NinTai

The most important thing you could say is: "I was in fear for my life."

The way I was taught was: Sensei - one who has gone before - teacher Renshi - Kyoshi - Hanshi: Different levels of Teaching ability, they are titles you do not address someone by this, and you never address yourself by any title. example: Me: Hi, i'm Joe I'm the instructor. signature on a formal letter: Joe Blow - Renshi, Rokudan You are never wrong if you address ome one simply as: "insert last name" sensei. If someone tells youto addres them as master such and such then they are not. just the way I was taught.

Hands are fast but.... He needs to spend time working on his Chi Sao if you notice when he transitions from the Chi Sao to the strikes there is a pause (as if his mind is switching gears) before he strikes Also when he strikes he hunches his soulders, something you have to remind a whitebelt not to do. This is only an opinion based on the vid an only 1yr of wing chun training.

Eugeu_Ryu_Stylist Thanks I'm always curious to see how people define these terms. Makoto Jin: What I was taught, and am still being taught is this list from most to least important: Kata Bunkai Makiwara Hojo-Undo Yokusoku Kumite Jiyuu kumite I have to get the list (again) from my instructor but this is about 90% correct.

PS1 Thank you for your service. No worries. Just wanted to make sure I didn't misrepresent myself I agree. Unfortunatly some people believe or are led to believe that training to compete and training to protect you life are one in the same. I see what your saying but people also don't make the claim that basic mathmatics is the same as or on the same level as calculus and triginometry. Calculus and triginometry require a deeper understanding of mathmatics. This would be the same as comparing the pinans to older kata such as naihanchi and passai I would like to make a comparison and see if we agree: Military, Classical Bujutsu Goal: to dominate the enemy and survive (make the enemy die for their country) Civilian Self Defense, "Traditional Karate" Goal: to "not lose" to survive the situation and get away. Competition, Sport karate Goal: to "win" not concerned about surviving because you life is not in danger. Law Enforcment kind of falls between all three Goal: The need to survive, and to win. they cannot run away but may need to use deadly force. Makoto Jin Unfortunatly we tend to classify styles instead of the people and training and their training methods. I wouldn't be concerned about what other people say unless you're unsure of the why and how of your training.

Eugeu_Ryu_Stylist Please, if you will define "full contact sparring" and what you define as "combat". Thanks

PS1 I think I need to clarify that my example was a specific one drawn from the Shotokan history. Itosu, one of Funakoshi's teachers developed the Pinan series oftern refered to as "school boy karate" because it was used to introduce karate into the school system. I must also make the distinction that I never used the term "martial art": "The "mother art" that Shotokan came from was a "life protection art". Martial means "of or having to do with war" karate and other such arts where civilian forms of self defense. What Dreager was refering to were the battlefield combat arts of feudal Japan. "So for any modern day martial artist to say that another is studying only sport and not "combat" is a little hipocritical. It shows a lack of understanding of the past." I have to repectfuly disagree. There is a certain way that someone trains for sport that would be completely inapropriate for "combat" (just to use the term). To see this and point this out is just being observant. Unfortunatly I have to run but i'll post more later. Good topic, Good posts.

I can see where your comming from, unfortunatly JKA sparring is pretty much the basis of "point sparring". The bouncing back and forth in zenkutsu-dachi baiting and waiting for ipon. Stopping the punch before contact and kiai-ing for emphisis started with the JKA. Lets face it, Shotokan flurished in the universities of Japan. What do male college kids like to do? Play contact sports, fight and be manly. competition between colleges were fierce and there was some contact but it was all still sports oriented. Ask yourself how much time do you spend doing hojoundo, makiwara training and the deeper study of your kata vs sparring. Sparring should last on the list of priorities. If you spend most of your time sparring and kata is second on because you have to, then you are treating Shotokan like a competition style.

I guess you would have to look at the history of Shotokan to see what they mean. The "mother art" that Shotokan came from was a "life protection art". Meaning that it was a complete art that contained grappling, joint manipulation, inside fighting and was focused on protecting ones life above all else. When Funakoshi brought this art to Japan many things where changed some things, like the the meaning of Karate (China hand) to Karate (empty hand) were political, other changes such as stances and hand positioning where for aesthetics. When these changes took place the art evolved more towards a sporting aspect. This does not mean that a Shotokan practioner cannot defend him/her self on the street but it does mean that they are far removed from their roots, and have lost much in the process. MMA and full contact fighting is not combat. You do not fear for your life. The person you are facing is not intent on killing you. If you lose you get banged up, but you will survive. Now before everyone starts flaming me, let me say that I have great repect for these ATHLETES they take a beating, but so do boxers and we consider boxing a sport not combat. I believe that Shotokan is a sport form of Karate BUT that does not make it a "McDojo". The quality of the student is what determins that.

