Chado

For a year and a half after moving I was still driving 1.5 hours to my school 5 times a week. I completly understand what you mean about a busy lifestyle though, I took a high paying job that does NOT work with my dojo schedule at all...I have to wake up at 3:30am to go to work one week and the next week I get home at 5:00am ... I can't make classes consistently at the moment. One thing you can do is find private instruction, my sensei charges $45/hour and you can learn whatever you want (doing regular karate is an option as well). My sensei, being rather young, is great for sparring so you can do that as well (no interaction with other students may be a bit of a dissappointment so...) what my sensei also does is lets his private students come to class if they feel like it (they certainly pay enough to) so even if you went to 1 class a month you would get interaction with other students plus VERY high quality 1on1 instruction. Note that this information applies to my sensei and dojo only, I have no idea who is near you or what they do...or how they do it HTH, Chado

He certainly talks big. I wonder if any of those claims can be backed up :?

The school I train at is out for the best training possible (aren't all schools? ) My sensei and his sensei (who's school I also train at on occassion) pool resources and pay to have Veras-sensei (and his son) come up to do kata seminars. Mcmain-sensei is brought up to do kata seminars, but more importantly to do Torite Jutsu seminars for the DSI (https://www.dragonsociety.com) in pressure points and body mechanics. My sensei (andre lemieux-sensei) flies down to Texas every February for that big seminar involving the people from Japan or Okinawa or both? (I can't remember off the top of my head). And I thought perhaps you might know him from that...but I know a lot of people go to that and so you might not get to know everyone Chado

Does kata improve my skills? Maybe. Does kata improve my focus? Sure. Does kata make me relax and discipline myself to not get lazy as people are watching? Yes. I think everyone has different reasons for the things they do, to me kata is not worthless. This said, I only pay to spar in tournaments...if kata is included (at the local level it always is but they seem to make you pay for it at the provincial / national tournaments) I will do it...but my kata is for me...and since kata is for me...I wouldn't be me without it, therefore my rationale is that my skills on the street would be different than they are...with me doing kata. Meh Chado

At the basic level if you want to 'do stuff' you will be doing it faster in Karate. In Kendo you may not get to spar for 6 months after joining. You will spend the first while doing a lot of foot work and swinging a shinai until your arms feel like they are going to fall off (mine haven't yet...but they sure felt like it!) I wanted to do Kenjutsu, but there is no place even remotely close that teaches it. I drive 30 minutes to train in Kendo and I drive 1 hour and 30 minutes to karate to train (I have taken a leave of absense for a new job I took up about 3 months ago, I've been acting like a Ronin and wandering school to school to spar since then so that I don't become a sluggard). You said you are in school and made reference to your parents allowing you only one martial art. This implies that you are rather young (sorry if I'm mistaken) and therefore i think you will have more fun at karate. Don't get me wrong, kendo is great, you will actually get a 'black belt' in kendo faster than karate...but I fear you may loose interest with your sword swinging and quit before you get to beat up others with your stick Practice hard at whatever you choose and take care! Chado

Hey...kind of neat, people in this thread I've never meet train with people I've trained with. Goju-Boi, do you train under Veras-sensei or Mcmain-sensei? vince - you train with my sensei andre lemieux-sensei at with yabinaka-shihan in tilsonburg? I study traditional Okinawan Goju-ryu, I belong to Karate Ontario (WKF), and P.O.G.K.F. I don't plan on joining the JKF until I obtain my black belt...too much money and time to keep updating the membership each belt. Chado

Your money is worth a fair bit here I think. Typical fast food (Hamburger/Fries/Pop) - $3.99-5.99 depending on where you order Typical Japanese (Teriyaki) - 15$, Oyakodon - $8.25 (tea is free usually) I don't drink so I haven't the slightest clue what beer or such costs...pop is usually under 2$ or free for designated drivers when I go to bars with my friends What motel are you staying at?? All the nice ones have breakfast...you must be at one of those cheapies on Lundy's lane Chado

