Eye of the Tiger

I'm gonna continue doing the combat conditioning exercises by Matt Furey (calisthenics), and am going to start using the Goju Ryu power stones as weights. I'm not going to but any fancy barbells or dumbells as you cant really keep adsding weigfht without investing a lot and I am goiuing to do the exercises the traditional way for pure raw strengh. The calsithenics build functional strengh and endurance and are the most important, I'l use weights to help increase overal strengh but done in the traditonal maner by just lifting them rather than doiing things like boicep curls which are better for body building as opposed to gaining raw strengh. First I'l have to make one which I will do this weekend.

I have been doing calisthenics for quiie awile now and I feel much strenger thanhwen I used to be on weights because I am strong through mastering my own body weight thus increasing FUNCTIONAL strengh like an animal. But could you increase strengh by doiung weights as well? In my Goju lesson we use power stones (large stick with a slab of concrete on the end) as weights and we do drills with them, and I feel amazing after them. I thought I could just make one which is excellent due to the cheapness and ease to add weight i.e. put more concrete on. So using weights will increase strengh but will it impend my functional strengh? Is it better just to stick with the combat conditioning exercises calsithenics? thanks for the input

What is the basic difference between karate and the chinese Martial Arts? I have been told that the Chinese emphasis is on building power by movement in a continuous arc while karate uses focus or Kime. Is this true? Any input would be great. Thanks a lot

I made this post so we can all add are knowledge which hopefully could be added as a forum which gives a good definition on each style of Karate and then onto all the Martial Arts. I'l start by adding my Knowledge on Goju Ryu Goju Ryu- Concentrates on strebgh and conditioning rather than speed and technical prowress. More circular movements with a combination of throws and all round 'hard' style of techniques so to use the whole body as a weopens. 12 Katas. Please add even if it has already been coverd but if about 10 people have already coverd shotokan for example try to define another style of Karate.

Asfar as I know tough styles of Karate (i,e conditioning strengh) are Goju Ryu, Kykushin and I just heard of Enshin but I have no idea what that is. I read from a beginers guid that Wing Chun uses no strong techniques and use more of the oppenants strengh against them selves. Correct me if I'm wrong coz I just read that from one book so I dont really know.

I got this veiw from my teacher. Shotokan karate has low stances so low that your are almost immobile and he has told me over and over how bad people are teaching Shotokan jarate today that you should have this really low stance. he goes on how he has taught shotokan students all dan grades and they gave him no respect. So he challenged the whole class and beat them all.Because of their low stance he just walked forward and kickthem in the groin and they could do nothing. So Whats up with shotokan? But he sais its how they teach it today thats wrong but then when shotokan was first taught how is it different today.

On friday I do okinwan kobujutsu which lasts for 2 hours and on sunday my Okiniwan Goju Ryu class lasts for 4 hours.

then why was my Sensei saying that the way they teach shotokan is wrong and not the style? Then I guess that Shotokan is a pretty krappy style in my opinian since your so imobile in the position.

Thanks though I orderd before I read the reply. I orderd a medium weight which was reletivly cheap but the heavy weight would take longer to deliver and also I'm still growing so its not worth buying a really expensive suit if its only going to last a few months. thanks anyway

I have to buy a karate suit tommorow as my teacher does not sell them but I have to order from a catalogue so they will be ready by tuesday. So whats makes a good karate suit? also what is all this light weight and middle weight suits which are the best, if any? Also how will the sixe be listed so I can order the right size. i.e. is it measured from head to toe in cm or what? Thanks a lot

There is nothiong wrong with learning numerous arts as you then get a bigger picture of what the Martial Arts are. But personally I could never do more than 2 Martial Arts at one time. I have done quite a few arts but I think that you should really only concentrate on one because you have 2 different philosophy coming together and then it just gets all messed up. True I do kickboxing but thats only for fun. The Art I concentrate on is Okinawan Goju Ryu.

