Shui Tora

How about Vodka diluted with water and then spun on a 30 degree wash? I saw it on a website with some other good stuff too! I tried it out, and it actually works too! Works well with cigarette smoke too! Try it! You never know!

My answers; 1.) No we do not teach bunkai to juniors.... Just seniors. 2.) It is fairly informal practice... We begin to analyse a certain kata... Everyone talks about their perception of how the moves go. Then we go through them and agress or disagree on how good each of them were. 3.) The difference between Juniors and Seniors Syllabus is that we do not include the 9 Funaksohi's Takedowns, we do not include pressure points, joint locks / manipulation and we do not include the more advanced kata (like Nihanchi and the Pinan Series) Hope that answers your questions there Bushido!

I would talk to the attacker, try and persuade him to not attack me... If depends on how he is going to attack... If he comes straight at me with a Di-Jodan (down-wards head cut) then I would step to the side, and then strike to the upper body... However, if he is swishing the sword about (with no knowledge of how to use one) then I would crouch down and take out his legs with an application from Bassai Dai (very handy that one!) Running away is still good... But NEVER run backwards, the attacker will still be able to catch you up...

I don't think there is a number that you can put on it... Everyone trains at different rates, and so some people can get there within 5years, while others more... In Shotokan, you're looking around 6years(min)... But like I said, everyone is different.... I think it goes the same for TKD etc...

Welcome ShotokanTre To K.F... I am Shui Tora, and if you need anything etc (not money! [j/k]) PM me or ask me etc.... Hehehe.... That'll be good to have! Shui Tora

Great choice....Bon Jovi is brilliant anyway. I also like Bryan adams..."kids wanna rock" I forgot that one! What about; "Eye of the Tiger?"

If it were me, I would've punched his lights out [j/k] Seriously though, you need to speak to him and your sensei about his attitude.... Being in a MA you need discipline, and this guy doesn't seem to show much of it from what you tell... The next time he speaks to your child like that, have a "nice talk" with him outside... (again, a joke!)

Perosnally (and you may disagree with me) Kata were brought in to teach students techniques and how to use your body, your hands etc. Think of it this way; Kihon (from Shotokan) is the very basic of kata, and I have seen novice students perfrom it well, but you ask them to perfrom another kata, and they have no clue. However, you teach them how any other kata goes, and then they'll understand it! Of course by teaching it to them, but from the basics of a kata (kihon) they already know how any other kata should go. Saying that kata is usless is like saying that a black belt isn't a black belt. I've heard of people arguing about whether kata is good or not, and from my view without kata, where would karate be? Think about it- you are taught techniques after techniques, what about timing and distance etc, well from kata we can derive Bunkai, and from Bunkai we can derive self-defence. Kata's are good for understanding how to use self-defence techniques. I (think) that what you are trying tosay is that how can we use the whole kata for self-defence...? Well, you dont. But any kata links many scenairo's together, and so you may only need to use a certain number... But getting back to self-defence, you MUST remember that they used these in the Edo period of Japan.... And by practicing these, you up-hold the tradition of karate... Why take up a MA when you say that there is no point of Kata? Am I scenical in thinking that?

My one is a great one: "We're Living on a Prayer"~ Bon Jovi.... Such a good one!

Here's a good one!; "Eye of the tiger"!!!!! (And it suits too!) That is always a good one!

That was exactly what I was going for there Jeffy5! You managed to hit the nail on the spot! Good explanation!

But you are talking about using them in sports contests and in kumite... Yes, you don't use them at all in kumite but kata were designed for bunkai / self defence... Not compeitions.

yeah, our videos would have awesome fight scenes That isn't bad! We could have some electric guitar solos and during those solos have some real good fighting scenes! Hmmm; what should the badn consist of? Well; we have the piano, drums, electirc guitar, vocals and some strings (some violins too!) And with that we could create some really good high tension music!

Maybe we should start up our own Band then with everyon'e musical experience! Dunno what we would call it though... Maybe the "Marital Artsits" or something like that! :lol:

They do if someone throws them at you! *ahem* Having played the piano for a long time, I can say that Jiffy has a good analogy about the links with Ju Jitsu and Music... You start off with the basics, build it up but you are still learning... Even though you may have mastered it all, there is still something new that you'll learn....

Yes.... very original! [j/k]

That's great news! Do I hear champagne bottles popping, along with the food and music of celebration!? Send my Congrats!

Sometimes for me, I just have the one child, that has his hands and feet do something completely different (bearing in mind that he/she have just started) and so it is hard to be patient... I have this child in my Junior Class, she's 4th Kyu and basically she's managed to get up through the rankings without doing anything (in this Dojo, my Sensei took it over from someone else, and this happened quite recently) So, my Sensei said to her parents " If she doesn't want to do it, then the next grading, I will fail her. " And that was that...

Whoops! I thought that you were going in for your grading! Oh dear! I misunderstood! My bad! Well; you have some insight into our gradings... Are you with thw JKA system?

Lucky you! You'll be higher than me! I'll be taking my 2nd Kyu in October! We've been going through some stuff at the Dojo. We will do certain kicks for the grade (like Kakato Geri for 2nd, and knife defence as well); we also went through some Bunkai for Nihanchi and Bassai Dai... We are introducing Ippon Kumite to be included for 4th Kyu and above... I like it! Makes you think on your feet! "Be creative" is what my sensei asks! Go break a leg! Nice loud Kiai's as well...

Development of Character, speed, agility and strategy thinking.... Thats what I got out of Martial Arts!

Do you mean as in stepping in a stance... Like Zenkotsu Dachi? So you have you left leg forward, you bring your back foot towards your front in an arc, and place your right foot in front, in an arc going away from your foot.... Is that what you mean?

Well; I have finished my article (being my first one and all, it is about two pages... like an intro... ) Once I have weeded it, I shall put it up in this thread for all to see!

I meditate (time depending in work life) for about 30 mins... It helps if i have a problem with maths, chem, bio or phys... clears the mind... Very good to do.

Are you sure?