powerof0ne

I personally know someone that tested for shodan in about a year of training in Japan..he was 16-17 at the time. He was around the same age as me and he did fail his shodan test, I'm not sure if/when he retested. I can't even remember which style exactly, I want to say it was a style of Kempo..I doubt Shorinji kempo, but who knows.

I personally know someone that tested for shodan in about a year of training in Japan..he was 16-17 at the time. He was around the same age as me and he did fail his shodan test, I'm not sure if/when he retested. I can't even remember which style exactly, I want to say it was a style of Kempo..I doubt Shorinji kempo, but who knows.

Actually, you can obtain your shodan in a year and a half to two years in Japan. This isn't unheard of at all, the reason why is because you will typically be training around a lot of higher ranked practitioners(which is always good)and Shodan is looked at as Shodan...the first step. This may shock others that aren't aware of this but it really has to do with training with higher ranks. I know I learn more when sparring with people that are better then me, getting my butt kicked always teaches me. Probably because I have a hard head and am stubborn I would highly doubt you obtaining a shodan in 8 months, though. All I would have to reccomend is to take advantage of your time spent and train as much as you can. What kind of Karate are you looking to train in and where in Nippon will you be staying? I'm assuming somewhere around Tokyo or Osaka. If I was to be their for 8 months I would train in Daido Juku.

Actually, a downward can be quicker(whip kick mosly with instep), it depends how it's done. However, I do agree that an inside leg kick is done from low to high. You also get more power from chopping your kicks down instead of just blasting them from the ground to the target. Remember these kinds of kicks are much different then your typical mawashi geri...you have to pivot on the ball of your supporting foot so your heel almost points at your target to get maximum power. I'm half tempted to get a shinai and start beating students that make me repeat this to them over and over... Don't just focus on the legs, focus on the ribs, stomache, sternum, neck, head, etc. I like to come up with a knee but then twist my hip over and extend my shin out so that my foot is straight and practically right over my opponent's ribs and stomache..the effect is a 90 angle kick with my shin over the opponent's stomache/ribs. I slide forward when doing this to get a little more oomph.

As a Muay Thai instructor and a Karate instructor I can say that it does depend on the individual but overall more Muay Thai practitioners would beat Karate and TKD practitioners. I do know of a TKD guy about a year or two ago that beat a Thai Muay Thai fighter in Thailand with a front kick right to the chin...ko'd him. He then fought a few weeks later and got his * handed to him. However, this TKD guy was top notch and it really doesn't change my opinion at all. A Muay Thai practitioner would probably(more then likely) do horrible in a point tournament..especially at punches to the face not really being allowed. I know of and personally know some Muay Thai champions that come from a TKD background. Real Muay Thai is an art that places great emphasis on body/head/neck kicks..not just leg kicks. The problem is that the leg kicks are so effective that you will see some "muay thai" practitioners that focus too much on these kicks. TKD and Muay Thai both compliment eachother. Guys like Master Toddy and Sken also have a pretty big TKD background. Also, Chi Do Kwan TKD is supposodely more a shito ryu influence and not shotokan; I saw Angela generalize earlier that TKD is from Shotokan. I do agree that most of the TKD Kwan evolved greatly from Shotokan, not all did...then again I can take this a step further and point out how many "higher" kata in Shotokan were learned from Mabuni, not Funakoshi.

It makes sense what you're trying to do and I think you need to sit down with the head instructor of this school and/or organization and talk to him about it more open. Tell him how his AI approached you and made you feel too. I think that his AI overstepped his boundaries on what he's supposed to do with his role. When I was an AI in Karate and in Muay Thai I basically just taught classes and stayed away from any other responsibilities because it was my Instructors job, not mine. Also, you might want to realize anything that you say on here could eventually get back to this individual through his students. I had this happen to me months ago. Something I said about a year ago without even saying the former muay thai instructor's name got back to him through his students. I even had his wife try to "call me out" on the forum when she doesn't know all the facts. It doesn't bug me that it got back to him because everything I said about him is true but if you don't want to ruin your relationship with this individual I suggest talking to him about it now..instead of having it blow up on you.

