aefibird

Hi Nick! Welcome to Karate Forums.

We do weight training for over 16's at my dojo. It isn't compulsory, but most of the adult dojo members train with weights. Firstly, it's free (and free training is always good ), and secondly, because new members see how much weight training affects the skill level of the other members, it gives them something to aspire to and it encourages them to also work out with weights. Sensei encourages everyone to use the excercise equipment that we have at the dojo. Children are allowed to use the excercise bikes, resistance bands, stepper and gym balls, whilst the over 16's can use the free weights as well as all the other equipment.

Glad you had a great day!

Well, in my Shotokan dojo we train a lot in grabbing and grappling techniques, as well as traditional and modern weapons. Not all Shotokan dojo's are the same! However, cathal, if you feel that you are 'missing out' in your training it might be worthwhile getting together with other students at your club and see how they feel. If there are a significant number of you who feel the same way, then maybe you could all go together to Sensei to explain youe case. Start by being polite and respectful and thankful for the training that you have been given, then move onto raising the issues that you want to talk about. If your Sensei refuses to talk about your concerns with you in a reaosnable manner, or states that you'll not be incorporationg other aspects of MA into your training then it may be that it would be better for you to find another dojo. Good luck.

Sorry tohear about your shoulder. Hope it gets better soon! Lots of rest...

Thank you! I'm still looking at the moment - I haven't firmly decided on a supplier yet.

Well, make sure you have your flat cap and whippet ready with you for the next time you plan on coming to Yorkshire!

My vote is that it isn't worth the money. I once bought a £12 Shock Doctor mouthguard and it was worse than the £2 mouthguard that I'd had previously. The Shock Doctor was ill-fitting: no matter how many times I tried to get it to fit it just wouldn't stay put. I've since had my own custom-made mouthguard done for me by my dentist.

I recommend it too - an excellent book.

Monkey, the next time I throw a party, you're definately invited!!

Well, if you're planning on travelling and you're ever passing through South Yorkshire then it's be good to get together for a meet-up!

Try and remember things that your instructor has told you. Use simple techniques in the sparring - go for what you know. It's better to win a bout simply by using reverse punch, than to lose a bout by attempting fancy, flashy or difficult techniques. As for kata, choose the kata you most prefer and practice it over and over and over again. You'll most likely be nervous when you enter the competition, so you'll need to perform a kata that you can do "in your sleep". Finally, if possible, go along to a tournament or two beforehand and try and get a feel for what they're like (hint: they involve lots of waiting around ). Even if the tournaments are in a different style of MA to yours you can still pick up hints and tips. There's a lot of TKD tournaments where I live and I like to go along and watch them whenever I can, even though I do not train in TKD. Watching how another style does its techniques can often give you insight into how your styles moves should be. Oh, and I'll second what Kicks said... HAVE FUN!

Last year I went to the annual tournament of my karate organisation. Y'ever have one of those days where you should just have stayed in bed? Well, that was one of those days for me. The person who's car I was travelling in, got lost on the way to the venue, so instead of being calm and collected and having had plenty of time to warm up, I got there about a minute before I was due to compete in the Individual Kata. The other people who travelled in that car with me were supposed to be performing Team Kata with me...only to find that because we were late the Team Kata divisions had come and gone. Anyway, I just had enough time to change into my gi and managed a few brief seconds of jumping up and down on the spot as a 'warm up' before my name was called. I managed the first round of the kata OK (Jion in case anyone is interested!) and got through to the second round, which boosted my confidence a bit. I had an 'easy' draw in the second round - I'd come up against this person in kata competition several times before and had always beaten her. However, it was not to be on that day. I started my kata (Enpi) really well, but somehow managed to miss out a chunk of it in the middle and ended up facing backwards at the end - no doubt with a bemused look on my face thinking "how did I get to face this way?"! Anyway, no Team Kata for me and I was out of the Individual Kata, due to my brain having a "brain fart" at an inopportune moment. As an aside, I went off the area and into the practice room and went over Enpi again and again without a single mistake in it! Grrr! Well, Individual Sparring was next, followed by Team Sparring. I was doing well in the first round of my Individual Sparring (winning 4-0!) when I went for a chest-height roundhouse kick. My opponent blocked...but with the point of her elbow. I dropped to the floor like a stone. My foot felt like it was on fire (no foot padding in this karate comp) and it swelled up immediately. I had to be helped out of the area, and was eventually taken to the hospital by a friend, where they found that I'd broken my toe. So, due to injury I was out of the Individual Sparring, which meant I was out of the Team Sparring as well. To cap off a bad tourney day, my instructor had his car broken into and a boot (trunk) full of new karate gear for the dojo was stolen from it. Definately a day where I should have stayed in bed!!

