G95champ

Few points 1. the higher in rank you go the more you will be asked to teach. This if for a few reasons. 1. It lets the Sensei see if you really know the move or in this case the kata. Teaching is the best way to learn anything. 2. It gives you confidence. There is nothing better than seeing somone you helped get it right. 3. It also forces you to do things you dont like to do. Could be puclic speaking, could be discipline being the bad guy, or it could be asking for help all are options. 2. IF your right or if your wrong never let the low rank know you are. Show confidence at all times. Thats the secret to karate be confident in yourself. Chances are most white belts are not going to learn that move that night anyhow and will forget and be retaught later. Coach effort not techinque. Techinque will come with time. 3.Little kids ask hard questions One thing your dojo must stress is order and question are ok but attacks on other students are not. If you doint it wrong ask him to teach usually that ends all attacks. You know you may have been wrong but guess whats thats part of teaching and learing. If you odnt make mistakes you never get better.... so dont let that get to you.

1. I was asked to teach by some of our students when our teacher moved out of state. They wanted me to get them ready for their next text and he would come in and test them. So I sort of feel into teaching. Also at the same time some women approached me about doing a self defense class and one led two and next thing I know Im teaching and prob. always weill. 2. Teaching is not for everyone. It takes a special person to do so. I have been wrestling with that question for myself of late. I love the art and to train and Im also enjoy teaching but time and money does not allow me to do it as it should be done. If you are going to teach one day here are some steps you must take to be sucessful IMO. 1. Make at least 2nd Dan. This means you have been it at least 5 years if not more and have the ability to test your own students. 2. Make sure you are recconized by a major org. or assoc. You dont have to be a strick member but people want to know that your legit and if you are being reconized is no big deal. 3. Plan on doing it as long as you have students who want to do it. IF you ask them to make a commiatment you make the same commitment to them. Dont quit. 4. Respect all Fear none. Treat everyone the same and dont be afraid to discipline or confromt bad students who are killing your class. Good Luck

1. I was asked to teach by some of our students when our teacher moved out of state. They wanted me to get them ready for their next text and he would come in and test them. So I sort of feel into teaching. Also at the same time some women approached me about doing a self defense class and one led two and next thing I know Im teaching and prob. always weill. 2. Teaching is not for everyone. It takes a special person to do so. I have been wrestling with that question for myself of late. I love the art and to train and Im also enjoy teaching but time and money does not allow me to do it as it should be done. If you are going to teach one day here are some steps you must take to be sucessful IMO. 1. Make at least 2nd Dan. This means you have been it at least 5 years if not more and have the ability to test your own students. 2. Make sure you are recconized by a major org. or assoc. You dont have to be a strick member but people want to know that your legit and if you are being reconized is no big deal. 3. Plan on doing it as long as you have students who want to do it. IF you ask them to make a commiatment you make the same commitment to them. Dont quit. 4. Respect all Fear none. Treat everyone the same and dont be afraid to discipline or confromt bad students who are killing your class. Good Luck

You can't have one without the other to be good you must learn to fight. However I think you do so though the constant practicing of kata.

Everyone thinks his or her style is the best. Rightfully so you must think that if you hope to be sucessful if you have to use it. MA don't help much if you think you settled for second or third best lol. Im a shotokan guys and I love its balance and power. However style is second to a quality teacher. You give me a good teacher and he or she can teach you how to do step aerobics and defend youself. So find a good teacher first and your style will come. In the end all styles lead to the same place anyhow. Good luck

Each Club in any given style sets up their own belt order. General Rule of thumb go from light to dark. Our Shotokan School white gold Blue green purple red brown brown brown blacks

I have had an everlast bag from about 10 years now. We have beat it to death and it has tape all over it but its still hanging and doing well. 1. Start hitting the bag with speed and add power as you get used to it. This will stop you front hurting yourself. To often we just want to bang. 2. My personal exp. unless you wrap your hands or train in gloves stay away from punching the bag. Its heavy 40lbs or more depending on the size and stuffing. Use backfists, backhands, knifehands, palm, and elbows. LOTS OF ELBOWS. 3. Stay away from kicks that would danger you knee. Such as spinning hooks and cressants. The bag is to heavy and you can get your knee jamed. For that matter its hard to use a front kick on a bag as well. I usually only use my round, side and spinning thrust kicks when I do bag work along with knees. bag work is great it teaches you power but pace yourself because you can burn out on it quick and its not safe espcially if you go to hard to fast.

