armanox

I'd like to post some more recent videos of myself, but have not had the time due to work to do any filming.

What is wrong with modifying the kata if it fits the bunkai she is teaching? The kata are not meant to be static, they are meant to grow and adapt. Also, the head instructor should be teaching the kata that fit what she is trying to get acrossed - it is the head instructor's privilege to pick and choose which kata fit what she is teaching. It is the bunkai that is important, not the kata themselves.

What are the core kata of my style? They would be from the "koryu kata", if you will. Passai (Sho, Dai, and Kopassai) Kusanku (Sho, Dai, Chantanyara) Gojushiho Secondary (expansion on the core) would also come from that list: Chinto Jion Unsu Then I suppose the third level is more basic, rather then defining the style. They may be teaching basic techniques, stances, or conditioning; and it may be argued that makes them more important then tier one kata. Kihon Seisan Pinan Naihanchi Tensho Just my thoughts.

Perhaps you need something like what Shuriedo, Tokaido, and Toyo do - the fabric has a blue tint to it when you buy it, which will fade over time, but it slows down yellowing as a result. Or, I personally love my unbleached judo gi. Maybe the unbleached look needs to be more popular? I would and I can definitely see that being better. However TKD doboks are slightly different than standard dogi and we have to wear something specific so limited choice on brands available. I am aware of various Korean styles uniforms (WTF TKD, HKD). They should have stuck with plain uniforms....

Perhaps you need something like what Shuriedo, Tokaido, and Toyo do - the fabric has a blue tint to it when you buy it, which will fade over time, but it slows down yellowing as a result. Or, I personally love my unbleached judo gi. Maybe the unbleached look needs to be more popular?

Cold water wash, hang dry (drier on lowest heat setting if I have to). Occasionally iron and starch. Hang in closet.

What do you mean exactly by clinking? Do you mean intentional weapons contact, or accidental? See video below - the first 'clink' is intentional - the sai are supposed to hit each other in the opening. The next two are minor, and not intended, but not wrong per se.

You may want to check out Century Martial Arts. They will sell you uniforms like that.

Soak in as much as you can. You get all the time you could want to ask questions and get corrected on things.

Don't feel too bad about it, I can no longer hit with a left roundhouse the way I like (shin/instep), and it will be a very long time before that becomes possible again.

Kumite is a wide term covering many different kinds of sparring. It's not until you get to Jiyu Kumite that you get full contanct, knockdown, and point sparring in the mix. We practice a lot of the first three at my dojo, Jiyu not so much (most students are over the age of 50, many over 60, so it doesn't go over as well).

Boils down to more per school then it does per style really.

I can't condone someone who treats their students like that. "Best Kata" doesn't mean too much to me. Kata isn't a static exercise, meant to be replicated a certain way. Kata change over time, and what's more important is you know the meaning (bunkai) of the kata more so then just the motions. Just being able to do the motions makes you a dancer, not a martial artist.

It is my understanding that the titles "Master" and "Grandmaster" came more from Korean martial arts vs Japanese or Chinese. When I train at my friends Hapkido school, example, his instructor I would refer to as "Master Borucki" because that title comes with his rank, and it is considered the appropriate etiquette to refer to him that way. Likewise, I would refer address Grandmaster West as either "Grandmaster West" or "Master West" due to their protocol. But we do not, in karate or Aikido, refer to anyone as Master whoever as that title does not exist for Japanese and Okinawan martial arts. We might reference Takeshi Miyagi or Seikichi Iha as being a "grandmaster" of Shorin Ryu (both hold the title of Hanshi which I remember translating as something like "Model individual"), but we address to them as Sensei when attending class with them or talking about them with others. TL,DR: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

I've done quite a few different kata for tournament as I've gone through the ranks. At the white and green belt levels I used Seisan: (See green belt me doing Seisan in tournament)At the brown belt level I played around for a bit. Did Kusanku Sho, didn't do that one so well ( if you really want to see it...the jump always killed me). Did Matsumura Passai for a while with pretty good success ( ).The last time I competed (was still a brown belt then too) I used Gojushiho ( ). I'd probably use it again if I were to enter another tournament, or go back to Matsumura Passai. Both work rather well for me. Chinto and Kusanku are no goes since I broke my leg/ankle last year

I was inspired by such films as "The Karate Kid" when I was younger, and TV shows like the Power Rangers. Also, always had friends who where doing some form of martial arts when I was in high school (Kung Fu, TKD, and two in Juijitsu) and decided I wanted in too.

