Kusotare

Oh - and there is no written test either! I think this is something us westerners have made up. K.

There are no such physical / strength training exercises as part of the JKF (Japan Karate Federation) grading syllabus in Japan. In fact, the requirements are quite sparse - you just have to do them very well. They comprise of: Kihon Kata Yakusoku Kumite and Jiyu Kumite And thats it up to Hachidan - as they don't grade above that. K.

I think this may be true of individuals, and that people being people we all want to be able to say that our chosen art can do it all, but I don't think martial arts are designed that way at all. I have found that the combination of the three areas I describe above, that which makes up a given style, are each distinct to the art you are looking at. I think most folks compromise their style, doing what is natural to them or what is culturally popular and finding ways to claim it as always being inherent in their art. Only a few persevere to bring all the elements together and embody the art rather than making the art embody them. I say that with no sense of judgement, whatever works for you. It's your dollar and your journey, do as you please. I admire those who can embody the art and it is what I try to do with very limited success. I think I have a long way to go before I fully understand my chosen path. Until then I mostly do my own thing. Couldn't agree more. The three areas you mention are very basic (by basic I mean "core" not necessarily easy) principles that are automatic - in any worthwhile martial art (or at least should be)! The trick is to decide... 1. Whether you want to explore these opportunities as part of the “broader spectrum” of traditional martial arts or... 2. Self Protection / fighting – is what you want to learn pdq and how to be the ultimate fighter/ sd guru. To my way of thinking, if the latter is your bag – forget Karate, Aikido or most other gendai systems for that matter – because they don’t cut the mustard. To each their own of course. K.

To my way of thinking, all martial systems (worth their salt) arrive at the same zenith eventually. How you get there is influenced by many things (history, culture and necessity being the main ones), but it’s the pedagogy of each system that differ. In some cases quite massively – but again, these are often influenced culture, history and necessity etc. Different roads to the top of the same mountain.

You may want to research the meanings behind terms like "Kime". Snap is a bit of a nasty word as it implies breaking, but kime implies being able to control your muscles in a different way... http://www.karatebyjesse.com/kime-putting-the-nail-in-the-coffin/ Hope that helps. K.

The only problem with this is that the kata are Chinese, not Japaneseand the OOkinawans studied them under Chinese teachers. With the possible exception of taichi I don't think I've ever heard similar technique explanations in CMA. I'm no expert in CMA but as I understand it, a big chunk of traditional Japanese systems (or at least the techniques found within them), were heavily influenced by Chinese martial arts. Nami-geashi may be a Japanese word / phrase but the principle is in no way unique to Japanese martial systems. In essence its about training ones core strength. K.

Most Jujutsu / Judo clubs worth their salts will have ukemi as part of their regular conditioning drills. Perhaps most karate clubs practice each type a few times - but ukemi in a jujutsu dojo is very tough with literally hundreds of techniques performed - as just a warm up. You soon realise that the hardest part isn't hitting the floor - It's getting back up - over and over and over again... The ultimate workout... K

Wow - That's a whole topic there itself!! I love nebulous and subjective - because they are the birthplace of creation. I'm also a Jujutsu-ka, so I see most Karate-ka's approach to "reverse engineering" Jujutsu techniques into karate kata (in the name of kata application / bunkai) quite laughable. But, maybe we should park this... K.

How do you know what the correct standard is then - for the group you are asking to accredit you? Also, most keiko-kai are guided by their instructors, but it's the students that pull each other along. K.

He'd have been shown the door at my dojo pretty darn quick!

I would have asked him to train regularly with the group for at least 6 months. After which, I would allow him to examine for any grade that he thought he was capable of passing. If (as a result of the examination) he did not show the proficiency levels that your group requires (for the levels he aspired to) - I would recommend the appropriate grade that he should be awarded. If he doesn't like it...Well, your question is answered! That way you’ve given him all the chances… K.

I don't think loyalty to a keiko-kai is cultish - in fact I think it's a major part of it. If the young man wants you to recognise what he perceives as his grade then, he should first and foremost, join and train regularly with the boys and girls - with whom he is asking to be recognised as a peer. Sounds like he has a good "gymnastic" ability to replicate what he has seen on a 2D screen but, training as part of a group - and doing pair work with people with varying strengths and sizes can't be taught from a DVD. Nor can humility really. K.

To my way of thinking, these are the absolute reasons why this kata was described by Otsuka sensei as - "very deep"! Great to try to find applications like this and, I mean no disrespect when I say this - but don't overlook the core reasons to practice the Kata in solo form. Kata is kata - fighting is fighting. K.

As one of my seniors used to say - how you view what you do through the spectrum of keiko - will change over time.

What about learning where your centre of mass is and therefore being able to move around it or suspend it with the minimum of movement - thus allowing a more immediate counter. As I understand it, this is what nami gaeshi implies in most classical forms of Japanese budo. K.

Do you mean "Onegaishimasu" here? If so, this term doesn't really mean "can you teach me" - it's doesn't translate literally but in a dojo context it sort of means "please look favourably upon me!". It is most correct - when practicing paired kata (or even informal paired training) to start proceedings with both players saying "onegaishimasu" - irrespective of rank or position. It's a mark of respect (and to certain extent gentlemanly caution) toward one and other! Just thought I'd throw that in. K.

