SaiFightsMS

Joe as you learn you will find more and more similarities. And there is more information available about karate everyday on the internet.

I find I am enjoying the variety of comments a controversial topic like this one generates. Sometimes someone else will state someone in a slightly different manner and introduce a whole new light. Oh, By the way, Joe I like your new signature - simple but elegant. _________________ Get a better life, get karate. [ This Message was edited by: SaiFightsMS on 2002-01-04 12:05 ]

Yep

Well, a year ago last fall one night there was a very nasty storm going on during class. We were in class in a town with a history of tornadoes. So, naturally many peope there are a bit jumpy during storms. Sensei kept the kids busy though and doing someting they really like - sparring. After kids class as we were starting the adults class the father of one of our college students came in. It seemed that there had been a tornado. While we were at class. One of the kids got home and half of the house was missing. Another kid got home and half of the house had been moved over 2 inches. I did think that night (and a few others after that) about wether or not I was ready to die. Amazingly enough I found that I was calm inside. I felt that I was ready to die if it was my time to go. It was a rather odd feeling not to be scared in the same way everyone else was. As you can imagine after that night everytime a nasty storm was going on during class we had a bunch of nervous people. I would feel nervous for them - but not myself. Does that make any sense?

Actually this topic came up in another club site I am in a few months ago. There have been studies done in this area. As it turns out martial arts - karate - are among the safest sports in terms of injuries. I think it was either Cyberdojo or Bob McMahans Shotokan club on yahoo that this came up in.

From what I have seen asking things like this in a club site produces much better results than a yellow page search. It says a lot when people are willing to refer people to their own dojos - or not. And it is one of the best ways I have seen to avoid getting into a McDojo.

Interesting reading Dbzhub. Sounds like you might provide some interesting conversations in here.

You know at my local Y at the halfway point of the class most of the over 40's sneak quietely out while everyone else is lining up at the water fountain. But they are usually back for the next class.

Hello and welcome Piastre I came on out of curiosity too. Looked around and liked what I saw and have come back virtually everyday since then. This is a great site with a lot of diversity.

Hi Shotochem and welcome :wave: Well over six years of shotokan here. I didn't start until I was 37. It is never too late for karate. :nod: Sai

I think I would also like to have the ability to become invisible and then reappear at will. Hmmmm interesting Kickchick. Probably not unusual though. Have you tried astral projection?

Happy New Year everyone and may all of you have survived your celebrating with a clear head and a calm stomach.

Chris that was a nicely depicted group of pictures and explanation in that web site. Rushman how right you are. The first time I tied someone else belt it took forever and it was a bit embarrasing. I did get better at it with a lot of practice. At our big tests designated senior students get detailed to go to the back of the lineup and help the newly promoted no longer white belts tie their new belts. Most are young kids and are only wearing their gi for the first or second time and have not had much if any practice at tying their belts.

I know it is posted elsewhere in this forum but here are the 20 precepts again. The Twenty Precepts by Gichin Funakoshi 1. Karate begins with courtesy and ends with courtesy. 2. There is no first attack in karate. 3. Karate is an aid to Justice. 4. First control yourself before attempting to control others. 5. Spirit first, technique second. 6. Always be ready to release your mind. 7. Accidents arise from neglect. 8. Do not think that Karate training is only in the dojo. 9. It will take your entire life to learn Karate; there is no limit. 10. Put your everyday living into Karate and you will find Myo (The subtle secrets!). 11. Karate is like boiling water. If you do not heat it constantly, it will cool. 12. Do not think that you have to win, think rather that you do not have to lose. 13. Victory depends on your ability to distinguish vulnerable points from invulnerable ones. 14. The battle is according to how you move guarded and unguarded (move according to your opponent!). 15. Think of your hands and feet as swords. 16. When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you. 17. It is your behavior that invites trouble from them. 18. Beginners must master low stance and posture; natural body positions are for the advanced. 19. Practicing a Kata is one thing, engaging in a real fight is another. 20. Do not forget to correctly apply: strength and weakness of power, stretching and contraction of the body and slowness and speed of techniques

We have been told Shotokan is about using the hands and feet equally, having deep rooted stances, reciprocal action and hip use to generate power. When we punch with one hand we pull the other back because the reciprocal action makes the punch stronger. Same as in a block. We use hip action to add force to kicks and punches.

