aefibird

I have a 7.5oz gi for karate - it is very light, even though it isn't see-through. It's a bit too light for heavy karate work, though, so I wouldn't say that they stand up well for your Jiu-Jitsu class. I have a Ju-Jitsu gi that a friend gave me. I wear it occasionally for karate and aikido - the trousers don't look that different from regular karate gi trousers, apart from being thicker around the knees. My karate sensei doesn't mind me wearing the ju-jitsu gi for karate training, as it's white and looks prety much like a karate gi, except its thicker & padded. Maybe you should ask around at your club, see what brand of gi's that people there recommend. I can give you web addresses of stores in the UK - but that's no good for someone in the US!!

Congratulations on getting promoted to 2nd kyu! If you train regularly (as you do) then it will usually take less time to get to brown and black belt, as you're practicing tecniques more and you don't tend to have to go back over old ground as often as someone who only trains once or twice a week. Yesterday, my instructor was saying after class that, really, he ought to charge more to those who train less often as he has to spend proportionally more time on those people, because he has to remind them of what they've forgotten since last week, whereas someone who trains 4 or 5 or more times a week generally remembers what was said to them last session. He's not going to charge more to people who train less often, but I can see his point - he's wasting time telling people things that he told them last week, whereas if they'd trained more they'd probably have remembered them. As I train every session I asked my instructor that would his new plan mean that he would be paying me to train?? Strangely, he was quiet about that!

Thanks, that would be great if you could! I'm always intereseted in learning about other styles, even if I've never got to see them in action.

Beka, I like your interpretation a lot better!! Hmm, maybe I've just got a sick mind!

Wow, krunchyfrogg, congratulations on advancing 2 belts! I hope your shiai goes well. We just call our promotion days 'kyu grade day' and 'dan grade day' - hmm, guess what happens on each day?? We're obviously a bit unimaginative in the FSK...

Hi Kate! Welcome to Karate Forums. Hope you enjoy it here!

Good luck aes!

Quest, are you sure there's nothing near to you apart from Judo? Maybe do another search - try and find another dojo, even if it is in another striking style. I'd be really reluctant to sign up for video instructon, unless you can find someone who you know (and who you know to be GOOD) to do a course for you. I'd be more inclined to try and carry on training on my own or with whatever club/course you're with now. Even if your kempo is more important to you, it may still be worth your while training in the Judo club for a little while - at least then you are getting regular instruction, even if it is in a different style. As for the black belt - if you primarily want it for the sake of possible students then I shouldn't let it bother you. Your current experience should help them to decide if you're a good teacher, not just some piece of black cotton or silk. If all they're bothered about is if you're a black belt or not, then it may not be worth your while teaching them anyway.

Before I started martial arts I was heavily into horseriding. I know that some people may say its not much of an athletic sport - you just 'sit there' and let the horse do the work, but it's not like that at all. You need a good level of fitness to be able to ride every day, especially for fast work and endurace riding. It also helps develop flexibility, espseically if you ride a large horse, like I do. Getting onto a 17hand high horse from the ground when you're only 5'2" as I am is no mean feat! I still ride as often as I can (although university has got in the way now ) and can see that it has helped me develop good leg muscles for MA. When I was at school I was also a hockey player (grass hockey) and trained 2-3 times a week, as well as playing regular matches. I haven't played hockey since I left school at 18, over 6 years ago, but I can see how some of the skills involved in it have been useful for martial arts. Such as the skill of beating up your opponents... *cough* I was a very violent player... I'm also into hill walking and directly before I started karate I'd been in hard training to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. I joined my karate club a few weeks after getting back from Kilimanjaro, so my fitness level from that was still high, so I was fairly fit when I started karate. I have asthma and I find that it seems to take me longer than other people to get to the same level of fitness by doing the same training. Does anyone else here have asthma and find that?

Thanks for your reply, Beka. What styles does Cuong Nhu take its kata from? Do you have any of your own, that are only in Cuong Nhu? That sounds like a fun idea, doing a kata in cat stance instead of another stance - I'll have to try that sometime. Occasionally, things like that can really help you to understand how a kata fits together and helps you to get to grips with it I think.

Gah, stop making me jealous!! I was going to go to that course, but I've been unable to do so. Glad you're enjoying it, though - hope tomorrows session is as good. BTW, what was wrong with your Yoko Geri??

From what you've written about that club I get a bad feeling about it. Firstly, the 'free gift' - it seems like a gimmick to get people in. Plus, it'll not be 'free' - the cost of it will be reflected in the amount you pay for training. Secondly, whats with the paying in 8 week blocks? I'd prefer to pay monthly if I could. Thirdly, your statement about them incorporating other MA aspects so that the students don't get bored. I agree wholeheartedly with Delta1's post - martial arts are not an entertainment centre. Students are there to learn and be taught a martial art, not just be given something to do to get them out of the house and away from the TV for a couple of hours. Having said that... it may be totally different. I'd suggest the best thing to do is go along and try a lesson or two. Who knows? You might love the additional things that they train in. If not, don't give up hope. I'm sure you'll find a good club to train at, even if you have to switch to another style. Remember, the quality of the instructor is more important than the style!

Huh, join the club. I dislike the jumps in kata, but that's only because I can't always get it like I want to. Plus, if I'm having one of my "aargh, nothing's going right today!" sort of days, then the jump in Heian Godan is bad enough, let alone Empi or Kanku Sho. I chose to do Empi as my free-choice kata for my Shodan exam. When I said to my instructor that it was the one I wanted to do he gave me a look like I'd said I wanted to move to Vanuatu and live in a tree. I'd always complained about the jumps in kata (still do, actually!) but I chose to do one with a very difficult jump/turn in it. Boy, did he make me pay for that. The week leading up to my Shodan, I think I spent more time spinning round in the air practicing that jump than I did with my feet on the ground!

