hajime

hopefully your classes include ladies. Mine did and that added to the fun. Nothing like watching a young women with long hair get all sweaty for a distraction - especially when they are trying to kick you in the groin

also watch out for 'god like' instructors without humour. My instructors were skilled, fit, fun, patient etc. Very nice men to know. they weren't bullying, shouting know it alls and always said running away was better than fighting even though I'm sure they could have killed anyone with ease

I agree with a Drunken Monkey I must be mad matrix 1 was brilliant 2 one hmmm got silly. some great stunts yes but I didn't believe in the story anymore.

the basics are: 1) tuck under arm, strike out to straight ontop of head of opponent spin under and out to return weapon to under same arm under control (don't want to hit self on head!) 2) strike out in movement from outside to in aiming for side of person's head and gather nunchuka back in same way as 1) 3) as tommarker said figure of eight. for wrist strengthening. If you can't find anywhere to see this I could maybe upload a clip of me doing it. the download would be big though and I'll quite out of practise. let me know

come on answer me otherwise I will have to find someone to practise on

dry the floor first. sure a martial artist should have good balance but fighting on a wet slipperly floor sounds stupid! unless of course he's up close to you then there's so many nasty things you can do to the :eyes, nose, mouth, throat, groin, shin, foot etc without beginning on the locks and throws

if you want to strike then Karate or Ju Jitsu. but don't think you will be able to fight 2/3 people for a long time! they will get you fit, teach you to fight and defend yourself. remember also that while you might think you want to fight people the stronger and tougher you get through training the more pathetic it feels to fight an untrained fool who you would probably seriously injure

Hi there 10x to repeat the same Kata? sounds like a lot! white - red - yellow was my style. demonstration of two katas, a few basic kicks and strikes, a few self defence movements and then basic fitness at end. simple stuff true but still didn't stop my nerves and the easy build up to the higher grades was an excellent way to encourage achievement and committment GL!

one example: 1) Where the attack happened (e.g. club, street, pub, alleyway, ...) on street in town I lived 2) Time of day (day/evening/night/early hours) afternoon 3) Number of attackers 1 4) What the attackers were armed with (if anything) stupid aggression! 5) Were there other people around (noone, a few, crowds) no one 6) What was the first sign you noticed that there was going to be trouble when he walked over all hostile swearing at me. the fight never happened. I thought 'well pal if you want me to kick you in that will take about 3 secs. So instead I pulled the nun chukas I was carrying, swung them round in various moves and told him 'if you really want to fight me then just go ahead'. he ran pulling the nunchuakas was not to hurt him. But to end the fight without having to. I was carrying them back from a training session

being beaten up and intimidated by various guys when I was young. I was a wimp who didn't know how to fight or take a hit. Watched films where I saw fights and martial artists were the best to watch ever. found a karate club and watched in awe the moves/ kata/ sparring sessions. Joined up and though it took me a few years to get not even to my black belt I grew in confidence from 0 to 90%. there must be something about the way I walk now since no one ever picks a fight with me. I thank my instructors and desire to improve myself.

I've read this late I know but a true quality post as well as a powerful story

you have to punch while the sensi shouts ich, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, ku, ju, and every 10th one you shout 'Kia!' at least we did.

Yes welcome and excellent. Someone that knows how to use a search engine. You will never be lonely google still finds nothing on 'Jorukai ' though... admit it you made it up

I feel fortunate that apart from the odd strange person who always left after a few sessions I only met nice sane people when I trained. If there were any 'tough guys' who wanted to go into killing mode when sparring then one of the instructors would fight them. They would weave, block, dodge, never hurt their opponent and make them look silly. phew!

fireka why not just go to another dojo? there are the uptight and rude in all walks of life. I know in Japan there was only white black and Dan grades but I liked going from white, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple and white, brown, etc it's nothing to dislike imo

fighting on the blind side is inherent in many counter stikes in Wado-Ryu and all Karate think about it - someone for example moves forward with their left arm to strike. You slide to your right aiming to hit them on their blind side with either a punch or kick. Like all fighting have to vary and not do the same move each time. Practise and it will get easier/ feel more natural

LOTT The Tower Towers was excellent. I want to live there and kill orcs! Can I get a visa to Middle Earth? I can believe in magic and orcs and stuff but the Matrix part 2 & 3. come on that's just silly!

Hello! Martial arts will never die!

heh aefibird since humans have eyes seeing impressive/beautiful things is a pleasure. Part of breaking wood is to 'show off' in this sense. I agree it looks cool. Destroying objects is fun! so long as they aren't mine and I don't have to pay to fix them

I gave up on Karate soon after that hospital visit officially. Two years after I was having a sort out and looked at my Gi and thought 'arggggghhhhhh' and felt angry. I put it on, stretched, warmed up and did every move I knew again and again and every kata, went in hard against the bag in the garage. I'll never be as fit /agile/ quick as I once was but I love martial arts films/ Karate is a brilliant defensive system. I'll never forget how much it meant to me. More an academic interest now than practical I'm sorry to say. even when I'm 65 I'll still pack a mean reverse thrust punch, front, side, roundhouse and back kick. I'll skip the jumping spinning hook kick though

do you understand the concept of the blind side? If so then you can work out which side of the opponent is the blind side and aim for it each time. movement/ changing position is vital in sparring. Move and hit them on the blind side. This is done in so many fights I've seen. It's often how the 'knockout' blow is delivered. watching fights is a good idea if you are unclear on what it's all about, it's like dancing (only with violence!)

battousai16 I understand. Heck I live in a country with every government there's been a loathe. I used to cringe when travelling in Europe and being liked/disliked because I am from England. I can't help being born in this country anymore than anyone be responsible for their own one. I've met loads of people from other countries, I've liked most of them and will marry a 'foreigner' for many reasons not least cos english in a foreign accent is so nice to hear

I knew what this was just never heard it called a 'chain punch' before. Like when I said to a Japanese lady at University 'do you practise Karate?' (oh dear it sounds a cheap q now. I was younger!) it took about 5 ways of saying the word before she understood what I meant

Hi gheinisch Royce Gracie vs Kazushi Sakuraba is a good match to watch. I feel kinda sorry for Gracie in that anyone who challenges him at that stage knows exactly what he was going to try. I liked Bas Rutten's power/speed as well as his politeness and concern for his opponent when they were injured. No rudeness/ arrogance from him.

I understand the point but say this: they can dance around, charge, throw all the wild swings they want. One good reverse punch to their nose/ kick to the groin and they will stop unless the are drunk/on drugs! just as a skilled boxer can hit more powerfully than someone untrained so can a well practised martial artist