Wado-AJ

Hi, The most recent book on Wado is here: http://webshop.ishikawa-karate.com It is called "wado no michi" AJ

Fixed haha ok, but my point was that kata is not about looks or form, it is about function, still you refer to a "weak presentation". as long as you get where you are supposed to end up I guess it doesn't matter so much how you would put it in words, except for transmitting to students.

you have used the word look twice, that makes me wonder.

Luca is good, but IMO his versions of katas are little to fast. If you compare his Unsu to Kagawa's students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q42Br_EaDlg Kagawa's students timing and speed seem (IMO) more appropriate. Mr valdesi is Extremely FAST...too fast I agree... Formally correct, I like that

Hi WNM, I'm fine, busy but fine Hope you are as well? Say hi to your family and make sure not to forget;) On the other forum in your story you bring up your girls and then I rememberd them jumping around at ... am when I still needed some hours;) Anyway, where did you hear that it comes from relay? I understand the concept of renrakuwaza, you can bring up connection, communication between movements, but ultimately it means continue to ippon. All other learning points or points of importance within these movements are secondary. pauses in wado are not so apparent. perhaps other styles but not in wado. wado tsuki provides renraku in itself.

WNM, what do you mean with renraku? it means contact or a connection.

maegeri has mainly 5 options, - If you consider any kick to the front a maegeri instep, tiptoes, ball, sole, heel, depending on distance or circumstance.

is your shizentai like _ o _ ? shizentai should be \o/

I understand your point, but in my opinion, when you focus on the knee the shin and foot become empty. One should focus on the heel, ankle and knee when 'exploding' into a kick or a movement. Then it might become part of the whole body

Hi Dobbersky, That video from YouTube is ok, but that is not a good example that you are looking for. The basic movement is moving forward positioning the front foot. As for nagashizuki the only thing outside your sensei that I can say is that I think you should not consider it the kata that strict. Off course, in the kata move straight forward, put your foot down on a diagonal line and let the body follow. As you say moving diagonal - tending to step out to the left - is wrong, it is wrong for the kata, but practically you can position the front foot wherever you like. The dynamic of the "landing foot" of nagashi zuki is the same as the landing foot of the 2nd move of torimi in kihon kumite ipponme. To me, it is a principle of bodymovement rather then a strict punch that needs to follow the kata. edit: As we use mats, lines of the puzzle stucture are there. I always tell my students that the ball of the foot should stay on the same line when moving forward even after the taisabaki. So the front foot moves forward in a straight line and the ball of the foot remains on this line, the heel and body moves off.

it is the same style with a different administrative body. Perhaps you could say there are some minor differences, but this is all due to the instructors heart. It's not important which adm. body you follow, it's the instructor and the atmosphere in the dojo that counts. edit: ala forum style: IMHO off course.. AJ.

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=n_wo_FoxOds

i just meant the stances, not particularly sandan. I didn't read any above posts... If they talk about the last 2 moves in sandan, for wadoryu it is shizentai but shoulderwidth unstead of hipwidth.

You are right to do Kiba dachi with your feet pointed forward but Kiba Dachi does not feature in Wado Katas (not just my group but Wado as a whole). Why?, because it is too rigid, lacks flexibility. You can move through Shiko Dachi a whole lot smoother. But if your group does Kiba Dachi then fine (just isn't Wado). hmm... Kiba dachi is used by several old wado masters. It is just that the current masters use naihanchi dachi to show the different between the wado naihanchi dachi and the "shotokan" kiba dachi. However, if you do wado and call it kiba dachi but stand as in naihanchi dachi.... As for kiba or naihanchi dachi in wado, some teachers do feet pointing straight, other do it little inward. Personally my ankles are quite stiff so I use straight forward as this feels inward already. Also, Mr. Motobu states in his book that the feet should be straight forward. This is easier to move. If you turn to a diagonal the groin is protected.

could bE!

I'm with Tallgeese here. I don't know the preferences of your style and what your sensei means with power. Pushing a car is also power, but not the same as energy transfer power in karate. one possible "solution" to be relaxed and more speedy during the punch, think of punching from the elbow, that is. Think of moving the elbow forward. If you think of the elbow unstead of the fist, the underarm tends to be relaxed easier as you are not focussing on it. This makes the arm less tensed/rigid, so you can hit faster. If you have a good contraction this might increase your "power". however, without any video of yourself it is hard to tell.. and even with a video it is hard to tell. Maybe just ask your sensei for more detailed or focussed comments. If he can't do that then maybe you should question his knowlegde.

I wonder, why would you be graded by "allround" people who probably have little real knowlegde of any of the styles they practise? Also, I think if you have enough skill adjusting to semi contact just for an examination shouldn't be a problem. Maybe you should wonder why you want to reach yondan. Is it for yourself, recognition by others or is it to "legally" open a dojo. AJ

Mr. Ohtsuka's book was translated by Shingo Ishida. accents, ok. but there is an official Dutch way, an official English way and thus also an official Japanese way. You can write things like you say it, or write things at they should be written. it is gyakuzuki. however, a friend of mine went to Japanese school and writes: jyunzuki (I do junzuki) but there is a significant difference between the two. Also, I would say: ido kihon. While WadoKai dvd spells: Idou kihon. chinto - chintou. There is nothing nessecary to change those as the "u" and "y" are very small sounds. However tameshiwarA or tameshiwarI is a big difference.

wa-no-michi, do we know each other?

i must? have? my sensei is japanese.

I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. it is: keriwaza it is: mawashigeri it depends on if the "2nd word" is behind or before. tachikata shikodachi tsukiwaza junzuki So actually it does matter. This is grammer. kumite gata kata yakusoku gumite It matters in pronouncation.

inveted? nobody "invented" it. It's just human nature to try to penetrate something or to master something or someone. and for the record, it is "tameshiwari" perhaps Mr. Oyama was responsible for incorporating it into regular practise or as part of examinations. AJ

if he is not teaching you whats the question then? leave and search for your own karate.

I think the proper way of training is not a style. "you must have loyal students" I think if you have the feeling not to be able to be loyal anymore due to difference of opinion then you should leave. also, If you prefer style above your sensei then probably the natural road is to part ways. edit: one who has a good teacher, stays.

Ah ok, it does change things... In my dojo it is: 9th kyu: white (you get it when you start training) 8th kyu: yellow 7th kyu: 0range (so that is one year training, every half year exam) 6: green 5: blue 1 4: blue 2 3: brown 1 2: brown 2 1: brown 3 I know some dojo who give their new students a suit including white belt. And then after half a year of training he has to do white belt exam! because they don't have 2 blue belts. Its so stupid if you ask me.. It is made to stimulate! By the time they study it for 3 years, they don't care about 2 blue belts, or 3 brown, it is most of the time a challenge. But at the start it is funny to do your white belt exam after half a year, right?