Kyokushin

How many of you have been asked what style you train and when you tell people they have never heard of the style in their lives. I don't mean average people, but MA folks. For example, I train Kyokushin and I'll tell someone that's my style and they say, "Kyoku what?!?!" I thought it might be interesting if people gave a brief description of their styles. i.e. founder, brief history, focus in the style, etc. I'll start with mine. KYOKUSHIN Was founded by Mas Oyama who was a Korean. However it is not a Korean style, but a Japanese one since that's where he was when he developed it. He trained under masters such as So Nei Chu and Gichin Funokoshi. Kyokushin is a blend of Shotokan and Goju Ryu. It is known as a hard style, and is famous for its knockdown tournaments (2 min. rounds nonstop, bareknuckle fighting). The Spirit of Osu (to perservere no matter how difficult the task) is stressed, and this is shown in the rigorous sparring that students go through. The best show of Osu is the 100 Man Kumite, one hundred rounds bareknuckle, fullcontact, and with a new opponent each round (very few people have successfully completed this feat). Kyokushin was the largest style under one man. However when he died in '94 the style split into various organizations.

Alright so let me make sure I'm clear on what you're saying. Hanzenkutsu is just a shorter zenkutsu Dachi, correct? And then you just turn your feet the way they are in Sanchin and you've got Seisan Dachi?

Yeah, makes you really think. I know Sanchin Dachi. It was one of the first stances I learned in Kyokushin and is used a lot in kata. Unfortuanately I don't know what Hanzenkutsu Dachi is. Drats! So close to understanding it.

In my dojo we kicked to the thigh too, and also learn elbow strikes. But I'm going to take everyone's advice and give it a few more weeks since practicing these techniques could'nt hurt. And I really need help on getting more power in my elbow strikes.

kenpo4life is right. In my style we are allowed to kick to the legs. As long as it's not the knee since we pretty much go full contact with higher ranks. Also at 3rd Kyu all the new techniques are elbow strikes. I would try the MT out. I've done it once so far, and I'm going to keep giving it a chance. My dojo teaches it once a week. If you've already trained a long time there probably won't be immediate benefits. Everyone talks about the power of Muay Thai, but a Jab is a Jab and a punch is a punch no matter what MA you're taking and if you train hard you're going to have hard kicks and punches from karate too. There will only be slight differences. Like the stance seems to be higher.

Can someone please give me a detailed description of Seisan Dachi. I was told that is the stance in a new kata I'm learning in Chito-Ryu, but I've never heard of it before in my other style. I got someone to show me, but I was still a little confused with their description of it.

I don't bounce, but I do keep my distance so that my opponent has to step up to attack me. Then I just side step and stop his attack and counter. I've tried bouncing, but found it to be distracting. It's harder for me to read my opponent and their style of fighting if I'm moving around too much. Although don't just stand in one spot. Still move around some. Of course if bouncing doesn't distract you it's not a bad thing.

Well I'm not going to repeat what everyone else said. Although I agree with it all so far. But one thing my instructor told me was that the difference between a great student and a mediocre one is in the details. i.e. deep stances, powerful punches (w/ that lovely snapping sound), etc. You can really tell the difference when it comes to sparring and especially kata. It's those little minor things that if a student gets you'll know that they can go really far. Maybe they won't get everything right away, but if their wise enough to know that that's what you need and work at it. And you can tell if they work at it b/c they'll improve. Then that's a student I'd say that has a lot of potential. Someone who could go farther than just black belt b/c they are dedicated enough to go farther than the surface of each technique and each form.

I know what you mean telsun. I tried to keep my years of training a secret when I first started looking at dojos. I wore my white belt and didn't say what rank I had been. Although everyone knew I trained somewhere else b/c of my gi patches. Of course some people noticed that I wasn't a novice. However there were still some who would treat you like the belt you wore. It does get annoying. I think you might as well tell them how long you've been training. You should'nt have problems picking up new things if you've trained 15 yrs. Wow, that's a long time But you'll be able to settle in more if everyone knows your backround. Of course still be open to corrections. Your never too advanced to take constructive critcism, but I'm sure you know that And you could probably bring a lot to that dojo with your experience as well. Just keep in mind that even things you are good at can always be improved.

MA Short Term (2 Yrs. or less): Finally get my Shodan in Kyokushin Attempt to get Black belt in Chito Ryu, but at least catch up with the curriculum and certain things I never learned in Kyokushin. Long Term (10 yrs. or less): Go to Rochester, New York and train at the IFK Kyokushin headquarters Enter at least one Semi-Contact Kyokushin tournament Continue to hopefully Sandan (I dunno if I can make that rank in ten years) Have a prosperous Kyokushin dojo and help to spread awareness of the style in my state (at least). LIFE Short Term (Within 2 Yrs.): Buy my own car! (Man that'll make life a lot easier for me:) Start going to Sunday school classes Long Term (Within 10 yrs.): Graduate from Vet school and start my own practice Have a family I figured I'd be the first to give myself a deadline

My Sensei is one to be very critical about what we're doing, but every now and then he'll give you a compliment. I prefer this b/c it really makes you learn karate better, and when you do get praise you feel really good about yourself. Now I'm at a new dojo and their really positive and while that's nice it doesn't help me get any better at my techniques or kata. I actually didn't realize how good my Sensei's approach was until I matched my skills with the brown belts of the new school. Big difference when it comes to details

My karate dojo does extra training for thirty min. once a week, and they just started doing Muay Thai for this class. I tried it out and it was o.k., we did mostly punches and I already have really hard strikes so that didn't help me much. So I was wondering if it's really worth spending the time on since I'm really just focused on karate (traditional style)?

