andym

Some approaches to the teaching and training of karate - excessive formality and rigid structure. Plus the good old : a million and one ways to defeat Oi-Zuki. Can undermine Karate's fighting effectiveness. It all depends on the circumstances within that Dojo.

Shotokai - is a very early break away from Shotokan, but Harkon72 was talking of Shukokai. They are a version of Shito Ryu. Shito Ryu is a style combining both parent arts of Karate : Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu and was devloped in the 1930's onward. Shukokai, is a 1960's development of Shito Ryu. As for the video, yes the clips are 'cool', but lack context. So the orginal questions can't be answered.

That's basically how we do it. Though we have allowed the odd visitors by special request, only.

The best of luck to him.

To be fair, it is an honorary one. The reasoning - self interest by the WTF. That said, Putin at least trains and some bits I've seen are better than say WMAA videos, that have recently gone from YouTube. Shame, they were such a laugh.

Hello luxifur and welcome to the forum. Sorry though can't help you with Kyokushin, very little experience of it, and that was a long time ago. I'm sure someone with more experience will be along to answer soon.

Flashy editing, speeding up and slowing down, spoils it really. By spoil, I mean a good review of the techniques 'reality' can't be made.

Or, it could be a Go Kan Ryu Karate 'franchise' The black and white belt is used by it's 'trainee' instructors (!?!). Either overly ambitious kyu grades, with a matter of months training. Or , worse, people activity recruited form outside, to work as Karate instructors - paid on a commission basis - NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY ! Can you tell I have a problem with GKR ? So basically they use the black and white belt as a disguise, to hide the fact they are not true black belts. That they lack the genuine skill it requires to be both a black belt and most importantly - needed to teach Karate.

A grading must be a test of a persons ability. How can that ability be tested and assessed in such circumstances ? Way to many there. Dan grading can only be done in small groups, containing a portion of individual testing. That's my view.

The key thing with GKR, they do fail people in grading - when it suits them. They never deny entry to a grading - in fact the reverse. Grading are a requirement - you have to do them, and pay for that. Wether you are ready for it, want it or feel up to it or not. You are grading and paying for it. the key word in all this - paying.

It's so good, I may have to borrow it for my ongoing opposition to GKR. PM on the Kensei.

Well done Harkon72, an excellent post, and another step along the way. To me spirit is everything.

WELL DONE.

Congratulations on passing.

Can't put the image up, that sums this up. Two pictures, the first 1969 - titled 'Explain these bad grades ?' The parents and teacher stand look at the child. The second - Now -'Explain these bad grades ?' The parents and the student are looking at the teacher ! Something fundamental has changed this few decades. Can't explain it, other than i don't like it.

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Hello, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your achievements.

Happy Birthday.

And well done yourself for offering to help.

Well done and pass on my congratulations for not taking the easy option. He took the risk and that was that. Just like all his students take the risk of failure when they grade. So many at your sensei's level wont take that risk, it would hurt their ego too much, so they don't rick it. It is no failure to take the risk. Bravo for taking that risk.

Congratulations.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Excellent news ozm8 and welcome to the forum.

To follow on from what FighterforLife says and responding to karate911's statement. Back in the 1970's when I started, it was rough. I was the first kid in the Dojo and in truth they didn't want me there. So, if I didn't get the block right, I got hit. I got roughed-up in other ways as well. As I said they didn't want this kid the class, I was interfering in the well established routine of the Dojo. They wanted to force this kid out : I was 13 years old (and 5Ft 9In)! Massive difference between that and maliciously striking a 9 year old. There are far better ways - as repeatedly pointed out by so many of us - of dealing with this. Up to the Bruce Lee craze, the minimum age in almost all Karate schools in GB was 16. Had I messed about, clowned, answered back or complained etc. I would have been simply told to leave and never come back.