Fearun9033

Thanks for the clarification Lupin! My bad, I've actually never looked into the potassium composition of bananas and I just assumed it to be true because everyone said so. I will definitely keep that in mind. So assume you do get cramps, how to you stretch the muscles in your feet? I find that there is no satisfying way of doing that.

Yes yes! Sometimes doing the right thing can give an undesired outcome! Especially people don't understand what you guys are doing haha. Give your sensei a laugh and have one stand on the shoulder of the other next time.

I like tradition and am fine with the lining up and all the rules. I found out that the reason that lower levels were lined up to the right (closer to the dojo doors) was that, in the old time, dojos were often attacked. So... guess who are standing close to the door haha. I understand your dilemma. If you personally don't care about the rank and all, I'd just just line up according to the rules and as if you are 2nd kyu. I know you used to be higher ranked and it's true that you may not have the skill as back then. So this makes it the logical choice. Either way, know that the true warrior is inside of you, not on your belt, rank or lining position! Personally, I let all the kids in my class who are same belt level go left of me if they want even though I am their senior, am physically more powerful, more technically proficient, know more katas, etc.

So lots of water and bananas! Thanks for the tip! Oss

Yes yes! Have fun, never take things you don't have a stake in too seriously. Besides, arguing on the internet is pretty pointless I find. I'm sorry I didn't think about the belt color in other styles, I must've sounded so stupid! I thought that all belt colors were same for all styles, now I know =) Yayy, glad to see my logic made some sense for someone

Thank you for posting these videos! They're really great. I'm doing Shotokan and I know it's not the greatest karate in terms of real self-defense of close-quarter combat, but this gives me an idea how to deal. I think both videos complement each other well as one is a stab and the other is more of a slash. My sensei always told me that when confronted with someone holding a knife (assuming you are not within immediate strike distance) is to use leg techniques. He taught me to use a side snap kick on the wrist to remove the knife or at least create an opening, a side thrust kick with same leg and quickly come down with a roundhouse kick with the other leg. What do you guys think? It seems to work well in a low-stress dojo environment but the legs do have huge arteries and veins and if you don't disarm and he scrapes one, you're basically done.

Well Blade, I know what you feel exactly. I sometimes feel the conundrum when because say that you are a Green Belt waiting just for the exam in order to be a blue belt. You are technically ready and basically a blue belt already! Now say you got your blue belt. You know nothing of blue belt. So you're technically still a green belt! I don't know if I lost you there, but it makes sense to me in my head Anyways, I wouldn't call you cocky or anything and I don't like to judge people. I think the other guy wasn't "wrong" but was still kinda mean to call it out. I mean, it's really none of his business. But I guess, in the future, just say that you are White belt and almost Yellow! =D Or... have fun trolling him and saying that in certain karate dojos, a white belt is for beginners... but also for the Grand Masters. Why do grand masters have a white belt? To signify that they have completed the cycle. They have mastered karate and all of its forms. Yet, they have no form. They are formless. ... You are that Grand Master. end of discussion. Have fun! Sounds Bruce Lee ish, but true story!

Hey don't worry. If it makes you feel any better, I started Shotokan at the age of 17. There were 9 year old kids who had higher levels than me. But you know what? It was all very nice. My dojo feels like another big family. The best part about my karate experience is not how I got belts and levels, but how I got there; all the difficulties I got and overcame and the progress I made. So definitely go for it! =D Make sure you just pick a dojo with a teaching style (not karate style) that suits YOU! i.e. if you like a patient sensei, don't pick a dojo with a drill sergeant. best of luck!

Hi everyone, I've been doing Shotokan Karate for about 2 and a half years now. It happens quite often that I have cramps in my feet as my style usually involves a lot of deep stances and balancing. It's not really any bone or ligament pain. It feels more like the muscle is in pain (especially the part in the middle bridge area). I do all my proper stretching before and after training. It's not painful per se, but it really limits my endurance because my thigh muscles are just fine but I can't stand the cramps in my feet. Any thoughts as what causes this? And any thoughts about fixing it? e.g. a certain workouts to strengthen the muscle? (if that's the problem). Thanks! - Fearun

That is deplorable. I don't know if this is true, but my sensei told me that Dans above the 4th are mostly ceremonial in nature because all have similar skill levels by then. There are very very very few 8th and 10 dans in Japan. when I hear "self-proclaimed/appointed", I don't know if I should pity these people or be angry.

