equaninimus

A) The curreent one from Meijin seems to be working quite well. B) Ther is no such thing as "wada ryu".

Oh, yeah! Annan (Ryuei-ryu) is pretty mean spirited as well.

Of the Naha katas, Sepai was the most eye-opening. It is a brutal little kata..no wonder I love it!

Doesn't that restrict your field of vision?

I love Nijushiho. If you get a chance, learn the Shito and Wado versions as well. It is filled with escapes from grabs, chokes, etc...

One of the yudansha at the club at the U of Md. Baltimore County was so prone to perspiration that we used to joke about stepping through a puddle of "freshly squeezed Ian." On a more serious note, the full face shield may be your best bet. Its a matter of trade-offs. Are you willing to put up with fogging in return for lower dental bills?

It depends on the individual instructor, and how many (if any) assistants he has available.

The point I was trying to make was that as a beginner it isn't your place to make corrections in the technique of others. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh.

Which, after a good class, is really challenging!

Have you looked into the sort of thing worn by the Shorinji Kempo people? http://www.martialartssupply.on.ca/product.cfm?CategoryID=9&ProductID=388 http://www.martialartssupply.on.ca/custom/Product/supersafemen.JPG[/img]

A) Not to quibble too much, but where is kiba-dachi found in Heian Nidan? B) When instructong, one attempts to get as much performance out of a student as one can. Not everyone has the same amount of skill, strength, stamina, etc... Students are often ranked according to how much they have improved since the last grading. No one is perfect, not even you.

The "half moon" is an in-yo (the japanese interperetation of the yin-yang symbol). It is also present in the Okinawan flag.

Picture a parking lot filled with SUVs, etc.... Oh, to heck with it, jhust look at these websites. http://www.seosnationalkarate.com/ http://milehighkarate.com/ From the "Franchise Information" page. Can abyone say "pyramid scheme?" http://milehighkarate.com/student/franchise/mainletter6.html Obviously any actual learning of KArate is secondary.

The Kyan versio has a lot more close in techniques. This isn't the exact version, but it is very close to what we do: http://www.dentokanhombu.com/video/shorin/passai.mpg The difference in the method of body shifting from the Shotokan model and the use of "snapping" rather than "thrusting" technique was quite the eye-opener.

The Seibukan version of Passai was my "epiphany" moment.

I would disagree. I think you have to go past that point to train effectively. I also disagree that this compromises safety. A good instructor can push students far past their comfort zones, and still maintain safety. Even aerobics instructors aim to take their classes beyond their collective comfort zones.

That is true, my 22 years of Karate probably is but a drop in the bucket compared to your extensive time in training, right? Been attacked by a bat wielding opponent. I came out on top. If I waere practicing a "sport" I doubt I would have. And most I know of appreciate that waht they are doing is a form of unarmed combat. Where do you get the "mystical art" part from? Some of us acknowledge that what we are doing is related to injuring or killing others. The perfection of character comes from avoiding situations that would lead one to attempt to "try one's skill," because we value other human lives. I would never point a gun at another person, nor would I hand one to a child. This is the equivalent to what many do when they fail to remember the purpose behind most techniques. Granted, the skill level of most of these folks is such that they are more likely to cause their opponent to pass out from laughter than any other form of damage. The perfection of your character, or lack of it, is pretty eveident.

Failed my first try for Shodan in 1985. I tested again six months later and passed. I wanted to quit, but didn't. I'm glad now that I did not.

We do. The Monday and Wednesday BB classes are pretty much devoted to oyo training. In Bawl'mer we did the same thing in Wednesday night BB classes. It is great fun, and very enlightening.

As I mentioned earlier, it depends on where you train,a dn how seriously you take your training. The Marines are crazy. I was in the Army. But, this sort of training is what I have done since I begun, at age 14. It is about self control. This is a sad comment on your (lack of) understanding of what you practice. Never forget that you are practicing skills which can disable or kill another person. I am always amazed at how many people practice with no undersatnding of what they are doing. You must be a member of your school's "Master Club," or "SWAT Team," or some other silly named group deigned to separate you from your money. And the "I'm going to do whatever I want to, whenever I want to" attitude is not conducive to training. It is conducive to training at a McDojo, I would guess. As has been said beofe, if you don't like that sort of school, don't train there. I do like that atmosphere, and train at those sort of schools.

Toes (well protected in shoes) to the inner thigh can be devastating.

I have pased out in training, in Tokyo,at the JKA Hombu, and in Okinawa this past summer. I wasn't the only one. There are certain things one just accepts. The point of no water breaks isn't cruelty, its discipline. It is partially about making oneself the master of one's needs and wants, not the other way around. In the dojo we do kotekite, body conditioning, drills, that include pounding of forearms and shins, as well as kicks and punches to the abdomen and chest. It hurts, but one learns the difference between pain that is a danger signal and mere discomfort. Being able to tell the difference is a major part in developing yourself to be an effective karateka.

It also depends on whether or not membership in an organization is neccesary for traing at large seminars, or for training at the Hombu in Japan (if there is one). Joe avearage off the street cannot walk into the Seibukan dojo in Naha and just train with the class. An organization member can get permission to do so. If the costs outweight the benefits, bot professional and financial, then stay independent, but be prepared to deal with the (very few) diffculties that can arise from this. I would think that as long as you still have a good relationship with your instructor going independent won't casue too much harm

Again, if the person is your senior, listen to her. Karate...heierarchical structure...etc..... remember? If you really can't hydrate before the class, then talk to the senior instructor. If you have medical problems, diabetes, etc...let your sensei know. he or she will then let the other instructors know. Do not just decide you are going to do whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it.

I pay $80.00/month, in a mostly upper middle class area. This is pretty typical in this area for "traditional" dojo. The McDojos start around $150.00/month and then raise the prices for Master Clubs, etc... usually averaging abour $250.00/month.