sensei8

Yes, with the first syllable being short and the second syllable being long. Makes sense to you? Sorry for my lousy explanation of something so easy to say.

It's none of my business, but, why did your "old karate sensei" close his Dojo in the first place? Is this the first time his Dojo's closed? What are the guarantee's that he won't close again once students have invested time and money? I'd stay with the NEW Sensei/Style because he/she is established and besides, there's nothing wrong with learning a new style. This will able you to broden your Martial Arts base, imho. However you choose, is up to you! Good luck, but, I'd be timid to rejoin a sensei that's closed the doors once already...but that's me.

This 13 yo kid may not have the life experience, but, this 13 yo kid does have the technical capibilities per this kids Sensei.

USA Here's the link... http://www.jkaboston.com/skda.htm Refer to the SKDI Headquarters listed at the very top of this page! Masataka Sensei is in charge of the JKA Pan-America Region, which, includes USA. There are many JKA branches in the USA but Masataka Sensei's Dojo is the JKA SKDI USA-HQ.

Crow, this Kanji, 号令無し, IS Gorei nashi. You're right on the money! 号 = "Go" This, in the context of this sentence, is "A Number/Issue/Title" 令 = "Rei" This, in the context of this sentence, is "An Order/Rule/Instruction/Directive" 無し = "Nashi [de]" This, in the context of this sentence, is "Without []/With no []/Nothing/Nil"

Crow, you're very close! The phrase that you're seeking is Gorei nashi. Gorei is "counting/to act on command" and Nashi is "without/no," therefore, "Execute Kata without command." Very important part of Kata training. It's one thing to give the students verbal counting cues while learning/performing Kata. It's a whole new world, at first, for students to not have those verbal counts in Kata learning/training. This, Gorei nashi, forces the student out of their comfort zone, and into relying on their own focus, timing, breathing, techniques, rhythm, speed, and stop/start to name just a few. All of this is related to it, Kata, being proper in its execution. Other commands that would compliment Gorei nashi are, Mo Ichido, which is "Repeat." The other would be Mo Ikkae, which is "Do it again." I can write Gorei nashi in Kanji, but, I don't have that type of software on my computer to assist you with that; sorry! Hopefully I've been of some assistance to you.

Got to be honest, these sort of things don't float my boat. But if you enjoy it then great. Thanks....I think! I just can't win!

Wankan Unsu Nijushiho Gojushiho Bassai OR any of the Tekki

What would I do if I'm a 30 something Shodan and the 13 years old Nidan is asked to teach? I'd follow proper Dojo etiquette because the Nidan outranks me. Besides, the Chief Instructor/Sensei knows what he/she's doing, therefore, Sensei instructed/asked the Nidan to teach. For me, this is a no brainer according to the By-Laws of my Hombu. I'm sure that this Nidan will follow the lesson plan/syllabus per the Sensei. Besides, ego has no place in the Martial Arts whatsoever. It wouldn't matter to me his age at all. All I know is that Nidan outranks Shodan. This Nidan didn't just manage to get a couple of stripes, he earned them and for me to act other wise, is a sign of disrespect to the Chief Instructor/Sensei. In my honest opinion!

I hope that you'll like this story as much as I did. Here's the link... http://www.ctmartialarts.com/html/bamboo.htm

Carrying on? No! She's done ABKA and ATA. She was learning my style from me for just over a year. Yet, you're absolutely correct in your summation. My daughter and I have both been involved in the Martial Arts. She's placed the Martial Arts on the back burner for now due to all of her other interests at school; she turns 13 this month and she's a very busy person, at and away from school. My 14 year old son has no interest in the Martial Arts. If he's not doing Basketball and Baseball, in that order, then he's not interested. I'm extremely proud of him as well! Carrying on? No! Has taken the Martial Arts? Yes! No more and no less! Either way, I'm extremely proud of her, as I always will be!

Congrats! Feels great, huh? Now comes the "intermediate" stuff. I remember it like it was yesterday. I put it on, then I took it off, then I put it back on, and then I took it off...well, you get the point! It's like having a brand new car; once you get your new car home, you'll drive it to just get the newpaper at the end of the driveway. Again, congrats!

It took me 6 years to reach Shodan.

What would I do? I'd bow in and gladly do the retest without question! Absolutely!

I've been fortunate enough to have been in the Martial Arts for 44 years, yet, I'm the only one in my family that's ever done it. My families very proud of what I've achieved over these 4 decades!

This is an interesting concept as well as an excellent way to monitor progress. I apologize for assuming money was at the root of many stripe systems; there are obvious exceptions.

