Darkranger85

I'm trying to practice my 8 point block, but I'm a little unsure of how I'm doing with the last half. Any input is appreciated. https://youtu.be/R7qnvjpHAW0 Arigatou gozaimasu! P.S. Sorry about the lighting, my house has light issues.

As it happens, I was reading Karate tournament rules just the other day. Here is the relevant section. "XVIII.An example of MUBOBI is the instance in which the contestant launches a committed attack without regard for personal safety. Some contestants throw themselves into a long reverse punch, and are unable to block a counter. Such open attacks constitute an act of Mubobi and cannot score. As a tactical theatrical move, some fighters turn away immediately in a mock display of dominance to demonstrate a scored point. They drop their guard and lapse awareness of the opponent. The purpose of the turn away is to draw the Referee's attention to their technique. This is also a clear act of Mubobi. Should the offender receive an excessive contact and/or sustain an injury the Referee will issue a Category 2 warning or penalty and decline to give a penalty to the opponent." Part of the scoring is based on keeping your attention on your opponent, ready to counter his moves if they come. I believe they use the term "Zanshin" for one of the scoring criteria. "Zanshin is described as a state of continued commitment in which the contestant maintains total concentration, observation, and awareness of the opponent's potentiality to counter attack. Some contestants after delivering a technique will turn their body partially away from the opponent but are still watching and ready to continue the action. The Judges must be able to distinguish between this continued state of readiness and one where the contestant has turned away, dropped their guard and concentration, and in effect has ceased fighting." So, I'm just a karate newb, but I believe it sounds like poor advice too me.

lol no, I don't have anyones number, only been there a couple weeks. But when I find out I will let you know.

Actually I did write it down. Unfortunately I neglected to note whether it was a left jab or right jab, left elbow or right elbow, etc lol.

That's too bad. Frustrating to be taught it, remember the moves, but not be able to practice cause I can't remember the order.

I will give it a look. I remember that sempai called it MP or "Iron Elbow". But all I find online is Empi (I assume is what he meant) and it looks nothing like what I was taught. In fact I watched two youtube Empi kata videos and they were both different from each other. So I'm confused.

Yeah, I read that article. But before I can practice my kata I need to know I'm doing it in the right order.

I was taught my first kata today. I remember the moves, I'm just having a hard time remembering the order. But I don't remember the name so I can't look it up. It starts off with your feet together and hands crossed near the groin. Horse stance Crescent step into fight stance (right leg back I believe), downward block Jab (Knife hand, left I think), crescent step forward. Elbow (Right, I think), same hands fist rotates up (Sempai called it back fist), palm thrust. Elbow back, grab and pull (As if pulling someones shirt), elbow to the side. Drop elbow, punch to side (Kiai) Then it repeats twice but the crescent steps go back instead of forward. I have no idea if I gave anywhere near a good enough description for someone to identify the kata or not. It's a shot in the dark but I'm hoping.

Again, I respect your opinion but I don't believe it's unreasonable to expect correct pronunciation of a couple words that are intimately tied with the profession/sport. I'm not expecting anyone to speak fluent Japanese, that would be unreasonable lol. Like if you had a waitress come to your table in an Italian restaurant and ask you if you want Mootzerella with your dish. Does she need to know how to pronounce it to do her job? Technically no. But I don't think its unreasonable to expect. Ty sensei and JR. I agree with your conclusions completely. It's all in the approach and timing.

I respectfully have to disagree. The fact that the dojos hold on to traditions such as bowing to the teachers and even the front of the dojo, says that the cultural aspect of Karate is somewhere in there. If you are going to hand out a list of Japanese Terms that you need to know, then I believe those terms should be accurate. If it's not at all about the cultural side of things, then it could all be done in English and without the oriental traditions. That's how I see it anyway. I respect that others have differing opinions and thats fine. @JR: Thank you for saying that, I agree 100%. Correcting them is not in and of itself rude. It's all in the manner, timing, and reasoning that you use in doing it.

