makiwaraman

Well I am taking the plunge on Wednesday and going to my first kyokushinkai class, as I feel it may suit me more than my current style. As I understand it you practise full contact kumite from your first class so are there any experienced kyokushinkai practisioners out there who wish to share some tips with me or offer any sound advise. regards makiwaraman

I think the idea of the kiai is to add spirit to the block or strike and therefore you should of blocked the strike to your jaw and not be striking at the same time as your opponent strikes you so no it does not leave you more succeptable to knockout. Also it would take a very confident person to attack a karateka coming towards them with loud kiai. regards makiwaraman

After two years of training I changed my kiai from DAI to HAT. This was done on the advice of a senior BB who explained that the tongue is the only organ thats conected on one end only and saying hat pushes it to the roof of mouth making it whole. Seems to work. Regards makiwaraman

Congratulations we all could do with relaxing at gradings. Even karateka going for nidan and beyound seem to still show nerves on the day. Regards makiwaraman

Right leg mae geri landing forward at 2 oclock instant left leg mawashi geri, works great even if mae geri is blocked. regards makiwaraman

My belt is white has been for two years mind you its getting brown,dont want another one until I grade to shodan. Regards makiwaraman

congratulations, regards makiwaraman

I dont like the wall mounted ones I speak from experiance they can not offer enough impact absorbtion, get yourself a good post type , however I am told that the shureido wall mounted is good. shotochem hows your makiwara training going? regards makiwaraman

Thats what they teach at the cheap classes, they represent a throw how else can you train on your own to simulate a throw. regards makiwaraman

Like has already been said its a huge debate. The reason that Kenji Tokitsu stopped was that he changed the form of punching. It does work the look on peoples face when I strike a focus mit held against their sternum(these are dan grades) and the fact that they jump back to lesson the impact the second time assures me of this. I doubt that this traditional method of training would have lasted for hundreds of years had it not been effective. regards makiwaraman

I thought that being a karateka meant that you should be humble, how can anyone claim to have mastered all that karate has to offer(thats my take on someone saying their a master), its a journey not a destination. I feel that all grades should be tested on standard and not on time or how many classes you have done. I know this is tough for those with less natural ability but I have seen too many people get grades that they should not of passed just for having enough ticks in boxes. regards makiwaraman

Thats the point! wood and body very different but if the makiwara has good flex it can absorb the impact in a similar way to the human body. regards makiwaraman

There are no wasted moves in kata. For example try to headbutt someone as they bring their closed fist up to their shoulder ouch you headbutt an elbow. So that could be the block then the geden berai becomes a strike. I was told that where the knifehand strike starts is telling you where the target is. regards makiwaraman

I think that maybe your body is not conditioned to the hard impacts, and feel that if you persist your musles will get used to the impact. As for going all out I dont, I tend to start lightly and work on correct technique building up speed and power over my 50 strikes. The fact that going all out causes you pain would indicate that you should go a little easier and build up. The makiwara always wins, I will send you a PM with a link to some great training articles. regards makiwaraman

Is there some confusion here I am in the UK. regards makiwaraman

shotochem what I meant about reaching to stike is striking with only the last inch or so of the strike impacting. I used to train on the makiwara with this method until a very experianced karateka explained to me that training to strike like that is pointless the person in the street would only have to move their target area two-three inches and you would miss. So I adobted the impact at midway point and noticed that with this method the makiwara now sank a couple of inches more. regards makiwaraman

A bowling pin thats a new one on me each to his own. But I cant see that a bowling pin is offering the same benefits. regards makiwaraman

I have a old DVD entittled shotokan karate from beginner to black belt this has all the heian katas and bunkai on it. Quality is not that great tho. regards makiwaraman

Heel down seems more solid try both ways and find which works best for you. regards makiwaraman

I believe that PunchThings.com are going to be stocking it soon. regards makiwaraman

To quote something I read on a similar thread on another forum Robin Hood is always more important than the bow. regards makiwaraman

My advice would be to go to as many different classes as you can explain what your doing first. Those that you dont like dont go back those that you do try again as sometimes a club may make a special effort for new people and once you join you find out its not the norm. There is a particular mc style of karate that wont let you look or train unless you are a member avoid any that say that. regards makiwaraman

yeh trust google other than that the only one I can remember is that only 1 in 1000 students make it to black belt. regards makiwaraman

Great story AnonymousOne, puts things into perpective for the rest of us. Alot more people could do with a friend /brother like you. regards makiwaraman

bruised ribs yes, broken no. regards makiwaraman