I really feel for you, I was in a messed up situation a few years back. I received my "assistant instructor" certification in Muay Thai under my former Muay Thai instructor and was told by him I could rank someone to such and such a rank. Over the years I couldn't stomache his dillusions of self-granduer so I basically quit training under him. I eventually started teaching on my own and got back in contact with him because the guy's skills are great and he had people I could spar with, train with. It's also very hard for me to be self-disciplined to train myself hard. Anyhoo, he basically went on to tell me I was only "allowed" to teach under him at his school and that I'm basically just a guy that knows some stuff but not recognized to teach on my own? So, that assistant instructor certification that I paid some $ for and went through extra training for was *? I'm a stubborn person so I immediately made the arrangements to train under who he became an instructor from. I learned some great stuff, found out more of the truth about my former instructor. I eventually also went on to train for a year privately under my former instructor's first kickboxing/muay thai instructor. It's funny how things like this come full circle. I really don't know what to tell you except maybe you should cut off your ties from this association that doesn't recognize you. If your students like what you're doing and want to stay with you and you feel fine with what you're doing then "screw" that association. You don't have to be in an association, do you? Could you still train with others? I wish you the best of luck and really feel your pain...it's this kind of stuff that makes me ponder quitting the martial arts alltogether.

I honestly don't know anymore and I'm going to be biased about myself but based on competition I've been in and time spent as a bouncer I would say I'm successful with gedan mawashi geri/dtae/leg kicks, kao/knee, and sawk/elbow. I use my tsuki/madd/punches to set up for kicks, knees, clinches. I'm more of a striker then I am a grappler but I am decent at throwing, submissions, locks, etc...I just prefer to strike. I generally handicap myself in sparring to work on what techniques and strategies I'm worst with but if I want to "school someone" I'll knee, throw neck kicks, and when it comes to leg kicks unfortunately where I train no one is in my league(I'm the muay thai instructor where I train). For me to get any "competition" I have to go to my master's school when it comes to the leg kick and knee game. I guess I'm more of a counter fighter but I am also very aggressive, meaning I come forward and "march" my opponent down, back them into a corner. It's how I was taught, not because I'm a jerk or anything. I don't spar the WKF/AAU/JKA/USANKF waza ari/ippon, "point sparring" way anymore. I used to for many years as a teen but I personally don't feel this will do me any good anymore since in a real fight if you're going to strike or have an opponent striking you they will keep striking until it's over...not until a ref stops the fight because of a clean blow, good technique, etc. I'm literally working on trying to untrain someone to spar this way right now.... When it comes to grappling sparring no one in my dojo can beat me but I am not the most technical, probably just have more experience(bjj and shooto days). I shy away from teaching grappling because I feel I have many bad habbits that may work for me but wouldn't for others. I mostly train now because of the excercise and it would seem foolish to stop now...

I have to agree with the kata, Chinto(one of my favorites) and the Rohai would help you. I do the leg circles and yes, raising the knee high is very important in karate(and every MA I have seen that has kicks). All good advice and good points made. The more you train in Karate, I think you will and should find your balance increasing. Just keep training, Ossu!

This isn't even specific to Kyokushin, with the multi-man kumite..I know of other styles where you have to do such things when going up for higher dan ranks. So I too don't understand what isn't believable about it. This being exagerrated? I don't think so, especially when you can even buy some of these on video to watch yourself. I must also add that most Kyokushin dojo do focus on the bare knuckle/knockdown kumite aspect but not all do. I actually know of a few that are "watered down" and focus more on kata. This being said, Kyokushin and it's offshoots are one of the few styles of Karate left where you can expect a yudansha being able to fight.

In most martial arts it takes at least 3 months to go to the next belt after white in a 10 belt system. Averaging five to six years to obtain shodan in a good karate dojo. I know of other dojo(unfortunately)where you can obtain your shodan in 2-3 years. I'm not talking about people that are "quick learners", I'm talking about the overall students.

that does seem very fast unless you have experience...When giving belt tests I have promoted someone to a higher rank because they had a background in a similar art. I think I once let someone test for kyu kyu after a month or two of training, though...her mother is a Sandan, so I'm sure her mother was helping her out.

It's very hard to compare Judo and Karate..I have studied both and would say that overall from my experience there are more "tough" Judoka then karateka but I wouldn't say that Judo is a superior art, or would I say that about Karate. I think the problem with Karate comes from it being watered down over the years. Without me really going on a long tangent about this just think to yourself of how many schools do you know where the average practitioner gets a black belt in 3 years...this never used to be the case with Karate. For the same reasons is why many bjj practitioners scoff at many martial arts. The average bjj practitioner is a white belt for 2 years before blue belt. True, there are only blue, purple, brown, than black in bjj. You can count on being a purple for 3-4 years and a brown for another 3-4+ years. BJJ hasn't been watered down yet(at least not much)as Karate and other martial arts have been. Before getting some people mad on here let me just say that I know that some Karate dojo still train hard, don't hand out belts...some. I'm sure all of you know of some dojo that has weak black belts. You don't see this as much in Judo, and certainly not in BJJ. I'm also more of a Karateka and a Thaiboxer more so then any other arts that I have studied.

