WireFrame

I would use this as a very rough guide: Beginner: Light Gi. They're cheaper and good in case you decide not to continue. Kumite Specialist: Light Gi. Easier to move in during tournaments. Kata Specialist: Heavy Gi. They hang well, look traditional and give an impressive sound to some techniques. Dedicated General Training: Medium Gi. Middle-of-the-road price and decent for most purposes, if you're dedicated to training and intend to be so for years.

LOL. The only time I had a longer belt (320mm instead of 280mm) was because it was passed on to me and not purchased, and well... it was just bloody impractical! Every Mai Geri sent one of the ends flying and flailing about! Utterly pointless, I ended up buying one anyway.

Hmm not a serious injury as such. We have a 6th Dan visiting instructor who hit me exactly there a couple of times as part of a demonstration and then decided not to go for a third after I struggled to take the 2nd one.

I'm all for that!

Well done! That attitude "I'll keep working hard to deserve it" was not dissimilar to my own once. Congratulations and keep it up!

My first gi was from Blitz, nothing wrong with them at all, decent for the cash.

When we've used it in Kata the Bunkai is less a sparring technique and more street application, always the hand is to the side, holding your opponent's head, which is the target for the kick.

I'd agree with that.

I understand your point, although Blade96 states he's mostly partnered with dan grades meaning he's probably one himself or at least close. This, to me, would mean he is capable of controlling his movements to a certain degree. White belts on the other hand can vary massively in ability, speed, strength and control. Where I train, white belt training is mostly centred around muscle memory and body conditioning. Exercises that require an expert amount of control aren't practiced much until a few grades later. 5-step sparring requires some control but it teaches control as well, especially to those with less co-ordination at the beginning. I was forever bruised during my first few grades haha. Side note: On the rare occasions I'm partnered with a white belt or even beginner to intermediate grade, I use it just as much as a teaching opportunity as a training one, and we're encourage to do so. Mainly in terms of helping out to fix any particular thing a beginner needs to work on. My favourite point to help anyone with is when, in organised sparring (like 5 or 1 step) some beginners get into a rhythm and go on auto-pilot. So I vary the timing of those attacks so they learn to react instead of going through the motions.

Dont soften or slow your attacks. Control them. Your partner is training to avoid or deflect or block your attacks, slowing down or softening them won't help your partner. But if they fail and you know you're about to cause damage, control the attack to minimise the damage. Karate isn't just about speed and power, it's about control too.

Twice a week for an hour and a half.

Pretty similar structure in my club.

Shotokan Karate (KUGB) Since 2005 with a year out in-between 1st Kyu (brown & two white stripes)

Kumite last night. My mawashigeri chudan was blocked, with an ELBOW. I was limping like Daniel San for a fair bit.

Personally I'm excited to see Jackie Chan in this role. I'm glad you pointed out the Karate Kid thing there too, thanks. It makes at least some sense now. "The Karate Kid" has become a term of insult from the chinese kids now it seems, interesting switch.

Chi is a personal development I think. But it's so open to interpretation. Some could say its not Chi that you're using to hit harder, you're just more focused. It's all fragmented and it's all the same thing too. Personally I believe that people have energy that they can channel and focus, but NOT in a DragonBall Z kind of way or anything stupid like that.

In a conversation, some people don't listen. They're just waiting for their turn to speak.

We don't bother with tabs or stripes after Dan grade, it's all one black belt from there onwards. I kind of prefer it. It looks neater, and everyone at that end of the room knows each other and who is which number dan for line-up position anyway. It seems more unifying to me. Different belts are a western invention as most people know, but I generally don't think they're needed at that level. Although when I get my dan grade I wouldn't be averse to putting a little japanese text on the end. Probably in red. We can pretty much do what we like I think in that regard.

If you're training 7 days a week, try taking 2 days rest during the week (train 2, rest one, train 2, rest 1, train 1) and see how that feels. It's safer to build-up again from too little training than trying to recover from over-doing it.

I suppose the only reason I can think of for Sony re-using the original title is that it's a spiritual sequal to the originals. Personally I hope there's a ton more in-jokes like the fly & chopsticks moment.

Hi Slayer2004. Just to let you know there's a thread about the new movie in the Martial Arts Entertainment subforum where we've been throwing our opinions around already. Linky: http://www.karateforums.com/karate-kid-trailer-out-vt37775.html

This is pretty much how my club does it, the basic way (although I tend to reverse the left & right, no reason) To be brutally honest I don't think how you tie your belt affects your karate in any way, it's a completely superficial detail and holds little importance. As long as everyone in the club ties it the same way I think that's fine, whatever method that may be.

Damn I think the award for Priority Future Purchase goes to Lupin1. Bad luck mate.

Everyone has things they either want to buy or save up for. Especially with some people getting money for Christmas, but I mean generally through the year as well. What things do you currently want to buy? I'm out of work at the moment, so my list is growing with no means of reducing it! I'd like a few games (Assassin's Creed II, Uncharted 2) but what I really need is some RAM for my Mac, a large (1TB?) Portable Hard Drive, and ideally a new Graphics Tablet too, I'm tempted by the Bamboo Pen and Touch though given the cash I'd prefer an Intuos. Seems everything on my list is really expensive... so I'll be buying NOTHING til I get a job!

Hey it'll be great for the kids who weren't about in the 80s or too young in the early 90s though.