Jade

I wear an "ITAKI" for every kind of training.

Oh well... i see some of you mentioned stress and depression. Yeah...some times martial arts training has been the only precious moments to feel my inner peace. I used to be very loner and shy...but now people can say i'm one of the most friendly person. We all pass bad situations in this life...and Karate halped me to go on happily.

No need to excuse. We are just discussing different point of views.

I think they are japanese kanji of my name...maybe here http://www.takase.com/Names/NameInJapaneseJ.htm you'll find yours too.

They missed my point Drunken Monk...one or two persons really answered my question.

Guys...you're missing my true question... I agree with this: As Delta1 said...that depends on the person...i was asking if anyone felt to be changed(even a little) after years of MAs training(in my case Shotokan). It's true that i mentioned that you usually read(on the web, books, articles etc..) that the martial arts can improve a person character...but that not true for everyone of course. This world is so various...maybe you'll never find MA helpful for your character and i respect all other opinions BUT...this wasn't the thread discussion.

At least someone understood my point... Yes...i was not saing that in every case Karate has perfected a character person...i know some experienced Karatekas that still act like fool or immature persons... This demostrate that someone train karate only for sport(like soccer, tennis )or to show they can do awesome kicks and pouches...and others try(i say "try") to understand the spiritual training of it even to improve their attitude toward life and world. I'm not claiming karate will always leave a positive influence in everyone...but i feel it in my life....as it may happen in other sports....that's not excluded.

I imagine you have read almost everywhere that Karate is also a character training....to become better persons in every side. Well...my question is simple...in what way you've changed since you started training karate? Me...for example i used to be a very shy person when i was a teenager and specially the latest years people/friends say i changed alot...i've a stronger personality and i won some of my wrost phobias. Shotokan changed my life making me better(not in everything of course... ) and that's the true power of MA. What's about you?

"With a bit of imagination, kata can be deadly." - Hidy Ochiai

Interesting topic...but i don't see how you see the conflict with the spiritual aspect of the martial arts with other Religions. Yes, i'm Christian.....but training MA for me it's something like viewing a religion from another side.......the concepts are almost the same. My knownledge of Christianity is not that deep in particulars...but studing other spiritual phylosophies help me to understand more my religion. Where's the conflict?

June 17th (even if 17 in Italy is considered an unlucky number ) Don't believe at those stupid superstitions! You'll do fine! and...congrats Matbla...the day i got my yellow belt i didn't imagine that i would loved so much this martial art more and more every day...Keep up the training!

That's an obvious answer...but lately i didn't spend much time in the dojo and i try to train home too...even if few minutes per day...i need to find a good quide to follow when i haven't a Sensei.

Hehe...that's true...but i'm not sure if there're wont be any katatekas to see the demo...i mean.....my former instructor with his devoted students...... ....damn...he never accepted when i left his dojo...

Hey i appreciate your help! Thanks for the title...i'll see if i can find it.

Thanks! I'll try my best to show the kata with a strong spirit.

I agree with those who said it depends on the school.....in my area there're few shotokan dojos...but each one is pretty different. There's one in which shotokan is practiced mostly in the soft version, another where you come home injured....and the one i'm going now that the instructor having practiced jujutsu for three years, he do some connections to it....making the training a bit more complete in my opinion.

I have been training with women for 20 years and had no idea they were supose to be weaker. interesting. I was referring mostly to "Kime"..... my instructor say i'm not that soft being a woman...but i feel i need to improve it anyway.

Yes...i think and feel i haven't practiced some kata enough to understand them at their fullest... My current instructor once told my how Shirai used to teach katas...he tried to convince the students to see all the adversaries around while performing the kata.

A bit early but....Thank you!

Just the same things we do in a normal lesson as you said: Since we are only the advanced belts to do the demostration we were planning to start with some basic kihon techniques(blocks, punches and kicks)... -Tate Shuto in the four directions; -a personalized conbination of techniques that include some high level moves; -A kata...Kanku Dai...i'm a bit worried because i've to show it all alone... -at last...two of us will do very few minutes of fee kumite...a soft version of course.

Next year i'll be able to test for first dan...i still have time to train at my best. The katas required are Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai and Jion.

This's a good website...does the black rectagles in the visual chart mean the time? Thanks!

After the 5 heians i learnt Bassai Dai, Tekki Shodan, Kanku Dai...and i'm going to start Jion soon.

hehe.....sorry....i missunderstood your phrase ...that was kinda weird for me indeed...the 10th dan black belts that i know in shotokan are really few...

I agree Fish.... Indeed...next week our dojo will maka a demostration in a public area and our teacher and us were discussing how to handle the show to let people see a good and "true" karate. We don't want to create false expectations as you said...we'll see if that is a good advert.