aefibird

Karate/Kobudo/FSD Good points: Dedicated MA school teaching Karate, Kobudo and FSD. Plenty of classes a week. Low prices for classes - "pay-as-you-train". Only we use the rooms, so we can leave our equipment there all the time. Plenty of equipment and a dedicated weight training night. Senior students can go and train in the hall whenever there isn't a class taking place. Changing rooms. Separate weight room. Great instructor with 35+ years MA training experience and 25+ years teaching experience. No kiddie blackbelts. It's above a PUB! Bad: Small room, that gets very hot in summer and freezing in winter. Private lessons are expensive. Not as much traditional weapons training as I'd like. More children than adults, especially at lower grades. No showers. It's a bit 'basic' - the whole building is scummy (not Sensei's fault - he only rents the upstairs rooms). Good and bad (depending on POV): Scheduled gradings for karate students. Wing Chun/Tai Chi Good points: Dedicated MA school teaching WC, Kickboxing, TKD, Arnis, Tai Chi and Chinese weapons. Plenty of equipment. No kids in the Wing Chun classes. Very experienced and well-respected Sifu (A MAI hall-of-fame member). Small classes so we get almost-individual attention. Free seminars with respected MAists in a variety of MA styles. Bad: Expensive to train in just 1 MA. You get better value for money if you train in more than 1 MA or attend all their classes. The room we use for Wing Chun is small, hot and cramped. Junior blackbelts in the TKD classes. No changing rooms or showers, although there is a toilet. Good and bad (depending on POV): No gradings for Wing Chun students.

I wish I'd started MA training sooner.

Yes, Aikido is street practical but it is a system where one has to study for many years to get even average competence in it, unlike other MA's (kickboxing, for example) where someone can pick up the basics within a few weeks and be proficient within a few years. However, don't let the timescale put you off. Aikido is a great MA and I wish I could still train in it! Good luck if you decide to go for it.

To all those who have a Shodan Ho grade in their system: do you get to wear a full blackbelt (i.e. a belt that is just black) when you are at Shodan Ho gade, or do you wear a separate coloured/striped belt that comes between 1st kyu/gup and Shodan? We don't have Shodan Ho in my system - we test for 1st kyu, then the next test after that is Shodan (1st Dan Blackbelt).

Funny clip Shorinryu Sensei!

I like 3/4 cut. I'm not a fan of no-sleeve gi, but each to their own!

The nice thing about sparring is that you never actually lose. If you do better then your sparring partner you have the confirmation that your technique works, if you do worse you can learn from your mistakes. At the end is not much of a fight against somebody, it is a fight against your weaknesses. Great point italian_guy! I'm generally a defensive/counter-fighter, although I've been working on becoming a bit more agressive lately. I tend to get my butt whupped, though, when I do that. Maybe I should just stick to being a defensive fighter after all...

isshinryu5toforever, what's bubble tea? With a name like that it's gotta be something interesting! I'm really into drinking redbush (rooibosch) tea at the mo'.

I totally agree!

I saw a trailer for Coach Carter last night (I went to see Elektra). Coach Carter isn't out over here in the UK until next week. I have to say, I was very disappointed with Elektra - I thought it was gonna be much better. I like her Sai, though - would love a pair of those!

Wow! Looks like a great place to be. Have fun Kicks!

Excellent link! Thanks Kicks. :up:

Hi taiji fajin! Welcome to Karate Forums.

Hi Brood! Welcome to Karate Forums.

Hi there! Welcome to KF.

Congratulations Jbone!

We have two ways of performing the hand salute in my school - closed right fist and left hand covering for Wing Chun and closed left fist with open right hand next to it for Tai Chi. In the Tai Chi salute, the fist is turned slightly so that the back of the hand faces more towards the person performing the action, rather than facing upwards.

I'd say about 5% of the population of the UK practice or have trained in a martial art. Karate, Kickboxing, Boxing and TKD are the most popular in the UK I'd say. If you included all the people who train in "Tai Chi" then the figure would be higher - "Tai Chi" is popular in the UK as one of the alternatives to yoga and pilates. I put the name in " and " because what most of those folk train in won't actually be 'real', martial Tai Chi - just something they're learning from someone who went on a weekend course... I'm sure you know the sort of "Tai Chi" that I mean...

Cool, thanks for the info!

Wing Chun! I also like watching performance/sport WuShu - some of those guys are amazing athletes.

Me too! I haven't seen White Noise yet, but I'm gonna. I'm off to see Elektra tonight.

Congrats Pacificshore! A worthy member of the month.

Keep the solid fuel fire - it'll head the rest of your house just from that! They can be a good thing to have, although electric or gas is a bit more practical. I'd try and persuade your b/f to go for a loft conversion... after you've done up all the other rooms!

What sort of punch fist position does your style use?

Hi aefibird.... you're impressing. Thanks! I'm also tired... :D