Wastelander

Welcome to the forum, and welcome back to karate!

Well, without pictures I'm a bit hazy on a few of them, but here's what I have: Short Stance = I'm not sure what kind of position you're talking about with this one Deep Lunging Stance (Forward Stance) = Zenkutsu-dachi Lower Stance (Shiko Dachi) + Its variations = Shiko-dachi Cat Stance = Neko-ashi-dachi Half-Lunging stance = Shizentai-dachi Upper Block = Jodan-uke Middle Block = Chudan-uke Lower Block = Gedan-barrai Upper & Lower Block = I assume you mean doing these at the same time? We don't have this one in our system. Middle & Lower Block = Morote-uke Outward Deflecting Block = Chudan-uchi-uke (I think--depends on what you mean) Inward Deflecting Block = Chudan-soto-uke (I think--depends on what you mean) Knife Hand Block = Shuto-uke Front Kick = Mae-geri Groin Kick = Mae-geri to the groin (although we know it's called kinteki-geri) Roundhouse Kick (Ribs) = Chudan-mawashi-geri Roundhouse Kick (Head) = Jodan-mawashi-geri Reverse Roundhouse Kick = Ushiro-mawashi-geri Back Kick - Ushiro-geri Side Kick - Yoko-geri Knee-Joint Kick = Kansetsu-geri

Oleg has actually done a lot of recording on Okinawa and, I believe, he plans on putting together three films with the footage. This is the first one, and it certainly has me excited to see the rest! I know he has teased some Goju-Ryu footage, at least. Thanks for sharing!

Well, "harai" and "barai" are the same word--when you put a word that starts with an "h" sound as a suffix to another word in Japanese, it becomes a "b" sound. Calling it "gedan-harai" is actually just incorrect pronunciation, as far as I'm aware (although I'm not a linguist). The word "uke" is short for "ukeru," which means "to receive." Most commonly, that gets translated as "block," though. If we translate "gedan-barai" and "gedan-harai-uke," one means "low level sweep" and the other means "low level sweep receiver." I've only ever seen these words used to describe what we commonly call a "low block."

Shotokan and Shorin-Ryu have the same roots, but they have grown into vastly different styles. Shotokan has some fairly widely accepted standards, but it's much harder to make generalizations about Shorin-Ryu. There are four main branches of Shorin-Ryu, which then have hundreds of sub-branches, and it gets hard to keep track of. For the most part, Wado Heretic's observations about stances and power generation are correct. Shorin-Ryu also tends to favor speed and fluidity over strength and rigidity, although many Shorin-Ryu schools have been influenced by Shotokan through tournaments, and become rather rigid. For someone looking to switch from Shotokan to Shorin-Ryu, I can say that some things will be difficult and some things will be easy. I transitioned from Shuri-Ryu, which is strongly influenced by Shotokan and other Japanese styles, and we have someone at our dojo who is transitioning from Shotokan, himself. Your training in Shotokan will make it easier for you to learn new material, but it will have a "Shotokan flavor" for a long time. Shorin-Ryu and Shotokan share some kata, and of course many of the kihon-waza, which will cause some confusion. Little differences will trip you up, and it will take you a long time to unlearn the Shotokan method and learn the Shorin-Ryu method. Best of luck to you!

The first one, "gedan-barai," is just your standard "low block." The other two can be tougher to figure out, though. The word "awase" means "joined," and could be referring to a variety of things. Typically, in karate it is used to describe two hands doing something in unison. The movement I've seen most often called "awase-uke" is like an "x-block" (hands crossed at the wrists). The movement that I most often see called "awase-tsuki" is a "double punch" motion, where one hand is punching normally and the other is punching inverted (palm up) below it. Typically, the arms are straight when executing that technique, unlike "yama-tsuki," in which the arms are bent and form a "C" shape, with your head roughly in the middle. This page shows what I have heard of as "awase-uke" http://www.shinkitaikarate.ca/Scona/Glossary/S/sokumen%20awase%20uke/sokumen%20awase%20uke.html This page shows what I have heard of as "awase-tsuki" http://www.shinkitaikarate.ca/Scona/Glossary/A/awase%20zuki/awasezuki.html

A lot of karateka have heard of gamaku, but don't really know what it is. Especially in the Western world, it tends to be spoken about in mysterious tones, but it's rarely actually explained. When it is explained, it's usually done so in a way that doesn't actually help you understand what it is. Personally, I don't find this very helpful, at all, as gamaku is vital to having strong karate, and not understanding it is just going to hold you back. With that in mind, I wanted to share this article by a long-time karateka that I know and respect, in which he explains just what gamaku is and does. This is the simplest, most straight-forward explanation that I have ever seen, and I thought that it might benefit some of the folks here on KF. http://ryukyuma.blogspot.com/2014/08/five-oral-teachings-kuden-and-gamaku.html I'm curious to know how many of the karateka, here, have been taught gamaku in their training? I already know a few of you who most certainly have. If you haven't, then I'm particularly interested in what you think of the concept, after reading this article!