Congratulations on finding a club and starting karate! I hope you enjoy it. As for practice, work on basics (blocks, punches, kicks, stances) at home and kata too, if you have room. A good level of fitness will help you in your karate training, so you could use a few weights at home or even just do simple stretches, sit ups and push ups. Try these websites for good quality MA stuff in the UK. Playwell Meijin UK Blitz Sports Cracked Finger Karate Kid Paragon Martial Arts Red Lizard (these don't actually sell martial arts training equipment, but they do a cool range of martial arts jewellery and t-shirts.)

Good luck with the competition! Will you be up against all kyu grades, or is it split into belt divisions? Just try your best and remember what your instructor has taught you. Basic techniques can win sparring competitions, so don't try and complicate it with lots of fancy kicks etc - just stick to what you know well. Remember, everyone has been a beginner and a lower grade - we all have to start somewhere, so even if you do get defeated by a higher grade there's no shame in it as long as you try hard and do your best. Higher grades often have more competition experience, but they can also become nervous, even the greatest competitior can suffer with nerves. So remember that they'll probably be feeling the same way as you, so you could try and exploit that weakness to your advantage when sparring. As for the kata, stick to one you know really really well and just go for it! Don't forget to let us know how you get on!

I think that with experience and correct training women can sucessfully fight and beat men. Maybe Lucia Riker lost because there was so much pressure and expectation on her to win. Men and women tend to have different fighting styles, so I suppose if you are only used to fighting with women (or vice versa) and you suddenly get to fight a guy then it could come as a bit of a shock because of a man's style of fighting. Yes, of course, men are different physically to women. Men have their own physical plus points, same as women have their physical plus points. You have to take these into consideration when fighting, just the same as you account for age, experienc etc etc when fighting anyone. With regard to female fighters finding male opponents, I agree with Fenris-wolf = good luck to them! I think that male martial artists have a difficult job in trying to find a balance between pasting a woman into the ground simply because she was a 'weaker' opponent and the opposite, which is to hold back because of the traditional view - their mum told them it was wrong to hit girls and they can't get over that mindset now. That isn't to say that women can't beat men in a fight, because I believe they can, it's just that men who want to take on women are often masochistic bullies who see a woman as an easy fight and a push over - they feel they have to 'prove' by defeating women that women shouldn't be in martial arts. In this day and age it is a sad attitude to come across, but unfortunately in my MA journey I have encountered it more than once.

Beka, how important is kata/forms in Cuong Nhu? From how you've described it in earlier posts it sounds like a great system - I only wish there was a school near me so I could check it out.

MA clubs are really popular in my region too, but unfortunately it is mostly wall-to-wall McDojo's. Martial arts are popular, but generally the public want results NOW and think that they're gonna be able to be like Bruce Lee within 3 weeks. That's probably why a lot of people try karate and martial arts & drop out after a while - they haven't been given their black belt within a month so they're not gonna stick at it. I believe that's why McDojo's are on the rise - they cater to the "I want it now" culture that is prevalent within Western society. Plus, McDojo's breen McDojo's - someone gets a blackbelt with a McDojo and then believed that they can now competently teach, so they set up their own club. I've been looking around for MA clubs in my area to train with since my Aikido dojo sadly ended. I went to visit a Shukokai dojo a week or so ago and one of the first things the instructor told me was how short a time I could 'earn' my black belt in. Unfortunately, that is a bit of an indication of the state of modern karate and it sadly means that the great clubs are being swamped out by the 'get your grades for simply turning up' type schools.

My least favourite is probably Heian Godan, because no matter how much effort I put into it I could never seem to get it right when I was first learning it. Another kata I'm finding hard is Unsu, although I think most people find Unsu difficult, especially at first. I don't really have any kata that I dislike, though, I think they're all worthwhile and can teach karateka something - it's just whether people are willing to listen and learn.

What's the best or worst gig/concert/show you've ever been to and why? Best for me = recent UK Iron Maiden show, although the Green Day outdoor gig in Manchester was a belter. Worst = Pennywise a couple of years ago. The actual band played great, but the crowd security guys were real idiots, I ended up breaking a finger, my money got stolen and one of the friends I went with got caught up in the middle of a fight and ended up needing stitches to a gash in her eyebrow. Not the greatest of nights.

Well, on this most recent tour they did a lot of stuff from the newest album, although the old faves did get an airing (eg The Trooper, Number of the Beast, Fear of the Dark etc etc). I wasn't a big fan of their new album when I first heard it, but I've played it a lot recently and it's really grown on me. Their live version of Passchendaele (sp?) is ace, ditto for the live version of the song Dance of Death. Any UK guy/gals going to any of the festivals over here this summer?? I'm off to the Carling Leeds weekend do, but only for one day. I'm also going to Download, which promises to be most excellent.

*coughs modestly* well, we try our best...

Hah, well if travelling is a problem/pain to 'us Northerners', then we'll just have to have 2 meet up days - one in london and one 'oop north' (preferably in the Peoples Republic of Yorkshire *grin* ). That gives us TWO chances to drink lots of beer with martial arty people - what more reason do ya need??

Hi KG, welcome to Karate Forums!

Hi Wilt! Welcome to KF. Hope you manage to find a Kung Fu club near you.