Nidan Melbourne

I'm surprised too that someone brought back a post after 21 years. But it is a good discussion that has changed over the years, and I don't think any of the people that posted on it originally are active anymore. But I they were, it would have been good to get their perspective on how their training has changed since then. Now the classes I attend when I can; typically are between a 7 and 8 pm start with a finish usually being just after 9 pm. Everyone is different when it comes to ideal times to train anything; from studying to physical exercise. But @ryanryu has a point though; that for some like him if it is too late in the day, then they feel like a zombie the following day. So when I was working my warehouse job; it was hard to justify a late session, when it would be usually a 30 min - 1 hour drive home from the dojo that i'd be at. So 9 pm finish, get home at around 9:45-10 (+/-), shower, eat something small then go to bed at 11. Then having to be up at 5:45 am for a 6 am departure the following morning. It was just not safe, as I went from an early riser (regardless of how late I went to bed) and being effective throughout the day to being evening person with an earlier bed time. In other words, my physical activity that were planned were often best done on weekends or between 6-8:30 pm. Which allowed me to have time to do what I needed afterwards, and still talk to people at home.

PLAIN TONIC WATER?!?! You like the taste of that stuff? At least its loads better than what I had done when I quit; I used Coca-Cola and Energy Drinks to cope. Even though I was 19 at the time; I should have gone for water or other healthy options.

Doens't have to be the final update! I encourage you to continue giving updates here and there. Because it is good to vent somewhere, and we're all here to listen

I competitons I go to (more WKF based tournaments than anything); head strikes are common as initial techniques being thrown as part of a combination. However what I do get annoyed by regardless of tournament style; is how fighters get so comfortable doing the same combinations even when the opponent has gotten used you throwing the same combination over and over.

You say "Always" but there is a flaw to your logic. Kyokushin in itself as a whole has their own specific rules when it comes to kumite in the dojo and for tournaments. In comparison to the "other" styles where they all often compete against one another with a unified ruleset. At tournaments here in Australia we have National All Styles (NAS); which all styles (including Kyokushin) compete under the same rules. And Kyokushin Fighters often are at a disadvantage when it comes to those bouts. Then we have Karate Australia; which operates under World Karate Federation (WKF) Rules. So no Kyokushin Dojos have joined or compete in those tournaments. So for your logic to work effectively; you would need fighters to fight on an even basis where the competitors can demonstrate their styles to their fullest. Which in my mind is close to the UFC. Now something I do when teaching, but with Adults with sufficient experience and their consent and forms signed stating that they didn't hold me, the club or the other participants liable for injury. Is to do rounds of sparring; but as close to realistic as possible so slaps, grabbing, pushing, shoving all that fun is ok. But to start our rounds we just bow to each other as a whole, and go. But we do also rounds with specific situations; but we don't give the "attackers" or "defenders" any guidelines on what to do. Just to either be a threat or stop the fight.

Read a post elsewhere regarding stances; they talked about height, depth and width of stances across the styles. Now when I first started out training, I never questioned why and how we did things. Then one of my instructors instructors mentioned to me this about stances: - Stances in Karate are only a snapshot of what they were when you look at the movements it came from in Kung Fu. - Stances should be adjusted to the person. - Why? My 6 foot 8 (30 year old) friend would have different dimensions for all our stances in comparison to my 4 foot (10 year old) student who would have much smaller dimensions. But I got to thinking about how things came to be: - like how did Zenkutsu Dachi come to be so (in a way) different between Shotokan and Goju? - Was the person being taught a lot taller than others? - Was the person sore that day? were they stretching out a bit and didn't know how to translate it? - In Suparinpei why does Shito-Ryu go one way (when u do the Gedan Ipponken) and Goju-Ryu go the other? But back to the point; how has your instructors explained why you do stances the way that you do? Or if you do a variation to what is considered the norm to the dojo? How to you explain it/teach the correct thing with variations?

Well thats what we're all here for! To ask questions and have them answered from people who may know how to help. This is why I love this site, so we can all learn something or even have a change of perspective.

When I was in the Pallet Racking Industry; I had sharpies, pens, pencils in my pocket from the time I left the house until I got home at the end of the day. Then having Steel Capped Boots, oddly comfortable once appropriately worn in. Used several times in self-defence, and hurts like heck when getting kicked in the shins.

Don't worry i had to look ours up when it came to typing up my original post for this thread.

