Spartacus Maximus

The best idea to deal with shrinking cotton dogi is to buy one size or size and a half bigger than needed. That way it will still fit comfortably even after it shrinks. Personally I have a preference for pure cotton canvas so that is what I do. Also never use harsh detergents and wash in cold water. Avoid dryers and only hang dry. There isn't much else to do to make sure a gi lasts as long as possible.

It can be difficult to think from a prospective student's point of view especially if it has been a long time since one was in that position. The benchmark for reference in the original question was something very general. The one thing about a potential instructor that would get people to say to themselves " this is someone who knows what they're doing, and who can be trusted to teach martial arts"

Different people have different ideas about what makes someone a good instructor. What trait or quality makes someone credible as a martial arts instructor besides having a school or dojo? Is it age? Rank? Fighting , combat or competion record? Reputation or recognition? What are prospective students more likely to consider?

Yes, the gift giving thing is quite serious and extents to Okinawan and Japan culture as well. An appropriate visit gift is nothing extraordinary or very expensive and it is usually based on one's social relationship with the person one is visiting. A popular thing to offer is a specialty of wherever one is coming from such as fancy candies or a good wine. Perhaps something unique from your native region? Better still if one happens to know the person's tastes. If possible ask someone who knows. Also avoid at all costs giving anything in 4s or sets of 4. 4 is to Japanese what 666 is to superstitious Westerners. All around bad, bad mojo because 4 and "death" are pronounced the same in Japanese. It is also a very negative symbol in Buddhist influenced cultures.

"Fighting dirty" is a concept that comes from sport and the rules of sportsmanship. Fighting, the kind that is required when one is truly in danger is inherently dirty. In self-defense one uses whatever works best to minimize injury to oneself, stop the attack and allow escape from further harm. At the risk of sounding cheesy, Bruce Lee (maybe others as well) said "If it works, who cares where it comes from?)

One term and concept to learn and accept is shima jikan. It means "island time". As with all island cultures, people tend to be quite loose on time. It should be no surprise if something or someone due for a specific time is not exactly at the time intended. Especially outside of the more tourist oriented places. If the time is supposed to be 10 o clock, expect 10:15-10:20ish. Buses are notorious for this and that is the way it is unless it is a formal event or business meeting or something of that nature.

The tuition given includes all training days and weekends. There are no other costs. The dojo accepts anyone who is at least 12 years old. Everyone is together at first, but groups based on age and level may be if and when numbers allow it.

Make excuses for doing something instead of giving reasons not to do it. Missing a training day at the dojo here and there should not matter that much at all if one attends as often as possible and practices at home or wherever and whenever one has a spare few minutes. The key is to do as much as possible with the time available. Any worthwhile instructor can see who practices and who show up for lessons but do nothing until the next day. This is how a student who only shows up once a week but practices can make more progress than one who just goes to the classes and does nothing between a class and the next.

For maximum benefit to health and overall wellness, whatever the choice may be should be made into a daily habit. If it is karate, then train and practice some of it every day. Even if it is just a few minutes, making it the most intense few minutes of the day. Results will come in time

To make things clear and add details to our fictional dojo, here is a recap: 100$ a month for 3 days a week plus weekends: 5days total. No contracts of any kind. The price is the same for everyone. One training session is an hour and a half long. Saturday and Sunday are semi-private and open to anyone who can attend. On weekends training is 2 hours.

What was the single most influential or useful advice for your training you ever got and where did it come from? If you had only one thing to offer to a student of yours about to become an instructor ?

Here are more details for the hypothetical dojo being discussed: The location is in a city of about 600 000 people No other places teach the same thing, the closest dojo offering something similar is at least 10hrs drive away. Besides the instructor, there is no staff or assistants of any kind. The dojo is limited to the bare minimum of a rented space with basic utilities, toilets and changing area.

A question about the business side of running a dojo or school. What do you think is a reasonable tuition without being outrageous? Imagine a dojo offering three weekdays plus weekends with each training session being an hour and a half. The cost is one 100$(or equivalent) per month. Is this an expensive dojo? How does it compare to what is offered in your area? How does it compare to your own dojo?

