aefibird

Same here. I like competitions but it's not a major focus of my karate. I train in karate for many reasons and competition is near the bottom of the list. When I do compete (which I do now and again because it's fun) I perform my kata as I do in the dojo and as I do when I practice everyday. If it isn't seen as a good "competition" kata then tuff. It's a good kata for me and I know how to make it work. Just because my kata may not look flash doesn't mean it has no value. There's plenty of people who train in karate for competitions who place style over substance, which is great if that's all they want out of karate. Sadly there's too many people who think that style=substance and that the flashy kata they can do will also be able to be used realistically in SD. Grr! As for the original question, I've never heard of NWK but it is more than likely a "freestyle" style of karate and one that is primarily geared towards tournaments.

Shotokan gets bashed far more than other syles (except maybe GoKanRyu..). A lot of non-Shotokan practitioners (apart from all the people on here of course! ) look down on Shotokan because it is seen as "watered down" or "for kids" or just simply because it is not Okinawan (even though the founder was Okinawan...) As for the main differences, Shotokan uses longer and lower stances than most other karate styles, to train the legs and encourage correct positioning. Shotokan usually doesn not have weapons training, although many schools are now starting to add weapons as part of their curriculum. Aside from teaching different kata to some other styles and aside from having longer/lower stances there isn't much difference between a good shotokan club and a good club from another karate style; it's all Karate, despite what those people who diss Shotokan might think... I do karate and TKD and it is easy to move between the two. Kata/Patterns are usually different - Shotokan generally starts students off with the Heian kata and TKD schools often use PalGue or Taeguek forms for beginners. There is less emphasis on kicking in TKD and hardly any use of jumping/spinning kicks, although they are to be found in advanced kata. Anyway, if you're in WTF TKD then switching to Shotokan will make you feel right at home - WTF TKD gets "bashed" as much as Shotokan does!! Yes, many! However, there are a lot of poor-quality Shotokan schools out there; it is the most popular of karate styles and therefore has the most "bandwagon jumpers" who try to teach the art without any real clue of what it is like. GOOD shotokan should include basics, kata, kumite (sparring) of many types, bunkai and oyo (applications of kata). Within those, they shouldn't just be restricted to basic techniques such as reverse punch or roundhouse kick. there's plenty of grappling and groundwork techniques in Shotokan and a good school will teach them. They include chokes, locks, throws, sweeps, armbars, pins etc etc. Good luck with your training and finding a good school!

At karate the main instructor is "Sensei" and other people who teach classes (which 99.9999999% of the time is me) are "Sempai". Outside of class, we call each other by our first names. At TKD we call our instructor "Mark" (cos that is his name ), except on rare occasions when he is "Sir" or "Sa Bom Nim". Wing Chun is either "Sifu" or "Mr Akhtar", but outside of class we call him by his first name.

Using books and DVDs can be helpful to you, but so can making notes and keeping a journal. Maybe you could try taking a notebook with you and jot down after class things you want to work on at home. Maybe you could ask Sensei/Sempai to give you a "goal" each week to practice at home (eg. a specific kick to work on, or practice the beginning of a kata or whatever). As for "instruction" then if you don't understand something or if you want to get better then you really need to speak to your Sensei. Although a Sensei has a duty to make sure that all students are learning and progressing, they're not mind readers and if you are stuck with something or need help then you have to ask. If you don't want to feel like you're constantly asking questions of Sensei all the time then ask some of your fellow students. Even someone who is the same grade or only one grade higher than you can help you and point you in the right direction. I always tell the kids in my classes that we can all help one another - even a white belt can help another whitebelt with something and we can all learn from one another too.

I've had a gazillion injuries, partly because I'm clumsy and partly because we tend to train at full contact in my dojo. The most painful injury I had was breaking my big toe in a competition - I went in chudan mawashigeri (stomach roundhouse) and my opponent blocked...but with her elbow, snapping my toe in two. It was excruciating and I could hardly walk for weeks after that. I've also had millions of bruises, split lips several times, broken ribs, a busted eyelid that required stiches (from being demonstrated on by a visiting Sensei), broken fingers, broken both little toes (including once where it was stuck out at an odd angle and Sensei popped it back into place for me) and permanent nerve damage in my lower right arm from being dropped on my elbow. I also broke the base of my right big toe nail when kicking a "BOB" bag at TKD - an injury that doesn't sound painful but has actually given me a lot of grief since. The worst injuries I've given out have been a couple of KO's and a broken nose but I also once split a friends lip open doing a demo, which I felt a bit bad about, seen as she was a good mate.

I think I get it. A female fighter has been training for a while to be prepared for a "pro" fight (leave out that there's not usually such things in karate). One day she comes in for training and her Sensei has left her a gi and a note saying she has 10 mins to be prepared to fight - no indication of who the figher is or how good they are. Therefore this female karateka has to be ready for anything/anyone. Is that correct mtheiss?

