Fish

I gained my blue belt last week. From what I gather, the hard bit starts now. Any tips on how I can continue to make progress from here? (apart from practice, practice, practice). This week we're not training so I'm taking time to stretch and consolidate by working through all the kihon and kata I have learnt to date.

I've got the book too. I don't think its for building bulk - it's for building dynamic strength which is different. It's done by taking the muscles under tension through a fuller range of motion than lifting weights. Why do you want to add extra bulk? I would have thought you want a good combination of strength, speed and flexibility. You want muscles that are strong enough, but not too bulky.

Isn't the key thing to understand the principle involved - then the specific applications will flow from the principle?

Well done. That sounds like an awful lot for 8th kyu!

Surely it's fair if they are good enough. Everyone is different and it takes some of us (includng me) longer to learn than others. Some people have more of a natural flair. And then there's the hours put in training as well as the number of years.

How do you people find the time to train so much? I have 1.5 hrs karate on Monday and 2 hrs on Friday. In between I try to work on stuff at home, but I can only fit in half hour here and there, and even then not very regularly!

I agree about the humility bit - especially as I wrestle to get my 36 yr old body to remember the moves for Pinan Shodan while watching the 12 year old 1st kyu perform the really complicated katas with incredible grace and power!

If I ever make BB I think I'll treat that belt so kind, and be gutted the first time it gets any damage on it!

In the modern world, most people just don't have the ability to train full time every day, or to give as much time to it as earlier practitioners of martial arts were able to do. Given that most of us can only spend a few hours a week training, the belt system is a good way of marking progress and attainment over the years. It gives us goals to train for along the way. One of the things I've just realised (having just gained my green belt a couple of weeks ago) is that you spend a lot of time practising for a new grade, you get good at the techniques and kata required to pass that test, and then, when you've passed it you become like a beginner all over again learning harder techniques and more complicated kata for the next belt. So gaining the new belt gives you both a sense of achievement, but also a recognition of how far there is yet to go. Also, in every sport there are training cycles - periods of intensity followed by periods of rest, followed by periods of new challenges and learning, followed by periods of intensity. The belt system naturally builds such cycles into karate (imho).

I gained my green belt (5th Kyu) in Wado Ryu on Saturday. I was really nervous for that test, and pumped by the time it came round. I had to demonstrate basics, combinations, kata, pair techniques, and kata, followed by sparring. In addtion, I was the only adult testing for that grading. I realise now that I did everything far too quickly, and I must learn to relax and enjoy myself for my next grading!

Always be ready to learn!

Well, you've said sorry and that should be enough. Just ignore it, hopefully she'll get over it.

Well done! It's a nice feeling isn't it?

I never where my gi when practising at home - just whatever clothes are handy at the time. Sometimes just underwear or pyjama trousers (very comfortable).

The main problem seems to be that these guys can just keep coming at me, and because of the weight advantage, they're able to keep pushing me back. I was wondering if extra weight would help me to stand my ground - but then I wouldn't want to gain fat. But thinking through some of these posts, I think I need to learn to spar smarter - moving around more and getting out of the way, instead of trying to get in too close. Thanks for all the tips.

This is a great forum!

Thanks for the hints. Actually, I'm not skinny as such - I'm pretty well toned. Its just that the heavier guys are able to overpower me. What sort of footwork drills could I use to improve my speed?

Try to do some every day when you get up (but allow at least one day rest each week). If you can only do 20 in one go, then rest for a minute and try to do some more. Somedays it will be better than others, depending what else you've been doing that week and how tired you are.

Maybe you need more rest in between: stress + REST = success!

In sparring I tend to get battered by other people who are heavier than me. I'm 6 ft, and weigh 174 lb. Should I try to gain some weight, or should I try to get faster - so I can get out of the way? Or is it possible to do both?

Inspiring stuff.

First rule on the street has to be: get away if you can. Me, I'm a good runner!

In Wado Ryu Neko Ashi Dachi is used in the pinan katas (and probably the others, but I haven't got there yet).

Crunches every day. I'm just about to start doing them on a Swiss ball - I've heard that can help with lower back stability and pain, but you might want to check it out before trying.

Which club are you with Chirath? I go to a dojo in South Woodford with a sensei under the UKA. We do a fair bit of point sparring, but we also learn the basics, kata and so on and from time to time we have practical self defence sessions. Our class is two hours. We start with the junior session (1 hr long), but intermediates/ seniors are encouraged to attend that session. The senior/ intermediate session is one hour immediately after that, making two hours in all. It works well for me - the first hour is gentler, and gives me a chance to warm up, as well as trying to encourage some of the kids who are there.