Zaine

Congrats Heidi! Thanks for all the awesome posts!

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

Happy Birthday Ken!

Train what you know! Remember that it is hard at first to keep good technique when you are far away from the dojo. Slow is correct, and as long as you don't rush through it and focus on doing this correctly.

Congrats! It's awesome that you had a great time! Good luck with your journey and keep us updated!

Congrats!

What style to you practice? Spodo Komodo makes some great observations, and those are things to consider. If I was doing a super traditional kata, red oak is my choice, and in general it seems to be the chose of Okinawan and most Japanese systems, while Chinese kung fu systems tend to move towards rattan for its flexibility.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

I manage valets for a company who operates in the DFW airport. I am also an aspiring writer.

I disagree. I think there is a place for all of those things in karate while we maintain internal harmony. I don't believe that a focus on fighting necessitates a dis-focus from meditation or internal awareness.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

Congrats!

Congrats!

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

I would have to say that the defining kata for me is Chinto. As Kusotare mentioned there seems to be a build up in many of the core kata to Chinto (via the Pinans, Naihanchis, etc).

I disagree. When it comes to the defense of your life, it is precisely the rehearsal (via kata, kumite, etc) that we use to defend ourselves. We practice a certain block against a certain technique so much because when that technique gets used against us, our bodies know what to do. This is the "rehearsal" you reference. We "rehearse" so that we can act immediately, without having to go through a database of knowledge to figure out how to defend. An actual fight does happen very fast, and its the practice and drilling that helps us use the time we have for defense more effectively. This is also why we focus on bunkai. This move can be translated into a defense against that. Then, we take that and drill it so that it becomes a part of us and then move on to the next technique. So yes, the difference between a martial artist and a non-martial artist is that we know how to move our bodies for defense, but there is so much more to that than you suggest. We know how to move our bodies if someone punches us, or kicks us, or throws any technique at all because we incessantly drill those movements via kata and other practices.

My school at one point was in a dojo for rent. It was a really great deal, and we used it for years before the school disbanded. From what I remember the experience that we had was enjoyable, and the requirements (other than rent) were that you left it clean and tidy after completing the class, which is something that most dojos require anyway for their own places.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

That's awesome! Congrats to your Sensei! That was a very well executed Chinto.

There's a story about old practitioners only receiving one belt. Through training the belt would get so dirty and change colors, eventually turning black, and that is when you knew you were a black belt. As far as I know, the myth comes from there.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

Congrats cathal! Well deserved!

Welcome to KF! It's good to have you!

Ninja_Zaine approves.