searcher

Main style: Chito-ryu. Don't confuse Shorei-kan and Shorei-ryu(whether Trias' style, Higaonna style, or Aragaki style), they are different.

From what I know about the style it is good for learning to fight knockdown style and IMO it would be a good base to build from. I might be a little partial in that I love training for knockdown. Also all styles have "something" to offer for self-defense, you just have to take what is useful.

Dips, dips, dips. Chin-ups, chin-ups, and more chin-ups.

I hear ya on thinking whether or not you would live through it or not. My shodan test was the most difficult of my dan tests. You are observed for six months and then it comes to a climactic "hell week", if you will permit my use of the term. On my last night we did the fifty man fight, which is the "watered-down" version of Mas Oyama's 100 man fight. I called in to work for several days to recover after that. Now it all seems like a distant memory. Now back on topic, our Dan tests go after Shodan you are eligable for Nidan after 1 year, although not a guarentee that you will test. After Nidan you are eligable for Sandan after 2 years and so on.. There are also minimum age requirements, but those can be altered in special cases. For example I am only 31 and have my Godan when the age req. is min. of 32.

They also train with the bokken, just as some Kenjutsu schools train using the shinai.

As was already stated it varies from school to school. It took me 4 years to achieve shodan in the style I am currently praciticing, am currently a fifth dan in that style. In I-ryu it took me only 1 1/2 years, but I was already a black belt. I have been in schools that have tests only once every six months, some every year. It has a lot to do with the requirements of the instructor and how much blood, sweat, and tears you put in. I would like to add to this, "How brutal was everyone's shodan test?"

Go to a search engine and type in aikido kumitachi and/or kenjutsu kumitachi. This will get you headed in some direction. Before you get started and before I give you too much direction I have to ask, How much experience do you have in the martial arts?

My apologies SaiFightsMS. Please forgive my ignorance.

I updated my profile with my e-mail.

First, don't get in a big hurry it does take a lot of time. Next, you need to get a copy of Thomas Kurz's book Stretching Scientifically. His book is the know-all tell-all of getting flexible. Now as for kicking higher I started doing a way of kicking that has really helped me get my kicks higher. I get a balance bar or chair or table and then I start bending and trying to kick higher the balance bar will help you create muscle memory and this will over time help you kick harder. Also, in Kurz's book he has you do dynamic stretches i.e. leg lifts, this will give you a "moving" type of flexability and will aid in kicking higher. I have only one question, do you have coxa vera or some other type of hip disorder, if so it will limit how high you will be able to kick? Practise, practise, practise.

Dioes anyone here know the Yamanni-ryu version of Sakugawa no kon? If you do, can you describe this kata or do you know of any books or videos that contain the Yamanni-ryu version? I am trying to research this version of the kata and I want to compare it to the Ryukyu Kobudo version of the kata. I know that in Ryukyu Kobudo we have three versions of this kata, but I am comparing it to the kshiki(koryu) version of the kata.

If you are refering to the Ryuei-ryu it is at ryuei-ryu.com. There is still very little information about the style available.

I first want to say Thank You for all of the good posts and information that everyone has provided. My reason for starting this post is for my Kobudo training. I have trained in Ryukyu Kobudo and recently Yamanne-ryu Bo-jutsu,, as well as learning as many different kata and their bunkai as I can. This has lead me to wondering what I tell students as to the "style" of kobudo that they are studying. For many years I had this problem with my karate training, since I taught a mixture of different ryuha with 1 style being taught in its entirety. I followed Miyagi Chojun's quote when he was asked what style he taught, he simply stated, "Karate." As has come up in some of the recent posts concerning a standardization of the martial arts and the checking of credentials, I see we have both sides on this issue. My own oppinion is that we should stay away from standardization since there are so many different ryuha and they all have their own unique flavour, But I am still wondering about a way for prospective students to check the backgrounds of and instructor. Perhaps we will have some way of figuring this out in the future, who knows. I would like to end this post with a little history for everyone when it come to have publicly displayed credentials or in this case a lack of them. Years ago an unknown blackbelt entered the Okinawan World Championships, his name was Tsugero Sakumoto and the style he studied was Ryuei-ryu. Even today this style is little known, but at that Championships he blew the competition away. Before the tournament started there was a lot of discussion about his legitimacy for he claimed to be a "master." After the tournament was over nobody ever questioned his credentials. This oges to show that just because we have never heard of a style or a particular master it does not make it a Mcdojo.

I was just reading an article about Shinpan Gusukuma, who was a student of Anko Itosu and he brought up something in the article that had been in the back of my mind for some time and I think it would be interesting to get some input on the subject. It used to be that back in the "old days" that most instructors taught only one kata or had very few kata that they taught or thay had some "special technique" that they had mastered, so many students would go from instructor to instructor learning for a while and going on to learn with someone else. This was apparently the most widely used method of learning a lot of different skills, kata, or different secret skills, then later on around the late 1800's and early 1900's students started staying longer with a particular instructor because they had more things to teach. This inturn lead to the formation and seperation of karate into particular styles. So the question I have is why has this been allowed to happen and why is it so looked down upon when a student "school hops" and learns things from many different instructors? I think this is a big issue today with so many different certifying agencies popping up today and everyone asking "Who are you certified with?" or "What degree of black belt are you?" The other part of this is have we lost touch with our karate anscestors for going the route we have taken or is this the next evolution in the martial arts?

tommarker it right in that you will not have any difficulty in switching to the vertical fist, but I would not give up on the rotsting fist. They both have their use and place in your skills base. I practise different styles and I use all of the skills I have learned over the years. Also, as tommarker said, the style is a very good base for combatives and is well-suited for American and European builds.

