aefibird

As a related question about kempo/kenpo, do practicioners usually train in forms/kata?

WW, what are the differences between San Soo and San Shou? Thanks.

Hi Dan, welcome to Karate Forums!

lol, yeah, they're another of my pet hates as well. 4x4's (I think they're the same as what's known as a SUV in the USA) are a menace in the UK. Sure, they're fine for off-roading or pulling a horsetrailer or whatever, but most the people who own them are mums who just use them to take their kids shopping and to school. If you're gonna buy a 4x4 at least do something other than drive round town in it!! I read in a newspaper the other day that 4x4 drivers are the most dangerous on the roads, as most of the people who drive them are inexperienced and unable to cope with the demands of such a powerful vehicle. That's before we start talking about what gas guzzling polluters the vehicles are...

Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage! When does it take place?

Well, there's nothing wrong with wanting to look nice, as long as it isn't getting in the way of your karate training. Just remember, though, that you are at the dojo to train in karate - everything else is secondary. I'd agree with the other posters about removing all of your make-up before training. Keep a packet of those facial cleansing wipes in your bag - a quick wipe of your face will only take a few seconds and it will stop your make-up from becoming an issue. Yes, dedication is a good thing, especially in the martial arts. Trying to make major changes to yourself and your personality in order to 'fit in' with certain values may not be a good thing, but there are areas in which you should be flexible, especially as a new student in an unfamiliar environment among people that you don't know.

I'd agree. There's a lot more kickboxing, boxing and Muay Thai gyms about.

Congratulations on your KF blackbelt Warlock. From whitebelt in February to blackbelt in August - is it a McDojo blackbelt??

If you have ANY doubts about whether to wear head gear or not then wear it. Personally, I don't wear head protection, but other adults at my dojo often do. It isn't an issue - we have to make our own choice about what level of sparring protection gear we all wear (although groin cups and gumshields are required). The best thing for you to do, if you're not sure, would be to go and have a chat with your Sensei and see what they think about it.

Me too. I also agree with shotochem's advice. Try and find someone in your club who is friendly, approachable and willing to work with you. Start off slow, with simple combinations and work up from there. If your regular partner keeps on overwhelming you every time you spar, then maybe you should have a word to your instructor about it. Your sparring partner may not even realise that you aren't very confident with fighting yet. If you tell your instructor about the situation he/she will probably be able to help you. Also, keep practicng set combinations at home. Train in these until you can do them 'in your sleep'. If you have certain combos that you can do without thinking then this will help you as you start to learn to fight. Practice moving about too. If you're a frightened stationary target it will be much easier for your opponent to land a flurry of blows on you. Im not saying that you should leap about the room when you're fighing, however staying in one spot isn't always a good plan either. Good luck with your training. Starting off learning to spar isn't always easy and can even be quite frightening, especially if you start with a big powerful opponent. However, keep going and I'm sure that you'll pick it up soon and even start to enjoy it!

No, they probably haven't been 'edited' with jujitsu bunkai - many karate kata have jujitsu elements in them. There are some cross-overs between JJJ, Karate, Judo and Aikido, although, each style has its own emphasis. Sky, the best thing to do would probably be to try a few lessons in each style and see which one you prefer. If everyone on here says that (for example) JuJitsu is the 'best' style, but you try it and hate it then our advice on which is the 'best' will have been no good to you. Anyway, as WW has already pointed out, it's isn't the style so much as the teacher.

Generally, the more you work at forms/kata and the longer you practice each one, the better you will do in competition. Many styles have forms/kata/hyungs as part of their training. TaeKwonDo, TangSooDo, Karate and many styles of Kung Fu incorporate forms into their training. There can be competitions solely for that martial art, or it can be an 'open' competition, where the categories are often split into 'traditional' and 'freestyle' forms. Traditional forms are the traditional forms practiced within a long-established style (such as karate kata). They can be performed either empty-handed or with weapons. Freestyle forms are ones which are usually created specifically for competition purposes. They can be empty-hand or weapons forms, either set to music or not. Many 'freestyle' forms incorporate tricks and fancy kicking techniques, although not all of them do.

Welcome yosis! Good to have you on Karate Forums.

Well, talking into a mobile phone and driving are illegal in the UK (unless it is a coversation via a hands-free kit), but it seems like almost every day I see some idiot with one hand on the wheel and the other clamped onto their mobile phone, not paying attention to the traffic. grrrr!! I hate it!

*sigh* I wish I had your problem. It seems like I only have to look at a cookie or a piece of cake and I put on about 5 pounds. Spare a thought for those of us with slow metabolisms!

Sorry to hear that you have had to give up Muay Thai and BJJ. Battousai's point is a good one - at least your parents are still allowing you to train. Plus, when you are older you may be able to resume your MT and BJJ training. You are still young, so it isn't the end of the world (even though it may feel like it). If you start Tang Soo Do (or whatever art you start) with an open mind I'm sure that you will enjoy it. Just remember that your new art will be different to MT and BJJ. However 'different' doesn't necessarily mean 'bad'. If you start your TSD training with a positive attitude that you're going to suceed and do your best then I'm sure that the change in direction won't be too hard for you to take. Good luck.

Nothing wrong with being cheeky! In the right situation it can be an asset.

There are a couple of versions of the 'blue screen' kata videos. One set is done speed/power, as the kata should be performed, the other set is slower to show technique.

It does depend upon the club and the instructor, though.... There are good and bad instructors in every style.

Yay! Another Bryson fan! You're so lucky to be doing the route that he did. Are you specifically following the route in the book, or are you just travelling that area generally?

Nah, not spiteful, just truthful! lol I hate it when people use mobile phones in a public place and seem to spend the entire conversation shouting down the phone. Actually, I just hate mobile phones... The last long-distance train journey I went on I specifically booked a seat in the Quiet Coach (no cell phones, Walkmans, laptops etc etc allowed), as I didn't want to have to spend the journey with a coach full of people talking on their mobile phones. However, I still got some eejit sitting next to me who insisted on jabbering loudly into his phone for most of the journey. In the end I 'snapped' and had some harsh words with him about it. He must have realised that he was dealing with a very very angry martial artist, as he meekly put the phone away and sat quietly for the rest of the journey! One of the other passengers bought me a coffee as a 'thankyou' for being brave enough to ask the person to desist. Actually, that's another thing that annoyed me - that train coach was specifically for people who wanted to travel without being annoyed by other people's mobile phones, yet this man was deliebrately using his, even though there were plenty of signs about asking passengers not to. The train staff saw that he was breaking the rules of that coach, yet none of them were willing to go and ask him to stop.

Good luck with your MMA training! Don't give up! Who knows, you may be a big winner one day.

There are also sport karate elements in the way that some schools teach forms/kata. A lot of sport karate is competition orientated, and Sport Karate schools will be competition based, either for sparring or forms or both.

It was on Live after Death. Yeah, I'd hate to have been the person responsible for shifting all the equipment from place to place!!