DoctorQui

I have three favourites for three different situations in two styles! Shotokan Bassai Dai is my favourite power Kata which I really enjoy doing, Heian Yondan is my favourite technique Kata and Wankan is my favourite warm down Kata. Wado Ryu Kushanku, Chinto and Naihanchi OSU

For me, Kata is the central nervous system for Karate and therefore absolutely essential in learning 'Karate'. I am NOT saying that applies to ALL martial arts but if there is no Kata, its not Karate! Dare I say that karate without kata is a sort of simplified version, but let me explain why I think this before I get slaughtered! I went to a club once when looking for a Wado club, that did traditional Wado Ryu together with Freestyle karate. There was a clear separation of the two, those who did freestyle did not learn kata nor were they required to learn and use japanese terminology. The Traditional Wado side, obviously, were required to learn these. The reason I was given for this division was that a few members really had some serious difficulty in learning kata and remembering terminology. I raised an eyebrow or two at this, particularly where more members were choosing freestyle in which students reached 1st Dan on a ratio of 4 for every 1 Wado!?! Just a little food for thought! I have no problem with people who wish to study Freestyle karate but it does make me a little annoyed when they can progress so quickly through the ranks without actually studying the details of the art through Kata. When I started Karate way back when, a friend of mine started Kickboxing instead...after two years I was a senior Kyu grade and after 1 year he had attained Black Belt! I trained at least 6 hours per week (3 x 2 hours sessions) and he trained 2 (2 x 1hr sessions)! Difference was no Kata, no terminology!

I just found a non advertised Wado Ryu club, run by a 77 year old 4th dan with very few members in the adult class. the guy is strictly not for profit and has been running the club for 30 years and does it simply out of love for the art. I do this now along with my SHotokan so I can finish my Wado journey to Shodan! He charges £5 every 28 days for 3 sessions per week 2 x 1hr and 1 x 2hr sessions. I attend only one because it clashes with Shotokan but it works out, if I attended all lessons, at 41p per session! I also just took over the secretary function of my Shotokan club and as a reward now only pay £7 per week to attend all 6 sessions rather than £5 per session. BONUS!

Only in the US Eves, in the UK Asian normally refers to Indian, Pakistani etc! OSU

Interesting...I would think that, with oriental children, martial arts, to a degree, is more a way of life than anything else so if your father studied it, you follow suit. I think Japan, China and Okinawa probably invest a lot more in tradition and the spiritual side of life that the West! Or maybe thats just a sweeping generalisation! OSU

I agree...my step daughter had to badger me for weeks before I took her because I really thought she would not enjoy it. How wrong was I! I even catch her training on her own when she thinks noone is watching LOL. When we train at home together using my strike pad, my 2 year old son even gets in on the action and joins in punching and kicking the pad!

I do love it when you get a great bunch of juniors who want to be in training rather than being forced into it by parents. I take my step daughter who I honestly believed wouldn't last a month without giving up. It is now 9 months later, she is working toward her 4th Kyu with no sign of abatement. I also take two kids from accross the street. The lad was indifferent anf the girl (his sister) only went because of my step daughter. They have now just passed their 1st grading and are chomping at the bit! They knock on the door every day 'Is it training tonite'! I love it!

Honorary titles have been used for year, whether it is a degree, doctorate or black belt. It doesn't mean anything at all to anyone other than it being that that person is being honoured by the organisation. After all, they are not being awarded Shodan, just an honorary black belt. It does no harm to MA imo!

Thanks guys! OSU

I now have to lay off training for a couple of weeks for my back to repair itself but while I can't actually train myself, I still have to take my daughter so my Sensei has said if you coming anyway, why not just come along in your Gi and train others until you're better. I found this to be a really good way to convalesce because you feel like you are training and only putting very limited effort in and therefore slowly exercising the affected area! OSU

That goes on for a year or so, no worries It's about that long until you've gotten enough live reps that you actually feel like you have the answers. Then something really weird will happen and you'll think you're back at square one. Ain't that just the truth!

I think that's an excellent way of doing it. I suffer terrible nerves as do most other people and would love to be graded like this. When my son started,he had some terrible concentration issues and once he got bored hejust used to stop. The Chief Instructor got round this by grading him during the lesson when he thought he was just training and not making a big deal of it! His concentration is better now though!

Don't you just love those first sessions after grading where hardly anyone turns up I normally make a point of attending straight away after grading to crack on. Unfortunately, this time I have to sit out for a few days before I go back because I pushed past the pain of my sciatica during the graing and now I'm suffering. My daughter is going though, to show off her new 5th Kyu! You know, you sound exactly like me Jaypo. Like you, I train at least 3 times per week, regularly 5 and on a pro rata basis, I probably learn in a 2-3 months what it take someone who trains twice per week for 6 months to learn. Up to 1st Kyu I was always about 3 katas in front which normally wouldn't happen but for my previous advanced Kyu grade in Wado Ryu. At the end of my grading my Sensei said that I am eligible to take my 1st Dan 'within' 6 months where everyone else is told 'after'6 months. I hope he's tipping me a wink that I may be grading sooner.

Nice one Jaypo My Sensei likes you to do 6 months between 1st Kyu and 1st Dan Anyway, its not about a belt its about acheivement, 6 months is nothing!

All the best Nige! Its not about knowledge anymore, you already know what you need, its all about believing in yourself and getting the job done.

Well done ! so are you a first kyu now ? if so then your next journey begins now to go for shodan ,for me it was a sweet but hard journey and a bit painful at times but it was worth all the effort . Yep, Shodan/1st Dan within the next 6 months!

I passed! It was hard going and I nearly gave up because of the sciatic pain but I pushed through. Made a few mistakes but I put that down to worrying too much about my back pain and not focusing on the task in hand from time to time. The mistakes were very silly ones! Now I'm suffering so a couple of weeks of taking it easy I think!

Right this moment, my inflamed sciatic nerve just before my 1st Kyu grading! evergrey - I am sorry to here about your current worries! Sounds like you have more than your fair share!

Well, I decided to train 3 times this week and on Weds my sciatic nerve started playing up I went last nite after taking 600mg Ibubrofen and took it easy and it seemed to be better although I am suffering today. Tomorrow (grading day) I'm gonna drug myself up and push through it and then take a couple of weeks off to recover. Fortunately my Sensei has said that I can teach for a couple of weeks to recover as I will still have to actually go because I take my daughter and two kids from next door. Better that just sitting there!

Wado is such a good styles isn't it!

Same. I stopped for over a decade so it took me longer than it should. Me too! If I'd not had so many breaks I'd probably be Sandan by now but instead, I will be going for Shodan in 6 months. I started at about 14, I'm now 43 lol!

I was only kidding

Good luck. Try to go first. Unless one really screws up, the first ones are generally graded easier. Since they set the standard, they usually get the medium grade which is the passing grade. Only me grading at 1st Kyu

I think I should have posted this in the Testing,Gradingand Pomotion forum! Patrick, maybe you could oblige?

Thanks TG Yep, had the hard sesh today, I really pushed myself to the limit. I'll probably train 3 times this week but my Sensei tends to wind it down so as not to cause injury. I just have to learn to actually ease off myself! OSU