gensei

Hello. I have been training for 6 or 7 years in Wado, and the more I research past masters of karate (and some other martial arts), the more I find have died early - usually around their early 70's or so - from heart attacks. What's more is that they were largely in decent shape -few were overweight or had terrible diets etc. I'm just curious if anyone else has heard of or researched this. Thanks, TLL A few examples I've found in a half-hour: Chojun Miyagi Masaru Shintani Mabuni Kenwa John McSweeney Angel Kabales (escrima) Taiji Kase (revived after heart attack) Shigeru Kimura Ken Eubanks Marino Tiwanak Wally Jay (jujitsu; survived heart attack)

favourite five: Gensho Chodan Tekki Chodan Chinto Kempai Naihanchi ...but I could never limit myself to five - I'm at 19 that I can pull off comfortably at will - and with a degree of spirit/power/technique/speed - and always looking for more. Though with recent studies stemming from Abernethy's bunkai that really start to unpack the joint manipulation, throws, locks etc. in various karate kata, I'm concentrating more and more on fewer and fewer kata. ...but I digress... TLL

As a Christian myself, I have felt doubt at times as well regarding my responsibilities to God and to my loved ones and myself. As has been said above several times, the need to follow your conscience in a situation of violence is primary in any case, though the conscience is something cultivated through spiritual searching and exercise of virtue (and thus will only guide well if it is nourished and strong). Certainly self-defense and the ability to intervene in situations of danger are valuable, though both have limits (to theist and atheist). Budo can be applied in many ways. At least one path is certainly compatible with Christianity (as I believe is the one I have chosen), whether one is a strict pacifist or not. It is the cultivation of body, mind and ki. It is metaphysically rooted, but not necessarily in any one religion. The pursuit of peace, harmony, physical strength and grace, and even of God, can be undertaken through the practice of martial arts. However, the weaponization of the body is not to be taken lightly. With vigourous training, the hand becomes a sword and the body a machine of violence. It takes more control to hold it in peace and stillness than to let loose its power. Martial arts are surely dangerous for any peace-loving person, Christian or otherwise, though surely their study may be beneficial through a conscientious and restrained approach to one's mental and social development.

Seeing that you're asking the question, I'd say you are in a better mindset than many as far as MA ego. A shirt's a shirt, just remember who/what you're representing when you walk out your door, and how you think you should do it. in harmony, TL

I would have to agree with Zanshin on most everything, though I would stress a bit more strongly that wearing of a blackbelt from another style should be done ONLY on express permission of the instructor. With all due respect, it could easily confuse students - especially if you have not yet become adept at Wado movement and technique. Students will (consciously or unconsciously) look to the belt to show them a model for their improvement. If you do not exhibit shodan-level wado, I would discourage wearing a black-belt to a wado class for their sake. in harmony, TL

As has been said above: go slowly. Break the mechanics of the kick down into 3+ parts (floor, chambered, extended), and practice it painfully slowly, with a chair for support if necessary. The reason I say slowly is that only perfect practice makes perfect. Bad/sloppy practice just creates bad habits that are a pain to correct. in harmony, TL

Club: GTA (Greater Toronto Area) Wado Kai City: Toronto, Canada Sensei: Darren Marshall, yodan https://www.shintani.ca

If what you're looking at is Shintani Wado Kai, I highly recommend giving it a try. Two of the other black belts I work with (a yodan and sandan) both graded to shodan in shotokan before getting into wado, and love the style (one is on the Canadian Shintani Wado team). There is a learning curve, in which you may find it heard for yourself to modify the basic techniques you've started with, but in the end, I think, it will help you become a better karateka. check out https://www.shintani.ca for more info - there's even a quarterly online newsletter/journal highlighting different stuff going on in the organization. in harmony TL

Worst injury to another - gave my old sensei a hernia in his abdomen from a mawashi geri (roundhouse kick), other than that... a couple of bloody/broken noses in tournaments Worst injury to self - 2 years ago at our nationals I was fighting another blue belt and broke my wrist. I had been training regularly on a heavy bag, without pads on, and misjudged the size of pad when I executed a stop-punch to my opponents leg in the tournament when he threw a mawashi geri, and it caught on my pad, wrenching my wrist back; other than that... a couple of cut lips, a broken toe, and a minor ankle sprain

