Spartacus Maximus

There isn’t anything complicated about the concept of kiai in Japanese/Okinawan martial arts. This is one of those things where knowing/understanding the Japanese terminology. Ki=breath, ai=to gather or to bring together. So a kiai is not ever one of those ridiculous over drawn out screams. It’s a short sound that comes from the diaphragm. It isn’t even a thing specific to martial arts. In Japanese people refer to it all the time when describing the sound one makes when exerting a burst of physical effort such as when pushing or lifting a heavy object. Try and observe people doing this kind of action and it is everywhere. Batters in baseball do it, tennis players or any job where one needs to put maximum effort and power. Imagine lifting a heavy box off the floor or better still hammering in a large fencepost with a sledgehammer. All those often are done with some sort of sound with the effort. That is kiai and people do this without even thinking about it. The Japanese just have a name for it, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist across all human cultures. One of the primary functions seldom mentioned is that it trains the body to breathe through properly while exerting effort. It teaches the karate adept to synchronize their breathing with their movements and avoiding gassing out. Compare as an experiment doing a series of movements without breathing out as you move to the same with maximum effort, coordinated breathing AND kiai. There is a clear difference as to which is more energy efficient and naturally comfortable.

The main utility of using a martial art’s native language terminology and common phrases is that it becomes a lingua franca, or universal language if/when training with others who may not share a common language. Very much like English for international relations or business. It is a great thing to be able to train and share with anyone in spite of not speaking the other’s language. It is already quite an advantage to know and use the native language terms. With only that plus maybe a few commonly used phrases (yes, no, please, thank you etc) one can give/follow instructions anywhere. Any karate person understands what to do if asked to do “chudan tsuki”, but may not understand if told the same thing in English or any other language they don’t know.

The purpose and motivation for running a branch school is to create an opportunity to further personal progress in karate while sharing it with others who like training as much as myself. It is also a very good way to show appreciation and thanks for a highly respected teacher’s time and energy spent passing on years of experience. Secondly, there isn’t a better way to create the means to support personal progress by providing more opportunities to continue training with my teacher and hombu dojo peers by going there or hosting them so that I and my potential students may enjoy training with Okinawan/Japanese or others with karate in common. The association headed by my teacher has many dojos in the Americas and a few in Europe and the opportunity to exchange with some of these people who often visited would be truly awesome. Following the association’s model, it would be non-profit and 100% of my dojo income will be used for the benefit and purpose of promoting karate the way it is taught by my teacher/mentor. With the dojo’s income I intend to make regular intensive training trips to train at the main dojo alone or with small groups. Some may also be used to host/organize seminars as mentioned before. Most of it will be used to maintain a facility and essential supplies for everyone to use. Basically a self-sufficient dojo. I do not want or need any personal income from it .

Looking for suggestion of a brand/model for a man-shaped, free-standing striking dummy. Does anyone know of alternative models/designs similar to the BOB dummy made(sold?) by Century Martial Arts out of USA?

Personally learning my martial art’ s native language has become a lifelong pursuit. Learning it was practical and vital to communicate with teachers and peers who knew no other language. It was the key to training as well as living in their country for many years. The second reason and motivation to learn is when your MA’s language is also native to your spouse and children. There aren’t many truer signs of dedication and passion for whatever one practises. It goes so much above and beyond what the average regular folk are capable, willing or able to do. The same can be said about martial artists who are deeply interested in everything about the history of a particular art, going as far as studying the general history of whatever region their MA came from. As an amateur hobbyist historian with a keen interest in learning about human language/culture, this something I also do and enjoy discussing in depth. On the other hand, it would not be fair to expect the average MA person to share the same level of depth.

In martial arts and other activities that require strength, precision and contact injuries and accidents caused by jewelry or worsened by it are very common. its very easy, for instance, to badly injure hands and fingers with a ring. Especially the ones that have a stone or any other feature that sticks out. Just imagining how it must feel getting hit with a face full of hardware is enough motivation to remove all jewelry for training. Seeing the results of torn off piercings, ring gashes and nasty cuts or broken fingers is also reason enough. Any one of those injuries is enough to immediately stop a sparring match or most ´real’ situations.