To me, it sounds as if you are tensing too much. It's quite common for people to try to completely lock down their muscles when told that they need to tense certain areas of the body at certain times. In reality, you only need to tense enough to get the job done. If you completely contract your core muscles, it will tend to seize up your breathing for an instant. I believe that may be what you're experiencing. With regard to Naihanchi, the same thing applies--too much tension in your legs is going to increase tension in your core. Increased tension in your core slows you down, and takes up the "slack" before tension causes your breathing to seize up. With my Naihanchi-dachi, I go for "springy" rather than "solid," if that makes sense?

One of the side-effects of running a commercial dojo is that it's easy for the "less fun" aspects of martial arts to fall by the wayside to keep students coming back. Not all instructors have done that, of course, and you can find many instructors running dojo as their sole source of income and keeping up high standards at the same time. As I briefly mentioned, many Okinawan styles of karate have a more relaxed, friendly approach to "respect" than the formal, almost militaristic approach that you may be more familiar with. It's important to remember that, as a dojo can be very good while using either approach, but if you are expecting one and get the other, you may be disappointed. If you are looking for more of a "club" atmosphere, you're going to have a harder time of finding it, but it does exist. The trouble is that they aren't going to be advertising. If you check out your local YMCA, community centers, parks, and churches, you can sometimes find low-cost or non-profit clubs that aren't being run as businesses. You can also ask around at the commercial schools, because they will often know other instructors in the area, who might otherwise be difficult to find. Regardless of which route you choose to take, you will need to visit any schools you are interested in--websites aren't necessarily accurate representations of what goes on at the dojo. Make a list of the schools you are interested in, contact them to come in and watch a class that you would potentially be in, and talk to the instructor about your expectations. You'll be able to make a better decision if you've done this at several schools, and can compare them.

You feel slower because, most likely, you ARE slower. You're trying to move in a way that doesn't feel natural, so your body takes longer to do it. With practice, it will become more natural, relaxed, and fast. You are most likely holding your breath because you are trying to hit hard, and it's making you tense. A lot of people end up holding their breath when they try to hit hard. I have good news for you--these things can be overcome! As my Sensei says, "if you want to be good at hitting things, you have to hit things." Spend lots of time with the makiwara, the heavy bag, and hand-held pads. When you do, take it slow and stop worrying about power. Instead, focus on the timing of your breath and muscular engagement. Once everything is in sync, you'll be able to hit harder and faster.

First of all, welcome to the forum, Nick! When it comes to "tradition," I'm afraid it depends on what you think of as "traditional." From what you describe, it sounds like you want traditional Japanese karate, as Okinawan traditions are much more relaxed. That would mean you will want to find styles like Shotokan, Shito-Ryu, or Goju-Kai. That said, you will be VERY hard-pressed to find a dojo that doesn't have youth classes. Despite how you may feel about it, the only way for a dojo to make enough money to stay open, these days, is to teach children. It's also very difficult to get American children to follow Japanese traditions . As far as finding a dojo in your area, I'm afraid "NYC" is very vague, considering the size of the city. A quick Google search shows hundreds of martial arts schools in the metro area.

Welcome back to training! To the best of my knowledge, there are no real "seasons" in karate competition. Some organizations will have "seasons" or "point years," but those are just ways for them to organize rankings, and have no bearing on the frequency of competitions. What you are talking about is "periodization"--a training strategy designed to achieve maximum results in the shortest amount of time in order to prepare for a competition. This is something that a lot of trainers like to keep to themselves, but there is information out there. MMA or kickboxing periodization is going to be closest to what you need for karate, so something like the website below can get you started: http://mmatrainingbible.com/periodization/

Welcome to the forum, K4L! I recognize you from elsewhere on the internet, so it's good to have you here!

Thanks! I really wish I had a better showing in Round 1, and I would like to do one more fight to prove that I can do better, but my health troubles have put that on indefinite hold. In any case, I'm glad you liked the videos! I just put them up for fun, or to explain something I've been discussing with people online, and I encourage others to do the same! We definitely need to have you come up to the dojo for a visit!

I am, thanks! Typically, I'll practice kata wherever I am staying. On this particular vacation, we also went to some beaches that had very few people present, so I didn't feel awkward about practicing there. When there are lots of people around, but I feel the need to practice, I will usually practice kata or techniques that tend to be more circular, and practice them slowly. Nobody really cares about the guy doing tai chi

I actually just got back from a week vacation, during which time I also had the flu. Let's just say, I didn't really feel up to training when I had to use all my energy to do all the hiking we had to do. I did practice a little bit of kata, as well, but otherwise my only exercise was the hiking. Normally, I work on my kata every day, and work in some bodyweight exercises--push-ups and sit-ups, at least. If I can find something to do dips or pull-ups on, I'll do those, as well.

