ESA-Shotokan

Talking about feeling awkward. I started in karate in 1980 and yet when I joined the ESA this year, I have felt awkward since. That is not a bad thing, just me learning how to do things correctly

I can agree with that too. I have of late been training in two different organisations and at the end of the day, the quality of the karate comes down to the sensei and the pupils in the dojo. I feel (and I have been guilty of this) that people tend to get bogged down a bit too much with tradition and how it should be done correctly.

Hmmm but do you hit eachother to the point of broken bones, fractures, etc? That's the type of force I am referring to. A hit is nothing, we can all take it, but what if I kicked you in the solar plexus at full pelt or in the balls quite hard? If I say stand there while I just ram this into your face, I have a feeling there has to be a point where you have to say "No" ? Maybe I am wrong here.

Oh yes, I know Gigo was the guy who brought in the longer stances of shotokan - in effect, he developed the strength of shotokan compared to Gichin, his dad. I agree with you aefibird, I am not a huge fan of Gichin Funakoshi but Gigo, on the other hand, made it into a better system. As for Nakayama, it was he who invented sports karate and that is the thorn in the side I was referring to.

One thing I often wonder is why karateka allow their sensei to demonstrate techniques on them. Is it right that your instructor be allowed to thump you hard with a punch or kick while you are standing there as a punchbag, having to accept the hit? Yes, if you are being given the opportunity to block then so be it, if the technique lands then at least you had a chance to defend yourself against it. Also yes it is okay to hit with control but I am talking about a real hard thump to a vital area of the body. How many of you agree with this unecessary act which is conducted by so many sensei?

I love techno. My favourite DJ's are Carl Cox and Mistress Barabara for this genre, to name but two. Good stuff!!

Doh!! I just saw your reply SaiFightsMS

I always thought this style was related to ninjutsu?

Okay, under the what I learned last night banner. Has anybody ever thought what the very last move in bassai dai represents? That is, the bringing of the fist to the open palm. The last double step shuto is an attack to the collar bone of an attacker, the attack being blocked by the kamae of the shuto action as you step forward. After delivering the shuto strike, you grab hold of your opponent by the back of the head and woomf! Fist goes into their face as you pull them down towards it! I totally did not know that!! Similar applications apply with bassai sho and Jion/Jitte. Good...very good stuff!

If you are just putting together a set of blocks and attacks then really, that is just a combination. If you are going to realistically design a new kata, then I guess you first have to be wanting to demonstrate a particular technique which you may have found in another style which could be incorprated into karate or the such. The kata then would be used to demonstrate this technique; if you see what I mean?

I think it is good that people are questioning so much of how karate is taught now. Since I joined the ESA, I have been learning Shotokan as it was taught by the Funakoshi's and not Nakayama's JKA karate. I have been studying JKA flavoured karate via the KUGB for many years and I now see how flawed it is. My current ESA Shotokan lineage is me=>Alan Armstrong=>Sensei Kase=> Gigo and Gichin Funakoshi. Whereas my KUGB lineage was me=>sensei(s)=>Enoeda=>Nakayama=>Gichin Funakoshi The ESA lineage is more pure and true to the Shotokan style and it does indeed include a lot of take-downs, throws and the such from the bunkai and application of kata. I heard quote recently that, had Gigo Funakoshi not died young, then Shotokan would not have got to Nakayama and the JKA and God-knows sports-karate would not have arisen as it did. I am quite confident that Gigo Funakoshi would somehow have frowned upon tippy-tappy karate. It would have been so interesting to see how shotokan would have developed across the world under the influence of Gigo. Maybe we are getting a taste of it.

If you work on kata bunkai oyo then you are indeed designing your own defined kata application, so that is a legit way of creating your own kata. Think of how many combination sof oyo you could create? The options are endless. Of course, they should be of realistic use and not just a load of rubbish thrown together.

Best to try and keep the hips square; try to get the feeling of pushing in with the opposite hip to the foot you are kicking with but do push forward with both hips. As for the supporting foot turning slightly, this is not a major error but you will then find you can't drive yourself forward as fast. Try doing the front kick and keep your balance afterwards; hold this position. Then continue to step down into a forward stance (zenkuts) and perform oitsuki punch. If your foot is turned out, you may find yourself sort of hovering there for a moment as you gather your momentum to perform the punch. Instead, always work on keeping that supporting leg bent and also try (hard as it is) to not even raise your hips from the starting position - in fact, try to lower the position slightly to accommodate the action. Then kick and step forwards.