The number of people with shodan and above is not easy to tell precisely. It depends form what point the count starts. There are at least 2 or 3 hundred people graded to shodan and above by my instructor over several decades. The very earliest have between 5 and 7th dan.

Chinese systems are known for their flowery and poetic imagery for describing techniques, concepts and key points. There is much verifiable evidence that Chinese systems or at least parts of these were indeed taught in Okinawa and thus influenced the development of the Okinawan systems which became known as karate. However it is clear that the imagery and poetic descriptions commonly found in Chinese martial arts culture is not as extensive, if at all present in Okinawan karate. There is some imagery but is far less abstract than the Chinese terms found in the Bubishi.

The answer to that is not a simple one. There are in fact many reasons why in most karate dojo, regardless of style, do not spend adequate time on learning and training the applications of kata. One of the many reasons is that the instructor simply does not know. Most likely because it was never taught by whoever taught that instructor. Another reason is that the instructor was never taught how to use kata effectively as a training exercise the way it is meant to be. This is why in most dojo, kata training involves repeating a string of techniques like some sort of dance choreography. Every step and every move in a kata has a purpose and a function.

As far back as it is possible to look into the history of martial arts and the ways these were taught, instructors were always paid in one way or another. Either goods, work or other things. Even if an instructor teaches for free or asks nothing in return, it is common courtesy and good ethics for students to offer something as a token of thanks. Those who teach for free do it because they earn their living doing something else. This doesn't mean, however, that such an instructor is less passionate or less dedicated.

A free-standing bag or other structure is most preferable to use when taping the board to something. Most of the time the boards are used on their own and just placed on the floor.

Whether one is 15 or 27, ego and pride are major obstacle to progress. So long as one keeps training and seeking even the slightest improvement in skills, rank, belts or any recognition becomes insignificant. Looking past belts and ranks is the first step to knowing exactly how much one knows and how well one can apply them.

Indeed the best advice would be to contact your step-father and ask him to help you find a dojo. If he is as well-known and connected as you say he is, then with some luck you may be able to get somewhere through his introduction. However expect and be prepared to accept that your skill level will be re-evaluated by whoever the new instructor might be. Remember that the new instructor does not know you or your skill level and it takes time to observe and make a decision.

Cheaper still is a board of regular ordinary pinewood stuck to a piece of foam floor mat. Duct tape that to a standing heavy bag and have at it. Or lay it down on the floor and pound away. It works just as good, maybe better than a post makiwara but it takes some getting used to. As a bonus it is portable and fits in any bag.

Listen to Okinawans who try to give you advice or tell you about their country. If you do not know what is expected, ask them. Okinawans are usually happy to help those with genuine interest. Also recommend a visit to the Shureido karate equipment store in Naha. Even if you do no buy anything right away it is one of the best places to ask about advice for anything karate-related. The shop is known and frequented by every karate instructor on the island. Many often stop by for a chat with the staff. The staff speak and understand basic English and may help you. This website is also very very helpful: http://okkb.org/

The teaching style just depends on the intructor and is not really tied to whether or not one uses a certain set of terminology. The instructors from my experience used Japanese and Okinawan exclusively and the atmosphere in the dojo was very informal. The militaristic or strict style, which is often associated with martial arts is probably because a great portion of instructors have some kind of military background. They are only reproducing the way they learned.

Most martial arts systems taught originate in cultures where the language is different. Keeping the original terminology maintains continuity between generations of students and teachers. Naturally, every instructor will use their own native language to some extent when explaining or describing the system they teach. The terms used always depends on whom one learns from and how close this person is to the system's culture of origin. Okinawan karate tends to be taught with Japanese or even Okinawan terminology. Especially when the Instructor has close connections to representatives who teach and train in Okinawa. It is also the case with anyone who learned from any of the first non-native students of Okinawan systems. Personally, all except one instructor was not Okinawan so Japanese and native Okinawan terminology is used exclusively. Also thanks to personal interest and years spent in immersion, fluent communication in the instructor's native language is a habit. Of course nobody is expected to learn a new language to train, but it does help understand some of the context of what one is practising.

Teaching can also be an expression of thanks. It is one of the best ways to show appreciation for the years of effort one's instructor put into teaching. The longer one has spent training under the same instructor, the truer this is.