aefibird

Do you prefer a gi/uniform with an elasticated or tied waist-band?

As long as you're not tripping over your gi, then it doesn't matter too much what length you have the bottoms. It's a good idea to get a gi slightly larger than you need IMO, to account for shrinkage when washing. Gi's need to be washed on a cold wash or they will shrink like crazy (I found this out to my cost when I started karate...), but even if you wash them in cold water they sometimes do tend to shrink a bit anyway.

Just out of interest, why do you want to know?? I'm not really sure about that. I suppose you need to cause internal injuries, so hitting them in the stomach might injure without leaving a mark.

CONGRATULATIONS! When's the wedding?

"Know yourself first and then others."(Funakoshi) Here's one from my sensei: "You should have blocked..." "If at first you don't suceed, skydiving is not for you!" "Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side and it holds the universe together." "In me there dwells/No greatness, save it be some far-off touch/Of greatness to know well I am not great" (Alfred, Lord Tennyson from Lancelot & Elaine) "There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern." (Samuel Johnson) "Everyone can master a grief but he that has it." (Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing) "Do or not do. There is no try." (Yoda, Star Wars)

If someone is a Christian and they believe in God, then surely, if ki exsists (I believe it does), it is from God? Therefore anything created by God can't be a bad thing, as it is written in the Bible (I think it says it in the Bible but I'm not sure) that all good things come from God. Just my £0.02...

Whatever style you choose (I'd recommend Wushu, Karate or TKD), I'd have a word with your instructor before you start training. He shouls understand that you need to protect your hands and should help you to do that; after all he's there to teach you martial arts and lots of injured students don't make for a particularly happy club. Just bear in mind that there is a big risk of injury with any martial art. For added finger protection, you could try wrapping each finger individually with padded strapping tape (available from Boots, in the UK!) or make sure you always wear hand wraps & mitts when sparring. As a beginner your club should take it pretty easy with you anyway. Good luck with your training, let us know how it goes!

That's a great idea and something that would really help students to see their progress. Cool idea Shorinryu Sensei!

Perhaps you should ask the black belt why she doesn't want you to drink water during the lesson? Show a little respect for what she thinks and she'll probably respect you too. At the moment you just sound like a spoilt brat who got a butt-kicking and can't handle it. Prove that you're not and try and handle the situation with a bit of dignity.

Nope, they speak computerese. It really annoys me, what about other people?

The cheaper adidas gi's aren't very good; I think people only buy them because they say adidias on them. The more expensive ones are alright (a couple of people at my dojo have them), but what's the point in paying £60 or £70 or even more for an 'alright' gi, when you could (IMO) get a better quality one for the same money or less? The difference between European and Japanese is that they're cut to accommodate different body shape/size. As Japanese people tend to be shorter and slimmer then this is accounted for in the cut of the gi. I have a Japanese cut gi and the sleeves on the jacket and the legs on the trousers are 3/4 length, rather than full length as with European cut gi's.

We have mirrors up on one wall in my dojo, so you can watch yourself while training. I hate it, though, but that's because I hate looking at myself in the mirror anyway! I've been videoed a couple of times during a competition and I have to agree that watching yourself on video really does help you to see what you need to work on. We also pair up regualrly in my dojo and watch each other's kata and point out good things and things that need to be worked on. Sometimes a person may think they're doing a technique OK even though they're not but when someone points it out to them then they can (hopefully!) make it better.

Good luck with the kumite! Hope your knee gets better soon, too. Just out of interest, what association are you with? In the FSK (my organisation) if we fail or don't do very well on a section during a grading we have to repeat the whole test again, not just that part.

Daito Ryu Aiki Ju Jitsu was the main style Morihei Ueshiba (O'Sensei) used to develop aikido, which he originally called Ueshiba Aiki-Budo. Aikido was founded in the early 20th century by O'Sensei, based upon the budo he'd learned from Sokaku Takeda and the spiritual teachings from Onisaburo Deguchi.

I've always been taught that the term shizentai meant ready stance, like gheinisch wrote.

Great article, there's a lot in there to think about. On the point about 'learning to tie a belt', my dojo had this kid (aged about 10 or 11) come & join us a few months ago. When we get new starters either myself or my sensei will go into the changing rooms with them when they first arrive to make sure they can put their gi on & tie their belt (this isn't just for the kids, we occasionally get adults who can't fasten their gi at first too!!). This new girl had had a few lessons at another dojo before, so I didn't show her how to tie her belt, I just asked her if she knew how to. She gave me a look that could have killed and said "of course I can, I'm not thick". So, I left her to it and went into the dojo, telling the kid to come in when she'd got ready. 5 minutes comes and goes and there's still no sign of the girl. I go back to the changing rooms to find her still trying to put the belt on. She saw me and grinned very sheepishly...

How much does it cost you to test for your next belt? In my association it is £15 for kyu gradings (about US$27) and it is £50 for 1st Dan (about US$90). It's slightly higher for gradings above shodan, but not much more.

It all sounds very complicated...

Out of reverse and roundhouse, I prefer reverse punch.

In my Shotokan dojo, we usually have a formal bow at the start and end of class. However, we occasionally have an 'informal' bow if there aren't many of us (eg 3 or 4). We only sit in seiza for a couple of minutes a lesson, so it is hardly any time at all. In the aikido club I go to it is very traditional and there is a lot of sitting in seiza. However, I've only had one lesson so far (second one tomorrow night!!), so they may have 'informal' sessions that I don't yet know about.

So... why did you take up karate, Ripper?? Just curious.

Well, I had my first aikido lesson today... and I loved it! It was wierd being an absolute beginner again and quite strange wearing a white belt again too. lol. We did a lot of techniques, most of which I will have probably forgotten by tomorrow and as for practicing forward rolls...OUCH! I was never very good at them when I did them at school, which is about 8 years ago now, and I haven't done any since. Still, I'm sure my pathetic attempts kept the other aikidoka amused.

OK, so what do you think are the right reasons for taking up karate?

Ripper, I think you've just about covered every reason why people get into martial arts in the first place... Most people start because they want to get fit and/or learn a bit of self-defence. What's wrong with that?

(a belated) Happy New Year to all! One resolution from last year that came true was getting my black belt. I can't remember my others, so they obviously lasted a long time... Heh heh. This year I wanna try and train even harder. I also want to take up a new MA, as well as shotokan (aikido here I come...). I also want to work harder at university, but I say that fairly regularly anyway and something (usually karate) always gets in the way of my good eduactional intentions.