Kruczek

Never had much interests in breaks personally, but I would like to wish you all the best.

unknownstyle - Thank you. What you say is exactly the feeling I get from the few classes I have observed and from what I have seen on youtube. It looks like traditional karate, but watered down a bit. I am probably going to take some classes regardless and just stay quiet until I get a feel for how they teach. They advertise the "no bull, combat oriented", but if the Kata isn't up to par then it isn't really an art anymore in my mind. NewLevel - Thank you also for your input. I have read the history Hanshi Kise elsewhere, and while I will by no means deny him the deserved respect, I am intrigued to say the least about how he "meshed" the two styles together, and if that is the case - how it can be called Mastumara Orthodox. So many questions - thank you both though, that put me in the right direction.

I think it really depends on your level. When I hit 2nd Dan I started taking Uechi-Ryu and Tae Kwon Do at the same time in addition to teaching Shorin-Ryu. I learned a lot of things that I found useful as universal teaching tools, not to mention picking up on some katas. THough I agree - If you want to learn an art...stick to one. If you want to an enhance an art you already know look into the others - but dont fool yourself into thinking you could ever treat them both as arts at the same time, near impossible.

I don't charge for any kind of testing. My sensei's school charges for 1st dan, but it covers costs of belt and certificates and such. When I tested for my 3rd Dan I didnt pay anything - I paid for it by teaching for the last 3 years... how I believe it should be.

Could you please describe some of the differences in Hanshi Soken's style and Hanshi Kise's style?

...my karate instructor was female for years - she always said that lol. It is a fact that girls typically have lesser upper body strength than boys. While I don't want to ever offend someone - I think oversensitivity is a problem in America.

Does anyone here practice this style run by Hanshi Fusei Kise? I am debating taking classes but have noticed their requirements for 6th dan (excluding time in) is similar to what I needed for my 3rd dan in Shorinkan. Was curious if anyone could give me some insight. On the off chance someone is knowledgeable - I would be studying under Kyoshi Ader of Colorado.

Sorry for the long delay, I have been at Basic Training. We were part of an international organization that had certificates made for them, when we left...we were kinda on our own. My sensei tested before an organization for schools that don't have a "home" so to speak. A Judan tested him and gave him a certificate...in english... It is just as real as anything else - but I really don't care about rank to begin with, if I was going to test I wanted something I could put on my wall that didn't look like it came from Microsoft Publisher. I got some nice ones made at Office Max after accepting the golden foil was too pricey for 8 prints. Thanks for the support though.

I have been teaching at my sensei's school for almost 6 years now. I have NEVER asked to be paid. WHen I started my instructors agreed that if you wanted to "own" the dojo you were equally liable for any loss. I don't touch the books or the money and there has been months where I will teach and never learn anything myself. You do it for the love of the school and the love of the art. I can remember times I didn't pay tuition and I remember times I paid more than regular tuition because I wanted to make sure the school was doing well. As for what I expect of my senior student(s). They need to help when I need help. I teach them for free and I expect them to help me teach the new people for free too. Typically I will teach my two senior students and if someone else wants help I will send one over and work 1 on 1 with the other and then switch. When I have to run early I expect them to teach each other and the new guys...because it needs done. Karate should NEVER be a buisness with the aim of profit. The aim should always be to spread the art and keep it alive. Just have to do what you can with what you have, good students will pitch in with whatever they can.

I have seen people go from 6th kyu to 1st dan in under a year...I think it is ridiculous. I tend to believe that 4-6 years to get your 1st Dan is reasonable, but it should be soley based on your ability and understanding. When I test I do not care if they have been here a week or a decade if they know what I want for each belt. Kyu ranks - Increasing knowledge of how to do the curriculum. Shodan - A COMPLETE understanding of HOW TO DO all Kyu rank curriculum. Nidan - A large understanding of why things work the way they do and how to convey that to students. Additional Kata, bunkai, and complexes learned fully. Sandan - FULLY competent to teach a class on their own.

Kihon Katas (1-7) Pinan Nidan Pinan Shodan Pinan Sandan Pinan Yondan Pinan Godan Nahanchi Shodan Nahanchi Nidan Nahanchi Sandan Okan Pasai Sho Pasai Dai Jion Kusanku Sho Kusanku Dai Gojushiho Gojushiho Dai Ni Nijushiho Hakatsuru

Welcome Suzy! If you don't mind me asking, where is your shorinkan school located? My school is in northern Indiana and travels to Kokomo Indiana to train with Sensei Bethea.

