Dr. Frank

The story I heard was that some big honcho from the JKA performed one of them on a TV show and called it the wrong name. Not a big deal to most people but he was mortified and to save face for the big cheese the JKA swapped names on Sho and Dai so that he was correct. SKI did not swap. So when an SKI guy does Sho a JKA guy would call it Dai.

While a kick or a punch looks the same regardless of style, the forms (kata; self-defense techniques; etc) are unique to each style and only someone trained in that style can accurately assess the candidate. I could not tell you if a Tae Kwon Do candidate performed his kata properly as I have no idea how it should look. For tournament judging purposes I can opine if it was done well, but I never know if it was done properly.

Unfortunately those back issues only go up to 2004. This issue is from within the last 2 years but I don't know the exact date of publication and can't make it out in the photo of the cover.

White is the standard in most Shotokan schools and the story goes that when Funakoshi wanted to introduce karate into Japanese public schools the administrators insisted that there be standardized uniforms and colored rank belts. Funakoshi simply borrowed the white gi and colored belt system from Judo. One of my secret desires is to where a black gi.

Anyone have this issue? I need the date of publication. http://www.fototime.com/D75E6E566570242/standard.jpg

Feeling just a tiny bit better after 3 days. Can almost sort of lift my arm to shoulder height. Will be a long and painful recovery. Took photo of 1 trophy from each of 5 decades. 1975, 1984, 1991, 2009 & 2010. http://www.fototime.com/C824D10CCE45C4E/standard.jpg

I started training in 1973. Won my first trophy in competition in 1975. I won trophies in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and I won one today in 2010. That makes five decades in which I have placed in open tournaments. But I foolishly entered kumite and was matched with some hotshot 22 year old nidan who had absolutely no concept of control. He kicked me on the elbow and messed up my whole arm. I am hoping it's just muscle pull and strain and not something more serious. Right now I am in agony and can't lift my arm more than a few inches. I should have withdrawn when I learned there was no age division and us old guys had to fight the youngsters. To add insult to injury, the head referee was his instructor and I got screwed on points. Watched the video my wife shot and I saw 3-4 punches I landed that should have been called but were not. My instructor was observing and he agreed that I wasn't getting points. The two corner refs would call my punch and the head ref would call no point. Supposed to be if two see it then it's a point. Didn't work that way, today.

Just out of curiosity, are you permitted to wear uniforms other than all white? My first instructor allowed black uniforms for brown and black belts for a while then decided to return to all white. My current instructor insists on all white. I associate traditional Shotokan with white gis. Am I mistaken?

That video is from a Shotokan school? Red gis?

I met Kanazawa in 1987 when he came to our dojo to give a seminar. My instructor had just joined SKI and as it turned out, I (with several other black belts) wound up leaving in a dispute over recognizing our ranks. K is very good, one of the great karateka. He brought a couple of students with him from Japan (no idea what rank other than they were wearing black belts) and I recall not being all that impressed with them. Our shodans and nidans (the ones whose ranks he refused to recognize) pretty much kicked their butts at will. I have a lot of respect for Kanazawa as a martial artist, but I would not wish to be a part of his organization.

Well, you've listed a fair number of different katas so I guess somewhere amongst the bunch is a winner. Seriously, there is no pat answer to which is the best kata for competition. It will depend on the rank and abilities of the practitioner. If you are athletic Gamkaku looks fantastic to the judges. At my age I look for a routine lacking spins and high kicks. I'll be performing Gojushio Dai tomorrow. I think the JKA calls this one Sho.

As noted standards will vary wildly. My 1st instructor expected at least 6 years of study for shodan. Took me 6.5 years. I now realize he was slow in making promotions. My current instructor thinks 3 years is good. This seems a bit fast for me, but it's his dojo and he makes the rules. Be aware that rules may vary for kids. There may be a junior rank for under 16 or 18. Even though my current sensei is fast for making black belts he refuses to promote anyone under 18 to black belt. Even his own son was a brown belt for 9 years until he turned 18.

We counted on new BBs bringing GFs for the show. We made it a point to go all out with a formal bow and loud OSS for their benefit. Usually bowing to arriving BBs was just a quick head snap in their direction.

I am a bit disappointed at the "we don't bow" comments. I spent 18 years in a dojo where we bowed when entering and leaving the training area. We bowed when we greeted Sensei or any black belt. We bowed when a black belt entered or left the room (best part of being a new shodan was taking your girlfriend to the dojo so she could be impressed when everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and bowed to you as you entered). We bowed to each other before and after practicing one on one. We bowed at the beginning of a kata and at the end. We bowed at the beginning and at the end of humite. Sensei is still Sensei even in the grocery store. But we didn't usually bow outside of the dojo or tourney venues. We would, however, nod and say oss! The instructor I am with now doesn't insist on nearly as much bowing. The first time I walked into his dojo I paused in the doorway, bowed and loudly said oss! He turned towards me, smiled, and said "Ahh... old school Shotokan!"

Yes, I would see Sensei Belardo at tourneys and at seminars quite frequently in the 1970s and 1980s. I saw him sweep a very tall nidan to the ground in a match after the nidan had bragged that nobody had ever swept him. It was pretty funny.

You need to ask YOUR instructor what the rank requirements are. What others do or say isn't necessarily relevant.

