Kusotare

Agreed, it was unnecessary and frankly, showed poor understanding / etiquette. The rest of the embu was OK I've seen worse. I'm just not a fan of the 6 man take downs toward the end, I think it cheapens the whole thing! K.

We're talking about this guy, yes? It's certainly not the traditional I know, but the point is, people from outside the MA world see the keiko-gi and belts and associate it with being tradition and therefore bona fide! K.

We've been having camps with our dojo for the best part of 20 years. We pitch up, light a fire and put the potjie on and watch it cook slowly whilst we drink beer! k.

At the start of the video, it shows "The Gathering", it appears to be organised by Soke Grandmaster Irving Soto who is the WOMA USA President. However I'm not sure if the hosting org (The Sport Karate Museum) is the same as the certifying org (which I would presume is the WOMA). However as I have never heard of either, can't say. Thanks for the information. It appeared to me that this organization, if it's the one shown in said link, has some deep Texas roots. The individual that conducted said tests, handed out said certs, and spoke on camera, doesn't appear to be Irving Soto. Still, I'm wondering. The link showed me two things about what I saw. One: Anyone in that organization can pass any said test. Two: If fees are paid, that makes it [passing said test] so. Who can respect that type of tradition? I can't!! It's all part of the smoke and mirrors! Isn't it? Clearly, there were some folk there that could throw a half decent kick and punch - but that was was about the extent of it. I may be wrong, but what I saw there was a self fueling (and by fuel I mean money) group that only exists to award phony ranks - so as to promote themselves and their business to the outside world. It's not enough to be a 3rd, 4th or even 5th Dan sensei (in a bonefide tradition) - Gees - that's almost a beginner!!! ... no, you need to be at least 9th Dan if you are to make a dent in the commercial world. Actually, an acquaintance of mine, and one of the highest graded Wado-kai sensei in the entire US, is a mere 7th Dan! The JKF Wadokai 8th Dan is amoungst the hardest tests in the world to pass and as a result there are very few of them - but.... what does my friend know? And, in the shopping mall of life, why would you want to train with a 7th Dan when you could train with a 9th or 10th Dan - that don't make sense!? K.

Very true! The spectrum of martial art is a broad one. K.

And that's fair enough, but unfortunatley there are many of your countrymen that bring shame to the whole "we do traditional" stuff! Frankly (imo) you can have the bits of tradition you want (the Gi's the Titles and the Belts to promote your business) but when you throw the baby out with the bath water you end up with this utter garbage... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFrM3KFAIsY K.

Agreed, but that wasn't what we were talking about! k.

I'm not talking about chivalry, I'm taking about deities... Bushidoman, if you don't mind me saying - for a moderator on board called "Karate Forums" you seem very reluctant to embrace Japanese traditions... I could have that wrong though. Eitherway, I teach guys traditional karate that are knights at the Tower of London - and it don't get much more "Medieval" than that - and they know what I mean! K.

So, I guess none of those systems / and those that practiced them had a spiritual / philosophical engine? Nonsense! All martial traditions have a history of belief - rightly or wrongly! Anything outside of that is sport! K.

Basically what mal103 said. Unfortunately, being a newb, you won't really know what you are looking for, but Insurance, CRB (Police Check) certs are a must. Never be affraid to ask. In addition, some National and International Governing Bodies have qualified instructor and coach programmes (JKA and JKF etc). Whilst an instructor without these doesn't mean bad, you just reduce the risk if you happen to come accross an instructor who has these teaching / coaching qualification. Finally, I know of many Karate instructors who have "generic" sport coaching qualifications. Whilst these dont teach you how to perform karate techniques - the help you learn how to best teach them.

The people I train with! K.

That's a rather old promo vid of Mr Miller's and I agree, he was using a bar fight scenario perhaps to enhance his message! Truth be told though, what he teaches is far more sensible than 99.9% of karate dojo out there. If we are being honest (and I mean really honest) what most of us learn is “gendai” karate, that has an entirely different reason d’être. If you think you study anything else, be very sure you do, otherwise you could end up in a whole world of problems! Does it put me off studying karate? - Not one bit. Am I scared little bunny in a Bar? - Not really (as I am sensible and there is something called odds). Have I ever been grabbed by the wrist to dance with someone in a Bar? - Sadly no! K.

Really!!?? Rory Miller is a world renowned Confict Management / Self Protection expert. What he teaches doesn't always sit well with Martial Artists as he tells it like it is. Martial Art doesn't equeal Self Defense. Fighting doesn't equal Self Defense. K.

In Japanese traditions "Keiko Shokon" means... "Reflecting deeply on the past - illuminates the future" I quite like that, and, if you're not into that, then perhaps practicing a traditional MA isn't for you. K.

This... K. Yeah...well...the opening segment alone, of the video you've provided, would be enough for me to say...thanks, but no thanks. A picture, in this case a video, is worth a thousand "words". What was it you didn't like about it? K.

Whilst waiting, you might enjoy this... K.

Hhmmm!!, I'll be honest - karate wise - I didn't see anything of substance in that website. At best, the instructors seem to have a blue belt in BJJ (Which is actually quite senior btw). That said, at least they don't appear to be lying about their credientials (because they don't really have any), but that's better than claiming to be something they are not!! As folk are always keen to say on these boards - the best way to find out is to give it a go and see what you think. K.

Can you post a link to their website? Karate, Jujutsu, Kickboxing etc., are all umbrella terms. They are basically valueless without context. What style of Karate, Jujutsu etc do they teach?, Who taught the teachers and in what tradition? What experience do the instructors have etc. etc. ? I'll be honest - a school with the name "Ryu Bujitsu Kai" doesn't sound promising (for a start they are using badly spelt Japanese terminology in a wrongly constructed way), but I'd be happy to stand corrected. K.

This... K.

Semantics I know, but arguably Kihon is only an extrapolation of kata! And, as for working to a syllabus, well, I tend to think a syllabus is there to help you pass exams. Any instructor worth their salt will work way beyond this. And speaking of semantics JonHunter - where is that quote from - because it's extremely flawed! K.

I've met a couple of Chito-ryu guys. Solid Karate as I understand it! Not sure how widely practiced it is in Japan (or Okinawa for that matter), but it seems to be more popular in North America (the guys I met were from Canada I think). K.

Have you practiced Chito-ryu Harkon72? K.

What do you mean when you say Ren techniques?

Where's a good source for Japanese Karate / Wado Ryu history? I mean, besides the usual Funakoshi books and whatnot? I've looked around on places like Wikipedia, but I'm not sure how much I can trust those sources. I say "besides Funakoshi" because I like to have more than one source of information. I have quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to Okinawan karate/Ti history and genus, but not much of Japanese... Whenever people describe Wado-ryu Karate, with the next breath they inevitably use the term "Jujutsu". Unfortunatley, most folk then hear "Jujutsu" and associate it with the modern day stuff with the reather generic locks, holds and throws. The classical Jujutsu practiced by the Koryu traditions of Japan however is a very different beast. It's a fairly length read but here is a very good essay on the subject by UK Wado-ryu instructor Tim Shaw... http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/jujutsu.html It's as good a place to start than any. [edit] Cook's "Shotokan: A precise History" also details how Funakoshi's karate spread to Through Japan and beyond. K.

Maybe, at the beginning they were quite close, but they are not now. Probably, Ohtsuka's karate was closer to Funakoshi's (ie pre Nakayama days). But either way, I think the genus of Wado is closer to that of koryu jujutsu than it is Okinawan karate. Granted, the omote of the form is quite similar, but underneath it is very different