JR 137

Circuit training, weight lifting at a faster pace (single set, right into a different exercise, repeated 3 or 4 times), and stuff like that. I hate cardio too. Bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, etc. all bore me to death. Intervals on a treadmill are ok once in a while to change things up. I actually want to try cardio kickboxing, only caveat is that it has to be heavy on hitting bags. The only "cardio" that I enjoy is kumite. Or playing sports like soccer or basketball. I'm awful at basketball though. Once my tenants move out and get their garbage out of my basement, first thing I'll do is hang a heavy bag. Got it picked out and waiting in my Outslayer shopping cart.

I've been looking forward to the day my oldest daughter (2 weeks shy of 5 years old) could take karate with me. My dojo starts at 6 years old (we don't have a tiny tigers, peewee, etc program. Other Seido dojos do, we just don't have the numbers, demand, nor who my CI feels is the right person to run it. Adult students who have children that are 5 have been allowed to let their children try a few classes to see if they're capable of keeping up with the class. Some are ready, others aren't. My daughter has hung around the dojo a few times while I've taken class. She knows my CI, and she's been very well behaved while there. She's stretched with us once or twice, and has come onto the floor after class. She took TKD as an after school program at her school for a few months, but there wasn't very good instruction going on. It was glorified daycare. I worked with her a lot at home, and she really caught on fast - how to punch (using her fist, and in front of her instead of out to the side) and kick (not using toes, and in front of her rather than somewhere to the side). Today was her "tryout." I contemplated taking class with her so she wouldn't be shy or nervous (she gets pretty shy around new people), but didn't because I wanted her to do it on her own and not use me as her safety blanket. She followed the etiquette to start and finish class like she's been there for months. She nailed zenkutsu dachi, mae keagi (front stretch kick) and mae geri (front kick). After that, my CI had an assistant take her over to the side and teach her punching (opposite hand chambering, which I didn't do with her) and high block. She did so well and I'm so proud of her. After that, they rejoined class and did kihon line drills. Again, did them like she's been there for months. After that, they did non-contact kumite. Every one there was amazed, especially me. The 2 adults who are also students that were watching class were chuckling and watching her (in a good way). I asked them what they were saying, and they answered "She fights just like you!" She circled while countering, backed every partner into the wall, and didn't know the meaning of no contact. Their words, not mine. She wasn't out there like some out of control animal by any means. But she had that sense of not covering up and going straight back, and to keep her opponent backing up. One parent laughingly said she's stalking her opponents. She was making contact with punches, but not hard; the way I taught her when "sparring" with me. I'm so proud of her. Yes, her doing well with the physical techniques is a plus, but I'm mostly proud that she was able to be taught. She paid close attention, was very respectful, and didn't get intimidated by the atmosphere nor process. Sorry for the long post. Sorry if I sound like a soccer mom saying my kid's the best. She's not. I'm just so proud of the way she handed herself. I've been looking forward to her going for a long time. It was better seeing her do her thing than I imagined it would be. And I had high expectations.

What size KI is your uniform. I have a size 5 pants. I'm 5ft 7-5ft 8. But wasn't sure about the waist in the size 4. Do the gi tops run longer than century? I wear a size 5 KI and size 5 Ronin. I don't have the Century anymore, so I'm going by memory. They're all pretty similar in cut. The Century and KI are about the same jacket length. The Ronin is longer. The Century and KI's jacket are about a hand (wrist to fingers) and a half length from the belt to the bottom. That's when I'm standing straight and pull it down. Moving around, it feels like it's going to come out from under my belt sometimes, but never actually has. The Ronin goes down to almost my fingertips. Compared to the KI, my Ronin pants are a little slimmer in the waist, but a little baggier in the legs. Not much for either one, but just enough for me. Wouldn't notice it until you tried it on and started kicking and going into stances. The jacket on all 3 are virtually the same, minus length. A lot of people at my current dojo and more so at my former dojo wear Century 12 oz gis. Most at my current dojo wear the KI 14 oz. My Ronin 12 oz looks and fits better than anyone else's gi. I can't believe I said that last line. Makes me feel like the dojo's a fashion show lol. Definitely not the case. If you're in the market for a 12 oz. Century, the 12 oz. Ronin is a no brainier. Better in every way, and cheaper.

And if I remember correctly, the Ronin and Shureido are cut similar to the Century in the shoulders. They're a bit longer in the jacket length, which is a good thing IMO. Century's jackets were always too short for me, but fit right everywhere else. I'm also wider in the shoulders than most people my size, but I'm more round around the stomach, unfortunately.

I've never seen the 16 oz Ronin to give an opinion on its quality. As chiliphil said, 16 oz is very heavy. To be honest, I'm most like going to get the 10 oz Ronin because the 12 oz is too heavy for me at times. Then again, I'm pretty sweaty 5 minutes into class, so I'm not the norm. My 14 oz KI heavyweight that I hardly wear is very heavy. Can't imagine wearing a heavier one than that unless I was doing judo or jujitsu. But some people love the extra weight in a gi for some reason. I think they're all about getting that loud snap sound during kata and kihon. Or they're standing around looking "cool." Neither one is my thing. I like the Ronin and Shureido because they just fit me right. The Shureido feels very comfortable too. Kind of like a suit that's the perfect size.

