Blade96

Thanks. The haha, yeah. Just 5 months in karate and I've already developed such a love for it im a fanatic I havent even missed a class yet!

and i was gonna say politics but just decided to write what i would think about fools and charlatans of the MA.

i may only be a white belt, but i do know my thoughts about such things. i'd ask him what kind of a dojo he trained at where he was never taught 'sandan' First one: same thing. what school wa this? Second: I'd tell him to look it up for himself if he dont believe who says its a shotokan kata. Not much. call him out on it if it was me. must have come from a mcdojo. Ibid. again, not much. I'm currently a 9th kyu. and i'd never do something like that! I'd say well im white belt and i havent had my test yet but its verysoon now. I've been in shotokan since september. I wouldnt try to fool anyone. I'd also think that person is trying to impress someone 'look at me im in karate' while hiding what 9th kyu really means. again, not much. well you have a point about how its done in movies a certain way because thats what the director wants and real life MA might not necessarily create that result (snipes did a ushiro geri in one of the blade movies but depending on how its done that person might not necessarily get taken out of commission from it.) So people should watch what they see in tv but understand real MA wont necessarily be like that. That said, some Martial artists are really what you see. Snipes does shotokan in the blade movies and he really is a 5th dan shotokan (wiki says 10th dan now but I'm not buying that!) and originally thats why I got interested in Shotokan, because im a fan of wesley snipes and Blade. Thats where my username comes from. I fell in love with Shotokan after I started it. Now, its for my passionate deep love of shotokan and not because of Snipes. laugh some amusement.

bassai dai and tekki shodan for our browns trying to get shodan

Ok I tell you. I was watching youtube videos of people testing for their yellow belts in shotokan to see if I could get an idea of what a test is like. Cause my 8th kyu is soon. and i never had a karate test before. and originally thats why I entered the tournament, to learn to preform in front of people to practice for my 8th kyu. I never expected to win anything. (btw there I go with my negativity again. Feh.) Anyway, I found one with what would be considered by my senseis as a not a good kata. (because they are partcular) I posted and said if i did my kata like this my senseis would hit the dirt and start twitching cause i'd make em look bad. Understand I wasnt making fun of the person doing the kata, it just wouldnt be very good according to my association's standards. Anyway along the line I used the words advanced white belt to describe myself. Because i said that, and the fact I won a gold medal with heian shodan, I'd be expected to do it well. (possibly the sensei's favoritism towards me might also play a part. Because you're either under scrutiny or they're linient towards you and more strict with someone else.) That's when the guy came in and said calling myself advanced white belt is silly because you dont even have to test for it and all white belts are the same. He also said gold medal doesnt make me 'advanced' white belt. all it means is that i got 1st place. That's when i said not all white belts are the same cause some know more stuff than a white belt who just joined and doesn't know any Shotokan. btw, 'karate baka'? I'm not sure what that is, but I'd guess its not something bad =]

ours goes heian shodan (8th kyu) yellow heian nidan (7th kyu) orange heian sandan (6th kyu) green heian yondan (5th kyu) blue heian godan (4th kyu) brown then to get their ShoDan shotokankas have to know All heian Katas, Bassai Dai and Tekki Shodan Which puts, incidentally, my 4th Kyu friend in trouble because she dont know either one of them. neither bassai dai or tekki shodan. Fortunately she isnt testing yet. btw all this from the website of our association.

well, most people judge. None of it is meant that way- cocky. Not most of it - NONE. Which is why I generally dont talk to most people in real life. Or online. Because people judge. I aim to be frank to you as well. If people wish to think of me as that, without asking or whatever, I'll tell them what i am. I actually do NOT have very good self esteem and generally dislike who I am. Because of how people have treated me all through my life they judge me before they get to know me. I really dont think of myself as doing anything good. I am shy and am actually afraid of people because of how i get treated. I am also an abuse survivor. And yet - when i do say something positive about myself - like i'm an excellent student, or I train a technique well or something - and i get called out on it for being egotistical! Not because I necessarily believe it that I say it. Its what my senseis and my nidan said about me and to me. I believe what my Ni Dan and my senseis say because I trust them. but to think of myself as that , as my own thoughts? Uhhhh. And when i first started in shotokan last year, I was shocked to say the least when people bowed to me and came up to me and said hello (that had never happened before) and generally treat me as one of their own. I was shocked because I can't really imagine anyone feeling a need to show me respect. Because my experiences have generally left me with a big mistrust of people. I even doubted i was worthy enough to carry the Rainbow Belt here as a member of the month. When we were doing kiba dachi in class and crossed our legs over and did yoko geri keage, and i said (because i ice skate and took figure skating) that learning to cross your legs over and the crouch is like a kiba dachi and my nidan said 'I didnt know that you taught me something' and I said 'News to me. how could I teach you anything. You're a big NiDan. and I'm just a white belt' Maybe I need to actually be able to say something positive about myself. DWX's sig speaks to me personally. 'Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it" I wish I could see much good in me.

