aefibird

Thank you for all the links!

That's basically the same as in my karate association.

Yes, one and a half hours is a long drive to go and train. You'd have to be really comitted to training there. The best thing for you to do, though, IMO, would be to go to each place and try out a few (take more than one or you won't get a feel of the place) lessons. Just out of interest, are KSW and Kyokushin the only MA's available to you, or are they the only ones you'd be interested in training in?

It's a good idea in theory, but I can't see it catching on - too specialised IMO.

I've found that to be true. It's a little indescribable why I like tattoos so much - I suppose it's like why some people can't explain why they love MA so much. We just do...

I agree! I currently train in Wing Chun, TCC, Karate, Kobudo, and FSD. I used to train in Aikido also. In the poll, I chose Karate, because that was the first martial art that I started out with.

Congrats. I graduate from university (finally!) in May too. It's taken me longer than normal, 'cos I've been studying as a part-time student. Well, at last there's light at the end of the tunnel - and no, I don't think it's an oncoming train!!

Anyone seen Million Dollar Baby yet? It's just come out over here and I was going to catch it at the weekend. Any good?

I have a dream of a long trip that I'd like to take... but I'm not planning on going on one anytime soon. Got no £££! In my dream trip, I'd fly to the USA and Canada and visit friends that I have there, then move on from there to the south Pacific and work my way around the Pacific rim (much in the manner of Michael Palin in his travel documentary). Then I'd go back to Africa and visit friends and family in Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. I'd also like to go diving in the Red Sea and spend a few weeks just chillin' in Zanzibar. Finally, I'd fulfil a training ambition and go to Japan to train in Aikido and Karate and China to train in Wing Chun and Taiji. Anyone wanna lend me some cash so I can go? In reality, I'm planning on visiting the east coast of the USA sometime in 2005, but I have no definate plans yet.

Liptons make iced tea ready-to-drink in cans in the UK in lots of yummy fruit flavours. I like the strawberry one that they do! *mmmmm*

Sure is!

Boxing and Wrestling are also Olympic sports, as well as TKD and Judo. Personally, I think that a lot of MA's can be sports. It depends upon the people who are training in them and their mindset. When O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba first founded Aikido, he was against MA competition. However, some styles of Aikido now compete. Same with Escrima - some schools compete, whereas some are focused solely on realistic training.

Kumite988, yes I do train in Shotokan...mostly. My instructor has trained in and is a Dan grade in several different styles and we learn kata from other styles as well as the 'regular' 26 Shotokan. We also look at kata that are Shotokan kata and we compare them to other versions of that kata (such as Kanku Dai and Kushanku for example) and look at the changes and the various applications that can be learned from all the different versions. Sensei incorporates many aspects into our training that many people don't usually associate with Shotokan. However, it's usually only from brownbelt upwards that Sensei will teach his students "non-Shotokan" kata. He likes everyone to get the basics nailed first before they learn 3 or so different versions of the same kata. Sensei thinks that is is good for us to learn from more than one style of karate, rather than just 'closing ourselves off' with only learning Shotokan techniques. As well as the aspects of other karate styles, Sensei also incorporates JuJitsu, Judo, Aikido, Western Boxing and freestyle streetfighting techniques into our training. We're Shotokan in name only, really, as there's so much other stuff mixed in there that is really is like training in MMA (but with gi and kata incorporated;)) No, Rohai isn't usually taught in Shotokan - it's called Meikyo and is slightly different from Rohai. I prefer Goju Rohai to Shotokan Meikyo, that's why I usually perform Rohai in comps, over Meikyo. Sometimes I prefer the Shotokan version of a kata, but the Goju or Wado or Isshin version of another.

If London win the bid for the 2012 Games then I'll be going...to watch. That's about as close as I'll ever get to going to the Olympics, unless I suddenly take up an obscure or lesser sport to bet entered as a competitior... My closest 'claim to fame' is that I have a friend who has been selected for the British Bobsleigh Team for the next Winter Olympics. GO MARK!

Good luck with your dummy project Sidia G! If you can post some construction pics for us to see then that'd be great. Oh, and welcome to Karate Forums! Good to have you on board.

Thank you for the links.

Hi William! Welcome to Karate Forums.

I've just been watching a documentary about a team of Shaolin performers known as Shaolin Wheel of Life. They've just been doing a big theatre show in London's West End. Well, in this documentary, one of the practitioners was demonstrating Shaolin Frog Style. I've never heard of this before, so can anyone tell me a little about it? Thanks.

Hi Gunstar Hobo! Welcome to Karate Forums.

Nowt wrong with that! I'd like a quiet, peaceful life....

Yes, Garden State= ! I saw it last week and I'd really recommend it. I also saw A Series of Unfortunate Events and that's a good movie too. Too spooky for little kids, though. I went with my brother and neice and nephew and Ben (my nephew who is 7) was a little scared.

Please do!

I agree. They need to know that they are behaving disrespectfully and that many MAists disagree with "prematurely ageing" belts.

I'll add Tenshinkan onto that list.

As there's already an ongoing thread about how long it takes to get to black belt/black sash, I'm going to close this thread and direct people over to: http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=17221 Thank you.