shotochem

Yes..... I really,really, should have used a saw but I just had to smash those 2x4 with my hands....

Tom, I like it. Left hand grabs some hair or ear, and slams them face first into your hip bone. After the face to hip technique keep th head in your hands right hand on top(cup and saucer0 holding both ears and with a quick hip twist snap the victims (bad guy) neck..

A good roundhouse in the head will cure one's desire to drop their hands too often. It happened to me.........once!!!

The stocky solid fighters can take a lot more hits and tend to be more durable though not as fast in general as your typical lightweight.

That is a beautiful thing....... (Its not as bad as it sounds, my son goes with me )

The only way to stop this BS is to do what I did......... I cancelled my subscription!!!!!!

Loosen up and stop trying to win. It takes a long time to be proficient at sparring. Try not to think too much or be concerned with scoring points. Its best to work on a couple just a few techniques at a time keep it simple then as you improve build on it. I used to be a pitifully poor sparrer since Im more of a scrapper by nature,after reading the same article that sho-ju posted I gave the don't try to win strategy a shot. It really works. I worked on my blocking then just two combos for weeks then just added on from there. It helped me to be more aware of my opponent instead of just randomlt throwing techniques and hoping they would score. I am still not the greatest but I am much better than I was before.

OMG!!! Sai !!, I just laughed so hard I spit coffee through my nose!!!! And I thought our security was bad......

My avatar is a scruffy tiger cub. Since Shotokan is a Tiger art and it makes me feel like a scruffy little kid again, it just fit.

Age and treachery will prevail over youth and power. When you get older and more experienced you have more patience and poise while sparring. The younger ones are more agressive and tend to get impatient and frustrate easily. Then they make mistakes. The toughest people Ive sparred have been 20 yrs older than me. They just block everthing and wear me out till I leave an opening then nail me. Thats what Im starting to do to the teenagers. Point sparring the younger faster ones tend to beat me most of the time.

Hi Sai, I was just giving a realistic representation. I did not want anyone to think that it is an easy thing to train in MA. You have to work real hard and it doesnt come easy when you are over thirty. Pacific made it sound like a stroll in the park. I would say taking Shotokan is one of the best things Ive done for myself mentally and physically. When I started I couldnt touch my toes. Now that I think about it, I couldnt even see my toes. Ive dropped all that weight and have a much happier and healthier life. The best part of all is I get to dress up in those big funny white pajamas and jump around and act and feel half my age!!!!

Hi TS, What you need is to get back into the swing of things. Start to train a bit on your own while you are looking for a new school. If you find that you no longer enjoy training in MA. So be it. Find something you really enjoy and do it. I know a few people Ive trained with that decided that they no longer enjoyed MA training. One decided to take up marathon running and painting another swims and plays softball. The most important thing is to enjoy and really love what you are doing in your spare time.

Welcome Sib, I want to give you a realistic description of what Shotokan is like for a person in his thirties........... I started Shotokan when I was 30. I have a similar build as you. Shotokan karate is not a cake walk, it is not ballet. It is a hard style of Japanese karate. It will put stress on your knees, hips and shoulders. The techniques are done with great power and effiency. You will get sore, bruised, and battered. It is all part of the fun!!!! . You will start wih the basics and will gradually learn more difficult techniques as you advance. It is not as fancy and kick orientated as TKD is tends to have lower kicks and devastating punching power when properly trained. Like any MA you will get out what you put into it. I personally enjoy it and would do it all over again. I hope this helps and good luck whatever you may decide........ I only wish I had started sooner .

Hi Aes, Ive had a similar school experience as you. I can tell you this..... I recently ran into a few people I went to school with. The captain of the football and Lacrosse team is now about 300lbs and smokes 2 packs a day, completely bald and works in a deli and convience store He married the homecoming queen who is now also not quite what she was. In fact she is more than double the person she used to be. Its amazing how nice they are to me now. Back then I was 4 inches smaller with half my current muscle mass and certainly an easy target. Its amazing how for years you can fantisize about revenge then when you are really able to do it it just dosent matter. They won the battle I won the war

This is a great book I normally dont go around endorsing books But........ It is one if the few karate books worth the money. When I started to learn Tekki I wanted to understand it better, this book helped me out quite a bit.

Hi Laurie, The best way to really learn bunkai is to find a willing partner and work it out together. We are taught basic bunkai, however Ive found that a lot of what is taught is not effective for my particular size, strength, flexibility, ect... You have to figure out what you can do with your own body. Keep in mind the simplicity factor.... if its to complicated and fancy you probably will not be able to pull it off in a real situation. As for in the dojo try anything, its fun and inspires creative thinking

I personally would not want to spar any of the legends or masters. Now if I could train or learn from them !!!!

Good for you !!! Since you are not hung up on rank and colors, You will be better than ever. Its a shame that some people place to much emphasis on rank and too little on learning and enjoyment. Its better to walk slowly and enjoy the scenery than to speed past and miss it all.......

I couldnt help but post this link....... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3605883005&category=16044 It just left me speechless....

Has anyone here seen a video tape of themselves as a whitebelt? Compare that with now There is always more to learn and there is always room for improvement.

15!!! I was more than twice your age when I started . In my experience no one in most MA classes will ever look down or show lack of respect for someone of lower rank. We were all there not too long ago ourselves . The old saying is true no matter how good you get at somthing there is still someone out there that is better. Dont worry, enjoy yourself, learn as much as you can Jjust have fun .

Your wallet may decide for you . I would give Aikido a try since it is in your price range. TSK is a known money machine. If you do not like the Aikido you can always change to something else later. The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing if you dont...... there is no point in doing it.

I survived the last episode . My 9yr old thinks is cool. I however consider it an excellent tool for martial artists.......... of how NOT TO PREFORM YOUR TECHNIQUES!!! It is just amusing fluff that resembles MA.

I thought he is the guy who grilled burgers for Ritchie and the Fonz!!!! OMG!!! Im really getting old .