Looking for some effective and challenging exercises to train the correct pivot /rotation of the supporting leg/hip/foot for maximum power in side and round kicks. Perhaps something slightly more focused than just doing the kicks over and over. This is something quite basic, but there are so many people who seem to have some sort of muscular/joint stiffness that makes it difficult to do this movement more than half of where it should be. They can’t seem to pivot/rotate enough and quite a few others feel discomfort and mild pain when trying to kick with speed/power.

Most modern dojo/schools visited had very specific rules about jewelry and anything that could get in the way. The unwritten rule was to leave all those items at home, but since there was always people who forgot there was always a safe box to store them for the duration of training. That is also the advantage of training in a place with individual lockers. Some sort of lockers are an essential feature of a basic dojo, I’d say

Besides the general challenges of running a school, are there any that might specifically apply to branch schools in which a martial artist would be teaching as a local representative for a specific martial arts lineage and governing body. The situation briefly: Sensei is head of the style in Japan. Not against the idea of teaching but didn’t expect the opportunity so soon. In the last discussion on the subject, explicit support and approval to teach was clearly expressed with a few conditions. Anyone else been through something like this?

maybe not really a ´display’ because the wall where they hang is my own personal space. None are original as those are somewhere else to keep them in good condition for as long as possible.

For those who’ve had the experience of representing your martial by running a branch school, what advice could you share with someone about to go down the same path? Although neither especially skilled, nor experienced; running a branch is an opportunity difficult to ignore. It’s also quite an important sign of trust and approval. Personally it means being trusted and considered good enough to teach others. Sharing and teaching karate has been an eventual goal. What was not expected was having this opportunity put before me so soon. Usually only 5dan and higher are approved to have a branch

Then Matsumura Sokon is very likely to have known, perhaps even taught it to some of his successors? If indeed he taught seisan, Itosu and his successors did not include seisan. Yet seisan is included in at least two lineages going back to a direct student of Chibana Chosin.

Personally never heard of a traditional martial arts school allowing any kind of jewelry. Then again, my experience is limited to Okinawan/Japanese schools in those places and other parts of the world. It makes perfect sense to have this rule if having jewellery increases the chances of accidental injuries or making such injuries worse. There are many jobs/occupations that have a similar rule to keep people safe or as safe as possible from preventable harm.

That makes sense and it was what the question is about. Back in the early years before there were styles, the kata seisan was already known in the Ryukyu Kingdom. If the kata seisan is that old, it is likely that an expert in martial arts and head of the king’s personal guards would have known this kata.

Seisan is a very old kata, and it one of the few with obvious Chinese origin. It is practised in every lineage of uechi-ryu/pangai noon and goju-ryu. Although it is usually considered to belong to these styles, it is (probably) the only kata to exist across all Okinawan styles with only minor differences. A shorin ryu variation of the kata exists, but it is not included in most lineages. what would be the most plausible reason to explain this? What shorin-ryu lineage has seisan and who might be the source of the shorin-ryu variant?

Uechi-ryu/Pan Gai Noon is, in my experience, the only style in which body hardening is consistently taught and trained as a fundamental part of the curriculum. As for Okinawan Goju ryu and Shorin ryu, it depends on the lineage or even on individual dojo heads. The style as taught by the first lineage I trained did not teach it. Only after switching to a different lineage and association(led by another student of Chibana Choshin) was I properly introduced to this kind of training…after years living and training with Okinawan karate people in their native islands. “ My best guess is that people willing to do kitae are as difficult to come by as karate dojos where it is taught and regularly practiced. Probably even more so outside of Okinawa/Japan.

