Kuma

Originally it was thought to be a requirement for 4th or 5th dan but Oyama figured out pretty quick not everyone had the spirit for it. It's now considered the ultimate challenge. Less than 20 people have done it.

You have to win at least 50% of your fights to pass. Rounds can be from 90 sec to 120 sec. KO the guy and you have some time to rest. I think they also do allow some small resting periods as well.

Yea, there is not restriction on a blade were i live, the only weapon i can not carry is nunchuku So you can actually carry a sword down the street but not a nunchaku? Interesting. What country do you live in? Never heard of that before.

You carry a sword with you all the time?? Off duty I typically carry either a pistol or revolver and a folding knife (usually my Applegate-Fairbarn).

Nothing wrong with it at all. This article may be of some interest to you: http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/go_barefoot_to_get_stronger For the record, I both squat and deadlift in just my socks, have for several years now.

I've never heard of that before. Where did you learn that from?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXY4FgKlLok The guy with the blonde hair is Wade Chroninger, my former instructor.

Hanshi Miraikian is fantastic from what I hear. I trained for almost the entire year I was in Okinawa, then for about another year in California. At the lower belt levels you do some self defense stuff but it's really at brown and above when you get into the good stuff.

I actually trained in Meibukan Goju Ryu when I was in the Marine Corps under Wade Chroninger and later Ricky Kleinsmith, both great guys. Sensei Ikemiyagi Masaaki is a beast. We typically did a lot of Sanchin and body conditioning to start, then would work some kata and either self defense or kumite drills at the end. We did spar but it was controlled, light contact stuff (albeit no protection) since we were lower ranked belts. The higher ups had some good sparring sessions at times. As far as what you can do for it, Sanchin and body conditioning you really can't train for unless you do it. If it's anything like mine was, expect to be sore the first few weeks so stock up on a lot of tiger balm.

The ball of the foot is actually great for roundhouse kicks to the body, you get a lot of penetration with it. I prefer shin for legs, ball of foot for body, and instep for head.

Because it's easy to carry them over to things you can find lying around or in many cases disguise what they're really there for. I've heard of Escrimadors carrying around drum sticks in their pockets and jojutsu guys with walking sticks.

Sokon Matsumura was quite the swordsman from what history tells us as well, Jigen-Ryu if I remember right. Interestingly enough, Jigen-Ryu is all about the first strike. I wonder if that's where we get "ikken hisatsu" from in karate... Good enough for him, definitely good enough for me.

Holding mawashi geri chambers at jodan height (as high as you can) for 30-60 sec a day can help a lot, and every other day try doing 3-4 sets of 10 slow, slow roundhouse kicks as high as you can. At full extension hold for a count of 3 and then bring it back. Do it every other day so you can actually walk normally throughout the week.

From what little experience I have of kobudo, the small amount of training I did receive was eye-opening as to how the armed training actually affected my unarmed training. The nunchaku especially was interesting as you can really see how it affects the straight punch, roundhouse punch, and backfist. Tonfa stresses good blocking technique as well.

That's why you'll see a lot of the old timers say we need to train twice as much with our off side to make it just as natural as the dominant side.

After all this snow, I want to turn in my sedan and get a Subaru Outback.

Because getting shot sucks, so shoot them first.

I like Fight Quest more than Human Weapon, but HW has its moments. I'd say it's worth it.

He calls it the "low destructive kick" which is executed the same way in a side kick fashion, very identical to kansetsu geri. Many of his techniques have a basis in karate: Axe hand = shuto uchi uchi Hammerfist = tettsui oroshi uchi Face Mash = shotei oroshi uchi Chin Jab = shotei jodan uchi Angle Kick = gedan mawashi geri Etc.

"Karate baka" is a karate fanatic, basically.

I wasn't meaning it in a bad way, for what it's worth. You're "karate baka" just like a lot of us here, which makes you A-OK in my book. Sometimes on Internet forums things can get taken out of context and that is probably why that guy was arguing with you. I've had posts of my own taken out of context, it just happens. Everyone teaches each other in karate, that's the beauty of it. And positive thinking is the ONLY way to think. The only person who can set limitations on what you do is you. The moment you think "I can't" you've already defeated yourself. Don't be afraid to aim as high as you want to. Shoot for the stars and you might just hit one. If you shoot at the ground, yes you'll hit it but that's not really much of an accomplishment is it?

This still is preplanned though as it's still one particular action reacting to a particular action. Now if the actor only had one button and the reactor had multiple buttons, that'd be a different story.

Speaking frankly Blade, I can see a bit of how he might have seen you thinking you were considering yourself better than the average white belt. I'm sure most of it is not meant in that way, but occasionally you'll post about how you're an excellent student, have been training techniques for quite a while, etc. that could come off to others as acting "cocky" or "egotistical." Mas Oyama has a great quote: "1,000 days a beginner; 10,000 days an expert." And these are days of training. Train daily for 3 years and you can be considered a beginner. Train daily for almost 30 years and you can consider yourself an expert.

I'm going ot have to go with the other guy. In kindergarten you'll have a child who may be more advanced than the others, but in the grand scheme of things he or she is still a kid in kindergarten. I've been a 6th kyu in Kyokushin for several years now and still would not consider myself an "advanced" 6th kyu. If you think of it in military terms, a Sergeant (E-5), despite having maybe several years more experience than other Sergeants, is still a Sergeant.

Give them a call, they might be able to send you in the right direction for someone else who doesn't advertise. That's how I found my instructor.