And a sense of humor helps a lot.

I like to practice kata in different ways. Sometimes I do them slowly concentrating on the stance and the precision of the hand/arm movements. Sometimes I will pick one apart and do segments over and over and over. Particularly usefull for problem areas. Sometimes I do them as fast as I can. Usually though my form is not the best then. Sometimes I try to do them with as much power as I can - that is when they look the best. I really like to visualize too. And a few times I have tried to do kata blindfolded. That really shows up how precise your turns are or aren't when you end up facing the wrong direction at the end of the kata.

Interesting comments everyone. It is possible to devise workouts to fit into a very small space. If you have enough room to do the tekki katas you have enough room to do quite a bit. Stand in one spot and throw kicks. Stand in one spot and throw punches. Start in one spot and lunge forward into deep stance and back switching legs. Step out one step block and punch. If you have enough room to take 2 zenkutsu dachis forward you can do a lot.

Hello and welcome Tekkenchaos. Well, you have to start somewhere. And doing something during commercials is better than doing nothing at all. There are some very highly motivated young people in here. And everyone seems to enjoy sharing information.

A woman walks into a shop that sells VERY EXPENSIVE PERSIAN RUGS. She looks around and spots the perfect rug and walks over to inspect it. As she bends to feel the texture of the rug she farts loudly. Very embarrassed she looks around nervously to see if anyone has noticed her little accident and hopes a sales person does not pop up right now. As she turns back, there standing next to her is a salesman. "Good day Ma'am, how may we help you today?" Very uncomfortably she asks, "How much does this rug cost?" He answers, "Lady if you farted just touching it, you're gonna crap your pants when you hear what the price is.

I will try to give you an idea of some simple body weight exercises Ad. Pushups: work the push muscles, chest and triceps primarily. Hand wider apart works the outer areas of the chest. Hands close in under the chest -usually in a triangle- works the center of the chest. Hand stands: doing a pushup while up against the wall in a handstand works the shoulders like a militairy press does. Pullups: work the pull muscles the back and biceps primarily. Changing the position of the hands and which direction the hands face change how the muscle's are worked. Done with palms facing you the biceps are really worked hard. Someplace else in here is a rundown on all sorts of different ways to do pushups kickchick wrote. It is really pretty awesome. Try to find that.

Anytime you get a chance to learn something form a physical therapist learn all you can. It is very amazing the number of things they can teach you to do with rubber tubing.

As one of the early "ambassadors of karate and kickboxing" Wallace was one of several in an era of pioneers. They all did wonderful jobs of introducing a new sport to this country. Actually the term kickboxing as applied to what they were doing in the ring came about as an act of a bit of ignorance on the part of a sports announcer. It seems the announcers were unfamiliar with karate and that style off fighting. In an effort to say something they thought of boxing and called it "kickboxing" because of the kicks involved. They did not realize at the time there was a form of martial arts called Muay thai or kickboxing. The misnomer continued. As to the style of fighting and the stance Wallace used. He started his martial arts training in Judo. And a serious knee injury ended his judo career. He then went into karate. He used three kicks: the side kick, a hook kick and a round house kick. Yes, only 3 types of kicks. And with those three kicks he did quite a bit. An excellant example of doing the most with what you have to work with.

Actually the one strike and that is hit philosophy as taught in shotokan is not at all the same thing as the chinese dim mak technique. The shotokan concept is to put all you have into your defense and get out of a bad situation as quickly as possible. The chinese dim mak is a very complex thing requireing years of training. It all depends on the harnessing and channelling of your internal energy.

Thanks everyone and I have started learning the kata. You know Ronryu I think when a kata is properly done that is how we are supposed to feel. I have been doing a lot of work with Tekki shodan and nidan and when I really work that is how I feel. Anytime I do kata and really put all I have into it that is how I feel afterward. It is a good feeling. And I think a bit addictive. Sai