Check with your sensei. If you get it wrong, it's probably not going to go over well. Most chest patches I've seen are on the left. Maybe it's because that's the top/outer part of the gi. Maybe because it goes over the heart. Maybe both. Maybe none.

The Ronin 12 oz easily betters the Iron Man in every way. And it's significantly cheaper. The only factor IMO is fit. Doesn't matter how "good" a gi is; if it doesn't fit right it's just not going to work. If you're looking for the best, Tokaido or Shureido. Double to triple the price of the Iron Man, but worth every cent.

Looks like a very heavily modified version of Nishiuchi's Shushi No Kon... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=STtxUDYjK74 Full speed is at about 2:30. Do I need to say which one's better? If you're going to do a kata fast, with full power, and loud, at least do it like the late, great William Oliver did Kanku... Never gets old. A legend in the truest sense of the word. According to everyone I know that trained with him, that's how he did everything - with intent, heart and soul.

I really like how your sensei's students were the focus of the demo and not him. Shows humility IMO. I haven't seen Shushi No Kon performed that way in quite a while. We learned that version initially, then my sensei broke away from our organization and he went the route of Shihan Mikio Nishiuchi with weapons. The only resemblance is the name. I can't find a version of just the kata at full speed, so here's a 10 minute version with instruction... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=STtxUDYjK74 Full speed is at about 2:30. Video was posted on YouTube by the Nishiuchi's designated person, so I don't think there any copyright issues. Somehow I always mess this up.

Why was Koryu Uchinadi a waste of money? Patrick McCarthy's Koryu Uchinadi? Did did you leave Uechi Ryu? What will JKA Shotokan give you that was missing from the others? Forget about styles, rank, credentials, etc. The most important thing is the teacher's teaching style. Different dojos within the same style will be very different from each other. I study Seido Juku. Some dojos are full of adults who go heavy on contact. Some are full of kids point fighting. If all I saw was the kids point fighting, I'd think it was a waste of money for me personally. It would be pretty stupid to say the entire art is what one dojo is. I'm not saying you don't know what you want, but everyone should have a solid idea of what they're looking for, then visit as many schools as possible in order to find a place that's in line with their expectations.

I think he said Shushi No Kon. If not, it looks like one of the many different versions of Shushi No Kon, but I haven't seen it performed exactly like that before. Not sure if he said Sho or Bo after Shushi No Kon (Kon is pronounced coon). A little too fast and dramatic for my taste, but quite good nonetheless.

I'd consult a nutritionist. Most health insurance plans cover them, I believe. Might need a script from your physician to get it covered. If so, see your doc and have a chat. Being overweight causes some health problems like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, etc. I'm sure your doctor would be cooperative if you addressed it as wanting to make a healthy change rather than wanting to try some fad diet. I'm not saying you're overweight or are at risk for anything. Just stating facts.

Good luck to everyone! I'm truly humbled by and thankful for the nominations I received.

As with anything in life, there must be a balance. Too much of anything, no matter how great of a thing it is, isn't good. We all have roles and obligations; husband, father, son, employee, and on and on. We're fortunate to have loved ones point out when there's an imbalance. Sometimes it is an imbalance, and sometimes the ones pointing out the imbalance don't have realistic expectations of the balance of the many roles we fill. When there's an imbalance, one role suffers at the expense of another or several other roles. Sometimes it's too much of being a parent at the expense of being a spouse. Sometimes it's being too much of an employee at the expense of being a spouse and parent. Sometimes it needs to be done, however. Bills need to be paid. Mouths need to be fed. We all need our time to ourselves, away from it all too. A big part of being an adult is figuring out this balance, sticking to it, and only upsetting it when absolutely necessary. Easier said than done. I know too many people who've buried themselves at work, on the golf course, in the bar, etc. The dojo may seem like the best alternative, but it shouldn't come at the expense of what's most important. I'm not saying you're spending too much time training. I'm not saying you're not either. I don't know you nor your situation to make any type of judgement. And even if I did, it's not my business unless it directly effects my family. Sometimes our loved ones see what we don't. Sometimes they're too selfish and want everything their way. Sometimes we do too.

Gotta get a heavy bag to work on combinations, power, footwork, and speed. My favorites will change after that.

Furthermore, the process of getting their is very valuable. I've got so many more great memories from training for all the various sports I competed in that from competition and winning. I was pretty successful in sports, but most of my best memories were from practice.

That's what competition should be all about. Leaving it all on the floor, meeting new people, making new meaningful relationships, learning new things, and most importantly, learning life lessons. A success all around IMO.

