karate_woman

Started at 12, now I'm 30.

Well I already provided what I could find with search engines...since it sounds like you're already taking the style, perhaps you should ask the instructor about the history of the style, what styles it is made of, etc.

I was training on Monday night and during class a brown belt about 6 months away from being eligible for her black belt grading started talking about how nervous she was about her black belt grading, and didn't think she could do it. She wondered aloud about a "practice grading" so she'll know what to expect, and seems rather concerned about it. She even went up to Sensei towards the end of the class and talked directly to him about it. Sensei tried to reassure her, but it evidently didn't work because in the change room after class she told me she didn't think she could do it. Now, I have my shodan, and yes, it was a hell of a grading, but it never crossed my mind that I couldn't do it..I expected it to be difficult, and challenging, and was told to "expect the unexpected", but didn't ever feel it was impossible. Now, it seems to me somewhat of a tradition for martial artists to talk about the difficulty of black belt gradings. All it did to me was make me try harder, so I'd be able to do it, but does the difficulty of the black belt grading make many people quit? Have you noticed this? I said a few small things to her, but is there anything that can be said that can help? I may have been more comfortable if I'd met her earlier, but I just returned to the dojo after a 3 year absence, so she doesn't know me very well, nor me her. I think is really an internal struggle she's going through, and the only place she'll find the strength to face her fear of the black belt grading is from within, but if anyone has any suggestions from an instructor's perspective let me know.

Not that I would even have an opportunity to try American Style Karate, but I hadn't heard this...when and where was this proven?

As many martial arts styles (including yours - Isshinryu, and mine - Goju Ryu) are the result of combining techniques from other martial arts styles, I think it is best not to throw stones. As for "All Style Karate" it could be anything but I did a search and found a site that talked about it in German. In fact most of the sites that talked about All Style Karate appeared to be in German. This is the site I'm referring to...http://www.budo-sport-club-pb.de/all_style_karate.htm I think it stated it was a modern sport that combined techniques from Tae kwon do, karate, jiujitsu and kickboxing. I guess it depends what you want...if you want to collect techniques, then this may be the place for you, if you want to practice an actual style, just be aware that your style is now "All Style", NOT to be confused with actually studying each of those arts individually. That's OK too, just be aware of it. If you are interested in actually learning each of these martial arts (as opposed to techniques) I would be very skeptical when going to a place with that name. You might also want to find out the lineage and qualifications of the instructors....what degree of black belt do they have in the martial arts they claim to have combined? Is that level of black belt high enough for them to have learned all of the kata/bunkai for the style? You need to reach 4th degree black belt in Goju Ryu Karate to have even been introduced to all of the kata in the style, for example. If not, are they still training? Who is/are their Sensei(s)/instructor(s)? How many years did they kickbox? You get the idea. I don't personally like the name, because of what it implies..that you are taking "all styles". For example...I take Goju Ryu, but I don't claim to be studying White Crane Kung Fu or Chinese Boxing, even though some of these things were incorporated into the style. I think a better name for the style on the website I listed is a generic name "martial arts", or better yet: "mixed martial arts" . If you're interested, check them out, watch a few classes, and participate in some classes to try your hand at it. ....edited once by karate_woman to fix my quote of fireka (I had cut it off somehow!!)

Also, as you travel around the world, how do you explain the integration of techniques from other countries, resulting in forming new styles? This is not a new phenomenon. Also where does archery fit into your theory? When you look into it, forms of archery were used all over the world, each adapted to the local people and what was available, but I haven't heard of a country or even continent that relied soley on archery as its martial art.

Why is that? Are we intimidating or something?

Not a good idea, for the reasons the others already mentioned. Go to some gyms/dojo/dojang and check them out. Unfortunately, you may find your ideal style and not be able to train in it because of other factors (money, poor quality/no dojo near you, etc); might as well see what is really available to you and go from there. I'm a case in point: I'd love to take additional training in kajukenbo if there was a dojo near here, but I'd have to go to Toronto (3 hrs driving round trip for 1-2 hr class....not feasible on a regular basis, though maybe OK for a seminar or something).

As I said, it depends on range and a few other factors. Some of the factors I didn't mention would be whether the gun is drawn and aimed, with safety off, loaded, etc. The average joe doesn't walk around with their gun drawn, either. I've seen police training videos of holstered guns vs assailants with drawn knives....the guy with the knife had to be quite a distance away before the police officer was able to draw and fire and avoid getting cut. Anyway..I'm off topic since we weren't talking about knives (though knives are certainly weapons), and the comment was aimed at nunchuku and bo...not exactly something you'd see on the street every day in any case, so while it may be theoretically possible it is not likely to happen

I don't believe so.

Well, I suppose going down one belt level isn't the end of the world

I wouldn't presume I could fight one, let alone multiple opponents; I'd have to be attacked, certainly. Even if you think you can beat the average person, how do you know what you're up against? I remember Soke Reynolds telling us in a kitsune class..one opponent, send them to the hospital, more than one, take one with you...and get his buddy when he comes to visit his friend

Proper punching actually involves the entire body. Here is an article I found that talks about this, and gives weight training exercises to improve your punch - which is what I think you're looking for: http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_60/74_fitness_tip.html

Could be done, depending on the range and a few other factors.

I guess it would depend on the age of the student.

55 per month, Cdn. Okinawan Goju.

I agree with the rest of them....no. Not even with back and forth interaction/criticism from an instructor (who you've sent your videos to), though that would be better than video alone; there is just too much in the real interaction between teacher and student that a video would miss. I've viewed videos for "interest" sake, showed my Sensei and together we've even played around with the stuff on the videos a bit, but wouldn't rely on it as my only training.

That's too bad. It is one thing to market books, etc as a reference, but the first part reads like it is a substitute, which isn't good. Even with the disclaimer at the bottom the damage has already been done.

Well then maybe I misunderstood what you were defending against. In any event, the other suggestions (primarily elbows to the pressure points in the leg) should help from a scissors lock. What I was referring to was a type of ankle lock executed with the feet.

Hi

Welcome

I don't think it has ever been a factor in why someone has dated me, though my husband still comments on the muscles I've got from it.

I can't comment on your specific situation, not being a party to it, but it is my understanding it is a parent's job to provide guidance, direction, and {gasp!} limits for our children, regardless of whether "everyone is doing it" or of the child/teen's infinite wisdom. Parenting isn't a popularity contest, and I don't think being a complete pushover is the answer, either. No, karate in and of itself isn't normally rebellious - unless your parents forbid it - but the practitioner's attitude has a lot to do with how they are perceived.

Is this what I have to look forward to in a few years when my 8 year-old becomes a teenager?

Welcome Aaron.