Fish

I train in Wado. It is correct that Hironori Otsui, the founder, came from a jiu jitsu background before learning karate with Gichin Funakoshi. He blended certain ideas from jiu jitsu with karate in creating wado ryu. My understanding (but I may be wrong) is that certain techniques are unique in wado - such as taisabaki, and junzuiki no tsukommi/ gyakuzuki no tsukommi. Anyway, its worth checking out. Don't write it off just because the dojo has a lot of kids. Mine does too, which can be frustrating at times, but if you're willing to put in the effort to train, it pays dividends even so.

Jiffy, I agree with you - when sparring or training for speed, snap it out and back as quick as possible. But when trying to train balance and stability, doing it slow is a help.

Seiza can be painful on the front of the foot, instep and ankles even for us slim guys. The other problem is, if you sit in it for too long, your feet and ankles go numb and then you can't train properly afterwards.

If you're performing a kick-punch combination, don't rush the transition from kick to punch. After you kick, rechamber and pause for just a second before you put your foot down and then punch. I've found that this helps to develop balance and a more controlled and decisive punch.

My sensei (wado-ryu) is currently training in aikido. He's shown me one or two of the things he's been learning. It looks interesting - completely different on one level, yet with some similar concepts on another. I wouldn't mind doing that, but I want to wait until I get my shodan in karate first because I think its better to persevere at one thing for a while and learn it well than to spread my attention too much.

We are tested by our organisation not by our individual sensei (although he might be on the testing panel on the day). Having failed a test in the past, and seen others fail, I can say it does help maintain a certain level of quality and credibility.

Yes, I keep meaning to get back into it. I did a 5k for fun in the summer and managed it in sub 24 minutes (not having run for a year). But now its November in England, and who wants to run in the cold, rain and dark? But I've always been really lazy at stretching, and now I'm as flexible as an ironing board!

I used to run a lot, before I started Karate, but I gave up because my leg muscles are so hard and inflexible, and I want to try and build flexility (running shortens your muscles).

That guys sweeps/ takedowns are stunning.

Well I'm a long way from shodan at the moment. I might change my mind after all the sweat to get there!

Why can' t you just have it plain? That's what I'd go for anyway (if I had the choice).

Maybe you've had a bit of a wake up call, realising just how hard some of the others out there must have trained, and how much better you could be. But remember this, you can't change the past, but you can change the future. Instead of regretting not having trained harder in the past, and worrying if it's too late, focus on the future. Set yourself goals, and be determined to persevere until you reach them. Train hard, and you will make it.

When I started, I regularly had to spar with another junior grade who was younger, taller much heavier, stronger and faster with me. He had no control. I used to come out of every session with one injury or another, sometimes quite painful ones. One day, I asked him to exercise some control, and he just said "why?". The point I'm making is that its better to spar with a black belt, who will exercise control as well as executing good technique, than a junior grade with sloppy technique and control. If you're the junior grade, and you're bigger and heavier than others make sure your own control is good. Yes, we have to train against all sorts of fighters to prepare ourselves for a self-defence situation. On the other hand, we may have to go to work the next day!

Our black belts teach, demonstrate and watch during regular classes. But they have their own black belt classes later, when they have to work hard!

If my own control isn't good, and I hit someone too hard in the head, I always back up and apologise, so they know I didn't mean it and I'm aware of what I did. That seems to help defuse the tension. But there is a lot of adrenaline flowing when sparring, so occasionally people are going to get hit a bit harder than they like.

Actually, I find that one step at a time approach to kata quite helpful. It gives you time to really analyse and get to know the more subtle elements of the kata, which you don't necessarily get when running through it quickly. E.g. working on the precise way the hip twists when shifting stance or performing certain hand movements.

In our school about 5 years, with consistent training at the dojo twice or three times per week, and practice at home in between.

I heard of someone else who did something similar. He was also a BB. His best friend jumped him from behind as a joke. He immediately reacted with a strike which broke his friends nose - it was an instant reflex reaction, not a considered response. But definitely apologise if you get the chance.

I had the same problem with a couple of the kicking combinations for 3rd kyu. I practised and practised and practised without seeming to make consistent improvement. Sometimes the techniques would come out really well, other times not. What worked for me in the end was to consciously remind myself to relax when practising the techniques, so that I built up both a visualisation and a muscle memory of performing them relaxed. That helped me not to tense up when I eventually did the grading, and it made a big difference.

I recently bought a Doug James video from Amazon (the second one, purple to brown, but he also does one covering the earlier grades), it's worth a look at.

I started at 34. I'm 37 now, and just got my brown belt. I enjoy every minute of it. I've always kept fit through running, cycling and swimming, so didn't find fitness a problem. The main issue is flexibility - have to do a lot of stretching to compensate for my age. And I'll never be as fast as a teenager. But MA is a great thing to do at any age.

Well done! I'm sure you deserved it.

Surely, some styles are both, of necessity since it's not really practical to practise kumite "full on" as though in a self defence situation on a regular basis. Most of us have to go to work the next day!

Jiffy You are right! However, I think it can be harder for kids to fail - yesterday there were a couple who didn't pass who were quite upset about it. Could be just the nervous tension, I suppose. Hopefully, they'll bounce back.

A few months ago I posted about my experience of failing my test for 3rd kyu (first brown belt in our system), and my feelings and reflections on it. Yesterday, I tested again, and this time I passed. Looking back, I feel that initial failure was one of the best things that could have happened. It may be dig in, analyse my faults and practise persistently to overcome them. On reflection, I did not fail first time round...I learnt more about how to learn. And passing feels so much sweeter as a result.