Ti

I would take it a BIT farther than just guarding it and making sure each sparring partner knows about your pacemaker, so you don't get nailed in it. Can't block everything 100% of the time and all it takes is one stray accident hit to cause issues.

TY, I had a feeling the 2pc stuff would never really hold

I'm assuming a 2pc staff would be weaker than a single piece. Question is, will it break during training? I kinda wanna get a 2pc cause it's easier to carry around

ok

This is very true. I wore a belt regularly for maybe 10 years that only turned grey. It didn't fray. Go figure. That's a strong belt!

anyone tried tokon?

When you come from a system that doesn't use it, it's easy to say "you are just a bragger" etc... But when you think about it, it serves a useful function. It helps identify rank, so if you do go to a multi dojo event and you all have to line up, it takes out alot of the guess work. or when you need to pair with similar rank, also makes it easier. etc... I come from a system that doesn't use dan bars on belts, but after looking at dan bars on people, it actually does serve a function.

Normally SKIF places start with 5 step, then 3 step then 1

youtube has the vids of kanazawa going over all of it. Didn't you just start at a skif place? What rank did they give you?

I've had that skin on the bottom of the foot issue before. You feel the skin, but you don't feel pain. Then you finally stop and look and you're like O MAN I lost a CHUNK. My most recent was going in open hand and getting kicked on the finger. Had a sprain for a week. Still some lingering pain in the joint after 3 weeks. SLOWLY going away

show him what you know and let him determine your starting rank. If 3 months later you remember all and get back to where you were at, maybe then you can jump back up in ranks.

I've never really been a fan of wearing patches. But I think the kyokushin embroidered ones look pretty sharp

Haven;t had a belt shrink on me yet. I wash in cold and hang dry indoors out of the sun by a window.

I was actually reading about ashihara last night, interestedin back story to it. At least the wikipedia version. I konw how you feel about the whole "placed" a hit on them. For some reason people don't understand you pulled it and think, you couldn't do it. My other question is, I think your style doesn't punch to the face as well. So when you pair up with a woman, do you punch her in her chest?

Do you prefer your black belt to fray?

1. Which kind of embroidery do you prefer? the kind that shows on the back? Or the kind that doesn't?, with the kind that doesn't show on the back, the belt stitching goes over the embroidery on the front. It's a kind of win/lose situation. 2. Cotton, yeh definitely look for a nice quality cotton 3. What kind of finish do you want? Shiny? slightly shiny?

It gives you that EXPERIENCED look. IMO it's just plain silly, but everyone has their preference. For me I'd want a belt that holds up and lasts.

thumbs up!

What aspects are you looking for in your belt?

Aside from the winter training. isn't conditioning and learning to take a hit part of kyokushin? I haven't seen kyokushin women practice taking hits. I'm not familiar with kyokushin reqs, but I'm getting a feeling of a double standard. Is what this guy went through "normal" for kyokushin training? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai8Ty5I7iao and this guy

I know what you were all thinking before you clicked. suckers. So anywho, is there a double standard for women in kyokushin? everywhere you look are vids of men doing conditioning, hitting trees, standing still and getting pummeled and hit with sticks etc, training in the woods in the snow with tops off (women can do that in a sports bra). But I never see women doing any of that. Is there a double standard where the conditioning is less intensive for women as opposed to men? I'm just curious cause I haven't seen it yet.

I've seen a few breaking videos here and there, but I've never seen Sparks come out on contact.

Thumbs up!

I'm confused by their pricing FEES - TUITION * 1 Month – Unlimited Classes $85.00 * 3 Months – Unlimited Classes $225.00 ($30.00 Savings) * Yearly Membership Fee $45.00 BTW, congrats!

lol