AngelaG

I've had severe rheumatoid arthritis since I was 8, I am now 25. I train 5-6 times a week currently, and although not always easy I keep my sensei informed and together we work our way around any difficulties I may have. Starting karate is the best thing I ever did , and that is no different when taking into account my disease. I am now amongst one of the most flexible people in the adults class - not bad for someone who spent a sizable amount of time in a wheelchair as a kid. My GP knows I do karate, but does not know I do any contact. My rheumatologist is completely in the dark. Why? Because after having arthritis for so long I know my body, and I know how to listen to it and adapt accordingly. No doctor can do that - they can only judge based on the majority or textbook cases. I know they would tell me to give it up, because they'd prefer to play it safe rather than sorry, and then I would sit at home and turn into a big, fat couch potato with nothing to keep me limber. No thanks! Good luck with your training. Talk to your sensei and take note of what your body is telling you! Angela

Hi I wrote a set of FAQ for beginners to karate; read them here! They are set towards a small shotokan bias, because that is what I do but some of the answers are generic. hope this helps! Angela

The lion doesn't fight because although he knows he could win he would still smell like cr*p afterwards. He stands to gain nothing by going back and fighting the skunk, other than a nasty lingering reminder of what he has done.

What will actually be judged? Kata? Kumite? How perfect one's character is? I just think there are other sports which are better suited to the Olympic games.

Now I'm not sure that you take karate, but I want it in. Off course I take it. Just look over there: <<<<<<<<< Karate will degenerate into pure sport if it gets into the Olympics and there will be nothing to separate it from the Olympic TKD on display. Not only that governments will start to try regulating it, and you can probably kiss goodbye to any of the self-defence stuff (Especially in the UK with our Nanny State) As you can see I take shotokan, and if you read Karate-Do: My Way of Life from Master Funakoshi you will see that he was totally against sports karate. Olympic Karate will mean an influx of the local McDojo - lots of wanna be Olympic Warriors who have no interest in preserving the traditions and ways of karate; have have no concept of Karate-do. Dropping all the aspects which won't get them any firther in their goal of winning the Olympic gold. And the stark reality? Only a tiny proportion of the people training will ever have the slimmest hope of actually making it into the Olympic team.

I train to defend myself mainly, but the stuff we use is not legal in any competitions I also train for fitness, fun and the social aspect

People train for different reasons. I myself don't train for competition reasons; my dojo is really not competition orientated.

A black belt in 4 years - it's very fast. In my dojo we can gain a black belt in about 10-20 years or more because we pay more attention to sparring and competitions. It may seem fast to you but I assure you it is the norm amongst most dojo.

A black belt in 4 years is not a bad time; especially in the schools where 1st dan is very much considered competant beginner.

Well done. I had a surprise test back when I took my 4th kyu. I was all on my own, and he got the yudansha up to do my sparring and oyo etc. I felt like I was on centre stage!

Tell her that the spot on her leg is actually linked to her Gallbladder using meridian theory. Daft old mare!

I know people that do use it in BJJ, boxing etc. Also the proverbial "glass jaw", could this not just be a KO from a hit to ST4 or ST5?

I disagree. Poking PPs with your fingers is fine for demonstration purposes, against a willing uke, or once you have already locked them up digging fingers in to create a little bit of pliability... however IMO it would be reckless to start using fingers like that in a real striking fight scenario. If you know what you are doing you can train to become less susceptible to pressure points, and some points don't work on some people, but with a hard strike a person is going down either way. Just my humble opinion

I partner with blokes pretty much all the time. My dojo splits classes into juniors, teens and adults, so the youngest kid I will meet is about 15/16ish. I prefer to partner my mates though, and they are big built men, with about a foot on me in height. They hit me hard, and they know if they don't take me seriously I will return the favour. When sparring with someone like that it really teaches you to avoid getting hit!! If I do get partnered with one of the younger kids I work on different aspects. They are often a lot whippier, so I get to work on speed etc. They also take me seriously because they know that if they don't they may get hurt, or more likely embarrassed.

TKD is out, however not sure about karate being in. Think that is still just a rumour. Hopefully it will stay that way! KEEP KARATE OUT OF THE OLYMPICS!!!

If you are going to return to hikite you should have some part of the opponent in your hand. If you don't want to grab them then keep your guard.

Of course, but too many people have visions of people that use PPS trying to poke a small spot with the tip of their finger. This is, of course, ridiculous. Train to hit hard and hit well. Use PPs as the icing on the cake

Pressure points should only ever be the last 5% of what you train. You need to make sure everything else is right first!

If you hit a place riddled with PPs with a big enough weapon it is not about how can I hit a specific place in a fight, but more like how can I miss!?!

Yeah, but those kind of lazy people probably wouldn't be bothered about dropping out anyway, and you wouldn't feel bad about telling them to take a long walk off a short pier!

Nishyama started training in 1943. Shodan in 1946, age 23 director of the JKA. Nidan in 1948. Sandan in 1950 Ozawa started in 1942. Shodan in 1944. Nidan at university after WWII, Sandan & Yondan in 1955 Enoeda started in 1952, was a Sandan in 1956 Abe started in 1954(?), was a yondan in 1964 Ohtsuka started in July 1922, received Shodan 12th Aprill 1924 I'd like to see the person that tries to spread the fact that these guys were in a McDojo

Exactly what I meant Jay, you are two adults, and therefore the situation needs to be resolved in an adult manner. However if you have already spoken to him and the matter continues then as I see it you have two options, ignore him if you think you can handle that, or go to your shihan. The problem is that if your shihan does not handle it correctly it could be blown out of all proportions. Good luck

It would depend on the student, and the reason for their predicament. If I had a student that had always worked, always gave 100%, and put as much into the club as they took then I think I would try and work a way around a financial problem.

If you don't really want to do it don't feel pressured into it by guilty feelings. At the end of the day this is a hobby and a sport tournament - 20 years down the line it won't matter if you didn't compete, but it might matter if you pick up some permanent injury from fighting before you were ready. Only you can know, only you can make that decision.

Kids/teens always get crushes, and the majority of the time it is for someone that they cannot have - such as TV/film stars, teachers etc. It is a natural part of growing up and should not be blown out of proportion. When I was in school I had a massive crush on one of my teachers and used to get dreadfully upset that we would never be together, however if he had ever approached me I would have run a million miles!!! It's bad enough having a crush as it is without finding out that the object of your desires actually knows!!!