Hawkmoon

If we ignore the gender for a moment. Bullies! In one line (maybe two) what is in your opinion the best way to deal with them?

(Sorry for the length of this post to many names and posts to 'quote', so I'll be generic, to be an easier read) In earlier posts there are comments about how Kyokushin looks, or at the least appears. I refer to the way Kyokushin fight and how that fighting is performed. Then to this the comparison to Shotokan or other styles and how much effort is placed into the body be this conditioning or exercise. There are lots of ways an MA practitioner can measure themselves or test there metal. Kyokushin is no different we have different competitions types that we do take part in. . WUKO/WAKO . Clicker/Continuous . Knockdown/Full Contact. WUKO/WAKO. most of us understand and attend through the year. Fighting for points having the fight stopped and the point awarded. the key is speed etc etc. Nothing wrong with this, nothing wrong with this at all. Clicker/Continuous A bout without stops unless a rule was infringed or an injury received. They are for 3 mins as a rule, the judges have 'counters' (clickers) and count strikes that score. More strickes more points better chance of the win being awarded to you. Knockdown/Full Contact. Like clicker but minus pads, bare knuckle also over 3 mins, the name knockdown states clearly the idea and point of the bout! No matter what the name or type of the contest we all do the same, Kyokushin, Shotokan, Wadu-Ryu etc etc. What makes Kyokushin different, is as I mentioned before we take to fighting with a more deliberate approach. We see knockdown as the point of all the training the bar we strive to reach. Sadly like any art or tournament there are good fighters and bad fighters, watch videos go to any tournament and see it first hand, some fights are great. Fighters move around, duck weave block attack in fluid smooth attacks and defense! Some appear stiff, and 'pow' an explosion of movement clear attack all crisp and sweet! Then there is the other end of the spectrum. Fighters who shuffle towards each other and trade blows, slug it out. Fighters that allow themselves to be hit, take the strikes not block and trade blows. No style no finesse no art. Not all win, yet they carry on in this way as if machines. A nice you-tube video to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C9SnOhEmiQ Enjoy!

27/8 1 1/2 hr kata! 1/2 light sparring!

Good luck, you may find it easier to get two boards 1 inch thick and in one board cut a hole (4x4) to pass over the post and help 'grip' the post. If anyone doe build something no matter what or from where post some pics, lets have a look! An alternative punch post. (mobile this time) 1. 2 old car wheels (including the rims) 2. Fence post as before. 3. Wrap rope around the top. 4. Cement/fit the post into the wheel rims. 5. .... less complex and easier to store and move around!

sounds to me as if they have a clear ..intention! A kick I do in my system that you could do in return is called 'kin geri'...oddly the girls in system I study have a perfect understanding of its use! Maybe you should scream there name and ...kin geri! I've said in this thread all are equal, I still hold to that, I would expect nothing less in return, I'll add when I fight girls, I strike arms legs and ribs(side). As they strike me and not 'that area' I will not strike them and not 'there' area! Anything else is not clever, funny, respectful or honorable.

confused with me...nah nah! I don't play with a full deck of cards! (There are a few jokers in my deck!) What Kuma said about 'strongest karate' is correct, it is the why I made a clear break form the comment in what I said, it is (to me) why many people are confused about Kyokushin. What Kuma and I say is 100% true. What I said .... I wanted to break the misconception people have etc etc. Please remember I said in my fist post: "annoyance, misconceptions, misunderstanding..." People see the phrase "strongest karate" with that explanation and many see/think bully, thug, and so on, and it is simply not true. Look over the thread and what I offer, I make some deliberate comments about how to look at Kyokushin to play down the bully, thug view many have. I strongly believe once you or anyone has had a go at Kyokushin (hence I said previously give yourself 3 months) what and how we do things will be better understood. Sosai Oyama & Hanshi Arneil today still hold true to the 'simple' approach to training, self improvement, discipline the mental strength (mind set.!) When I first started karate, I had no idea there were different styles, to me they were all the same... a group of people in baggy white 'pjs' making funny sounds jumping around! I had no idea I had walked into one of the harder (by work rate etc) systems available to the western world at that time! My sensei at that time encouraged me to visit other clubs as he invited other clubs to come train with us. I later realized this was his way of pushing/promoting the 'strongest karate' mind set as it was something Sosai had promoted! (I've hinted at this in other threads I have posted on here in this forum) We picked up more students than we lost and I for one learned respect for the other systems, and a quick eye to spot 'We-Con-You' systems. (Sadly in my years I have come across many who have developed a 'callous' of tolerance rather than respect of other systems, which I feel is wrong, but is why we have different systems today....) The history that is kyokushin, comes form Shotokan, and Judo as well as an extremely large dose of self discipline. It is not difficult, nor complex, it only stems back as far as 1923 after all, yet it is one of more demanding and rewarding systems you can experience today! Seriously please have a go see what think?