I know 33 empty-hand kata, and THAT is too many! Only 19 of them are part of my current style's curriculum, and THAT is too many! Seriously, if I could just do Naihanchi, Passai, Kusanku, and Seiunchin, I would be a happy man.

Seisan is a very interesting kata--it's very common, and yet noticeably missing from lineages that it should probably be in. My style, for example, doesn't have it. My Sensei knows the version that was taught by Taika Oyata, and he taught me the first 1/3, but I never bothered to learn the rest. I have too many kata, as it is . If you're interested in Seisan, my friend Matt put together this interesting and informative post about it a while back: http://www.ikigaiway.com/2012/a-historical-walking-tour-of-seisan-kata/

As a Shorin-Ryu karateka, I find Isshin-Ryu to be quite strange. Not bad, mind you. Just strange. There are some very dedicated, knowledgeable people in Isshin-Ryu, so even though it's going to be significantly different from your Shorin-Ryu, you could benefit from it. Go and try out a class!

Yes, we already had quite a lengthy discussion on that one, not too long ago. I love the side kick, but because my opponent was a wrestler, I decided not to use it. Round kicks were to be used sparingly, as well, but I knew he liked to drop his lead hand for a knee-pick while throwing an overhand right, which left him open for the kick I landed.

There are points in every martial artist's journey where they feel embarrassed by their perceived lack of skills/talent/fitness/etc. Many people quit when they reach these points, and those of us that keep going are the ones who benefit from our training the most, I believe. Don't worry about your belt rank, competition, or comparison to other karateka--just train and focus on yourself. Right now, you're still a beginner, and no one expects you to be an expert. All you have to do, at this point, is try to be better than you were the last time you were on the mat. Sometimes, you'll have a bad day and feel like you're slipping backward. Just get back on the mat the next day and get back to work. It's this constant chipping away that reveals that karateka within you. Lupin1 and Archimoto had excellent advise with regard to setting small, achievable, short-term goals to keep you motivated. Those are what you need right now, in my opinion.

Yes, it's a round kick, and I actually caught him with the bone at the transition from my ankle to my instep--which is precisely where I intended, so I felt good about that. If you watch the whole thing, you see a bunch of people coming up and talking to me, and me pointing to that spot on my foot. They all thought I hit him with the knee, which is illegal in amateur MMA in this state. I assured them that I felt contact with my foot, and the red spot backed me up. Thankfully, some video taken at other angles shows that my knee was past his head and my foot is what made contact with him. Here is one alternate angle: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2m3kSi888CI/Ugo1UxDt5HI/AAAAAAAAHQs/xErKWveSmwA/s1600/MMA+Debut+-+KO+from+Live+Feed+Replay.gif And another, where you can see that my foot hit him: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GYJNX3ZeYc/Uhgl_SP9fHI/AAAAAAAAHcw/HQmIr_enFPc/s1600/MMA+Debut+-+KO+3.gif

Well, I have a ton of videos of myself doing a variety of things--kata, techniques, exercises, etc. My latest is a video of myself performing Tachimura no Naihanchi on top of a ~10ft tall boulder on a beach in Canada: Some other ones that I really like, personally, are below. Applications for nami-gaeshi (the foot sweeping motion in Naihanchi): Demonstrating an application for the spin in Kusanku: My first (and so far, only) MMA fight, despite the embarrassing first round: ___________________________________________________ As far as C-stepping/crescent-stepping goes, it's our primary stepping method, as well. That said, I started my training in a style that steps almost exclusively in straight lines--the idea being that straight lines are the shortest distance between two points and, therefore, the fastest method of stepping. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I also think that modern C-stepping is an exaggeration. If you look at older systems of karate, such as KishimotoDi and Motobu Udundi, they step much more naturally. A straight line isn't a natural step, and neither is a full C-step. Instead, something in between the two is much more natural, faster, and works just as well for generating power.

I remember when you were debating leaving your old dojang, and I believe it sounded very cult-like. I don't see returning to that environment as being a good idea, unless things have changed a great deal. This particular situation sounds like the instructor was trying to illustrate that you aren't ready to test yet, and shouldn't be asking to test early. Probably a little too bluntly, but some instructors are that way.

We have used oak for ours at the dojo, and I used it for mine at home, and it works quite well. We do the leaf spring design, with varying lengths of boards backing each other. If you use 1x6 oak boards, then you should only need two (one about 10" shorter than the other), but if you use 1x4 oak boards, you will probably need three or four. How you are going to mount the makiwara also matters--are you bolting it to the floor, or the wall, or burying it? As far as the pad goes, I've seen a wide variety of materials used. I used manilla rope that I bunched up, then wrapped up, singed off the "hairs" with a lighter, then soaked it in water and flattened it with a mallet. At the dojo, we have the standard Shureido leather pads, although I can also make leather pads. I know a guy who uses old firehoses, another who uses rubber bushings, and another who uses old towels.