aefibird

Don't forget that if you are a true Western Grandmaster, no one must ever have any photographic or video evidence of you actually doing any martial arts - then no one can prove how much you actually suck at MA. Uniforms in lots of colours with stripes and plenty of patches is also a good thing to have, as is a website with 'testimonials' from 'famous martial artists' proclaiming how great your style is and what a fantastic martial artist you are. You must also claim that you were a black belt by the age of 3.

If a McDojo sensei gives the best grades to the people with the most money then it certainly would benefit him... Generally McDojo-types tend to like best the students with the most ££££.

Well, if your sitructor feels that you are good enough to advance, then it isn't really cheating. However, make sure he's not just advancing you to your next belt just to get your money. Also, please remember, that you might be progressing quickly now, but when you get to brown & black belt level the length of time between promotions can be a year or more. Just keep on training hard and I'm sure your efforts will be rewarded. It isn't ll about belts - as long as you feel you are making progress and learning all the time then that is the main thing.

*cough* I disagree. Learning a kata is a lot more than just getting the moves in the correct order, which is basically all a video will teach you. Anyway, with the FSK, kyu grade kata are Kihon, Heian 1-5 and Tekki Shodan. Brown belts learn Bassai Dai, Jion, Empi, Kanku Dai and Hangetsu. Some also learn Tekki Nidan. The remainder of the 26 shotokan kata are the ones you learn afterwards from shodan onwards. In my club, students usually learn Kanku Sho, Sochin and Nijushiho after learning the ones listed.

Yes, learning from a young age can be easier because it is easier to pick up the actual physical moves. My concern is about the understanding. Most MA kids don't really understand - or have even developed the mental capacity to be able to understand - what the martial arts are all about. If it just comes down to the kids being able to do the moves and getting fit along the way then their parents might as well take them to a tae bo or aerobics class. They'd be getting the same physical benefits but without having to grapple with the mental aspects of martial arts training. I firmly believe that excercise is a must for children, but if they're only in martial arts for the excercise then they'd be better off not running round in a pair of white pyjamas each week but actually doing something else, rather than wasting the instructors time by taking up class time and space with kids whose parents think of MA as a fancy excercise or a way to have a reliable babysitting service each week.

I've got most of my stuff either off ebay (you can get some great bargains!) or bought direct from Faze or Blitz.

Hi Boxing Master. Welcome to KF!

Hi Bryan. Welcome to Karate Forums!

Hi Nish! Welcome to KarateForums. Hope you like it here!

That's what it was like at my school too (you guys don't go to Wath Comprehensive School do ya?? ). Believe me, though, what seems like major problems when you're at school are so minor and insignificant when you leave that it's untrue. Wait while you start worrying if you have enough money to pay this month's electicity bill... I know that school really can suck whilst you're there, especially if you get a gang of eejits that make your life a misery. However, most of the so-called 'hard' lads tend to be about as hard as a paper bag and never carry through their threats, especially if they see you can stand up to them. There's always a chance that they'd love to try and kick your head in, though, so the best people to speak to would be a trustworthy member of staff - there's gotta be at least one adult in school who you feel you can talk to about stuff without being brushed off. If not, tell your parents. I know that's a really hard thing to do sometimes, but it's better than some goons making your life a misery and threatening to beat up you or your mates.

Can we please leave politics alone and just respectfully remember those who have died? Remember, this is KarateForums - not political forums. Thankyou. My respects and sympathies to the family of Pat Tillman and others who died serving their countries.

I think that all Shotokan kata have elements and philosophies of Shotokan kata in them - that's why they are Shotokan kata IMO, because they reflect the aspects and traditions of our style. If they didn't incorporate the philosophies of Shotokan then there would be no need to have them as part of the Shotokan kata canon. That's probably why we're getting so many different answers - because all these kata reflect what shotokan is about (although, it is interesting to note that Hangetsu and Kanku Dai appear quite a bit). As an opposite question, which Shotokan kata do you think LEAST reflects the 'traditions and philosophies' of Shotokan. Basically, which do you think would be the least-missed kata if it was dropped from the Shotokan kata list? :?

Ramymensa, to say that English isn't the official language in Romania, you speak (well, type... ) it far better than I do and English is my first language, although you wouldn't think so to listen to my regional accent!! Yay, Yorkshire rulez.

