cheesefrysamurai

Is there a responsibility involved with being a Senpai? I know some that don’t give it consideration and I know others that assume a responsibility and take it seriously

If you won the lottery, how would it affect your training? I’d spend a bit more time on Okinawa, buy or build a space for my instructor..

I have 2 meijin I like them, they feel much like old friends at this point. Fraying a bit at 3-4 hard years (lots of consistent training, some grappling, lots of gasshukus where it gets used repeatedly, still going. I’ve had a ronin heavy weight - pretty damn decent My fave by far is shureido but it costs a bit more.

We generally do knockdown Kyokushin style kumite. My instructor also trains and teaches Kyokushin. Our Goju ryu also uses a very similar type of Kumite. Our irikumi go is different. We wear head gear, shin pads, cup, gloves... anything goes l

Do you keep notebooks and how do you organize it? I have a bunch of jotted notes and things, a bunch of notes I transcribed you the computer but I don’t seem to have a cohesive system for keeping notes, corrections, anecdotes histories and such. If you keep Do you show them to other people or are they private as they are your observations? Thanks

I find it odd there are no Okinawans on that list.

Some arts or dojos teach punching and kicking and they get quite good at it. They employ mechanics and tactics without depth found in some other arts. Does that make they worse fighters? Definitely not. Does that make them inferior, no. Some people might get bogged down with the detail and incremental progress of a deep internal art. Some might blast through katas in search of hidden depths or “secrets” and get bored really fast. This is how it was explained to me. Shotokan gets much of its knowledge from shorin ryu. Through it’s adaptation things were changed. In this process some of the connection to the shorin ryu roots especially when kata were modified for aesthetic purposes.They simply didn’t take the bunkai and much of the bunkai can’t be reverse engineered because of the changes. It’s not too hard to make basic bunkai though. Shotokan is an effective art and in the least you can take things at face value. Many practitioners are trying to piece it together and create bunkai but to some arts a punch is just a punch..

Thank you all! This is awesome. A lot has happened since I joined this group. I went from a newbie to a relative newbie. 🤪 I’m just 7.5 years in. I’ve been to Okinawa twice! I’m a candidate for nidan. Finding this community helped put me on the path, hearing other people’s perspective put a lot of things into the right context for me. I don’t have many friends who train. The call came from within and it’s great to have had this community to lean on and learn from. Thank you all for your wisdom!

Yes I practice sanchin. There’s so many reasons. So many lessons that permeate the other kata as well as reinforcing principles. Punching, blocking, rooting. So much there.

I believe there’s definitely room for karate to become your own. I think that’s the point. Of course in the beginning you learn everything but over time you gravitate towards certain techniques, bunkai, strikes that fit with your body style. Over time the karate becomes your own within the framework and principles of your chosen art.

I’m front NJ as well. Weather permitting my Sensei holds non contact classes. Beach training is also a possibility depending on where in Jersey you are

There are differences in the execution of the kata as well. Different mentality. Does anyone know how long Yamaguchi Sensei trained with Miyagi Sensei? How many hard years?

Goju Kai has more Japanese influence then Okinawan Goju Ryu. For better or worse there are differences. There are elements that tie most Japanese karate styles together. These elements are present in Goju Kai. Different focus.

Hmmm. Thanks for the suggestion. Looks like I may just make them. I'm a screen printer. I was hoping there was an easier way. Thanks

Anyone know where I can get those panels of material with numbers without making them?

Yes - no issues with the stance, I just need it way deeper and wondering if anyoje had this issue and what they did.

I need to deepen my Neko Ashli dachi. Anyone have any exercises to help?

I'm happy with my meijin at about 135

What is coming out on concussive injuries?I've seen some articles come out fairly recently regarding this. I'll try to find some. At my dojo we do pretty significant body, arm and leg conditioning. You can't condition the head.

For me, learning the bunkai unlocked the kata, unlocked the intensity needed, unlocked the intent for movements I didn't understand and it gave the understanding of why this stance with this strike, why a certain timing is necessary. Without bunkai, it's strictly a blind performance. It's essential for me. Kata is one of those situations where it's way more than meets the eye. The only way IMO to perform it well (not necessarily for aesthetics) is to understand the application.

There are differences between japanaese and okinawan but Japanese is not watered down. That's silly. They are slightly different. Different emphasis but much depends on the instructor. Search in Google - you'll see it listed.

I find this practice offensive. And my dojo is very physical. I wouldn't train there. Especially when you consider all that's coming out about concussive injuries.

I was there for 15 days this summer. Pretty awesome. I miss it. Dojo bar is awesome. Don't forget the habu sake. The beaches are beautiful. There are places to take excursions to islands- I recommend them. It's like paradise. SEE THE AQUARIUM. English is not a second language so don't expect it to be. I spent much time on google translate. Also I rented a mobile hotspot for the time I was there. Came in handy as hell. I had free wifi calling for my trip using an app. Yes - learn to be polite. Where are you staying? If you have special food requirements consider them NOW.

I believe it to be true at least in my case it is. My wife often describes my training as a part time job. I will say for the arts with less depth, there may not be an issue but for myself, speaking of kata, as you get closer to that shodan, there's a nuance involved that seems unlikely to be achieved without reinforcement. I could spend 5-6 hours a week on sanchin and not scratch the surface.