You don't have any links to video clips of that do you? I'm finding it hard to picture cartwheeling with a staff in your hands. Ta.

I'm not being picky but... If ATA TKD is your "ultimate" MA, then why do you need to feel that you have to fill in the gaps? Surely the fact that you feel you have to look outside the ATA system means that it is not actually your ultimate MA? (Please don't think I'm being picky or getting at you, I'm not! )

What elements of Karate & TKD does your school use? As well as using ITF forms do you train in Karate kata as well?

http://sevenhills.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ Is this the club in Sheffield that you were thinking of switching to? If it is then you'll be alright there. Simon, the instructor is a great guy and a great martial artist.

I'm currently 5th kup, due to test for 4th in about 6 weeks. I'm aiming to be testing for my 1st dan in TKD in about 2 to 2.5 years, although chances are it may be longer than that.

I'd say that housework is one of the 108.... So, you have to do this particular form in order to be able to progress to 2nd degree? I think if I was in KSW I'd be perpetually stuck at 1st degree - I couldn't do a cartwheel (from horseriding or any stance!) to save my life!!

I've trained in Aikido but would like to train in HKD at some point. My TKD academy offers HKD classes but I haven't got the time to train in HKD as well. Great art, though.

EXCELLENT WTF site - thanks!

Actually, to you, then, that art would be "Ultimate". To me, martial arts is an expression, and I feel I can be best expressed through ATA TKD. So, for me, ATA TKD is the ultimate martial art. If I felt otherwise, I would be in something different. Aodhan True...I see your point/ However, you wouldn't say that ATA TKD is THE ultimate MA, would you. in the same way that I wouldn't say Karate or WTF TKD is THE Ultimate MA either. It's just what suits us best - which is not necessarily the best style or most rounded or most popular or whatever.

It is really quite easy to find out about torunaments and the like - google is your friend! I usually look up karate and TKD or open MA tourneys on the web & let my instructors know about them. Even if no-one from my club goes then I still go anyway (sometimes, that is!) If you really want to be more into competitions, though, then you might be better off searching for a school that likes competition fighting and promotes it. Occasional comps are fine, but if you want to be a serious competitor then you'd be better off in a competition-orienated school.

Just remember that a "stance" is a postition of body at any given moment in time - it is not stationary or static and shpuld not be thought of as such. Moving around in stances should be natural, comfortable and as easy as just walking.

Well done Laurie!! Great achievement!!

Good luck Frightmaster and KarateKid!

Some good news (well, for me at any rate): I passed my 5th kup TKD exam recently! Yay! I had a total mental block during part of the Self Defence section but apart from that I did OK. The SD thing was an escape from a grab behind. I've done it zillions of times before (in Karate, Aikido TKD) but my brain had a mega brain-phart yesterday and it just went clean out of my head. Anyway, I passed and I got a "that was good!" from the (external) grading examiner after the test was finished. Go me!! At least I wasn't as nervous this time as I have been on other occasions. I was so bad when I took my Karate Shodan that I was physically sick everywhere. Ewww!!!

If your instructor is allowing you to go to a higher grade class then he will expect you to try hard and to improve - not to instantly know everything (or instantly know every form at any rate). If you're unsure of these forms then ask a higher grade student to help you out or ask your instructor to show you. Everyone has to learn at some point and there is no shame in asking your instructor or a higher grade for help. They will be able to help you far better than any instructional video. Whilst in class watch the other students and try to copy what they do. Certain movements and stances you will be familiar with already, so try to get those right and soon the sequence of moves will drop into place.

The Idiot's Guide to TKD is a very fun book and is good for beginners to the dojang. It won't tell anyone past about 8th/7th kup anything that they don't already know....but like I said, not everyone is a high kup or dan grade and we all have to learn info from somewhere! This book is a good place to start.

Welcome back! Good luck with finding a school - I'm sure that there will be the right instructor out there for you. Until that happens, keep on training and practicing on your own - don't give up!

Well, if there was one martial art that was ideal and covered everything, it probably wouldn't suit everyone anyway... That's one of the reasons why having different martial arts is good. Not everyone likes Muay Thai, not everyone wants to train in Iaido. Ju Jutsu is not for all, just as neither is Taekwondo. There's enough martial arts clubs and styles out there for people to be able to find something to suit them personally. I can't imagine myself ever taking up boxing but it doesn't mean that boxing is a bad or worthless style - on the contrary, it is great for some people. Those same people who train in boxing, however, may not like my choice of martial arts - it doesn't mean that one of us is wrong, it just means that we have chosen arts to suit us, rather than perhaps gone for the one that is the "best" or the "ultimate".

Congratulations niel and KK! Well done to both of you. Doung, how did your test go?