Jeffrey

Yes I love the untagging of myself in many photos. Someone had a nice picture of me in my first tournament with a deer in head lights look as I did my Kata and forgot it half way through.

Our school is the largest in the area with about 130 students in total. We operate from 2 schools and the local community hall. We have one kid’s class on Monday and Thursday for one hour each. Another kid’s class on Tuesdays for 2 hours. There is a teen class on Wednesday. The adult classes are on Monday and Thursday for 2 hours each. Since we operate from the 2 schools we always have a fresh number of kids who start up every year. By the end of the first year we lose about 60% of the beginners. But like always there is a fresh group to start again. The teen class is about the same with the same loss but always a new group starting. You always see a large group of white and yellow belts and than fewer orange and fewer still of the green, blue and maybe one or two brown belts. I’m pretty sure this is like most cases in other Dojo’s. The biggest challenge is the adult class. It seems that we get 4-6 new white belts and by the end of 1st month there is maybe 1-2 still there. Sort of depressing sometimes. How do you attract the Adults or better yet how do you keep them? The Head Sensei is always trying to figure out ways to keep people. Like Sibylla mentioned as members we have all tried to get to know the new people by name and help/encourage them learn and have fun. Is the work out to tough and then get discouraged? I’m not sure. Any advice is good and I can pass it on.

Welcome You want want to look up Local Karate commuity schools. Some of these might be run out of a school or lacal hall and can be a little less pricey. The draw back is that they may not be in the style you want to train in.

Oh yeah! Face book has help rekindle lost frinedships and bring together family and friends that over the years seem to have spread out on a gobal scale. It's a great app for sharing pictures etc. I really got in it when a friend in Korea told me about it a couple of years ago. Within 3 months we had almost everyone connected. Over the years we've added lost high school friends. Part of me still thinks it's a gov't plot..... If anyone wnats added just send me a PM.

I use an Ipod. Yes I know it's a brand name product that costs lots of money compared to other MP3 players... but I really like Itunes and I download a ton of Audio books for traveling. It has done me well. I take it running and it has never messed up. Dropped it etc.... I would buy another in a heart beat.

Hi and Welcome Adrianna. Same name as my daughter so you gotta like that

Good Luck Ryan, Some advice.... don't try to fix things while grading. You might forget about something you do well. Focus on what you know and do well. You have a life time to fix the little things.

Geoff Thompson wrote a book (Bio) on working the door in night clubs. "Watch My Back" He talked alot about the first strike. Great read. Pretty much the first strike is first move of aggression. Don't wait for the strike because it could be the last.

Welcome Mac

Hey Geo, Mine is a top piece only and it fits so wel that if I don't have my teeth clinched it still makes taking the hit better than what I had. The nice thing about getting one this way is once the mold is done (which the major cost) getting a relacement guard is a lot less if you loss it. I paid $85 CAD for the mold (Thats $85.43 USD...couldn't help myself sorry) and then the guard was about $30.00 approx.

Welcome

I used the same clear jelly cheap mouth guard for a while but after getting hit in the jaw more then once I rethought this cheap piece of plastic. I ended up going to the dentist and getting one fitted for my mouth. It was a little pricey but worth every penny in the end.

You would have loved last night and today. Mid April and we got hit with a snow and wind storm. Couldn't see the next block driving home from practice. Went from +9c to -10c in a few hours. I had a smile and just laughed.

I like Pinan Nidan a lot, but I learned a black Kata Chinto which I starting to like more.

Yes, much laughter over the fight.

Welcome KarateQueen Jeffrey (1 deadly 10lb Havenesse\Terrier dog and a Cat named Rainbow... ok the kids named the poor cat when they thought it was a girl)

Welcome Matt

Hi Jeffrey, As I am sure you expected, I am going to take exception to what you have written. First, on the general topic - I would agree that the lineage that is important is what you are taught not necessarily who taught you. And I would agree that there are some minor differenced between the 3 main Wado groups around the world - but the principles conatined within remain constant. Unfortunatley this does not apply to the Shintani Wadokai group imo. From a technical view point (literally how they move) their Karate is so far removed from mainstream Wado - its quite remarkable. So here is a case in question where Shintani trained with Otsuka but over time the satalite of Shintani Wadokai became so distant it evolved into something completely different - not a good example of Karate lineage rather an example of karate politics at their worst. Chitsu I thought you poke head in and comment. Having only been doing this for about 1 year I can not agrue the technical differences so I will not even touch that and let someone deal with that. As for the example of Karate politics at their worst after speaking with someone who was still around when the split happend I would agree to that statement. Now where lineage is concerned where do you draw the line? We all come from the same tree but grew in differnet shapes and styles. Lets trace to lineage back to china or Indian were it all began. Do you still practice the same art that was brought to those tiny islands so long ago? I don't think so. Tode is part of each and every lineage tree weather you agree or not. Just like all who practice Karatedo are all part of the tree which started it.

That is awesome! I remember it well.

I feel for you Geo. You pretty much explained my first tournament as well. But you left out the part about messing up your kata so bad you were not sure to start over or just stand there with a look of epic failure on your face. Another member in my rank also did the very same thing. Sees the front kick coming turns and hook to the side of the head. Thank you for playing Point Sparring game over. It’s all good and only point sparring like Sokusen said. In real life you would have won.

This I understand all to well. As part of the Shintani Wado Kai group I had a lot of questions regarding our linage. I believe someone said that what we do is not real Wado. So I did my digging to find the why and what it is we really do. Wado was introduced by Hironori Otsuka around 1939. He had many different students Sensei Masaru Shintani being one of them. He was made the Head of North America Wado Kai Karate By Sensei Otsuka. There was also other Sensei who went to other parts of the globe with Wado Kai. It is true that there are minor differences between each group. So which one is right. I believe they are all correct. Sensei Otsuka goal was to create in his students strength and calmness of character as well as the virtues of self-control. As long as each Wado Kai group keeps this practice they will always be studying Sensei Otsuka Wado Kai. I would also like to mention regarding linage that not everyone is taught the same. We all have different body types and attributes that make us all unique. A good teacher will help students develop based on their skill and may mortify certain techniques to suit the student’s uniqueness. It is possible the teacher will than have 10 different students go out into the world with 10 different ways to do a technique. Karatedo is ever involving.

Good Job!

Gatz!

Welcome

Congrats Lupin Keep it up.