Makoto

Gene I can not speak of the instructors course at the JKA honbu, but I do know that general classes at the honbu are only 1 hour long. With 10 minutes in between classes. I also know that the honbu dojo has air conditioning and heating, while other regular dojos in Japan do not. It has been my experience here in Japan that water breaks are given and once you reached you limit you can take a break. No one scoulds you for doing so. In the past this was different, I think. How has this affected the level of karate? I can not say for sure, my guess is that people are less willing to stoic things out, but on the other hand their technique might be better than in the past. In the end I am guessing it is a mentality thing, and level of technique is not a problem. The ideas of the past of putting up with extreme heat and very cold weather while one studied at school are slowly fading away. They are not fading away at a very fast pace, but they are decreasing nonetheless. When it comes to sports, they are being more careful. However many people who coach sports at various schools have no training as coaches. They are ex-players and that is it. Many have never taken a coaching course, first aid course, or anything to promote saftey in sports. This goes for many karate teachers here as well. Yet, when it is very hot, it seems to me many dojos will allow water breaks.

How and why is that stupid? What is it about being drunk you do not like? Also, if you drink, do you not think at least one time you are going to get drunk? I would love for you to explain how that is "just stupid"??

This is an article about a Junior High School Baseball club in Japan. Japan is changing, and allowing water breaks, and allowing people to go at their own pace is acceptable here in Japan. It is only in extreme cases where a dojo does not allow water breaks. http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20051007p2a00m0na012000c.html If there are any instructors out there that still do not give water breaks and what not, because they think it is traditional karate to do so, I hope they learn from this article from MDN Japan.

Yes there is allowance for similarities, but to say these forms are orginal and date back so many years does need to be questioned.

interesting topic. Yes, I would like to know more on how Tang Soo Do came upon their forms. Also, if names of the guys who came up with this forms could be attached as well, that would be great.

Maybe different in Okinawa, but it has been my experience here in Japan that the Sensei pays a nice part of the bill, followed by the senior students. A guest to the dojo would hardly ever be asked to pay.

Not always, I do not think speaking in absolutes is productive at all. Getting drunk=having fun=making friends, can be a result of drinking. There are a nunber of situations that can occur when getting drunk, some good some bad. Some of you guys are just trying to exploit only the bad to try and make an argument, one that is not very strong in the first place. If there were stats on how many people get drunk and how many cause harm to others while drunk, I think your arguments would be very weak indeed. Not all people who drink get into fights, have accidents, cause accidents, impose themselves on other. I would say the majority of people who drink do not make a habit out such things. I think you guys are arguing a very weak point.

Why do you have a problem when others drink too much? What concern is it of yours? Next please tell me what too much means exactly? Because, alcohol starts to bring about changes in behavior after the first drink, and too much is too vague. I think I understand what you are saying, but my too much and your version of too much might be different. I agree, it does not matter if your a MA person or not. I would like to know why one would even think that being a MA means you have to live a certain way, I would also like some one to also tell me what are certain examples of that certain way. Lastly, if there is anyone out there who lives the MA lifestyle, what lifestyle is that?

To me it does not matter. If he/she poses enough of a threat I will react in kind. I would try to apply the same amount of force that the attacker I think is trying to attack me with. So if she comes at me with a knife or bat, she is goin get a hurt'n. If she is trying to slap me around and claw at my face, I might give her a hard slap back and sweep her or push her to the ground. All this is assuming I tried to get away from the situation or there was no way out before hand. The idea of never hitting a woman is old and sexist. You should not be hitting anyone unless you have to. Does not matter if they wiener or apple pie.

Welcome to you all, and nice to meet you all here. Thank you for the warm welcome. Really Rob an avatar? I am surprised. What other secrets do you have?

My suggestion, seeing how it is urgent, is get used to hitting the bag. Your cardio/aerobic capacity will increase over time.

All good posts, but I was thinking of the here and now. Of course we would all like t have trained with Mas Oyama and Funakoshi for different reasons. I would also like to know what you would want to learn.

If you could train from one person to learn one specific aspect of karate, who would that be? For me, I would love to train with Seizo Izumiya and learn how to do Bassai Sho. PS I got my yellow belt, kewl. If Dick were here he would be 5dan by now.

KU is closed down? Had no idea!!! I am just looking for fellow karate rats, and want to tell them I am here and looking forward to talking to them for a while.

Just wanted to say hello to all lost rats.