Harkon72

I'm not a fan of breaking, I have done it and for us it was a choice. Students of Shorinji Ryu don't have it as part of their grading. Or at least my Sensei never asked me to do it. I did train with a gentleman on Anglesey who was a breaking specialist, he lived in my home town. He never asked for an audience, he never used domino chips to space the boards, tiles or blocks. He never set them alight or had a row of dancing girls. But his breaking power of inanimate objects was truly awesome. He was the fist guy I ever saw twist a clinker brick in half. That is not a word of a lie. He taught me to align my body behind a punch and relax. This next story will leave you thinking that I am crazy and that it happened in a dream, but this is true. I was in London in 1994 at the Steel Wire Mantis School of Kung Fu in Mile End. The day's highlight was a New Year display by some Chinese Kung Fu artists from Hong Kong. The gentleman had a concrete pillar to waist height placed in the middle of the hall. On this he placed a steel WWII tommy helmet which the crowd had previously examined, and it was genuine. After some Qi Gung, the man stepped forward and with his phoenix fist knuckle made an inch diameter hole in the crown of the antique head gear. That is true, I saw it with my own eyes and I was as sober as a judge. These guys would not dishonour such a gathering with a mere trick, and with my regard for this forum I would not mention it here if it were not true. I left inspired, myself, I am not super human and I don't aspire to be, but that experience will stay with me for ever.

Hammer is right, the video of the Thai Boxer smashing the banana tree is misleading. The impact is not with the instep, its with the shin, just above the ankle. The structure of the instep is not bone, its a spread of tendons similar to the back of your hand. For a powerful break with a roundhouse kick; you would use the ball of your foot, Shotokan style. Would you use the back of your hand to break a real board? No, you would use the heel of your hand or your knuckles. It's the same with the instep, not only is it painful; you can hurt yourself as it is almost impossible to condition it.

Oh yes, I can see where it has started with this guy. The whole culture of "Only tell your students what they need to know." is rife here in North Wales. This so called Sensei has linage to one of the most prestigious fraudulent grade and status merchants in British Martial Arts. He claims to be an 8th Dan, if you ask the right people you will learn that he was never a 1st Dan or a 3rd Dan either. He calls himself "Kyoshi" without knowing what the word means and by total brown nosing is even included in the American Martial Arts Hall of Fame! It's quite ridiculous and local Sensei who used to be his students know the situation very well. This doesn't stop them teaching utter rubbish and charging the earth for it. If they see that you begin to see them for what they are, they get rid of you pretty quick. Our local "Master" is a chip off the old block. It's a sad fact, because of this practice, the Karate schools of North Wales have a very poor reputation. Most karate students are gullible kids and real Karateka are very few. I believe North Wales is not unique in this respect.

In the UK, most martial art schools give you a licence book. Therein are your details, your next of kin's contact number for example. Also there is a record of your gradings and any courses you have attended. In the book there should be a licence ticket or certificate that is issued by the governing body every year. This has a number on it, your registration number. Not only did the Sempai fraudulently fill in this ticket herself with a name of an association that does not exist, there was no registration number on the licence ticket or the book itself. Basically, they take your money for grading, registration and insurance but do not pay it to anyone. It is basically an uninsured and unaffiliated club. The grading certificates have various organisations listed as governing bodies, but the club is not registered with any of them. As for the sparring, as I said, the Sempai and the Master refused. I have never hurt anyone while sparring, I have done it for many years in Dojo's and competitions, no-one has ever had reason to fear me, I have good control and I know my boundaries. Why a 5th Dan would give me a grade without a proper test, I don't know; but it goes to show how much respect he has for me as his student and the art of Karatedo. If you ask me, the man is a fraud. Shukokai? It's nothing of the sort; Sensei Kimura would turn in his grave.

I shall name no names or identify the club. I started training in a Dojo 3 years ago. I was a new style for me, Shukokai Karate. I liked the Sensei, he seemed a good man. As I trained I reached my 3rd Kyu grading this year. I knew that the style was meant to be Shukokai, but I could see that it was much watered down and geared mainly for the instruction of juniors. I had 25 years of Karatedo before stepping through the door, I knew my karate was sound and as I progressed, so did the Sensei and his Sempai. On the night of my 3rd Kyu grading, I did my Khihon and four very powerful Kata, now it was time for the Kumite. The Sempai, a shodan, flatly refused. Now it was up to the Sensei himself, a supposed 5th Dan. He made a lame excuse and he too refused to fight. At the end, this so called Master gave me a 3rd Kyu belt that I hadn't earned and a certificate. I walked out in disgust, shamed and dishonoured. I left my licence behind. 8 months later, I found my licence on the door mat. I had paid for my grading, also for another year's membership, but there was no record in the book. I showed the licence to a friend who is a police officer and a genuine karateka. "That's not a real licence, it's a forgery. They have written out the insurance ticket themselves, that governing body does not exist, and they have no association with the organisations that they claim to have. You were unlicenced and uninsured." This is a true story. The club still runs in our village.

