Dobbersky

Wado Ryu, what an excellent choice of Karate! You got SOOOOOOOOOO much more to learn about your chosen Ryu (style) Welcome to the Forum and yeah we're looking forward to your input into the threads etc. OSU

This annoys me somewhat, an Instructor has a "DUTY" to work through the grades as if he is a lower Yudansha, he in fact is getting the way of his own student's progression! Most gradings are usually till 3rd or 4th Dan then time served afterwards, I am fortunate to be at this level but it was a very had slog to get there. As I've always said, there are 2 main paths a Karateka can follow, that as an Instructor where one sacrifices his own fight career to teach others or as a fighter where one has to have full discipline to ones OWN preparation for each fight.

Welcome to the Forum! Question, do you not find it hard to practice to arts which are virtually identical but yet so different. The way the kata and the stances etc are performed etc. [/b]

OSU I would love to see the official bunkai to these kata before I can make a formal decision on the kata. If they can't produce one to me it undermines what I cam see as excellent kata, OSU

Kancho or Kaicho, means more or less the same thing but I know there is a kids "joke" named "kancho" My translation is head of style or organisation Anyway, kancho with the kanji: 館長 is the head of an organisation that uses "kan" 館 (lit: hall, meeting house) in its name e.g. seidokan, kyokushin kaikan etc. If the organisation uses "kai"会 (lit: group, meeting) then it will be kaicho 会長 instead. There are a number of other terms used too.

Thanks for readding this thread

OSU, welcome the forum, we look forward to your posts and threads, OSU

Just to let you know, I started Judo at the grand young age of 41, so you got some years on me yet

Aikido - one of the hardest styles out there, have you ever been an UKE for a Aikido Yudansha, you end up with more bruises than "Soft" Mick (no offence to Mick) As most Judoka and Aikidoka will tell you "The Floor will hit you harder than any punch or Kick!!!" OSU!!!! That's why Aikido has such a strong influence in Ashihara because Ashihara Kancho realised how "painful" Aikido can be OSU!!!

All Most Organisations only allow Dan Grades to award to 2 levels below them so a Shodan (1st dan) would only be able to grade to 2nd Kyu (Nikyu) and a 2nd Dan to 1st Kyu etc that's my take on it anyways OSU

Martial Arts is like Politics, In the UK we have 3 major Parties Conservatives Labour Liberal Domocratics Now all because 1 of the Parties is the Ruling Force in this Country does NOT stop anyone from having their political views Same as with Martial Arts, Its what's best for THEM. I've read what is told in the press about various issues with the "Softer" arts how they don't prepare their students for actual combat, its like teaching Soldiers to shoot weapons using broom handles or teaching Divers/swimers to dive/swim on the sand. Now if Non Contact was not a modern invention then the Okinawan styles would be doing it too. I get fed up of people saying to me "Oh but you don't punch to the face" but wouldn't take a body shot or a thigh kick from us. Us Full Contact guys may Neanderthals be at least we don't have issues when it comes to being hit full on. t I HATE it REALLY HATE it when I read in the press about a Karate Black Belt gets beaten up by X Y Z, because they don't say its fro a Non/Semi Contact Ippon Kumite Sports Karate style, they just say Karate so WE FULL contact guys get tarnished with the same Brush. I have respect for ALL KarateKa for their training but I cannot and will not justify Non-Contact Ippon Kumite Sports Karate Sparring as nothing more than a "game of tick" A Yudansha in Karate SHOULD be able to compete in ALL competitions if required, NOT just one that suits their criteria! It sickens me that MMA and BJJ and all the other styles etc are becoming more popular and these styles are harder and tougher than our tippy tappy stuff that we have to offer. Do you all not realise you are KILLING Karate!!! Because Johnny's Mum doesn't want Johnny to have a bruise on his arm but wants him to be a 10 year old 4th Dan Black Belt I DO NOT and will NEVER issue an ADULT black belt to anyone younger than 16 and I honour every Adult Black belt who joins my club to allow then to wear their black belt and their first grade would be Black Belt Grading, but a Child Black belt WILL wear a White belt and begin from the beginning

OSU, awesome, I can't wait until next year, Scottish open here I come

Judo or Jujitsu as you get a striking art with a grappling art, osu

Black Gi's look nice when they are new, try having the same Gi for 4 years + and tell me its still black. A white Gi stays White, although I have seen some go "grey" but that's due to the way the person washed it.

