AngelaG

At the end of the lesson I either imagine breathing in new energy and releasing the bad energy, or I contemplate what I have learnt or been told to work on.

Yep it's possible and can be useful in a close quarter grappling situation. The trick is to drive all the power from the hips, not the shoulders. It's hard to practice without cheating and swinging your arm quickly back but you could get a training partner to place a hand behind your elbow to notify you if you are doing this. This punch can generate quite a bit of power if done properly. You won't get the force as if you had a real swing as you won't get the acceleration up (F=MA), so the trick is to increase the mass (again by driving with your hips) . It's very useful in that people won't see it coming so won't get out of the way or block, and it can really catch them by surprise and cause BAR. As for knuckle conditioning, well I guess that depends on what you are hitting. Personally I like my knuckles without big callouses on them.

I've had a rising knee to the groin (not in karate though). I dropped to the floor and could not breath properlyy for about 10 minutes. I physically could not get back up, or even uncurl myself. That being said I don't wear a groin-guard. They are uncomfortable and unwieldy for females so I will take the risk. For a kick to have any real horrible affect it would have to be a rising kick as well, a straight on kick to the pubis would hurt but not in such a crippling manner.

There's a difference betweeen PPs and ki. I know that PPs work, I've used them and had them used on me, I don't know for definite there is such a thing as ki. Let's not get stuff such as PPs, meridians, 5 element theory and Ki mixed up!

This always sounds a little too off pat to me. I think that in typical Martial Art style people just want a more zen reason for the coloured belts they wear. The belts are there to a) show instructors at your dojo what they can expect out of you b) a 'trophy' signifying your progress in the arts c) generate money for gradings d) provide structure and stature Angela

I have had some experiences with ki, including doing the FireWalk to build it up and a bit of chi gung. I have noticed my techniques are much more powerful after this but whether this is due to my relaxing and focusing a bit more or to the ki build up I am not sure. However, acupuncture seems to work and that is based on ki and the meridians. I do believe in ki, the 5 element theory and meridians somewhat but am highly cynical of people claiming they can do no touch KOs etc. On the other hand, I am keeping an open mind and am willing to be convinced; just get it to work on me! Actually I'm halfway through an article which compares TCM ki to MWM bio-electromagnetism... it's interesting material!

http://www.karateresource.com/useful_info/glossary.htm There's a new updated one being added son with many more terms!

Yep. All my belts were good until I got my purple and white stripe belt, it was Blitz and even felt think and cardboardy to the touch. It has stained numerous do-gi. However it'll eventually come out your gi and there's not much point in buying another one for the coloured belts. I don't really care about the quality of the coloured belts, it's the black one that has to go the distance.

AFAIK there is not much to tie in footwork to 5 element theory... but there are one or two things. Firstly there is a Kidney point (water) on the ball of your foot, this if stimulated can build up your energy and increase Ki. I have experimented with the Fire Walk and applying techniques afterwards and it does seem to have a big impact. Therefore to increase your energy, and therefore power try rubbing the ball off your foot along the floor (or wearing high heels when you fight ) Secondly there is a pressure point on the top of the foot (I think it's Gallbladder 41 - wood) which you could stand on (on your opponents foot) and then try and hit into a Water point or Earth point for good effect.

Web design. Pubs with my mates. Riding motorbikes (often pillion nowadays as my one is too big for me ). Reading. Writing about karate etc. Researching stuff to do with MA. Socialising. Films. Watching Torquay United play (lose) at football.

If you can afford it, get leather.

It is not the students that make the McDojo, it is the instructor. If you came to my dojo expecting easy gradings, half-hearted training, getting away with bad technique etc. they would soon be made to realise that they were not welcome. The dojo is run as a business but my instructor won't compromise his principles for money. In return for our dedication and hard work we get good training, cheap lessons and reasonable grading fees. Certain people want a McDojo, in that case they will go and find a McDojo, but again they are finding a place where the instructor has made it so, they do not go there and gradually infect a hardworking, dedicated atmosphere with McDojoness. People should stick to their principles. Money is not the be all and end all.

