Harkon72

Kaiyokoshin only can answer this question, I'm sure one will notice this thread.

I open the ones that I know the content of first, then have my surprises later. I opened one from my Sensei tonight; a pair of Black Iron Sai, "They're not just to look at and admire Lad!"

They advocate Green Tea don't they? Well, the Tea plant sucks up more Floride from its environment than any other. Tea itself is fine, the byproduct that comes with it is one of the most toxic substances on the planet!

Ali, no question.

You Love excessive contact Sensei? You sound like Eric San, my Sensei now Lol, he wants you to hit him! "Go on, I'll give you the first Five." It takes a brave Karateka to keep sparring if he is still standing.

I concur with what sensei says, each kobudo weapon has a specific method of training; when it's good, it's very good; when it's bad it can hurt you badly.

Yes K, I'm aware that this goes on too; this is not re-enactment; it's combat. Thanks for Sharing!

Not only this, but each of us have various types of body process. I'm a blood type AB+ve, My wife is a B blood type. I have an explorer and warrior geno type. My wife has a Gatherer and Nomad geno type. If we ate the same food; we would go down hill very fast. What's good for one person can make another very sick. Listen to your child's body; it will tell you what is medicine for it.

The scourge of modern Karate, in my opinion is that people see Kata as just something to learn for your next grading test. I have voiced my view here on the forum before, but for Karatedo to blossom, it must grow from the Kata, this is where the Style is. I may sound like an antiquated grumbling fogey, but if you don't practice the three K's, then I'm sorry, your Karate is just stylized Kickboxing.

How many times have you heard this conversation? "What Style do you Practice?" "Karate" "What Style of Karate?" "Just Karate, as I said" That's like asking "What car do you drive?" and the answer being "One with a steering Wheel." Cross training is great; just be aware that training for many years in one style and then just adding what you fancy from others, without even stepping in their Dojo does not hold water. Youtube is not a legitimate teacher.

Kaiyokoshinkai is one of the most highly respected styles in the world. They advocate full contact sparring with minimal protection. At worst; it's brutal. At best it's a true test of Karatedo. In my opinion it's a young man's style as injuries there are common.

I'm with Kustotare on this; I am very wary of styles that claim to be a combination of other styles. For example, a style that calls it self just "Karate" set the alarm bells ringing for me; a non specific mix of systems that the instructor probably has no real qualification in each is a rout I would not follow.

I can say that everyone's take on sparring is different. The Body, the Mindset, the Connection between you and your Opponent. The only way to learn is to experience it. Practice safely and follow your own way.

Combinations of single techniques are Kihon, Whole forms of Kihon are Kata, The application of Kata is Kumite or Combat. These are the three K's of Karate; if you don't have all three then you practice something else.

My Sensei turned down a time served Godan after 35 years of training. He wants the full Physical grading test or nothing. He failed such a test this year; after six hours of hell they just said "See you next Year Sensei". One local instructor is a 5th Dan, he bought the Gracie franchise for £25,000, he's 34 years old. In who's Dojo would you rather be?

Any Time

Any style of martial art can offer good self defense training, some claim to be custom made for it such as Krav Maga, Combat Hapkido or Russian Sombo. Other styles are tested at full contact and have stood the test, such as Muay Thai and Kaiyokoshin Karate. Some softer styles are remarkably effective too such as applied Aikido and Tai Chi. My style is Okinawan Karate, which can vary greatly in effectiveness, depending on how it is taught. I have had one life threatening encounter that I survived thanks to my training. Karate too was derived for self defense, but I feel, if you train with a good Sensei, who takes time out to test and make you feel the fear of a real situation; you are on the right track whatever your style.

Do I have to tell you that I'm with Bob on this? My Karatedo class has a Kickboxing class straight after it. Some kickboxers laugh and take the mike out of me in my Ironed Karategi, calling my Spiritual Path antiquated and useless. This was until one night, my Sensei made me do Kata over and over until I dripped with sweat. A kickboxer put his hand up and asked "What's this Rubbish he's doing with that hand when he does that silly knifehand block?" My Sensei, refering to my Nukite hikate pull back, said. "With that hand he takes your Xiphoid Process and rips it off the base of your breast bone; it's a terminal technique; there are no points in true Karatedo Philip." Enough said.

Thanks for Sharing Sensei, that's one of the best Videos of Karatedo on the Net.

It's been a great discovery for me; the partner of my Yoga teacher used massage to relieve tendon pain in my head in a few seconds, it's not a mystery; if you realign your body it will heal itself.

No I haven't, it's unheard of in these lands. We have Shito Ryu, but that is as close as it gets phonetically. I read this ; Chitō-ryū is generally classified as a Japanese style because Chitose formulated and founded Chitō-ryū principally while living in Kumamoto, Japan. However, some modern practitioners feel it is better categorized as an Okinawan style given that its roots and techniques are firmly grounded in and derived from traditional Okinawan Tōde (唐手). This belief is warranted since the style's founder, Tsuyoshi Chitose, received first the rank of Judan, in 1958,[6] and then the rank of Hanshi, in 1968, from the Zen Okinawa Karate Kobudo Rengo Kai (All Okinawa Union of Karate-do and Kobu-do). I find it correlates well with my experience of Karatedo.

Well Done, Well Deserved!

Congratulations! I suppose that two compatible styles can work well together, hard work to do both justice though. I wish you all the best, Osu!

I'm an advocate of Okinawan Karate, go for the Chito Ryu! I'm very biased of course. But this family of styles of Karate has contributed to my development of Body, Mind and Spirit for most of my life. If you want to pay for your belts, pass your grades regardless of your skill and be taught the bare minimum, I recommend the commercial business option. It depends on the Sensei, but if the Karate comes from the Heart and not the Pocket then you are blessed indeed.

Congratulations, this is a new beginning!