shotochem

Are we talking pure strenght or power? From personal experience, I used to wiegh 50lbs more than I do now and I used to have more muscle bulk and strenght. I am not as strong lifting wise as I was before. However, when it comes to punching and kicking I hit twice as hard as I did before and am twice as fast. I do not lift anymore. I just do push ups,sit ups and various crunches and leg lifts. I also do drills and kata slow motion with 3-5lb weights on my hands and ankles in addition to whatever I do in class. I feel that personally I have lost raw strenght this way but the speed and power have more than made up for it. As for stamina, it has trippled since the heavy lifting days

In the kata when you strike chudan level wiht the spearhand would you strike the solor plexis or to the throat ? I do not practice this kata in shotokan, however in bunkai there are no set rules of application. It just has to work for you. I would think the target applications wise would depend on the size of the attacker. If you cant reach his throat go for the solar plexus if hes smaller dont reach down go for the throat. If it is a real life situation and you fear for your life always go for the most vital target.(in this case the throat )

Please, I prefer the term "vertically challenged" Shotokan works for me it is a hard striking style. I am not the largest guy but Im solidly built. Shotokans low stances and powerful hip rotation with precise striking can be devastating with proper training.

I dont want to be it !!!!!

Thai kick, Now that is Warrior magicians who wudda thunk it???

The term "Master" to me is ridiculous. Im not anyones slave or servant nor do I want to be subserviant to anyone. To call someone Sensei, teacher,Sifu ect.. is a title of respect. The term Master IMO is a little outdated and seriously overused. Grand-Master??? Yes Master??? Is it just me? Just a little peeve of mine. I hope I do not anger the Karate Gods.....

Hey Bon, Isnt sparring just a glorified game of tag ??? Realistically it can teach distance, timing and positioning. IMO sparring will not really teach you self defence either. I believe it takes a combination of sparring, kata, heavy bag work and a bit of grappling with an understanding of body mechanics.

Thanks for the info. If they are as durable as my heavy weight gi I give one a try. Are they cut loosly enough to kick and punch freely?

Could anyone tell me the differences between a Judo gi and Karate gi? They look pretty similar as far as I can tell. How is the cut? Do they offer the same range of movement as a karate gi? I see they are very durable looking I am considering buying one for karate. Thanks in advance.

Hi KM, I recommend taking the older one. It will be easier on the husband and Im sure the instructor will understand the occasional bow off the mat for "parental disiplinary actions". After a year of watching me train and begging to train again my son just started to train again . Hes taking TKD . So if maturity is an issue like it is with my son, having the child watch for a while may help as she matures. Its a wonderful thing to be able to train with your kids. It can be annoying at times but they and you will enjoy the time spent together. (oh no Ive gotten in touch with my feminine side!!! )

Give 100% all the time. If you make a mistake keep going. Spirit and effort are half the battle. Just relax and good luck to you. If your teacher did not think you are ready he would not have asked you to test. It is just an extension of what you do in class (only under pressure).

Hi KM, I belive Im quite familiar with this situation. Only I have a wife. She is not always as understanding as I would like. My solution is that I take my son with me. It fact he used to train there as well. I make time, take different classes and make it up in other ways (shopping, laundry, cooking ect... ). Hes probably like my wife and thought it was just a faze you are going through and now its the excuse for marital discord. I would not worry about missing a class occasionally after all its supposed to be an enjoyable hobby for you. If you miss a grading its no big deal there will be others. A belt is just a belt. It sucks to be a responsible adult but we do have lives outside the dojo. Its only 2 days . I would try to bring him along to watch he just may be a little jealous and needy. I just tell my wife that when Im home all I would do is sit and watch tv and eat chips. Ive dropped 50 lbs and look 10 yrs younger since I started, and It makes me a lot nicer to be around (we both beneifit) . Who knows maybe he'll give it a try too!!! Dont let it get you down....