Lots of stuff to do in Niagara Falls. The competition is going to be at the Fallsview Casino...food prices? Depends on what you like to eat I guess It's like asking "What do cars cost?" If you like steak there is some expensive steak houses...if you like Japanese food (what I usually eat) then there is lots of that too. It's in the 'tourist' area of town but if you meet up with some people who are locals (such as myself) then we would be happy to direct you 'out of the tourist area'. If anyone wants to meet up for a bit of training while they are down I'm sure we could squeeze some of that in to...my sensei is usually happy to have people come in and do some sparring with new people Chado

I dont know if there is an overall list of the winners posted, I do know who did and didn't make it from my group Me and my friend James didn't quite make the cut for Kumite. But my sensei (Andre Lemieux) placed 3rd in mens hard style kata, his sensei (Doug Meagher) placed 3rd in hard style kata 35+ and Meagher-sensei's wife Christina placed 5th in Womens hard style kata. All of them will be headed to the worlds in my old hometown Niagara Falls. Even though I didn't make it to compete I will be there on at least some of the days so if you're going and want to meet up let me know. Chado

In karate I've never seen anyone fail...they just dont test you till your ready. And testing is just like a class that your expected to know how to do everything without any help. Kendo you fail. Lots of people fail. My sensei told me one guy took 4 times to get his 4th Dan. Mind you in kendo your first test is for 1st kyu...and after that shodan, so it's not like karate where there is umpteen number of kyu belts to go through. But still Chado

How about the knuckle busting board breaking punch

what about the groin kick there crippled :? Oh wait...that's my technique...

Left to right: Meaghersensei, is the owner of Northwest Goju : http://northwestgoju.org/ Also the only black belt in Canada certified in the dragon society http://www.dragonsociety.com and he did kung fu for a million years (ok maybe not that many) really great guy, I get to train with him from time to time as he is my sensei's sensei. Also at all the DSI seminars he is there to beat me up good. Next is christine, his wife she's great at kata as well...hopefully they both make it to the worlds for kata (they are going to the nationals). Elvis: you already knew that My sensei! Lemieuxsensei http://www.tigerslairkarate.com his last big win was the 2001 goodwill games in Mexico for kumite. but he does really well at the local stuff...he is going for kata to the nationals. And the last one on the right is my sensei's girlfriend...who also trains at the same school as me She didn't compete in this event though so we'll give her less air time And me and my friend James were a BIT busy sparring when this picture was taken or we would of probably squeezed in the end of it Oh and if you go to the first link I posted there is a ton of pictures from different seminars...you can see me getting beat up pretty good during the pressure point seminars (but I guess you might not know who I am since I never posted a picture?) All the same the pictures are good Chado ps. cathal i'm just curious but what part of Canada are you from? Are we close neighbours or are you on the other side of the country?

Ok if you guys want to see the picture here you go: http://fcomp.ath.cx/elvis.jpg

Well I made the team for the nationals, I'll be competing in the Canadian Nationals in May so I am trainging for that (Kumite only). It's not nearly as clean as the WKF, but it's more competitive than any Shihai / Regional I've been to for 'regular' organizations. I'm told the judging is much better at the Worlds and even at the Nationals (It doesn't matter quite as much with Kumite as it does with Kata but still). My sensei did a VERY clean suparimpei and was beat by a sloppy Kurunfa. Because we do traditional Goju-Ryu and we don't run around yelling like they do in some styles (ok that's a bit exaggerated...no offense to anyone doing 'those styles' but you know what I mean?) Anyway the other cool thing I guess was Elvis Stoicko was there. He does Kung Fu and competed in that and a weapons kata. I have a picture of him and my sensei and what not I guess I could post, but it's nothing fancy they are just standing for a photo Anyway that's my thoughts...see you at the worlds (that's optimistic thinking ) Chado