innocui

It happens all the time at my tournaments. Recently a win was awarded when the two black belts had two points each- that means extra time. The ref tried to justify himself by saying that the girl who lost was overly aggressive. But, he only ever gave her one warning, and it wasn't recorded on the score sheets, so it doesn't count towards the final scores

As long as you don't get down and dirty in the middle of the class, there shouldn't be a problem...One of my instructors is married to a black belt he met in class. He treats her like the rest of us

i have never encountered racism. Wasn't Bruce Lee boycotted by chinese masters when he started teaching non-chinese n the U.S.

In britain, no martial arts or combat sports are allowed in schools- nothing. They're scared all us kids will attack the teachers

escrima, bo and kama

i really like bo, but i don't know of anywhere that teaches it. What styles use bo?

Very true, at the last tournament i went to, a kid in the black belt division had one arm and came 2nd

Everyone has the potentail to become a great blackbelt, its whether they want it that matter

I'm a tradionalist, but i belive tournaments can show you the level you are at within your own grade...you may by the best brown belt in your class, but regionally, or nationally, you may only be mediocre

We also had a problem with bullying in the dojo, we sorted it now, but it was messy...anyone got any ideas, for future reference

We also had a problem with bullying in the dojo, we sorted it now, but it was messy...anyone got any ideas, for future reference

I had a problem with a kid bullying a friends brother. We were year 8, he was year 6, we confronted him (non-violently) he tried to justify himself by saying he was the hardest in year 6(???). Bout a month later he turned up at my karate class. In my style, you can't spar until your're a yellow belt, which takes about 4 or 5 months. He stuck at it, got his yellow belt, some mits and pads, and my instructor put him with me to see how he was doing (i was a 5th kyu). He came in hard on me, so i went out hard on him...never came back. The propa solid charv got beaten by an uber-smart skater. Now he just gives me glances of doom.

snap your opposite hip into it, shape your foot correctly and go for the knees(only if your have to...seriously, the damge it causes isn't funny, even if they hit you first) or the ribs

I train in Go-Kan-Ryu. My two favourite katas are probably Seiunchin and Empi

Its not a kiai if it comes from the throat, it should just be a noise, which totally empties your body of air. An good indication of a kiai from the throat is a pronounced constanant sound, or a change in sound (e.g. TTTTIIIIYYYAAAH, or HHHHIIIIIYYYYAAA!) Two favourites from my class. Also, do the new starters/low grades/kids at your class shout KIAI. I mean, imagine defending yourself against some yob screaming at the top of your voice "SHOUT OF SPIRIT"

I train in GKR karate, and we have divisions of grouped grades, e.g. 3rd-1st kyu. I think it would be better to test first, then go to the tounaments as a blue belt. You need to get experience of the higher divisions, and the standard that you should be aiming for at blue belt. The people winning the tournaments will be the best in the grade band, so they give a good indication as to a "good" blue belt. Before i started going to tournaments, my instructor told me that i could never really know how good a black tip i was until i fought the best black tips in the country. In my first tournament i won silver in kata, qualifing for the uk championships, where i came 4th

For good sparring you need good basics, if you stop basics, your technique will slip, and you training in general will suffer

my style is Go-Kan-Ryu, and my belt is 2nd kyu, Black tip

I train in GKR, and I hate the idea of Black and White belts. All of my instructors are at least Shodan black belts, but in other dojos, 5th kyu take classes. I am a 2nd Kyu, and it really annoys me when i have to call someone sensei, but then they have to follow me because they don't know Bassai-Dai, which I learned 3 years ago, or Sei-un-Chin, which i learned about 18 months ago. And i know people slag GKR off for selling door-to-door, but most people leave within 3 months, becasue the 'McDojo' GKR's training is too hard, becasue they don't like the amount of discipline we are expected to have etc. GKR has changed since the times of "hey you've been training 3 years, heres a black-belt"...almost

GKR is not a McDojo. Does it really matter that we learn a mix of Gogu-Ryu and Shotokan? Because all Karate stemmed from Okinawa-Te, which changed after a monk visited China, into Karate. If you think GKR is a McDojo becasue it isn't a pure form, then you really need to realise it doesn't matter what Karate you learn as long as you learn something valuable

shock doctor gumshields are a must

If anyone experiences higher grades being disresfectful, i have something to make you feel better, one of my Senseis told me: For a black tip to become a black belt, they must train like a black belt. So, for someone to earn their next belt, they already have to be that belt, or they wouldn't grade. Also, the belt system is a state of mind. I am a high belt (2nd kyu) and i am a member of my club's Newcastle tournament team. when i train with the other team members (many of whom are now black belt) I am not on the same level as the in regard to kata, but in kumite, I can spar any of them, we all score equal points, and in that respect everybody is equal. Don't be put down by higher grades, all martial artists are equal

My personal favourite tournament kata is Seiunchin, which means "The Long Journey" or "The Calm Before the Storm. I love the power in the kata, and the sense or superiority and overwhelming calm in the turmoil around it. Its my stress-release kata. BUT...In my division in Go-Kan-Ryu tournaments, most others go for Sepai, or another showy kata, like empi. i don't like the 'showy' kata, or more precisely people who perform them like a routine, instead of a kata.

You talk about using weapons, but your a martial artist, you don't need material weapons. theres avoidance, reasoning, attention grabbing (always a good one if your in a dark alley) the good old stare-down. And then, if they still want to attack, use your body. Something like a sidestep and knee to the solar-plexus/stomach is very good...then RUN LIKE THE WIND. never stay for a fight. and there are improvides weapons. keys, shoes, glossy magazine, rolled up tight...that one really hurts!!! Anyway, you don't need knives, pepper spray, kubotans etc.

after tieing your belt, hold either end, and pull away from the knot, straight out to the sides of your body, slightly angled towards the ground. You have to pull sharply and in time. If you do it right, you should hear a snap similar to the sound a Gi makes in a powerful technique. After a while, the knot area will lossen more than the rest of your belt. Then, whenever you tie your belt, the knot will tie in that spot, it will be small, tidy, and shouldn't come undone