Neko

Thank you everyone for your input. I will take into consideration what everyone has said and implement most. As for my Sensei and his teachings, I can see your point of view of practice sparring in a very controlled environment and lots of kata. We do those also. My Sensei has made it clear that we are doing these things to prepare ourselves if we have to use it now. About the only person that has gotten hurt is me bruising my toe. No big deal. A little pain has never broken my spirit. Thank you again.

Okay, granted I am a white belt. My Sensei tells me I need to relax, I am too tense when I spar. I have to agree too. My arms sometimes are hard to keep up because I am so tense. So, here is the question. How do I relax when all I think about is what am I going to do next and out my whole self in this?

Sorry. Isaid i would going up for my yellow belt next May. I meant this coming June.

I know it will help but I think my sensei might get mad even if the move is efectiveIf your Sensei is traditional in teaching the disicpline of Goju-Ryu, he may want you to hone the skills that you are learning. It is not meant to take away from what you have already learned but to implement that what you are learning. Our Great Father of Goju-Ryu, Miyagi Chojun, would not have practiced another style in front of his masters that taught him but implemented them together after he reached a mastery of them.

Hey, My name is Neko. I have been studying Goju-Ryu for 4 1/2 months now and Kobudo for about 3 months. Hope to get involved in some interesting, insightful, and openminded conversations with many of you. Gasama.

Congratulations on your promotion too. I will be testing for my yellow belt next May. As for our belts, they are...white, yellow, green, purple,brown(3rd,2nd,1st), and black.

Goju-Ryu Karate-Do