DoctorQui

I can't think of anything worse (well, actually yes I can but for the benefit of this thread lets say I can't! ) than wearing a wet and smelly gi home from a tough training session. I'm lucky as there are shower and changing facilities where I train! I never wear a gi to and from training, for the reasons above and not wanting to draw unwanted attention to myself.

I didn't give him he chance to go for a weapon, he took a swing and I took him down straight away. I'm a former police officer so have previous experience of this sort of thing anyways, albeit many moons ago! The movies comment was only to add comedic value to the tale. Other than what happened it was all very fast and boring really! It was just good to know that MA training does pay off and can be instinctive in such a situation! @Madtanker - why the hell would the police give you a blasting for 'taking the law into your own hands' is it not a civic duty to uphold law and order, are there no citizen's arrest laws in the States? Such a response would certainly make me not bother in the future! In my situation, the two people I was assisting were policemen who knew very well what I was doing!

Me too! Actually he was shouting 'help' so much, it looked like a couple of people were coming over to 'break up the fight'. I had to shout that the police were just there, nodding toward them as they ran up.

I've experienced two! Wado Ryu 1-4th Dan Sensei 5-7th Dan Shihan 8th Dan onward Master Shotokan 1-4th Dan Instructor 5-8th Dan (under 60 years old) Sensei or Kyoshi from 6th Dan 8th Dan (over 60) Shihan 9th Dan Master

You're probably selling yourself very short in respect of your TKD knowledge! I had a 17 year break from Karate and was very surprised at how much knowledge I retained when I went back. I also know what you mean about a niche style and moving to an area where it isn't common. Sadly this can happen even in mainstream styles ...I was Wado Ryu, which is very common nationally but moved to an area where its all Shotokan and Goju Ryu. Fortunately Wado and Shoto are very similar so was able to continue at the same level! Have a look in the 'Creation Bias' thread for a more in depth discussion on what or isn't Karate. No one really has the right to say it isn't Karate, as every style is a creation or a founders interpretation on what Okinawan karate was. Goju Ryu is a good style and probably one of the closest mainstream styles to the originals. As soon as I am 1st Dan Shotokan (soon hopefully) I am going to dabble in Goju Ryu in a local club, it looks interesting. As the Nike slogan says 'Just do it!' its the only way you'll know!

Firstly Ascalon, you are not a former TKD Black Belt, once you have a grade, its with you for life I'm afraid! Secondly, what I tend to think and sometimes post in response to this sort of question is, even if you have read a bad rep, only you know if its worth pursuing, regardless of what style it is. Some people even find Shotokan not for them (shocking I know ) when they try it and that is a mainstream style. My advice is, just give it a go, you'll know pretty early on if you're wasting your time!

Went into town today on my bike, while riding home through the shopping precinct saw two policemen chasing a bloke who was too fast for them. As I cycled past the policemen I asked 'is he a suspect?' at which they both shouted 'YES'. So off I rode and ploughed into him. He then turned on me at which point I switched into MA mode, took him down with a yokogeri to the knee and held him on the ground face down in an arm and wrist lock with my foot between his shoulder blades. The police came running up cuffed him with the comment, 'Blimey pal, that was impressive!'. They then asked me for my name but i simply said that I was just a citizen and rode off like the proverbial mysterious masked man (without the mask). I kid you not...it was straight out of a movie! Adrenalin is still pumping...I haven't done anything like that since I was a policeman way back in the early 90s!!

Where noone actually WAS a black belt can you see how bad their techniques are Even poor old John Saxon was only Brown in reality, at that time (so legend has it!)!

Its a joke isn't it! Goes to show, the more qualified or experienced you are the less chance you seem to have. They want young inexperienced types who can be molded. Not someone who knows what they're doing who might dare to tell them they could do things a better way!

Shut up, it could happen!!!

Good quotes but this is more a bit of fun regarding the forums ranking system!

I was a senior local authority manager in social services, was made redundant in the government cuts last year and there is no sign of a suitable job for me in the short term. So my career is indefinitely on hold!

Out of interest, who's your Sensei? Mine is Billy Higgins, 7th Dan in Shotokan with a similar amount of experience time wise. I'll pm you!

Well, considering, in almost all styles you are effectively training to combat an opponent that is the same or similar build, height and strength than you I don't think even Funokoshi or any other Karateka of substantial ranking would make such an immature statement, let alone a brown belt. It sounds to me that your friend is doing karate for all the wrong reasons and needs to spend a bit of time actually learning and maturing into karate rather than being able to simply do impressive moves in front of someone who has no karate experience (This is an assumption about you, my apologies if I'm wrong) and make statements that would be at home on the school playground. I would love to see him try and take down my own Sensei, who is Shotokan 8th Dan with 45 years of experience. Now, he IS built like a gorilla so it might count if he manages it!

My personal preference is for Japanese terminology to be used in the Dojo. I think it adds something to the training and give an air of authenticity. Also, having spent time to learn it, I want to use it My current club uses a mixture but always counts in English which I find quite odd. I try and teach students Japanese but they will never use it sadly!

I'm sure it'll be fine. I had a couple of scares in my time so I know how you feel. If its on your hand, even if cancer, it'll probably be benign.

In Shotokan, without hips, you will be unable to execute any technique correctly or with enough power to be effective. Trying to imagine doing zenkuts without hips!

Interesting! So, in ShorinKan you don't actually follow an embusen as such, you move only forward and backward? Your technique is neat, tidy and powerful. Impressive. Don't criticise yourself, had you not said anything, I wouldn't have noticed! OSU

All Karate (indeed all MA) is made up, just some were made up a long time ago. I think the real test is, are you making up a new style to complement Karate and expand knowledge or are you simply trying to produce an easy style that will attract people because they can attain BB quickly and thus make you rich fast. I'm sure I know which one you are, and on that assumption, no I do not think you would be considered a fake.

Ok Ok, I'll bite! Why? Grading??

In my experience the membership fee is usually separate. The license is normally related to the insurance and qualifies you to grade. The license (book) is also usually your grading record.

Go and have a go at it. I would think that the first lesson will be free anyhow (most places seem to be!) so you lose nothing. Above all, have fun and enjoy learning something new

Sounds typical of any MA class that teaches as young as 4 to me. It may annoy you now Fang but wait until you are actually trying to teach them . It is both physically and mentally impossible for children as young as 4-5 to stay focused for anything longer than a few minutes at a time (I'm a father of 4 so I have some experience ), MA is no exception. Fidgeting, fiddling with the gi, belt, hair, talking or misbehaving in line etc is completely normal and should be fully understood by anyone agreeing to take children this young. You have to have to work on them over time and they eventually (if they stick it out!) become some of the most disciplined young adult martial artists you will find. It sounds like you need to move to the older class to me!

OP, I'm not sure what the expectations are in the US but in he UK, in terms of venue, it is very rare that you find a UK Dojo that is set in its own purpose built building with mats, weapons on racks adourning the wall, oriental wording on the walls, basically your stereotypical movie dojo. Most are held in sports halls, churh halls and scout huts (the Dojo is the place your learn, not a specific building). So when it comes down to the venue putting you off, look way beyond that. 45 pm for as many sessions M-F sounds about right because if you attend 20 sessions pm its 2.25 per session where as 2 pw is about 5.50. Nothing sinister imo!

I've still got the invite Dobbers I will definitely visit but probably not until I've reached 1st Dan in my own style which, god allowing, shouldn't be too long now!