SeiDoRyu

Bobby, before i start i should say that i'm not training in Shotokan, although we do use some shotokan our style is closer to wado ryu and that sort of style. I'm not sure what you all mean by front stance and back stance, i am assuming that front stance is Kameato (standard) and backstance is Kokutsu Dachi. In Kameato the centre line of the body is slightly(only slightly) closer to the back foot than the front and it is the staight rear leg than gives you the stability and power. When i used to fight with a 50/50 wieght distribution i kept getting swept and didn't have time to transfer the wieght backwards so i ended up on my face. If you favour the back foot it buys you a little extra time to change your wieght and you can actually turn the sweep into a sokuto to the ribs. If you want to gain ground (kick Shot) from kamaeto you push off with the back foot, it is the front foot that moves so you cannot use the front to push off. Kamaeto(front), Kokutsu(back), Nekoashi(Cat), and horse stance are completely different stance and should never look alike. Most of the weight distribution is determined by the stance, in Kokutsu Dachi it would be very difficult to put a lot of wieght on the front foot, it is the back foot that takes the wieght and the front that gives the stability. Horse stance (Kiba Dachi, Shiko Dachi or the other one ?? ) is a straight 50/50 distibution and that is probably why you get alot of power from it ? In horse stance the feet/legs are facing 90 degrees to your opponent and the body is twisted, in front stance (kamaeto) the legs and body are facing the opponent so it would be difficult to make them look the same. Basically no matter where you decide to concentrate you wieght the stance is still the same, kamaeto with the wieght on the back foot is still kamaeto. The idea of having a rigid wieght distribution (i.e always on the back or always on the front) is probably not helpful, you should be able to move it around as required, but if you get caught with most of your wieght on the front foot (sweep) you are screwed. I've only just (tues) passed my 1st Kyu so i am probably not the best person to answer this, but that's my opinion anyway. Cheers

We are always taught to favour the back foot whenever possible as putting too much weight on your front foot leaves you vunerable to variety of legs sweeps. We are also taught to fight on the balls of your feet unless you want alot of power on a technique Nekoashi Dachi is great for defending. it was devise (so i been told) for use when are are backed up against a wall or something and can't move very far, you are protecting you groin with the front leg/knee, protecting against a sweep with the weight distribution, you can get your kicks in quicker and lever against the wall if you need to push them away to give yourself some space. I'm sure theres other reason/benefits to it but thats what i've been told

I never thought of that, now you mention it i have seen people (on tv) break stone blocks and ice and other freaky stuff with their head. It's gotta hurt though I suppose anything is fair game if your in close. Would you use it in a fight ?

Hi, Yes, Our sensei sometimes makes us do the katas backwards or starting from strange angles like diagonally across a room facing the corner to see if we really know the kata or if we are just going through the motions. In most katas (well, most of the one we do)you are meant to start and finish in the same place.

I don't know for sure, but i doubt it. The chances of inflicting damage to yourself are far to high. I think most martial artists spend most of their time protecting their head not banging it against something just as hard. If it is/was a move, i don't know...er.. Jodan tsuki ... Jodan uchi ???????

That's sound, cheers. Yes, i think that's the way it's meant to work at our club too, but you know how things go. At the gradings there are 3 other votes but our Sensei(my Uncle,luckily for me) has the final say So i go with what he says when i get a chance to ask him. I managed to get an answer on the kata question before my grading so everything is cool now. Cheers again

Sure, i do 'Sei Do Ryu' it's an Okinawan style very similar to Wado-Ryu but mixed with aspects of other -ryu styles and a bit of shotokan. I have been told recently that it is quite a secretive style and not many people have access to the so called 'bible' - a handwritten book outlining the style. That is all i know about it so far. The Kata is the first of the partnered routines, one attacks one defends and then you mawette back-2-back and the defender double-steps to switch stances. The attacks are fairly easy, 1oizuki - mawette - oizuki- mawette. 2Maegeri -mawette-maegeri-mawette. 3mawashi geri jodan - mawette - mawashi geri jodan - mawette. 4oizuki jodan(KIAI). The defences are 1 & 2 in last post, 3 is yokouke- maeken- strike shuto- mawette, Kokutsu dachi- yokouke- maeken- strike shuto- mawette. 4 is short escape + *(KIAI)an inside shatouke- gyakazuki chudan- strike shato chudan. *I'm not sure about this, you bring both hands round in a semi-circle then strike down and accross on the incoming arm with the shato part of the hand, closing them down instead of opening them up as with a normal shatouke. I know what your saying about there not being a 'right' way to do things, but if 3 of the examiners are all looking for different things, what do you do? 2 of the instructors are like student instructors, higher than black belt but not ready to take their own class yet, so we have quite a few problems. Kosa-uke is in our style but i don't think i've done it yet, we mainly do Juji uke , is it similar? and our katas are Pinan shodan..nedan etc.. Cheers Chris

Is it one of those 3-section staffs ??

