Wastelander

The books that bushido_man96 recommended are excellent resources to get you started! Abernethy and Wilder both also have some free videos on their YouTube Channels with examples of kata applications. In addition, I would recommend that you check out Paul Enfield's videos on https://www.youtube.com/GKCgoju where he shares training methods and techniques from his Sensei's approach to Goju-Ryu. I can also recommend this video from my friend, Ryan Parker, which is from one of the instructional videos he recorded back in the early 90's: In general, you're not going to find a whole lot of material based on the Taikyoku kata, since they weren't built with practical application in mind. You can find ways to use them, of course, but you won't find too much good material labeled "Taikyoku bunkai," I don't think. It's the older kata where you are going to find relevant material. There are also some videos and books out there on specific movements, like the infamous "low block," that could be useful. As far as kata application in sparring, don't worry about that too much--the techniques in kata are meant to be used in a different context than the one most people use in sparring. I use kata techniques in sparring a lot more than most people seem to, but I'm still limited by the context most of the time.

First of all, welcome to the forum! As far as your quest for Okinawan karate in your area, I'm afraid I don't know of any. It looks like you are in a pretty remote (but probably beautiful) area, so your options are going to be limited. The closest Shorinkan dojo I know of is in Bozeman, which is quite a long distance from you. Google didn't turn much up in your surrounding area, but you might be able to find a dojo by going to the websites of Okinawan karate organizations--they often have listings of affiliated dojo, sorted by country and state. Good luck!

Welcome to the forum! People often get caught up in trying to find the right style but, as Iskrax and sensei8 mentioned, the style isn't really that important, unless you want to be a part of a specific lineage. You really just need to go visit those schools, talk to the instructors, watch and try some classes, and see what works best for you. All four of those styles are going to vary greatly in the way they are taught and practiced, so you have to check it out on the local level.

Thanks for the review!

Hello everyone, Several people here on KF have mentioned that they do some form of kakidi/kakete/kakie (hooked/crossed hands) training at their dojo. It occurs to me that we've never really had a thorough discussion about that type of training, though. I figured it would be an interesting topic, if we could get some valuable discussion going on. This will be a long post, in order to provide the (what I feel to be) necessary background information, so please bear with me! For those who are unfamiliar, a quick Google search of "kakie" will provide you with a variety of examples of the type of training I'm talking about. Kakete is simply another word for it, and kakidi is the Uchinaguchi (Okinawan language) pronunciation of kakete. Basically, you and a partner get into closed-face stances (usually) and cross your lead arms at the wrists, and then go through a variety of exercises for pushing, pulling, resisting, and redirecting. I think most people probably associate this type of training with Naha-Te styles. This is fair, since Goju-Ryu folks seem to have preserved this training method more widely than other styles. Still, I know it exists in Shuri-Te and Tomari-Te styles, too. We practice some of these types of drills in my dojo, but not as frequently as some of my Goju-Ryu friends. Lately, though, I've been on a bit of a kakidi kick, which has been partially spurred on by an increase in its popularity within a karate study group I am a part of. So, we know that people practice this type of training, but what they do with it is less consistent. Some people just do the back-and-forth pushing, some people do very flowing movements similar to Taiji pushing hands, some do lots of joint locks, some do lots of strikes, some cross arms on the inside while others cross on the outside, etc. There are so many variations that it's hard to keep track of them all! What I would like to know is, for the people here on KF who practice some form of kakidi/kakete/kakie, how and why do you do it? Can you explain (or even share video) some of the drills that you practice? Do you have a particular focus on what you are developing when you are doing this type of training?

I was originally taught to only ever pivot on the heel. The reasoning behind it was that pivoting on the balls of your feet moved you away from your opponent, and therefor you lost power. Now, I have since learned that this really only applies to specific scenarios, but at the time, we were told that it was the way you were always supposed to pivot. In my current style, we mostly pivot on the heels, but there are some times when we pivot on the balls of the feet. In KishimotoDi, on the other hand, you always pivot on the balls of the feet. Sometimes, I find that pivoting through the center of the foot works better, for me, personally. When it comes to pivoting, there are pros and cons to every method. They all have situations in which they work best, situations in which they don't work well at all, and situations where it doesn't really matter too much. There are stylistic preferences, but over time you will find your own preferences, as well.

I'm in agreement with AlwaysInTraining. The people who flinch and are afraid tend to be that way because getting hit is "the unknown." The unknown pain is always more frightening than the known pain. If you can work on your body conditioning, and grow accustomed to being hit, and hitting someone back, then it won't be frightening anymore. It may also be beneficial for you to do some trust exercises with your partners, before hand, just so you aren't panicking during the conditioning training.

My Sensei is certainly not replaceable--he is a fundamental part of my karate journey. That said, he believes (and hopes) that there will come a day when he has a student who has nothing left to learn from him, and then that student should seek further instruction from someone else. I don't see that as replacement, though, but as addition. I'm certainly anywhere near that point, anyway

It does certainly sound like your Sensei's job simply doesn't leave him with enough time to really teach, which leaves him too stressed out and rushed when he does teach. If you aren't learning anything and improving, then there isn't much sense in you continuing to go to classes. If your Sensei doesn't have the time or knowledge to train you privately, then it doesn't make sense to keep training with him. Practice at home as much as you can, research as much as you can, try to find other martial artists to meet up with and learn from. When you move for school, find a good dojo and get started with them. With your instructor being a nidan, he probably can't promote you to shodan--usually, you can only promote people up to 2 or 3 ranks below your own. That may be why he's never brought it up. Since you aren't affiliated with an organization, your rank probably won't be recognized anywhere else, so you'll probably have to start at white belt. Try to see that as an opportunity, rather than a setback.

