wouldbemaster

Just a quick note to say welcome back. Just goes to show it is never too late, listen to your body and stick with it. My father started karate at the age of 35 and at 73 he is still going strong and kicking bottom makes my 25 years seem a bit feable. Much about warming up previously but please don't forget to warm down often the more important if you have started smooth anyway.

If it is all about not being held back by traditional barriers and mindsets and very efctiveness focused then I fit very closely to this camp. In terms o looking outside of a single style then Otsuka did this many years prior to Lee but without the film star marketing opportunity, it is a shame however that some wado-ka seem to hold on the detail of the last conversation Otsuka gave rather than living the spirit both he and Lee seem to have had for the question why. #Ask yourself the why question five times in a row and if your head isn't hurting you have finally openned your mind'

For what it is worth I personally feel that you have not invented a new style but purely taken aspects of other styles and focusing on specific elements more than others. This is not a new style more a different mix which may or may not be unique. This is purely the approach your own club is taking so you coul include the name in the club, you can call your club anything you want.

Is there some CCTV footage of the incident, perhaps this could prove your innocents or you could show it to your sensei so they can help you refine the technique. With this rate of learning to automatic response it is a good job you had not styarted to learn tiddly winks he could have ended up with a nasty circular piece of plastic in his eye which would have been far more deadly!

Just a question, no offencew but lots of discussion on JKD which it is my understanding meaning style of no style but when you explore lee's master text etc you find he has taken what he felt worked for him from a variety of arts any put them into his approach, not the first i know buit is this really a style of no astyle or juist a mma style? Really not looking to offend genuinely interested in your thoughts.

Patrick I would be interested, given that this post has 8 pages of replies, what the record is for a discussion theme. Seems that everyone and their do has a strong enough opinion on this subject to warrent them making the effort to reply. Personally go from house to car (on my drive) and from car park to hall (25 yards) with gi bottoms and tshirt as there is no changing rooms at my training hall and I don;t want to scare the locals, but would never wear gi to gas station, shops etc etc not because of asking for trouble but just in the same way as I would not go in my pyjamas or running shorts. Always amused by those I have seen who insist on strutting around at these locations, shame they feel the need to strut, personally my self esteem doesn't need the boost.

As I mentioned earlier if the principles are right and maintained then the style survives. There has however been a lok of discussion regarding Soke, what about those individuals who having some study in a number of aspects of martial arts suddenly start up their own style and call themselves soke I know one who put karate and weapons together to form hims new (ha ha ha) style. Nothing more dangerous than a loaded gun!

If the principles are past on right to all then styles will survive, after all the human race has survived in this way for a very long time and whilst some have lost their way their re still many good people in the world to keep the flame of principles alive.

Just read the posts with interest. Whilst those of you who know me will know my vies on jr dan grades etc can I just make the point that it is not karate clubs per say that are the problem all martial arts in particular those who rely on membership and grading fees to keep going can fall into the ame issue. It is down to the instructor not the art. I invite the person who started this post to visit my dojo, which is a karate doo, to train and see first hand that not all karate clubs are crap. PS I am always interested by those who protest the loudest.

If you are moving truly to the old wys then no belts and no marketing i.e. teaching in secret and to select people only. I personally don't have a problem with as many titles and different coloured belts that anyone wants towear the bottom line is that we are all only as good as the person inside of us both in terms of technique and principles/morals. Ego in any walk of life is not good looking and we should all try to become the best we can be, we are not tye keepers of others only ouselves and those who value our thoughts.

four: Bassai Kushanku Pinan of my choice Pinan of panel choice

Sensei, Renshi are terms that others moight use to describe you but I was always taught that it is not your place to use such titles to describe yourself. There is a song that others might sing however hich goes something like: oh lord its hard to be humble when you're perfect in everyway I cant wait to look in the mirror cause I get better looking each day some people can me egotistical I dont even know what it means I guess it has something to do with the way I fill out my blue jeans etc etc

WNM words What surprises me about my style? 1. Just how little it is understood - mostly by people that practice it!!! ME Totally agree far too many clubs that focus on sport and cpompetition at the loss of the art. 2. Why people will insist on comparing it to Shotokan - in a somewhat watered down way! ME oh yes so so true 3. How many people feel that Wado can be used as an excuse to form their own group / wado-based style - due to the fact that Ohtsuka integrated karate techniques into his jujutsu vision. ME The true path is the right path the principles are vital to maintain. Think from experience that this happens in all styles but due to the variety of wado more chance for problematic diversity. WNM _________________

Love front leg mawashi nice as effective stopper and distance maintainer as well asd a lovely weight distribution attack in preparation for your punching etc. My tip for what it is worth is to focus on your knee, think of a hizageri (knee kick) and then work of this becoming a full mawashigeri if distance is right. Min you this works with maegeri a well. Mawashi very could low maegeri of front leg lot faster and harder to stop but needs more practice.

