Shotokan-kez

As a jabbing kick, are you saying that you would snap the kick back quicker than the thrust kick? When we extend the kick out we tend to have a foot facing slightly to the floor with our toes pointing back so the ball of the foot is likely to be making contact, although i do agree with Brian, i would much prefere to kick with the heel.

Thank you everyone. I'm in much higher spirits now, i guess i'm just left feeling a little angry now. Although i am managing to train well, everyone has been really cool and supportive. My head is still a little sore in the places i was hit. Sometimes i forget and i will have an itch or when i wash my hair, it's like 'ouch!' Anyway my Nidan grading is next sunday and i'm focusing on that, thanks again guys

Thanks a lot everyone, means a lot to me. Brian i see where your coming from, i think i was blindsided, because i literally saw nothing...just felt pain and this is why my statement to the police is a little weak. We do have witnessess but the police haven't said what they saw, weather they saw all three attacks or just one. We are hoping that the CCTV was pointing in the right direction at the time. I managed to drag myself off to karate last night, i had to have someone drive me there and bring me home because i couldn't face getting the bus alone. Just goes to show how important karate is too me because i let rip, i worked really hard...unfortunatly giving myself a headache. My sensei was really good, he was making fun telling the class that it's drunken kung fu tonight for a change and Kerry was going to teach it. I'm still feeling very fragile, and cried again last night after waking from a bad dream. Seems i only feel safe in the dojo. Everytime i feel a twinge from my injuries it reminds me. I'm just so glad the police have caught these guys, and im keeping my fingers crossed that they get proper punishment and not just a fine and community service. Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your input and support. Kerry x

Truestar...thanks for your input...yes a woman was involved...me! Two women were assaulted that night, myself and my friend. Just wanted to clarify that.

Good question, since i am really struggling at the moment. I am in a rut right now and usually the things that motivate me are my children and karate, even that though i am finding hard.

Thanks tallgeese. I'm thinking IF i ever go on a night out again it will definately be alcohol free, obviously this has effected the outcome of the night. I'm dragging myself to training tonight, but i don't know how i'm going to face my Sensei.

Thanks justice for the advice. My doctor suggested i go back on medication, i was on medication for years. My karate has always kept me going and is a real passion in my life, but now it seems fruitless I need to get a grip!

We train on hard floor. Hard on the feet but we find it much easier than moving about on mats. We only get the mats out if we are practising take-downs.

Ha We are thinking of incorporating that song in our next demo, as well as 'your the best' from karate kid...gonna be fun!

Sensei thats mad! Thanks for sharing your story, i think before i ever try to hang a bag i will take some measurements first.

Hey everyone, i'm not sure if this is in the right place...Patrick feel free to move it. javascript:emoticon(':D') Saturday night we all went on a night out for a friends 30th birthday. There was a good crowd of us and it was a lovely evening. We went for a meal at Franky and Benny's and then on to a club. By the time we left the club i was quite tipsy from the alcohol, (as we all were), but we were going for a taxi home anyway. When myself and my best friend got outside, i saw my best friends brother and sister having trouble from three men. I went over to try and sort it out the next thing i know im waking up on the pavement after being knocked unconcious. One of the men (i am a small woman) had struck me at the side of my head and knocked me down, as i went down the back of my head 'bounced' off the pavement, i heard the crack and felt searing pain, then i was gone. I came round to see my best friends brother on the floor covered in blood and their sister sprawled on the road, assaulted by the same men! I tried to concentrate and call an ambulance on my mobile phone but every time i tried to dial 999 my fingers couldn't press the buttons. I was in deep shock but eventually made the call. Because i was around 20 miles from home i couldn't tell the emergency services where we were. We were taken to the hospital in the ambulance, at this point i was shaking like a leaf and i didnt know i had been struck at the side of my head. It was the next day when i woke that i couldn't yawn, cough, eat or smile. My neck was badly bruised and swollen, as was the bone at the side of my right ear. I didnt even realise this had happened, all i remember is the back of my head hitting the floor. I went to see my GP and she sent me straight to the hospital for an x-ray on the bone near my ear, luckily its just badly bruised but the man who struck me has perforated my ear drum. I'm in lots of pain now, my head hurts, although my neck is better. I just don't know what they did to me for me to sustain these injuries, weather they grabbed my throat or i had whiplash because of the blow. I'm now trying to move on but having difficulties forgetting....i just keep asking myself why why why?? Why us and im trying to piece things together because i couldn't defend myself or my friends...this i am finding very hard to deal with because i feel ashamed and don't feel like i deserve to wear my GI or have the grade of shodan. I feel so rubbish, i am a sufferer of anxiety as it is and now i am a nervous wreck, i am even struggling to take my little boy to school. I'm not sleeping and can't get myself to class. I have a Dan grading next month but now feel like i just can't go for it, i have lost all confidence and motivation...plus i don't deserve it! Just thought i would share guys, i'm feeling so lousy. Would have told u all sooner but i have had no internet until now. Thanks for listening.

Any good classic rock music but right now im loving kings of leon! In class we don't train to music although we are putting a demo together soon for the first time with music...oooo my next thread lol

I agree that good technique and form is very important. Whats the point in trying something out if it hasn't been explained or taught properly? Take Bunkai for instance...i love learning about each tecnique in Kata and practising the different defence variations of them.