Not sure why that hadn't crossed my mind. Great advice thank you.

I have recently tested for my 3rd Dan. Interestingly enough, it is normally my job to come up with more professional looking certificates for black belts and our upper kyu ranks. So I am trying to make a certificate for my 3rd Dan test for my sensei and/or the judging panel to sign. I found a place selling the traditional gold phoenix paper on 11x17 sheets. I then made up a certificate in photoshop to be printed on there. I was curious if anyone here knows enough about japanese to help me ensure my kanji is correct. Also if anyone in a similar situation would be willing to make suggestions on the certificate itself. http://img37.imageshack.us/i/dancopy.jpg/ Note: all the Hanko are done using photoshop to save money. Our school can't afford $100 for anything, more less a stamp... I have a reverse image printed on the back side to give it the effect of bleeding through the paper.

For your particular situation - it truly does depend on the instructor and style. Most cases weapons will help you with your open hand martial arts. In the bigger picture - I believe that weapons should be taught as its own curriculum and should be thought of as a second martial art. If you couldn't take another open handed martial art and do well in the first - you shouldn't be taking weapons.

I have always emphasized understanding the bunkai and believe that most katas take about 3 months to learn at an acceptable level. You should continue to work them. Some of the katas I have been doing for 7 or 8 years now, I find deeper meaning in. I will be working something else and draw a connection. So to say you truly understand kata...takes years. But for testing purposes - about 3 - 5 months.

To your first point - I agree 100% On the second point. I personally believe that kata is NOT bunkai, but a way to help remember and practice so that you can do bunkai. The movements in kata should not be taken as a literal fight but as a dance to help you remember concepts in fighting. Hope that makes sense?

I don't have much to say on origin...all kinda gray to me. The comment about zenkutsu dachi - My understanding has always been that you would train with zenkutsu dachi to build muscles so that if you were ever in a fight and became worn out - seisan dachi would be a piece of cake because you were used to a deeper stance. I also think it is worth noting that there were no (I could be wrong) katas with zenkutsu before Itosu made the pinans.

Well some googling has turned up: Shikara Ashi Te Ryu as the only style on the internet that teaches Yasno 1, 2 , etc. It appears to be a latino dominated karate style based out of California from what I can see (and the fact that everything I have to read is in spanish lol). Shikara does not translate to english through any translators, I assume it is actually Shi Kara Ashi Te Ryu which the last three words mean "Leg Hand Style" - that in itself is VERY fishy to me. After a few guesses I have come up with "Chikara" which translates to power. This would translate the style to "Powerful feet and hands style". That is about as much speculation as I want to give without knowing more - as always the best thing to do is just go ask lol, but that Purple belt after white is rather odd and amusing.

Gotta let us know what style you do .

http://www.kissakikarate.com/history.htm Not my cup of tea but seems to be growing throughout the world. http://www.karateacademy.org.uk/adultclasses.htm The photo there seems to indicate the ranks to be: White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Brown, Black (1st - 8th dan)

I look back to when I came through the kyu ranks and see months between my certificates. Then I look at now and see people being tested once every other month. It all revolves around a need to make money. I don't have a dojo, I just teach it to the guys at my school and therfore I teach it traditionally. At most I give out 3 to 5 certificates marking a Kyu level - and I only do that for the purpose of letting them know where they are at. No real belts...no testing fees or ceremonies...just some teaching and some learning.

I think the reason for this is the large number of "new" belts. If we were on a White, Green, Brown, Black system - then the curve wouldn't be nearly as bad. Because of the difficulty they made more belts to help people feel better about struggling to learn it. That is how I see it anyway...

Really depends on your relationship with your sensei. If mine did something like that, I would just walk up to him - we have been friends for ten years. If I was at someone else's school and did not know the teacher I would probably ask one of his senior students if there was something wrong or if "this is how class is normally run". I think there is nothing wrong with saying you are unhappy with the way class is being run - but don't feel as if you being unhappy should dictate the way he runs it (in this case hopefully it will).

It is always great to have people of a like style to talk to. I was trying to get an idea of what differences we would have in style if you did in fact upload a video. You are from the Miyahira lineage and I am from the Nakazato lineage, but having Chibana Sensei as a common connection I think our bunkai would be similar. That's all. O and since I am currently in Philidelphia for college there is a slim possibility I could come down for a lesson if I have leave in the future. Again Thank you.