Hawkmoon

Yes, I would say it's similar to a boxers guard, not unlike to the one Luther_unleashed has in the picture he just posted. Depending on my opponent I do sometimes let my arms drop completely and rely on slips and laybacks to avoid attacks and try and find openings. For the most part though, I do have my hands up. Mo. ok cool, its a good position so why not extend it forward/out. Keep the high just go 'forward' with it claim the space directly in front of you.

Me personally I'd drop the use of sweeps ! Not that I dislike them I enjoy them, but a fighter down for no apparent reason simply stops the fight and tends to a stop start etc type thing. Best let the fighters knock each other down to floor! (Excuse the possible connection to me not where I'm going, just a phase in this chat) Spectators enjoy a knockdown no matter what or who so long as its after a punch, kick and so on, sweeps tend to be seen as trip to the uninitiated!

Mazzybear, would you classify your guard as a boxers guard? Your guard or anyone eases for that matter is what you feel comfortable with, one that works for you! Sure suggested modification from third party critic is always a valued piece of input, never shy away from this its important to take an 'outside in' view, but be careful to not be someone else marionette. To much advice will confuse and confound you, take small pieces out at a time and test it before its adopted or discarding it.

hmm ... 1. Hello! 2. (A swear one) 3. Music, 'Ludovico Einaudi - Islands' for example, simply beautiful. 4. 'Hate' Preachers. 5. Osu! 6. Running Water. 7. Chalk board scrapping! 8. Archaeologist 9. Politician. 10. Thank you.

you'll be fine, it should NOT be full on 100% from day one, it should be a steady build up through dojo sparring to point style fights (maybe) to clicker. Clicker is fun and is the start of your Knockdown fight training, in time (and when graded and show the appropriate ability) Knockdown becomes normal every day life! But as I mention that assumes this is what you are seeking form a Martial Art.

Hey thanks for the compliment on her sparring. I have been working with her quite a bit because there's usually just pushing forward. As for the shin clash. You can't tell in the video how hard it was, but was hard. Fo her it left a bruise near the knee, for me middle of the shin. You also can't tell but I was wearing shin guards and still left a huge bruise haha. It's at 2:17ish in the video. It looks like she did do it with the toes up, however I was taught to do it with toes down, to avoid toe injury but I can see what your talking about. Also the outside of the calf muscle tightens up as well, which is the primary blocking part for us. Interesting. Thanks for the comments Correct, I/we are taught the same, and hence why I say 'try', it goes against everything, but get that muscle to stand up when the kick comes in attack or defense and life is that much 'nicer'! Its hard to do, I should have said that in my earlier post, sorry for that , but if 'that' position can be made a default action when defending the game changes!

In my honest opinion people who have any idea of what is happening tend to come from a culture of have a background in that 'thing/sport' etc! For example here in the UK every dad in the country is an expert in Football (soccer), its what we see and are familiar with from school, from the TV, from the local park! The sideline coaches do on many many occasions loose the plot and things do get out of hand, something my son has not seen or had to deal with in kickboxing. I am rather passionate about 'armchair coaches' and Grand Master Karate'ka sitting at the side of the hall giving instructions the benefit of there ample experience and expertise ... truly am! Karate is something I have done my whole life, I have memories, history, injuries, friends, medals and trophies spanning that career, my life! The good and bad memories all stack up into a huge pile called experience! So to me to see mum or dad maybe both explaining there views on what should be and why the BB is wrong .... sorry what? This is not a meeting room with your power point slide show running with all the faces in the room looking at you! This is a dojo, all the faces are looking at the person at the front of the hall AKA not you with the black belt on,. My son is on about leaving his kickboxing school and doing football instead, this a real fear for me it which means I have to watch, hear and maybe shield a child from the sideline coach who has forgotten manners, respect and control. In the dojo when a parent speak out it disrupts all including there child, why they do not see this astounds me, but they do and its more astounding to see that some times the parent wins. Gradings to me should be a closed affair with only the students and examiner in attendance... that's it. If a student is ready to grade they are invited to grade, don't get me wrong, I do not mean a formal letter, a simple smile and a question. If the student is a child have that chat with the parent included, get them involved and working with you.

A passing thought on this to add to the posts already made! To break is a test ourselves, to test our mind and ability. We fight to test our selves, breaking is no different to that!

HAHAHA...! I so love the 'stressed look black belt' reminds me of Bros! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bros

Thank you all! Sorry for the essay, but as I mention I had to get it written down, get it out of my head!

...shin clashes don't you just love 'em! The 'fight' for a junior is great! she pushes and backs out well. If I can add a tip. Shin clashes! When you block with the leg, try to do so with the foot pulled up, not pointing down! What you are trying to do is get a certain muscle to 'stand up' and in doing that reduce the potential pain to very little or nothing! Try this. Put your foot flat on the floor. keeping your heel on the floor lift the toes and ball of the foot up. Now feel the shin, that new lump is the muscle I refer to!