Yes sparring is definately a different story than just hitting a girl. I've only sparred one person in my life who claimed he went easy on me b/c I was a girl, but I wasn't sure if he was saying that b/c I was better than him or what. LOL! I think it's a disservice to women to go easy on us if we have the skills. Obviously you should see how someone fights and their rank and take that into consideration, but you should do that whether male or female, but think about it. In the real world a guy will be attacking the girl most likely and they'll probably be bigger and stronger. So we've gotta get used to fighting people like that. I've learned how to be a better fighter because I've always choosen to spar the big guys. Not to prove anything, but to learn from them and if they hadn't taken me seriously I would'nt have gotten any better than I was when I first started kumite. Just a thought

Actually I was forced by my dad who had done Yoshukai karate in his younger days. I thought I would hate it, but after the first class I could'nt wait to learn more. Five years later, and I'm still just as excited if not more so about karate. Funny thing is now it's me convincing him to take me to karate

Yes you will get a heavy emphasis on kumite, but kata will certainly come into play. Although the first four kata aren't really that interesting they are important for developing muscles and working basic stances. It's not until Pinan Sono Ni that the kata becomes more complex. The first four pretty much have the same "I" or "H" (however you look at it) formation. Hmm, the kick thing is strange. I was always taught to use my instep for the roundhouse kick. So that must just be your instructor. Although I don't know what kicks your talking about either. Well good luck on your training! Hope you continue to enjoy if for years to come

Black belt is certainly just the beginning. Why else do you think there are Dan levels? My Sensei used to say that when you reach black belt you have only mastered the basics. Well think how much more there is to learn then

Please anyone else who wants to post ignore the one by zopiryon. It has nothing to do with what I asked about. Thanks

I've recently started attending a sparring class. Well it's not really a class more a group of students who want to spar more. So it's a great time to start implementing new techniques and tactics etc. I've found I'm more of a punching person, but use some kicks. Almost always strike chudan (middle level). Any good techniques you know to use on big people, small people, strong people, whatever. Just specify. Looking for new things to try with my sparring so that I've got a wider range of techniques. Also if anyone knows some good footwork moves. Just specify what your evading (punch, kick, elbow) and if it's easy to counterstrike from there and all. Oh, I'm 5'3'' and not overweight or anything. Just so ya know what big would be to me.

Oh, I'm sorry then. Thanks for your advice.

I know ninjanurse. I liked your post. I was responding to Kyle-san.

I realize that! I did not mean that I actually think that a shorter test is wrong. I was merely saying that I'd been shocked about how much shorter it was and that is all. I had talked to some of my new karate friends about how I was surprised at the shorter length, and that was it. Just surprised. I was only thinking that this could be misinterpreted for arrogance by some. That is why I was asking for advice on how to not do this. So people won't misinterpret my intentions since I really like my new dojo.

Hello all. I just realized that at my new dojo I may have said a few things that came off as arrogant and need some advice on how to fix that so people won't think of me that way. I had been watching their tests and mentioned on how short it was and how I was surprised that lower ranks didn't have to spar. I am used to a 3 to 4 hr. test, and theirs was 35 min. for lower ranks and 50 min for the higher ranks. So you can see why I was surprised. While my intent was not to be arrogant, but truely complete shock at the shortness. I feel some people could take that the wrong way. What can I say to others (nice things) to make up for this? Or better yet how can I get used to these differences w/o opening my big mouth? Please help this really bothered me when I noticed that I did this

Anyone know some good stretches to make the legs more flexible so that it's easier to kick high? I had a student ask me this and I know some, but I wanted to see if there are anymore that I've never heard of.

I don't really understand why so many people don't like kata and say it's useless, but I will give you my best explanation on its purpose and why it's so important. When you learn karate there are three aspects: Kihon (basics), Kata (forms), and Kumite (fighting). First you must learn your basics, and practice them until you are fairly proficient. This is like the "alphabet" of karate. Then you will work on kata. This is the next step. By learning kata I don't mean moving around throwing out some moves in a pattern. That would be dancing. You must be fully focused and see your opponent when executing each technique, and when you do this it should be so powerful that in a fight your opponent would have had something broken. Not saying everyone has all their techniques that powerful, but that is what we strive for. You should be able to do the kata so that you no longer have to think about what you are doing. Then like Kirves said you learn to apply b/c each technique has a purpose and you need to know what that is to truely understand the kata. Kata are the "words" of karate. After this you will train Kumite. I have gone to different dojos and some will fight differently based on the instructor, but at my traditional dojo we fight full contact w/ higher ranks. Lower belts you spar easier, which is also good b/c you have to learn speed w/ control. This is like a "conversation" in karate. You need all three to have karate, and they all work together. As far as traditional arts being traditional. Well that seems a little redundant. Obviously that is the case. I find tradition is a nice change from what you normally have in the outside world. I enjoy the language and culture that you get from these styles. That is a personal thing and not everyone will feel that way. You have to decide what type of person you are.

In my style we were all given a handbook after we'd been training for a few months or so. Just to make sure we were staying. It includes: Etiquette and Rules, History of style, some Philosophy, Notes on Kata, Grading Requirements, Terminology, Recommended Reading, Fees, and also a little on my instructor. It is really very thorough and it cuts down on a lot of questions that a student normally has to ask their instructor.