G95champ

Sounds like a good thread. I've been in shotokan since the spring of 1993 so this is my 11th year. I am currently a 2nd Dan in no rush to bump up lol. I trained in a JKA school but never was certified by them. (teacher droped out long story) Im now in the FSKA which is the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Assoc. We study the 26 kata as listed above in the FSKA but I myself do all 3 of the Taikyoku kata Because I thinks its good for young kids and In Gichin Funakoshi book karate-do Koyhan he says to do them. lol So I teach 28 kata our school. Taikyoku Shodan to Sandan Heian Shodan to Godan Tekki Shodan to Sandan Bassai Dai and Sho Kanku Dai and Sho Gojushiho Dai and Sho Jion, Jittie and Giin Meikyo Nijushiho Empi Wankan Sochin Unsu Hangetsu Chinte Gankaku

Only place I have seen the listed is in Gichin Funakoshi's book Karate-Do Koyhan and it states that he developed them from young kinds because the Heian's were too difficult. I teach them for that reason. Im a member of the FSKA now and Kenneth Funakoshi teaches the first Taikyoku but not the other 2 so again the point is the number of shotokan kata is based on you assoc. and org.

The list of shotokan kata really depends on the org. or assoc. you are with. Gichin Funakoshi left us 12 in his book karate-do Koyhan. Some go by that. The JKA does the ones included in the Best Karate Series by Nakyamia (sp) I think they do 25 not sure. I do 29 listed below. Taikyoku Shodan, Nidan and Sandan Heian Shodan Nidan, Sandan, Yondan and Godon Tekki Shodan Nidan and Sandan Bassai Dai and Bassai Sho Kanku Dai and Kanku Sho Gojushisho and Gojushisho Dai Jion, Jitte, and Gin Chinttie Gankanku Empi Wankan Sochin Unsa Meiyko Hangetsu Nijushisho The Best Karate Seires leaves out Meikyo and Wankan prob bescause Naykamia died. Fuankoshi left out a lot because he said these 12 were the most imporatant. Never said it was the only ones. Not sure on the spelling I just done it out of my head without checking it. So its prob wrong but hopefully you know what I ment. No I have not seen the book your talking about who wrote it???

Im asked this question a lot and I always seem to have differant answers lol. I don't know that I have one favorite kata. I got some I like at differant times. Hangetsu, Sochin, and Tekki Sandan are prob my fav. 3 but I like Many kata. I would hate to pick just one.

I have used pics before of Funakoshi and others but NO I have not found a site that has any.

Good luck just don't sing the next line to the song. Don't know when Ill be back again. Leaving on a Jet plane dont know when Ill be back again.... lol

I somewhat agree I agree to that fact that MT is more hard core than any other MA for the simple fact it is all about fighting. Thus not many young kids take it. Thus people are mature and sparring and fighting can be done more often and at greater speed. I disagree in that you say karate is not like that. Our Shotokan Advanced classes are very much like that. Ive never left in a dry Gi. Now kids classes or beginners classes are a differant story because you are teaching younger people that are there for fun to to bust noses. I don't think you can compare the 2 that way its an unfair comparison. Karate appeals to a broad group of people as to where MT is just for the fighter. Is that good??? Well to each his own...

Yeap you are the exception but for the rest of us normal working folk I think my six were pretty good lol...

Well my 6th point was a referance to balance and being countered so yeah I agree with that point. The 5th sort of refers to balance as well. The points I listed are not always true nothing is for that matter but I think we can agree they are basically true for everyone. Most of us wear blue jeans, a lot of us wear shoes like sandles, boots, dress shoes that makes kicking and balance hard. Again I agree with what you said that some people are the exceptions not the rule. Nothing in any thing is ever 100% true but I think those 6 points I made are pretty close.

Your right that we use stances all the time and really don't pay it much mind because we have done them for years on end it has became second nature that I find myself doint stances and shifting from A to B without thinking Im in this stance or that one.

You play basketball in a horse stace??? In class or I guess I should say in kata I love the Sochin stance. As far as free style sparring goes Im just natural no real stance just moving. Yes I like the cat to excape and I find myseld shifting from back to cat a lot.

Let me add to this. 1. Don't mess with a guys grilfriend cause that leads to fights. 2. Don't mess with people that are bigger and meaner than you. 3. Always be nice and respectful that way people don't have a reason. 4. Don't call people names and not expect them to get mad and try and fight you. 5. It don't matter who the person is, what style they do or what rank they hold. A person with a cause is a dangerous thing so never give them a reason to go after you because a blind rage is more dangerous than 25 years of Martial Arts training.