yeah, i read that thread, and i wouldnt call Lupin your 'typical white belt' either. because she and the other had trained years before. i'd say yeah im white belt because i havent had my test yet. but i just dont think a white belt is a white belt is a white belt is a white belt. they might all technically have the same rank, because they havent had a test. but some know more in their level than others because they've been there longer. I just dont see all white belts as the same. I wouldnt see Lupin as the same as a white belt who just started for example because she has a background in it (as that higher belt who returned wearing a white belt noticed) Yea. little white belt. thats all i am. know all my requirements though.

maybe you can help me with a argument i had with a dude on another forum....... in a post of mine, on another forum i called myself an 'advanced white belt' to show that i didnt just start, that i started shotokan back in september and i learned my white belt stuff and am just waiting for my grading while practicing it. This guy called me out on it and said he didnt wanna be rude but accused me pretty much of wanting to think of myself as 'special' That's not what i meant and no one who knows me would ever in this lifetime think of me as cocky and egotistical. its just not in my nature. as i said i was simply distinguishing myself from a white belt who just started shotokan an knows nothing about it. He said there's no difference and a white belt is just a white belt and all white belts are the same. i said they're not. Maybe we wear the same kind and color belt but what he said is like comparing a kindergartener who just started kindergarten knowing nothing, and a kindergartener who learned ABC's and counting and is just going to enter grade one. They're not the same. yeah they're both kindergarteners but one has learned the kindergarten stuff and is ready to advance. I told him my senseis would say the same thing. do i have a point? does he? do you think I'm right or wrong or is he right or wrong?

uh oh. I'm not sure though how much 'insight' i could provide, cause i havent been here long and only been a martial artist for 5 months.... hope i dont let anyone down......

Heh, 2010 must be a very Shotokanny year so far aint it hehe first wireframe, then me lol Thanks all.

your right about Funakoshi Gigo - he change the stances but he also inrtoduced such now common shotokanny things as yoko geri keage, yoko geri kekomi, and ushiro geri (side snap kick, side thrust kick and back kick)

i like the rainbow colored belt btw. its real pretty. Came on here, saw i had the rainbow....So it was like, What the -? Then i found out thanks again. =] thanks, TallGeese for congrats.

wheeeee! congrats!

i will do! and this is a good post - thanks

and monarch butterflies and bats......

wow.....Didn't even know I was up for an award. I knew about this award but I havent been here very long.....so i thought.... I'll accept it though =] Gee thanks a lot greatly appreciated! thanks very much for the congrats, Bob-sensei. *bows* ~ Oss! ~

i did do better! yay! Got paired up with a brand new white belt who's just learning, while the nidan was helping us get ready for our test. I knew he was totally new to shotokan and I know my stuff already for that level, just waiting to test now, so when i was paired with him, NiDan told me to go slow and i said 'oss' so i did. He punch and I'd block, then I'd punch and he'd block. and I had control I dont wish to frighten anybody. So I went real easy on him. I'm helping him to learn, just as black and brown belts help me to learn. So I have responsibility, as I'm a senior student now, too. to brand new studnts who join. then friday i got paired with a brown belt. sensei said to all of us, 'aim right between the eyes, go hard, and if you get hit its your own fault cause you should have blocked - this is a contact art like hockey its just we dont wear all that equipment' of course we were practicing jodan age ukes (upper rising blocks) well for me its open season on black and brown belts, (haha) so I went hard on her lol. She has great reflexes so i couldnt hit her, but i think once i managed to graze her skin lightly though she denies it =] I told her to try and hit me too. I never got hit though. so i guess my reflexes aren't that shabbie either. afterwards she was talking to another white belt about how strong i am cause her arms were sore from my blocks and my punches! she was like Great crow, she's some strong and powerful for a white belt! But I did exercise control for the brand new white belt earlier, though. So I'm learning! btw i remember being with the white belt i almost punched in the head. he glanced down at the ground and sempai caught him. He told me 'if he does it again punch him right between the two eyes' Haha. It reminded me of watching hockey, where the players must keep their heads up or else they'll get nailed a good one into the middle of next week.

