aefibird

italian_guy, congratulations on passing your gradings!

Well, the only reason that the head of the organisation is there for dan grade testings in my karate organisation is because he's there for every kyu grade testing as well. In the FSK we don't test under our own instructor - we have regional gradings with a panel of instructors from within the FSK. Its supposed to be fairer than a sensei just promoting people when he or she feels like it, although, if we did switch to the 'own sensei promotes students' approach in the FSk we probably wouldn't have anyone that does that anyway, because all the club instructors are good teachers and would only promote students on the basis of merit anyway. Cor, that was a bit long winded. I see your point,though, Shorinryu Sensei. It would be unfair on you and on your students if you had to get in Sensei Joe Bloggs 7th Dan, every time you wanted to promote a student. Instructors of your calibre and experience have the knowledge to be able to promote their own students without the need for an outsider to be checking up on what your doing. However, at least with having other instructors there it reduces any chance by less-than-worthy club instructors to promote their students simply because they've turned up regularly and on time (or whatever). Plus, some organisations really go in for having stylish get-togethers and having a big ceremonious occasion for dan grades suits some styles and organisations. I'm sure that in certain organisations the students would feel cheated if there wern't at least 4 or 5 sensei's present at their dan grading! lol

I got my pic off the internet - I did a search on google for 'bird avatars' and ended up with the rather fetching pic of a cockatiel that you can see <----------

I started helping out in karate classes when I was a 4th kyu (purple & white belt). Generally, in the FSK, class assistants are usually only brown or black belt, but it really depends on what each individual instructor wants and also on the maturity and teaching ability of potential assistant students. There's no point having a black belt help out with the kids class if they hate kids if a lower grade student could do the same job but much better.

That description's pretty similar to the way that I've been taught to do horse stance in Shotokan.

I'd recommend Karate-do Kyohan and Karate-do Nyumon. They're both very good Shotokan books. I also like the Best Karate series by Nakayama Sensei but, again, they're Shotokan books, not Goju.

That's an excellent attitude to have Ant. It will help you with your training. Good advice too about watching those with higher grades than you - a person can learn a lot just by watching someone else.

Congratulations Ant! Well done for passing your grade - keep at it and I'm sure you'll pass your next belt too.

Of course! And us English are so good at complaining that we've made it a national sport. It wouldn't be an England football match if we all didn't have a good old moan about the referee - it's an integral part of being a fan.

Yeah CoF are good and I dont mind the growling, but it takes some explaining when I give someone a lift in the car and I am playing CoF! I have to say 'Dusk and her embrace' is my fave song of all of theirs, although 'Shallow be thy grave' (cover of Hallowed be thy name by Maiden) is up there too Andy. lol, all my potential passengers have come to expect metal played in my car whenever they have a lift. A friend of mine has even started to recognise various bands now - she said "this is Zyklon, isn't it" when I gave her a lift back from karate the other night. She was right too, which is quite an achievement for someone whose musical knowledge stops at about Bon Jovi.

Congratulations TheDevilAside! I like your new multi-coloured belt...

Glad your demo went well Jade. Were there many people there watching? Maybe the gym owners feel karate demonstrations are 'boring' because there's generally not a lot of flashiness in karate - no bouncing off the walls doing super-duper-triple-spinning-mega-back-flip-reverse-kicks or whatever. Your demo probably managed to convey the spirit of what karate is about but without being repetetive. I think that in this short attention span world that we live in, often most people aren't taken with karate because it doesn't always look 'cool'.

Congratulations Kingwak!

lol, if England get Urs Mayer to referee any more matches then we'll certainly never get to the world cup finals again! Sorry to hear than Romania were robbed by his dodgy reffing skills too, Ramymensa. To answer your question properly, yes, England can still be in the World Cup. The two tournaments are run by different governing bodies, and don't affect one another.

Well, dan gradings are different for different organisations. The best person to ask would be your instructor. For my Shodan (1st Dan) I had to demonstrate all basics on the spot & moving up and down, as well as in long and horrendously tricky combinations. Then there was the kicking bit where you had to stand on one leg and kick maegeri, yokogeri kekome and ushirogeri without putting your foot to the floor between kicks. It's supposed to be there so the examiner can see your balance and co-ordination as well as how well you can kick, but I suspect that it's really only there to give the Chief Instructor a darn good laugh in the middle of the grading. I'm sure that I looked hilarious whilst attempting that bit - one girl managed to slip & fall over during that bit of the grading, which further confirms my theory that it's only there so Sensei can laugh at us all trying to stand on one leg for ages. Then when you've embarassed yourself with all the basics on one side of your body you have to do them all again on the otherside (with explanation for each technique, as required). After the basics we did sparring - jyu-ippon kumite and timed freestyle kumite, with a referee. One opponent for the jyu-ippon and 2 opponents for the freestyle kumite. My chief instructor can also ask dan grade candidates to show basic ippon kumite if he feels there's a need for it. Then comes kata -we did a free choice kata (from Jion, Empi, Hangetsu and Kanku-Dai), plus you have to perform Bassai-Dai and a Heian kata of the examiners choice. Plus give explanation of any aspect of any kata you've learned so far if the examiner is feeling really mean and wants to torture you further.... Also, before even taking the grading exam you have to write to the federations Chief Instructor and formally apply to take a dan grade. In your application form you have to include reasons why you want to grade and also what karate has done to benefit your life. Good luck with your grading for September. I'd really try & find out what you've got to do for your grading if I were you. It's better to be prepared ages in advance than to only find out stuff at the last minute.

Have a look on the Health, Training and Fiction section of these forums (click here to go to it). There's lots of advice there on stretching and flexibility and excercises to help. Good luck with it!

I don't think that they have a website - it doesn't mention it anywhere in the magazine, but there's an email address= trad.magazine@btclick.com The mag is published by Martial Arts Publications, Birmingham - they also make Combat magazine in the UK. Grrr, before I got it on subscription I used to buy the mag from W H Smith. You could maybe try there. Speaking of quality martial arts magazines, you will soon be able to get Fighting Arts International on PDF. Click here or here for details.

It seems that hardly a week goes by when I've not accumulated yet another niggly little injury. However, that's just me. I'm just a klutz.

Erm, I'd say I was completely average on all of them, but probably stamina/endurance is the thing I'm the best at out of that list. Hey, I'm working on all of them (expecially flexibility - I'm as naturally flexible as a brick ).

Hi Kingwak. Welcome to the forums!

Hi Radien, welcome to Karate Forums!

Hi! Welcome to the forums.

Hi Zen_Diva, welcome to Karate Forums!

Yeah Cradle Of Filth are good too. They were amazing at Donnington Ozzfest in 2001. I read recently (in Metal Hammer) that each of Dani Filths stage costumes cost over £200! Has anyone heard anything by Slash's new band Velvet Revolver? They're not bad, but I prefer classic Guns n Roses.

*cries* I can't believe England lost. (cue chants of "we wuz robbed") It all went downhill from Rooney's injury.