Congratulations!

Well, cici118, you are certainly in a tough situation. You are at an age and experience level where you should not be in a class for children. You have outgrown them, and it sounds like your Sensei may have reached a point where he is burnt out. If you want to keep training with him, I would say you will need to ask him for private lessons instead of attending the regular classes. If you decide to quit, and just keep practicing your karate at home until you move somewhere that has a dojo you can join, that can work for you. At brown belt, you should really be starting to train more on your own, anyway. As far as your rank goes, and what will happen to it if you stop training with your Sensei or go to a new dojo, try not to worry about it. In all likelihood, a dojo that does the same style and is in the same organization as your instructor will probably recognize your rank, regardless. Any other dojo will probably have you start at white belt, though, and that's perfectly fine! If you focus on the training and the learning, the rank will come with time.

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, Itosu was one of Funakoshi's teachers, along with Azato.

Congratulations! Sounds like it's going well!

That version of Passai (you would probably call it Bassai) only exists within the Shorin-Ryu passed down by Chibana Chosin. He learned it from the Tawada family, who had passed it down within their family after learning it from Bushi Matsumura. Chibana showed it to his teacher--Itosu Anko--who told him to preserve it in his curriculum and call it Passai Dai. Originally, Chibana had learned the same Passai Sho and Passai Dai from Itosu that Funakoshi and his other students did. When he brought in Tawada Passai, he dropped Itosu's Passai Sho and changed the name of Itosu's Passai Dai to Passai Sho. Because of this switch, you would recognize our Passai Sho as being very similar to most styles' Passai/Bassai Dai.

Congratulations!

I joined one at my last dojo, and I enjoyed it, but there is no standard for what a martial arts "SWAT" is. At my old dojo, it was an extra class every month with a special theme that the team voted on, so we could work on extra material that was different from the regular curriculum. Other schools may do something completely different.

I don't do tournaments, but if I did, my go-to kata would probably be Tawada Passai. Here is a video of me running it last May, while I was feeling very ill:

I don't know how many people here follow Sumo, but this past Basho was won by yokozuna Hakuho, making it his 33rd Basho victory and breaking his mentor's record of 32. Pretty cool! http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jan/25/hakuho-rewrites-sumo-history-with-record-breaking-33rd-championship

This is incredibly common--the vast majority of people who make shodan will never make nidan, because they will quit first. I've only been training for about 8.5 years, and only just earned my black belt last Summer, but I've certainly seen it happen. From what I've seen, there are two main reasons for this: 1. Their goal was "black belt," and now that they have it, they feel as if they "finished what they started." 2. They are bored with the yudansha curriculum, if there is any. With the people who fall into number 1, nothing can typically be done. They had a goal for their training, they achieved it, and they have decided not to set any further goals for their training. I have never seen these people be convinced to stay. They do, however, sometimes come back after a decade, or so. With the people in number 2, you have options to keep them. Repetition is important, of course, but even the most dedicated karateka can become bored. Some dojo take the "easy" route and just add more kata or formal partner drills (like yakusoku kumite or ippon/sanbon/etc. kumite) for yudansha to learn. The trouble with this is that, by the time someone has earned their black belt, a new kata or partner set is usually pretty easy to learn and doesn't really add much value for them. I once heard it put this way; "if you train for 30 years, and look back on it, have you really trained for 30 years, or have you trained 3 years 10 times over?" The yudansha ranks should not just be repeating kihon and kata all class, every class--they should be exploring and experimenting with them, and challenging yourself in new ways. Here is my challenge to you, for when you have achieved your shodan rank: Pick a kata that you feel comfortable performing without thinking--that is, a kata you can run and have a conversation at the same time. Make it your goal, in the following year, to figure out your own applications for the movements in the kata. These should not be simple applications where a "block" is a block and a "punch" is a punch, but more advanced applications where you're grabbing, throwing, choking, breaking joints, etc. Do your best to figure out the context of your kata, and see if you can find applications that connect to each other, so that if your opponent counters or blocks your first technique, you can use the next technique to address that obstacle. This is very difficult to do, but I personally find it very stimulating and helpful to my training. As you work on them, test them with partners and see if you can make them work under pressure. If you can, then start visualizing those applications when you practice the kata, and I think you will see a positive change in your karate.

Congratulations, and thanks for sharing the video! I'm not a Goju guy, but it looks solid, to me!

My recommendation would be to see an orthopedic doctor and physical therapist. They are professionals who can really diagnose your issues and help you to recover.

I know some people who reject the dan ranking system and just stop testing for new rank, although they keep training and teaching. Usually, they do this around 5th or 6th degree, but I've seen people do it at lower ranks. You can simply ask him, in private, what rank he is--it could simply be that he doesn't like to talk about it in front of a bunch of people, but will gladly discuss it in private. I will say that if he is still elusive about it in private, it may not hurt to contact his instructor and ask. Alternatively, most instructors have their most recent certificate of rank hung up in the dojo, somewhere, and that would say what rank he holds. It really doesn't matter unless he's lying about it. The important thing is that you like him and what he is teaching, and he isn't lying or misrepresenting himself and what he does.

This is the only website I am aware of for our style, and it is maintained by the North America branch of the organization, although our organization and style are based in Naha, Okinawa. http://www.karateshorinkan.com/

Agreed, for instance the gedan barai in a form/kata could be interpreted as a downward block or an arm lock. That is certainly true. Taira Sensei has a very thorough system for breaking down his kata, so everything adheres to those principles. Enfield Sensei just uploaded a video collection of excerpts from the seminar, where you can see some of the material we covered--including gedan-barai