strangepair03

Usually, you wear all the safety stuff but you can hit harder and have a little more room to try things out....you still can not strike knees, groin, spine, etc; (at least in my dojo) Hope this helps

Congrats!!!

I also have a Shureido middle weight, I have had the gi altered at a regular cleaners....sleeves, pant leg and the bottom of the jacket....just tell them you want the 10 rows of stitching and should be no problem....Ran me about 40 bucks and took about 4 days. Good Luck

29....for the next few months....

Can you go after him thru ebay???? or is that the end of the show???

I liken it to learning a musical instrument..(bear with me!) First you learn the basic scale..(kihon) than you learn short note combinations (ippon kumite) than you learn tunes (kata)...you can not call yourself a "musician" and be unable to play a tune....same with kata..first you learn stances and basic techniques...then you learn basic combinations...than you learn kata, putting it all together. If you learn to play the flute scale, but never go from one note to another out side of the up and down of the scale....do you really know how to play the flute, or any other instrument???? Same holds true with kata, if you never learn to put a block/punch/kick/move/block/kick etc:combinations together with timing and flow, than what are you doing????

Congrats and all the best in the future!!!

I have placed with Wansu and Seiunchin katas.....I am going on a limb at the next tournament and am going to compete with Naihanchi...I think it is more difficult than most give credit...

I hope you drop a line and let us know how it goes!! Good Luck!!

makiwara heavybag sanchin jars iron arm conditiong bar ankle and wrist weights 45lbs. olympic straight bar (for bo kata)

I have never worn them.

I just wanted to tell you all how excellent this topic has been....I have really enjoyed reading it and a big thanks to all of you for sharing your info with the rest of us.

I wash/rinse in cold water, with tide with bleach alternative. Hang dry, and smooth out wrinkles by hand when I fold the gi. If I have heavy stains, (grass,blood, etc:) I make a paste of water and oxyclean, rub it on and let it sit for about 30 min...then I wash as above. I also have several gi's and wash after every class.

Choki Motubu, and of course Tatsuo Shimabuku

I and my dojo mates have only been tested when we were really ready...so no, I have never seen someone fail a rank test.

I keep a journal of seminars, rank advancement, dates I started and completed katas, tournaments etc:

Maybe....they could offer a cardboard cutout of your systems founder/grandmaster...you know the full size one's like they have of movie stars...then you could take a picture with him...That way you can back up your certificates with some "authentic" proof

Congrats....

Once, after class, I stopped to get a bottle of water at a convience store, a woman was walking out and held the door for me, I grabbed the door and said "domo" while bowing....I got a look like I had three heads and they were on fire!!!

I was suprised at the feel of my kata when done with shoes on. It really changes how you preform certain stance transitions..like in chinto kata. I found it rough at first, but after a few times it helped with balance and correct posture quite a bit when barefoot.

How many of you out there use a makiwara and how often? Do you have a preference of type/brand?

Excellent saying, hit's it right on the head. Thank you

Shureido...kinda expensive, but lasts forever.

Anyone attening Sensei John Hughes's Tournament in Hackettstown N.J. in April?

It is my understanding that Sensei Advincula is a 1st Generation student of O-Sensei Shimabuku, having started with O-Sensei in the mid 50's. He is also credited with the original design of the Isshin ryu patch, with the outline in the form of an Isshin ryu fist. Although I have never made it to one of his seminars, I am told by those that have that it is very much worth it, if you can possibly make one. Hello all, just thought I would chime in....Advincula sensei(my sensei's sensei) studied directly under Shimabuku Tatsuo on Okinawa for 7 1/2 years...He was on Okinawa when O'Sensei passed in 1975. In fact his wife, who is Okinawan, is also a 1st generation student of O'Sensei, and the only woman to train under him. He designed the 1st Megami patch, and in addition to Isshin-Ryu, he has black belts in Goju-Ryu, Shorin-ryu, Uechi-Ryu, Hindiandi kung fu, and escrima. I have been to his seminars and they are more than worth the price of admission. Hope this helps. p.s. About his seminars and for more info goto https://www.msisshinryu.com tons of Isshin-Ryu stuff there.