Harkon72

The system that you have sounds well rounded and sound. The rule that you cannot punch to the head makes sense in one perspective; in our style of fighting it is allowed, you can make forefist and backfist strikes to the face and head. There is a penalty for excessive force used to the face, especially if you draw blood, the idea is to score, not to knock them out. All techniques with the hand must be a closed fist, unless you take hold to take them down or pull an arm to make a hit for example. In our Kumite, thigh kicks are not allowed, but knee and elbow strikes to the body are; as I said the idea is to score, not to incapacitate. We do not follow the opponent to the ground; if both fighters are off their feet, then the bout restarts. There are no set number of points for a win, this is not Traditional Kumite; the fighting is continuous for 2 or 3 minutes and the judges and referee flag for the winner. I really enjoy the sparring, especially in the gradings. I have done Traditional Kumite a few years ago,this is where you end the bout at a full point and stop at each increment when each technique scores, in a similar scoring system to Olympic Judo. I feel that if your body can sustain it, then each sport or art is there to be enjoyed.

Pittbull, I think there's another variable in this debate; I think it depends on the Style. In a grappling style like Jui Jitsu or Judo it really matters, but for a stand up style like Karate it matters less. We don't have that much gripping of the gi. I say if it is comfortable and neat then all is well; but if it is to take some contact and wear, then I agree; a better quality gi is to be sought to improve your performance and the value you get from the garment.

I agree, I can see that a full power Spinning heel kick to the Head or even a Back Kick to the Body could kill someone. In Kumite, kicks to the head are rare; contact with feet to the head must have some control and if a spinning kick is controlled, then it becomes a different kick altogether. We wear dipped foam head guards, but this is not just to prevent injuries from punches, strikes and kicks but to give you a chance if your head hit the floor in a take down or sweep. Safety in Martial Arts has been debated from when it was the intent to kill in each fight to the touch only scoring systems of modern players. Our club lies to the sane side of the middle. For me at my age I wouldn't enjoy Knockdown Karate or Muay Thai. I don't either enjoy the tappy tappy no contact sparring. I have great respect for Traditional Jui Kumite where there is no contact but Ki is broken by sheer focus and timing. At the moment, wearing protection lets me feel my opponent's technique safely. I have a great respect for full contact fighters, they are brave in my view; but for me, Karate is an Art not a conduit for Thuggery.

I'm planning to have two white gi; one 14oz for winter and a 10oz vented gi for summer. I might buy a black gi for training; a 9oz Nine Circles gi, just to see what they are like; I don't think £20 is too much of a gamble. At the end of the day it's not the gi that matters; it's what's in it!

I don't know the exact exchange rate; but I would never spend more than £35 on a gi, especially if you have not tried it on. Some gi's cost £45 to £200, and all can become mis-shapen and if colored, lose their color. The Heavier the gi, the more it can lose it's color by the way. What if you send for a £50 gi and it doesn't look right? Expense doesn't guarantee quality. My Sensei put an expensive gi in the wash and his little daughter put a non-colorfast red sock in with it! Now he has the most expensive Pink gi in Wales! I'm about to gain a new gi in the new year, I should be able to get an Adidas 10oz Kumite gi for £32; can't go wrong!

Most cameras are multi functional nower days. Still, Video and Digital. They usually come with software for your web media too. I suggest Nikon, they're not the top of the range, they're not the cheapest, but all my optics are designed by these Japanese masters. But mostly it depends what deal you can get.

Some of those kicks in the one on one sparring may seem to be effective but they are technically power shots with not much true karate technique. You would have to throw a few to pick out a good one, the video obviously shows the highlights. The video of the group with a receiving karateka in the middle is better; there is more control and the technique is not so brutal looking. The older clips are showing good form, done by master karateka. I also like the Kata clip of the guy in the split-skirt; this shows the more refined side of Karatedo. Over-all not a bad movie.

Yes, Tae Kwon Do... can I ask you a question? Have you ever heard the term "Kick Fighting" with regards to Tea Kwon Do? I saw a reference to this as a style of kick sparring in competition back in the 90's. Basically, it was semi contact continuous with only kicking techniques allowed. I didn't give it a second thought until I watched the Tae Kwon Do bouts in the Olympics. That's what I thought they were doing. Bouncing and Kicking. Is it because a punch has little value points wise? That was my hope. I think we have one TKD school here in North Wales; I asked this question to one of the parents there and he said that punching and striking techniques are used a lot more in his son's school. Is it a matter of the specific association? I'm sure they have different rules and styles of TKD of their own. If it's the case that it is mostly kick fighting, then Tea Kwon Do and Okinawan Karate are miles apart.

No, not in my opinion; you can expect some discomfort, but the makiwara is not designed to condition the surface of the skin. It's a tool for strengthening the whole mechanics and components of the technique. If you want to condition your skin, use hot sand or aloe vera.

There is truth in that, but for us it is seen as a motivational tool.

