Zaine

We actually carry the staph virus on our skin more than anything else. If someone were to get it, it would more than likely have been a problem before they put on their gi.

http://www.karatedepot.com/controller.aspx?type=view&info=search&a=ft&v=Makiwara+board Not a bad one as far as they go. It may or may not be cheaper to build one on your own. I would google the process and see for yourself.

Wow! That's a lot for kyu ranks! Do you have any more after shodan?

Welcome to KF!

I think you're going to have to be more specific. Could you possibly describe the kata move for move?

That does make a more plausible origin, but if it's part of the mythos it's part of the mythos.

In the Matusumura Seito Shorin Ryu that was taught to me we had 15 kata learned in this order (and yes, it is out of order for most other schools who have these katas): 10th Kyu: Pinan 1 9th Kyu: Pinan 2 8th Kyu: Matsumura Bo 1 8th Kyu: Seisan 7th Kyu: Wansu 6th Kyu: Bo 2 (this was a bo form that my instructor made) 6th Kyu: Naihanchi 5th Kyu: Naihanchi 2 5th Kyu: Ananku 4th Kyu: Ananku with Sai 3rd Kyu: Naihanchi 3 2nd Kyu: Pinan 3 1st Kyu: Passai Sho 1st Dan: Chinto 1st Dan: Passai Dai Towards the end I'm a bit fuzzy on the order that the belts were supposed to learn it because my teacher taught some of the katas to us around 3rd Kyu that we weren't supposed to know until 1st Kyu or Dan. There are more forms in the system, but I don't know them.

For a lot of schools it's super taboo to wash your belt, some even consider it bad luck. I've heard plenty of stories of instructors requiring students to buy new belts after finding out that they washed it.

I really that that both dave and decker are missing Martial's point. You're mistaking him for saying that it is as good as an instructor who you can go to, when really he's saying that if you're experienced and you're familiar with the techniques in a particular kata, there is nothing wrong with learning that kata online or from a book, that's what videos and books are made for: so that experienced martial artists can read it, evaluate it and learn some new things about a different (or same) system.

I understand and respect your opinion. However, I believe there is a difference between someone with no martial arts experience trying to learn kata from books and DvDs someone with several years of experience style trying to branch out a little bit. I'm inclined to agree with you here. I don't see the problem with a martial artist with a few years under their belts learning katas and techniques off the internet.

I don't know about this. Head kicks are pretty popular in movies and that is what a "street fighter" is going to be thinking about. They might expect a head kick more than anything else because they are familiar with TKD as a popular system of martial arts as opposed to some other system that has little to no kicks to the head.

HA! That's awesome!

I pronounce it as in "tie." Mostly because that's how it's always been pronounced to me by many people including Tae Kwon Do people, but also because (being a Latin student) the Romans pronounced the "ae" as a long "I."

Pretty much the long and short of it, absolutely. This would only be if you had to fight an attacker with a knife though. My teacher once told us to run from a knife, and to a gun.

Tons! He is not only a great martial artist, but he really grabs your attention. A great guy! I tend to gravitate towards keeping a fight too close for kicks. I love hand techniques. Yes, a kicks is the most powerful strike you can physically do, but hand techniques really do it for me. There are so many and they're just so cool!

I had the privilege of attending one of his seminars in Texas. It was amazing.

The thing about side kicks is that they are easily telegraphed because there is a little more set up in them than there is in a round house kicks. Front kicks are effective and they are fast as well, but sometimes are harder to do any significant damage on them. No one said that roundhouse kicks were their fastest kick, just that it is a fast kick to pull off in a pinch.

Very true!

Same here, if I'm kicking it's usually to your legs.

Roundhouse kicks are probably the easiest kicks to perform, so they're pretty practical. I'd use them.

And what about this 10 year black belt who is a girl? You clearly have no respect for this person as you've shown in this thread and others. Even if 9 year old girls are what you're given, you need to go with it because it's what you're given. How old are you if you don't mind me asking? I don't see this as harsh. It is, indeed, the reality of martial arts, and everyone has to learn it at some point.

True, otherwise it can be bitter.

Maybe if the prongs were at length, or at least closer than they are.

Hey now, don't underestimate the face block.

A lot of that can come from improper warm up before training. If you decide to do this I would suggest looking into how to properly warm-up (just doing static stretching isn't enough!) so that you can avoid permanent injury the best you can. However, injury can and will happen in any physical sport, so the risk will always be there. As far as those particular problem areas with these styles I can see how that could happen. It makes sense because of the way that you have to use your body and the way that you would be contorted by your opponent so that they can win.