GOM

Before you go down that path, there a few things you need to consider: - What does your instructor think of this? Are you affiliated to a big organisation that has its own set standards for instructors? - Your instructor may be interested in teaching at the school with you as an assistant. - Make sure you and your students are going to be fully insured - Once you start teaching and giving up your own time, you will need to follow through. You can't just try it for a month and then stop. - If you teach for free, then you are implying your experience and ability is worthless. People expect to pay. Are you going to pay for mats, punch and kick bags, insurance, uniforms, advertising, phone, electricity, water, gas, etc. Grants are great but they are long and complicated to organise. They are just a few things you need to consider before jumping in.

Yes, but I heard it slightly different. I believe there is only one Gojushiho but a high ranking JKA teacher was taught an incorrect version, and to save face he simply called it Sho.

How old was Oyama when he moved to Japan? I thought he was only a chld? And even then I believe he moved to China for a period before moving back to Korea and then on to Japan? I am not sure. Off Topic - But there is a Korean movie called 'Fighter in the wind' about a comic book based very loosely on Oyama - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416499/ As for the modern kicks in Japanese karate - I would say the higher the kicks, the more interesting and appealing karate became to the public masses, and especially children. Controlled kicks to the body and head are a lot safer for children to practise as well. As for all the flashy kicks....I am not sure. Possibly Taekkyon, but then again there are a lot of dance moves that also look 'martial arty'.

Do Shiko Dachi instead - much better on the knees, hips, and ankles. When kiba and kokutsu were introduced into the shotokan kata there was little thought, or knowledge, on body mechanics. The idea behind these two stances, plus long zenketsu, was for the physical "benefits" for school children in the Physical Education karate program taught at schools.

I have competed in many competitions over 20+ years in both kata and kumite - WKF (WUKO) competitions mainly. However I think competition kata has ruined karate. Competition kata promotes bad muscle memory - hand to the hip after striking or blocking, long unnatural stances and movements, blocks and punches to the body, repetitive stop-start action, etc. The kihon practised in most dojo, and I was doing the same, is competition kata based. Many times we would move up and down the dojo in front stances practicing outside block, and then move back in backstance doing knife-hand block - all to make the competition kata prettier! This type of practice did not make my karate stronger, and in fact hindered my ability to defend myself because my muscle memory would be to punch to the body with a straight(ish) arm, or try and move back into an awkward backstance. And don't even get me started on Hangetsu-Dachi.... Thoughts?

There is a fair bit of information about Kojo Ryu in the book Okinawan Karate by Mark Bishop. It is Chapter 3. Check the book out if you have it.

6 Days - Monday - Friday 3:30pm - 9:00pm Saturday 9:00am - 12:00pm

We have two types of stances - One for kata performance, and one for karate.

You have to ask yourself who are you targetting? Newbies? Those who have trained before? Both? instructor bio/pictures - Great, but unless the instructors are models, I think it looks unprofessional. all 4 locations listed - Great! How about a google map as well? a virtual picture tour of our studios -Another great one! we have a picture page - Yep, I like it! Make sure you choose the pictures carefully though. history page - Good one. affiliations page - Good if they are quality affiliations. links page - Who are you linking? Other MA clubs? Not a good idea if they are in your area, ut if they aren't, why not! students page - Members section? ranking system page - Not needed IMO. FAQ page - Not needed as you should answer the FAQ in other sections. terminology page - Again, not needed. Chuck it in the members section. a news page, for updates/events, etc - Yep great. a rules page - Not needed. Members section. and a rank requirements page. - Same as above. We are also in the stage of giving our club's website a facelift. Just remember to keep it simple, neat, and informative.

I would rather not mention them in public mate, but send me a PM if you wish.

^^ The many resources given to me from my father have helped my acquire a fair amount of knowledge.

Itosu was assisted in his work by Hanashiro and Yabu.. both former students of Bushi Matsumura. The history of karate as written down is often contadictory but Itosu and Higashionna (Higaonna Jap.- BTW Miyagi's teacher) both submitted proposals for an indigeneous MA program to be included in the Okinawan Schools Phys. Ed. curriculum. Itosu's program was selected and originally it was known as Toudi (Tote Jap.) but later, the name Karate was coined firstly by Hanashiro Chomo in a book on Kumite and some 20 years later promoted (the name that is) by Funakoshi (Itosu's student) and accepted in Japan and Okinawa (ref.the 1936 Okinawa Master's meeting). Itosu determined 14 kata for the new MA program and made a number of changes. With PE in mind, the exercise routines were better balanced to train both sides of the body but still with a definite right side bias to suit the majority of potential students. These kata included Pinan/Heian, Naifanchi, Passai. Kushanku, Chinto, and Gojushiho. Itosu removed dangerous techniques by making some strikes into blocks, changed targets from the head to the body and raised kicks from lower to mid levels. This was the karate initially introduced into Japan. Some of these kata were later modified again by Funakoshi (Funakoshi Kempo), Nakayama (JKA Shotokan), Mabubi (Shitoryu) and Ohtsuka (Wadoryu). All added and subtracted kata but the majority followed the new karate formulae and changed targets, etc. Miyagi taught at after school karate programs but it was some 14 years later before his program was accepted into the Okinawan School system. Goju is the new kid on the block and based on a slightly different technology to Matsumura's te which evolved into karate.