No amount of money paid in a dojo gives the student right to demand anything from the master. If the student is unhappy with his instructor, then the student may find another dojo. (This is a common case because of the lack of serious martial arts schools, and the plethora of McDojo's littering the planet) Agreed, this is basically the point I was trying to make. I personally feel more comfortable learning form an instructor closer to my age. I have no problems with 18 or over. An older instructor is more likely to push me harder and further than a younger one. I would think it would be uncomfortable for the younger instructor to really dig into a lazy older student. However, if you approach a respectable instructor and make the disrespectful claim that just because you pay money for your lessons that you deserve to be instructed how YOU want to be, and not how the instructor sees fit, then you are not of the right mindsey to be asking the instructor for lessons. You misunderstand me. That is not the message I wish to convey. I never stated how I should be trained, but by whom. The comment about me paying for it is just that. If my dojo decided to have jrs.and asst. teach regularly, I would find another dojo. I once taught for money, along time ago. I had a student tell me the same thing. I pay money, I want it doen this way. I don't like that way, &c. I returned his money and told him never to return to me again. He doesn't want to be taught martial arts. He wants to pay for a ranking, the ability to say he knows this art, and these techniques. He was not the type of student I accept anymore. I take my training seriously. I do not wish to "buy" myself a belt. I could care less about rankings. They are for kids. I do not want to make a rank, I just strive to be a little better each day. I train for me. As long as I imporve myself that is all that matters. I salute your integrity. If more instructors did this the MA would not be so watered down. To teach a side kick because you have learned the side kick is not as effective as to teach a side kick because you have used the side kick. In other words, I can spend my whole life learning techniques within a dojo and not have near the comprehension about the life of the techniques as someone who has done the same, but applied each of those techniques when they mattered. That person is going to better understand the heart of the techniques. I may know the moves just as well as he, but he knows the life, the soul of those moves. Something I could not learn without experience. I wish I could have articulated ithe way you did; This is what I feel. The experience as well as knowledge is what Im looking for. The ability to help me understand the movements Im doing instead of just doing them, as well as to be able to apply them in a situation. Teaching isn't a thing to be taken lightly. When you are teaching someone who is a blank slate, you must take care and understand you are forging that person's lasting impression of martial arts. You are shaping how that martial artist will be the rest of his martial arts life. It is a great responsibility. You should ask yourself, "Am I ready to be responisible for how this person turns out as a martial artist?" It is the teacher who molds the student. The quality of the student can only be matched by the quality of the instructor. Yes agreed, that is why I train where I do. Its really a personal preference. I am not so ignorant to say that I have not learned greatly from younger students of higher rank. I learn something new from all every day. I hold the highest respect for all of my dojomates. The fact is the older adult instructors are better and more experienced and I learn more from them. That is what Im trying to say.

Posted: Tue 08 Oct, 2002 Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And cheers to you, ma'am! Quote: as the UN is an organisation for which I have great respect See? I knew you could find something with which I could disagree. Now this is scary.... I agree with Don... I hope this is not a habit forming trend..

It really depends on if you think it is worth it and if it fits your budget and schedule. I pay 75-$80 a month. I can take classes 6 days a week if I choose.(I do 4) Im quite pleased with my instruction and I enjoy the group I train with. It really is a personal decision.

Topic review Author Message monkeygirl Posted: Thu 10 Oct, 2002 Post subject: I can understand this perspective...however, a "child" can teach a lot about self-defense in the idea that "This technique DOES work...watch 98 lbs. little me throw this 300lb guy". Please understand you ma be good but against a 300lb man who is not willing you will not be able to execute. I have a lot of trouble with techniques on my friend "goliath". He is 6ft 5 280lbs. Im small and powerfully built it would take me perfect execution and a little softening up to be able to apply SD techniques on him if he resisted. There are odd exceptions but in general that is the case. If hes that big hit then run like hell, the odds are not in our favor. Most of our kids are very respectful and quite skilled. Many with better technique, speed and skill than me. In point sparring they beat me frequently. All I would have to do is land full contact or grab them and it would be over. That is a fact it is not meant to be demeaning it is purely physics and biology. When the youngsters get older it will be a different story, that kind of skill with a strong full grown body they will be downright scary. I state this to make everyone aware that even though we practice MA it does not make us invulnerable. Let us not underestimate our opponents or overestimate our own abilities. It would be a shame to have anyone get hurt because of this.