Well, I think that anyone who uses fear and intimidation as a way to get students to train isn't really worth of the title Sensei. I don't fear my karate instructor but I have a LOT of respect for him. The only sort of 'fear' I get is if I ever have to spar freestyle with him, and that's more a fear of looking foolish when I get my * whupped (not that he ever gives any of us a real * whuppin', he's too kind and too good a teacher to do that! It's more to do with the fact that he's excellent at karate and could bust my butt in an instant if he chose to do so.) Do any of the other higher/dan grades get a fear of looking stupid? I sometimes get it a bit if I have to demonstrate a technique. I often put pressure on myself, because I'm a blackbelt and I feel that I shouldn't really be making mistakes. I know that the pressure to do well can increase as you move up the ranks, but I put a lot of it on myself, because I'm afraid of screwing up and doing something that an orange belt would be able to do... Sheesh, your own brain can really suck at times! *smacks side of own head* stop pressuring me to perfom, darnnit!

It all really depends 'what floats your boat'. There's no real "correct" style to train in, just whatever works best for you. I love Shotokan and I'd have to have to give it up, but I know there's people on this forum who wouldn't touch it with a bargepole (although, some of the doubters of Shotokan haven't actually tried it and are just basing their judgements on untrue stereotypes! ) All I'm saying is, though, that the 'stockiness' of one style works for some people but nor for others. Not that I'm getting at you Jiyn, 'cos I'm not (I just re-read what I put and it sounded like I was getting at you for what you wrote - believe me I'm not). I just thought I'd take the opportunity to point out that there's no 'right' or 'wrong' style. Erm, I'll shut up now!

Yeah, its a good way of helping you to keep your balance, especially when you're learning to kick. I used it to practice Ren-Geri (hope I've remembered the name correctly) for when I was about to take my Shodan. (ren-geri is where you do 3 or more kicks with one leg, without putting your foot to the floor after each kick. great for improving your balance!!)

hey, I've been to Jimmy Brennans club - his lessons are great and really though provoking.

Many karate tournaments are still almost protection free, with just a groin cup, mough guard and open hand mitts. A lot are heading the way of other MA styles and introducing shin protectors, head guards etc. As to your question, many styles of karate have the same base. Karate styles can be basically split into Japanese influence and Okinawan influence, although there is a large 'other' category that is springing up recently, which combines elements of other MA styles, but is still called karate. Most karate styles incorporate many of the same techniques, but it is the application and focus of each style that is slightly different. My styles, Shotokan, has very deep and low stances, where as something like Shito-Ryu has higher stances. Also, the focus of each style is different - this also depends on each individual instructor. Some styles place more emphasis on kumite and heavy sparring, whereas other styles concentrate more on kata and application.

Welcome to the forums Jamie!

I knew it was Barai, that was a typo on my part! My brain runs faster than my hands can cope with when I'm typing - they can't keep up so I often make mistakes and have to go back though and check what I've put so it 'desont rared like thisss'.

...but if you wanna have a good go at trying to tap into that full muscle power then you're gonna need to do some serious strength training as well as having a high protien diet.

Keep on training and practicing and I'm sure you'll be more confident with kumite. Try practicing with one higher grade regularly, someone who has plenty of experience. They will be able to help you and bring you on and should be able to start you off sparring slowly and help you to build up. Try to relax and visualise yourself being firm and only moving when you want to, not when you're forced to by your partner. Plenty of blocking drills will help your reflexes, so try and do that as much as possible. Good luck with your training!

Various prices for the books. The 'Best Karate' series are about a tenner, the dvd was 14 pounds. The best karate book bargain I've had so far is a copy of Aidan Trimble & Dave Hazard's 'Karate Kata Applications' book. I paid £3 for it (because I'm a member of Sensei Trimble's organisation and got a good discount!) and I've even got it signed, but then again I'm sad and tragic and need to get a life... If you're in the UK try Blitz for books. I think their website is BlitzSport.co.uk , but I could be wrong.

I've always taken Gedan Berai to be the hand technique and not the name for the stance also; I've never before heard it referred to as a stance. Regarding Gyaku Dachi, my instructor occasionally refers to that stance as Gyaku Dachi, but he generally just calls it ZenkutsuDachi. As for the importance of stances, well, Shotokan karate kas very deep stances. I think they're impotant for providing a good solid base and also as a leg training aid. if you're strong in a deep stance, then the strngth you've gained in that stance will help you to be strong and solid in a higher stance, such as what is generally used in freestyle sparring.

I bought most of my karate and aikido books from amazon.co.uk but I recently got a shotokan dvd from play.com