armanox

So what's different about the version your school does? The videos I've seen online of that particular kata all seem pretty consistently similar. Upon looking at youtube (again), this is very similar to what we do. Our stancework is a little different though (if I can find my camera I might have to make a vid...)

Wow been forever...let's add Chinto to the list.

Maezato no nunchaku is the only one that I know...(and I don't think youtube has the version that I do...)

My sai have served me quite well...

Shorin Ryu (Shidokan), member of the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karate Association (Seitoku Ishikawa President)

Let's see....I had a thread on this a long time ago... Empty hand: Kihon I-V (and the three formerly known as I-III) Fuku I-II Naihaichi I-III Pinan I-V Passai (Sho and Dai) Kusanku (Sho and Dai) Seisan Tensho Kobudo: Sai Ichi no Kata Sai Ni no Kata Maezato no nunchaku Gyosho no kun ZNKR Iaido: Mae Ushiro Ukenagashi Tsuka-ate Shihogiri So...Twenty-four(24) empty handed, four (4) Okinawan Kobudo, and five (5) ZNKR Iaido.

Daniel Simons is my instructor at St. Brigid Dojo. Any particular reason?

Well, perhaps we can add some =)

So.... Do we define teaching as when the instructor tells one student to help another with something (kata/technique/etc)? or as leading the class? Under normal circumstances, class is lead by an "instructor" at my dojo. Our instructors are 2 seventh dans and a sixth dan. They generally lead the class. We have had lower ranked black belts run class before, in the event that the instructors were unavailable. It is not uncommon for students to be asked to assist other students in our school.

Let me think for a second..... At my school, I think it takes about a year to get to your first promotion. Then another year and a half (aprox. took me longer) to the next one. 5 years to first dan from white belt 1 year to second dan from first 2 years to third dan from second 3 years from third dan to forth ...and so on up to tenth dan.

My thoughts exactly.

Would have been a lot better if she had not been stressing her vocals during kiai. Screaming like that is very bad for the vocal chords.

I fail to see why a student, if they have met all of the requirements and are of skill level for a certain rank, should be held back.

I'm probably not the best person to respond to this, but... Before a tournament I usually eat scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. During the tournament I'll eat just about anything (Ham, pizza, donuts, hot dogs, tastycakes, etc).

I've seen the groin cup on the outside before at tournaments, I'm not a big fan of people seeing it myself. The worst malfunction I saw in tournament happened when a guy did a shoulder roll in the middle of a form and had his pants come down (they were a little too big, and he stepped on them). He got up, bowed, and pulled his pants up. Talk about a goof. Personally, I try to keep my gi in good condition. Mend any rips or tears, iron it when needed, wash it regulary, etc. I do starch it lightly before tournaments.

First through sixth dan is a solid black belt Seventh and Eighth dan is a red and white panel belt Ninth and Tenth dan is a blood red belt.

That's one thing that a lot of people miss out on: makiwara boards need to give. That way, not only does it not break your hand hitting it, it also gets you to punch through your target to move it, rather then stopping at the target (unless of course, you're going to smash walls).

Wonder Okinawa is a great source. The kata, when done correctly, can also be used as a conditioning tool. See http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/011/index.html Other tools were used too, and still are, such as the makiwara board. See http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/012/index.html

Well...I know all of the empty handed kata on the list pretty darn well. I'm a little rough on Maezato no nunchaku and Gyosho no kun, but, the edges just need to be polished a bit =)

Kata or bunkai for the kata?

We do a lot of kata work, but we also do a lot of bunkai. I can explain and demonstrate the bunkai for almost all of the kata that I know.

Updated list: Kihon I - V Tensho Fukyugata I - II Naihaichi I - III Seisan Passai Sho and Dai Kusanku Sho Weapons: Gyosho no kun Maezato no nunchaku Ichi no sai

We don't have (at my karate schools) any testing fees. I think I payed $18 for my uniform, don't remember exactly. I've bought two more since then on my own (one more karate gi and a judo gi), and have never had to pay for belts. The school has weapons for the students to use, but I usually buy my own weapons so that I can practice at home. To give an idea of weapons expenses, I've bought 4 bokken (1@$10 (broke rather easy, Made in Taiwan), 1@$20, 1@$15 (Wakizashi length Japanese White Oak) and 1@$65 (Japanese White Oak)), 1 pair of Sai ($30), 1 Rattan Bo ($30, I need to get an Oak one), 1 pair of Escrima ($15). That about covers all of the expenses. (Aside from tournaments that I enter, but they're not connected with the schools).

I'd pick a couple. Naihaichi, Passai (Sho and dai), Kusanku (sho and dai), and Chinto. Passai is another kata thought to be broken up, the old form is theorized to still exist as a kata known as Kopassai sho. Naihanchi is a great kata with a lot of applications. I don't remember who said it, but one Okinawan (Iha or Chibana I think...) said Karate starts and ends with Naihanchi.

Let's me see, I've said this somewhere before... Empty Handed: 8 Kihon Kata Tensho 2 Fuku Kata 3 Naihachi 1 Seisan 5 Pinan 3 Passai (Sho, Dai, Kopasai Sho) 3 Kusanku (Sho, Dai, Chatanyara no) Chinto Gojushiho Unsu Jion Tetsho Bo: Gyosho no kun 2 Shushi no kun (Sho and Dai) Sakugawa no kun sho Soeshi(sp uncertain) no kun sho Sai: Ichi no Sai Chatanyara no Sai Hamahiga no Sai 2 more (Names elude me ATM) Nunchaku: Maizato Aguni no nunchaku Aguni ni nunchaku (may be more beyond my knowledge) Tonfa: Hamahiga no Tonfa Ekku Bo: (I don't know the kata name) Kama: (I don't know the kata name)