Giko do a lovely Silver Tournament gi with elastic bottoms. It's one of the few heavyweight gi with elastic waist. If I were you I'd splash out and go for the whole gi as the top is a fantastic cut too, it has a longer length so the top does not ride up under the belt. It looks really smart. I bought one and I would honestly say it was the best buy.

I have arthritis and due to the excessive amount of computer work I do it is very prevalent in my fingers. Try holding the finger up to your ear and bending it, do you hear a sort of grating noise? If so this could be indicative of some arthritic style problems. Although, to be honest, if it's still swollen and sore then the doctor really is the only avenue you should be following. When it comes to health and body self-diagnosis is a bad thing!

Well done! What was the test like?

there's nothing wrong with it. If you can use the facility, you can clean the facility, IMO. We clean the mats and ring every day. Each day, a different person is giving the task of doing it, that way everyone gets a chance, and there's no accusation of favoritism if someone gets looked over. The owners of the school clean the bathrooms and such, but the students clean the equipment. Well it's just my opinion. When I used to go training at the gym I would obviously wipe down the equipment with towels when I got off so the next person didn't have to wipe off my sweat; but if they had got the vacuum cleaner out I would have laughed in their faces before cancelling my subscription. I use a supermarket but I don't clean up that either. Perhaps if the dojo was run on a no-profit, everyone in together etc. basis I may feel different. But, despite the fact we have nice cheap fees, it is nevertheless a business and I pay my monthly subscription and don't expect to have to have to do the cleaning. Just my opinion of course!

If you bruise a kid in school, even in the attempt to teach them self-defence to maybe save their life one day, you will be in the biggest pile of poo you have ever seen! Sad but true!

AMERICAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when the cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing expenses. Your stock goes up. FRENCH CORPORATION: You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows. You go to lunch. Life is good. JAPANESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create clever cow cartoon images called Cowkimon and market them World-Wide. They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains. Most are at the top of their class at cow school. GERMAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You reengineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour. Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year. BRITISH CORPORATION: You have two cows. Both are mad. ITALIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows, but you don’t know where they are. You break for lunch. RUSSIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 12 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka. SWISS CORPORATION: You have 5,000 cows, none of which belong to you. You charge others for storing them. INDIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You worship them. They eat all your crops. You kill the muslims next door and take their crops. CHINESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim full employment, high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the numbers. AN ISRAELI CORPORATION: You have two cows. The Palestinians have six cows. The Palestinians don't like your cows grazing on their land, they say. They send in a suicide cow that kills one of your cows. You send in your bull to clear out their attack cows so your cows can be safe. Their bull retaliates. Your bull tramples him and several Palestinian cows that were caught in the open. CNN makes $Millions reporting on all the carnage. A MEXICAN CORPORATION: You think you have two cows, but you don't know what a cow looks like. You take a nap. BRAZILIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You enter into a partnership with an American corporation. Soon you have 1000 cows and the American corporation declares bankruptcy. A TALIBAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You turn them loose in the Afghan "countryside" and they both die. You blame the godless American infidels. A CANADIAN CORPORATION You have two cows. Your dairy operation is productive, and you sell 80% of the milk to the US market. The American government decides that you are taking advantage of federal subsidies to dump milk on the market below cost, and slaps you with 25% "countervailing" duties, to protect the interests of the above-mentioned American Corporation. Angered and enraged in typical polite Canadian fashion, you cheer as the Canadian hockey teams beat the American teams and win Olympic gold. You wave the Maple Leaf a bit, and then apologize for the outburst and get back to milking your cows. A CHRISTIAN You have two cows. You keep one and give one to your neighbor. SOCIALIST: You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow. A REPUBLICAN: You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. So what? A DEMOCRAT: You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. You feel guilty for being successful. You vote people into office who put a tax on your cows, forcing you to sell one to raise money to pay the tax. The people you voted for then take the tax money, buy a cow and give it to your neighbor. You feel righteous. Barbara Streisand sings for you. A COMMUNIST You have two cows. The government seizes both and provides you with milk. You wait in line for hours to get it. It is expensive and sour. A FASCIST: You have two cows. The government seizes both and sells you the milk. You join the underground and start a campaign of sabotage. DEMOCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE: You have two cows. The government taxes you to the point you have to sell both to support a man in a foreign country who has only one cow, which was a gift from your government. CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE: You have two cows. You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows. BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE: You have two cows. The government takes them both, shoots one, milks the other, pays you for the milk, then pours the milk down the drain. FLORIDA CORPORATION: You have a black cow and a brown cow. Everyone votes for the best looking one. Some of the people who like the brown one best vote for the black one. Some people vote for both. Some people vote for neither. Some people can't figure out how to vote at all. Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which is the best looking one. HUNGARIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows, grazing somewhere in the puszta. You get hold of them, butcher them to the sound of czárdas violins and popping wine corks, singing along. The cows are fried and cooked, delivering premium gulyas. After a week of heavy mulyatsag partying, you blame the Austrians for having stolen your cows. EUROPEAN UNIONISM: You have two goats. The EU declares them to be fruit in order to conform to a rare Belgian custom of making Cow Jam (jam being required to have at least 45% fruit). UNITED NATIONISM: You have two cows. France vetoes you from milking them. The United States and Britain veto the cows from milking you. New Zealand abstains. THEOCRACY: You have two cows. The priest takes all your milk to offer it to God and drinks it.

