aefibird

Horseriding, reading, playing pool and snooker, watching movies, swimming, astronomy, playing and listening to music (mostly metal and punk, but I like most music), going to the pub with friends, watching my cruddy football (soccer) team....

Sorry to hear your sad news Ramy. try to "keep your chin up" - there may still be a way for you to keep involved in karate, even if it is not as often or as intensive as you do presently. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck!

Thanks milkman!

Hello there! Welcome to Karate Forums. Sorry, I can't help you. I train in Wing Chun, but in South Yorkshire - a bit too far for you to travel! Try asking around at local sports centres and church halls and the like (all the usual places that hold martial arts classes). You may find one there. Also, ask people at work or school if they know of any martial arts clubs in the area. Alternatively, you could put an advert in the local free newspaper or free ads paper saying "Wanted, Wing Chun classes in the X area of Kent. Please telephone me with details" etc etc. Also, try these websites if you haven't already: Martial Art Clubs Martial Arts News Martial Arts Register Martial Info Sport Focus Budo Search Good luck with your search!

yes, that's true. It's a good leg muscle work out as you have to use your legs, bottom and back to help you keep your postition on the horse without pitching forwards, sliding back or going sideways. Plus you have to be relaxed but tense at the same time (in a wierd way). Also, the faster the horse is going, the harder it is to stay balanced and to sit correctly. The reason that saddles, bridles and reins (tack) are used is not so much to steer the horse with but more for the comfort and security of the rider. The less equipment a horse is wearing when you ride it, the harder it is on your legs. That's why many novie riders use the reins to cling onto and to hold themselves on with, when an experienced rider should be able to ride correctly with just their legs and without holding reins at all.

Congrats Mu Ryuk.

Hope it all went well!

Excellent post Mr Mike.

lol, that is pretty funny! (although, not for his opponents! )

We use makiwara at my dojo and I also have one that I made myself for use at home. My next project is making a Wing Chun wooden dummy - it'll go nicely sat next to the makiwara.

Woo hoo! Congratulations to you.

Congratulations!

The best thing to do would be to ask the orgainsers before you enter to make sure that you would be allowed to perform the "flashy" forms or whether you would have to stick to traditional ones.

Most Open tourneys in the UK happen on Sundays. I've only ever been to one that was a Saturday.

Yes, it can do, especially if you ride regularly or do endurance (long distance) riding. Riding can be good for stamina and flexibility too, even cardio (cantering and galloping over long distances give good work-outs).

Yes, it's not fat...it's a chi reserve... I agree with what has already been said - many instructors don't tend to train and compete as hard or as often as they did when they were junior ranks. Also, instructors tend to spend more of their time watching and teaching their students than actually training, unless they have a large enough school so that the teaching is shared amongs various people. The fact that he does more teaching than training was one reason why my karate instructor set up a 'fight club' at our dojo, which is free sparring, weight training and fitness training. It means that he gets in a good 2&1/2 hour session of training from that, so that is a good way of maintaining his fitness even when he doesn't train much during other classes.

Those links are interesting - thanks!

I'd say Tekki/Naihanchi or Kushanku/Kanku Dai are important kata to learn.

In my dojo men regularly spar with women. It's an everyday occurance. I don't mind who my sparring partner is as long as they're willing to train hard and want to improve, as I do. High-grade adults (with experience and good control) also partner up with children too, to allow the kids to get experience of pairing up with someone who is bigger and stronger than they are.

One name to watch out for in sport kumite is UK guy Sonny Roberts. Leon Walters is currently one of the best from the sport karate England squad.

Good luck if you do enter the tourney. You have to go with what you feel. If you don't feel up to competion then don't compete. There'll always be abnother chance for you to enter a tourney.

Take lots and lots and lots of water. The last tourney I went to I ended up collapsing from heatstroke because it was too hot in the venue (too many people in too small a space + a rare hot day in the UK = recipe for disaster). I usually take with me: gi & obi sparring gear weapon if I'm doind weapons form first aid kit with Kool Pak, bandages, tape, paracetamol, scissors, wound wash, dressings, cotton buds, plasters, safety pins, etc etc plenty of water some snacks (bananas, sultanas, chocolate, crisps) money change of underwear and spare socks deodourant shower gel & towel if I know there's gonna be a shower at the venue camera a book or magazine mobile phone

When I trained in Aikido we only had 2 belt colours - white and black. In my karate club we have 8 colours (including white and black), but there's 3 levels of brown and 2 levels of purple. Personally, I think that's too many. I'd like for us to get rid of about 3 or 4 kyu levels, but it ain't up to me or even up to my Sensei - it's our parent organisation that sets the kyu and dan levels and decides on the grading system. I also train in Wing Chun and we have 4 sash colours (including black, but there's no white sash level, a beginner is just a beginner until they grade for red sash). Having four or five belt colours is a good maximum number IMO.

Blocks can just be blocks...but they can also be used for strikes, locks, throws, take-downs, destructions, even PPs, plus many other applications. Sometimes a block may just be a block - but there's usually more to a technique than what first appears.

No sorry, I haven't. I take it that you have? If so, get well soon!