Chitsu

Shouldn't the whole lesson be geared toward teaching students how to fight - not just the Kumite section. What I mean by this is when your sensei is drilling you in bassics - it is all about putting you under pressure and driving the best technical results out of this. When you are practicing Kata - you should practice it with realism. "IKI TA KATA" or kata must be "alive" When practice yakusoku kumite (pair work) - it should be done with intent and purpose at all times - with correct combative form. Do all of the above and the sensei should have insilled the core principles, techniques, mindset and stratergems of fighting even before you put your mits on. I was a national squad member and was fortunate enough to represent my country on several occassions. I also have students who are in the national squad today - and they are very very good - but I don't fight them. I will demonstarte on them and give them examples and drill those examples with them, but i very rarely fight them - I don't have to. Also - If am fighting one - I can't see what the other 20 are doing so cant coach them (not forgetting the safety issue also). Chitsu

And greater reach? In "Ido Kihon" it is typically performed with the foot flat on the floor. But remember Kihon is kata at the end of the day, so it is performed with this purpose in mind. When we come to performing the technique (in application) - this is where we lift the back heel off the floor (if appropraite). Maybe the bigger argument is whether you push from the back leg or pull from the front? Chitsu

Focus mits (spot pads) can really help with the twitch response Especially if your mit holder is good at what he does. Chitsu

Nice story Martialart. What made you give up traditional Wado. Chitsu

The fact you don't like it means that you should drill it more perhaps. Chitsu

Of course, you will never eliminate it entirely, but you can (and should) work on drills to reduce it. Again, forums are not the place to try and obtain such skills, you should ask your sensei. Chitsu

I hope you pay her well then Patrick. Chitsu

If we take a gyaku that is performed without stepping - in the most part it can only be considered as a "fairly" close range technique - typically counter punching techniques. Greater hip rotation (back heel off the floor stuff) will afford you greater reach - and you can teach yourself how to deliver this fast (the key is to snap close the front groin rather than pushing off the back foot). The physiology of the body however always means that a reverse punch has further to travel than a front punch, but there are ways to expedite this. Taking out telegraphing - as already mentioned is a good starting point (not that hard btw if you know how), but also we have to remember that we are not fighting in a ring here. The toe to toe stuff is what boxers do. In my group we practice a stepping technique called "zenshite". Basically it means to punch as you step (same arm to leg ratio), typically done to jodan (head) its is designed to disguise the stepping motion that carries the gyakuzuki closer to the target. Maybe look to the renraku waza that your group has - for some insight. Chitsu

I met Pete Spanton once at an event in London. He seemed like a really nice man, and he said a few words to me. I think he signed a book I bought there on Higashi forms. He was very approachable. Tough, but not a tough-guy if you know what I mean. Of course this was back in the mid 1980's. I trained in Swindon, Wiltshire. Are you connected with Higashi at all? No, I am a JKF Wadokai fella, but Wado (and traditional Karate as a whole) in the UK is fairly well connected so of course I know of Mr Spanton and his Higashi group. Spanton was one of the UK's very first dan grades under the Suzuki regime, so his name is up there, however he (like many others) broke away from the Wado fould fairly early on and he has changed things quite a bit as far as I can see. As you say Wado based rather than Wado itself. I know of several ex Higashi guys and am aware of his reputation for "beasting" his students. He trains hard and he trains his people hard. Nothing wrong with that of course. Chitsu

@Martialart:- Mr Spanton would be proud Chitsu

Don't assume - be clear before you go into your grading. Jodan(age)uke follows junzuki in my group also, but I know of at least one other Wado group that follows Junzuki with sotouke jodan. I remember an examiner we had in our group once that would deliberately throw in a different block to the prescribed. He did it to keep people on their toes and to stop them from being robots. You could argue that was a little unfair, but the ones that did the block he requested inevitably passed. Chitsu

Depends on what the syllabus is for your group. Typically in Ido kihon (junzuki, gykuzuki etc) there is a formal block that accompanies a turn. When practicing Keri-waza (in Wado kihon anyway) it tends to be done in Hanmi gamae (fighting stance) and the turn is accompanied by transfer of "kamae" - not a formal block per-se. You must ask your instructor. Its his job to get you ready for your grading. Chitsu

Depending on the rules of your shiai, of course. There are rules in Shiai There are no rules in real life. As detailed in my post I was referring to the latter. Chitsu