My Style is Kyokushin, the turnover rate is 80-90% When 2012 became 2013 the new year we had a large collection of new students. Its a wonderful site to see new faces in the hall all lined up looking the best part of not worried! Sadly come session or few later, as a general rule that number has dwindled to single figures. 2013 session 1 12 new starters, session 2 4 returned. session 3 3 and so on for a while. session 5 1 remained. 5 ths later ... 0. Over that year I think about 16 new faces appeared, and of that only 2 are still with us!

hehehehehe ... Much to the annoyance of Shihan and sensei I always fold my Gi! I never roll it the traditional way, I always fold it. Then when I get home the jacket is hung up as are the bottoms. Once its dry I fold it again and pop in my bag. After a week or so when it can walk into my bag on its own I wash it!

Hi Dorie, this is all great advice, I'll add my normal comment of Breath! It will help you relax as you work the hip and 'kick' sideways. The hips do move in that direction but there weren't doing that movement with a kick in mind, its new and very alien tot eh body in general, so breath stay relaxed and it will come. Don't try to kick head hight, to be honest don't try to kick 'chest' (chudan) height just now, aim for belt height! Get the movement to flow, to be natural, height comes with practice and some box splits, but no matter what it comes after time, don't rush!

Had to run a search on that, it appears to be a splinter of Kyokushinkai, and very proud of its heritage and art! ... they fight bare knuckle, That will make you smile! Looks to be in all tense and purposes to be a 'bona fide' Kyokushin organization! They held there first world tournament in Oct 2013 According to the 'youtube video' I found! Kyokushin refers to itself as the strongest karate, we focus a great deal on physical fitness, and body conditioning as I mentioned earlier the aim is to fight at 'Knockdown' level! It test you body and when the body hurts its tests your mind to keep going! You should enjoy this, so long as this is what you seek in a Martial Art that is! Enjoy!

Agreed! I am aware of a move towards re-unification, but it is in the very very early stages of doing that from the little I can see and read. Question: Kyonovice and what he talks about does it sound like Seido Juku to you maybe?

... not sure I follow you or who you refer to! But like I say there are lots of groups out there and 100% I do no know all of them! The 'slug fest matches' were a thing that started to become more and more regular as fighters worked harder and harder to be the best. The IFK for example made a rule that fighters could not 'grab' another during a fight, something the IKO allows. What is your group called? IFK, IKO... some thing else??

Hello Kyonovice! I'll answer directly initially maybe we can build from there to be sure we go in the right direction! You ask: For some yes, In my Kyokushin career I had to fight for each grade I attempted, my last grading I had 20 fights! It is however, (nowadays) a club desire, some do fight for every grade, others only fight at high grades, say 4 or 5 kyu and above, it really depends on the club. What you have most likely watched is national, European and most certainly world tournaments, which means you have been watching the very best fighters in the world, guys at the top of there game compete to be "the" best fighter in the world! We do fight 'bare knuckle', where most other wear pads, we do not, Kyokushinkai was the very first 'official' system to fight 'bare knuckle'! Dedicated teachers and students who will work with you, push you to be the very best you can be. The result will be a rewarding wholesome feeling, assuming it is what you are looking for. We call the pinnacle of Kyokushin combat 'Knockdown', its called knock down because that is the whole point of the contest, to 'knockdown' the other guy. There is a points aspect to 'knockdown' fights, an example would be a fighter is 'swept' to the floor and hte attacker follows up with a controlled attack. (Not a full punch for example) demonstrating there complete dominance of the other fighter. A point , A wasari' might be awarded to the attacker. This guys name and title was Sosai Mas Oyama, he was 'upset' about how 'fights' were performed, and famously undertook to change that and to that end he worked hard to develop a new fighting art, which for a while was called 'Oyama' karate and he went around other dojos to test it and him self. In time he changed the name from Oyama karate to 'Kyokushinkai'. A truly great system that if you persist in will reward you and fill you, you body, your soul with a massive sense of achievement. There are rules, my first tournament had me study a booklet, 5 pages or so talking about what could be done and what was not allowed. They are clear and as there are different groups of Kyokushin organisations, the rule do vary between them, so the real answer is it depends on which one you join. As to equipment, well thats a Gi (karate suit), a box(protect the man bits) and you... yup that's it covered all your equipment! Osu!!

Karate ,Kyokushinkai karate teaches the body to be strong, and like ALL other karate it teaches the mind to be stronger! Grading is not a race, never should be, you grade when you are ready, and you will be ready when you are confident in your ability and .. Grief it all sounds a bit much doesn't it... Relax, take your time work on your syllabus, at home in the front room or bedroom in the dojo. It wil come of that be sure, time is the best teacher you can have so use its not going anywhere its always there for you! I've mentioned a website in other posts that I think you will like, it demonstrates 'basics' (kihon) without the shouting and it will repeat and repeat forever if you want! https://www.karatetest.com My turn to be a little sheepish have a read of this Post... http://www.karateforums.com/kyokushin-shodan-grading-vt48722.html My demons. oh! and always enjoy what you do!