Every day I train, mentally, physically or both, karate is a way of life, not just whilst You're in the dojo, OSU

Shoto-Kan and Shoto-Kai are more or less the same thing. When Funikoshi Sensei passed there were some in-house politics as to who should rightly take over the position as Kancho. The split occurred and thus the 2 organisations exist. I believe that in Shoto-Kai the highest rank one can attain in Godan

Evergrey, you got me on FB, can you tag the kanji as I want that tattoo too, OSU

OSU!! To me you are one of the reasons, Sensei8, That I continue to rise up the ranks, I don't have Dan Bars on our belts and if I am half the Karateka as you, I will be happy. I am the most senior person in my school/organisation, but I am still just a Sensei and as I have to accept the grades on a time served merit I still will, but I strive like you the be the best example to my students as I can.

Solid post!!!

This is how I've always been; past, present, and future. The betterment of ALL students means everything to me, and with me, it shall always be that. Sensei, definately NOT you, YOU are one of the good ones, your knowledge and experience you are always ready to pass on etc. I wonder then is it just the "European" Shihans/Hanshis etc that have this "issue"? Two of the main "characters" which I will give a brief outlay 1 was a Wado Ryu Hanshi and 1 was a Kenpo "Jujitsu" "Dai Shihan" from various areas of the world. So as you can see its not from a specific Art, as you have the mix of the "Formal" Japanese art of Wado Ryu and the "Mongrel" Art of Kenpo Jujitsu (As Kenpo was/is a cooking pot of varying influences is the reason why I used "Mongrel" it is no means meant to be derogatory as I know Kenpo has some really strong lineages)

All, Being just a humble Sensei and I will always be just that, I have met many a senior Martial Artist in my days and I find that there is a different array of personalities within the ranks I would say that the 5th to 7th Dans are really humble, approachable, eager to assist and explain things to ALL students regards of the belt around the waist. Now I've met some senior grades 8th Dan and above (in person and online) and it made me think if this is what being at this level means that this is how you have to behave, I would rather they kept the title and it made me realise that being a Martial Artist DOESN'T make you automatically a NICE person. There has been some really nasty and egotistical characters in my martial arts lifetime. A shame as I remember them more than I remember the humble Hanshi's etc who would work with a white belt with the same enthusiam as they would with their senior Shihans. Can anyone else add their experiences of meeting and training with senior Grades in person and online. OSU!!!

Question, did you mention you've done G-K-R? as no one a part from G-K-R think its any good!

I was awarded my next Dan Level this week, awesome, but humbling as I know I always want to be a Yudansha (Dan grade) that peopel want to be like, I hate Ego's I always say I would rather have a small class of quality than a big class of egotistical I wanna fight ugh! or a school of Mcdojoists

Definately its the Fighter first then the style. As Musashi in his Book of 5 Rings states, one should make sure one have found a style a school which fits with ones own needs. To say "the style of no style" is just quoting a film star, like me quoting Mr Miyagi or similar Each style has its own merits and has it strengths and weaknesses. To add, as soon as one puts perimieters on something, creating a "syllabus" etc then one has 'A style' (no if's, but's, why's, what's or when's) you can never have a style of no style as it has to conform to something and predominantly its from previous training and experience. If its "Street fighting in a bottle" and the components do not come from any school of martial arts or wrestling or boxing etc THEN and only then could one consider this as the style of no style

It is a very big decision but one that needed to be made. Good luck and enjoy the time you've gained with the family and friend you hold dear