Fish

I think you should tell him he's overdoing it. If he won't listen, then you should tell your sensei. It's not whining, it's almost a duty. What happens if he causes someone a serious injury that stops them from studying karate again? Of course, we have to learn and be taught dangerous techniques, but the instructor has a very great responsibility to make sure that they are taught safely, so as to minimise the risk of serious injury in class. There's a big difference between feeling pain because you are pushing your body beyond it's existing limits, thus getting, fitter, stronger, faster, and feeling pain because somebody is applying a technique without sufficient control or in an dangerous manner. With early grades, you might expect a lack of control, but not with someone who's being asked to assist with instruction.

In our dojo "oos" is usually said immediately after hitting or being hit/ kicked by an opponent, and seems to mean something like "good shot".

I posted a similar question a couple of weeks back and got quite a few tips on improving balance. The most helpful thing I have found is to keep the head still and the eyes focussed on a particular object (we practice turning back kick with back to the opponent and head facing forward - focussing the eyes on an object ahead really helps to keep balance).

Personally, I'm a Christian. As far as "Chi" is concerned, I believe it is the result of natural biochemical/ physiological/ mechanical forces. Nowadays we can understand and measure these forces scientifically, but in days when scientific discovery was more limited, they probably thought of it as a spiritual force, linked in with Oriental philosophy. The problem that many Christians have with Chi is that many of us believe in the reality of the spirit world, including evil spirits, and therefore there is a concern that certain forms of meditation and spiritual activity could open people up to such evil influences. There is also a worry about it leading away from the true, one God, and towards the worship of idols. Some practices, such as controlled breathing, and focussing the mind are healthy, but personally I don't meditate in the hope of achieving spiritual enlightenment, and I don't believe that is where the truth is to be found. I'm expressing my own beliefs here, so please don't be offended if you disagree.

Very interesting article. It just goes to show its never too late to start. I was told by my sensei recently that a lady in her 60s recently took her shodan test! The only thing is that its important to start off slow, and be realistic about expectations - after a certain age the body just naturally is not as elastic and resilient as when younger, and it takes that little bit longer to learn techniques. But this can be overcome with patience, application and the mental determination to improve oneself and succeed.

Well, so far I've always found I get a really positive response when I mention it. People seem genuinely interested, and sometimes I'm surprised to find that other people study a martial art, and I'd never guessed.

Try and find a non-weight bearing exercise to keep your fitness going - swimming's a good one if you can manage it. You can do slow lengths for endurance and sprints for lactic tolerance.

Im also flatfooted. It gave me a lot of problems running, but I haven't noticed any in karate. My balance isn't great, but I don't think that's my feet.

Good advice, swdw!

Get outside on your bike, go for an hour's ride on mixed terrain, and do a cycling "fartlek" (i.e. speedplay - sprinting and laying off as you feel like) - make sure you work going up the hills.

This is inspiring stuff indeed. Good to know you can still keep going and improving, and knocking younger people into a cocked hat if you're determined to keep pushing your limits. I guess you have to build up to this stuff quite carefully though- to avoid injuries? I don't think our dojo is nearly hard enough - last night sensei said he was going to work us. After 20 minutes we were all heaving! Shows how unfit we really are.

Hi Brenda, I'm also a lifelong runner who came to karate 18 months ago - I've given up running for a bit now because of perpetual colds/ coughs in the winter. Anyway, my flexibility was really crap when I started too - it's a runner thing. But it's improved constantly and fairly dramatically through my karate training so stick with it!

Thanks for the tips, I'll try them all and see what works. I know the answer is practice practice practice - but it's making sure I practise it right!

I'm having problems learning my back kick. Mainly, as far as I can analyse it, the problem is with keeping my balance at the point when I bend by body forwards, and thrust my kicking leg backwards. I wobble, and sometimes almost fall over. When I step back down, I have trouble stepping automatically back into the correct stance (zenkutsu dachi at the moment). Any tips?

Last grading I attended (when I was moving from yellow to orange), the tester failed everyone from our school testing for green belt!

At my last grading, I was singled out for correction by the Chief Instructor of our school, in front of 100 or so other people grading on that day. He still passed me, just. At first, I was embarrassed and nervous as a result. But then I thought - this guy really cares about the quality of karate being taught within his association, and my belt means something, it hasn't just been given to me. I'm working towards my next grading now, and really trying to focus on getting everything right. It's taking a long time, and I've had to postpone grading for a while, but I know it will be worth it in the end.

Shorin Ryuu - forgive my lack of knowledge. Of course it's woefully inadequate, that's because I am a beginner, and it just occurred to me after sparring yesterday that I wondered how stances should fit in.

I was just wondering - how are different stances applied to kumite, or are they not applied at all. When we spar, we tend to be in fighting stance most of the time. If stances are not applied to kumite, then what is their point?

My balance sucks too - but some great tips here. Thanks everyone.

Always wanted to do it, since I don't know when, but was too nervous to try (for various reasons). Then, 18 months ago, my son started and, after watching a couple of classes, I plucked up the courage to ask if I could join. Haven't looked back since. It's exceeded all my expectations of how much fun it would be, challenging but rewarding.

During the last grading I did (which was my second), I had to grade in front of the chief instructor of our school. All of the kyu gradings took place in front of him that afternoon - we all had to watch each other grade! So there were dozens of people. I was OK until he called me out and corrected my technique in front of everybody else - which made me extremely nervous for the rest of the test. I passed, but I felt like I had scraped through. Not nice, and I'm not looking forward to the next one. Still, he says that you should know a technique so well that you shouldn't be affected by nerves! I guess there's something in that - after all, if someone attacks you on the street you won't have time to go to pieces.

I'm struggling with my kicks as well, especially roundhouse and side kick. Can't seem to straighten my leg out fully on side kick. Roundhouse kick height has improved with some stretching (I've gone from waist height to chest height in around 3 months). It's painful though. I guess I'm too tight. As well as giving the types of stretches that might be useful, it would be good to describe them or perhaps link to another page or website that does.

I started late too - I've been at it for a year now and am 35. Not making as quick progress as you. My big problem is being stiff and tight all over. Makes it really hard to get my kicks up to chudan, never mind higher than that. Still, I'm more flexible than a year ago, so it's doing some good.

Why do you have to wait so long for your results? We are told straightaway after the grading.

Personally, I think it's disgraceful, not to say thoroughly distasteful.