Harkon72

Yes MMA is a strange ethos, Muay Thai seems to be it's "in" style while BJJ is it's gritty brother. I suppose the full contact world of Thai Boxing has much kudos compared to us that fight in our pajamas. Then the knockdown fighters among us would do just as well in the cage.

This is exactly the point, you will feel the point of the blade of a trained attacker before you see it. Many Knife Defense techniques rely on the fact that the assailant has no idea how to handle a dagger. The John Wayne knife duel hardly ever happened, it is a weapon of stealth. My father showed me the reality of knife play, if you are unaware you have little or no defense.

Our Sensei would train us for free if he could; he doesn't do it for profit. For him it's to do with the pleasure of seeing his students develop, this is quite unlike a lot of schools I could mention.

It appears that it could be a money spinning machine. Gradings in our club are held every three months, but only when you are ready. My wife waited 10 months before the teacher felt she was ready to grade. I have had three gradings in that time, but I train more often and have more experience than her. Each grading costs £20, regardless of grade.

I agree, there are no ranks in Wing Chun for example, a good teacher can tell what level you are at just by watching you. My Sensei knew I had some experience of other styles before joining him, my green belt as you say is just the color of where I have reached with him, that's all.

Hi Jay, I like the Avatar too

Which way do you hold your knuckles when punching the face? Do you hold them horizontal or flat as you would to punch the body? Or do you hold them vertical, sun fist style? In our style we punch jodan with a vertical lined fist. You seem to make contact with the knuckles whatever the height of your opponent. We still use the two larger knuckles, and to the nose/face area it seems to cover more of the target. Maybe a flat fist is more precise but it can leave more margin to miss a moving target. What are your thoughts?

I've just acquired some hook and jab pads, or focus mitts. Their Longsdale leather ones, bargain. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any good drills to use with them. I will be training with my wife, she's smaller than me and likes block-strike combinations. I just thought maybe a mobile target would be more realistic.

The Dagger or Tanto has a massive following historically all over the world. From the poison blades of the Hashishin to the American Bowi Knife. I saw my father and his friends train with blades just after leaving the army. The cliche of the knife defense technique taught in most MA classes is interesting if not always realistic. A flashy display is not required, your opponent should feel the steel before he sees it. Does anyone train in the use of a blade that's shorter than 10"?

The kind of mindset that was looked for in Ancient Japan was "Mushin", no-mind or "mind like water". It is the same as the Typhoon in Aikido; around the combatant there is a dervish of activity, chaotic and violent. But the center of the storm is calm and peaceful. We must not become aroused, the pool of our mind must be calm. Only then can we see the situation for what it is. This can take many years of training, experience and conditioning of the Soul.

Only once in my life have I been in a life threatening confrontation. Ask me about it in detail and I have a haze of confusion and miss interpretation. All I know is that I left unhurt and very unsure of how I survived. Instinct and Spiritual strength were all I had to fall back on, I suppose my training and muscle memory stood me in good stead.

Cheers! One advantage to living in the UK - you can travel from one end to another in a day!

The same applies to our style too, you are right. Shito Ryu is the parent style of Shukokai. Sensei Tani derived Shukokai in the 60's, Sensei Kimura created an offshoot that is also very popular. Thank you for the invitation, our parent Dojo is in Tameside. I care to visit Manchester next year and I will be in touch before then, thank you. I've got a contract with work that has tied me to long hours at least until January. After that I will be training harder and maybe opening more doors. Osu!

You are right to be concerned, a good teacher is worth their weight in gold.

We can train all we like, but no preparation can plan for the moment of true need. A calm, focused response is a honed state of mind only experience can teach.

Oh, I have great respect for the Kyokoshinkai! Mas Oyama's style is one of the best in the world. Ashihara is a recent derivative then, suited to full contact Kumite. I'm more of a traditionalist myself, I train for my mind more than anything. I shall look further into Ashihara with interest. Thank you for sharing. Osu!

Can anyone tell me more about Ashihara Karate? I've never heard of it before. Where is is from? Who teaches it? Is it a new style? Just curious that's all.

Yes, "Karate Kata Applications" by Aiden Trimbel and Vince Morris. Shotokan, simple, great Bunkai.

Our Academy is not fixed to a permanent Dojo. We train in the memorial hall of our village. Our Senseis train in a different venue every night.

I had a potential Self Defense situation just the other night. I was on the bus, late on the way back from work. Three young men were drunk at the back of the bus. One of them came forward and opened a can of beer over an old gentleman sitting in front of me. The old man was in his eighties and disabled. I controlled my anger just about and pulled the thug back by his shoulder, I shouted to ask what he was doing and closed my right fist to my chest. On seeing this the tattooed youngster asked me to calm down. I let go of him and told him to get to the back of the bus and to sit down. Thankfully he obeyed me an slumped to his chair. It was over in a second, but I was just about to pull the trigger. Controlling anger is an important skill. The old man smiled at me and the hoodlums got off at the next stop.

What combination, syllabus or not, do you favor in your style? Mine is Sirikomi Maegeri with Kensei, Gyaku Zuki, Shuto Zuki. In English; Step up Front Kick with Feint, Reverse Punch, Knifehand Thrust.

My preference is an octagonal red oak 12" cord nunchaku. I've seen a Nunchaku in Nine Circles that is octagonal in Japanese White Oak with a simple chain. I might splash out, but I doubt if the chain is quicker than the cord. Octagonal shafts are traditional to Okinawa because they do more damage.

Hi Michael, I studied Shotokan a while ago, about ten years when I lived on Anglesey. I think you have some of the best Kata in Karate. Keep going, Dan grades are white belts who never gave up.

Hello, I'm new too. I study Kobudo, Shorin Ryu. Nunchaku and a little Bokken too. Nice to meet you. Osu!

Many of the strikes taught in our style produce a KO when applied properly. But by no means are they a fail safe. Sensei has knocked me out a few times in the Dojo, out for a few seconds. I've seen it in Kumite a few times too. In my opinion the ABC approach is best, with each strike delivered with the sting the opponent deserves. Controlling and inflicting pain is one thing, but there are times when a KO is deserved.