sensei8

This kick in Karate is called Nami-gaeshi, returning wave kick. And as you've already discovered, it's a very difficult kick to perform. The Karate Kata,Tekki Shodan, utilizes this very kick. Many students incorrectly slap the instep against the inside of the thigh. The foot should travel to the front of the thigh to block of deflect a kicking attack. The Tekki Kata should be practiced assiduously in order to promote flexibility and lower body strength. To maintain a strong Kiba-dachi, Horse Riding Stance, with accurate posture and to avoid bobbing up-and-down requires much lower body strength. Performing Nami-gaeshi involves raising the sole of the foot in front of the body while being supported by just one foot, requiring great skill and balance. To perform this technique without significantly raising your body is very difficult, so when a beginner can perform this effectively, they will begin to fully appreciate the benefits of this kata. Some tips that might help: A) Shorten your stance slightly B) STRETCH COMPLETELY C) Keep knees bent D) Perform drills and the like to develop lower body strength E) The hips must be well set Hopefully these tips might help you. So I can help you more exactly, just what difficulties are you having...exactly? Performing this kick is one thing, but, to truly master it requires a life-time!

Mark Coleman vs. Randy Couture..........Couture Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen..........Marquardt Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago..................Swick Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller...................Maia Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg....................Serra Justin Buchholz vs. Mac Danzig.............Danzig Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres.........Guillard Rob Emerson vs. Phillipe Nover............Emerson Phil Davis vs. Brian Stann....................Stann Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer..........Hague Rolles Gracie vs. Mostapha Al Turk.......Gracie

ABSOLUTELY! Very good post! Without CONTROL; the martial arts is nothing but barbaric!

Please remember that what he does is HIS interpretation(s), therefore, it's not necessarily yours. Abernathy has great things to impart to all of us, but, please, find your own interpretation(s) and make it yours.

It's just a title, yet, it's one I'm proud of. NO! It's a want, not a need. I want to be a martial arts instructor, but, I don't need to be a martial arts instructor. It, the world, would be just fine. People don't need the martial arts, therefore, they don't need martial arts instructors. To just mention a few, people need a job, people need utilities, people need food, people need a home, and people need medication; but people don't need the martial arts.

NO! Don't you want your punches to have kime and be strong? YES! Ability to block when necessary is an important part of any Martial Arts. If one can't block for one reason or another then the only alternative is to not be there when said technique reaches target by....ducking or something. NO! Yes, we should be careful as to not hurt one another while sparring or whatever because that's not why we're at the Dojo. However, ACCIDENTS do occur. I sincerly doubt that you "hurt" your Dojo mates on purpose, therefore, just spar. I'm sure that your sensei doesn't allow his students to intentionally hurt one another. Contact WILL HAPPEN no matter what and when dojo mates clash with one another, that contact is magnified and yes, it leads to injuries. If your sensei feels that you're wrong, he'll address it right then and there. As you gain both the experience and the knowledge; injuries will be avoided, but, even then, accidents happen. Listen, I've been doing this for 45 years now and when I spar with other Dojo mates of equal rank, we clash, we hit, and sometimes we have to duck. But, I never worry about my kime and power because when you spar me and you're equal in rank to me...You better have control and know how to block and you better know how to hit and you better know how to formulate tactics and strategies because I'm here to IMPROVE my skills and I want to be tested at full power. If I get hit...well...I should've blocked.

I was! It was an honor! Also, what better way to understand, appreciate, and believe in any technique then by being on the receiving end by one's own Sensei? Baptized by fire in this case! I loved it!

I believe that this was happening back then because of the very extremely limited knowledge of Americans about the Martial Arts, including rank/titles. An unknowing American population was very naive about things like this and were quick to believe rank/title from those who perpetrated such things. Oh what a tangled web...

I pay $130 NZD a year to train under a 5th dan teacher lol.What's the U.S. dollar conversion of this?

Lupin1, You're absolutely correct about what you said about Okinawan practitioners kicking stomach or lower at very close range. I believe that WuChildNZ is saying that he CAN kick high if he wants to. I'm in an Okinawan style and we only kick stomach and lower, but, I can kick high if I want to, yet, I'd rather not.

Here's another interesting link... http://ksksydney.homestead.com/files/Kata.htm

I've got a question. As the title of this thread asks..."What are the OFFICIAL KATA'S OF SHOTOKAN?", what/whom is the "OFFICIAL" governing body of Shotokan? Is it the JKA? Is it the SKIF? Is it the WKSF? Is it the JKS? Is it the JSKA? Is it the ISKF? Is it the TSKF? OR...? I'm just asking? I don't know because I'm not Shotokan! Even under the umbrella of one of the many Shotokan Hombu's around the world; nothing can guarantee that the individual Dojo's will not vary/alter their own Hombu's official kata list for kyu/dan ranks. Unless their Hombu won't certify said ranks as an encouragement to remain strict in following their Hombu's official kata list for promotions.

