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.

There could be a number of reasons why your instructor is doing what he is doing. I do not understand how stress can affect your horse stance, unless you have not been training lately. However, I assume you are paying fees to train with this guy? If that is the case, he should not be getting mad at you for asking questions. Next, if you paid a grading fee, you should be told exactly what was wrong and what you can do to fix things. I would suggest he is picking favorites, and you are not on his list right now. I also have to ask, are you doing your best? Are you the type of person who complains and makes excuses? It does seem you do worry about what other people do in your club, so I wonder about that.

I am a reader of this site and a poster to 24FC. Today, I think it might be disabled, or even dead. Go to the site now and it indicates it has died. Maybe it is only temporary, but it is a shame such a good site, like this one as well, might be gone. Anyone know what is up?

For crying out loud. If you are going to make up your own home page, why not show the instructors and students of your group doing these katas and techniques. Why is it when I go to a freakin shotokan web page, almost every one of them have these JKA videos to show kata. What is wrong, are these guys that crappy that they can not use a digital camera and do the kata themselves? I mean, you are already out there. You have your own group, your own school, you call yourself an instructor. So put it on the line and have yourself doing the kata. So what if others might pick you apart, you might wind up learning something. I am not saying everyone should just jump on the net now, but if some one took me while I was doing kata at a tournament and put me on the net, I would not care not one bit. When some day I do set up a dojo or group I will not be using these JKA videos. I know the freakin kata. After that, if my technique is not good enough, then do not come to my dojo. Next point, those JKA videos....the boys on that are not doing the best kata they can do. Not saying they suck, but they are not at their best performance in those videos.

Yes that is why he got mad, so there goes the whole turn the other cheek idea, let God judge them for their acts. I really do not care what religion some one is. IT does not need to be in any of the MA. It is that simple. Why should I go to a MA and get religious rehtoric be it buddism or christianity. In no other sport is there such a thing. Why should there be any now in MA? There is no need. You can still learn a decent MA and avoid the religious rehtoric all together. That is all I am saying. Again I did not attack your beleifs. I gave my opinion of what I thought of christain karate. Once you open that religion can of worms you have to expect guys like me to sooner or later make a comment other than "nice article"

In the north america and the western world your view of Jesus is seen as correct. However in more oppressed socities Jesuse is seen as a revolutionary in nature. The bible and its meanings can be seen in many ways, contextual revelence is one of them. Not wrong. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but if you wanna hear nice only comments why post here. You wrote a beleif, I worte mine. If they contradict yours in any way that is not wrong. Your article well written and well explained. You did well justifying or explaining how a devout christain can continue training in the MA. My question is, how in the heck does religion relate to MA. Why even bother applying christianity. I do not see how or why a person would want to train in MA that also preached the gospel. Do you only eat and shop at places that espouse the gospel? My guess is that you do not. So why a need for a christain ma? Why confuse the two? Look at the opportunties for abuse. You are setting up MA teachers to take the place of priests and pastors. It is totally idiotic to me. There is not conflict nor is there any concilliation between the two. To me is its a mis mash of two concepts which leads to confusion and many misconceptions of the two. At one time concentrate on the one practice and on other times concentrate on the other. Explain to me how the two soundly go hand in hand? You did a great job in explaining how MA does not offend Christain beleifs. Now explain how the two go together. I do not see why they should.

Sorry, but we gave you our opinion of the dojo kun. I care for neither translation. IF you want to know the second translations is better than the first, but both are * Sorry to double post

Dojo kun are not a set of beleifs. If you or anyone else thinks they are, then they are misleading themselves. They are suppose to be modes of conduct for karate. Except all those great karate teachers who have them in their books and what not, do not even follow them. IF they did there would not be so much back stabbing. If I think they are * that is my right. Not only that if I decide to write them my opinion here it is fine. I have not attacked you personally. I ave attacked the idea of using the dojo kun as means of a moral system. It is total *. I see no disrespect. In fact, I hope that I have opened the eyes of some. You are born again christian that is fine. Please tell me how that even relates to this topic? Yet again, lets not go there. Your personal beleifs are fine. The dojo kun are not commandments. IF you break one of them there is no sin comitted in terms of karate. So they are not beleifs. Anyone doing such IMO is bordering cult like behavior. Disrespectful? No. Harsh truth? Yes.

Why even bother to bring religion into karate or MA? Is it in boxing orginally? WHat about Soccer? Tennis? Aerobics? Bowing, is a form of greeting, not worsip. IT is not an issue. Turn the other cheek: Yea I guess so, but when it comes to loving your enemy more than your own kin and friends what does that say about you. Sorry, but I am not do karate to let some guy hit me in the face. I am going to block that punch or slap to the cheek, then I am going to drop him. If I catch him stealing my belongings, I will not kill him, but I will kick the crap out of him. Then call the EMS to help him out. Turn the other cheek, sounds very noble. To bad Jesus only said it and not preached it. HE was a revolutionary. He was plotting for the take over of Rome. He knew at some point his teachings would mean an open conflict with the authorites of the time, Hebrews and Romans. Why did he not turn other cheek when he trashed the synagogue? His anger was very apparent then. Why do you think he was arrested and executed, because he posed a danger to the state. Leave your personal beleifs out of karate, it does not need to be there. There is no conflict. IF your teachers push another religion upon you, quit that school and move on to another. Religious beliefs are personal and have no place in the ma. That is my feeling. There is no conflict. THe idea of christain ma schools totally makes me wanna puke. So instead of dojo kun, I get bible lessons. Gag! If I want to go to a religious service I go to church, not some third rate guy who wants everyone to follow his ideas of christianity or any other religious beleifs.

I do not care how long you have been training. What does that have to do with things? Moral pressure, you must have some, you are asking in a public forum which translation of the dojo kun is better. Why do this if you do not have any interest in the dojo kun. Next, you wanted to know which translation is better. I told you my opinion, both a cult ridden hypocritical rehtoric heaps of crap. They mean nothing. Why not just have one phrase, ie "Do you best". THey all mean the same thing. Funakoshi told Nakayama off for fighting, yet he himself had no problem with war to bring the rest of the world under Japanese control. Dojo Kun, totally *

How about you forget that load of crap all together and just be a nice guy, until you have to kick butt then show no mercy. Karate is not a religion, and these dojo kun are nothing more than cult behavior. Just train and do not put any moral pressure on yourself that a bunch of guys who did not even follow these rules want you to do. It is all about the money then and now.