An Alternative punch/kick dummy. Depending on your resources and DIY skill, but a practice dummy that has a more real (by size) body. A round barrel of some kind. steel/plastic - an old dust bin (trash can) Steel drum - oil drum (cleaned) for example. If your lucky enough a wooden barrel! (straight side) A fence post or some other support to raise the barrel up to mimic an opponents hight. A bundle of poles broom handle diameter for example. 1. Create an upper and lower ring on the barrel that supports the 'poles' away from the barrel body. Approximately 2 inches (5cm) off the main barrel wall. (Make sure to place the 'poles' as tightly together as possible. Next to each other is best IMO) 2. Fix the poles to the barrel at the top and bottom only. So allowing the middle of the poles to flex normally. 3. Cover the poles in foam or some other material (if you wish) to try and mimic a body (take the edge off) 4. Insert the post through the barrel, cut holes as needed into the barrel.* 5. Under the barrel fix a support (block or some thing) to keep the barrel at the desired height.* 5. Fix post into floor, bricks or concrete. 6. Start kicking etc etc. *The barrel can be fixed or free moving, its up to you. You WILL want to consider the noise so fill the barrel with 'stuff' to reduce or kill as much sound as you can.

That is utterly amazing, awesome well done indeed guys!

I was going to post using a large 'quote' of the above posts and re-quotes as much of the above (95% of it) I completely agree with. However, as that would make reading a pain, I'll say i agree with the above I will repeat a point and stress its truly the only way to understand 'us' in the Kyokushin world is to experience the Kyokushin way! Find a Dojo, train with us learn/study with us, have a look at this URL (page) it lists all the Dojos in the UK. - http://www.bkk-uk.com/EnglandDojos.asp (Click the dojo link in the top bar and it will offer other IFK dojo locations around the world.) I am aware there are some IKO dojos around, mostly in the North of the UK, Leeds, and so, but I've no full list for them, sorry. FYI: An Sosai Oyama history page! http://www.masutatsuoyama.com/en/home/masoyama.htm A nice read, enjoy!

Good luck to your boy for his grading! Children do work harder than many seniors students, odd really when you step back and look and compare! What I can't make my mind up about is if its due to the child's confidence, arrogance or simply that they are ignorant of the impact of the effort and work rate, (by this I mean there dire need to impress!)

hehehe In my dojo I am alawys amazed how much the ladies love the 'kin geri' kick (snap kick to the ) but more than that the exquisite perfection, execution the finishing techniques to the kata- 'Pinan sono Go' are performed to! Pinan sono Go Fast forward to 43 seconds ... Seriously no offense is meant here, it really is what I see happen in the dojo........ .........its kind'of a worry to be honest!

p.s. Were looking for new students! If your close enough try our dojo?

I so want to add swimming to my routine for stuff done out of the dojo...its just with work and family life I can't fit it in!

21/8 Body burn! 'diamond' jumps. (Like a star jump, but you clap your hands and feet together at the top of the jump) - 1 min. Immediately followed by: Squats, touching left foot with right hand and visa verse - 1 min Immediately followed by: Crab Squats, step left, squat, step right squat (keeping a Kiba dachi stance) - 1 min Immediately followed by: Combination pushups. Press up position, drop to floor 'prostrate position' push back up, lift one arm off the floor twist your body 90 degrees. Drop to floor repeat, press up lift other arm up etc etc. - 1 min Immediately followed by: Squat thrusts - 1 min Rest 1 min Repeat the above sequence 3 times. Core (sit ups) 90. (3 x30) Conditioning Body - 1hr, combination of legs, arms, core (ribs). knockdown fighting combinations - 1 hr