For sport kumite, kicking with the instep is much safer (for the person kicking) than using the ball of the foot. But for SD, kicking with the shin is far better than the instep. There is a bigger range with your shin v instep, and the shin is much stronger. In SD situations, kicking above the waist is a big no no.

NorthernDragon - I call it shoto as it wasn't the Shotokan taught by Nishiyama or Nakayama, but pre-JKA karate. We did Shoto(kan) kata, but a little different to how JKA or SKI did theirs. I guess we were practising shoto based karate before the JKA modernised and changed the P.E karate system. We would always have a bit of a chuckle at those who practised mawashi geri with the ball of the foot.

^^ For the person executing the kick with the ball of the foot. I practised shoto based karate for 15 years, but never did the kick with the ball of the foot. I think it is a JKA (and offshots) version.

Kicking with the ball of the foot is not traditional, but it is done by Shoto schools. This is dangerous and downright silly. In sport karate, it is far more effective (and safe for both parties) to kick with the instep. For SD, kicking with the shin against the inside/outside thigh is the way to go.

Is that guy wearing a watch???

Are you going to look into the pre-Shoto version of Chinte as well?

^^ Thank you for an excellent discussion Zanshin, but I think we have exerted enough information for the time being. Look forward to a few more!

What are the differences between the versions?

There is no official syllabus for Shoto, as there are thousands of different Shoto-based schools around the world. One school will do kata one way, another school will do it another way. The style of karate you practise is the instructor's style of karate. If that includes throws then great.

^^ Yeah tell me about it! I was up at 6am this morning rattling off that one I love a good honest debate, keep them coming!

The "objectives" of all karate may be the same, however the methods of acheiving the end result often differ. I agree. But the method of achieving these results are dependent on your instructor regardless of "style". But at the end of the day, "styles" of karate differ between kata. It is easy to tell which "style" of karate one practises by the kata they perform.

Nope, Arguably all kihon is a reflection of a style's Kata, as that’s where it comes from, but equally what defines each of the styles is how exactly they perform their kata. Wado's pinan Nidan is performed very differently that of Shito ryu. Not only are there different moves, there are different objectives and ways of doing them. It will be a sad day for me when all karate styles are homogenised into one. Every karate is the same - punch, kick, step, block etc. Variations of these are down to the person out the front teaching and their influence/experience/knowledge. Not every Wado club does kata the exact same way. The same can be said about Shoto, Shito, and Goju.

Did you practise just Sokuto and Juntsuki then? If not, then you are practising the same techniques in your kihon training as well as your kata. Doubling up. And what does that have to do with the karate techniques you are over practising? Wado (karate) is modern. So is Goju, Shoto and Shito. I didn't say it was bad, just reminding you you are practising modern karate techniques designed for children (Physical Education Program designed by Anko Itosu). What kind of teaching methods are you referring to here? Are you referring here to the modern juntsuki with the fist being horizontal and the arm straight? This is only for show, to make kata look pretty. When punching an object, the fist should be vertical and the arm still bent. It is dangerous to hit an object the "kata" way No sorry, they are modern ideas for a prettier looking kata. Which punch? The modern version? What are the core principles in punching in your opinion? Modern kihon in modern kata can teach principles, but the modern kihon is different to how you actually use the techniques in a real "fight" (hate that term fight, as SD is not fighting). Can you please advise where in each of those kata those principles are being practised? And I agree if you are practising modern kata for competitions and or fitness. But if you are looking for more than that, then you are practising redundant techniques. Why the need to go to a seperate SD class? Karate (touide/tote) was established for the average bloke as means for self-defense against untrained and unarmed attackers. If you are not practising, or teaching, SD in class, then you are merely dong exercise. Modern kata have 3 aspects - For show, for practise, and for application. Having the key to unlock what each move means is essential.