Zaine

I wouldn't feel guilty, instructors are good at understanding this sort of thing, even if it bruises their egos a bit. I would express my concerns to the teacher though, especially if you feel connected to them in one way or another. Being upfront about how you feel to an instructor is infinitely important to me, and I would want any student that I would have to feel comfortable enough to come to me with questions or concerns about the direction that the school is taking. That being said, Dobbersky is absolutely right. Don't think that just because it's all basics doesn't mean you're not learning anything. I know that it's exciting to have something new and exciting to learn, but my instructor used to tell us that for every time you did a new kata, you should do the old one twice. Basics are the foundation, and without foundation your house will crumble and fall away. If it's new stuff that challenges you that you want, go up to the teacher and ask if she'll teach you something new after class, my instructor loved that. It's not your instructors job to make sure you have new stuff to learn, it's your instructors job to give you enough to be able to defend yourself, after that it's up to you to drill it until it's so imprinted upon your mind that you don't have to think when you do it. Good luck to you on whatever you decide.

He certainly did a number on his face! This is one of the many reasons as to why I chose to be a martial artist instead of a boy scout (to elaborate, I had a choice between the two).

The Naihanchis happen to be one of my favorite set of katas, it's also probably one of the most wrapped in secret. My teacher was constantly telling me how secretive it was, and revealing new ways things could be used as. Naihanchi two has a particular gruesome move that unfortunately is much to difficult to accurately describe in text. My advice to you is to find a good teacher who has the Naihanchis in their system and train with them. On a side not, I recently had a Kung Fu teacher tell me something that we incredibly useful to my bunkai training, and he probably didn't mean to. He said if I showed him how I did he, he could show me how he would do it. That is to say, if you find something that works, use it. Any martial art has a beautiful capacity to be open to interpretation, and if you find a way that something in any kata works for you, then it works. Karate is about defense, and if it defends properly, then it isn't wrong, it just isn't the way that someone may have intended it to be.

All in all most of these take place due to people who are in sports karate. Some of these do however teach good habits, but most times the bad ones outweigh the good. For example, in AOK tournaments one hit sparring is predomant, and this teaches students to find openings, and it's fun to do every once in awhile, in fact, my 6th - 4th kyu tests were exclusivly points sparring to exhibit the control and awareness of where the openings in the opponets stance were. That being said, as far as an in class room sparring match goes, I consider it robbing the students of a proper education when teachers don't teach their students to actually fight and use full force. Of course, the force used should be more mellow at first, building higher and higher as the student progresses in his or her system. As for the other stuff they are good training tools, but in my opinion they shouldn't be replaced with traditional fighting.

Well some believe that chi is nothing more that physiology. In all actuallity I think that chi is very scientifically grounded in anatomy via the meridian points in our body, which direct blood flow and how much of it goes where. If a meridian is obstructed then you could actually die in some cases. This is where acupuncture comes in. It helps to promote blood flow which can cure a good amount of ailments. Pressure points actually have nothing to due with chi, they are simply sensitive areas where nerves have clustered. As far as the original question goes though, most of it is real, but as far as the levitation and stuff goes, I would stack that to something higher than chi, what it is I have no idea, but I wouldn't call it chi.

True, as a karate instructor the biggest thing that I teach my children isn't how to fight but how to respect others in this world. I essentially try and teach them the "Middle Path" without calling it that, due to the fact that I teach at a Christian school and myself being Christian it is just easier as a believer of the "Middle Path" to restrain from calling it that to avoid flack from my overseer.

Okay.

But I'm not asking for everyone else's, I want yall's.

Now I am not here to state what I think it is. Only to have a healthy debate in which to come to a better understanding of it. So lets start with what yall think.

Btw, he's my best friend, so don't get me in trouble. I got double tested with him, and I bloodyed him. But we both passed our double test to 1st kyu.

I challege you to a fight.

Oh and Ernie Reyes Jr. is actually a really good fighter, he used to be a kick boxer.

I think you blew this way out of preportion. These people are competition fighters, and the rules actually state that you can't fight so hardcore as you might be used to. To say that your insulted though...get over it, is it your style or you that is looking bad, its you thats the fighter. They don't represent us they represent themselves.

You dont hit a makiwara board to make your hits stronger, you do it so when you hit people or things it doesnt hurt you...

Actually it is smart to start with foam. It gives you a base idea on how a nunchaku moves with out the pain of when you screw up badly. The move to the wood, you dont really have to relearn it, it is just different with the weight, I had no problem when I started using real nunchaku from the padded.

I mean, it hurts, a lot...when you miss

Wood and cord, its as unknownstyle said, better for joint locks and control

Google is a wonderful thing, century seems to have good weapons all together, and it is good as a start, I would get more high class ones later on.

Dont start swinging low...for the love of god, dont swing low untill you know what your doing.

It depends on your nunchaku. They all vary from weight. I perfer red oak anyway though...

Yes, called a Kai or Eku depending on who you ask. More for show / cultural, I'd rather have a stick. Define "learn" Not sure, I've seen a few advertised. Century might have one on it in there Panther stuff. I would have to disagree with you. Not for show. It is a very effective weapon. The small end is used to jab at the opponet, and the large end to hit. The large end was also used to fling dirt into the enemy's eyes. That move is actually used in most katas.

Why limit yourself? They both have there ups and downs...its like a stalemate, try to train in both of them.

Push your hips up and foward. If done right with enough force it will fling him off balance and cause him to go foward. His hands should land somewhere next to your head. Wrap you arms around his and push over to your side. He will be on your back watch out if he has some experience in ground fighting he will get you in the guard.

Watch old fights before you fight?