Mike

I think that any fighting style which ignores throwing or grappling is incomplete (this may be one for some discussion!!) After all - there will be occasions when a punch or open hand strike fails and your wrist is grabbed?? Certainly in the short time I've been training in Shi-to Ryu Karate (only 1 year) I've learned of 2 over the shoulder throws - bunkai (applications) of moves in kata Bassai-dai and Sepai. This being the case I'm certain there must be many many more.

The style I'm studying seems to have a good way of working this issue. Kids can acheive blackbelt status - because the syllabus they study is exactly the same as the adult one. There are extra intermediate grades within the belt system but this is done largely to prevent kids getting disheartened I think. The junior full-blackbelts at our club are as equally impressive as the adult ones. Just wish I was a little further down that line myself!

did judo for about 6 years as a junior and it was great exercise and good for learning to fall properly - a skill which none of my contemporaries at karate (which I study now having quit judo) seem to be able to deal with. I prefer the karate, but thats largely due to the fact that I'm 6' 2" and weigh almost nothing. Makes escapes from hold downs a touch difficult! I guess I'm living proof that each of the arts has its benefits.

definitely the bunkai I learn is of the joint locking and takedown variety -- Out of the first four bunkai I have been taught three of them involve armlocking takedowns (nice!)

ok - here goes - rough description coming up: 1) yoi 2) heko dachi gedan harai uke (left hand) 3) step forward right leg zenkutsu dachi - right arm uppercut elbow strike. 4) step back to right leg nekoashi dachi block gedan harai uke. 5) step and turn 90degrees to the left into sanchi dachi - righthand roundhouse elbow strike bringing the left hand to right elbow with a slapping motion. Kiai at this point. 6) Pivot 180 degrees blocking haito with left hand. 7) step forward with right foot, turning 90 degrees left into naifanshin dachi striking underarm elbow strike. flick left foot up (bunkai= sweeping an opponents foot) and go down into shiko dachi striking down with right elbow - fist ending infront of your face. (attacking prone opponent) 9) Yoi. Phew -- well - thats obviously a very basic summary of the moves -- the bunkai etc. are of course a little more involved! Maybe that may jog a few memories.

the first kata my fellow students and I are taught is called Hiji-uchi-go-ho. Roughly translated as "5 ways of elbow striking". I've searched the internet allover for more info on this kata and not found a thing -- does anyone else know anything of this kata? Rest assured I'm not following some weird thread of training --- I also practise jitte, bassai dai, seinchin and seipai, so there are plenty of traditional kata in our repertoire! Can't wait to hear your responses guys and girls

The style I'm studying sounds similar in essentials to Anonymous one's. I'm studying Kusano Ha Shi-to Ryu. There is a lot of emphasis on remaining low in shikodachi and zenkutsu dachi stances, hip rotation and precision technique (though I suspect that this follows through to all styles). As far as teaching styles go our sensei spends a huge amount of our time on kata and bunki - virtually no sparring, and when we do spar in gradings it is dojo-kumite rather than point sparring. This is the way I like my training. I personally love the traditional side of the martial arts.

Domo Arigato Saifights I figured that a little "language correction" was the reason for the blanking of the word. Its a pleasure to find out that someone else has studied a similar style -- I was beginning to wonder just how much of a "fringe" art the karate I'm enjoying so much is.

damn - can't beleive that. I just checked my posting and its blanked out the beginning of the name of my karate style - s.h.i.t.o.r.y.u. - Honestly....!

I'm at a relatively early stage of my training - bluebelt (though with all the styles and varying teaching levels out there that doesn't mean much) but already I've started learning a series of drills where Tai Sabaki (evasion) is used. The mail drill I'm thinking of is quite straightforward -- the kogeki (attacker) attacks in a straight line with prearranged attacks, and the uki (defender) then blocks directly first of all, and then steps 45 degrees away for the following two moves. This is done in zenkutsu dachi, nekoashi dachi and then sanchin dachi (I dare say there are more versions which I've not yet seen). Hope this is some help. (Oh, incase you're interested I'm studying Kusano Ha ****oryu. Its funky