Sky

I think that is a very good idea, as many people do interpret it different ways. I do not claim to know everything about Christianity. There is a good possiblity that my words in my previous post will be twisted against me in order to suit someone else's needs, as we have all modified the concept of ki. As for what you said about Christians having problems with ki as the power inside: I was stating that it is an internal power that comes from you, but that the God that created you gave you a spirit and a soul to harness that power and use it with the body. If this is wrong, in that I have mis-interpreted the meaning of ki, please explain ki to me.

Someone on another MA board said this about shorei-ryu: There is no longer a formal Shorei Ryu. Originally karate on Okinawa was thought of as either Shorei or Shorin. Some say that Shorei was influenced by Wudang and Shorin, by Shaolin. They were also called Naha Te (sans Uechi Ryu) and Shuri Te respectively. Later Shorei became Goju Ryu and Shorin stayed Shorin Ryu. Trias karate (Shuri Ryu) and some * new flashy, crap, eclectic, American karate styles have claimed their heritage and style as Shorei. Uh-uh. Not even close. More like Shito Ryu and Shotokan with some acrobatics and shiny frilly do-gi. If there is a school calling itself Shorei Ryu you can bet it's Shuri Ryu or some other hodge-podge, modern tournament karate. Is this true?

I don't think that I can afford the ju-jitsu classes right now... The dojo is about an hour away, and I don't have a car yet, so my mom would have to drive me every week. But if I do karate, it is closer and less expensive. I will be looking into both dojos in the coming week, and tell you what I decide.

Ok, here are just a few of my thoughts. I mean to offend no one if I do... I believe that ki is a not a form of outisde or inside "energy", but an extension of yourself. You are not drawing energy or a force or spirit from somewhere else, you are just harnessing the power within yourself that was there the whole time, you are just learning to focus it. I believe that the only thing holding us back is the mental road blocks inside each of us telling us we cannot do things. I am a Christian, if that is what you would like to call it. (religion is a word for an overplayed establishment and Christianity is just a name that believers in the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He was crucified as a sacrifice for my sins and the sins of the world, and that he rose again have been called) So yes, I am a Christian, and I believe that ki is just learning to focus and apply yourself to reach far beyond your limits and tap into the potential that God created us to be. When God created man, he made man perfect. There was no mental roadblocks for Adam to have to push through, because Adam was already so in touch with God, and was created knowing his full potential. There was no need for ki in the beginning, as man already had complete mastery over the mind. Once sin entered the world, he began to doubt himself, and was no longer a perfect being. He was flawed, and had to work through and around these flaws (as we all do today). So ki is just tapping into that original intent, the maximum potential of ourselves that we were in fact created to be. Another thing to think about that follows the same type of principle as I am trying to convey is technology. People say things like "Wow, look at all this new technology!" The fact is, there is no "new" technology: we are just now figuring it all out. The means were there the whole time, we are just now learning to use them and (again) tapping into the potential of our resources. Too, there is no need for ki when there are no mental stops. As that is not true in any of us, we have found out how to overcome these stops and have given this method of overcoming obstacles a name: ki or chi or however you wish to say it. One of my techers was raised at a mental institute (his parents were doctors), and he told me of two brothers who were both deaf and dumb. He would go watch them lift weights, and they would be lifting incredible amounts, things that were unheard of and considered a small superhuman feat. He believes that this is due to the fact that, because no one ever told them they couldn't do it, they just figured it was normal. There was nothing holding them back from reaching their strength potential and pushing the limits that they never had to worry about breaking; for them, these limits never existed. I realize that this may have been confusing, and I am not very good with words or expressing my thoughts. But I was trying to make a point that, ki is something inside of you. It is your true potential. It is something we were created with even as the original perfect beings. As a Christian, I see nothing wrong in practicing ki as long as you realize where the power comes from (no outside mystical powers) and that you are trying to reach your perfection and true potential to glorify God.

What is Shorei-Ryu karate, exactly? Because there is a dojo in my town that teaches this style (not sure if I spelled it right, heard it from a friend). I was wondering if this is a type of martial arts that a larger person could do? What does it mainly consist of? Does it involve any throws or grappling techniques? What about weapons? What is it all about? (besides the hokey-pokey?)

Yeah, I know it is, but I don't even want that much. I am overweight and need to drop some of the pounds. I would like to lose 30 pounds in the next few months (before school starts again), and I need to know a training pattern I can follow to help me achieve these major results. I going to start taking either ju-jitsu or karate in the next couple of weeks. Any suggestions for what work outs I should start doing every day to get fit for the martial arts? Keep in mind that I am fat, and I can't do many sit ups or much serious running yet until I lose some of the weight. I also cannot do push ups. At all. Is there another exercise that I can do maybe at home to help me work the muscles I will need for sit ups? I know this seems like a lost or hopeless cause, but I was just alerted to the fact that it is bad for my health to be so overweight as young as I am. I have been trying really hard lately to get in shape, and I would appreciate it if any of you had any training tips you would like to share. Thank you, Sky

Yeah, I have been going to the local gym and stuff a few times a week, and also doing some workouts here at home... it's been hard cutting back on all the sugar and fried foods, but I have been working out and feeling a lot better in the past few weeks. Thanks for all the advice though, and I am going to be going to check out the dojo this weekend.

I think I have found a dojo nearby, however, I am not sure about the prices. I haven't been to check it out yet, but from reading the information on the site and stuff, it looks like what I want in a school. How much is a reasonable price? Because this place is asking for $65 a month just for classes once a week, plus insurance and federation membership (another $30 a year). Is this too much?

No, I mean Traditional Japanese Ju-jitsu. I found a really good dojo to train at for an hour every saturday, and it looks like it will be a good place. I will post back here if I change my mind or decide to go for it.

Would it help to take both? Or might that mess up training in one style? Because I can drive the hour to ju-jitsu every saturday, and take karate here in town on my two hours every day off of work.

So if I was to take ju-jitsu maybe only a couple of hours every saturday (my work schedule will only allow this much time) will I learn how to do not only grappling techniques and throws, but kicks and punches as well?

Hello, I would like to know which is the best style between karate and ju-jitsu for all around skills. I hear that ju-jitsu is good, but that is does not help for striking. Karate is my other option that I can train in, and I was wondering if you learn throws and things like that in karate. Does ju-jitsu involve weapons training of any kind? Which is better for fighting? Also, what are the attributes of the different styles of karate, and which is the best one for a total beginner to learn? Which is the most all inclusive?

That's the funniest page I've seen in a long time! Celular Modular Interactive- odular Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring BANANA PHONE!!!!!!

I am an overweight 5' 2" 15 year old, and I was wondering if ju-jitsu will work for me. I want to use martial arts as a means of getting in shape and staying that way, and was wondering what ju-jitsu consists of besides just grappling and throws. Also, would this help me with getting fit, or should I go with something else?

Hello, I want to start a martial arts style that will work for me in what I hope to accomplish. I would like to do a style that focuses on fighting and self-defense, along with some grappling and throwing techniques. I am hoping to acquire a strong sense of self discipline and focus, along with a kind of inner strength. Basically, something that is pretty all-inclusive, if this is possible. I am a teenage female, and slightly overweight. I would like to use this opportunity to get into better physical shape, train myself for fighting in combat situations, and become more self disciplined. I have looked into karate and ju-jitsu. Anyone who knows these styles is welcome to tell me of their exeperiences. The reason I have chosen these two styles to research is that I live in a very small town, and aside from Tae Kwon do, those are the only two styles I can take here.