Dobbersky

All I'm adding this to this and a few other Forums I'm on, but I know we don't all visit the same Forums. My Daughter is coming back to Class after a few years break. 1 lesson a week and I will not be asking her to grade, just learn 1 kata which is at her level. If she wanted to grade then she asks my Friend and Assistant Instructor to grade her (She would then have to learn all the kata upto her level if she wanted to take her Black Belt). When she left the class she reached Brown Belt 3rd Kyu so she will continue with Brown belt until whenever she wants to go for 2nd Kyu etc. So why am I telling you this. Well last night she texted me telling me shes coming to my house (her mother and I are divorced) because she's been in a fight. Now my response after this was "Did she win???" not is she ok etc etc. Now I was concerned about her but was it wrong to think that? Now when she got home she told me the "full" story. It was a typical teenage confrontation the "What you looking at?" blah blah blah. it did cool of she said and she started to walk away but the girl's sister got involved and they both attacked her. She knocked at least one tooth out of the first girl, her sister was just pulling and scratching at her from behind (dead brave). I cleaned her cuts etc and said if you were training she wouldn't have been hit as much. Now I been longing for her to carry on with her Karate and this is like an answer but even though I want her to be strong etc She's still my little girl if you know what I mean Your thoughts please

I agree JusticeZero, let that be a lesson to you, hehehe I agree though can't recall too many threads on the style in any of the forums I'm on. The only thing I can recall about the style is one of the fight scenes in The Protector (Tony Jaa) and being represented in one of the fight science episodes.

So, would you say his Karate has no "soul?" Also, I'm curious if this instructor gets cut some slack because he teaches a knockdown style, and not a point style. If a point stylist did this, would he be viewed the same way? Good question and, for him I would say, his style surpassed kata, it was a difficult decision but he let go of the kata to concentrate on his 40+ years of Karate had led him to the path he follows now.

DWx, no totally agree, just adding to this what's becoming excellent thread, its awesome thank you my friend, OSU

This is exactly it. Good Post!!!

bushido_man96 & DWx, awesome points. I appologise my reasoning didn't come across as I wanted it to. It was written on my Android phone. But its its not about the money, having 18 KUP/GUP grades between white belt and black belt is. For My students to gain Adult Black belt they need only spar with the adults, no extra cost. to get Junior 2nd Dan the syllabus provides another set of Kata etc. again, to gain Adult Black belt they just spar with the adults IF you look at the programmes set by some of the Family Martial Arts Centres (FMAC's) and even in Judo you have different grades etc. You could say these are money cows: In Judo you have MON grades which at a certain age become KYU Grades, but the highest MON grade only equates to the middle of the KYU grades anyway, nowhere near Adult Black belt. In the FMAC's you have the tiger tot programme followed by the tiger dragon programme followed by the Cadet Programme followed by the Adult Intro programme followed by the Adult Intermediate programme followed by the Adult Senior Programme followed by the Blackbelt Programme folowed by the Teaching Programme etc etc. now this IS in it for the money. This is not what the thread is about, its about is a 10+ year old EQUAL to, nothing less, an Adult holding the same black belt level. I would and stand by my answer and that is NO they are not, hence why they don't get a FULL black belt until I say they are. It is 10 year old Johnny getting a Blackbelt in Karate which has turned karate into the "Soft Art" as considered by other Stylists in other Arts especial from Jujitsu etc. I know because I hear this all the time when I speak to people about my karate.

Awesome, this is why I enjoy this forum so much, its discussed from all angles. Kata/Hyungs/Poomsae/Til etc are all important as each other. Neither is greater than the other, the kata is the responsibility of the holder/teacher to pass on the full knowledge behind each form, not the student's. I myself have created kata from the kata in my syllabus so not officially Ashihara kata but virtually identical and I have 2 Korean forms and 1 form that's practiced by Korean and Japanese arts in my syllabus. Does this mean I no longer have a soul to my karate? Every form in my syllabus HAS a reason, never to pass gradings only. I know an instructor who teaches knockdown karate and has taken all the official kata out of his syllabus and teaches just what he knows what works, he himself a national and European champ and some of his students have gained their own championships. I've trained with him and his students and I can say there's definitely nothing missing in his karate.

Sorry I've not responded until now, I wanted to think about the question and respond with a focused answer. The one thing about Full Contact Karate, candidates ARE tested to see if they can fight, with Ashihara karate grabs throws, sweeps etc are within our arsenal so its half way there anyways. I've always said a blackbelt SHOULD be able to fight in all arenas, from non contact to semi contact to full contact to standup grappling to groundfighting. And this is just Karate grades not just Jujitsu grades etc. Good thread.

I consider having a blackbelt the same as having a driving licence. In the UK its 17 before a person can drive, 16 in some states in the USA. A car is a lethal weapon, the same as martial arts are lethal too. You cannot trust a pre-16 year old to grasp the what, where, when, why and why not, should not, would not etc. Regardless of size or gender. No one has said to me, its ok to teach a neck wrench and how it would work etc and when where and why etc on a pre-16 year old. It's all down to maturity. If the candidate is mature enough and can act as a Adult would act in varying situations then fine full blackbelt, failing that Junior BB every time.