If you have ever played sports be it football, basketball, or water polo. Its the differance in practice and a game. When you spar even if in a tourney you know your not going to get hurt and its all for fun. In a game or a fight you know if you don't show up your going to lose and could be hurt bad.

High kicks in a real fight are bad for these reasons. 1. The head is a small target 2. You are not lose usually 3. You have on tight on unconfortable clothes that restrick you ability to kick much less high. 4. The groud is not stable. You may be in slick grass or on on a wet street. 5. Too slow and the person can counter. 6. Althought the reward of landing a head kick is huge if you miss your in troulbe because you are going down. In the dojo I have no prob. with high kicks but in the street IMO they will get you beat, hurt or killed.

We do the Kiai on the lunge punch after the first one legged crane stance. Then we do the second Kiai on the last move or the final lunge punch.

I used to have the video game streetfighter when I was in HS does that count.

If a person says they are not scared to fight its a lie. Again I don't mean get in the ring I mean fight. People fear many things: Pain, Losing, Death, looking bad, etc... The kicker is to NEVER let fear win. Its ok to get beat but lose for the right reason. They guy was better than you. Don't lose because you choked or were not ready. Again fear is normal if you don't have it your prob dead. Fear lets us know were still alive just like Pain does. I played football for a long time. I till this day say I never got nervous. I was excited some call that nerves. Point is I was never scared to screw up I know i put in a honest week of practice and I was as good as I could be on that night. If I lost or we lost so be it but I never lost cause I thought the other team was just better.

I honestly don't think a person can start 2 new styles and once and be fair to both. Espically if the styles are kata based. Quote fighting styles are a bit differant I could do boxing and MT because you just spar and condition but IMO Shotokan and Akkido or Hapikido, or TSD, even TKD or KF offers to many differant ideas on how to do the same thing. Not saying either is wrong just saying for the mind that cant tell the differance it could be hard to seperate the 2. I can watch a person train and basically tell what style they do. Any person with time in MA can tell that. The beginner will mix the 2 for no other reason than he is taking 2 much in and both arts will suffer IMO. Now lets say you got a black belt in one style which means you understand it then I can see playing in something else but my advice is learn one frist and become good at it because if you get deep enough each style as everything you need to know in it somewhere.

Just for your info old shotokan does as well. Even though we work control we focus on developing power and if needed will use it again.

I think of full contact as meaing all areas are game. So is full speed and power. In other words you are using everthing aka its FULL. Not half full or light contact. NHB is a sport. I have yet to see a NHB event without rules. So NO its not full contact. No gloves, No rounds, All targest are fair game, Max speed, and Max force. Kill or be killed thats My version of Full Contant its not watered down its life. If I get attacked and the guys is trying to kill me you bet I am going full contact. With that said I do my best to not used excessive force but again this brings me back to my frist point full contact is much overused.

nice answer Shorinryu Sensei There are way to many factors that go into what works the time, the place, the person, your dress, age, weight, muscle vs fat, the weather, your ability both overall and that given day. Then the same for him or her. I don't like the idea of first attackaka smash the knee. I like to counter. he punches or grabs then I check out the situation and react. Karate teaches us to react though basics, kata, sparring etc. I have enought faith in my training that I will react. What that reaction will be I don't know but right or wrong I will know I tried. Again there is no fool proof plan. Sad to say.

Be the bigger man. Let those who want to go back to him go back. Start teaching on your onw. Get with another org or assoc. or not it really dont matter. Start teaching in the end the students will go to the best school. BTW I think it is very important to teach training history to your class. Always mention him and speak of him with respect let your kids make the call they will be loyal to you in the end. If you down the guy or try and ignore your training history one day your students will do that of you as well. In the end its all about respect, pride and honor. When we die thats all we got.

I think we had this topic a few months ago may have to look it up but my vote is shotokan for no other reason than thats what I do. Again its not the style its the teacher first and the person learing second. We all have 2 arms 2 legs and one head there is no secret move or idea in any style that will give us a great advantage over another. Sure some arts fit body types better but in the end when we come full circle we all do front kicks and reverse punches and hip tosses and wrist locks.

Fair enough but the point I was making is no one goes FULL contact. aka bare knuckle, blows to the groin, eye pokes, breaks, there is always some sort of rule in an event fight. Reguardless if its places you can't strike, wearing gloves, rounds or time limits. Full contact happens in one place and thats on the street when its life or death.

I said neither would win because that is who wins in a fight reguradless who is left standing or bloodied.