I agree with your sentiment, and my Shihan has siad the same thing on several occasions to the effect that "I can teach you technique, but fitness and endurance must also be trained in yoru own time". There is only so much that can be achieved in 2-3 2hour lessons a week! This is why you will find that a lot of serious Kyokushin practitioners train hard 5-6 days a week in and out of the dojo. Its not just general fitness so-to-speak (though yes, pushups and sit ups are involved). I have been in numerous 2 hour Kyokushin classes where we will routinely drill over 1000 kicks. So much so to the point that the body wants to give up, but the mind must push on!........ ...... It is the same with the 20/40/50/100 man kumite. It does not matter how fit or strong someone is. There will come a point where the body wants to give up, and you must make the mind push on to gain accomplishment. This is an important lesson, and to me, represents enlightenment to a degree. We are not the body or even just the mind. We are the will that drives the mind and body. its all good, were cool! No worries! A debate I'm happy to have! So two views, one is completely understood, the other, I surprise surprise agree with! Its as much to do with mind set as it is mental strength! as I said earlier, there is more to Kyokushin, we train our minds as hard as we train our bodies! Yes, absolutely anyone can do pushups or squats in the front room or bedroom, but then by that logic in truth there is nothing...nothing at all you do in the dojo you cannot do in the comfort of your home or garden. To me this is where it goes wrong... whats the gauge? Whats the target to beat? Who is pushing you to push harder? You? Really so who/what/when was your mind strong enough to say beat me? Who made that judgement etc etc... Competition in the dojo (we have all said it in this thread) and tournaments are what we use to test are metal, our minds, our body our skill...can you really do that in your bedroom? I think not. Kyokushin works hard on the body, then when it screams stop, we do more, (ie The mind component). What pushes the mind? Sensei, the other student, the person in front of you that has just hit you for the ninth time in the same spot...... (a quick return to my first post here: "...we take fighting extremely serious" is the single aim of all the training yours or mine, we like to think we take this view more deliberately than others. Like anyone we train for this single aim, something that Sosai personally made sure, went out of his way made sure was engrained in every single one of his students! Sosai Oyama originally created the 100 man Kumite test was a test for prospects to take as part of the Shihan (5th dan) promotion. If they past they were awarded the rank Shihan, This translates as expert or senior instructor (some suggest master). As a test it was/is so hard many tried, most failed, so Sosai Oyama changed it from mandatory to elective. Today it is still a test you can chose to take, many consider it, few take it, even less pass! Visit a Kyokushin dojo, set yourself a target, 3 months say, now experience Kyokushin.

@ Pers, the short answer is a jodam mawashi in a gym tends to get you banned! Lol @ Muttley I'm not saying defect but have a look around find a Kyokushin dojo, have a go. The worst that can happen is you find its not for you!

(apologies for the following essay, my passion for Kyokushin will come out and my annoyance at the misconceptions and misunderstanding many people have about Kyokushin will drive me here) If you walk into a Kyokushin dojo take a little time to study the students as they train you will see things you recognize! (Kata - kihon) Kyokushin owes much of its foundations to Shotokan! Kyokushin is mainly famous for its approach to 'full contact' karate, we call it 'Knockdown', its done bare knuckle! We are also famous for one of the tests we have, the 100 man kumite! (One fighter vs one hundred other fighters) Kyokushin karate also calls itself 'The strongest karate'......no not because we think we are super hard, but because we exercise a great deal, much of a session in many dojos is dedicated to pushups, situps and so on! we exercise more than we fight in many instances! We spar/fight as often as we can, and we take fighting extremely serious. We do work the mind as much we fight, honestly we do, just take the time to understand/study with us to see the evidence. Many look to our kata and say simple, not hard at all, easy katas, not so. Sosai Oyama, selected kata for his karate (Kyokushin) with a simple logic if it worked to support his teachings, his karate, he used it, else it was dropped. Example: We have a kata called; Kanku dai - it translates to mean 'To Look To The Sky (Major)'. There is a second kata to accompany this kata called: Kanku sho - it means 'To view the sky minor' Both are in Shotokan. The Kanku Sho kata is not in the our training syllabus! (We used to many years ago, but Sosai removed it as unnecessary to Kyokushin.) We do have a different mind set to many fighting arts, but then many other arts have different mind sets to other arts as well. Our 'mind set' comes directly from Sosai Oyama, the best example of this mind set is in our systems name. Kyokushinkai - the society of the ultimate truth. Our philosophy is self-improvement, discipline and hard training, look at my signature for another example. We train hard which is great, but honestly take a look at other systems, our philosophy sounds much the same as any other school. Take your time, and when you decide to join in a session, seriously, do so from a beginners perspective, you'll be glad you did.!!

