Hawkmoon

Gis and washing .... I have a story about a washing accident ... grrr I've been known to use 'bleach' applied directly toe h armpit area as much as the neck and cuffs to control it ... can't honestly say its a perfect answer but it does help. Most washing powders contain various concentrations of bleaching agents to help 'whiten' your socks and shorts. A Gi is cotton and so not any different ..bigger sure, but not any different at the end of the day.

hmm...many an instructor I have worked with and the ones that worked with me to get to 2nd and 1st kyu (Brown) had no illusion that to test for brown(especially 1st kyu) was be the hardest test you'd undertake! Not to say a BB grading is easy ..no no far from it. To test for 1st kyu is to take a grading exam much like the black belt, but as mentioned above you do not have the finesse, the control the mental strength and understanding to go along with 'a black belt examination'! Come black belt all 'that' stuff has become normal and second nature. It is at Brown belt you are made or broken, as mentioned above be aware and careful at this level! Many students reach this level and simply stop, some mumbo jumbo craziness black magic spell creeps into the soul and takes over then suddenly the BB grading gets put on hold just a little longer and pushed back for less and less logical reasons!!

Hehehehe ... ! Let me share (in brief) my MA career! Stared when I was 18, my weight was about 65 -70kgs! Graded to 1st kyu. Kept this grade for a few years, then I would grade to Shodan, the idea was the be the best I could be .... At about 26 I completely stopped training, still a 1st kyu..... (work family and so on.) My weight was about 70-75kgs! I returned to MA about 5 years ago, my weight 95+kgs!!! So wish this was not true ... but it was possibly higher... The jeans I used to wear were 28 -30inch waist, now I was looking to purchase jeans with a 48 inch waist! I am now a Shodan, my weight 78-83 Kgs! My waist is 34 inches! If you do anything ..GO BACK and train, be mindful of your injuries and simply rest as you need to, if you much push may I suggest you ONLY push after you have been back say 6mths, let your body get upto speed and be comfortable with what you now ask of it!

Shodan Kyokushin

I'd love to train with Sosai Oyama, already train(ed) with Hanshi Arneil, so Sosai himself would be the dream.

hmmmm ... Just to look at this section (ignoring the rest of your post, just trying to keep it/make it as simple as i can) yes I have issue with the list and why the list was created for the same reasons!! (There goes the 'ignore' comment out the window! ) 1. This is minor to some massive to others, but no matter what its simply polite and courteous, simple manners! Black mark against the persons name. 2. Same 1. Black mark against the persons name. 3. Same as 1 & 2. Black mark against the persons name. 4. Same as 1, 2 & 3. Black mark against the persons name. 5. Entering the 'area' be that for formal dojo training, competition or demonstration its that manners thing for me. Black mark against the persons name. If its you in a corner I see no reason to bow to a wall for example ... a more relaxed approach is acceptable. Yay! a different answer..kind'a! 6 . Same as 5. Black mark against the persons name. Etiquette is not a hard thing to master it is not a difficult thing to remember. You would not walk into a meeting at the office or church without seeking permission or 'knocking' announcing your wish to enter to interrupt. So why just wander around and do stuff in the dojo....etiquette is part of the whole package not an optional extra like air con in the car!

UFC trainer ..yup got that on my X box! Its good if a little slow and inaccurate sometimes. The punch training is the best example of what I mean, put simply I punch faster than it can track me so I find I slow down to do 'its' speed training routine...? go figure. Otherwise the repetition stuff is very good for your fitness levels.

Allowing 'professionals' to compete in an amateur competition is ..well ... it makes it a joke IMHO! A certain shame is felt in my blood, sorry its how it makes me feel!

Great points well made! The act of one or a few is used by so many to define all the others its something that to many 'people' do to readily!

Well done you! Osu!

A solid base is, as most if not all of us is aware, extremely important, the profound comment "From a solid base builds ...etc etc!' is never more true than when you are starting out down the fighters/fighting road! (I do Kyokushin, we fight, its what we do its what we are famous for, we fight from an early stage of our careers, if anything its a chore to get a kyokushin student to kihon or worse still ( ) kata!) Regardless of the school/ryu/teacher of the combat system; Martial Art, Karate, warrior, fighter these are words used over the years to describe a student in the 'art of war'! The traditionalist in can't get past the idea to hold a student back to such a late stage is...is counter intuitive you create a warrior with a solid base to build upon to fight, but with no experience normally assigned to someone of such rank...potential students would not consider you or your art.... ...I cannot make mind up if there is a some thought process driving this as some kind of search for a certain sort or type of student!

