Struggling_Mudansha

Considering how hardcore Okinawan my dojo is, I'm trying to be careful with Japanese mainland brands. Definitely don't want to secretly upset anyone, even if it wouldn't bother me much to wear one.

I'm wearing a cruddy 6 oz. entry level gi. As my technique gets better, I find that it's failing me as a training aid. Would really like something that "talks back". The K-11 is what I wanted to order at first, then a Yudansha came into the dojo one night with a brand new K-10. I saw the quality of it and made up my mind that I had to have one. (Shureido USA also doesn't have a size 4 K-11) Haven't really considered other brands. I've seen other labels that my sensei's wear, but that Shureido impressed me the most.

Unfortunately, I've had a K-10 on back order for 3 months now (from Shureido USA). We had a long discussion about what gi size I should wear and came to the conclusion that a size 4 jacket and pants are what I need. I called them a couple of days ago inquiring why on earth it's taking so long and they said they can't give a specific date as to when they'll receive more. I could be waiting another 4-5 months for it. So that's why I've been looking at other Shureido dealers to see if they have a size 4 K-10. I really wanted to have it as soon as I earned my green belt, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. I might give the Naha city store a call and see if they have one. I really need a heavier gi.

Got them in the mail yesterday. Very nice nunchaku. The octagonal shape was cut very sharp and it makes a loud "whoosh" sound whenever I swing them. The beautiful red oak is a nice plus as well.

Been trying to order a gi from Shureido USA. Their stock is very limited at the moment and they don't have the size I need. So I've been looking around other international dealers and noticed something; the sizing charts vary greatly from different sources. I'm 5'7" weighing about 138 pounds, so I need the gi to shrink down to 170cm. That means I need a size 4 (175cm) according to Shureido USA's website. However, since Shureido USA doesn't have a size 4 K-10, I looked at Shureidoweb's website (Malaysia branch). Their size 4 is at 170cm. I'm really confused. If I order a size 4 and it comes in a 170cm size, it's going to shrink a couple centimeters too small. Anyone have any experience with this?

Condolences to his friends and family. Without him, I would have never had the honor to train in his style. I also would of never have met one of his highest ranking students; a person who inspires me everyday.

I need a good pair of Jiyu Kumite (light contact sparring) gloves to protect my fingers. The padded knuckle gloves don't provide enough protection. Any suggestions?

After sparring a couple months ago in Jiyu Kumite, I hurt my right thumb. The big joint that attaches the thumb to the hand was really swollen and it hurt to hyper extend or curl. There's no more swelling now, but I still feel soreness to move it in extreme directions. It also hurts a little bit to press on the joint that was injured. Considering this happened months ago, I'm really starting to worry I've caused permanent damage. Did I break my thumb unknowingly, or did I bust the ever loving crud out of the nerves and tendons? Is it just taking a really long time to heal?

After making a call via Skype, I actually found out Shureido Okinawa did in fact have a pair in stock. I guess they had a hard time understanding what I meant due to the language barrier. Now I just gotta see if it'll go through US Customs.

Been trying to find ways to legally obtain some red oak, lightweight and thin Shureido Nunchaku. Since Shureido USA is based in California, I can't order them myself as I'm not a licensed instructor or own a dojo. I even tried emailing Shureido in Okinawa, but they don't have the lightweight model in stock. Also tried messaging a few people on Ebay to see if they could order a pair for me. No luck. Kind of at a loss at this point and don't know what to do.

Hi there. I'm what you call a boomerang student; I studied Karate back in 2003 as a pre-adolescent and am now back in the dojo as a young adult. The highest rank I obtained was nanakyu in the Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan style. I guess you could say I've been a blue belt for 13 years! Luckily, I'm about to test for Rokyu and will finally be able to wear a different colored obi. In the meantime, I'm hoping that joining this online forum will allow me to get some good advice from experienced martial artists and learn things that I otherwise couldn't in the dojo.