Go to this link scroll down to the third from last row at the bottom. On the left you see 2 shotokan patches. One Red and One Orange. In the red patch the moon is on the top. In the Orange the Moon is on bottom. http://www.centuryfitness.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10051&storeId=10051&categoryId=13948&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=13947&crumb=13501-13920 There are some Japanese words on the bottom of the patch but I can't read it, it may explain the answer I seek. So if anyone can help me. Thanks in advance.

Thats one example of the patch. Yes I knew about the Japanese version of the Yin and Yang and the Rising Sun idea as well. If that were the only patch that would be understood. However their is another patch with that moon on the bottom. Thats the one that I am having troulbe with. Shotokan came about just as said above. Shoto - was Gichin Funakoshi's pen name he used to write poetry. Kan - means house When Funakoshi started teaching karate-do publically his students looking for a name of their style came up with Shotokan because that was the place they trained at. AKA Shoto's House.

If you look in the century catalogues you will see 3 shotokan patches. 1. is just black and gold with a tiger and the half moon above it. This is the more common patch. 2. Is a Tiger with the moon above it its Red I think 3. Is the Tiger with the moon below it and its Orange. Those are the 2 I have questions about. WHY would the moon be on the bottom in that one patch. There has to be some reasons and its prob. pretty simple but I just don't know.

The first move in Bassai Dai is a groin block. You then fall into either a backfist strike or a support block. Take your pick. Some things like the hops at the end of Chintie are symbolic of the ocean returning to the sea but are also taught as jumping over a sweep, whip, or stick strike. Or even jumping on a down opponent with both feet. Im sure you can find amy alt. teachings for any given move in any kata.

Dont think so. think I read about it before 24FC closed down. Man I miss that site.

Love Chintte Differance is I can do Chintte pretty good * gets me all screwed up. I feel like a 15 year old arround a hot girl. lol.

Like I said a good sweep, throw, or leg kick will teach many a young stud to chil out faster than any words will. Nothing like PAIN as a teacher.

we usually make sure they have pretty good control before we turn the lose. we also pair new guys up with black belts so when they start to use to much power we remind them that its not nice. lol Pain is a great teacher.

Yeah I understand the searching movement what its used for I just ment I feel goofy doing it. Just needs work its wier moving my foot and hands. Sort of like patting you head and rubbing you belly. lol

the tiger comes from the pine tree trail where Funakoshi wrote looked like a tigers tail. Then when the book was translated they chose a symbol and it was the tiger for power. one punch one kill. But the half moon thorws me. espically why there is 2 versions.

Love the idea of doing the kicks when i wake up thats a good time you dont have to think you just do them. Thanks

thanks for the coments

One step sparring is a great drill. In one step the attacker will call the target and attack say (lunge punch face) the defender must be ready and shift, block and counter the attack off the attackers frirst movement. We usually do 4 basic attacks. 1. lunge punch face 2. lunge punch stomach 3. front snap kick 4. side thrust kick but you can add as needed. Just work the basic blocks and counters.

This is one of the problems with always punching air. As pointed out you should never lock your arm or leg for that matter when working vs air but we all do at some time as a result of not knowing or being tired or even showing off and going to hard. The clicking you hear may be from damage in your arm prob. caused from some other event rather than karate. Such as a fall when you were young or injury in a sport like football.

I have asked this question before and have never got a quality answer. The question is why does Shotokan have 2 symobols. 1. The tiger is below a half moon. 2. The tiger is above the half moon. Anyone have any idea of what the meaning is this is?

We have started to study Bassai Sho a lot of late at our dojo and a few questions are popping up so Ill open them up to KF and see what we get. 1. First question deals with the Kia's. The first is on the stonp or low thrust kick the seoncd? is on the hammer fist???? Correct. Reason we are questioning this is because they are so close together. 2. How goofy does everyone else feel when doing the final 2 moves lol? Them more we do them the more natural they feel but mad their odd... Anyone really like this kata? I like it only because its differant but when its all said and done it don't rank high on my list of kata to do for fun.

Hard to go to the ocean in west virginia but the shoe thing is a good idea.

LOL Ive done that but never in the shower lol with the way Im look right now that could be the end of me. Thanks....