This is the line that my own Sensei takes - if he finds out that anyone in his club has started a fight, they are shown the door and not allowed to return.

I'm starting a topic so people can post some of the things they like. It can be anything - people, places, calendar events, weather, smells, whatever you want to list (following the guidelines of KF of course ). Here's a couple of "things I like" to get the ball rolling. *Being inside in the warmth when it is heavily snowing outside, and watching the snow fall through a window with a cup of hot chocolate. *The smell of freshly baked bread. *Walking through a wood in Autumn. *Going to my mum & dad's house for Sunday lunch.

Good one!! Maybe that's why senior karate instructors sometimes have larger stomachs - their Ki reserves have had longer to develop.

They're at the top of my list also, but I don't think that Santa will be bringing me a pair this year. Oh well, I'll just have to drop hints to the Birthday Fairy instead!!

Hi Ted! Welcome to Karate Forums.

My karate instructor is thinking of leaving our parent organisation, due to severe disagreements with the Chief Instructor/Head of the organisation about the way it is being managed and run. He is very loath to leave, as he knows that if he does leave, at least 2 of the other Senior Instructors (my Sensei is also classed as a Senior Instructor)will also leave and take their students with them. My instructor does not wish to split up the federation (which is what would happen if he left and the other Senior Instructors followed him), however, he wishes to do the best for his club and his students. If he left our present organisation he is unsure whether to strike out on his own and not join any other association, or whether to join an association that is for all martial artists, not just karate practicioners. This is a very difficult time for my club and my instructor. It is a hard decision that he has to make. He has been a member of this organisation since it was first founded in the early 1980's but he feels that business, administration and regulations are getting in the way of karate. Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Has anyone else here had their instructor change the club to be members of a different organisation? Please share your experiences (without referring to specific names and dates), as I believe that it would be helpful for me & the other members of my club, as well as other members on the forums, to hear stories from people who have been in similar situations.

Would that just be Stella or would you like to be known as Mr Artois as well??

Thanks Grrr. Sorry to hear that "uni has gone down the plug hole". Good luck with whatever you decide to do next!

I'm known as "Birdy", which is a general nickname I've had throughout my life. Some of the kids also call me "Ms Black Belt", due to the fact that I'm a blackbelt and the assistant instructor. It comes from the fact that we don't tend to use titles such as Sempai in my school (except for Sensei, and he's often called Sir), but when we are training, people are occasionally called by their belt colour. I was showing one of the littlest kids some techniques after class one day and when I finished he said "Thank you Black Belt". I grinned at him and told him that it was "Ms Black Belt" to him, as he's such a titch. It was meant as a bit of fun, but my nickname stuck. One of our Brown belts has the nickname "Bass", short for "Bass-on-Draught" which he claims is his favourite kata...

I'd like to go along, as I've always been interested in Goju (I've done a little training in it, but nothing much). However, I can't go to the seminar, due to other dojo commitments. Anyway, I hope you all have a great time, and that you really enjoy it Monkey!

Yes, thank you for the links list!

lol, it must be a Brit thing as well - at my dojo we always get together in the pub after a grading. However, most of the people drink soft drinks (cola and the like) and those that do drink alcohol tend to just have one alcoholic drink. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that the junior members (under 18's) come to the pub as well as the adults and we want to show a good example to them. It's possible to go to a pub or to be at a social setting without getting 'plastered' on alcohol. Still, I'm not knocking those who like to have a drink. Personally, I drink alcohol - I like a nice cold beer with a take-away on a Friday or Saturday night, and I will also drink in moderation at celebration events such as weddings. It's a personal choice, but if a person is really serious about MA training, then I'd suggest that alcohol shouldn't be something that they regularly drink.