At the national level there is nothing specific to martial arts as far as accredited coaching/teaching qualifications. It isn’t even mandatory and virtually anyone can do it. However, there are several recognized training programmes for people who want a career in P.E or professional coaching/sports Besides that anyone who might potentially work with minors(under 20) can reasonably expect to be asked for : a police record check, proof of basic first aid training. Those two things seem to matter more to the average person than actual knowledge and the skill level teach.

Conditioning the body to take and give strikes used to be taught as a fundamental skill in Okinawan karate. Nowadays it isn’t something that is practiced commonly, except by some exceptions and uechi-ryu. Outside of Okinawa it is rarely taught and hardly known. Most who actually teach it are direct students of Okinawan instructors or have close technical connections with Okinawan masters. My lineage maintains conditioning of every blocking and striking surfaces identical to what is found in uechi ryu. Every student is shown and taught how to do it, but it isn’t mandatory as it was previously. Besides the makiwara and other equipment, several partner drills and solo exercises are done for limbs, body, fingers and toes. Is conditioning a part of your own personal training? Do you teach and train it in your dojo? If yes, how often should it be trained to be productive? Obviously it is a slow cumulative process with recovery periods in between..

Has anyone else heard of or seen naihanchi kata with open-hand techniques instead of the usual closed fist? What style/ryuha has it and how does this open-hand version relate to the “regular “ kata? Are there three of them or just one?

Filming is a great way for improving personal development for someone training alone. Without an instructor present, it is probably the only way to notice and fix things that are very difficult to notice while in action. It could also be useful in the same way for an instructor to adjust and improve teaching, but doing this might not be as common as people filming their own personal training. What does everyone think about the idea of an instructor filming all their classes? Do you know or have you ever heard of a martial arts instructor recording as they’re teaching? This assuming it is done with everyone consenting and aware that training sessions are filmed.

In your opinion, is it absolutely vital to the success of a martial arts club/school to teach kids(under 16)? Does it make a difference if the school/club isn’t looking to make a profit?

Help would be appreciated to identify and name a piece of equipment. Basically it is an A-shaped wood or metal frame with cross bars. Saddlebag type bags with filling(beans, pebbles, sand) are hung on these bars in a way they can be kicked or punched from either side. There are single ones and ones with two different heights so that one is at chest or shoulder level and the other slightly lower. These things are used for conditioning in Okinawa karate, especially the uechi-ryu style where body and extremities conditioning is highly developed and an essential part of training.

Martial arts rank and achievement certificates are the same as academic qualifications and diplomas for me. Both are some of the most important and valuable personal documents. They must be protected and kept away from dirt and damage. Each one is enclosed in a protective sleeve or frame and locked away where they can be found whenever originals are needed. The ones hanging on the wall are copies. They are all a source of pride in important achievements and a reminder of how much was learned. They are also there to remind myself of how much more there is to learn. It’s all for myself because other people who might see them will not know, understand or care what they mean. That’s why they aren’t anywhere a casual observer might see

Instructors dating a student or teaching their spouse expose themselves to all sorts of accusations of favouritism which can poison the relationship and the atmosphere of the dojo. Any relationship issues or disagreements the couple has will be impossible to keep out of the training area and will absolutely impact the everyone negatively. The couple may not care, a few students may not be bothered, but most will be frustrated and feel awkward when the realize their instructor is romantically involved with a student. People seek who out a martial arts instructor/school expect to learn martial arts. They don’t go there to have to see or listen to their instructor’s personal romantic drama. That stuff is private and for a good reason. In the dojo, or any business, there is no place for romance and personal relationships. Nothing good ever happens when people let such personal things spill into their business. It’s worse still if the people involved are at different levels and one is above the other in some way(authority or position).

The reason for loss of interest has always been the same: martial arts training is HARD and BORING. Most people quit when they realize training seriously is tiring and often painful. Getting good enough to successfully apply martial arts takes thousands of repetitions and an almost obsessive dedication. It isn't any wonder that the average person will get bored and lose interest. Let’s not forget that in addition to this, the average person has a long list of obligations and responsibilities that, with good reason, are more important and take up more time than doing martial arts.