Welcome Just though i'd add to the chorus : Don't quit man ! Cheers

As far as i know Shotokan, Wado ryu and shlto ryu are the most popular so it would probably be one of those. I don't know very much about the other styles but from what i do know, all of the styles are very similar but at the same time very, very different. The absolute basics, basic blocks, kicks, punches, terminology etc. are very similar if not identical, but there can be a vast difference in exactly how they are executed and the importance that is placed on them. (i thought they were all very different but after making a few stupid comments in some of the topics i have discovered that most of the names, types of stances etc.. are the same) The Katas for each style vary alot, mainly the order of the moves and sequences being added or left out. Some styles focus on power and standing your ground more and some styles focus more on evading and deflecting, but they all cross over at some point. Think of Karate as a pool of techniques, philosophy and ideas, each style chooses different combinations depending on who founded it and whether it's japanese or okinawan. Hope that helps a bit, there is a lot of information in the older posts about the specific differences between styles.

Hi, Yes, they are Nunchuka, don't worry about it i think we all got you meant. I agree with the last post, as long as you can show a valid reason for having them, probably your karate license and that you are going training you should be ok, but every countries(and probably states) laws are different. In the UK carrying a blade of more than 4 inches (i think) is illegal and classed as a deadly weapon but for non-bladed weapons i'm not really sure where the law stands. Nunchuka will definitely be classed as a weapon and so using them on someone in the street would bump you up from just assault or aggravated assault to next level of offense (possibly even assualt with a deadly weapon) hiding the nunchuka in your coat or whatever, in theory, could be classed as carring a concealed weapon. All in alln it's not really a good idea unless your are going training. Having said that though, anyone can pick up a branch or stick or bike chain, is that classed as a weapon? i don't know, probably. [ This Message was edited by: SeiDoRyu on 2002-05-23 09:23 ]

Hi, I have been told 3 different ways of doing this kata and i was just wondering if anyone knows which is the right way. on the first set of defences(blocking oizuki) is it : Escape (with no block or guard) maeken(jodan) double cross-step(mawette), escape with shatouki block maeken double cross-step or : Escape with a sukui uke jodan GAURD(not an active block just gaurding the face) maeken, mawette etc.. On the second set(blocking maegeri) i have been doing : Sukui uke Gedan, jodan maeken, jodan shuto strike, mawette then gedan berai etc.. but i was told last night (5 days before my grading) that it is not sukui uke but a block that i think is called shoteuke, you bring both hands round in a 3/4 circle and knock(strike) the kick to the side with the heel of the leading palm. any thoughts as to which on is right ?? Thanks in advance

Anyone ever heard of " Muscle Memory" ? I saw it on once on some documentary. learning something builds a neural path so you can remember it but as Tia-Kwon whatever said, performing the same physical movement over and over again builds a special neural path so when you want to do the move you do not have to think about how to do it, just that you want to do it and your body takes over. I agree totally with what ti-kwon.. said, tai chi is a recognised form of meditation, but isn't it just a Kata slowed right down ? I have read somewhere and it seems obvious from some o f the moves that Tai Chi can be speeded up into an effective MA and that it was devised to let Martial artists meditate will still practising their forms. Anyone know if this is true ?? _________________ Just my opinions, toast me if you want ------------ Understanding what you do not understand is far more important than what you know. [ This Message was edited by: SeiDoRyu on 2002-04-22 14:38 ]

yes Isn't that what i said..... well, almost somebody, somewhere has thought up the best way to deal with a set senario. I found out recently that one of the Katas we do (Ishin) was actually created by a former sensei at our club about 10 years ago, because of this we are also taught the reason for the Kata - to deal with a six person attack (two with canes). Obviously you can't use a Kata in a real fight but it prepares you for different situations and the idea of defending against multiple attackers along with everything else people have mentioned - power, speed, meditation, focus etc...

As saifightMS said, in the okinawan style i do we are taught right from the start to step or flick ourselves to 45* while blocking and then counter from that angle. If done properly the block is just a precaution because you evade the strike anyway.