pers

In shotokan there are 27 katas , I don't know them all ,maybe about 15 or 16 and I still think that I need to work on these ones for many more years .so personally for me I have enough on my hands to work on and improve upon .katas like unsu ,gojushiho daie and sho ,sochin are some of the katas that take years to master and fully understand the applications to make them like second nature ,so i am not in a rush to learn more katas just to say that I know all shotokan katas !

Thats your opinion ,but how much experience have you got in martial arts ? and apart from watching katas and dismissing it ,have you had a good instructer teach a kata and its applications to you ? you may come to change your mind if you meet one !

Footwork is very important ,thats why there is so much emphasis on it in shotokan which is the style I trained in. it is good to look at other martial arts if you have the time ,I have enough trouble now adays to do any training !

Heian shodan is a very important kata ,like the base if you like ,the main fundementals of karate are evident in their basic form and with correct practice this kata could help build a strong foundation to one's karate .I once read that a top master said that when he goes to a new venue to teach ,to evaluate the students quality and ability he gets them to do this kata! if you lay off karate for a while ,this kata is a good starting point for your return .

It all depends on the performer ,I have seen it done by masters and it is devastating ! you can always improve on it ,no matter how many years you have been training , perhaps it is one of the first things karate student start to learn but by no means it is easy to perfect this technique !

Yes ! it sure is sensie Dave Hazard ,I have had the honour of being his student for the last 20 years.

Hangetsu is my favourite kata ,it is a close quarter kata therefore hengetsu dachi is used throughout . If you want a good intructional video of hangetsu I recommend you get in touch with shotokan of england karate union tape by sensie Hazard (my instructer by the way !) his applications and demonstration of this kata is the best I have seen .you may think I am biased (I am !) but once you see this tape ,you will be too !! their web site : https://www.seku.ndo.co.uk

Yes ,I started in 1984 in shotokan at the age of 24 .Although I had 3 or 4 months back in 1976 but that was not really that significant.

I got mine in shotokan.

if a system doesen't have testing and ranking it doesen't necessarily mean it is bad . wrestling has no belts or ranks but it is one of the oldest of martial arts and they are very tough ! if you ever have to fight them you don't get many chances and if you miss your chance with a very good technique like ippon to finish them ,you may well regret it !

I have only trained in Karate ,but kung fu is just as good ,All depends who is the teacher .all martial arts reach at the same destination only diferrence is the way getting there . Look for a good instructer ,it is most important thing as you are going to trust him in teaching you some thing of value ,other wise you may end up wasting many years of your time and money .there are lots of bad examples out there that you will do well to avoid them.

Well ,what funakoshi has said about there is no first attack in karate means that you don't go looking for fight but if you feel that in a situation you are about to be attacked then pre emptive strike is a self defence ! incidently last week while playing soccer this particular tug who is a bit of an idiot and thinks he is tough and gives it large verbally went on with abusive and threathening language towards me ,now I am over 40 and he is about 22 or so .I had no doubt in my mind that I could put him to sleep in no time ,but I went on with a smile and did not retaliate in kind to calm things down .I was very close to lose it but managed to hold myself together ,but had he got closer to me and had I felt he is sizing up an attack then I would have hit first .Still I am a bit unhappy about the whole thing ,although I know I have done the right thing and don't need to prove myself now in my age to any one and my life evolves around my family and their well being and their quality of life which I have to provide and the other guy is just an idiot without a care in the world .had I fought him I think I would have lost even if I had put him to sleep ,what do you think ?

I think they can be a good supplement to your regular dojo training .my sensie has done a few videos and they are exeptionaly good . Quality obviously is the main factor.

I totally agree with you . the strength that the ankles develop by moving around in the basic stances is evident. i say both of these stances have their use ,but for me I say kiba dachi has helped me enourmosly in football ! or soccer as is known ,I play goalkeeper and kiba dachi has allowed me to move with the kind af balance and speed that I never had before hand ! not only I was amazed myself when I started playing again after some years of being away from soccer and just doing karate how at over 30 I am a better goalie than when I was playing for college first team when i was 18-21 ! it was all down to karate and my basics ,and for my job in diving to my left and right after a quick step (just like when stepping in kiba dachi to do kekomi) kiba dachi was my secret ! ( to the eyes of other players ) I must say this that no one I play football with knows I do karate ! it is just the way I am ,keep myself to myself , you know more about my karate than them!!

Age uke in its basic form ,when practiced by kyu grades will aid in teaching the students concept of upper block and in basic kumite the students practice to achieve profeciency in correct timing of the block and distance ,but in a combat situation being the dojo or street ,it can be short block or a quick attack to the throat or both the block and counter in one move depending on the situation followed by other techniques.

Yes ,weight training is good but to supplement your karate , you must do more reps of 12-15 and light weights acoarding to your body weight . you do not need big byeseps ,they are good if you want to lift some thing or pull things towards you ,as in karate we push energy out , so tricep muscles are more important ,so are the muscles in the back of your leg and foot .in simple terms we need long and streched muscles which have speed and stamina.

you are welcome ! your instructer is right ,but with practice you will get it right without thinking about it . Just like driving the car in the beggining and then after few years ,so practice ,practice ,practice !

Thats right ,as long as it works it is correct ! this close quarter application has its own benefits in self defence ,it is important to note that the upper hand block the arm of the attacker in order to be effective ,as always timing is very crusial ,too early and the attacker can change to some thing else ,too late and you get hit !

it is very uncommon for someone who has reached black belt to practice that much basics that their belt wear out by friction !! Mine has worn out by the knot area if it matters .

I never realy pay that much attention to belts ,I bought one in 1992 and it can still hold my gi together ! thats all they do ! belts don't fight and save you in the dojo and more importantly in the street.

Good luck with your training and welcome to shotokan ,by the sound of it your instructer must be well qualified .I always enjoyed the grace andpower of shotokan .much practice is needed but if you stick at it ,with good instructer the rewards are great and it would even help you in other sports .in simple terms the mental side of it will improve your confidence and boost your will power .and remember there is no short cut ,you must work hard in basics and master them . it is important to practice your stances and techniques at home what you do in the class .

MayI just add in order to move swiftly in back stance great care must be taken to insure that you are always on the ball of your foot and it is the twisting on the ball of the foot sharply and dynamically that can initiate the swift movement ,so is bending the knee and keep in the hip low and the same level through out the movement.

Like some one else said you can practice with a bag ,but if you don't have one ,you can do it against a wall or with what cusion or some thing . i remember as a junior kyu grade watching master Masao kawasoe in crystal palace course constantly hitting the wall with the ball of the foot with powerful round house kicks and I was wondering how does he not damage his toes ! but with practice the toes uncounsiously tilt back and the ball of the foot hits the target.