kreza

Fair enough

Hi, I often find myself in the same situation. I'm still learning myself, and as the other adults in the class are generally of a higher grade, there are sometimes situations when I'm solely working with kids. Rob Redmond has written an article on his website about the "self-appointed sensei", and until I read it, I didn't really realise that I was correcting other students when it wasn't really my place to. Basically I say concentrate on your own technique. If you're not the sensei, it's not really your place to tell the others if they are making mistakes. I know it's frustrating, but for you, me and others like us, we'd risk imparting information that is in itself incorrect. Unless the sensei's asked you to help teach I would leave it. I guess this wouldn't apply if you saw them in immediate danger of getting injured, but for loose fists, dodgy stances etc you just have to accept that young children get bored easy and sometimes find it hard to focus in the way that we old and serious people do.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=karate+clip+art&btnG=Search any good?

This is a good place to start. http://www.i-clps.com/karate/

The book is pretty good. The author is a member of a group of black belts in San Franscisco, and appears to have done a great deal of research to back up his findings. Of course there is supposition, but you have to decide for yourself what to believe. It's not a technical manual, more of someone's interpretation of how certain aspects of early karate may have been developed and in response to what factors. It doesn't go into great detail about Funakoshi because it deals mainly with events that occurred within karate's history before his involvement. However, there are some detailed bunkai breakdowns, and some positive suggestions towards modernising karate which are quite thought provoking. The book is called "Shotokan's Secret" but really goes into the most detail on the shuri-te fighting system developed at Shuri Castle by the men who were destined to pass on their knowledge to Funakoshi, primarily Azato and Itosu. It's not total fiction, if you read GF's autobiography you'll see he talks about theses two teachers a lot, and he regarded them as a massive influence not only on his karate but also in the way that he conducted himself in general. I agree the way the book is marketed makes it look dodgy, but someone bought it for me as a gift, and I read the book almost entirely in one sitting. It is highly entertaining and possibly enlightening depending on how much you perceive to be useful.

When I was very young I briefly trained at a club that had red gi's with white stripes down the edges. I used to train there with my Dad, but he made us both leave after a while, he became convinced the only purpose of the club was to sell the uniforms. So maybe that is why I'm biased against coloured uniforms. Never been too impressed by badges etc either really, it's martial arts, not scouts! lol

I've seen Bum Fights, felt terrible for laughing at some of it, but the fights are real ones, and worse, usually no-one breaks them up. Reminds me a bit of that scene in Dazed & Confused.

When sparring I generally fight in a more relaxed version of horse riding stance, so I present less of a target to my opponent. I can then circle them quicker too. I will generally try to draw my opponent out by deliberately leaving areas open, then attempt to counter them before their strike lands. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. One thing I've been taught that has helped me a lot is to look through the other person, so that you just see their outline, not their face, fist, or foot. If you are watching their whole body you can see a technique coming a lot sooner. Real life fights, I've only been in a couple and I "won" the last one. Though I was proud at the time, as I've grown older it's become a source of shame to me. It's best to box clever and avoid being there in the first place.

^^^

Good luck.

Hey, The only style I've ever stuck to is shotokan karate, despite trying judo, wing chun + tkd. At our club respect of others is paramount, and the instructors always make it clear to the younger kids that what is taught in the dojo remains within the dojo. That said, all clubs WILL vary slightly, and I suspect that no discpline is entirely consistent. I suggest you shop around a bit - have a look at which MA clubs are most convenient to get to, and turn up for a lesson or two at the ones that looks the best. A good sensei will be happy to explain to you what the focus of training is at their club. I have found shotokan to have very strict discipline so far, and would recommend it to anyone regardless of age. We have no nine year old blackbelts at our dojo! So that's my (rambling and vague) advice. Just one small thing though, don't be so quick to discount kata as unrealistic and pretty! Plenty of bunkai buried in there (both good and bad) should you wish to look. Good luck on your search. Kreza

I returned to my dojo to prove that I could still do it after a 12 year absence. I'm now 26, and just got my green belt. I keep training so that my body gets some exercise, and so that I might stand more of a chance if I end up getting attacked one night.

Some of the flashy techniques being suggested above sound highly impractical for actual unplanned confrontations. I agree with the moderates in this thread who believe it reflects better on you as a person to talk the situation down. However, should you find yourself backed into a corner once mediation has failed, then I would recommend using whichever technique you know best. For me, that's just a straight punch jodan. I've practised that punch millions of times and it's the main technique I can definitely strike very hard with. Attack first, without warning, and without having let them know you are an adept in martial arts. Hit any of the vital points (by know you'll know where they are), and make sure it's hard enough, that you can run away without being apprehended by their friends or the authorities.

I do two 2 hour sessions a week, one on tuesday and one on thursday. I then have a pedal class on saturday and badmington (don't laugh) on sunday. I'm looking for a new shotokan dojo so that I can train more often.

I wouldn't be seen dead in an Adidas gi - until shortly after turning up at my dojo wearing one, that is No disrespect meant, I just know my sensei would beat the hell out of me!

The book is excellent. While I'm in no position to verify the facts as they are presented, reading this book only served to fuel my passion for Shotokan. If you hate Shotokan, maybe read a different book, but I found it to be quite inspiring and would recommend it to anyone.

I'd never suggest to a fellow student that they weren't trying hard enough. Helping someone of a lower grade out with specific techniques is fair enough, but to suggest someone is not putting the effort in... that could really upset people, and the responsibility to make that decision only belongs to your Sensei. But what do I know, I'm not a hardcore black belt

Thanks for the replies everyone. I will definitely hit straight every time now, and try to judge how hard to hit depending on my partner and what levels we are each at. Thanks again, Kreza

How hard do you guys hit the people you are training with? How much is enough? Obviously you don't want to actually injure your partner, but often I find myself deliberately missing with attacks because I don't really want to hit someone in the face. I'm only 7th kyu, so maybe this is something that comes with more practice? Would appreciate your thoughts.

(been lurking here for ages, but this is the first subject I feel I can contribute towards properly) I trained for just over a year in Shotokan karate when I was 12 years old, reaching 7th Kyu (yellow). 3 months ago I rejoined my old dojo (as a white belt) at the ripe age of 26, and was delighted to find the same club running, with the same sensei. I have trained hard over the past few months, and was permitted to to skip 9th and 8th Kyu, so now I am back to Yellow where I left off. I don't believe my sensei would have permitted this if he didn't think I was up to it, he is quite strict and I have seen him refuse to allow some people to grade if they are not up to it. That said, I think this was a special circumstance, and in the normal course of things people should make their way up the ranks properly.