Fat Cobra

When we trained in the school gymnasium, we would sometimes run Samurai vs. Ninjas for the Kids. I was the samurai and would start in Seiza Dachi with a bokken in my belt. The kids would team up, 2 to 3 to a group, the object of the group was to sprint to the other end of the gym, touch a spot on the wall and sprint back without getting captured by the samurai. They were captured if I tapped them with the bokken. The team would go one team at a time. After all the teams went, the Samurai would win if I captured more ninjas than those that escaped and the ninjas won if they had more escape. The kids loved it and we usually did this for 3 or more iterations.

Welcome, SteveiV. I am of the same mind as you about making karate a large part of my life and filling the spiritual needs. Karate no michi!

I do track my steps using a Samsung Watch. I try to get to 10,000 everyday (or an average of 10,000 per day over a week's period).

Same here!

Nick, Welcome....karate no michi!

I have a bunch of favorites! Here are a couple: “It’s OK to lose to opponent, must not lose to fear.” --Mr. Miyagi “Either you karate do yes or karate do no. You karate do guess so, then get squished, just like grape.” --Miyagi "The Best Defense Is More Offense." --Johnny Lawrence "Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it? Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it? Defeat does not exist in this dojo, does it?" --John Kreese

Happy birthday, KarateForums...this is a truly great site!

Congratulations Zaine! Karate no michi!

Welcome to the forums! Karate no michi!

In less than 2 months I turn 50. I have the following goals then set before I turn 51. (Note: All of these things I have done or exceeded before, but not in a while) Right now I am physically able to do a lot, but I am overweight. My health is good, but my cholesterol is a little high and my triglycerides doubled over the last year (eeek!). So getting my diet healthier is something I have to do. Categories -- Current Level // Goal Bench Press -- 1RM = 260 // Goal = 300 Deadlift -- 1RM = 370 // Goal = 400 Run 3 miles -- run/walk in 38min or less // Goal = Run in 30 min or less Kettle Bell Snatch Challenge (100 snatches in 10min w/24kg bell) -- unknown current level // Goal = 10 minutes Acrobatics -- Currently can do a combat roll, headstand, cartwheel // Goal = Handstand and hold Diet = Currently eat high protein diet, but lots of processed food // Goal = Eat healthier, lower triglycerides and cholesterol Weigh = Currently 243 lbs. // Goal = 210 lbs. I know some of these are tough, but this is my goal to accomplish before I turn 51 (July of 2024)! Karate no michi!

Congratulations KarateKen!!!!

This is sad news indeed.

Drew, Good post. I agree with you that you kata is always left to one's interpretation (or a style's interpretation). Some styles use kata as simply a doctrinal routine that a student must learn to obtain their next belt, and other styles break down each technique in the style to excruciating detail. I also believe that kata can be a form of moving meditation, much like yoga or qigong. I, myself, like to get absorbed into kata to where, when I am practicing on my own, I push out everything else in the world to the sole exclusion of the kata. From my style and interpretation of kata, and applying it to practical application in real situations, it is always about one opponent. The turns and angles in kata are meant to apply to the same opponent, not multiple ones. I have seen interpretations of Naihanchi Shodan no Kata where you are fighting 2 opponents, one on each side of you....that is unrealistic. If you use the bunkai of that kata to try to fight these 2 opponents, you will get crushed, at the least. Now, if you use the bunkai in Naihanchi to fight against one opponent, there are some great techniques there that can help. But to each his own interpretation. I will throw one more thing out there....and this might cause some controversy There are no fighting styles that help you against multiple opponents, unless you can single out and dispatch one opponent at a time...especially if we are talking about a self defense situation. I patiently await any responses

Drew, nice post and very good explanation of tactics used in a one-on-one fight. I love boxing and submission grappling as well (and did lots of that in my time at West Point and in the US Army). For handling multiple opponents, though, kata is not the answer for everyone. Some karate styles interpret the bunkai of the kata as facing multiple opponents at the same time. Many styles do not. I am in the style of the latter. Kata gives you the tools to fight one person at a time. If you are fighting multiple opponents, the best chance you have is to fight one at a time, trying to isolate them (and yourself) from the others or...fight with a weapon.

I wholeheartedly agree. I second that opinion!

Awesome Drew! Congratulations!

Welcome to the forums!

I use the hard side staff cases from Century Martial Arts. They are about $80 a piece and do a good job providing a rigid case for your bo. It is good for transport to and from the dojo.

I just subscribed, so I will let you know what I think. Give me a few weeks. Karate no michi.

Zaine, I agree with you in that I enjoy my hobbies, and I don't plan on giving up on them any time soon. I also like to read about martial arts and watch movies/TV shows about martial arts. I do think, however, that the more we can simplify life and rid ourselves of emotional attachments to material objects, the less likely we are to stress about them and the happier we will be without them. Additionally, for me kata is like meditation, so I like to spend time getting away from the world through kata practice. -Karate no michi!

Congratulations, wagnerk!!!

At this point of my life, I find myself focusing more and more on mindfulness and living in the present. This ties back to my martial art (or any one for that matter) when a practitioners puts all of their focus on their training and push out all of the other distractions of the day. Of course, this is something we should use in every day life too, not just in our training. I recently asked my adult students the following: "If you had a simple house to live in--no tv, no radio, no phone, no electronics of any sort--and you did not have to worry about food or drink, would you be happy?" First, I got a lot of questions, like "can I go outside," "can I have a pet," etc. Then, most said they would not be happy. I asked them why. I got various answers, but in the end I told them that they could make themselves happy by practicing kata and how good they would be at kata if that was their single-minded focus for years. I also stressed that everybody believes happiness lies outside of themselves, that they have to find something to make them happy, but this is not true. Happiness comes from within. You don't need anything extra to make you happy. What are your thoughts?

Congratulations! Thanks for all that you do for the site. Karate no michi!

Thanks to everyone.

Well, I could eat a lot better...and could use to lose some weight (thus my name). I was in excellent shape the first half of my career in the Army (I spent a total of 24.5 years in). But during the second half, I started to gain wait and left the Army 55 lbs. heavier than when I started. A lot of it is muscle, but there is also too much fat. Now, I have been out for over 7 years. I still workout, obviously with karate, but also workout outside of karate. I still run (slowly), lift weights, do calisthenics and such, but I have had problems losing weight. I think it is a combination of getting older and what I eat.