It's not the style that produces the Fa Jin, it's the person.

Here are my Martial Arts goals for 2015. 1; make an attempt at learning my Shorinji Ryu Kata. 2; pass my Aikido grading in March. 3; Have a better diet and have a healthier outlook. 4; attend Dean Rostohar's seminar in Dublin in September. 5; let negative experiences go and look to the future in a good light.

Well done everyone, another year of humour and wisdom. Keep up the good work.

Please, I wouldn't put "end" and "Shodan" in the same sentence. Shodan is the beginning, good luck.

They are good forms, similar to the Pinan or Heian Kata. What surprises me is how many people on Youtube claim to be "Grandmasters" in TKD. I looked on the right, the list has at least 4 or 5 of these guys with this title. In Karate, "Grandmaster" or "Soke" is hardly ever used to describe someone. They would probably be he founder of the style. Each to their own I suppose, but I assume "Dai Soke" means someone of transcended grace.

I have heard claims that Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do have roots in Shotokan Karate. But as Shotokan was not founded until 1939, these styles must have developed very quickly. From what I can see, the root is common, but the tree has grown into some thing very different. The pattern of the forms might be similar, but the execution is remarkably divorced from the original. My first Sensei was taught Shorin Ryu or as he called it Shorinji Ryu. This was derived from Shuri Te, and before that, Naha Te. Shotokan came from a mix of Shuri Te and the teachings of the founder of Naha Te. It is considered a young style, so the Korean schools are even younger. This is an example of Shotokan, you can see how different it is; Enjoy.

What I mean is that the guy is opening his chest and turning his centerline away from the direction of his block, thus doing, his hips are turning in the opposite direction to the way the power of the block should go. It makes no sense. The second guy not only bounces in his stance, he does a little bounce with his arms before each technique, I can't see why he does this. I'll show you a similar form from Okinawan Karate; This is Pinan Nidan, a basic kata from Shito Ryu, Shukokai Germany; It seems they are a world apart.

I think the JKA are right, even as adults we were not allowed to spar freely until we were 5th Kyu or blue belt. Kids bouncing up and down playing tag in dipped foam from head to toe are not sparring, they are playing. It's even sadder when adults do it, but then again, you can be a world champion at doing just that. The best Kumite I have experienced was Ju Ippon Kumite. WAKO mits, shin guards and gum shield. It's the first to one full point. And a touch won't score, it has to be a solid but controlled contact; usually a take down with follow up or a punch or kick that breaks your opponent's ki will score an Ippon. Other less perfect techniques score the components of the point. It's tough, you just have to listen to the sound when two adult karateka meet on the mat, sometimes with simultaneous body strikes. You are cautioned if you draw blood, and a knock out does not necessarily end the bout. It's not quite the bone crushing Kayokoshin Kumite, but not far off. It's not for children of any grade, we did it as adults and 3rd kyu and above.

I know it's me but I find watching TKD forms very strange. In the first clip, the player turns his centre line away while doing the outside forearm block; so it makes sense that his focus cannot be in the direction of the block. The other two clips also leave me puzzled. I noticed that the player bounces in his stance before he executes the techniques, maybe for power but he may also telegraph each one to his opponent. I must admit, Korean martial arts are quite rare here in Wales, but after watch these clips I'm not too impressed.

This is a very interesting topic. One of the guys I train with came up with an interesting point of view. "You put them down and run away; if you hurt them and the case goes to court, you could be in more trouble if you are a martial artist as many lay persons see us as dangerous nutters." So if my friend is right, some people might not see us as more responsible because of our training, but quite the opposite in fact.

I'm trying to, I'm sorry if I led the thread astray. One local Aikido instructor gave up his art at the age of 50, he had really bad knees and his wrists had limited movement after years of practice. One Aikido Master, after learning of this said; "50 years old? Leaving the Dojo disabled? He must have been doing something wrong." We must look after our selves, the gentler you fall, the longer you can do it for.