From what I have learned stances such as we know them, i.e. forward, horse, cat etc don't exist in a fight the way the exist in Kata. Other than the obvious conditioning benefits stances are designed to teach where to place your weight when performing a specific technique, and how to use the whole body when doing so: Cat- bringing the weight back and down sightly. Horse - dropping the weight straight down. Foward - pressing foward with the body. My .5 cents

This agument can be used for anything. I'm better than you because I wear Armani and you don't. People can say, "I know such and such kata and you don't" The person who will obsess over belt color will find something else to obsess over if you take that away. When I went to see my current instructor for the first time I wore a white belt. He found out that I was a shodan in another system and said to wear my black belt next time. So I did, no big deal I'm still me. I would learn the same things at the same pace because of who I am and because of the way my instructor teaches me. No more, no less. Making a big todo about not having a rank system is just as bad as making a big deal about having one. Just wear what you instructor gives you and keep training.

The thing is that when boxers spar they don't pull their techniques. They still make contact just not full force. I have seen where pulling a technique becomes a reflex action. If you always pull your techniques or stop them short of the target then that is what your training your body to do. I don't belive in "full contact" sparring but with proper head gear and mitts you should be able to have "light" contact without adverse effects.

I don't believe that that is the best way to look at it. If you get bored with the "food on your table" then maybe you should question your reasons for being there. If you go to seek instruction too add to your "house" you should go with a plan and a strong understanding of your base. I never objected to adding to your art or that it should never change. I only take issue with those who "collect" techniques because they lack a deep enough understanding their base art. They cannot see beyond the physical techniques to the more inportant underlying concepts. As with my shooting analogy you don't "NEED" to shoot different types of pistols, but once you have the principles then you can "experiment" other techniques and weapons and your decisions have direction.

Double Post

I have never had problems calling an instructor "sensei". I asked a judo instructor that I know reguarding this issue. He stated that his instructor Sumiyuki Kotani, one of judo's 10th dans, simply went by sensei. Tiltes like Renshi and Kyoshi are realy degrees of learning and teaching like Skeptic said. If you recieved a B.S. in chemistry would you have people calling you "Bachelor of Science Joe Smith" ? When i'm with my instructor I call him Perry Sensei, when I talk about him to write about him it's Mr. Perry. I have had instructors that asked to be called by their first name outside of class, but they were closer to my age. It simply comes down to respect, what ever they want to be called.

Thanks for your replies. I emailed Satori and they said tha the measurements on their site for after it has shrunk. Again, thanks

Its not about technique(s)... There is a very good reason to stick with one art that is to learn the underlying concepts of that art. A punch, kick and kata are vehicles to teach you the base concepts of the art, they are not the art. What really separates one art fom the other are the concepts and principles that you are learning. The concepts are the art. Lets look at shooting. You don't need to shoot a variety of pistols to become good. All you have to do is pick one (lets say a .38 ), then work on the principles like: breathing, trigger control, sight alignment and recoil control. Once you have that it dosen't matter what type of pistol you pick up, or situation that you are in, yes little things will chage like recoil and trigger pull, but that stuff is of little conciquence if you haveall of your basics down. By understanding the concepts of the art you will know when you see a new technique if it fits into youre style of fighting or if it will just get in the way. And youre "discard what is useless, keep what is usefull" will have direction and meaning.

Greetings, I usually wash and dry a new dogi on the hot setting to the most shrinkage out of it,( or maybe this is not the best practice? ). I was wondering if those of you who have a Satori dogi could let me know how much i shrinkage one could expect from their uniforms. Thanks

https://www.dragondoor.com

I highly recommend Eosin If your a Shodan or above i belive they can also embroider (sp) the rank stripes for you

Kobudo Equipment Murasaki Kobudo https://www.murasakikobudo.com Do Gi Meijin https://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Products/Pages/Meijin.htm Various Training Tools Bushi Fitness https://www.bushifitness.com (No longer selling) Bushi Power https://www.bushipower.com WLE https://www.WLE.com

I picked up the "nigirigame" and chisa today from Bushi Power Good construction, the weight can be varied with regular 1" plates. The grips for the "nigirigame" are designed so that people with different sized hands can use the same grips comfortably. Also he just started making small grips to train the finger tips (same theory as chin na stones). I hope this helps.

Journal of Asian Martial Arts is an excellent choice, mainly because the staff are highly educated and you would be hard pressed to find any "fluff" articles (ie which is better ninjitsu vs shotokan karate) Classical Fighting Arts (formerly Dragon Times) is also another good choice. More geared towards Okinawan arts but plenty of good writers (ie Harrry Cook) CFA http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Cfa/Pages/cfahome.htm JAMA http://www.goviamedia.com/

I have never tried a Shureido. But I have heard that they are at least as good.

You can also try https://www.bushipower.com. He sells a chisa/nigirigame set that allows you to add weights to. I'll be getting a set this comming week if anyone has any questions about them. I believe that it also comes with a book of exercises. Here's a pic: http://www.bushipower.com/images/mechanical-montageOPT2.jpg http://www.bushipower.com/images/MontageOPT.jpg