I could handle "Dai Sempai", but thats not whats being used. It's "Dai Sempi." As an anime/japanese fan myself, it grates at my sanity to hear Sempi, and nearly kills me to have to say it myself. I wont go in correcting people. Though, the instructor and the students all seem pretty laid back. They even asked what japanese for "No" was. I couldnt remember at the time though. es, its Ron Van Cliefs. In fact our instructor was given the title Kyoshi by him personally and our dojo has had a visit from him. Unfortunately that was before I was there.

I'm told its American and Chinese Goju Ryu. I thought about sending an anonymous email about it. This article was particularly interesting. http://skjf.org/Articles/tooss.htm

Goju Ryu Karate

There are two terms that they use at my dojo that just don't strike my ear right and I'm fairly sure that 1 is incorrect and the other I'm not so sure. The senior students are referred to as Sempi. I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be Sempai. And for affirmation they use the phrase "Oss" and I thought it should be "Hai" Could someone confirm or correct me? If I am correct, is there a tactful way that I can bring it up to my Sensei? I'm the new guy so I don't really feel quite right questioning them.

I'm not getting bored. I'm just wanting to progress at my full potential. Everyones points have convinced me that its a poor idea to look up new information online. I will learn the new at the dojo and use videos only as refreshers.

I understand what you are saying, you are keen to "get going". There's a saying in karate "it takes 3 years to learn how to make a fist". Trust me when I and others say to practice at home what you learn in the dojo. Use Youtube and manuals if you have forgotten or are unsure of something in a kata that you have been taught at the dojo for example. No hurry mate, enjoy the ride I understand completely that MA takes time. I'm not trying to "Rush to black belt" so much as I'm trying to do as much as I am capable of doing. As much as things shouldn't be rushed, it also wouldn't make sense for me to purposely do less than I am able to do.

I mean no offense to anyone, but I believe that moving everyone at the same pace would be a mistake. Different people learn at different rates, and to hold someone back at a slower pace could frustrate that student.

It all makes sense. But a little frustrating. I suppose that the way I should maximize my progress would be to talk to my sensei when I believe I can handle more than I'm being given. I have another question that's off topic. Do you receive your white belt as soon as you join? Or do you have to learn a certain amount to earn it?

So, is there no way for me to put in extra work? To show initiative and such? It was a first class and so she probably went easy on me, but I know I could have taken the whole 8 points. I do understand and respect that there is no "Black belt in 30 days" plan. But at the same time, we all learn differently and I would like to maximize my results.

So, I attended my free first class of Goju Ryu Karate today. It was a pretty light class and the Sensei invited me back for two more classes before deciding what to do. She taught me 6 of the 8 point system. Head, outside, and inside. I'm hoping someone can point me to a video so I can learn the rest for the next class. I don't know if I described the blocks properly or enough, please let me know if I have not.

Thanks for the reply! I'm not to worried about doing worse than expected, I in no way think I'm going to be then prodigy of martial arts lol. I expect to not even be able to keep up at first. How about I rephrase question 1? I've been watching tons of videos, reading articles, and surfing forums for information on different martial arts and styles. Grappling doesn't really interest me. But, I've seen that in virtually every match I've watche, the bjj guy puts the other on the ground and then sits on him for the rest of the match without breaking a sweat. So I wondered if the fact that there is a hapkido/bjj instructor there if I might be able to learn how to stay on my feet and how to put up a challenge if the fight does go to the floor.

I've been interested in martial arts for a long time but never pulled the trigger on it. I've been doing web design for a bjj school and decided I wanted to try some martial arts. In the area I live in the options are limited. The closest school is Makatos School of Martial Arts in vt. They teach Goju Karate and one of the instructors also does Jiujitsu, both Hapkido and Brazilian. My goals are fun and fitness but I also wouldn't mind some minor competition. So my questions are: Does this seem like a decent school? (I know I don't have a ton of info yet) How can I prepare myself to preform well when I do start? How long does it take to start sparring on average?