I must say i hate it when i have had a rough day, i just don't feel like training but drag myself off to class anyway. I get annoyed with myself when i know i haven't put in my personal best. It irks me too when we have to partner and i get stuck with one of these people because there isn't enough of us. I end up hitting them loads of times, but not deliberatly, its because they just stand there bouncing about in front of me instead of doing it properly. But i am a little naughty and push them maybe a little to hard, but thats just because i cannot work with someone who doesn't care or want to do it properly.

RIGHT THEN!!! Lol I'm also a woman and have been practising for around 15 years and has NEVER thought kicking a man to that area a fight winner! I agree with JoiH, I also think its insulting a little and i think it's a real cheap shot if a woman does that to a man in a sparring situation. It's like a woman getting punched full force to the chest, even with protection this can hurt and cause damage, and vice versa. Groin contact isn't allowed in competitions, so why do it in the dojo? I would try to find another way to get the person, a sweep or something. You can win a kumite fight in the dojo without using cheap shots like that, and if all students respect each other then why would they? I will however say that groin techniques in the street are brilliant, if done properly you can put your attacker down and get away. We are taught this in the dojo but for self defence techniques only. I would never do it for real...i don't like it!

Hey guys...Just a sound off really. I have karate tonight and i am hoping we won't have the same problems as we had on Monday night. Both myself and my friend are in training for our dan grading. I am taking Nidan and she is taking Sandan. The thing is there are a couple of kids in the class who are a Nidan and Shodan and all they do is mess around. The nidan is really good at her karate but her form has really dropped and she is always getting told off for her sloppiness. The other one just acts the goat and doesn't behave, his form is also dreadful. The thing is all we heard during the class was "come on!! Your black belts now" And "Where is your power black belts? You aint even breaking a sweat!" Me and my friend just looked at each other shocked. We have been putting in 110%, training really hard and at the same time setting a good example to the junior grades. But when Sensei just referes to "black belts" it's like he is meaning all of us. I know he doesn't mean me and my friend and he is refering to the young black belts but i just think it puts us all to shame and it shouldn't be allowed. Also while these "difficult" black belts are messing about me and my friend can't get the training we need for our gradings. I know Sensei is doing something about it because he was giving these kids a good telling off at the end of the lesson, also talking to their father. It just really gets me angry and annoyed when there are students, weather they a BB or Kyu trying really hard...then you get BB's like that...grrr lets hope tonight is better eh!

Lol Brian that was blunt Just work? I don't have any plans really, we have had a few really nice sunny days...high as 16 degrees...oooooo wow lol typical British weather! So probably when the British summertime comes along it will be thunder storms, gale force winds and rain. For me i will be trying to entertain my boys while they are off school, training and i may go visit my mum if the weather is nice, she lives by the sea!

Thanks for the replies guys, i really appreciate it. I think what i find the hardest is the pivot on the supporting foot, then putting it straight again to perform the back kick. I will keep practising it, it's a good idea to just keep trying the roundhouse and bringing it back. We were also doing mawashi-geri and kekomi off the same leg, that was difficult to, it was too easy to end up doing two roundhouses lol

Refering to my earlier post....I just bought a brand new black black belt from Kamae International, it's twice as thick and much better quality...cost me £64!! But well worth the money i'd say. Just have to even longer now for it to start fraying...

I always considered the front kick to be very effective and strong. With the fast snapping motion you can as mentioned use it to startle your apponent. I often use it during kumite because it is fast. If i don't score a point from it i follow it through with double punch.

Thank you!

Hi guys. Just wondering, do any of you struggle with this combination? I have a feeling this may be thrown in as one of my combinations for my Nidan grading in May and i am struggling with it. It's a Mawashi-Geri off the back leg, bring the leg back and then exacute a back kick from that same leg, followed by Uraken gykau Tzuki. When i attempt the roundhouse i struggle to fetch it back without loosing my balance before i do the back kick. (usually in combos you just put it down to front). I have been told i also may have to do the same combination but with a front kick first, to me thats not a problem, probably because you are keeping your body straight with a front kick. Any idea's how i can make this combo flow, fast and effeciantly and strong? Cheers guys.

Hehe smelly gloves I have decided to stop going...i would much prefer kick boxing. My elbow was getting worse because it wasn't getting any rest with my karate training. With my dan grading coming up in karate i decided i should stop before my elbow totally goes on me. But at least i tried

Oh my! My sensei is very strict and you really wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of him, all he needs to do is shout and thats enough to instil fear in you, but he would NEVER treat one of his students like that. I'm sorry but i think he was out of order. I have dropped my belt lots of times, just because it's brand new, it's a big thick silk black belt and it often comes un-done and falls to the floor. I have never heard that dropping your belt is disrespectful, it happens and is more often than not an accident. I agree with one of Brians earlier posts, if it had been my sensei, despite my respect for him, i would have thrown it at him and had choice words, and probably would find somewhere else to train. That must have been some kick to dislocate your shoulder! I'm in shock!

Oh wow.....Woohoo....Thanks so much everyone thats great. I'm a little shocked to say the least, but thank you. I am not around as much as i used to be due to other commitments but i always love it here. I have recieved lots of help and support and always tried to return it the best i can... Thanks everyone!