Jussi Häkkinen

When it comes to Funakoshi being the first to use the "Empty hand" -kanji: Wrong, again. As I said, Hanashiro Chomo used that writing form already in his 1905 publication "Karate Shoshu Hen". Since the writing form was used in the name of publication, it most probably has been known in that purpose already. For the reference: http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=100 Funakoshi begun using that writing form a lot later.

No. It's just natural to turn the palm slightly downwards in the full extension. Feel it - push hand forwards palm up. Near the full push, your hand will turn. It's just natural. It won't drill into your opponent, nor it will add any power to the push. After all, your strike hits the target about 6-8 inches before full extension.

Funakoshi didn't make the change. Name "karate", written with kanji that meaned "empty hand", was already known in Okinawa in 1905, when Hanashiro Chomo published "Karate Shoshu Hen". The use of the very way of writing it (empty hand) in the name of publication indicates that it was already a known name for the tradition.

Depends. Most commonly I either chamber my hand across the sternum OR just keep the guard. Straight from where it is. No. If I chamber across the sternum, my palm is up, but I never turn the palm fully down - well, it doesn't belong to the style I train, either. Most commonly the hand is at 45 degree angle when the punch is fully extended. It takes a lot of training to develop good punching. However, the "basic form" is really just a training form and you should apply that freely when fighting. Concentrate on rotation of your body (hips and shoulders) and forget about the hands (but make sure that your elbows don't flare sideways when punching. Punch straight, unless you're doing hooks). If your fighting looks like you're doing basics, it's wrong. Use basics to learn principles and apply those learned principles then freely. I hope this gave some ideas.

FYI: Training applications and training to apply them freely via sparring are an important part of kata training. "Only doing kata" covers the area from learning the basics and fighting freely. The formal solo kata is only a source. Bag work etc. can also be used in kata training. Karate is kata - kata is karate...and this proverb isn't as narrow as many would think it is. It covers whole karate. One who doesn't know the applications and who can't apply them freely doesn't really know the kata.

That is a very well known myth. Originally, belt system was created by Jigoro Kano for judo. He addressed a black belt for his older students. It served as a mark of a student who had mastered the basics and - practically - could train equally with pretty much everyone else. Others did wear white belts. Eventually, more colours were added. One possibility for the source of colours is a colour range of kesa -cloth of buddhist monks that is used in some sects to show the rank. Another one is a colours of sword handles - certain colours were reserved for higher ranked officials and daimio. These may have given an idea for the colour system. Later many other belt systems were created. White, brown and black seems to have been one stage. Then white, green, brown and black. More colours were added to some styles and someone came up with the "darkening" idea - which seems to work fine. Story about a belt that gets dirtier and eventually black...well, it's not very plausible in Japanese society, which has been almost obsessed to cleanliness for ages.

Belt is just an object - a symbol, but still just a piece of cloth. Washing the belt when it's needed (i.e. belt is stained, smells or otherwisely dirty) - like washing any other clothing - is respecting yourself and the people you practice with. If any of my students train with a dirty belt (or dirty uniform), I ask him or her to wash it. It's just basic respect. Japan is a society that is obsessed (healthily) to cleanliness. They have been that way for hundreds of years. Japanese sensei generally wear new and clean belts always when they're displaying their karate. In training, they may wear old belts but those are clean and washed always when needed. Not washing a belt when it's dirty is uncivilized. One may have a frayed belt (if he/she wishes so), but dirty belt...never. Belt is a symbol of hard work, yes. I tend to keep my symbol clean and beautiful, rather than put it (and my work) to shame by not taking a proper care of it.

Kumite (not sport kumite) is a part of kata training.

Shorin-ryu and its subschools, Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu, family styles and smaller traditions. That pretty much covers it. Naha-te etc. names are modern (1900's) creations. "Shorei" is a bit unexact, too.

Shaolin firebreather style? But well, those technique names...they're just names. People should get away from giving them much thoughts. Japanese, English, Finnish...everything works. I find it easiest to use Japanese/Uchinaguchi due the amount I train under foreign instructors (who use Japanese/Uchinaguchi). Still, techniques and principles are the key thing. I try to teach that to my students as well.

"Block" works in basic training situation just well enough. They're just words - even in Japanese. Some old masters refer to every hand technique as "ti" and to every foot technique as "keri". I mostly believe in showing what to do. "Chudan uke" (middle block/receiving) isn't any specific technique - although it often is one of the 5-10 basic middle "blocks".

"Chuudan" is the pronounciation - U is longer (actually 1.5 normal U lengths). Written form may be chudan, chûdan or chuudan. Avoiding the misunderstandings is actually easy. Using the words of the own language will help tremendously.

I haven't "preworn" my belt in any way - I just stated that I've worn one out completely in history. I haven't done any alterations to my current belt (or none of my belts ever) and they wear in just fine (I like a new looking belt anyway). I know some high ranking lads who "prewear" their belts in - excuses such as "easier to tie" etc. are common, as well as buying a satin black belt which wears out faster. That's their "style issue", I think, and fine as so. The state of belt wear is actually one of the rare "own style" things present in traditional karate. Some prefer to have a fresh belt, some prefer the frayed one. Otherwisely everyone is wearing a white uniform (with little alterations in cut etc., but it's still an uniform) and looks pretty much the same.