Something I have noticed a lot in many karate classes is the absence of knuckle press-ups in any of the sessions! Does your dojo include these as start or end of lesson exercises? If not, do you do them yourself and again, how many per day; per week? I do them every day but only about 50 at a time. If you ever want to give your hands a good punishing, do sets of 20 knuckle press-ups followed immediately by some bare-knuckle bag work; say 50 punches on each hand, hard into the bag. Then straight back into more press-ups. It certainly toughens the hands BUT not recommended for a new person as you will simply injure yourself.

Yup, Kihon Kata (Taikyoku Shodan) for me too. Even now, I constantly work on the first gedan-barai, oistuki combination - trying to attain top speed with good form; it's a good one. Also the gedan-barai turn after the first kiai! One day I will master that to a point I feel it is exceptional. Every now and then, there is a quiver and my front foot will slip or the stance nto be wide enough. Even the most basic kata have lessons for us all to learn. Good stuff.

Try using the hip abductor and adductor machines in your gym. These exercises are particularly good for warming up those muscles when you start on the splits. Just make sure you relax and don't bounce as you reach the limit you can get down to. Just remember, you are not stretching the muscle but are, in fact, working on your "stretch reflex" which is a different thing altogether. Everybody can attain a full box split, it is a physically possible thing. The stretch reflex is the reason why most people cannot achieve this. Just take it slow and relax and breath, you will get there. If you push and it hurts, then your stretch reflex will not readily forgive you and you will eventually build up a mental blockage against reaching your full stretch potential. Have fun but train safe.

Oh yes, there is no way I would try this with a lower grade as that is quite pointless. I am only referring to same or higher grades than myself I should have been a bit more clear there. I guess the important thing is to also ensure that while I am working on speed and good technique, I should be watching to ensure they are matching that speed also "with" good technique. All part of karate life's fun

Don't forget to check out the Kanazawa kata videos - still my favourite link of all time: http://www.shotojukukai.com/kata/kata.htm

I must admit, I expect too much from myself and kata and so I would honestly say I find all of them hard to achive what I feel would be a good result. For some reason, I find Heian Godan the only kata that comes near to feeling "right". Tekki Shodan is another on the way there. Learning the moves is one thing and some of you may in fact think I do them well but at the end, I always feel like I left out 90% of my soul from doing the kata. Yes I know, a bit deep that but that is how I tend to feel at the end of most kata. I am performing the techniques hard and well timed and what have you but I still feel like something major was missing. When I discover it, I'll publish it in a book

One thing I have learned of late is that I hold back with my punches too much. I know I can hit my opponent but I don't and so let them block me! Who is cheating who here? Should I always hit them, thus forcing them to improve? Yes of course I should but it honestly makes me feel like I am being big headed, so I don't. It is a hard issue as I know I am not pushing myself to my limit and God-knows, I am not being pushed there! I can imagine I would be frowned upon if I was constantly hitting people as they are blocking too slow...what would you do?

For me, it is Sensei Andy Sherry 8th Dan of the KUGB. To me, he is shotokan karate and it is he who put me on my deeper path to discovery. I have marvelled at him for so many years now and whenever he is in the same dojo as me, everything is right and balanced. As Dr Evil would say to his Mini Me : "He completes me!"

I originally started karate because I wanted to be able to defend myself. I had this mad fantasy about being able to block a whole series of attacks from a person and not have to ever hit back! I was only 15 then and bit of a wimp and totally scared of my own shadow! I study karate now as it is the foundation of my whole life. Just understanding the very basic ideas of karate are what I enjoy. I'm talking about holding a stance and feeling it. Just working on a basic punch and always trying to get it right - every now and then, it happens For me, my job is that thing that I have to do before I can continue with my study of karate. Even when I am in the gym, running, weight lifting, the whole thing is geared towards how I feel about karate. Mad I know!! But it really is everything to me. I still remember being a kid and wishing I was a black belt in karate! "Then I'd show everyone!" Ho ho!! Happy times Keeping fit and healthy is all part of the deal and it is good

Kata is also best done by the count, or at least combinations to the count. You tend to find people put a lot more into it then. Especially if it is to the count and at full speed, attitude, etc.

Hi there Mc Steve, I'm from Bristol, too

Bacon cooking Failing that, patchouli oil