Hi Ruben95632 the best adviser, is your own body and mind! Check a few clubs out see what feels 'correct/right' to you, and whilst you are there get a feel for the atmosphere. If both 'feel' right to you, then you just found the one for you! I know many people say that anything you do is only as good as the effort you put in, this is true. However, what many seem to brush over is you have to like/love what you are doing first, else all you are doing is making something negative worse for yourself.

huh! ....to old TO OLD ...Never! 36 you say...god that was a few years ago! I'll be looking to take my Shodan in the next year or so! FYI: Hanshi Arneil is 78 and still going strong! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Arneil The UK Kyokushin summer camp wrapped up last week, he was full of beans! To old .......never! Get into the Dojo and enjoy!

Running/jogging aid! To pull along as you run. 1. One old car tire. 2. Some rope or chain attach one end to the tire. 3. Fill the tire with concrete. 4. Wrap/attach (do not use concrete ) other end of rope/chain to you, start running! If you want to get more from this, find a hill or slope to run up or better still sprint up a few times!

(A Week on holiday. no work done) 12/8 Swimming - 2-3 lengths 13/8 Swimming - 2-3 lengths Light run. 14/8 Swimming - 2-3 lengths 15/8 Swimming - 3-4 lengths 17/8 Swimming - 3-4 lengths (...and my youngest boy can now swim! Not that I'm proud of his achievement! ) 18/8 Swimming - 3-4 lengths 19/8 120 push ups 120 sit ups 90 squat thrusts 40 mins isometrics 1hr sparring. (Knockdown)

Yup! (Think of a wooden bird table!) Take the post you made (4ft long post this time) attach it to a board (plywood) about 2 inches thick. Base board; say 2ft wide 5-6ft long. Screw one end of the post to said board 1 ft x 1 ft form one end. Now attach 3 4x4 post to the main post about two ft up and angle them at 45 degrees and attach these to he main board! (think upside down 'y')

What he said! Seriously! if the chance is presented take it with both hands and run! Its a truthful open and honest answer! Even the best answer... .....sadly this is not always possible! If you find you have no choice, and there are animals/morons/idiots/ that will go way WAY out of there way to make your life difficult, multiple attack training is one of the best forms of combat you can be put through! Its hell, its unfair, its hard its difficult...this makes it perfect, amazing and exactly what the doctor ordered! Consider what we do...and remember we do it for fun, excitement! at the end of the day right? We all 'fight' one person, in the ring/on the mat in the dojo. We focus on them as they focus on us and we work towards the win! Great! 'If' out in street this is the position you find you are in, for the most part it is also just you and 'him'.......sad thing is this is not true all the time! You need to be aware of your environment (do kata with your eyes closed, don't hit anything and practice to finish where you are supposed to (for example facing in the right direction)) but do train to fight two people, keep the more 'interested' fighter between you and his mate, end the fight! Now his mate, who already wasn't that interested in fighting you (else he would have been the more interested fighter) watched you remove the 'barrier' (his mate) from between you both....suddenly he is not so interested in you anymore . .... funny how that works! This is true in the dojo as well. Back to the street... Remember you had no interest in fighting anyone! They came to you and made sure it was you now you have to fight! There choice not yours! Take control fast and in that action you take the higher stance in the moment and more importantly in there mind! Think about it you have gone from not wanting to fight to being in change in the blink of an eye..........that's not what they pictured happening...now things are starting to unravel!

Isometric training. We do it in the Dojo, often, but I like it so I take it home with me. (as it were) _______________________________________________________________________ When was the last time you watched a cat pick up any weights or go for long runs! _______________________________________________________________________ I've weights at home, and use these in conjunction to the isometric stuff I do. Running is a good addition to add to any work out, I run two - three times a week. I'm not building bulk...that would be bad, I work to build strength, stamina and conditioning! So I do 'fight' wooden posts in the garage/garden, depending on the weather!

31/7 1/2 hour core isometrics Total 1 hr isometrics, (30 mins mixed legs & arms) Leg conditioning 30 mins Push ups x30! situps x40! squats x50! kihon 45 mins 10kyu to Nidan. Shadow sparring - 30 mins. (knockdown combinations)