In our dojo we dont do the asst. instructor or leadership thing. We just have our senseis. a couple of 3rd dans fill in every now and then. I do not see a problem with a young BB assisting or leading a CHILDRENS class. I look at it this way, I learn more form an adult instructor in reguards to body mechanics, power and technique. I would find it difficult for a child to teach me a full-sized adult any form of self defense. Children are still growing and more flexible and in general have no concept of how the full grown body moves and feels like. Sad to say it is also a little rough on us older folks to take orders from someone as old as our kids. And no offense intended to all you young MA out there, I pay a lot of my hard earned money to train and I should get to pick the type of instructor I feel most comfortable with and learn the most from. I know... Im a meanie... But I thought you might want an adult perspective.

You may be the right size and build to most effectivly demonstrate the technique. You may also be good at breaking a fall or going with a technique. I find that it is good to be on the recieving end of a demonstration because you get the feel of a technique it also helps me think of a counter.

I also squeeze a tennis ball. A good one for hand and wrist strenght is take a 5 or 10 lb weight tie a rope around it wrap the other end around a stick then slowly wind it up then down. start ith 5lbs then work your way up. As for conditioning finger tips and knuckles I dont believe in doing that (I need my hands for work)

I tend to keep my hands in a high guard position. The lead arm to protect the left side and the rear arm protecting the kicking side elbows 6" away from body facing downward to cover the ol baby back ribs. (beware of kicking the elbows ) Monkeygirl, you are cheating yourself out of an exellent tech. Rear leg kicks are an excellent followup to the lead leg kicks or punching combos as well as a good stopping kick. Im sure you are alot faster than an old guy like me. Give it a try I use the rear leg quite effectivly though I tend to use the front kick more than the roundhouse.(old hips )

IMO kata are a textbook of techniques. I believe they were created to pass down these tecnniques and to provide a means to practice these techniques. As for Bunkai (applications to forms) there are no set applications. I believe they were created to inspire creativity in the useage of techniques. As you advance in skill and knowledge your interpretation of forms will change as you do. It is a way of helping the person adapt what works for them and to see if they can effectivly apply it. Just my thoughts....

I doubt members of the NAACP or the KKK see racism as a petty difference. I know that I don't consider myself petty for fighting to see that my property and my right to defend myself are not stolen from me by well-meaning (or not so well-meaning) politicians. Agreed those are certainly not petty. Its just the tactics not the concept that I have issue with. Everone has a right to look out in their own interest. Its when things are taken to the radical extreme, imo the problems start. Extremism in the world today is what led to the attacks here in NY. Perhaps if they had the same freedoms that we have here, they would not be as extreme??? or if we gradually slide towards extremism will we be more like them??? Does oppression or freedom lead to extremism or are they just two different paths to the same end??? Its a scary thought.

Hi Don, Ive been spending more time getting punched in the face than on my comp. I do not have a problem with the concept of the special interest group. Its just that they use their political clout in an extortionary way ie ACLU suing for every frivilous lawsuit it finds, boycotts by the NRA and Rainbow coalition ect... These groups may have started out with good intent and strove for fairness and equality but imo, they are just polarizing and labeling everbody. For every person there is a label or cause. The result is the special interest is being put ahead at the expense of the majority. Be it gun control, rights for the disabled. religious groups or affirmative action. Everybody wants a bigger piece of the pie. I dont want to hug a tree but, if we all put aside our petty differences and worked to help each other, there may be hope for us yet.

OOPs, CKD . I guess I just keep searching for an answer. I have not seen anything that di not have an explanation first hand. My mind is open however skeptical I may be.

Jerry, I find myself the same as TDK, I have no problem with believing Chi as long as I have a reasonable cause to. I am neither condemming it or supporting it, I just havent seen it. If you could recommend some reading materials on the subject with as little mystery and folklore as possible I would give it a good read. Hence my signature.....