Harkon72

I read the Dalai Lama's Book "The Art of Happiness"; it changed my life.

I agree, the steel toed Hi-Teck Magnum is my favorite stomping weapon!

I was told never to run until you are on or under your target weight. The stress on the joints running on a hard surface can take its toll. I run on a treadmill every now and again, I find it beneficial but a rower or cross trainer is better.

Geoff Thompson is a gentleman, he comments well in UK magazines such as MAI. I have great respect for him.

Karate is so Dangerous? Rock Climbing and Canoeing are not? I can't believe the scouting governing body can be so miss-informed. Scouts in the UK have been taught staff fighting in the past, so a tradition of Martial Arts is part of what they do. Wake up guys, move with the times!

Hello! You are most Welcome!

A great karate student will always have the Beginner Mind; when I am taught oi zuki or age uke from a new Sensei I can have a feel for their karatedo on the basic level and as a window to their most advanced techniques. Kihon Kata for example is always a Kata to return to. It is the first Kata to be taught and the last to be mastered. Karate is a never ending cycle, when your black belt turns white with age, when all the blood sweat and tears are washed out; the color means nothing; the Budo is in your soul, the belt is an honorable accessory, nothing more.

Unconscious Competence is when you're so tired and exhausted that you can barley stand and your grading Sensei shouts: "Rei! Kata Announce!" The next two minutes or so is what constitutes the memory of your Karatedo, the soul of your Budo.

Sparring combinations, focus mitt combinations, applications with no gloves and some very basic nunchaku practice to finish off.

Congratulations and well done Heidi, you are an inspiration to us all!

Hello Hawkmoon, hail and welcome! You will find this site as diverse and colorful as the world of martial arts out there. I hope you enjoy the chat with us! Osu!

Maybe a modern karate style like Wado Ryu or Shukokai would do the trick. Or maybe a Chinese based style like Lau Gar, they do continuous sparring.

I'm very proud of my Father. He has been very sick for a few years but his smile is as warm as ever. He is a Father, a Warrior and a great Philosopher. I am very lucky to be his son.

Master Ken might be a joker but there is a lot of truth in his jests. I'm about to visit a Dojo in a different town next week, it's a school of my previous style; Shotokan. I am not there to learn the style, I will go and share some Karatedo. I will wear a white belt for my sins.

I wish you all the best Bob, these things happen for a reason. You deserve all you will achieve, osu!

I must admit I don't train every day. I visit the Dojo once a week and do at least 2 or 3 sessions a week by myself or with my training partner. I admire people that train every day, but I question the quality of that training - surely your body needs time to recover. I think quality is much more important than quantity.

A similar situation happens at our club when my Sensei challenges me to Kumite. It's like a Welsh Rugby player receiving the Maori Haka. Cold and dark; he's looking for a clam response, controlled aggression and the meeting of Warriors with honor and respect. He calls it "Testing your Heart".

That's a great video, thanks for sharing

Wow! A government Permit! We have an association Licence and that's all you need. The vetting factor is that our Sensei won't teach advanced bunkai to juniors and only to those who have the maturity to handle it. Obtaining a Dan grade is no requisite, if our senior instructors don't trust you they wont teach you. Having a Government Permit would not make a difference. We don't have them in the UK.

I've done some beech training, just watch how cold the sand is!

I am going for my full 4th Kyu in September, then a Brown Belt from Father Christmas! I still need to lose some weight, but I feel well supported by my Dojo Family.

I was given a 280cm belt in my grading last night, it's a little short but I think it looks smart.

This one is a weird one for me as I have never considered Karate to be a sport. It's a Martial Art, "Martial" being the buzz word. It's designed for more than scoring points. But there you go, I'm just a dusty old traditionalist who should know better.

Congratulations! Well Deserved!

Oh Yes, Hello and Welcome! Enjoy!