That is true; when you learn something new it can be hard to understand. I admit there are some "Routines" that I've seen on youtube, Instagram or even facebook that just look overly dramatic or more complicated than need be. But then I remind myself that what I'm seeing is usually the demonstration or the student getting used to the routine in itself. But seeing them at full speed, where the attacker just remains still whilst the defence does their thing on the other hand. irks me to no tomorrow. Although that typically gets resolved pretty quickly when someone demonstrates my concerns.

all good; pretty easy to miss or overlook when going through the posts. And no I don't think you were being disrespectful. It certainly never came across when reading your posts. To me having a higher grade is useful because it at least shows u know the curriculum and have been assessed on it. Unless you made your own "style". I defer to some of my students who compete; and they are the ones that are either on the State or National teams. But only when it comes specifically to either their specialty or I am running a tournament style class or specific class.

@DarthPenguin this is from his initial post. Don't forget that @Wastelander is very open in regards to his training. Considering he is a Yondan in 1 style; it is impressive in itself as not many clubs have someone with that rank in itself. Same goes with @bushido_man96 and his years of experience. Like I'm a Nidan, but some have said I have the knowledge/experience for a 3rd/4th Dan. As I am well overdue to grade for my 3rd Dan in itself. But on the same hand; Rank and Experience can be two vastly different beasts. Like I haven't graded for the last 7 years; when I very much could have to be promoted to Sandan then be eligible to grade to Yondan this year. Even if I can't train; I am still educating myself and breaking down the basics to their biomechanical movements and doing the same with kata. Then working out how they can be best utilised for Self-Defence Routines. With respect; I do encourage discussions as to why we often do things, as it should enhance our understanding of how things work. But for that to work; both parties need to be respectful to one another.

Ergo Sensei8 is an Advanced Form (Life Form that is hehehe). I am a Beginner Form (relatively) hahaha

Thank for the post @Revario! Great questions! To me; a "Beginner" Level Kata is one that has maybe 1 or 2 concepts in them for students to understand or to be introduced to. For instance; Taikyoku Jodan (The first Kata in Goju-Kai if used) introduces basic manouevring from Sanchin Dachi to Zenkutsu Dachi and turns (180 + 90 degrees). But to be fair there would be some Intermediate Levels also which lays somewhere in between Beginner and Advanced. However, the ones I mention here are often the first taught at many Goju-Ryu Dojo. So Gekesai Dai Ichi and Ni along with Saifa would be my Intermediate forms. "Advanced" Level same idea as the Beginner Level; however contains more concepts. So for the Goju-Kai Syllabus; I'd say Seeiunchin or Sanseru would be the start of the Advanced Forms. However, it can be a tad subjective because each club may approach kata difficulty differently. Like I have the Gekesai as Intermediate, yet others it would be a Beginner level. Yet whats funny, is when I have students take a step back and view the kata as a whole then go to break it down. Because to me even the Beginner Kata can provide you with tid bits that can become quite practical for Self-Defence Routines. There has been some discussion around a specific kata being the Styles "Signature" Kata. Sanchin being Goju's Signature Kata. When I discuss it with other Black Belts; often who are far more experienced than myself. A common theme comes up that learning it is delayed or revealed when the student is ready to learn it. If the Styles "Founder" placed importance in one kata, then in my mind that kata must (in a way) contain the knowledge that makes their style. Which when I look at Goju-Ryu (even my Goju-Kai), Sanchin blossoms into a large foundation of knowledge that the techniques taught can easily be performed there. The masters when they were creating their kata, would have to contain a piece of knowledge to help students. At the moment, I feel the closest to either Gekesai Dai Ich or Seisan. Gekesai for its simplicity but also in its viciousness and straight up slapping the person (IYKYK). Seisan for all those sweeps that are included in several different forms.

Adding both qoutes here so others know what I'm referring to. I have actually been attacked from behind several times. And one of those times was from a bear hug. Thankfully I am an oddball as a student and instructor, so it is something that I teach students to work through so they know what to do. And I live in Australia! As Bearhugs for adults may not be a common attack, but for kids/teens it is a very real risk of happening. So Karateken has a point, where body punches as your only tool is redundant. This is where a lot of clubs I've noticed at least, don't exactly give students the tools to work with. But just reading that post from Karateken reminds me of my time at High School, where that was a common thing for some bullying. WHen you lose the ability to use your arms to their fullest; you realise what tools you do have despite the amount of panic that may be going on.