This looks a lot more like a fitness class with some martial art flavor than a dedicated martial arts class. You could contact them and ask if you could attend 1 class for free so you can get a feel. If they refuse, then I'd say forget about this place. And I agree, that's darn expensive. My dojo is affiliated with the JKA of North America and the classes only cost 320$ can./year plus a 10$ yearly membership fee to the JKA starting with green belt. Be mindful of what you are looking for.

I'm no blackbelt myself, but here are my opinions! Well I'd first look at the person's age, physical shape and techniques. I'm no expert, but I believe someone who has achieved sandan will be different than someone who has not. I know that I was a LOT different when I was a white belt compared to being blue belt now. Then again, I've also heard about these "McDojos" in the States, but I wouldn't want to jump to that conclusion. Well, is he really a Shotokan practitioner? If he really is a Shotokan practitioner and has never learned Sandan or heard of Bassai Dai, then I would really raise my eyebrow. Unless the person just forgot about it... this is especially strange because to my knowledge, Bassai Dai is a REQUIREMENT for a Shodan exam and Heian Sandan is a requirement for green belt... I'd seriously start to doubt the person's credences. I don't know how this works in the world at large, but my dojo is part of the JKA association in North America. My dojo instructors are both 4th dan (and I don't think they are phony) and they only promote maximum to 1st Kyu. Any blackbelt exam is taken with the JKA under the supervision of senior senseis from Japan. Your situation here does sound suspicious. Maybe he was just missing a lot of class. If it is pertinent, question him. If not, who cares. I sincerely believe that a belt should only serve as an indicator of what you truly are. I know I am a blue belt and am nowhere near as ready or mature to be a black belt. So even if you hand me a black belt now and tell me I can wear it, I wouldn't find it fitting for me. I'd LOL very hard and dismiss him. The highest level I know for someone 19 is Nidan. And even then, that person worked seriously hard. My "nice" side would say that he had a bad day. Or that the Green belt is really Chuck Norris in hiding. Most likely a fraud if not. My sensei once told me. The style is only as good as the warrior. Bruce Lee was a top fighter. He trained in Wing Chun and even developed Jeet Kune Do. Does that mean any Wing Chun/JKD practitioner is Bruce Lee? Of course not. Bruce Lee was a true dedicated warrior. I don't think it would have made it a difference whether he trained in Wing Chun, Karate, TKD, MMA or even boxing. He would have still been a top fighter. Well, I'd personally just smile. I know that back when I was a beginner, I wasn't very humble. I was jealous of everyone above me and always wanted to show off my new belts (yellow, orange, green, whatnot). But after I got my blue belt, I really understood that a belt means nothing. A grade means nothing. What I am is in my head and in my body and no belt or rank will change that. LOL. I... don't know what I'd say haha. My evil side would say, go to that dojo and in front of all his students, proceed to humiliate him. But what do we care right? Let them have their beliefs. I decided long ago not to argue with people. I might tell them my opinion, but whether they believe it or not is up to them. I would tell them that movies are movies and that things are more "flashy" for entertainment purposes. In real martial arts, the most effective techniques are sometimes the least flashy. I mean, why use a butterfly triple 360 sommersault air double tornado roundhouse kick of death if you risk missing, landing unbalanced and getting beaten up when you can use the tried-and-tested Maegiri to the stomach? Hahaha, explain to them that there are pressure points and weak points in the body that can be exploited in combat (like throat, right under the sternum or joints) but that there is no magical "off" button for humans. Although I've never done Tai Chi or any Chinese martial arts where they emphasize a lot about Chi, I believe the concept is quite real. Focus and meditation can make the body to amazing things. I think it's the same as Kime in Karate and the reason why we do Mokuso before class, to prepare the mind and body. I don't know what "knock one down with one's chi" is, but I imagining something going into horse stance, looking constipated and suddenly, you are blown away by hurricane force winds. I'd LOL

True, I forgot about that. I'm 5th kyu. My dojo uses blue belt for 5th and 4th and brown for 3rd, 2nd and 1st kyu. I've always been meaning to ask, which belt color system is the "real" one? I know that traditionally, there were only white and black and so on, but I get confused when some dojos have red, purple and whatnot. btw, Thank you everyone for their warm welcome! =) Hope to see all around. -Fearun

Hello everyone! =) I'm new to this forum so I just wanted to say hi. Let me give a little detail about myself. I'm from Montreal, Canada. I've trained in Shotokan karate for 2 1/2 years now and just recently got my blue belt. I haven't tried any other style of martial art yet. I hope to see everyone around the forum =) Have a good day. - Fearun