Shotokan-kez

Congratulations on getting your belt

Ahh yeah i see where you coming from Brian, i just take mine in the morning on an empty stomach.

Nidan is one of my favorite Kyu grade kata's, my other fave being Yondan. Mainly because of the kicks in them, i like the thrust and the snap kicks. Sounds like you may have a different rank system to us. Nidan is our red belt kata and thats the 2nd belt up after orange, then comes yellow with Sandan.

Cheers for all the advice guys...health shop shopping spree is in order Yes Rate everything causes my heartburn too. I'm actually taking Omeprazole at the moment and it's like a god send, not one tiny bit of heartburn, but as i say i don't want to rely on them. Once again thanks a lot will give your suggestions a try. P.S Whats Philly Steak?

Hey guys. I just had a dreadful experience at the hospital yesterday. I had to undergo a gastroscopy (camera down the throat). This was because for about a year i have been suffering with very severe heartburn. I have been taking prescribed tablets for it but my Gp decided enough was enough and it was needing investigating. Oh the procedure itself was awful, i thought i was choking and gagging, so they had to sedate me. Anyways my worst fears was cancer, ulcers or a hernia. Luckily for me the test came back clear, i was so relieved but now i'm frustrated because i'm back on the meds. How do you control heartburn? (if you have it). It's always worse when i train too which is awful because it rises up from my stomach, in to my chest and up my throat. I can't particulary tell what foods cause it either because i suffer after every meal. I have been discharged from the hospital no because all my tests came back clear, they said it's all self help from now on...so any idea's guys?

Hey there...another Shotokan practitioner here! Hi and welcome back.

Well this is a pretty tough question without answering "I wanna be the best i can be". Right now my next goal is to achieve my second dan, so i'm training hard 3 times a week, 4 if i can. I just train and train, i am always learning along the way.

Good luck hun!

At present we have a 10 year old black belt, she is allowed to take her second dan when she is 12. But for her third dan she must be 21. I don't have a problem with this to be honest. But alas i would feel a little put out if she taught the class, i don't think i would like that very much because she isn't very mature.

I think it's strange but pretty cool at the same time.

Portugal is out! Russia is going on, i think the final on sunday will be between Germany and Russia...good luck Russia.

I am up for that..as Brian said we have to consider time zones and oceans ect Post a time and date but somehow we will need to know where everyone is from so we can figure out time difference...should be fun

Tori i'm much the same. Although my parents didn't have drinking problems they were fighting a lot and hence divorced. I wanted to go to karate for fun at first...although i did enjoy it. As an adult now i have never looked back, even though i did have around 10 years out. It has always been in my heart and i absolutely live for it (next to my sons of course). It helps me reduce stress levels and any anger. It also helps with self awareness and confidence. Achieving my black belt was one of the best things that have happened to me and it just makes me want to learn and achieve more. I also get a sense of pride when i get to teach the children in classes and a sense of acheivement when i see them do well.

Sadly and shamefully England didn't make it through the qualifiers this time, but i have been keeping up with all the games. Who do you think will win it this time and who would you like to see win it? Personally i think Portugal will win or Germany but I would love to see Russia win the cup, they have been brilliant and played really well tonight with their 2-0 win over Sweden.

Hearing my name being called and those words...PASS SHODAN.

Subaru i love them cars..but alas i haven't passed my test.

I suffer with a severe anxiety disorder and depression, i also used to drink alcohol a lot. I have to say the attacks are not as often now and i cope very well with them. At times when i had an attack i would think i was dying and had an overwhelming feeling that i had to run and get away. I was on meds for 10 years on and off and then one day i just decided i didn't want them anymore and came off them cold turkey. The withdrawals were unpleasant but it was worth it in the end.

Congratulations to you. Sounds like you had a tough time...but isn't it worth it eh? Well done

My black belt is silk and has red embroidery on both ends. My name in Japanese on one end and my syle in Japanese on the other. Although i got a very good deal for my black belt i wouldn't have hesitated for a second if i had to pay more. I'm proud of it and it's worth every penny

I agree with all these replies. He has been out of Shotokan for 6 years! And you are right Shotokan weapons kata are rare. I have been training in Shotokan for years and have only ever done one weapons kata. Also the respect thing, I wouldn't be teaching them to him on principle, the fact that he left on bad terms and that he's bad mouthing your sensei. I don't mean to be rude here and i dont want to sound out of turn but sounds like he needs to have a little respect himself.

Even tho we are in the uk tori it has been hot recently. I think we sometimes get it more stuffy and humid rather than sunshine with a light breeze. We dont have t-shirts so we just tend to suffer lol We dont have air conditioning either so we just have to open windows and doors!

I have never come across anything like that personally but a man at my dojo just got his shodan ast 80 something years old...i wonder what the opinion of that would be??

I know there was a thread about lost sometime ago but i thought i would start this one cos i am confused lol Lost was taken off our screens a while back and put on sky which i didnt have. Anyway some kind person has lent me series 3. I am still confused about the island. What is it with that black smoke that killed Mr Ecko? Is the Island haunted and is that why the survivors on the island keep seeing strange and scary images? Do the 'others' know about it or causing it somehow? Oh and whats with the Polar bears??? hehe so many questions. I was thinking the more i watched it the more i could grasp it but i still can't! Even though i am very hooked. Oh and i can't believe that woman Juliet making Jack believe she was with them but really she plotted with Ben before he tied her to Kate and dumped them in the jungle. And it seems they all know each other but without knowing it...I mean Jack and Claire don't realise they have the same dad! It's madness it is. lol

I have never been before but would love to. In fact in one of my exams i had a picture of times square and we had to write about it as if we were there.

July 12th coming up soon i'll be 31...ohhh nooooo!