We don't clean the dojo (well someone does but not the students) and I wouldn't be particularly happy if asked to... I have enough housework to do at home thanks!

Main Style: Shotokan Karate I am currently doing one step sparring, full extension at touch contact. We also do oyo (which we are graded on) at close quarters, with just a small dig to let your opponent that your technique has landed. I've never broken a board in my life... I have seen a couple of our people do it at demos etc. We incorporate pressure points into our lessons, especially our bunkai. Moves are practiced against straight punches, hook punches, lapel grabs, bear hugs, wrist grabs, shoulder grabs, hair grabs. Apart from that there is the more traditional Kata, Kumite and Kihon. We use Japanese in the lesson, with English often following if there are low grades there. There is no shame in asking for a translation if needed, no matter what your grade. Occasionally for 6th Kyu and up there are weapon classes. Sword, nunchaku, bo staff. These are taught as an extra and there are no ‘levels’ to them, it’s just another experience. Secondary Style: Open Circle Fighting Method Hard contact self defence style incorporating pressure points, BAR, waveforms, balance points, locks, chokes, takedowns etc. No set kicks, punches etc. It basically teaches you to use whatever you can get, and how to use it at its best. Kicks tend to be a hard front kick, or just whamming a roundhouse in (shin contact) with a waveform. Knees are also used. Arm techniques are mainly punches, palm strikes, back hands, elbows, again using the hips as much as possible. From standing up, sitting down, lying down, grappling etc. Stances… none really. Feet facing opponent so all your energy is going into them. A bit more emphasis on fitness. Strikes on partners (not full strength), pads (full strength) and some ether foam (starting low power and working your way up to whatever your partner is ‘comfortable’ with). We use English terms. This is all done at Martial Arts World in Paignton.

Yup just getting to the last couple of chapters of a Hatful of Sky too. I then noticed he has sneakily released a couple of books before that, that I didn't notice and so have not bought and now need to buy. (Monstrous Regiment) He writes too quickly for my bank account to keep up!

Karate-do Kyohan, by some Japanese dude! It's slow progress though as my Fiction book (Terry Pratchett) keeps geting in the way!

LOL good story!

i see that you have a strong view on this, BUT consider this: 1. If that is what you think if you see a person in a gi training... then quite frankly you're immature and not worthy of MA HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for setting me on the righteous path. I will go and tell my Sensei RIGHT NOW that I will quit until I am 'mature' enough to be 'worthy' for studying a martial art... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

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