cause its good to be honest. I was honest with both my Shotokan senseis and the kenpo sensei that i was cross training. but I love and adore my shotokan senseis so much i wanted to be honest. I havent been able to get down to the kenpo dojo, but he was my very first sensei before i joined shotokan. but i'm gonna visit him and let him know though I chose shotokan he's a very good sensei and I can see why his own students adore him. If someone was looking for a MA to try, I'd recommend that they try the kenpo school ( and then register for a life in Shotokan. Haha. Kidding! Me thinketh I am a little biased. =] It is entirely up to them what they might prefer and Shotokan isnt for everyone.)

LOL.....my senseis couldnt hide their disgust at the fact i had cross trained in both kenpo karate and shotokan. One made a face at me like he was absolutely disgusted and said 'this (shotokan) is better!' and this despite the fact that our very own founder of shotokan had cross trained in several different styles and from this he created shotokan! some people are funny...... So naturally they were quite pleased when i told them I had quit kenpo back in november because i had chosen my martial art. i didnt make a comeback like that about funakoshi because i did like shotokan better anyway. But I could have. considering there are obvious benefit to doing some cross training. seems to be common.....the kenpo sensei didnt like it either that i was cross training. well each teacher wants you to stay with them anyway. Guess he really didnt like it that i quit his dojo to pursue a Shotokan life......

There definitely is a hint of jealousy. It appears white owl was right about that. After class tonight, I took aside my brown belt friend, who had known the senseis longer than me, and said, "are they always so affectionate? This is about the 6th or 7th friday class in arow he's given me a hug." not only that he spends more time correcting other students' techniques in class (even the other qhite belts) more than mine. I think its probably cause i was doing it right. (even though, come on! it was the very first time I had tried ushiro geri! some advice would be nice lol! ) and brown belt friend said, "why doesnt he give me a hug? Its true. I have never ever seen him hug her. and then I said "good question. Why doesnt he hug you?" letting her know I think everyone in the dojo should get a hug cause they're all terrific students and good people and all a pocketful of fly. I wrote her an email later in which i said this, and also that given the fact most of them are higher belts, been there longer, trained longer, have known the senseis longer, than I, that they might actually be a little MORE worthy, than I, given their seniority. as I am just a nearly 5 month little white belt. trying to deflect any jealousy is what i do at times. I dont think anyone need have any fear of me.

Do You Like Cold Weather? No! i hate it actually. only things i do like about winter is christmas, skating, and hockey.

I'd agree with that, my sensei still hugs me a lot on friday when he did it before he left, a black belt friend of mine saw it and she said afterwards, 'I saw sensei throw an arm around you he certainly seems to love you' I said Oh ya he does. But, I added, They love everybody. (i know they do, but they also have favorites. I just wanted to let her know she also is loved, even though the senseis do say me 'im their girl' and one of their faves, everyone is loved and they should be.) and I hugged her and told her she is one of my good friends. I also threw my arms up in the air tonight after finishing heian shodan as practice for my yellow belt test and I said, "Thats for us whites. We're all going to pass!" No matter senseis treat me as a fave, I love everyone in the dojo and i make em all feel they're important too. I think people need have no fear or jealousy of me. I certainly dont bite.

yeah, heian shodan only has 2 kiais and so does heian nidan.

i once seen a youtube video where this kid was in competition supposedly doing a 'kiai' except that he was jumping around like a madboy and screaming at the top of his lungs so that he looked more like a screaming wild animal than a karateka doing a 'kata' i agree. too much kiai looks bad. and, as someone i know has in his sig on another forum, a kata is a collection of combat moves. technically you should project 'i'm gonna beat you up, you punk!' or at the very least, 'i'm gonna murder you!' not 'i wanna have sex with you' or 'i love you' and not have a too screwed up face like fibre as someone else write.