equaninimus

The problem with "Tokkaido quality" is that it has deteriorated over the last ten years, while the prices have increased. I doubt that I will ever buy another Tokkaido.

Hayashi-ha Shito Ryu teaches five "kihon" kata,and the two fukyugata (renamed Chi-no kata, and Tenno kata) prior to beginning the Pinan sequence.

I have been unable to fidn the article online. But, for the mini Nihongo lesson: Bunkai simply means analysis. When you have blood drawn, it undergoes bunkai. When you balance your checkbook, you are doing bunkai.

Actually, "tournament cut" implies shorter sleeves and pant legs.

I'm 5'5 and a half. I am also big through the shoulders and chest, and therefore wear a size six. Therefore, I have new gis tailored. As for the length of the tail of the jacket being halfway to your knees, so what? Will it interfere with your techniques? I prefer the jacket to reach at least to mid thight. In addition, most traditional schools require the sleeve to reach no farther than mid forearm, pant legs to just above the ankle (for freedom of movement) and the jacket should cross between the bottom of teh sternal notch and the xiphoid (for modesty). I really don't understand the reason for having pant legs drag on the ground, which seems popular with some McDojos in the US.

The site doesn't work. It would appear that they didn't pay the host!

On the outside!

Strange, my belly is still the same colour it always has been.....

I think the last count was 150.

Which JKA? Just relax and enjoy being a white belt again.

Speaking of Gis, has anyone here worn Toyo? One of the Tokkaidos is dying, and I'm trying to decide between another Meijin http://dragon-tsunami.org/Products/Pages/Meijin.htm or something else.

What does the Seito Matsumura lineage practice? The Pinans and Naihanchi II and III are recent additions to Seibukan, apparently Shimabukuro Sensei added them to the curriculum in the late 1970s, in order to simplify the learning process for the kyu ranks. Passai Gua and Jion are apparently in our yudansha curriculum because Shimabukuro Sensei's friend, Iha taught them to him, and he decided he liked them enough to add them. I really love the Okinawan Jion. It makes Shotokan Jion look wimpy! The "traditional" Seibukan kata list looks somehting like this: Seisan (our "base kata") Ananku Wansu Passai Chinto Kusanku Wanchin Gojushiho The dojo at which I practice also does Matayoshi-ryu Kobudo. In addition, in my personal practice I do Rohai (Shito version), Njushiho, and Sochin (Shoto version).

There used to be a Wado video site run by the Glynheath (Wales) Karate Club's instructor, but it has been down for over three months. If youa re serious about Wado, I would reccomend the JKF's video series. Tsunami Video sells, them, and they are also availabe on Amazon.

Bunkai means "analysis." It does not mean application of techniqes. That term is "oyo." Dave Lowry had a great article on the misuse/overuse of the word Bunkai a while back that I will endeavor to locate. Briefly, Bunkai implies analysing the body mechanics of the technique, in order to ascertain an oyo, or application, behind them. Rather like the way we in the west have latched onto the term "gi" to mean "dogi," or "keikogi," (and any participants on E-budo who have been subjected to Toney Kehoe's rants understand just how trivial a change this really is!) bunkai has become a "shorthand" term for kata analysis and application.

JKF Wado Kai: Pinan II, I, III, IV, V, Kusanku, Sesan, Chinto, Naihanchi. The following are "free kata" to be leaned in no particular order: Bassai, Jion, Jitte, Niseishi, Gojushiho, Unsu, Suparinpei. JKA Shotokan: Heian I-V, Tekki I-III, Bassai Dai, Empi, Kanku Dai, Jion, Jitte. Kata after this are "free kata." Seibukan Shorn Ryu: The following kata comprise the kyu curriculum: Pinan II, Ananku, Sesan, Pinan I, III, Passai, Pinan IV, V, Wansu, Naihanchi I-III, Gojushiho, Tokumine No Kon. From Shodan: (in no particular order) Chinto, Wanchin, Kusanku, Passai Gua, Jion, assorted Kobudo kata.

Oops, I meant Jitte, Anyway, they are the post Gigo Funakoshi versions of those Kata.

I wash my gi after evey use. The key is to have more than one gi!

Wash your belt! Please! A stinky belt proves one thing: Its owner is a pig! Oh, and IMHO, the best way to fix a stiff new black belt is to hit them pretty hard a few times in kumite!

Take some of the statements about fotage's age with a grain of salt. The half naked guy doing Nijushiho isn't Okinawans, it is Shotokan Nijushiho, and probably dates from the mid 1930s. Wado Lee, I'm not going to do your research for you. You are just as capable as the rest of us of doing a google search.

No. Wado chinto is not the only Chinto that exists. Wado Chinto is a Japanese modification of a Japanese modification of an Okinawan kata. I apologize if this sounds harsh, but not every kata is available on line. Basically there are three major "branches" of the Chinto family of Kata (these are not in any chronological order). The first strand is the Itosu branch, which is charaterized by the use of the one legged position, and a snapping kick fired from this position. Variations include front or side kicks, the direction the body turns on the final turn on the way "back" prior to beginning the sequence that initiates the one legged positions, and the inclusion or omission of a diagaonal component to the kata. The next strand to be considered is the Matsumora branch. This variation is characterized by the use of a "T-stance," or occaisionally a hooked stance from which front kicks are delivered. This variation is found in Seibukan, Seidokan, and other versions of Shorin ryu, as well as Isshin Ryu. It is the version taught by Kyan Chotoku.This version of Chinto is frequently practiced on a diagnal embusen, It is also an "unbalanced kata," in that it does not end on the same spot upon which it begins. The third family of Kata are the Matsumura family, which share many characteristics with the Matsumora variation. Again, the hooked stance is used to throw front kicks, and the kata is performed at a diagonal. This is the version practiced by Matsubayashi ryu. http://www.shorinryu.dk/film/wmv/ChintoW.WMV Of the three, the Matsumura version is probably the oldest, followed by the Matsumora and Itosu versions.

Showing my age here: Men: John Chung Sonny Onowo Billy Blanks Steve Anderson Russ Mapes Rusty Gay Keith Hirabayashi Charlie Lee Tokey Hill Women: Michelle Krasnoo (woo-woo, pant , pant, pant!) Arlene Limas Linda Denley Cynthia Rothrock Kim Du Trinh

I've been at this for 23 years, and while I possess competent technique, I don't feell like I Really "know" karate-do. Maybe one never does!

That was an unfortunate experience. Not all tourneys will be like that.The "6th Dan" should remember that you too earned your rank! Behaviour like that makes me wonder just what insecurities he is hiding behind a stripey belt? A friend of mine who is a "mere" 3d dan was at a judges meeting before a tourney one time, when a rather rotund individual of about 25 years of age, wearing a stiff striped belt apparently piped up "How many masters and grand masters are here? I think we should be allowed to choose what events and rings we want to judge." Apparently he was met with silence. Now, I don't doubt that this chap might possibly by some strange twist of fate have perhaps actually been a "master" or, even more amusingly, "grandmaster" in his mid twenties. It's also entirely possible that the moon is made of camenbert! I guess what i'm trying to say is, don't let one person's ego put you off of competing.

http://www.shoto-kan.com/videos/index.html This site has footage of Funakoshi Gichin, Funakoshi Goko, Harada Mitsusuke, and others. Comments?