I've written here about my opinion on this before; The way I see it; Kihon, Kata, Kumite = Karate. All the variables of the Above three K's and the way they are performed and thought about in Mind, Body and Spirit give you the Style.

Over many years I suppose each style and tradition has evolved; but this can happen deceptively quickly as a preference of a master of an art changing said Kata, sometimes quite radically or more subtly. Adaption of Kata and Kihon can be at a stance level that is remarkably subtle at times but quite profound. The alignment and dynamics are what makes a style; and sometimes within a style from one Sensei to another.

I have used Kiba Dachi and Shiko Dachi in my karate training, they are two very different stances. In Shukokai, Yoi dachi is substituted for the Kiba Dachi that appears in Shotokan for example; as in the final part of Pinan/Heian Sandan. Then Shiko Dachi can take the place of Shotokan's Kokutsu Dachi as in Pinan Nidan/Heian Shodan. The difference between the Shiko Dachi and Kibadachi is that the feet and shins are aligned at 90 degrees in Skiko Dachi and are parallel in Kiba Dachi; so making the whole body alignment different. This effects the way you move and focus power in both stances. Shotokan stylists use Kiba Dachi when performing Yoko Geri and Kata such as Tekki Shodan. But in Shukokai, Kiba Dachi is rarely seen.

In our Club, a Black Belt with a white stripe is a Pre-Dan student, this is a student training to take his first Dan grading. They are in reality 1 Kyu students, but they have passed a Pre-Dan grading to show they are training for the Dan grading. They can be assistant instructors or Sempai only. Usually you wear a Pre-Dan belt in our club for at least a year. I have never seen a black and red belt; so I don't know what it means. In some other associations, as you say enterprising Kyu grades wear a Black and White belt to teach, thus it represents an "Instructor". I find this very strange; in our club, you must be at least a full Dan grade to take a class. I know of one instructor of Lau Gar that taught from green sash on his own wearing such a color. So basically he trained only for 9 months before having his own class. I have no strong criticism; but as a good friend says; "The proof is on the Floor."

This is true, if someone bounces for no reason then it's Ashi Barrai Party Time!

Yes, pre-4th Kyu is an important intermediate grade, for a full 4th Kyu you must perform 2 Kata (Pinan Yondan and Pinan Godan), one previous Pinan Kata and two Basic Kata of the examiner's choice. There are multiple combinations and one step Kumite as well as two opponents for free sparring. The step into 4th Kyu takes two gradings as you enter the more advanced level of practice and a taste of what is expected of you for a higher grade.

This happens to me every week. There's always something new that inspires me, a breakthrough, a moment of light coming on in my head. We had a classic one last week; my Sensei strapped my leg straight so I could perform a spinning kick correctly, I threw it a dozen times and then took the brace off my leg. Eureka! A good spinning heel kick at a decent height with less effort than before. Yes Aha moments are priceless.

We have much the same stances, with the addition of Crane Stance and Hourglass Stance. There are a few variations that our Karateka use for free fighting. Most use a medium to high modern Jui Kumite Dachi, I tend to use the reverse Cat Stance mentioned by Bruce Lee in The Tao of Jeet Kun Do. It's a high stance with the front foot flat and the rear heel off the floor, based on the wing chun root of Jun Fan Kung Fu. It's an enigma at our club, they haven't sussed it yet. It will be truly tested at my Dan Grade.

Bob, I must say Hwa Rang Do looks interesting. I wander what the roots of the art are; I've never heard of it until now. Is it Korean?

Many Many Happy Returns, keep up the good work.

We have the Following grades; White (no grade) 3 months > Yellow 8th Kyu 3 months > Orange 7th Kyu 3 months > Green 6th Kyu 3 months > Blue 5th Kyu 3 months > Purple + White Stripe pre-4th Kyu 3 months > Purple 4th Kyu 3 months > Brown + White Stripe 3rd Kyu 3 months > Brown 2nd Kyu 6 months > Brown + Black Stripe 1st Kyu 6 months > Black + White Stripe pre-Dan 1 Year > Black Shodan 2 Years > The times are the minimum time you remain at that grade, regardless of hours trained. So as you can see it takes at least 4 years to get to Shodan.

I don't have a special rack, I just keep them in a shoe tidy in my wardrobe.

We are lucky enough not to have any membership fees or contracts of commitment. It's £4.50 a lesson, pay as you go, first lesson free. We might see them every week for 10 years or never see them again. Adults pay an admin and legal insurance of £10 a year, our gradings are £20 and that's it! People think that because we are cheap, we are useless; but I'm proud to say that we have some of the best Karateka in Wales.

For the McDojos the answer is "As Many as Possible". I don't mind that people charge for each belt, what angers me is when a student has six strips of sticky tape on his belt and he's paid £35 for each one!

Yes, there are many Kata and many versions of each. The trouble starts when a purist of one style meets another!!