically... You wander inside of a MA school. No one's wearing any type of uniform. There's no identifiers anywhere or on anyone. There's no one barking any commands. Everyone's engaged in some type of drilling exercise. You sit down, and you just start observing everything. You're now thinking...ok...hhmmm...which one's the senior student and Teacher or Master? Who's the Chief Instructor? Who are the Sempai(s)? Who are the Kohai(s)? I mean, how can YOU tell who's who without waiting for the class to end??

To my understanding, the main difference is the use of knees. Links below might help you out... GLORY: http://gloryworldseries.com/en/rules K-1: http://www.k-1.tv/en/rules.php

Oh yes I do...my goal, however twisted it might be, is to take Greg's head off each and every time we kumite. But hey, he tries to do the very same thing to me...first. Oh...who's Greg? Greg started about 6 months after I did; he's Kancho [Vice-President] of our Hombu.

Having video available to students is vitally important. Camera never blinks, and in that, students can see the who, what, where, why, and how their successes as well as their mistakes. The camera makes the students accountable for their own training/practice away from the school. Lights, Camera, Action!!

I began my MA training when I was 7 years old. I was being bullied quite a lot at school each and every day. My mom, after finding out what was going on, she enrolled me in the nearest local karate school immediately so that I could learn how to defend myself. My behavior at work and in my personal life are not entirely from the practice of karate. No. Why? Because I've parents! Parents who raised me properly across the board. The ethos of Karate have taught me very important things that can be intertwined with what my parents instilled in me as well. Karate is a very, very important part of my life and I thank my Dai-Soke for teaching me everything that is and isn't part of Karate-do. However, to give karate more credit than it deserves in my personal and work life, is to ignore my parents and all that they did to raise me properly. I'm now approaching my 49th year, and karate has made every difference in my life; personally as well as professionally. Karate affects my work in a big, big way. I'm Kaicho [President] of the Shindokan Hombu, and I've been teaching Shindokan Saitou-ryu well over 40 years. It's impossible to do what's required of me at the Hombu and/or in my own dojo day in and day out without being accountable to my students, as well as to the entire student body. Karate affects my work because without karate I couldn't learn it, albeit, I couldn't teach it, nor could I be the Kaicho of our Hombu. I'd be doing something else, now wouldn't I.

Absolutely...Solid post!! Against the misconceptions of karate, you cannot blame some sensei's for emphasizing the self-defense part of karate and impressing upon the public the non-aggressiveness of karate. Regardless of the reasons, it is a hidden fact that the kata we practice do not necessarily start and never end with uke waza. By knowing this, I hope that our mental attitude at the beginning and end of the kata would be amended, different from when we thought those techniques were only blocks.

One of MA most undying myth is that...All kata begin and end with blocking technique(s), and this myth is usually fueled by either the layperson or by MA practitioners who lack the knowledge/experience that one can only be gleaned by understanding the aspects of Bunkai and the like. Misinterpretation of kata movements has lent itself to falsely propagate that this myth has solid roots; that downward block in Heian Shodan's opening movement MUST be a block and nothing else.

Yeah...Ok...let me rephrase my question... Why do YOU think kata's usually start with a "block"?

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

Welcome to KF!!!!!!!!

I believe that my question still remains...Why do kata's usually start with a "block"?

One more thing...don't run out of bounds. Shift anyway that you can so that you're not back peddling out of bounds. When you're blitzed, angle away so that you're not forced backwards and out of bounds. You lose points when you do and if you do it to often, you run the risk of being disqualified by the center judge.

Solid post!! Oh yeah...RELAX, and enjoy the experience. Good luck, and please let us know how everything goes...you'll be fine.

Your 3 year journey will NOT be a wasted one. The basics are the MA roots that must be watered for them to grow stronger.

I know it as a change-up roundhouse kick. If properly done, very few can block it. Especially if the front kick segment causes your opponent to totally commit to a kick that isn't there anymore. Used in religiously during my tournament days; quite effective and successful.

The back fist, if properly executed, is NOT a weak jab, no, it's on the contrary. Yes, the hips, legs, and the transitional shift do drive the technique, but it's also the whipping/snapping motion of the back fist that increases the impact. Where the elbow is aiming towards, that is where the fist will contact said target. The back fist can also strike in a downward motion. Usual targets for that type of back fist is the top of ones head, top of shoulder, and while intercepting either a hand or a foot/knee, as well as to the groin. You could use either a back fist or a jab whenever the need presents itself; personal desire might decide which one to use over another. If you're more comfortable with one over another, than stick with what one knows. However, lend a lot of time to properly learn and practice the back fist until you're acclimated to it. "Traditional blocks", imho, aren't going to help you much, if at all, until you are very well versed in them, especially in the venues you're speaking about. To use the right tool, no matter what it is and what it is for, takes plenty of time to learn, understand, and adapt. I'm not saying that "traditional blocks" won't work at all. No. I'm just saying for a MAist that's not well versed in them, success will be quite limited. For the time, stay with your strongest tool, and then slowly introduce them into your desired venue. As in anything, experience is something that has to be cultivated properly before its fruits can be appreciated and enjoyed. The only wrong mentality to have while learning is to just give up. Be open and experience for yourself what works and what doesn't work...for YOU!! Until you're more versed in Shotokan, you'll respond more likely in the core that you're most effective with. Having said that, you might not ever be comfortable with Shotokan because your core is your comfort zone, and in that, you know your core much more than you know Shotokan.

