AngelaG

I currently have 6 heavyweight gi. Three are without patches. I like the plain look and I also wear a patchless gi if I go elsewhere to train. Two have my club's badge on the left chest, and the orange and black Shotokan tiger (Tora No Maki), on my right arm. One has my club badge on the left chest, and another close friend's club badge on the right arm. (I am an honorary member) I don't like seeing two patches on either side of the chest.. to me they just look like two big targets!

I know. But most shotokan dojo do tend to have a similar syllabus. I agree with you to an extent. But across organizations (AKJU to JKA for example) it's almost two different styles, let alone having the same syllabus. Hmmm, perhaps there is a greater standardisation in the UK. Probably because the smaller population means there is less room for variation.

I know. But most shotokan dojo do tend to have a similar syllabus.

I've never had any issues with Puzzle Mats, other than occasionally I have stubbed my toe in the gap. I have had blisters on my big toes from overly varnished wooden floors. Puzzle mats need to be cleaned throughly, especially once the protective surfacing has worn out. I also think that occasionally they need to be separated and cleaned all round the sides. You would be shocked and disgusted by what collects around there.

I like using the Japanese terminology because it means the students approach it with a more open mind. For example the usual (mis)translation of uke is "block", when in actual fact it means to receive. If we call it block then most students will only ever see it as that, rather than as a strike or a throw, or the other myriad of uses the technique may have. On the whole I think the Japanese is more descriptive. However I will admit that it can be overdone, and speaking with a pseudo-Japanese accent is just weird!

Big Hara.

Theoretically. Only it didn't help as I had to a whole heap more anyway. But I notice that you are a nidan and you say that you have only been working on Jion for 6 months. Jion is a choice for Shodan but we must know it by our Nidan grading, same as Kanku Dai, Empi and Hangetsu.

http://www.tracyskarate.com/ I've heard of them, but don't know much about them to be honest. The website is awful and not exactly easy to navigate. The history section can be found at: http://www.tracyskarate.com/History/histindex.htm

Shotokan... but the way we do it at my club.

I chose Bassai Dai for my shodan. However I also ended up doing Jion, Empi and Kanku Dai, as well as several of the lower grade kata.

Personally I think you were extremely lucky that you didn't further inflame the situation. If the guy had really been out looking for serious trouble once you threatened such a high level of violence you could have provoked him to something further. He could have been carrying a knife.

Not bad at all! Personally I like to see a more rooted fudo-dachi, and there where one or two times you sacrified technique for speed... but considering the fact that you had just had a long hike beforehand it's not surprising really.

I think if you are a bigger, powerful person then Jion is more likely to suit you. But Bassai is great in that it can suit the smaller built people and the bigger people as it has components of power and flow/whip within it. Plus I think Bassai is more intuitive, it lets you know the rhythm and gives a lot of spaces to catch breath before exploding again.

I'm not that fond of Jion. I much prefer the whippier kata, rather than the big, stomping kata. Quite a few people choose Jion for their black belt in my club, which I find quite weird as personally I think Bassai Dai is a much more superior kata. I'm quite liking Nijushiho and Kanku Sho at the moment.

You could always try the Roman Chair. Get your back against a wall and bend your knees until your bottom is parallel with your knees. Hold the stance as long as possible. When it *really* aches come up an inch or so for a little while, and then go down that little bit further before. Anything like walking, exercise bikes etc. will also help strengthen your leg muscles. The most important thing in kibadachi is to take your mind off the pain, so watch TV, have a chat or do some upper body techniques.

Several.

I have been for the past 2 years. Keep an eye out for bargains on Sunday afternoon, as people reduce their prices to get rid of their stock. The Shaolin Monks display is very good. I'd recommend watching that if you are not in a seminar at the time.

I'll be going to SENI again this year. (yay) We tend to go up on the Sunday as it's a fair way from Devon. There are some really good seminars up there this year. On the Sunday my sensei will be doing some seminars too, I think they are free.

My site has some free eBooks for download: http://www.karateresource.com/articles/ebooks/index.htm

http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/yinyang.htm It's all about Chinese Cosmology!

The twist on a horizontal punch is the very last thing you do, and you wouldn't hit someone on the end of the technique (outside of kumite), therefore when the punch hits the fist is horizontal either way. all the little twist does is adds another factor into play, perhaps ripping flesh, or twisting inside.

At my club there is a set syllabus, but the likelihood that it will be stuck to is very slim. Basically black belts need to be prepared for anything, need to be adaptable, need to be thinking for themselves. Black belt is about reaching a certain level of maturity within the martial arts. Going for black belt you may have anything thrown at you and you are expected to cope, with the spirit of "Never give up" behind you. No two black belt gradings are the same, and the only thing that is clear is that you WILL be tested

Speaking with many GKR karateka I was under the impression that GKR does not do bunkai?

On the other hand it may be that at the moment there is all take and very little give. He takes their information and passes it on to his students (who I assume are paying him), but the club who has the information gets very little out of it. I guess they are thinking that all the other students are paying for their information so why shouldn't his students who are also benefitting from their knowledge? If it was just the one person involved would think it was more about ego, but I do think it's a bit wrong to gain teaching from one style just to pass it straight on without returning anything the other way.

We have a young man at my dojo. Last year I asked him when he was coming up to he adults lessons (16+), he looked at me incredulously and told me he was 12 years old!! This boy was only just in secondary school and yet he was very large and VERY powerful. His understanding is also very good. I'm of the opinion that people should be judged on individual merits.