Chuck

You're welcome!!! BTW, the pronunciation guide of the manual on pages 3 to 6 is how I was taught when I took Japanese in college 37 years ago (wow that is so long ago, LOL!!!)

check out this karate terms and Kanji manual, the basic vowel sounds for A, I , U, E, O and Kana are presented very well: https://seitouryukarate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/GoJu-Ryu-Karate-Terms-and-Kanji.pdf It goes over Goju Ryu terms, but many karate style use the same terms.

For our shotokan school we do: 10th kyu (white) - 5 step kumite (no reverse punch for defender) 9th kyu (yellow) - 5 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 8th kyu (orange) - 5 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 7th kyu (green) - 3 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 6th kyu (green) - 3 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 5th kyu (green) - 3 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 4th kyu (green) - 3 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 3th kyu (brown) - 1 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 2th kyu (brown) - 1 step kumite (reverse punch for defender) 1st kyu to pre-shodan (brown) - 1 step kumite advance (free sparring - attack and defend reverse punch)

This is a really good book/pdf... http://www.gojuryucatalunya.com/kanji.pdf

the orignal karate video with music was remove because of copyright issues however the original song they artist can still be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoCfNZUV9ik

The short story... A sempai instructor in our dojo was asked to take a break from our Dojo. He did disrespect the dojo and Sensei. I've haven't seen or heard from him since I first posted this topic.

How much do you get paid as a Sempai Instructor?

Wow.

As the owner/sensei of your dojo, what would you do if one of your Black Belt Sempai/instructor was talking bad about the Dojo behind your back?

Just wondering how many quit becuase they did not pass?

Wow! At the Kukkiwon!?! Thats cool. Is there any difference if you get shodan at the Kukkiwon or at a Dojang out side of Korea that's Kukkiwon certified?

Nice! Great Job. Competition must have been tough if you got 4th. If you performed that at the ISKF tournaments I've attended it would have been 1st/2nd place performance.

Check out interp. of the bunkai after the kata http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q42Br_EaDlg

I disagree, since this video IMO is pretty good instruction.

This is good stuff!

How come you don't have a 10th kyu?? Not all schools start at 10th Kyu. It all depends on how the training is broken up (i.e. promotions once a year vs every 6 months). In fact, a lot of Karate/Shotokan schools back in the day (before the 70s) only had 7 kyu(s). Also, if you go back far enough some Karate school only had White and Black (like Judo); therefore anything below Shodan is just white belt.

Sure, my son ( and I both compete at least once a year. However, however we've been to about 5-6 tournaments in the past two years. Tournaments are the best way to gauge your progress among a greater number of peers outside your Dojo/school.

Very solid point. If you go back far enough the sparring styles of either MT or Karate would not look like the sparring styles of present.

Very good point with KIAI meaning (spirit) Yell. I always wonder what those that speak Japanese think of when non-Japanese karateka(s) are yelling out YELL! Everyone should do their kata and at the kiai(s) yell out YELL really loud and see how akward it is/sounds. In our Dojo I teach the new students to yell instead of yelling KIAI! For example, yelling as if you are falling but a loud quick burst: AAAAHH! (however, we gotta get the older students to do the same).

What Shizentai states and list below are standard KATAS of any traditional SHOTOKAN style (ISKF, JKA, etc...) There are many Shotokan (non traditional) schools that use the list below as a model; however, they do not follow it strictly and changes (elimination of KATAS) to the list are made to meet the needs of the school/instruction.

In our Shotokan Dojo, foot work is very improtant. Deep stances are only for Katas. We us short fighting stance. Ryoto (Lyoto) Machida uses the counter stike method which our Sensei preaches all time (i.e. step back blocking incoming strikes and counter stike with combos). Black Belt advance basics in JKA uses combinations all the time. From 3rd Kyu and up, we practice combos. However, in Shotokan there is only linear strikes no hooks/upper cuts with the fist. Although rising/inside/outside blocks can be used as strikes (hooking and upper cut motions). The one strike one kill is old school. With point fighting in Shotokan, one strike one kill is very difficult to score the point. Students are trained to throw combos to win points. Low kicks are very evident in Karate. Advanced basics covers sweeping of the feet. Kicks using chudan (mid level) or geden (lower level) are more effective and accurate (even most Katas have chudan and gedan level kicks). knees and elbows are in many katas if you learn the bunkai; atlhough they may not be like Muay thai. In advance basics there are elbow combinations practiced.

What Poomse (Katas) did you need to know?

For JKA Shotokan in our Dojo: Shodan/Shodan-ho testing Kata requires: Taikyoku Shodan Heian 1-5 Tekki Shodan Bassai Dai Jion Enpi (Empi) Kanku Dai Gangaku Hangetsu Nijushiho

In Shotokan or any Japanese Karate style, ONLY a white gi (uniform) is allowed. This is if the Karate sytle is following the 'Japanese' tradition.

I said in another post about putting up pics with Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan) and his son Sensei Nobuaki Kanazawa (7th Dan); pictures where taken at the Satsuma Dojo in Sunnyvale, CA http://www.picamatic.com/show/2010/03/18/03/04/6443038_bigthumb.JPG Me (Chuck) with Shihan and Sensei (couple of years ago) http://www.picamatic.com/show/2010/03/18/02/58/6443027_bigthumb.JPG My son and I with Sensei Nobuaki Kanazawa (over a year ago) (Post your pictures hear too!)