WhiteBelt

Speaking of pent up rage... How rich would you get selling pictures of Saddam with a free lighter/hammer in Iraq?

I'm not sure, but here in Canada we don't hand over criminals that are going to be executed. I think it has something to do with the fact that execution is illegal here, and so handing over Bin Laden is basically helping the execution. It has nothing to do with protecting him; it's just about law and ethics.

I used to get knee pain whenever I would rush down a flight of stairs, or after a karate workout. However, after reading about glucosamine on the board and doing some research on my own I decided to try it out. My knee pains completely disappeared for a while, returning when I had to take a break from training, and the glucosamine. Without this board I would never have thought to try glucosamine, and I have to thank you for that. I am currently taking glucosamine, chondriotin, and MSM, and I love it. Thanks KarateForums!

Ouch. That is all I can say about that. If you've never tried it, then you don't know how painfu... err, how much of a great workout it can be. I have a new found respect for the people that do aerobics. Any suggestions on how to make the pain stop? Everything below the waist is complaining, and might go on strike. Well not everything.

I met somebody I knew from highschool, but we were never close friends. He told me that one of the few things he distinctly remembers from back in the day, was me backing him up against the school bullies (he was always one of the small, skinny types). That's something to be proud of; well, it made my day anyway.

Bunkai is an optional class at the beginner/intermediate level. They teach some ideas, and that bunkai is a personal thing. For a majority of the students this goes over their heads, until they get to the advanced level and get serious. Kata rythem/tempo also seems to go over most people's heads as well.

There is no single most effective style. Sure some are more effective at certain things, but they will never be perfect because the concept of a style is wrong for MA. When you learn Wado, Goju, Shotokan, or whatever style is your favourite, you are learning somebody else's view of karate, or even MA in general. It's up to you to learn from them, but you must adopt your own view. You may not be able to perform kicks as well as your instructor, and may never, so you adapt and then your style is different from your instructor's. The argument shouldn't be about who, or what style, is the deadliest, it should be, "If I want to be more deadly, what do I need to work on?" An instructor will help you here, and you may need more than one, but don't expect to simply 'follow the leader' and expect it to be perfect for you. I agree with karate_woman about the "most deadly" topic. If I want to be really deadly I'll buy a gun, and then a bigger gun, and then... M.A.D.

I prefer my gi to be just above my ankles, and a bit below the elbow.

Maybe when you finally get into karate, you'll find somebody at your dojo that does grappling, or knows a place nearby.

I love Vietnamese food, but then my GF is from Vietnam... Now I want to get some pho... *stomache growls*

White 'Invincible Monkey' Belt! Fear the white belt! When I try my real name I get any of the following... 'Unstoppable Monkey' 'Shadow Monkey Spork' 'Drunken Monkey' 'Scorpion Arm' 'Asthmatic Monkey Sword' or my favourite 'Legendary Monkey Ass'!

Best as in good...

I don't know if this is the proper place for this post so bear with me. Anyway, I've just arived at work after a karate class, and digging my backyard out from under some melting snow for my dad. So who has the best message, I really need it!

Ok then, my style doesn't have a name. We do a bit of everything, and I mean it. For gradings you need to learn one additional unarmed kata per level, and later on weapon katas as well. We have about 10 sensei from 2nd to 5th degree BB, and a shihan 6th or 7th (forget at the moment). It's a great learning environment, like a large but serious family.

The people in my dojo come in every shape and size. I'm sure there is a gi out there for you.

Ok here goes my first link. First Link If that doesn't work, search in this forum for the word style and you'll find it.

Then why are they so hard to find... Guess I better try my university library, or my dojo when I get the chance. Sometimes I'm just impatient.

I think there is another thread just like this, and it even had a poll.

I understand that. The reverse punch has a lot of power from the hips. But what I am interested in is other techniques. I have only really been taught a few, and am curious about the others. Are all of the other techniques useless? (BTW, I don't care about tournaments...)

I want to learn more about the different punching techniques in karate. So far I've been taught the straight punch, and the reverse punch. Both are pretty much the same, it just depends on which arm throws the punch... What other techniques are there, and how are they done properly? All I can find are names, and small descriptions that don't really help.

I was practicing self defense techniques with another yellow belt the other day. He gets really into the training, and throws techniques full force... my elbo didn't like getting hyper extended however. Never heard it pop that loud before. I'm starting to learn who is safe to train with and who I should goto when I want to practice something more 'realistic'. I've seen some of the advanced black belts, take the new black belts down to the floor and lock them up. Everybody in the dojo sort of stops and watches. We all cheer for the students. But after that you see some over-zealous yellow or green belts try and tackle or throw somebody. As always, Fear the whitebelt!

My shihan studied a lot of kobudo, so we have it as part of our program. It is required in the advanced gradings, and optional earlier on. I've seen the bo, sai, and tonfa studied most, but have also seen 'cat claws', nunchuka (sp?), those nunchuka with 3 or more sections, sai throwing, swords, etc.

My style, if you can call it that, is good at most things and that's its weakness. It is not great at anything. We do the usual striking, throwing, locks, ground fighting, sparring, self defense... etc. The only way to get great, in my style, is to go every day, and practice more than once a day. Too bad I have to work and go to school... My style doesn't have a name.

I don't mean spiritual in a religious sense. In a more general sense it would be improving your character. I for one am happy in how my classes as a kid, and even now push me to be a better person. I don't know how to explain, but I doubt that if my classes were purely focused on making me a better fighter, that I would avoid violence as much as I do now. Before karate I was a bad boy, now I have control...

Kids, more than adults I'd say, are pack animals. The more of them you have, the more aggressive they get. I've seen the difference... in my first HS there were maybe 2000 students, and there were some crazy fights (weapons, fires, broken bones, etc.). In my second school there were maybe 200 students, and the only fights were when a friend of mine was sparring with me. Same 'spectrum' of students, just smaller numbers. So, yeah keep quiet about the karate unless you want to get in trouble. If you do get in trouble run, and if you can't run, fight as a last resort. If you really practice your stuff, maybe you can scare them away without violence, maybe.