A rose by any other name... I think you first need to define the term “Jujutsu” before you can understand the question being asked. Jujutsu is a rather “catch all” term that is fairly modern compared to the various systems that have developed and these fighting methods. If you look at these old systems - the Jujutsu that they did wasn’t even referred to as such. More commonly it was called Kumi-uchi or Kogusoku. In a nutshell, pretty much all jujutsu techniques practiced these days comes from a school called Takenouchi-ryu – the oldest extant system! The techniques may have been modified / added to in order to work better in the sporting arena and training methods may have been updated but, in essence, like Judo, BJJ is still Jujutsu and as such it is a descendant of Takenouchi-ryu! So what’s the difference? – How and why you use it. K.

The Japanese do seem to like things in threes. In traditional Japanese Budo (not just karate), when considering how to receive and deal with an opponent’s attack, there are three main timings options: Go no Sen – Block first then counter. Sen-no-Sen – Simultaneous block and counter. Sen– Strike pre-emptively. Naturally the above timing methods will be dependent on a variety of factors. One is not more technically advanced than another. There are three methods or principles to control your opponents attack whilst using the above timing options: Nagasu – (Lit to float or wash) Moving off the line of you opponents attack and allow the techniques to flow past. Inasu – To deflect and re-direct a technique. Noru – To jam a technique. To forcibly redirect / trap a movement, often at the same time (or just before) your opponent (this has the added by-product of unbalancing your opponent (Kazushi)). Then finally, there are the three types of body movement used in the above. Ten-I – To move your body off the line. Ten-Tai – To twist or alter your body shape in such a way as to avoid an attack. Ten-Gi – Simultaneously convert your defensive body movement into an attacking strike (by using the above body movements). These principles do not sit independently from each other; they go hand in hand in order to effectively perform defensive manoeuvres, and whilst they may come over as a little convoluted, with a good intructor you will automatically employ these principles. K.

Rotating the body around a central axis is one method of generating the kinetic energy required to execute certain techniques (there are other ways of course). However there is a paradox within karate training in that making large rotational movements – whilst creating more energy –is too slow and will probably give your opponent an in! This is where practicing kata like Naihanchi – comes into play. When practiced diligently (and with correct postural alignment) Naihanchi inhibits the amount of rotation one can put in from the waist up – so large slow movements are trained out in favour of smaller “sharper” movements. Rotation is still there (and important) but it’s a reduced and a lot faster. Learning this skill is not easy, as time is needed to develop the core “explosive” muscles to do this – but that’s why we have to practice Naihanchi every day. The net result is that you are still “rotating” to generate the power however you are doing it with quicker motions meaning you get the jump on your opponent and that you need less space between them and you to create the necessary power. Watch some of the old masters perform a punch and, to the untrained eye, there appears to be little or no rotation… Get hit by one though (and I have several times) and by golly - do you realise that it’s in there….!!!! K.

This comes down to an old chestnut that has been discussed here many times before.... "What do you want from your martial arts training?" We all have different goals and as we get older our reasons for training may change. Most folk here know my view on traditional martial arts and their TRUE effectiveness when it comes to self protection. Frankly there are far more expeditious ways to achieve that end. Unfortunately the world is full of deluded and in some cases downright dishonest "traditional" martial arts instructors that are lying to their students by claiming they are teaching decent self defence... when they are NOT! As for whether the sporting arena is a good test of whether or not a martial art "cuts the mustard" well that again depends depends on what your goals are and frankly - that's not really the point. Traditional martial arts are however far more than self defence or sport and the rewards that come from the diligent training and study of a good system are what keep people studying and practicing all their lives – thus reaping the long term benefits. People that mock (good) traditional systems for their lack of "perceived effectiveness" don't really understand their raison d’être. It’s not about self defence, it's not about sport - at best they are happy by-product (and again I caution against believing in your MA style would actually help you),but that's about it. K.

As xDrayken says it refers to teacher in Japanese. The Kanji can be read in a number of ways but in this case it mostly means "the one who has been before". In otherwords - someone who has already aquired the skill or skills - of which you are trying to learn. K.

Putting the technical inconsistencies to one side - all of the other items have no direct bearing on your training so, to my way of thinking, you have two choices - put up with it (and get on with your own training) or leave. The inconsistencies are another thing... I've trained with quite a few senior Japanese Wado-ryu sensei over the years and you'd be amazed the level of technical inconsistency between them - Heck -it's not uncommon for same instructor to say one thing one day and something different the next!! That's not an excuse but it happens to the best of them. Only you can decide if these inconsistencies are a major road block for you. The other issues aren't problems for you, as they are shortcuts for others that, in the long run will suffer as a result. Nothing good ever came out of cutting corners. K.

In the last application to the IOC it was proposed that there would be no Kata just Kumite. The I.O.C. recognise the WKF (not WKO) is the world governing body of Karate. One of the major problems the IOC have had with karate in the past is the issue of uncontrolled strikes and kicks doing too much damage (and drawing blood etc). This goes against the Olympic way of things - so it is very unlikey that MMA would be considered for the same reason. K.

On the surface, Wado-ryu kata look like Shotokan/Shito-ryu forms. In truth though, Otsuka modified them to transmit much older principles that come from Shindo Yoshin-ryu. K.

Aren't your drills pre-arranged to an extent? I get what you are saying, but I think yakusoku-gumite is an important bridge. All drills/pre-arranged forms are kata (including bunkai drills). It's only when you get into the realms of Jiyu-kumite/randori that you start to join up the dots - hopefully! It's the "shu-ha-ri" of a kata based pedagogy. K.