I'm a puncher. I've been told by a tailor or two that I have the torso and arms of someone who's 6 ft tall, and the legs of someone who's 5'4. I'm 5'9 and step on my 29" inseam pants. I'm also 215 lbs. needless to say, I'm not the guy who mesmerizes anyone with kicks. And my hips don't favor roundhouse kicks. I can easily front kick at face level, but roundhouse and side kicks are mid-rib level at best. If I get a roundhouse up to an opponent's head, there's not much power behind it at all. Jab, cross, front kick, overhand punch to the chest or collarbone, inverted punch to the stomach/liver/spleen area. I really like throwing a hook kick to the head, followed by a back/side kick to the stomach when they step in thinking they've got an open shot. I caught everyone at my dojo with that one a few times early on. Now they all just stand back after the hook kick because they've figured out that it's just a tool to bait them into stepping into the back/side kick. I also really like the inside-out crescent kick. I mainly throw front kicks, so people get used to blocking down. Knee straight up like a front kick, then bring the foot around to the head. Trying to work that one into a combination that flows hasn't been easy for me though. And I'm not sure how hard that kick really would be if I didn't lighten up right before contact. Gotta get a heavy bag.

Welcome to the forum. I just returned from a 15 year or so layoff in training in February. The search wasn't easy, but I found the right place for me that almost immediately felt like home. Look around until you find it. In a city as big as Montreal, I like your chances. I'm pretty sure there's a Kyokushin dojo run by one of the guys from The Fighting Black Kings movie. I've heard mention of it several times at the Kyokushin4Life forum. If Kyokushin is a style you'd consider training in anyway.

As a CRP/First Aid instructor, I strongly advise taking Red Cross's Responding to Emergencies over the standard first aid. Standard first aid is a waste of time IMO. All they'll teach you is to bandage some cuts and tie people's feet together if the break an ankle. Then they'll tell you not to do it if you're going to call an ambulance. It's for if you're out in the middle of the woods and need to drag someone out IMO. Responding to Emergencies covers realistic stuff - broken necks and the like. Significantly longer and more involved course, but you'll be far better prepared for the worst. Re-certifying isn't nearly as long as the initial certification process. Just my 2 cents.

The guys who can bench press 300 lbs 20x and can't carry a 100 lbs bag 30 ft are the guys who only train the "mirror muscles." Mirror muscles are the ones that look good in the mirror. Bis, tris, chest, and abs. I'm also a big fan of the Olympic lifts - cleans, snatch, and jerk. Haven't done them in so long that I need a strength coach before I'd attempt them again. There's a ton of technique involved, and it's very easy to get hurt if you don't have the technique. But if you do them the right way, there's not much else you really need to do IMO. The head strength & conditioning coach at the US Air Force Academy has his athletes go through "cleaning school;" they do nothing but cleans, the right way, for a full semester before anything else.

Not sure about the UK and insurance (I think somewhere you said you're in the UK?), but in the States, insurance companies are the biggest scam artists there are. Even if you're covered under the place you teach at's insurance, they'll come after you personally to recover their loss. Here's what I mean... Say I teach karate in a rec center. I'm covered under their umbrella policy. I have a lapse of judgment and allow someone to do something they shouldn't be doing and they get hurt. Maybe I let a white belt spar against a black belt because I felt the white belt could handle it. The white belt gets hurt and sues, saying the weren't properly informed of the risks of sparring. The court agrees with them, and awards them $10k. Or the insurance company settles with them out of court for $10k. The insurance company pays the plaintiff, then sues you personally to recover that loss because you were personally responsible. It's not far fetched at all. I've seen it happen. Not just in the MA either. People think they're fine because they're covered under someone else's umbrella policy, then "their" insurance company sues them to recover their losses. Also, make sure you have CPR and first aid. Insurance aside, if one of your students collapses, don't you want to make sure you did everything possible to help them, regardless of the outcome? What about a family member or friend outside the dojo? It's a life skill everyone should have, regardless of their profession. I'm biased, being a CPR instructor. To add, waivers are worthless. They never hold up in court. Might as well print them on toilet paper, because then they'll actually have the chance to be useful for something.

I only say this because I'm pretty sure you've got a good sense of humor... Did they use titanium in your metal plates/rods? If it's too soon, all apologies.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, and I'm glad to hear you made it through. You're living proof that you never know what tomorrow brings. Everyday is truly a blessing. I was wondering where you were. Great to have you back, and hopefully you have a speedy recovery so you can get back on the floor!

There are also shodans that have a lot of experience with other arts. Perhaps the shodan earned a 3rd dan in another karate style. Perhaps the shodan studied under a very knowledgeable teacher day in and day out. A month before I graduated from college, a shodan opened a Shotokan dojo a few blocks from campus. He studied in Japan for 3 years under a very prominent sensei (why am I drawing a blank right now?) while teaching English. He earned a 3rd dan in kempo prior to going to Japan. I visited his school, and he let me work out with him. It was very, very clear that he wasn't a typical shodan. He only had a handful of young students because he just moved to the area and opened his dojo about 2 weeks before I wandered in. He let me stay for free because he wanted an adult sparring partner and someone to learn non-Shotokan kata and other stuff from. He sharpened my Pinan katas, and I taught him Seiunchin and Sanchin. Had I not been a month from graduating and moving back home, I'd have joined his dojo as his student without hesitation. As sensei8 says, and I quote too often, "the proof is on the floor." We were both shodans. He had more than enough knowledge and skill to run a dojo. I didn't. Rank is a personal thing. I didn't degrade his, and his didn't elevate mine.