Pajarito21

I'm about to start Niseido ju jistu here in Tennessee. I know there aren't a lot of schools that teach this but if you anybody does this type of style I would love some info or just to know if they enjoy it or what your thoughts are on the style. Also, if they know of any videos I can watch on it. Just wondering...

Thanks everybody for the comments there great. I did ask my sensei and he told me it was for safety. But, he is the only one who does it at our dojo. We have 3 other instructors and they don't do it. The main objective here was to get other personal input and you guys did great! thank you very much!

In my dojo we do something called 6' sparring. Even though we do have pads and we still do normal sparring, we sometimes do this type. It is when we stay 6 feet away form our opponent and spar like we would normally with out getting close to one another. I am terrible at it and hate doing it because I always end up closing the distance and sparring without contact but like I would normally. So I do get reprimanded for it. I am just wondering if anybody else does it and why?

Thanks guys. I looked at the hilt and it does have two bamboo pins holding in the blade. also it is made of a metal that if I touch it and don't wipe it off before i sheath it, it will rust. What is this metal and what is the result of that?

I rarely use the term sensei outside of the dojo unless I am explaining who they are to someone else i.e. This is my sensei at my dojo. other than that I will always give respect to them with a sir or mam. The thing that strikes me odd if that in my dojo I find myself the only one that calls my sensei's, sensei. Everybody else says sir or mam.

I just purchased my first katana... a two handed one. The guy i bought it from said it was made from carbon steel. the question is... what metal is the best and the worst for a katana? Also, how do I know if it is a well designed or crafted blade?

Definantly combat oi-gyaku tsuki but throwing two oi's and one gyaku... it is easy and fast.

Real quick question... I was watching the kata on youtube and was wondering why the exhaling of the breath is so forced? Here is the video I watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KprSXB25BDA. If this is wrong please tell me so I am not in the wrong.

I am not a boxer and I don't practice shotokan... but I feel like I can still relate because my hands are my best offence. The hardest part for me is the opponents ability to hit you lightly and it count as a point, even if you can clearly beat the other person with power and accuracy. What I tend to do is practice with people who like to give and receive more than the die hard point sparrer. I might do fine in a tournament but it keeps my karate good and shows me what I can take and what I can dish out. point sparring is just sport so don't worry to much if it isn't for you.

@chitsu We do practice Kihons but at a higher belt... I usually fight off my limited tang soo do practice and my back ground of scrapping. but most of all I get frustrated with the advantages of the taller opponent in the sparring session. I love non stop sparring so when someone might have a chance to tap me they get to pay for it dearly. But, can't wait to do the kihons.

I'm confused countering a move like the shredder won't be difficult, the hard part is who is faster you or the person reaching for your face. If someone goes for my face or uses some other attack as a way to get to my face my initial body reaction is to cover vital organs, such as, eyes. I am not going to let someone just repeatedly grasp at my face with out striking or grabbing there fingers. You're pinkie finger is not stronger than my hand. grab one of those bad boys and we will see what hurts more a finger getting broken or a scratch on the face. Maybe I just don't understand the technique fully.

I'm 23 and 5'3". and I use to wrestle. I loved it, I wrestled 135 and was really good because I was stout and fast. But, Amir, I would definably look at lucha libre, which is mexican wrestling. you know Rey Mysterio, he is lucha and he is one of the best.

@toptomcat: what do mean?

I went to my first tourney not to long ago and had a blast too. hope you do great on you're next tourney.

you do have to be taken down to get better at it. The way I got better was breaking it down into a set of movements, like a kata. When you first learn a kata you just break it down and learn what to do. so first start on our butt and fall back making every move you are supposed to do, using your ab muscles as a way to slowly let your self down. this will take the "crap I am falling" and replace it with "what do I do next."

So here is the problem, I think, with point sparring. There is two in fact. 1st, the point that someone who is 6'5" sparring a 5'3" karateka has the advantage in the sparring but yet in a real fight someone of the smaller stature, that understands how to fight, can just as easily win. The longer the person the more they just have to reach out and tap you on the forehead when the smaller stature person has to hope to get inside and strike where it is legal. The other part I feel is problematic is when some one attacks me close enough to hit it counts as a point. But, the reason I didn't block is because I know how much distance that person has and understand that the attack is noneffective because it won't land. how can it be a point when it isn't even a hit? Am I just ranting or am I coming up with valid points? Let me know.

I I'm a true lover of MMA and the UFC mainly for bringing the UFC into popularity. But, I don't mind seeing karate in the sport but if it is Karate that they are going to use then I want to see the karateka people use more ground game too.

When I was in tang soo do we were able to where our karate pants and a tee shirt if we wanted to but only when we aren't doing anything formal. It was kind of nice because it was light. The problem is I think they only let us do it s they can get us to buy there shirts.... so.... ya

My Aha moment was when I was trying to learn how to punch and finally started to punch the correct way, such as engaging the hip and following through to the end and not shrinking back before I hit the target, also relaxing and not being stiff... and so on and so on. This is the first of my "aha" moments, and the best one because it was the point when I opened my mind to the movements and stopped thinking of what I was doing but just let my body do it. Great posts everybody!!

I am 5'3", 165lbs. I usually roll with guys that are huge, muscular, mma guys. The best way to win in a power struggle while standing is by letting them over power you. when they push you pull, when they pull you push. the resulting effect is that they are always off balance and when you establish a great base you are now the stronger. You should try instead of doing double hooks, which I only find those good for suplexes, double leg or single leg sweeps, or when you are able to push them up against something, try holding a hand behind the head and use it to move him off his CG (center of gravity). It's all about feeling your opponent out. the more they struggle the less you have to.

O.k. first a little back ground then I will post the question. I am a student in college and just started wado not to long ago. It has taken me about a year to get my blue belt. I really love the style and really want to get to black belt. Here is the problem... I am going to graduate in a year and will probably be moving due to the fact that my job will make me. There aren't to many dojo's in the states that I know of for Wado. Here is the question... What should I do when I go somewhere where there isn't Wado? I really don't want to start all over in a new style, is there a style that is close to Wado? Am I going to lose all my rank and have to wait forever for another chance to get to black belt?

My favorite attack is when I use my lead hand to to knock down the other person's lead hand. Then I either jump or step to that side rotating my body and landing a hammer fist to the top of the head with my back hand. This is really hard to explain in words, lol. The reason I do it is to: first, it throws them of as I move to the side and not straight on; second, it puts there lead arm into there other arm making it harder for them to recover; third, I'm short a attack to the top of the head is usually not the place they expect me to attack. If you can't understand what I am saying I'm really sorry... I am not the best at explanations.

I use the outside/inside crescent kick as a way to throw there hands away so I can follow up with a back fist or a side kick with the same leg. Basically, its like smacking there front hand away from them to make them twist there body to expose the side or head. I used this plenty of times and get the same positive response. Also the crescent kick is all about what part you are kicking the opponent with. It should be with the bottom the the heel and used as a downward striking motion.

I don't use the stomp kick to the feet as a attack in anyway. I actually use it to stop someone from stepping back. I stomp on there foot and hold it down when they try to step back. It is very frustrating for the opponent and throws them off when I do it. Is it a cheap move? Yes, but I like it. lol

I carry a folding pocket knife with me at all times, everyday. The main reason for me to have one is that I am a aerospace maintenance worker and a pocket knife is extremely useful as a tool. But, since I carry a knife at all times why not start to get efficient at using it as a self defense tool. The only way I know how to use it this way is by holding it blade down and using it as a punching and slashing tool. Any videos, literature, or comments on how to use a knife would be great.