I'm trying very hard to bite my tongue here because I think many of you are being silly about this adidas karate gi with the stripes. The issue that drives me more nuts is people that only have a year or two of training and post on forums about something they have no clue about. Or people that are yudansha that wouldn't even be a rokyu kyu in my dojo.

This is the first Japanese Karate style? Wow, I thought Shotokan was and I thought that Konishi trained under Funakoshi, trained under/with Mabuni, and also trained under Ueshiba. In fact a few kata exists in this style that Konishi and Mabuni went over and over creating until Ueshiba "ok'd" them. I really don't think this is the first Japanese Karate style when Shotokan gets that honor.

I'd maybe try one of the WKF approved Adidas uniforms, but it will be years before I need a new uniform.

I don't know without seeing you in jiyu kumite. Without seeing your strategy and how you spar, it's hard to say. A problem I see with many karateka is they are too linear..not saying that you are becaus all aren't but something you could try is as soon as you land a technique or block one...immediately side step or step then pivot to your opponent's blind spot. Try to become more of a counter fighter if your problem is dealing with an opponent's youth. It's all about strategy.

I've seen others in the more expensive models but here is a cheaper adidas karate gi with stripes: http://www.martialartssupplies.com/aduskarun.html

I'm confused, you quit when you were 7 but also studied "for about 7 years"? These statements kind of contradict eachother. How long did you really study for? Well, it really depends on the style you studied what "refreshing" you would need. In terms of kata, stances, movement, kumite, kobudo, kihon, etc.

Hey Drag'n, I noticed that you train in Daidojuku, are you familiar with Kato sensei? I still have tapes of him fighting in Muay Thai when he was here in the USA training with Master Toddy. Kato is one tough SOB, and I'm jealous if he's your sensei. It's too bad about the car wreck and his leg, but that still doesn't stop him.

Same here..I was actually thinking he was going to comment on the Muay Thai scene or a gym in that area. Wasn't sure if he was asking a question or going to state something, oh well, it's been cleared up.

Baltic, I like your signature line; in the Thaiboxing camp I'm from we have a similar saying: For every step back, take 2 steps forward. This is why some of the more "traditional" Thaiboxers keep coming forward, never going back.

huh? did I miss something here? What's the question?

A traditional, basic Muay Thai fighting stance is actually like this: both feet pointing out at a 45 degree angle, shoulder width apart with your lead 1.5 to 2 steps out. The reason why the feet are at a 45 is because you're on the balls of your feet the whole time so you can pivot and put your hips into your kicks...A thaiboxers is on the balls of their feet(same with a boxer). The basic arm position is to have your fists about 1.5 fists from your face but having your fists at about head level. Making sure that your elbows aren't pointed out because this telegraphs! Don't drop your hands because it makes an opening to get hit in the head/face/neck. Having your lead leg point forward is not a Muay Thai stance..think about what I'm saying here. Lets say you're an orthodox/right handed fighter. If you wanted to throw a rear leg roundhouse/dtae your left leg/supporting leg will allready be pointed out 45 degrees..which means it's that much easier to pivot. Also, a Thai style Muay Thai practitioner "marches". More advanced practitioners do other stances and movements with a lot of plok(pushing) while they march and will almost if not put their hands in your line of sight to "blind" you from incoming attacks. Yes, some people will have "bad habbits" and have their lead leg pointing forward..I probably do it sometimes but most of the time when I'm doing a Muay Thai technique both of my feet are pointed out, not straight.

yeah, I'm the same person on e-budo and I thought I've seen you post on their before. I was always under the impression that most, if not all Kyokushin has Judo throws. I could see how some people say the throws/takedowns in Enshin are similar to Aikido because of the "sabaki method" and the circular movements. I've never trained in Enshin, I've just seen it first hand(competed against Enshin guys). The guy to ask about Enshin would be Antonio Bustillo on e-budo, he used to be an Enshin branch chief. I just always ASSUMED that Enshin was Ninomiya's own interpetation/evolution of how he did Karate. Kenji Yamaki, Nicholas Pettas, and many others have also created offshoots of Kyokushin. By the way, I'll be competing in a Kyokushin tournament at the end of April..first time I'll have competed in years. I must say that those are pretty high standards that you have for Kyokushin in Lithuania, Baltic.