WOW! OUCH! MAN! WHAT! HUH! That's about all I have to say about the Cowboys lose to the Vikings. I love the Cowboys, but...., again in a pressure very important game, they folded under the pressure of getting a win. This game was all Vikings and they deserved to win this game because they wanted it more than my Cowboys. I'm happy for the Vikings and I can't believe what I'm about to say...GO VIKINGS!!!! Now it's time for me to cheer on the Vikings to win the Super Bowl. There's only one thing in the way...the SAINTS and this will not be an easy game for the Vikings to win...in the Superdome. I'd like to see Farve get to the Super Bowl and to win it as well! As far as my beloved Cowboys...there's next year and we will see what we see then. GO COWBOYS AND GO VIKINGS!!!!

I've always said this...It's hard to tell anything of great value about any school of the martial arts from a website. Therefore, VISIT THE SCHOOL MANY, MANY TIMES!!!!!! Then come to an educated decision. Now, I'll say this although. This school is affiliated with Kanazawa Sensei and with his SKIF...that speaks in volumes by itself...still...visit the school over and over to see if it's in concert with Kanazawa Sensei and with what it is that you're searching for in a Shotokan/Martial Arts school/instructor. Good luck!

Yes! I'm not good at anything outside of the martial arts! Everything else that I've done and that I do, are nothing more than a dabble and/or a mere whim. 1) God 2) My wife 3) My kids 4) My family [relatives] 5) My friends These brings me the greatest happiness. This type of happiness is paramount in my life, but, the martial arts brings me a different type of happiness that can't be found from the list above [#2 - #5]!

tallgeese is absolutely correct...

Failure of imagination is a general term used to describe circumstances wherein something that was possible to predict or foresee was, in fact, not predicted or foreseen. Success in any self-defense strategy and/or tactics are dependent on one to test its ability to have or haven’t ever been tried or considered. The "what-ifs" are both a variable and viable to be possible and in that, the "what-ifs" shouldn't be discarded as the impossible. The effectiveness of any technique(s) in the martial arts is owned by the individual and not by the masses. What works for one doesn't always work for someone else; therefore, the "what-ifs" aren't about any said technique(s) failure/success, but to itself one way or another. Every martial artist is always searching for the most effective ends to any mean in every possible scenario to self-defense strategies and/or tactics. To keep our imagination arrested only invites us to accept defeat before any and all possibilities can be considered and tried before it's discarded completely. Even then, the 'what-ifs' are constant and they must be revisited repeatedly and repeatedly because it's possible that we've failed to imagine everything...and everything is quite alot to research and ponder and wonder and figure and test its pulse and on and on! The summation of 'why' is to the summation of 'because' and in this, failing to imagine any and all possibilities isn't the reason why any martial art exists. Why should I do this? Because it's effective! Why shouldn't I do this? Because it's not effective! Application to see the 'why' of any and every technique possible helps to discover that 'it' does/doesn't work 'because', and now 'because' is unfolding, the 'why' continues to ask for the foreseen to be revealed, or at least, it should've been thought of. Should someone say, "Oh, that's ridiculous!", then this is exactly why the untried technique(s) and strategies and tactics aren't allowed to be tried to see if the unforeseen/foreseen has merits enough to be tried and/or to succeed. I don't study Shindokan and believe in it because my Dai-Soke said so, no, I've tested it and I've tested it and I'm still testing it because the unforeseen are infinity. Just because someone like my Dai-Soke said so isn't enough for me to believe 'it' because of an immeasurable imagination, therefore, 'I' doesn't exist anymore. Imagination is one thing but over thinking 'it' can strip away its true purpose and that true purpose is to find the most effective strategy/strategies and/or tactic/tactics. There is a time when one must say..."It is finished" but then our failure of imagination insists itself to ask..."Or is it?” We must foresee and prevent the unimaginable from near and afar, thus, our strategies and/or tactics must clearly be realized in every possibility. Your thoughts?!

Trace makes some nice knee pads. In my opinion, these knee pads made by Trace aren't bulky at all.

Surely 5 stars takes up more room than IX? We use roman numerals for ours. Yeah, you're right, but, it's different/unique. The stars aren't that big, still, you're right.

For 45 years, I've used version #2 from the video above provided by Kuma. My belt crosses in the back but I don't care because it's just a belt.

Great tip! Thanks Joe! I've not received a call like this yet, and if I do I'll now know what to do.

I want a big...Big...BIg...BIG flatscreen TV...the bigger the better! The Yankees and the Cowboys and the Lakers will look AWESOMELYFANTASTICLYGREAT. Ok...back to earth Bob...back to earth!

Yes it is! I got the red board! Thanks!

This kick is also one of my most favorite compact kicks because it is just that: Compact! Everything about it shouts COMPACT! The amount of torgue that can be generated with this kick is quite explosive. I don't use any special stance or skip/jump or nothing other than whatever stance I'm in or about to be in at the time. I always turn my head because that's the methodology of my style and I can't see myself doing it blind. Chuck's spinning back kick works for him! I've seen Chuck use that very kick in many of his UFC fights and while Chuck's mainly a puncher...he can kick.

I was blessed this year! One of my most favorite gifts was a complete chess set package from Manopoulos. It's a Poseidon chess set and brass chess board. This beautiful brass and nickel plated chess set from Manopoulos is based on Poseidon the god of the sea along with other ancient Greek goddesses, hero's, and creatures. Poseidon of Melos is the king and Athena the queen. I love chess [i'm no slouch either] and now I'll look good...even when I lose.