Bloke

That video has been doing the rounds for some time now. The japanses instructor is Masuda - an excellent fighter in his prime. It was supposed to be just a training exercise - a little light sparring which is why nobody on either side is really going for it - so it doesnt really prove anything. Traditional Fist is right in his view of the video except to say that It wasn't a publicity stunt to promote Kyokushin but I can see how people are saying that.

Best of Luck Jimmy. I remember my Shodan grading came at the end of a weekend training session and as you say there were mixed emotions on the day and for a while thereafter. Keep us posted.

From what I can gather from a little net research the original reason behind progressively darker belt colours came about as students would dye their belt to the next colour. This was obviously cheaper than buying a new one each time. These days there is generally more disposable income so buying new belts for each grade is not an issue - perhaps that may explain why different schools have moved belt colours around ie darker before lighter. Osu!

It sounds to me very much like the Uchi Deshi Program the Mas Oyama had in Japan. It was 1000 days training and they lived in the dojo. I read an article on Uchi deshi life many years back in one of the Japanese Kyokushin Magazines and it sounds like it was extremely tough. No days off in the first year. A half day off per week in the second Year and One day off per week in the third year. Shihan Bobby Lowe was the first to do it and he wrote a book on it called the Young Lions of Kyokushin - Wakajishi. Osu!

Chirath I wont be at the British Summer Camp but there will be 5 or 6 from Ireland going over. I will be at the World Tournament in October as I am helping to train two fighters at the moment. Osu! PS Which Dojo do you train in?

Chiraith Im going to assume the Whta orgainisation question was aimed at me as it came after my post - We are IFK. Osu!

Im just new to these borads but Im from Dublin Ireland nad have been training for 19 years now.