These 4 added classes will put me at 166% of full-time. Plus the 4 classes at the private school... yes, I have all the work I can handle and believe me, I am grateful everyday that I have a job. A job that I enjoy and pays enough to actually survive. I know it's tough out there for a lot of folks and my heart goes out to everyone struggling to get by. I have been there several times in my life.

Been training since 1973 but only recently (last summer) did I start teaching. Head instructor asked me to take over 2 classes when the previous guy wanted to step down. OK, so far no problem. Then last week he tells me he is opening a new dojo across town. Can I teach a couple of classes at the new location? Um... OK. Then I saw that the college where I work had karate classes in the catalog but not on the current schedule. Called the dean and learned that because of state law on transfer credits the instructor must have at least a masters degree in an academic field in addition to martial arts credentials so they didn't have anyone to teach the class. I offered my services. I was thinking 1 or 2 classes per week. The dean called and asked if I could do 4 classes. My policy in the workplace to ensure continued employment is that whenever a superior makes a request of me my answer is... yes. So, it looks like I will be teaching 8 classes in 3 different locations. I do get paid for this and it's starting to be some serious money. Hope I live long enough to enjoy it.

Not all Shotokan schools/instructors do the Taikyoku (translates into "First Cause") series. Some only do Shodan. I learned all three at the old Way of Japan in Fresno back in the early 1970s. Back then the brown belt tests were the roughest. Sensei Halliburton said that he wanted the brown belts to demonstrate "attitude." My brown belt test was one of the toughest things I have ever endured. There were 6 of us testing and it was survival of the fittest, let me tell you. It took about two hours and I thought I was going to die before it was over. A couple of guys were puking half way through and another was urinating blood for two days after the test. By comparison my Shodan test was a piece of cake. Two katas, some kihons and two broken boards. Took about 10 minutes. Halliburton considered brown belt the "make it or break it" rank. If you could pass that test, it was just a matter of time and practice for black belt. Few people made it to brown who didn't go on and earn the black belt. I think he hated folks dropping out as brown belts.

MT- You've been teaching 32 years and only promoted 3 shodans? That is very low production. Standards can be too high. You want the belt to mean something but if the bar is impossibly high it leads to loss of interest and desertion. It sounds like you are going with the black belt is the "be all and end all" philosophy. Reminds me of some college professors I have worked with who bragged about how many students failed their courses. I don't think the objective should be to make the course so difficult that more fail than succeed. Rather, it should be rigorous enough to ensure quality graduates without getting ridiculous. But that's just my opinion.

Not trying to hi-jack the thread, but since we are discussing swords I have a couple about which I know absolutely nothing. Picked them up years ago when such things were cheap (I have $195 invested in all 3). One is a katana and the the other 2 are shorter. The long one and one short one have writing on the tangs and the other has characters on the tsuba (diagrammed in a photo). They are in poor condition. One has been polished on a wheel and the others show wear and damage. I have photos of 2 of them. Any comments or observations welcomed. http://www.fototime.com/BE7DD475544C4CA/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/6653453B9B48B59/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/9F34A763AD8D463/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/A5EB9AE467FD222/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/32216C54233899B/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/14514708120D422/standard.jpg

Like most things it means different things to different people. To some it means "expert." To traditional martial artists it simply means "serious student." Remember that in Japan before the 1970s, attaining black belt took 1 - 2 years. They saw it as nothing more than having learned the basics. It was American karateka returning from Asian military service where they were trained and promoted who started raising the standards in their dojos even though they had earned rank much faster. My first instructor was awarded shodan after 11 months of training. He was a sandan 5 years later. Yet he insisted that his students train for 5-7 years to make shodan and after 20 years he still had not promoted anyone to sandan. I vividly recall passing my shodan test even though it was 31 years ago. I was euphoric for weeks. To me the belt is a symbol of time and effort. It represents commitment.

Funny I should see this topic right now. A few days ago I was perusing the catalog of the college where I teach art and art history and saw that a karate class was listed but was not on the current schedule. I called the dean of the PE Dept. and she said that since the class was for credit, and was transferable, the instructor needed to have at least a Masters Degree in addition to martial arts credentials to teach it. So I offered my services. Just today my instructor called. He is opening a new dojo and asked if I could teach 2 afternoon classes per week. I am already teaching 2 classes at the other location so it looks like all of a sudden I am becoming a serious karate instructor. I will get paid for teaching at the college. Nothing was said about me being paid for teaching at the new dojo. Frankly, I enjoy it, need the exercise I get from doing it, and feel like I am "furthering the art." Maybe some gas money would be nice... I know many colleges offer MA classes for credit, anyone know of any degree programs at accredited schools?

KUGB?

TopTomCat- Be careful when making assumptions. I have, indeed, sparred with a Judo man of equal experience to myself in karate. We were friends and we were both interested in what would happen. It took him about six tries to get a hold of me. When he did, he sent me sailing and it was a most unpleasant experience. But the first five attempts ended with me kicking, punching or striking him squarely as he lunged for me and he freely admitted after our practice session that in a real fight he would not have been able to take me down unless he got lucky or I got cocky (as I did the 6th time we engaged). I do not mean to disparage Judo, which is a beautiful and useful art. But it requires grabbing the opponent and if the opponent knows what is coming, and has weapons to counter the attempt at grabbing, the Judo man has a serious problem before him. Now, if the Judoka catches his opponent by surprise, then it is the other fellow who faces some serious consequences.