Very well said. Spot on, good post!

to add... I've been working with my sons Kickboxing school in an attempt to make it interesting for him .. hes been a little less than enthusiastic for a while now! Since joining in (in joggers and a tee, a prearranged agreement with school instructor) he's been more interested in his art again so its seems to be working! To explain the agreement, when I train I do not wear (and so advertise) my Gi or rank of my system! I have no conflict of bruised pride in this as I will only 'train' with them once a week, I see it of mutual benefit to us all. The differences between how they fight and how I fight is going to help them as much as it will help me. (more importantly my son!) Only a couple of the students know who I am and what I am the rest have no idea, that's how the head teacher wants so I am happy to follow his wishes. The other morning I was sparring and was asked by one of the BBs who was standing in for the head instructor to 'not kick the legs/thighs', he was unhappy about the contact and didn't want any knee injuries on his watch! (He is not aware of the who or what of me) I was not bothered by the request I just aimed at the ribs instead, but as much of my many of my setups use or even opens on a leg kicks I was for the next two or three bouts like a fish out of water, it took an age to adjust to what for me was a restriction! Like wise as they do strike to the face, in knockdown we do not punch the face I made the transition to how they fight by going into 'clicker' mode, an adjustment that takes about 2 smacks to the head to kick in as it were but a good eye opener! To me the differences between how they fight and how I fight, is quiet visual as well as physical difference, they attack middle and high I attack middle and low it makes for a good example of mixing it up with other systems I think.

Happy Birthday, Noah...and many more!! Exactly how many is it ?

Well done hammer! Fun wasn't it? Yes, Intensity ... like I said you not made of glass, so getting tagged is an eye opened for sure, but after the initial shock I guess covers that moment, things come into focus. Then its down to conditioning and intensity! The work rate of some fighters is (no surprises here) high to start with or at the end at around the 30 sec bell! The trick as it were is to gauge the other guy feel form the contact if he is weakening as time passes or not, and adjust your efforts as best you can, fight the person not the grade!

Ignorance is wonderful thing, it accounts for much of the bad blood and bad feeling peoples of the world have for each other. A documentary ages ago on TV tried to discuss two things without passion and only using facts to present a point simply stated as " ... one mans politics is another mans religion ..." The show made a point related to education, and how we look at the lack of education as a reason simply stated as 'we fear what we do not understand', a valid point I think. Not so long ago to move faster than a horse could run was to suffocate. - an argument put forward to end the train and again at the advent of the motor car! 'If man was to fly he would have wings" - The Wright brothers had other ideas!! " ...the world is flat!" we all know how that one ends. Just as the earth is the center of the universe ....... With regards to the last two items, people were killed for thinking the other thing! Today there deaths are put down to folly and ignorance of others, so why would such thinking vanish because today it's April 2016? Well, maybe because we are still ignorant today! People are extremely intelligent, sadly society is nothing more than a bag full of pigeons and an angry cat chucked in for good measure!

To the bold type above... I don't look at the MA as a profit line, BUT, as the owner of a dojo/retail, I do look at the P&L because that's what a responsible business owner does...... Please believe me when I say that I'm the furthest thing from a McDojo!! I truly have no doubt inmy mind that 'McDojo' is a way way off into the dark to far to reach places of your mind Sensei8, no no please that's not the direction here. I get and understand that the P&L of any venture is important, and will become more important as things develop and grow. No no what I refer to what I see here and so the feeling I get the idea of making 'a quick buck!'out of any sport, especially my beloved karate! So to create a dojo with the drive being profit line....like i suggest G.K.R. Please do it for love of the art, do it to give to the community, if you get it right it will grow and give you a profit line. (Part of my disdain for Hollywood and its presentation of MA in films and TV ... MA is portrayed with a certain childish pazazz that its really does not deserve.) Regarding sports used as a means to make 'a quick buck' for example; The other day in the news here in the UK, I caught the tail end of a news report about local government (Councils) considering the idea of charging people to run around local parks! To make 'a quick buck' out of peoples desire to stay in shape, whilst they run around public open spaces! Madness! No please to repeat! Create a dojo for the love of the art, the love of the sport, if you get it right student growth, reputation will all grow and so will income!

hmm... Not 100% sure to be honest, I understand the 'cut' of an Isami is much 'baggier' than traditional suits and the jacket has no ties to hold it together. The arms are shorter as the trousers are 'wider in the leg/thigh than the more traditional suits, Sosai Oyama wanted his fighters to move more freely without any restrictions. Likewise the 'pants' are a lighter weight cotton to the jacket. Jacket is 12 oz Pants are 10 oz. (Hence, a Kyokushin fighter always looks like he just got out of bed!)

HEHEHE! Another new Gi arrived today! All £150 ($212) of it, this one is the full monty - ISAMI! Now I have two not pink Gis! Yipee!!

Because that's all we know, for that moment! The style is the proponent of ourselves. Well said! You as a person in an art do what they do and fight as they fight ... outside they do not! You have to learn and adapt, some find working with other systems a good eye opener, others go deeper and deeper into the art they are doing!