I'm going to throw a different view in now. What if the Kata/Hyung/Poomsae is only there to pass grades!!!! Like with TaeKwonDo, Tang Soo Do or GoKan Ryu etc They do nothing with the kata except use it to get from one belt to the other. For this the kata actually has no use. they might as have to remember a few combinations or "create" their own Kata/Form for each grade. Kata is only important to Karate*IF* it is used as a part of one's training. if one works on Bunkai or similar for each kata. Its worked for Self Defence and other parts of one's training etc. If not then there's no reason why it can't be removed from the syllabus completely. and the style WILL be complete with just Kihon, Combinations and Self Defence techniques

Jissen Dai kata is my favourite along with Goshin Dai Kata. Traditional is between Bassai Kata and Chil Sun Ee Ro Hyung

Wish you luck on this, I'm in the UK so unable to assist but looking forward to knowing how you got on

Forget flyers as a primary way. Do some demos in the local schools, and hand out flyers after the demos. Offer a 6 week course intro to TKD with a end of course cert and a chance to join the kindergarten program

I have no issues with kid blackbelts as long as they are junior grades. Those of us who have been training and teaching for more years than we care to remember cannot disagree that a child's perception of martial arts is completely different to am adult's perception of exactly the same techniques. THIS is why there's a difference and why kids SHOULDN'T be awarded full grades

This sounds like freestyle "sport" karate. Their main goal is WKA, WKF, WUKO etc points fighting competition. I agree real Karate is only complete with Kata. But karate only means "empty hand" I used to feel like they were cheating their students of a true correct way of Karate, but then after many years and listenig to one of my friends, I realised that the students who train with them were meant to train there, karma, as you would say. Many people don't think kata is worth the time. Many say they can't remember the sequences etc. So this non-kata style fits perfectly into their existence. Not many schools do street attack (not karate in jeans) Bunkai to kata, most do the karate attack bunkai, so possible students can't see it use outside the Dojo. So in my opinion, acknowledge and accept they're there, and just carry on with what You're doing. OSU

My son, aged 2 right now, will have to wait until he's 16 to take adult grades. Although he will know everything I know and more probably before he's 12. If he's to head the Dojo after I've gone I need him to earn the respect of the seniors too and if all the kids have to wait then so does my son. I'm sorry but it seems that the Korean arts seem to lead the way in child Dan grades at the same level as adults. Does that mean you will teach a child the same lethal techniques as an adult AND expect them to know its not for playing with their mates at school etc. I stand by my ethos/ethics. I will NEVER give a full blackbelt to anyone under 16.

Good luck Nige, OSU. On my Facebook page there's a woman about to take or taken her 4th Dan grading at the young age of 83. And she practices knockdown karate. So NOBODY has the right tie say they're too old!!!! OSU

OSU, definately get the book I said. Remember. Predominantly when skil levels are equal, its the fighter with the best stamina that becomes the victor. You also need to be conversant with the rules and regulations for the governing body You're fighting in. It tells you what's legal and what's not, how many kicks a round etc. Good luck my friend. I'll pray for you, inshallah.

I don't teach kids younger than 7 although I accepted 6 years if they have an older sibling. I just think it symbolises a belt factory. In my Tang Soo Do years they had a tiger tots program and it was frustrating as they never remembered inasmuch as they were taught. What you gotta think is are you going to have 10 year old black belts. Is it a glorified gymnastics program or similar to the older students syllabus.

that's not enough. you said you wanna be a champ. It's gotta be 6 days a week. YOU need to get a heavy bag in your garden so you can use it as often as you can. Running at least 4 times a week. 2 miles is enough to start

Have you discussed your goals with your Instructor as He/She would know how to set your training as a Professional Fighter. To train as a fighter you NEED to be runing every morning. Shadow sparring and working a Heavy Bag. going through combinations etc at least 6 days a week. Your Diet needs to be changed as a fighter need Carbs and Protein too. When I was fighting I was doing 1000 hits on the heavy bag 7 days a week. Good luck and let us know what your Instructor said Get and read this book too, it will give you an incite as to what you need http://www.amazon.co.uk/Full-Contact-Karate-Jean-Yves-Theriault/dp/0809255979/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1350057806&sr=8-5 "Jean Yves Theriault, one of the greatest kick-boxers of all time wrote this primer in 1983 and as a primer, it still works well for American kickboxing rules (seldom these rules are employed anymore), yet, many of these techniques can still be employed for fitness and fighting alike....." Another book to get is this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fitness-Full-contact-Fighters-Training-Kickboxing/dp/1583941576/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1350057806&sr=8-3

I found one of the original MMA's Its quite a good find and I'm sure has been overlooked by almost everyone. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Jukado-Self-defence-Bruce-Tegner/dp/0552084565 Not too sure if its still practiced, just like Bartitsu is no longer a practiced art. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sherlock-Holmes-School-Self-defence-Professor/dp/1907332731/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349800621&sr=1-1 Good thread has begotten from my orignal post, thank you so much. there's been some excellent points of view added from all angles of the discussion Thanks

awesome, congrats

Good Thread I think Sean Connery has an Honoury Black Belt in Kyokushin presented by Oyama Sosai due to the Filing of some of the scenes to 007 "You Only Live Twice" filmed with karateka from Kyokushin. not seen the movie but I'm sure others will be able to elaborate on the scenes

My ethos, If I gonna die, I'm taking you with me!!!