From a karate perspective: know your balance. Controlling your balance and foot positions will make you more difficult to throw, and regaining your balance when they attempt to disrupt it is no easy task, but critical, for staying on your feet. As someone who sometimes works with his jujitsu buddies, the next thing that helps is, like most people say, to know some grappling. We practice throws (judo based) and locks in karate, and I have Aikido experience that I've found to be very valuable for escapes and avoiding being submitted on the ground. What I lack, however, is more experience in these scenarios, and the training in getting the upper hand on the ground that comes with jujitsu and wrestling. (Side note, I've also learned I'm most vulnerable to a throw or take down when I'm attempting to do one to them. My Aikido needs some work...better atemi required). Having more tools in your library is indeed your best bet, and having the practice with those tools is required. Work with your grappling friends more, you'll find certain pieces of your training work well, some you'll adapt, and some you'll find don't apply to these situations. Remember a grappler will take a few punches to get inside on you - you need to be able to stay mobile, move off the line, and keep them in your comfort zone. Until they get in their zone, you've got the upper hand. It's a thin line that's hard to avoid, but it makes all the difference.

Physically, the series of leg injuries I've had the past couple of years (strained tendons and ligaments, swelling under the tendon, and a broken leg/ankle). Mentally, is the fact that I've lost my motivation. Trying to find some form of motivation again.

All of the schools I attend/have attended have advertised prices. Our primary objective isn't to turn a profit, it is to teach martial arts. I have visited a lot of schools that do not (and they tend to be big $$), and some that want to discuss it (tiered pricing for # of people and how long you pay for, but they also usually have price charts available inside).

That's been another point of confusion for me. The "classical presentation", if you will, seems to differ from what people actually do in sparring or fighting. I understand the idea of using larger movements as a learning aid or a training tool but I haven't seen people really talk about it. This is an issue I see a lot. In the ITF, I see the body movement that is referred to as the sine wave motion. The problem I see, however, is that the movement doesn't show up in sparring. Often, neither does the retracting hand that we use a lot of, too. The thing with the retracting hand is that it is part of what has become the aesthetics of traditional styles. Every basic technique that is done with one hand has the other brought back to the hip or rib area. However, not every technique will be using a pulling hand, or be the result of a grab. Interesting. I have found that when I spar people notice influence from the kata - my guard positions, reactions, footwork - all can be traced to kata. It's rare in sparring that I will simply chamber a hand. If I'm throwing pure punches maybe, and I have used that motion in arm locks before, but it is never the start of the technique.

I'll check it out. I may propose it to the dojo.

One of my schools is like that (3:1), with me being the one student (ranked shodan...). The other school isn't much better, the students are all between ikkyu and nidan....

But there are many kata that the 'original' way may have been lost. What do you think then of say two styles of kata having the same kata but is slightly different? Or even multiple styles having a kata of the same name but the way the kata is done as a whole is different? Evolution. Do I see a lock where you see an elbow? An escape or a take down? The bunkai we see changes how we do the kata, and kata are often 'adapted' to different styles.

Interesting comment...aren't there times where that just isn't appropriate? One example from my own training is that the Gedan Barai I learn in Karate has a completely different setup then the low block I learned in TKD. In a Kyokushin class, should I do a TKD low block in line or in kata? Of course not... I do like your overall viewpoint, though. Techniques learned (wherever they are learned) should always be evaluated to make sure they are worthwhile to use on the floor... Excellent points!! To the bold type above... No. Not if an understanding of discovery already exists! In my dojo, it's encouraged! The core is Shindokan, and if someone can bring something to the topic of said class, and it's not Shindokan, I/we want to explore it together. As the CI, I maintain the flow so that the teaching resources remain on task/topic. Our core style's not neglected in this process; if anything else, it's elevated. During kata, things are fairly the same across the board - we have a sense of uniformity to the techniques. For self defense and sparring, being able to use moves that you've learned elsewhere is allowed, especially for more "free-flowing" scenarios.

I don't think too many people at my school can do a round house to the head. I know I can't anymore, due to injury. Also consider that we do not practice that kick (or side kick, or hook kick) as part of class. I also can no longer do jump kicks (since I had ankle/leg surgery in January, following a car crash). Remember - the round house does not appear in any Shorin Ryu kata (or any of the standard Shotokan kata). With that said, I wouldn't want to take a kick from quite a few of the people at my school. Nor an elbow smash for that matter (that I've seen as a common counter in sparring against round kick happy individuals in tournament....)