Sounds different, but a style would help. Sounds kinda-sorta like my I-ryu Seisan.

This is like pouring gas on a blazing fire. There are many who claim to be the "true" head and heir to the I-ryu style. As for me My I-ryu instructor was trained by O-sensei's Son-in-law Mater Uezu and he is the head of our system, the Isshinryu Karate and Kobudo Association. Many in the military claim to have been passed the leadership, but as for who is the real head I feel it is anybody's ballgame. As for O-sensei having trained for ONLY 19-20 years, we must remember that it was a very hard time and many heads of different systems trained with their instructors less than that. As for the "lack of rotation" with punching I would suggest you try it, you might find as many have that it is faster or you may feel that it is slower as some do not like this type of punching. I hope this helps you out I will try and give a better response when I am not so pressed for time.

I was wondering if you are wanting a more traditional or modernized use of the nunchaku. As for traditional I have almost no ideas for you, but as for a more "open" style I would say get Lee Barden's nunchaku videos. They are not cheap, but they are very good and Master Lee Barden is awesome with the nunchaku. He has four videos that are readily available and he is easy to follow. They are available at blackandbluevideo.com. Just my two cents worth

I would first ask if you have a particular country that you happen to be adhering to ie. Okinawan arts, Chinese arts, Korean arts, Filipino, etc. With this information it would be more helpful, but I am in agreement with aefibird in that it would be better to get an instructor to learn from. I would say that if you have enough experience you can learn from videos or books, but you have to be pretty dedicated to your weapon and style that you are working on. My only other question is if you have any higher level of experience like 2nd Dan or higher, if not are you so impatient that you are rushing to learn some weapons? If you have not mastered your own body it will be dificult, but not impossible, to learn and master a weapon.

I am hoping that I can shed some light on this subject for you. The only question I have is are you talking about Trias style Shorei-ryu or Aragaki/Higaonna Shorei-ryu? I will address both, though I have little knowledge of the Trias meathod. First, Goju-Shorei this system is based off of the Goju-ryu style as taught by Gogen Yamaguchi and was started in Chicago by Robert higgins and was passed on to Donald Baker. The Goju-ryu system is based on the Naha-te style that was taught to Ghojun Miyagi by Kanryo Higaonna who was trained by Seisho Aragaki and by a Chinese gung-fu master named Ryuruko. The Goju style is a mix of hard and soft style techniques. Next, the Trias style Shorei-ryu, also known as Shuri-ryu. This system was started by an American sailor named Robert Trias in Arizona around 1946. This style is a blend of Hsing Yi and Okinawan Shuri-te karate. It is also a blend of hard and soft style techniques. This style has been very influential in the development of sport karate in the United States and has several world champions associated with it i.e., Mike Chat, Matt Bowles, Susan Wanckett, and many others. Finally, Aragaki or Arakaki style Shorei-ryu, This style dates back to the Mid to Late 1800's and is based heavily off of Chinese Kempo. The Master's name is Seisho Aragaki, or Arakaki, or Arajaki, depending on where you are form or who you talk to. Aragaki was born in Okinawa and is supposed to have started training around the age of 16. He is credited with the creation of several kata: Niseishi sho, Niseishi dai(Nijushiho), Unsu, and Unsu. He is known to have taught two versions of the kata Seisan. He had a great many notable students, Kanryo Higaonna, Kenwa Mabuni, Kambum Uechi, Gichin Funakoshi, and Tsuyoshi Chitose. All of these notable instructors have kata that are still handed down today that originated from Aragaki. Today many of Aragaki's anscestors are practitioners of Goju-ryu, but some have kept the Aragaki family tradition alive, though to most of the martial arts public it is not a widely recognised style. I hope this helps you in your search for more information.

I would have to say it does give you some help in covering your butt in case of a law-suit, but I think IMHO that 9 out of 10 are givimg you a "certified" piece of crap.

My only injuries this week is a hyper-flexed left elbow. As for the past to many to list. Now the students that are at the school I visited on Thursday it is a different story. One mild concussion, cracked ribs, one knockout, some bruises( mostly to the ego), and the like.

The fighter you are refering to is Keith Hackney and his style is White Tiger Kenpo Karate. I believe it is an offshoot of Ed Parker's system, but I am not 100% sure. As for White Tiger in the U. K., sorry no help here.

I don't personally use a katana anymore, but my wife uses a custom-forged sword. Costs a pretty penny to get a sword worth having, IMHO.

Shiro Taro no Kon or Yonegawa no Kon. One righty and one lefty.