Why should a style be updated? This makes no sense. What's wrong with what the style is right now? If the style was good enough for the creator of said style when said style was created, then why does it need to be updated? Is the human body any more different now, then when the style was created? Are our supposed attackers body's built so much more differently than ours now compared to at the time of said style was created? Let's see...I'll answer my own questions: Never Nothing It doesn't No No Sounds to me that there's no reason to fix the wheel and/or reinvent the wheel. Wheel seems to be rolling just as great now as it was before. If it's not broken, then why fix it? I don't know, but, others like to "update" just to "update" because it's popular and/or it's the rage of the page. Since when is the Martial Arts like a car that changes each and every new car year? The Martial Arts isn't a car, it's a way of life!

Use of belts and their stripes can get out of hand, imho! More of each/either is for one reason, imho, no matter how the reason might be explained away...MONEY$$$ This is not to say that my style's way is the right way, it's just our way; no stripes except for Sankyu to Judan. There's no vailid reason, imho, for any style to have a camo belt...no reason!

In the current global economic downturn thats closed 3,500 Martial Arts schools this year; I'd say that nothing ventured is nothing gained, just as something ventured is everything gained. Providing that the owner/landlord/property manager allow and/or don't come right behind you taking them down. This won't work in most Wal-Marts because if Wal-Mart Management find out, they'll just take them down and if you're still on property passing them out/placing on windshields then Managment will ask you to leave private property. I once passed out flyers at a 5 story parking lot to only have security take them down and toss them in the trash right behind me. Great ideas but I just caution so that you're not wasting money and time and getting in trouble with whomever.

I'm in my Dojo 6 days a week unless I'm out of town.

I'm not bias towards sweeps and throws, in that, I was just offering some Bunkai possibilities to consider in ones everlasting search. You're right when you say that the techniques I listed would be more familiar to Judoka's than Karateka's but, they're still possibilities nonetheless. I, as a dedicated Karateka/Martial Artist needs to open as many doors and then some in order to cover all possible scenarios; eventhough I'll never find every possible scenarios. Therefore, the "doors" that I've opened for our discussions are just a possible beginning in our Bunkai journey, IMHO!

Aha! We're at the very end of this Kata. One possible application(s) for the sequence(s) at the very end of this Kata after the Hiza Geri (This is where we're at in this topic, right?): Mae-Geri Keage aimed to the mid-section, followed up with a Jodan/Chudan Gyaku-Zuki. >>Right from that combination one could utilize several of the following Nage Waza's depending on one's Ashi Sabaki: (No particular preference as to one over another) * Deashi Harai * Harai Tsurikomi Ashi * Okuriashi Harai * Kosoto/Kouchi Gari * Yoko Otoshi * Tsubame Gaeshi * Hiza Guruma The above list are some, yet not limited, possibilities and therefore nothing more should be read into this. Tuite also avails itself to this ending sequence of Pinan/Heian Yondan as well. Hopefully I've opened some doors to consider as to POSSIBLE Bunkai. Remember, Bunkai/Oyo is an interpretation of the practitioner through discoveries revealed in training. There's no incorrect in Bunkai; only ineffective technique(s)! IMHO!

And I've seen and practiced it where this move in Heian Godan is taught blocking a Mae-Geri. The Gedan Juji-Uke blocking a Mae-Geri is an introduction to almost any grasp/grapping/throwing/etc, already often mentioned in this thread. Some Martial Artists have even told me that this is an incorrect application. Says who? Nobody holds the license to say what's incorrect and/or correct concerning any aspect of Bunkai and/or the Martial Arts. Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai are, at best, just ones interpretation(s) of any POSSIBLE technique(s) within any given Kata. Oyo practically demands one to be free in self-expression and discoveries within ones own interpretation. Only the practitioner, when being truthful and honest with oneself, is the best to conclude what is effective and what isn't. Therefore, saying this Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai and/or that Bunkai/Oyo Bunkai is incorrect, is like someone saying that this style of the Martial Arts is better than another style of the Martial Arts. Saying that an application is ineffective, as discovered through training, is more appropriate than incorrect. IMHO!

Well, Unsu is diffently a challange for a Purple belt, that's to be certain. Stay with it [unsu] and be positive on this big jump. You'll be fine!

I'm sorry, but, this challenge is the most ridiculus thing that I've ever heard. There's no such thing as "superior" and/or the "best" style of the Martial Arts. Sheech and good grief! This serves no purpose on the betterment of any Martial Arts!