There have been some very good responses to this, helpful to me as well. I am testing for my shodan in April, and have not had much chance in the last six months to train with either of my Sensei's - one lives by my parents where I live in the summer, and one here, where I go to university. I am at times, very unsure of myself...and rightfully so - as I have not had much external instruction in the recent past. However, my Sensei HAS put my name before the Joseki Board, and HAS allowed it to stand, regardless of my lack of community-training. As I still have some lingering doubts, I practice my katas and work-out at least once a day, and am thinking about techniques I'm struggling with whenever there's a break in lectures or waiting in line at the grocery store etc. I made myself a dumb little bracelet to remind me I'm in training - so I am reminded to think about my katas, and to be wise in food choice etc. What I'm trying to say...in far too many words, is that there are innumerable ways to work on preparing yourself for a grading - whether it be for shodan or yellow belt. Trust your sensei, but trust yourself as well. If you don't feel ready, work on it. Everyone has time to think: if you have time for nothing else than before bed, go through your kata a couple of times in your mind - cement it in your brain and muscle memory. If you feel you're not up to it, work on it. And remember, a yellow belt, brown belt, black belt or 4th degree bb don't mean you've mastered anything. They mean you're ready to start training on another level, and press yourself to even greater knowledge and technique. That's my bit. Good luck to all who grade in the near future, Timothy.

I, too, am testing for shodan in April. And, I, too, am definitely in training mode. Unfortunately, due to a change in management where my dojo was last year, and my Sensei's and my schedules - he a director of a large security company here in Toronto, I a university student, I do not have much chance to train with others. My biggest fear is that all of my training will be in vain. This summer I, again, was unable to train with my old Sensei (where my parents live, and I live during the school break) because of my work schedule. I have had 3 or 4 full, good classes with my Sensei here since then, but other than that it's all been me working out solo. I mean, I know I have the basics - but I fear I will miss something so fundamental it will bring embarrasment to my Sensei. Anyways... I have to talk more with him, and figure out some more training times before April...let alone a tournament next weekend - because while I train in kata at least 45min/day (the length of time I can book a squash court), and take another half-hour in the gym doing strength training, I still feel unsure of my techniques. Um....so....there's my life story I guess! hah. I mean, I know I'm going to be nervous no matter what, and deep down, I know I'm ready, but....I guess we'll see when it all goes down in April. So. There's my contribution, I guess. Good luck to the others - I have no idea what your gradings consist of, but if they're anything like mine will be, it'll be pretty intense. Timothy.

I am currently working on Kushanku, for my black belt grading. I learned, in this order (Shintani Wado Kai) Chi-kata pinan shodan - for yellow belt chonan pinan nidan- for orange belt chonan shodan pinan sandan - for green belt shopai pinan yondan - for blue belt teiki shodan seisho pinan godan - for brown belt and now kushanku. - (for shodan) Now that I have been training for several years on each of the above katas, I find I no longer have favourites...they each are appealing for different reasons to me. Anyways, gotta go do some kata! Timothy.

This is kind of ridiculous. Honestly. This isn't a video game. This is life. People's lives. Stomping someone's head in the ground or punching out a car window is not the way to solve any problem. Even a fight. While we, as karateka and varied martial artists may have the faculties to hurt people, we must also equip ourselves with self-confidence and moral stature such that we do not care whether or not someone thinks they won a fight or whether they think you are in the wrong or not. The majority of fights are started as a result of pride, which has no place in the martial arts, most of the traditional types of which teach humility, peace and harmony. This is not a game. The 'enemy' is just another man. One who is most likely feeling morally, psychologically or physically threatened. Many times this is OUR fault. This is basic kindergarten morals, friends. If you have to stop a rape or a murder, do it. But if you're in a bar and someone's throwing insults and pushes, back down. Be an example. This is true strength. Not needing to prove oneself. I don't know all of the situations each of you have been in, and will get into, but I do know that with power comes responsibility. That's not just a cheesy spiderman quote. I'd recommend taking it to heart. Timothy.