Hi Pajarito21 I just noticed that you are a wadoka. (So few of us about these days) Being smaller than your opponent is where "infighting" comes into play (talking real life fighting not Shiai here). Of course Otsuka is famed for creating Wado's unique "Kihon Kumite" paired kata which focuses on learning the principles and stratagems of close range combat... Does your group practice these? If not could be the missing link - in terms of your understanding. Chitsu

It was a film wasn't it - not real life? If we are referring competitive sparing or "shiai" then of course the taller player will "statistically" have the advantage over the smaller competitor. This is why in most comps; there are weight categories so that the playing field is as fair as possible. That said many comps have an open weight division - and these are often the most entertaining of the day, as faster more agile smaller guys work hard to take on the big fellas - and the stats don't always bear out. But that's comps at the end of the day - and real world fighting is different. Chitsu

We try our best. Chitsu

In our dojo all Wado fighting is full contact - It's just controlled full contact. We call it Jiyu Kumite. Chitsu Could you elaborate on this, I mean, what does controlled full contact mean? Do you consider Kyokushin to be uncontrolled full contact? No, but we are talking about a different process. At risk of stereotyping - maybe we have the "physical" conditioning of the "Kyoku-ka" versus the evasive/atemi/aiki- jujutsu conditioning of the wado-ka. Although the platform may be the same, the process is different. Either way, the only way to find out is by fighting. Chitsu

You know how us brits feel then. Especially when we get beat at all the sports we invented and gave to the world. Football - Both the proper stuff or "Soccer" as it is sometimes called and the "Gridiron" version (Rugby basically with padding). Cricket Golf Snooker - (See also Pool) Baseball Etc.. etc.. etc.. Ahh well nevermind - It's good to have given. Chitsu

There is rank and then again there are "Shogo" titles. My group doesn't tend to utilize titles, and if anything they turn me off if I am being honest. Its one thing trying to draw comparison between dan grade.... I am not sure you need to add titles as well. Hanshi is maybe different, as it implies Head Instructor of a group, but I'm not one for your "Renshi" and "Kyoshi" etc. But thats just my view and to each their own of course. Chitsu

According to Suzuki's own WIKF website, he was given the title of "Hanshi" by the "International Budo Federation" - after being awarded 8th dan (presumably by Otsuka sensei?). He was presented with a "special silver cup" by Higashi Kuni no Miya - (the uncle of the Emperor of Japan) – But he didn't get the title from him. Also, it's not quite correct to say there are no other Hanshi within Wado Ryu today: Masafumi Shiomitsu was appointed Hanshi by Otsuka II (and he (Shiomitsu sensei) currently holds the rank of 9th dan). Toru Arakawa also holds the rank of 9th dan as awarded by the JKF (Japan Karate Federation). These guys are amongst the highest ranked/graded Wado-ka in the world today. Hironori Otsuka himself was awarded the title of "Meijin" but again, it was by a martial federation rather than the Imperial family of Japan. Rather like the royal family here in the UK, the Imperial family awarded “medals” and titles (like Knighthoods, MBEs, OBEs etc.) in recognition of the recipient’s contribution in their field - but they are not recognition of technical ability and rank within said art. Otsuka (senior) received a couple of these at least - as far as I know. I don't think Suzuki sensei has though. Chitsu

Zen = Front Kutsu = Bending (or bent) Dachi = Stance Meaning bent front leg stance - ie the weight is (typically) 60% on the front, as the stance is designed transfer weight / energy forward. Chitsu

In our dojo all Wado fighting is full contact - It's just controlled full contact. We call it Jiyu Kumite. Chitsu

Car park Jutsu = Parking lot jitsu in American I guess?? A former sensei of mine used to use it when referring to techniques and/or training that got a little out of shape - ie they would be more at home in the car park of a pub after chucking out time for example. Chitsu

For me, the learning a martial art delivers self defence as a happy by product of good training, but self defence is not the goal. I teach a martial art first and foremost. I often lose potential students because I tell them straight - this is not a class in self defence and it is not a great way to learn SD. I tell them there are plenty of courses they can attend that will deliver results in that area far more efficiently. IMO people today are far too eager to bind-up martial arts with the military / combat / competition (UFC) / SD and even street fighting - when actually it is the antithesis of what I understand as correct training goals. Chitsu

I guess that in the case of bench pressers in particular - they have something they want to get off their chest.... Sorry couldn't resist.