Very much a body movement always snaking, flowing, wrapping around the attack to change the angle of counter and use the attackers movement against them. Great believer in the bat and ball example, the attackers punch is the bat and they are aiming for your face (the ball) if at the right time you move the ball you use their commitment to hit the ball to arrive in the perfect angle and positiuon for a well placed nagashizuki. Wado is brilliant, but then I would say that. To answer you origional question which referred to the practical application of the technique in my experience it leaves the attacker in the pub shocked and stunned and in some pain. Purely in defence of course! The technique works when done right, happy training.

A friend of mine, very experienced martial artists, has spent a long time building a quality reputation only to have a less experienced instructor move into the area calling his club virtually the same name, setting up websites in such a way that people looking or my friends club might hit his in error because of the names etc. Unfortunately the quality and approach of this new instructor leaves a lot to be desired. What thoughs and ideas do forum members have. Think we have all had other clus openning up near us and competition is healthy it is more the direct and in your face strategy this club is using with my friend which I find distasteful. Thanks.

Any ideas looked on internet but none to be found any ideas most welomed.

Killer miller this concept seems a natural evolution from our origional idea of being able to buy pre-worn black belts and I like it. Just one comment/suggestion of a potential improvement, I have seen examples of some who study chinese arts suggesting that chinese arts being better than japanese and japanese suggesting their arts are better than korean etc etc might I there for suggest that along with the certification being for a multiple style it also have signatures on it from 15th dans from all nations to ensure that no one can argue with the credibility on any certificate bought/I mean presented. Could we also have a first come first served basis for the very senior grades so that we you end up with a organisational structure. This would show more structure and potential history to grades (I know this would be artifitial but anyone who didn;t know would be impressed when entering the site) also it might encourage quick take up in paying the extra for the higher grade. Good luck.

Firstly may I say thank you all for taking the time to reply to my initial question. It is inevitable that in time senior sensei are no longer with us, we are all human after all, but if like good parents they can nurture good principles and morals then in someways providing we do not hold on too tight to the memories and continue to question and learn perhaps through looking at other arts for comparison or trying new learning techniques to keep ourselves fresh and we remember to maintain the principles and techniques we were taught I think there is a point that you do not need a perm sensei. The key is perhaps about getting the timing right, again looking at life it is perhaps easy as a teenager to think that you do not need your parents anymore and that they might be limiting you/holding you back, it is only when you are older that you realise just how much you needed them at this time. When you think you know it, you know nothing, when you think that you don't need direction is just when you need it the most if you are not to turn to the dark side. Many of our great karate masters are no longer with us, but with luck we will have listened and learnt enough during our time with them to be able to continue the principles in their absence. There is a point might perhaps when having a sensei might limit your learning by not encouraging you to think for yourself within boundaries of principle. I will leave it to middle aged people still in the nest of home to argue against this comment. Thanks again Brian

In a different post someone mentioned that only 1:10,000 of becoming a Shodan (blackbelt)! Does anyone have have similar figures/estimates for 2nd dan, 3rd dan, 4th dan, 5th dan, 6th dan etc. Cheers

The title of the post attracted me for some reason, might I suggest that you might be doing it wrong.

Was speaking to a work colleague who is very experience shotokan karateka reaching 1st dan on a couple of occassions following injury to his knees and operations leading to time away. What are peoples views on styles of karate that are less strenous on knees. Also he lives near High Wycombe in southern England (UK) so any ideas on good clubs in that area most welcomed. Cheers. Brian

Interested in peoples thoughts on the rolke of a sensei and if there is a time when you no longer need one. Cheers.

Ah ha I win I converted you to the dark side, well light grey side, even for a second before returning to your pure self and what did it take? Nothing but the thought if a burger. Might I suggest that you go in a darkened room and think heavily about how easierly you were distracted! lol

Its easy get the two instructors to fight each other and who ever wins you train with! ....... I am only joking, breath deeply before replying. I am sure he will understand I would.