WireFrame

I don't do kickboxing but here's my thoughts. Who launched the uncontrolled kicks? You or the other person? Either way I wouldn't worry about the expression comment really, unless it's a sign that you're becoming too agressive during the bout (yes I know it's sparring, but there's sparring and sparring). I wouln't start holding back too much either, enjoy your personal style and ENJOY the sparring*. But work on control and pulling kicks that are going to cause serious damage if they hit. *For some reason I often end up smiling, win or lose. Once it was referred to as "scary" haha, I guess I do enjoy it.

Wow thanks everyone, that was unexpected. Happy New Year! It's like a Technicolor Dream Belt...

You need to be able to perform all the Heian Kata well and at least know Bassai Dai, though there are other brown belt Kata you may learn aswell. But your sensei has told you the "requirements" for the grading accurately as far as it would also be where I train. Your experience in Goju Ryu may help (purely in terms of fitness and performance), but be aware of which style and techniques you should be performing on the day. I train with someone experienced in Wado Ryu, which shares some Katas with Shotokan except there are subtle differences in the targets and techniques used, which any examiner will notice a mile off.

You might be better off in a martial arts class for a while before doing the self defence thing again, since (at least in the dojo I train in) one of the biggest things you can learn is control. Once you've experienced a martial arts class for a few months you'll be in a more relaxed or controlled state to appropriately (and safely!) practice real-life self defence techniques.

Every club and MA style I've visited crosses the belt at the back. Never been a problem for me and certainly didn't cause discomfort or distract me in any way. As long as it stays tied, I'm happy.

He broke pretty much everything there is to break in his Hong Kong career, look it up on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI1AwZN4ZYg

In my club the teachers can't help but know when someone is or isn't giving their all, and so eventually they end up devoting a little more energy to the ones who're really working hard.

In fact, I wear glasses! Though I take them off because being near-sighted, anything within fighting distance is fine to see.

Cool as hell! Who's the blue haired lass?

I'm really looking forward to this now. I just need someone to go with who likes martial arts and won't cringe at it being a remake! Although, with the new actors, character names and setting, it's more like an unrelated spiritual sequel.

Jet Li's Fearless Drunken Master Unleashed Enter the Dragon

New jacket, Toblerone Minis, Chocolate Coins (never grow up!), and some Jasper Conran shower gel and eau du toilette.

As important as a degree!? I understand that the people dedicated enough to train for black belt see it as very important, but it's probably not going to help you get a job unless you go professional instructor or something. You know your priorities better than they do.

Wow, I shouldn't laugh but that would be pretty funny to watch on a sitcom or something. My dad (a joiner/carpenter) made me a set similar to your description using broom shaft and chain when I was about 8. I had tons of fun with them but was never very skilled. Didn't have any major accidents though, they never came apart or anything.

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy getting back into it all.

While Karate is from Okinawa, Im surprised Judo isn't there.

And where's all the food from Wolfenstein 3D!? Haha, nice list.

I think this depends on the style and the organisation. In the KUGB (Karate Union of Great Britain) things are more standardised across the board in terms of grading requirements, and we get graded by one of the top senseis in the country who grades many other clubs as well. If we were to start handing out belts when the club sensei thinks we're ready, that opinion may conflict with what would happen in a grading. I think yes, people may have an off day, but being able to execute accurate and powerful techniques under pressure is also part of being able to defend yourself in my opinion. I can see this working well in small independent clubs, but ones that are part of a much larger organisation wouldn't use it. To be honest, I like gradings. At my club we all go for a drink afterwards to celebrate!

I also think the pauses provide focus. Which helps presentation and function.

Karate's definitely not something you can pick up in a session or two, it takes time to get used to, and even when you've been doing it for years there's always more to learn or improve on. I wouldn't focus too much on the goal of head-height kicking so much as just improving your flexibility and technique. That way every small improvement will be a goal achieved, and the kicks will follow.

Fixed

Hi and welcome to the forum and to Karate in general, glad you're enjoying it! With enough practice, and especially enough stretches and flexibility training, you'll get there. 38 isn't too late at all. In my own experience, I've found lower kicks to be more effective than ones at head height. But if that's your goal, it's definitely do-able. Get plenty of leg stretches in, don't force it, and you'll find you get much more flexible over time.

Recently I've discovered I want, in a game, to be somewhere else. I lately spent an ungodly amount of time on Fallout 3, and after that I've returned to a game 4 years old, but imo ahead of its time, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (same developer, same engine). These two games are so completely devoted to, as the team says, "Live another life, in another world" - and I've been having great fun doing so. I also love exploring, something else those games have in spades, and am looking forward to buying Assassin's Creed II once I get another job. Some people may say graphics don't matter, but let's be honest a game's visuals, animation and sound form a large part of the presentation that gets people into the game. Graphics can be simple and still good, but no-one could really enjoy for long a game that looks terrible and ugly. So I think presentation is important too, the likes of which you'd find in the Uncharted games is an excellent example of fantastic presentation.

Did they re-introduce co-op for the DS remake?

Sensei Frank Brennan (7th Dan) has already worked with media producing Martial arts DVDs, and with Kamae for their martial arts products catalogues. He is also a KUGB international competition champion and one of the original students of UK Shotokan pioneer Senei Enoida (RIP). He's also a fine gentleman and cares deeply about the practice and future of Shotokan Karate.