Whitefeather

Thanks for the compliment Well, umm, to be honest, mostly no. It started when I was about ye tall, wait, sorry, umm, when I was around five years old, and, at that point in time, the entire idea was to be able to whup on any idiot-punk who even looked at my then-infant little sister in an ungood manner. So, it started as a wee little bit of #1, but, as you can see, it kinda evolved. Regards, David

It is essential to check out several schools to have something to compare the instructors with. Basically, like whats-his-name said above, look at the long-timers, usually only the blackbelts, and see if you want to be like them. Secondly, try to watch how the instructor can adapt his/her teaching style. This is very important. If an instructor can quickly and seamlessly change his/her teaching style for each student, then that is a good instructor. Lastly, try to figure out what the intructor's character is like. You want an instructor that is humble, knowledgable, in possesion of solid leadership skills, and, most important over all other criteria, you want an instructor that is there for the students. Hope you find a good dojo. Good Luck, David

Are you talking about TKD? Your style is supposedly Goju Ryu, and, if somebody knows better please correct me, I believe that Karate is not in the olympics yet, only TKD and Judo. Rather lame, in my opinion, that Karate is not in yet, but so it rolls. Regards, David

I could not agree enthusiastically enough. If you take a smart person with a well developed mind for tactics and defense, and pit them against a regular person with just about any weapon, the smart person will win, hands down, every time, period. SECOND to the mind, I would say a gun. If somebody is being an idiot, and you can not talk them down, then a gun with a laser sight-preferably one of the cool blinky ones-nine out of ten times will convince the attacker to stop in his tracks. Therein lies the one downside to guns, you have to be ready to use it, and be totally confident in its use, if the one time out of ten happens to fall on your lot. You should absoultly NOT have a gun if you would not be able to, without hesitation or wavering, kill another human who you knew was ready and willing to take your life or, more importantly, the lives of others. If you are not capable of that, and you draw a gun, there are very good chances the attacker will see your weakness, and he will call your bluff, and you will be certifiably screwed. After a gun, I would say escrimas entirely and swampedly beat out any other weapon, period. They are portable, you can pick up nearly anything (even computer monitors, as I am told) and use it like an escrima, they have way more range than knives, and they can be disguised easily (really sir, these are my juggling sticks!). I would be confident taking on anybody with the equivilant level of training as I have with escrimas with their own weapon. Well, that is my blather on the topic. Regards, David

There are several things that motivate me: 1) The ability to protect loved ones and strangers alike. With every bit of training, I know that I am improving the odds that, if somebody attacks one of my loved ones, or a stranger, I will improve my odds of being able to defend my brother man (or sister woman, for you feminist wing-nuts) and to stop somebody that would likely do more people harm. 2) The rain. 3) I derive enjoyment from pushing myself, training harder than I did yesterday, even though I feel sick and every body part is sore, training longer than I did yesterday, even though it is eleven o'clock and I have a test tomorrow, knowing that, through perseverance, I have become better than I was last year, last month, last week. 4) First place at the local Karate tournament. Without a shadow of a doubt, clear cut, completely, irrefutably, better than the competition, first place. 5) 42 6) To be able to say: "Have a good'un" David

I do Karate, and it is both an art and a science. It is an art in the fact that it can be made beautiful and that, to some extent, probably a lesser one, one can express one's self with Karate. It is also a science. I could make your earwax sting with all of the science (physics, to be precise) that is in Karate. Although I have never done Judo before ( ), I have read a fair bit about it, and, when taught properly, Judo is practically entirely physics. Just my little entirely depressingly insignificantly puny dos centos on the matter, David PS Hehe, my spidey-sense tells me that is a mightily fine arguement bloomin' like a Tulip in spring-time Holland.

Although I do not do it often enough, I like any sort of woodworking. Last summer I built a kayak, and that sort of hooked me, and I am planning several projects (albeit rather a lot smaller than a kayak) currently. Not quite drawing, but a bit similiar. David

Talk to your sensei and get yourself three or four combonations and practice the living tar out of them. Some of the best fighters in the world spend more time on drills than on anything else. Good Luck, David

Try this: stand next to a railing and practice kicking EXTREMELY slowly. Start out with your hand not on the railing, and conciously think about keeping your balance by shifting your weight and using your non-kick leg muscles to keep your balance. Only when you are actually falling should you grab the railing. It is essential to only use the rail to keep yourself from falling on your face and to not just have your hand on it the entire time, as that would be like learning to swim while wearing a dry suit and a pfd, it just would not work. I would also reccomend running this idea past your sensei, and see if he/she has any other related better/worse ideas, and also keep your sensei updated on your progress. Good Ridance and/or Luck (whichever you might so desireth), Dave

Hey everybody, I am looking for a good pair of nunchakus. But wait!! There is more!! Basically, jests aside, please name off all of the QUALITY makers of nunchakus that you know of, preferably corded, traditional-style nunchakus. So, no links to karatedepot or other martial arts megamarts (hehe, that rhymed, who-da-man). Also, I found the link about stringing nunchakus, but has anybody here actually made their own pair? What method did you use and how well did it work? Thanks! Le Earl de Kirkland

Shudokan

I started with a .22 pistol, then, after 30 minuntes of that wimpiness, I tried a full frame Sig .45 (I believe the P220), then I tried a .45 1911 (a S&W 1911PD 4 1/4, to be precise ). It is the most fun and awesome thing I have ever done. It is intense. I have also done small-bore benchrest, which is not a quarter as fun as skeet shooting, which I have done also. Skeet shooting is like trying to hit your little sibling with a rubber band as they are running around you, except it is alot more fun and not quite so evil (even though it started as pigeons being let out of cages to be shot at). Shooting is an incredible fun sport that requires a lot of patience, control, and, if you want to be good, a lot of dedication. Basically, shooting absolutely rocks. Dave