Not knowing or even understanding a situation is usual in most lawyer's minds. They see the letter of the law, nothing else. If that law can be interpreted one way or another, then it depends on your argument whether you are found guilty or not, regardless of real blame. That is the nature of trial by jury. My wife's father is a judge, he always sees both sides of an argument, bless him.

If you want to turn to sport, I prefer Rugby; Warran Gatland is Wales' coach, he used to be a player, an All Black, but now he never puts his foot on the pitch. He is a retired Master, but he is wise and his opinion is sought. Robin McBride is Wales' Forwards trainer, he was possibly the toughest Hooker that the Welsh Front Row has ever seen, he's on the training ground, you do as he says, he still tackles like a juggernaut, he is the Sword Bearer of the Druid Order of Wales, he is the Sensei. Dan Lydiate is the team Captain of Wales, he's young and tough, he picks the team as he is there in each game in the front line, he is the Sempai. We know how each person fits in, from the 10 year old touch rugby player in the school yard to the 80 year old ex international who remembers the game and the "99" call in South Africa. I would never disrespect my elders, I am here because of them. My father and his unit fought in a real war, hand to hand; maybe my previous comments were clouded by anger, but I stand by them, for a man to call himself "Kyoshi" with no idea what it means; I will not bow to him, if he could see his belt or not.

Oh yes, I remember the days of the collage rugby field, January, blowing a gale with stinging sleet and hail, shivering in thin jerseys while the coach screamed at us from the side line in his Arran jumper, thermal leggings, padded touch line coat, wax hat and fur lined wellies! Oh yes, them were the days! My Sensei lets you attack him as hard as you want, he also lets us perform the techniques on him too, his tai sabaki is as good as any. I know many schools don't allow their students to use their Sensei as Uke, but David is humble and gets up as fast as you throw him.

I can see your point, but I was led by example. I do recognise that masters get old and infirm, but they become elders who you go to for council. They may have the knowledge, but they advise, they do not instruct directly. The world is full of people who command respect from warriors when they have no idea what it is to fight. World leaders are moving units all over the globe like chess pieces while talking of "Acceptable Levels of Casualties." The retired fighter has much respect, but he doesn't grade the students, his rank is his but his status is as I said, retired. I asked one of the Dan grades "Who grades you? Who would grade me if I joined your Dojo." "Kyoshi." She said, while pointing to a picture of a huge man with a broad smile. If so, I thought, I could call any Dan grade present at that grading to spar with! I quickly chased the thought from my mind.

The truthful answer is that there was controversy because of the fatality. What the prosecutors were pushing for was a charge of unlawful killing. Their point was that the gentleman concerned had more options at hand than killing the young man; that killing him was a choice that he had made. How they could argue this point against the situation of real split second response to a deadly attack, I will never know. It is obvious to me that some members of the law profession have no idea of what a fight situation is, let alone one in the dark against multiple determined attackers.

Maybe the attitude that I have is a little harsh, but, I was trained by ex military men; and if they could not show me what the technique was themselves, they would not ask me to do it. My Father was a trainer in the Army, a Malayan Scout NCO. He told me "Never expect a person to do something you cant or wont do yourself." I think it's a sound principal. I know there are specialists, everyone is different, but you can't sit there and call technique that you have no experience of yourself or maybe not for many years. With age, our bodies change, but still if you hold a rank, you must be able to hold your own.

Kyokushin Karate is the real thing, stand toe to toe with a real Kyokoshin and you'll find out what I mean. They don't mess about, their Dojo are relatively rare in the UK. People don't want to put the effort in to do such training any more. Real Karateka are a dying breed. Belt hungry parents and Sensei that water down their syllabus for profit are getting more common. This is a great photo, some of those guys look very capable.

In my book, a master should be the best in his tradition at what he teaches, he must be able to perform every technique he asks his students to do, or retire. I know of one so called "Kyoshi" who cant do almost any of his young Dan grades' techniques. He may have been able 20 years ago, but not now. I've no problem with over weight martial artists, most have the skill to adapt, but this guy claims to be an 8th Dan but would struggle to break into a jog. If he turned up to grade me, I would walk out.

In Karate we call the roundhouse kick a Mawashi Geri. Also known as a turning kick. I have never heard the distinction between a round kick and a roundhouse kick before. I have seen a turning kick done both ways though. The first is most common, delivered with the instep or the ball of the foot. This is common in Muay Thai, they use the ankle and shin to strike too. The second kickis rarer, I have seen kickboxers do it. It is not included in our Karate at all. I can see that if you turn your back like that on your opponent, it could be a little risky.