First off who cares what it looks like it isnt going to improve your Martial ARTS if it looks good I would inclued Okinawan Goju Ryu which is my own style for all style stand up fighting and would learn Judo for some good ground/grappling work. But for know I'm sticking with just Goju.

Honest to God the JKA style of Shotokan is rubbisf. First off Gichin Funokishi real style is better known as Shotokai for itys more fluid stances and movements. The JKA adopted that really long stance. That stance is the most stupid stance off all. Ih I were to take on a practitioner of JKA shotokan I would go staright in and kick them in the bollucks. What can they do? Nothing! The stance is stupid and not at all effective in a real defence system. As my Goju teacher sais, its nothing wrong with the style its just the people teaching it today thats the problem. The people teaching Shotokan that are part of the JKA is also the wrong way to terach Shotokan. Real Shotokan should not employ such low stances and is much more fluid as a good explanation of this is in the link below. http://www.24fightingchickens.com/shotokan/101/03_shotokan.html Go down and find JKA and Shotokai and read.

Honest to God the JKA style of Shotokan is rubbisf. First off Gichin Funokishi real style is better known as Shotokai for itys more fluid stances and movements. The JKA adopted that really long stance. That stance is the most stupid stance off all. Ih I were to take on a practitioner of JKA shotokan I would go staright in and kick them in the bollucks. What can they do? Nothing! The stance is stupid and not at all effective in a real defence system. As my Goju teacher sais, its nothing wrong with the style its just the people teaching it today thats the problem. The people teaching Shotokan that are part of the JKA is also the wrong way to terach Shotokan. Real Shotokan should not employ such low stances and is much more fluid as a good explanation of this is in the link below. Go down and find JKA and Shotokai and read.

Yeah I noticed that I was slapping with my feet, not because my feet were not conditioned it was due to inproper technique. When I kicked it with my instep (where shin meets foot) it stopped slapping. I also know its not conditioning as I can hit materials such as a stack of bamboo sticks and I dont feel much pain. Thanks bretty

I just bought 'Okinawan Goju-Ryu' by Seikichi Toguchi

When ever I hit my punchbag with a round house kick, my foot always sting after I have kicked it. Why does this happen. I know it is not the sort of pain you can just be hard about and continue because it really stings rather than hurts where you hit it to hard. It is my technique or the fact that my punch bag is leather. What should I do to combat this problem. Thanks a lot in advance

It wasnt really working towards my aims and goals of strenghening and conditioning. I started to take an interst in Kyukushin Karate fouded by the great Masutatsu Oyama and then found Goju Ryu to my complete surprise that the art was almost made for me and I think its a great style.

Does anyone know any good books so as to exercise my spiritual energy. But not a Martial Art like Tai Chi but just as ti exercise my Chi. Thanks in advance

I want to get a book to accompany my Goju Ryu lessons so I can refer to katas and techniques. Does anyone know any good books on Okinawan Goju Ryu for kata and techniques. Thanks in return.

I really want to know what are the best books out there on flexibility. My teacher suggested to look at mona books but it doesnt really give a description of what the books are about . Its just flexibility that I dont really know how to do. I want good overal flexibility so I want a good book on the subject. Thanks in advance

Could anyone tell me the difference between the original Okiniwan style of Goju Ryu and the Japanese style of Goju Ryu. Thanks in return

For some reasen thats just funny. I mean you dont really get your students getting wacked over the head with a stick by their own teacher.

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/shotokan/101/02_karate.html this link provides a good summary of the major styles of Karate. Go down the page till you find all the styles, at the top it will be karate vs.

I do kneeling back bend which is where you are in a kneeling position, instep flat to the floor hands on back of thighs. Lower yourself to the ground and then come back up to starting positiion this promotes strengh, enduarnce and flexibility in the abdomen. I also do v-ups from time to time which is where you lie on your back hands extended above you then bring your hands and feet so they meet above your mid section which works both the lower and top abdominals and also trains you in agility.