First of all, I'd like to offer you my support across the board in anyway that I can. No operation can be fun or beneficial at the beginning, but when all is said and done, you'll be good as new. 3 months will seem like an unending eternity, however, please be patient with the rehab and all in order for the mended knee will not have any delay and/or re-injuries. You'll do whatever you're able to do and nothing more. Possibly you'll get caught up on some reading. Possibly you can put all of your MA thoughts/theories/methodologies/ideologies on to paper; time to rest your knee while you exercise your MA mind. Your dojo will survive, and yes, it'll be very hard for you to relinquish your dojo at first, but for the sake of your health, you'll have to do just that. You do trust your black belts right? Then, as hard as it might be internally for you, it's outwardly important to depend on your black belts...and yes...it's going to be hard to not be there. However, when the time is right, you'll be there to lend your support for your students in any way that you can. Besides, when you walk back in through the door, your students will be so very happy to see you, even though your knee still won't allow you to be on the floor at 100%. Time heals all "wounds"!! Who will teach you? You will, if no one else will/can. I still battle with that from time to time because my Dai-Soke is gone. Who teaches me? My students, no matter the rank! My fellow black belts! Those within our hierarchy! They're the ones that I depend on to teach me day after day. Hopefully your governing body has someone who can lend a hand to re-tune you; bringing you back to full capacity/abilities. I believe that your idea to re-live your journey, as you did with your back, is a great idea. As you've also said, you'll begin to re-discover many a techniques that you've taken for granted before. Stay with any plan you've been given by the varies health experts, and in that, please don't try to rush it. I've experienced an MCL injury with my right knee when I was much younger. I believe it took me just over 8 weeks before I was 95%. I'm not 100%, nor do I believe that I will ever be. For example, how I execute any right legged kick requires me to pre-load. My left foot will turn way before, milliseconds, my right leg even starts on its journey to said target. However, any left legged kick isn't dependent on my right leg support; meaning that my right knee is 100% in the role of being the supportive leg for left legged kicks. I suppose that I caused my right leg to treat my kicking abilities different because I was overly protective over my right knee. Brian can speak about this because we discussed it in some depth while we train together a few years ago. What did I do? I followed 'it' to the letter whatever my doctor and physical therapist instructed me to do and not to do. At first I thought that the path was paved with many uncertainties, and I never thought there was going to be a light at the end of the tunnel...but there was...and there will be one for you as well. Hang in there, and before you know it, you'll be back on the floor at your dojo, and you'll be back on the saddle. After all, they say that all one needs to do after you fall off the horse is to just...get back on the horse; it'll all come back to you.

All Karate styles rely heavily on blocks. They're in kihon, kata, and kumite. In kihon, blocks are the techniques that deter any attack. In kata, blocks are either an actual block or a deflection or construed as a throw. In kumite, blocks are treated exactly as a blocking movement and nothing else. All kata starts with a block...Why? Your thoughts!!

While the word "basic" is used quite freely when describing any MA technique that's taught to those that aren't black belts and the like. What looks utterly simple isn't just that simple after all. Ask an expert how they do [fill in the blank], and they will tell you...basic practice! Bad MA can be as simple as basics practiced incorrectly. However, great MA on the other hand is as simple as basics practiced correctly. To remedy bad MA required much more attention to the basics. The basics by themselves are not enough. Practice will make perfect only if you practice the right stuff the right way. Muscle memory can go two ways: good or bad. The bad muscle memory is almost impossible to correct...almost! Your thoughts!!

jaedeshi, Your post is solid and I thank you for pointing out my mistake. You're dead right on. I worded my question incorrectly, thus I asked the wrong question(s), please forgive me for that. One DOES evaluate the teaching abilities of ANY prospective instructor no matter the rank. Why? Not all black belts, no matter the rank, can teach!! One must know that the prospective black belt can teach the student body and that the prospective black belt is a good fit for the student body and the school. WOW...I am an idiot for making that type of a mistake!!

Solid post!!

Contact the school(s) within those cities and see if they can assist you in finding exactly what you're looking for. Contact the governing bodies of kyokushin and see if they can assist you as well. Also, some local MA supply stores might be able to assist you as well. Many MA magazines list within their publications a list of up-coming tournaments. Good luck with your search and I wish I could have provided you with some better leads. Please let us know what you were able to found and where.

It's true and you answered your own question...it's a right of passage. Some are smacked across their abdomen while others are punched in their abdomen while others are smacked and punched in their abdomen; going from the kyu ranks into the dan ranks. Kind of like a boy becoming a man. Some throw the belt behind them as a sign that what was once is now behind them so that the new before them is their unpaved future; unfettered and untainted. We don't do either!!

Solid post...very solid!!

As its been already mentioned, both non-contact and full contact have their unique training advantages that I think can't be ignored nor denied. I do both, personally as well as professional. Personally, I love the full contact just as I love the air which I breathe, the more, the better. Professionally, my students need the vehicle of non-contact because it drives them to understand the mechanics of sparring. Don't do full contact if ones only doing it because "it's cool"; one's heart has to be ready and prepared for full contact.