To the quote piece! LOL! As to grading, when you/they are ready the chance will be present/offered/granted! To me it is that simple! Here I see the request to grade as a 'demand' to grade from a person of ability, hence the self belief and so I say demand. The mind set is way WAY off! [From here If I say 'you' I mean so in a generic sense, I'm not selecting any one person in any way, its a statement to the floor(forum) a question to/for all] For example: So you saying you can walk up to a Master Gichin Funakoshi and expect to grade just because you asked? and ... Do you expect to be permitted to continue to train again in that dojo after that? The answer: we would not just walk up and ask, and we would expect to be banned from the dojo! Like I say the mind set if way off, ability is only part of the process, the person is(should) be looked at as a whole, seriously step back look at the question consider it this way... Wake up Monday morning decide to take Shotokan Karate, Tuesday find a dojo, Wednesday evening train, wake up Thursday decide I are ready to grade, Friday Ask to grade, Saturday grade! ...10th dan master by the end of the month! You will grade when you are ready not before, anything else go audition for X-Factor....!

Wow ! Top question! Had to think for a bit, I'm rubbish with names so could not recall them accordingly, but like I say had a think and within a month of me starting up (this time around) seven new faces appeared and none of them kept it up! The first time around there was one guy joined up about the same time, he dropped out at 1st kyu! (Brown belt fever I guess)

Kyokushin kata are not that different form any already listed. However in saying that not all Kykushin kata are taught in all Kyokushin dojos (an organisational thing, IKO 1 v IFK v ShinKyokushin v Seido and so on). Some like some of the one at the bottom of the following list are optional, as in you can if you wish or can but its not a critical requirement. So I've tried to list all that are available for grading requirements, but I'm sure I;ve missed at least a hand full, possibly more... Taikyoku Sono Ichi Taikyoku Sono Ni Taikyoku Sono San Pinan Sono Ichi Pinan Sono Ni Pinan Sono San Sanchin Pinan Sono Yon Pinan Sono Go Gekisai Dai Yantsu Tsuki No Kata Tensho Saiha or Saifa Kanku Dai or Kanku Gekisai Sho Seienchin Sushiho Garyu Seipai Taikyoku Sono Ichi Ura Taikyoku Sono Ni Ura Taikyoku Sono San Ura Pinan Sono Ichi Ura Pinan Sono Ni Ura Pinan Sono San Ura (Ura=spinning or turning) The following are dependent on organisation as far as I can tell! (corrections welcome) - Sokugi Taikyoku Sono Ichi - "Kicking" Taikyoku kata - Sokugi Taikyoku Sono Ni - "Kicking" Taikyoku kata - Sokugi Taikyoku Sono San - "Kicking" Taikyoku kata - Bo Kata Ichi - Bo Kata Ni - Bo Kata San - Bo Kata Yon - Bo Kata Go - Bo Kata Roku - Bo Kata Shichi/Nana

1. How did you first become interested in martial arts? I was watching a Bruce Lee movie - Enter the Dragon. 2. What discipline did you decide to practice? The one on the screen, no idea what it was, my only memory was the guys wearing the white suits! 3. Why did you choose that specific discipline over the other disciplines? Ignorance! I had no idea there were multiple styles. I walked in club one day and it was the 'stuff' I'd seen in the film, so that was that! 4. What is your skill level within your martial arts discipline? Shodan. 5. What other things do you like to do? (When you're not in the gym/dojo, what else do you like to do with your time? This can be physical or nonphysical pass times) Read and research this or that mainly history type stuff 6. What are the first 3 martial arts related brands that come to your mind. (FIRST, not BEST). Isami, Kwon, Shogun. 7. How do you decide what martial arts gear/equipment to get? (How do you select one type or brand over another?) There is only one supplier, my options are kind'a limited! 8. Roughly how often to you buy new martial arts equipment? last purchase was a few months ago, to replace a Gi after a wasjing machine accident. Else its replaced when its worn out or broken! 9. Where do you get your equipment from? Is there a reason for this? There is only one supplier, my options are kind'a limited!

Karate has three parts, its a package deal! Kata is one part of that, kumite another, kihon the final piece to that package! Kihon (basics), 'put your hand like this'... 'place your foot there' is important, as it develops this or that muscle/muscle group and muscle memory for that kick or punch etc. Kata (formal movement, the dance if you wish) teaches movement from one stance to another doing one kick/punch transitioning to another kick/punch. Kumite is the combination of all of the above, the movement with a stronger muscle/muscle group form one stance to another as you move around to gain advantage over your opponent. Each adds a benefit to the other, some would say small others would offer is it the everything of the art, but no matter what there view is these are all part of the art! The mind has normal honest to goodness human operation, if it can it will make a movement more efficient (small) to achieve the same result you are thinking to achieve! Kihon and all its long stances and long arm or hand movements becomes a fighters side step and attack as a result! Kata is what gave the mind the idea, the movement, on how to do that as the body transitioned form one position to another! Where kumite demands and expects the person to 'makes stuff up' and operating in a fluid and dynamic way... to fight, many people miss that is the purpose of kata, its the first step towards developing another plan, another idea/way to use this kick or that strike! Kihon is the glue here. If the muscles being used to hit the other guy do not get used they will be weak and limit your ability to survive that battle! Consider that back in the day fights lasted as long as the other persons ability to keep breathing or at least stay conscious, today its to at the least reach the end of the bout! The result is to win, to do that we train, and in karate that means three bits all working together inside your head to that end! the more you put into the more you get back!