If kicks are the problem, there is an excellent technique for closing the gap, at least with front kicks. Play defensively, jumping back everytime your opponent does the kick. This will cause them (hopefully) to lean into their kicks. When this happens, whack the kick out of the way as hard as possible, then rush STRAIGHT in towards them. With practice, this can work really well and goodly. Dave

If someone is threatening you, there are numerous steps you should fill before you resort to "Dropping" the bad dude. Firstly, make a huge, melodramatic show of the fact that you are entirely in mortificated fear for you life by shouting/screaming, as physically loud as possible, "OH MY GOWSH, PLEASE DON'T HURT ME, AHHHHHH, SOMEBODY HELP ME, AHHHHHHHH, HE HAS A KNIFE, AHHHHHHHHHHH, HEEEEELLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!," or something along those lines. When you do this, not only will EVERYBODY in the ENTIRE area suddenly look in your direction, they will all see that you are in fear for your life, which is being threatened by an evil attacker, thus the attacker will be detterred by all of the negative attention, and, if you do have to physically defend yourself, and if you have to go to court about it, you will have a knee-load witnesses that saw some evil dude try to attack some innocent dude/dudette that cried for help, but had to defend (him/her)self. This is the most effective first-line self defense system. Another similiar tactic, if it appears that evil-dude is rather concrete about his intentions of doing you severe bodily harm, then, with all your muster, belt out "STOP". This will have the same effect above, drawing attention; but it is also very effective at causing the attacker to freeze for a split second, a time period which you can use to gauge the situation, and, if necessary, take the defense to the attacker, to use a hacknyed expression. This STOP technique is also an excellent precurser to the above "OH MY GOWSH!!" technique. Your voice is an incredible weapon, one not to be underestimated. Dave

Flogging Molly all the way!!!!!!! Slàinte!!

No. I would say to not award the blackbelt to someone who is not worthy of it. It is easier to think about if you consider it not awarding someone a belt, but rather to be asessing their skills as a product of their devotion. My nickel's worth of solemnly advice. Dave

ANOTHER WORD, APPLICATION!!!!! Seriously, though, if practiced as they were meant to be practiced, meaning with the practical uses of all of the movements in mind, katas help your fighting skills by simply adding to your library of self defense techniques. There is an excellent book on this subject, "Five Years, One Kata," I believe the author is Bill Burgar. This fellow spent five years on one kata and extracted an insane amount of self defense and fighting techniques from the kata. Dave

I have not really been insulted with severe acuteness by a stranger, but I know some people in a group that I could not really drop out of who insulted me with the standard "stupid", "idiot", or "lame", insults repetively, every week, every month, etcetera. There were several times in which several of them nearly got what they deserved, but, to the chagrin of bad me , nice me won out and I just pretended it did not phase me (except for that one time where one of them nearly got it good; he actually tried to get me to take a swing at him. That was some serious stupidity on his part and temptation on my part). Dave

Defense. It is more difficult, but if you can effectively spot your antagonist's subtle movements that telegraph his next move, defense can be pretty good. It is also just better . Dave

My favorite would be by far the Yagi-I think that is the right word. To explain, it is a reverse hand straight punch (yakazuki), except you bring your fist up to head-level then start the punch. You bring your hand up by pivoting your entire arm upwards in a circular outwards motion, the pivot point at the shoulder, so at the checkpoint your palm faces away from your head. In other words, the punch starts at the head level and hits at the sternum level. It is fearfully effective at penetrating peoples gaurd. Especially when followed by a front hand uppercut to the ribs. Just my 3 cents, Dave

Sorry. Daggummed double-post/edit scum confusion.

Great Scot, that is bloody fast. I do not run the mile, but rather what I fancy to call the "2.4 mile on many hills", and my best time is around 16:15, as pathetic as that is. Wonderful Riddances, Dave

Entirely 100% arnis. I would have no fear and/or qualms about taking on somebody who had a knife (not machete, for all of you what-if people) if I had even one arnis stick, much less two. The follow-up to range ratio for arnis sticks is absolutely insane. No competition, arnis. The Earl of Kirkland

No Well, mostly. As everybody else explained so acutely, what do you want? If you want to get yourself active in a fun sport, than I would say that you should shop around ALL of the dojos in your area, not just one particular style. Going to a good dojo with a good instructor and a good student mass is far far more happy than going to a dojo that practices the style that people tell you that you desire but has a crummy atomospherical aura about it and an idiot sensei. If self defense is your main priority, I would recommend finding a karate school that gives self defense seminars, and try one. Than try a TKD self defense seminar. Make up your mind. Mix and enjoy. For defending yourperson from unwieldily drunk buffons, more often than not, karate simply gives you more bang for the buck. In my own entirely humbly correct opinion, that is. Enjoy, The Earl of Kirkland

Yahh, I am working on Nipaipo as a turnament kata right now, it is definately crazy, and, if I may say so myself, extroadinarily cool, except for the lack of jumps. The longest kata I do right now-and in my style as far as I know-happens to be Kyoku-Shichidan. I added it up to be about 75 stance changes, with a rather difficult to count, and, quite coincidently, very very large number of hand movements. I have heard that it is decently longer than Suparempi (I hope that is spelled without pungent error ). I also do a certain crane kata called Haku Tsuro Kumimora (which I would presume is the same as "Kunimura no Hakutsuru"), and I KNOW that it is not longer than Kyoku Shichidan or Suparempi, so y'all and meeself are probably using different measuring method. For the record, I know the longest kata . PS Hey johnnymac, you should upload that video!