Hmm. It's juts a belt - a piece of cloth. If people want to go with the "instant sensei" -look and think that it's fashionable, it's their call. They don't fool anyone. People generally connect frayed belt to experience. However, in Japan and Okinawa, when masters give demonstrations in big gala events etc., they tend to get a new belt for the event. No wear and still all the skill. I've worn one belt until the moment it did break when tying the knot. No keying, nothing special - just a poor quality belt and approximately 5 years of pretty much daily practice. Nowadays I have a very good quality belt. I'd say that generally the first signs of wear begin to show after ~100 classes and stay rather minimal for a long while. When I see a guy with a completely worn out black belt (many have their belts with no black showing), I check the skill. If the skills can show that the belt has aged "normally", I still tend to wonder if a belt really can wear down to the point that only black left is the little scrap between embroidery letters. And I think that those persons still should get new belts. I believe that many high ranking lads with lots of skills "prewear" their new belts by throwing them to tumble dryer or similar - just to "catch up" with their old belt (stolen, lost, broken, replaced for any reason). Just a fashion statement.

Kamikaze's "Hiroshi Shirai" -line (America, Europe, Emperor, Monarch, Sovereign) are generally pretty roomy. I still recommend measuring the width of the back (from armpit to armpit) of your current, fitting do-gi and asking for a size that matches the measurement. When it comes to Tokaido, they are generally rather "slim-cut", but there's a custom tailoring option, as well as a possibility to ask for a good size. From more expensive do-gi, Shureido's "tournament cut" is a bit roomier than do-gi generally are. You might want to check for Satori karatedo-gi for reasonably priced custom made uniforms. Their cut is also roomy and service is very good (if you mail them about the sizes, they'll mail you back very soon).

I like the traditional string waistband. It'll stay as it once has been put and won't loosen nor travel up after getting moist. It also won't lose its elasticity via the time. Still, there are supporters for both, and if elastic is good for you, it is good.

After black belt? More training. That's just about it.

Kenttiensankari: Sokutogeri (in Renshinkan) is simply a side thrust kick (yokogeri kekomi). What is meant here is a combination between rising side kick/side snap kick (yokogeri keage) and a side thrust kick (yokogeri kekomi). I.e. actually just a natural application drawn from those two kicks.

Very abnormal. For me, video testing would be a certain sign of McDojo. Two times a year is a good pace. You'll probably achieve your black belt in a time frame of 5-10 years, which is an acceptable time and not too accelerated.

2 times per year is normal, of course depending on a club and style.

If the hand can't take the makiwara training, person is probably using a too stiff makiwara. Too stiff makiwara can cause deformation of fingerjoints and is bad for the technique. Makiwara mainly helps in the alignment of the joints and learning the proper punching form and power - it isn't designed (and shouldn't be used) as a hardening tool. Joint surfaces cannot be hardened (they only produce extra cartilage to joint area, thus hindering the natural movement of the joint) and the "hardening" benefit of makiwara/sandbag/etc. training should be mainly in getting skin accustomized to striking and learning the proper striking technique.

Different Shorinji-ryu. There are many schools/substyles of it.

Think about it - it's taught as a first kata in Renshinkan in Japan and in most Kyan-originated styles. It really isn't all that hard - Wansu is a lot harder kata (bunkai-wise) than Seisan. Seisan gives a base that everything else is good to built on. It's not hard - it's just long. It basically just teaches to use the shikodachi-zenkutsudachi -switch that is a basis to Seibukan (and later Renshinkan) and was taught by Kyan. You don't train bunkai always when training a kata? Bunkai training isn't a major form of kata training? Actually, I'd be prepared to claim that lots of old stuff came in. However, I don't understand the point of training kata at all if you haven't learned the bunkai for it - at least for a major part of it. Personally, I'm a big "fan" of teaching kata via bunkai - i.e. first the needed basics, then the bunkai and finally the solo form to have something to train at home and to remember the bunkai.

Seisan is a basic kata in Kyan lineage. It should be taught first - it includes basic (no, "basic" doesn't mean "unadvanced") striking, seizing, blocking and movement ideas. Obvious choice for many, good basics. You're doing Kyan's lineage Ananku. Kyan created his Ananku based on three other kata - Seisan, Wansu and Passai. So, take three and skip Ananku and you'll have all that's in Ananku + much more. Personally, I only do Ananku in seminars now (and sometimes in warmup). It's a funny curiosity and nice "trailer" of Kyan's karate, but doesn't have anything personal to it that wouldn't be in other kata. However, it's short and easy. For Kenttiensankari, read this (sorry, in Finnish) and this (again in Finnish). They contain stuff that should be interesting for you. And if bunkai isn't taught to you straight with the kata, I'd recommend for searching an another club. It's rather disappointing to see people who can do the form of kata but have gaps in its bunkai.

Single one? Kusanku (Chatan Yara). It has all that is needed and more, when talking about bunkai. Other great one is Chinto (Kosaku Matsumora). Close fighting cornucopia. (Names included to indicate the versions I know and I'm talking about). If I'd have to choose which 3 kata I'd "keep" and study over and over, they would be Kusanku, Chinto and Passai. I almost picked Naifanchi Shodan, but Kusanku really includes it (bunkai-wise) as well.