andym

This really is fascinating. Need to watch a few times to really get the depth of the events.

Hojo undo is not exclusive to Goju Ryu, it is used throughout Okinawan styles of karate. But the thing is Goju Ryu enforcise it as part of it's curriculum

Since when has 'traditional' meant non-contact ?

As in visiting or competing ? To visit, no problem. Compete, well that's different. Over here it's a squad system. Win individual tournaments , get picked for the squad etc etc.

Years and years of continuous training, as both the art and the martial artist mature.

I'm a sixth Dan, forty years training - I make mistakes ! We all do, it's just the scale of them really. Mine are small percentage errors, only another Dan grade would see. Yours will be higher percent errors or total fails - and that's how it should be with 9 months training. Think of a child learning to walk - falls all the time. Gets to 5, very rarely falls, but some times...By the time they get even a little older, it's a very rare event. Even us grown-up trip up every now and again. The martial arts are just about learning the moves and to fight, but overcoming yourself - your reactions to these mistakes. It can be very hard at time for some. Some others find it easy and coast through it. But those who find it easy are often the ones who just collect grades and then leave. Those who struggle, appreciate it more and stick with it long term - like me ! I'll tell you tale some time....

Happy birthday, hope it's a good one.

Only at the very early stages of training. We always recommend just study one art for the year. To get a good foundation. Then you can expand your training.

More technically, Karate follows Kung Fu's lead - forms training and the application of the forms with a partner. Karate then developed free sparring. Which Kung Fu and TKD adopted. TKD has now focused almost solely on sparring methods.

look at it in terms of a family tree. Kung Fu is the grandparent. Karate a parent. TKD a child.

Well Done

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Teaching and holding a grade to teach are two different things. Where a section of a syllabus cannot be performed by a student, due to some physical limitations - I have no problem with alternatives used to get that grade or even just grading then without that part. As to teaching, more tricky. Within their club environment, were others are available to cover the missing parts - again not an issue. But, should this person be allowed to have their own club ? Teach or more aptly, coach that section they have no real experience of.... this is a problem area.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

All this said, my neighbors know. Makiwara training ! The first is inside my garage. 'Whats that banging all the time ?' Later I put one outside in the garden....so can't hide it now.

As to changes to kata, solely for what I can only describe as 'political' reasons. It's one of the bains of my life...All styles of Karate do it, no matter what they say ! Worst example I've encountered. One group that trade on doing the pure and original forms etc. Having a fallout with an instructor and then changing the kata and making everyone learn the new version. Then stating that the one who'd left is doing the forms wrong ! Ours are the original version !!

Credo Te gives some good advice. I would add, to help your stances - run through the form without the Bo/Bong. Repeat the individual moves that make up the form, in order,as you would drill basics. So, first move 10 times. second move 10 times - stepping into your stance each time. And so on through the form. Key, were moves repeat - repeat them. Don't think, well I've done that one already. Keep up the good work.

Don't confuse yourself with all the variations on 'You Tube'. Stick to the one your sensei teaching. The kata of Shotokan were once very uniform. With the fall of the JKA, from the central authority of Shotokan, a great many subtle changes have taken place to kata, within different groups.

Trained for 40 years. Worked at the same place for over 20 and there are many who don't even know I do Karate, never mind my grade etc.

Not had time to watch any yet. But stretching my memory back. Is this the one with John Blumming in it ?

Good luck to a fellow Goju Ryu-er.

I thought i'd posted this on this thread already...seems not. So....about sums it up, in my books.

I did Shotokan for 3 years, left and after a wander around various other arts, came to Goju Ryu. 35 years later, still doing it.