Menjo

Never heard of it until now...However it seems to exagerate alot of very contraversial topics and even discrediting Master Funakoshi in some sense. From looking at it, I defitnaly would not purchase it, but you never know for sure... If your up to it, I found this site after a few seconds of research: http://www.karatekorner.com/index.cfm/action/productdetail/productID/10704.htm Just remember to really think about information that many non-affiliated books or ones that are not established in the MA community(not saying this one isn't) on karate nowadays give, some books are the want for money at the expensive of the martial art's reputation...

No I wouldn't in 99% of the cases. Up to intermidate level(green to purple/blue), I might let someone with a certain problem that was serious enough to halt their progress get up to green. Past that, no they would have to prove black belt level skill to achieve any advanced level. I dont have any real experiance teaching so my methods when I do teach will be drasticly different...

Congrats MartialArthur!

I dont think that should change your aditude towards your physical capabilities, I entend to not let my age effect my training or habits, except for obvious things. I guess I should get over my stubborness because I realize this is easier for me to say.

Interesting...expand on it please?

Thats a superhero in your own way, .I'm still learning to learn, so I wouldn't even qualify to be a superhero.

I'm a little mixed up, what exactly do you mean by vertical and horizontal?

Yea thats great, congrats!

This would take quite some space to answer, I think you should get the ultimate answer from experiance and proper guidance, things like this can be answered on KF, but are not effectivly answered for your own needs. I think its better to learn through experiance, rather than knowing a little of everything, but lack the fundamentals your instructor insists on. Fighting skill has its own definitions in the minds of many practitioners.

I like the simple common shotokan straight punch, its so effective for me. Even only in sparring I only have to use that one technique to win a tournament, especialy nowdays with all those MA bouncing around, just asking to be hit.

Shotokan no doubt...

Exellent advice above that I would agree with. I had a personal experiance similar to this once, maybe it can give some insight... Like yourself, at one point in my training I was constantly being told to "spar" with younger members and the members who just dont try. After a month I was really ticked, eventually I realised my sensei knew what he was making me do. I also realised that he was teaching me to learn quite a few things that one would learn with sparring these people. The next week, he put me in free sparing with all the black belts and I just used some basic knowledged that I gained from patience, that I was never even threatned by them in the least. I know your experiance must be alot different, however I thought sharing this could put a spin on some people's thinking.

I prefer front kick.

I think thats just being narrow minded to think that one style has all the answers. Someone who spends their entire life doing nothing but grappling is going to know how to grapple a thousand times more efficiently than someone who just studies it on the side. The same is true with striking skills. There are strikes in Jiu Jitsu and Judo, but Im not about to ask Royler Gracie to teach me Muay Thai, you know what I mean? You can fine tune it even more so than simple grappling vs striking. Someone who does only takedowns (such as a freestyle wrestler) is going to be much adept at teaching takedowns than a grapple who is proficient in submission wrestling tournaments. A boxer is going to have better hands than someone who only practices it half as much- you get what Im saying. Those that refused to adapt and cross train, including the Gracies, found themselves falling behind the competition. Actually I would consider it dedication and confidence in ones martial art. This is the ideal that made me feel like I had to quit muay Thai, the feeling of being told facts that if I dont follow I wont be able to keep up. Some would prefer to use thier style in a way that suits them, not facts that suit them. I see what your point and its good, however I dont think I would acheive much if I had thought like this during my life. Just for insight...

I think you've effectivly identified your main problem. Hopefully your martial art can give you the dicisipline you need to carry out REASONABLE and practical plans, while also looking at your main and most desired objective.

Yes I agree, I find with quality shotokan dojos, they teach aspects that develop variety in technique, not to mention this can be achieved through the techniques already set out. All in all, shotokan's image has been greatly messed up in the minds of the public, commonly.

yea...kind of vague and quite incorrect. I think for past glorified legends and romanticized ages, you'll have to make your own assumptions based on common sense and history recorded.

Hello and welcome

I'm sure you know this however: In my dojo, or in my style, a complete beginner would never be able to use the techniques with success. This could apply to all martial arts, by the time the student is able to effectivly use shotokan, they have already developed strength of character and discipline. I dont teach, but this is the feeling that I get from my dojo. For me, my sensei is either a expert stalker, or he can read my mind. If I was to do something wrong, it would be picked up immediatly, so that keeps me in check whenever I feel tempted to test myself on my friends and I dont feel the discipline to hold back. Especialy since whenever someone finds out I take some sort of martial art, I have to watch my back constantly for those "what if" scenarios...

Lol, I'm not to sure I can agree with that. Question to JKD practitioners though, is sparring JKD full contact or point sparring?

Karate in argument of the post above, I agree with karate for leg strikes but I think karate muscle leg development should be use of control of the situation through leg strength. I find when I see more experianced shotokan practitioners, I've noticed they have built up forearms from hours of typical karate(shotokan) punches. In general, strong center body physique is important. So overall I think martial arts requires strength through the body and strong body connection. Like said before, it depends what style.

I would also like to know more about this art. However my opinion is that I totaly agree with your topic. I've put quite a bit of time into being able to figure out how a person would fight and their strenghts and weaknesses, even if I just met them, its definatly unrealiable though. Its a way to train even if there are other people around.

I'll ignore the whole theres no winner or loser, or picking at if it was real life or not. I havnt lost any shotokan matches yet, I've lost some muay thai matches, but I didn't have alot of time to win or lose more. With my friends that I spar with I've only lost to one friend many times, now we are even in skill because I train harder, while he relied on life experiance to use with combat.

Pretty much, this is why various training methods are important in the world if there is to be more martial arts. Its the little things though that seperate the arts, mainly due to the culture they were spawned in. Thus small tiny different ideas and some big ideas in traditional arts and mixed martial arts.

ummm ok, I got it from a book so I'm not going to argue it. It might have been just a tale or something.