Hi Rich98, to echo Titanium, try other dojos. I'll add, have a go yourself, the kids will love you for it and it'll guide you as well when making the final choice on what one is done in the end. A student, no matter the age has to feel 'right' when running around in a funny suit that look s more like pyjamas than a warriors uniform, oh! and lets not forget the funny sounds we have to make ... sure the kids will enjoy 'SHOUTING' and not being told to 'sshhhh!!' but the fact remains this 'stuff is as alien as it's going to get for the first few lessons, so it must feel right! If it feels right they'll enjoy it, if they enjoy it then they will get loads out if it! ( ... so will you!)

Cool!! Enjoy the experimenting! A Shihan I respect a great deal opened my eyes to the idea of 'more than one', he simply describes the use of kihon by reminding 'us' to look at it from 360 degrees. So the mai gedan bari a basic block I was taught (years ago) as a 'front' facing block suddenly has other uses.. huh! the neck break use for example was a eureka moment when it was demonstrated to me truly was!! So now when I look at kata I see the kihon first then an opponent and (maybe in my mind or the dojo) I walk around them doing the kihon in 360 degrees to see what can be done. Look at Shuto Mawashi uke (in kokutsu dachi), a technique that was described to me years ago as a traditional movement and not much use or value today, its a parry or leg catch followed by a 'throw away' into a ready fight stance! Now think of it in terms of judo or Ju-jitsu, the leg catch is more like a leg and body scoop, the throw away is now throw to the ground (head first maybe). What about if its a parry, simply sweeping the attack to the side, are the arms at the end of the movement just making you ready to continue fighting? What about a strike! Shuto Sakotsu Uchi or .... ! To simply do kata is not enough, it has to be studied and explored to be learnt correctly! I maybe a new shodan now, but all that means is 'first grade', I've not reached the top of the training cycle, all it means is I've taken the first step and reached level 1 now I start to learn.

"Taikyoku" means 'Wide view', they are kata taught to create a basis for fluid movement like 'Pinan' (Hian) kata you are moving from one stance/position executing this or that strike or kick. Many look at kata (no matter the ryu) as a set sequence of movements in response to an imaginary attack or ongoing battle, maybe war, for some maybe many this is true, I like this idea of kata, but... I much prefer the idea that what many over look in kata, any kata is multiple battles demonstrated indervidually one at a time. The kata is offering the practitioner the basic actions for an attack or defence, its upto the artist to explore more of the Bunkai of the movement, the kata. Consider Mai Gedan bari, the first movement in Taikyoku Sono Ichi. Mai - front or forward Gedan - lower section Bari - parry (block is close but not truly correct) http://karatetest.com/kyokushinkai/10thkyu.php A truly awesome site (FYI: the owner is happy share) that lists Kyohushin Kihon in 'Flash' format. The basic application of this technique is to 'parry' a punch or maybe a kick to the side. The arm sweeps past the body in a downward motion pushing the strike or kick past you as it comes in, think of the activity like aikido, to use the force/power of the attack/opponent against them. That's it right? nothing more to be got from this correct? Anyone see the throw away of the enemy? The attack from behind? What about the neck break use of Mai Gedan bari? I like to see and so consider kata movement/demonstration of kihon as each action or step is its own combination/battle ... bunkai. So to go back to Taikyoku Sono Ichi ... The first movements to the left are (to me) the basic parry and step forward strike. Then the turn around, a throw away of attacker one, step through and punch attacker two. Stepping turning left, parry an attack, now advance attacking an attacker, maybe more (attack, attack, attack) (3x punches = 3x attackers!!) Turning to the right is maybe another throw away and strike, maybe this is the neck break and strike! and so on...... Taikyoku Sono Ichi is not such a basic kata now, it has depth, it has meaning in its ease and simple movement, all done fluidly and clean...

oh! ... um .... What about Rum and coke? When training eat at least 2 hrs BEFORE you train. Always have water at hand, training or not, its what the body is made for and needs, evolution a few thousand years can't be wrong!! Then when training water should be sipped a few small mouth fulls at a time, not gulped down in pints etc! If you take on to much to quick, the body will do what it needs to normalise itself to correct this and ... eject the the problem!

Well done ! Its a good feeling to see your words are appreciated by others! Keep up the good work!

ah erm...yes... oops!! Sorry I forgot to add the result of the competition I mention in my (long ago) posts! The fighting was done as much as possible for me looking up say the shoulders/head, not full face or chest! I pulled a third place! So maybe for as much as we say face or chest a person needs to find where to look for them selves and see what works for them!!