Dobbersky

Totally agree with you on that point, its just 'my' only understanding of why it became known as "Ashihara Karate" and not "JissenKai" or some other name which is more in line with Japanese ethos when it comes to naming Ryu. A bit like Gokan or Go-kan for GKR the Kanji meaning a different thing than the way its pronounced!

Ashihara Karate is named after its founder Hideyuki Ashihara. It is a style of full contact Karate that derives from Kyokushin. I believe Dobbersky is a dan grade in the style (and also teaches it) so I am sure he will be able to supply you with some more info. Sojobo Thanks Sojobo-san Apologies I wrote this on my Blackberry!!! Will edit later Yes Ashihara is the name of the founder so "Ashihara Karate" is just like saying "Dobbersky Karate" the core of the style is Sabaki, and the ethos of Kyokushin Karate. From my concept (my personal opinion) of the name of the founder Ashihara is: Ashi - Foot Hara - Centre/Core Now the Hara or core is extremely important in most of the Asian Arts as this stipulates the centre of balance. Ashi or foot I believe is from the fact that one of our most common techniques is Ashi. Sabaki (foot movement) which is akin to Tai Sabaki (body movement) this is probably the reason why Kancho (head of the style/organisation) decided to use his name for the style instead of creating a 'new' name for the RYU (school). From what I have learned, Ashihara Karate is the amalgamation of Kyokushin Karate, Muay Thai, Aikido, and SanShou and it was 'tried and tested' in the Bars of Japan and America by Ashihara himself again gang members and other 'types'. Now for the Techniques used within the style I would say a huge majority of the Ashihara Dojos for doing Kihon (basics) is virtually identical to any Kyokushin Dojo. But its where the Kata ta (forms) and Kumite (fighting) is where the style comes into its own. All of the Kata are Jissen(Real Combat) based. It involves body motion, locks, throws & breaks. And we adopt a stance more akin to that of a Thai or Kick boxer. We move around our attacker/opponent using Sabaki etc. Now there are 100's of Videos on Youtube with regards to our kata and kihon etc so I will allow you to find them instead of adding them. The style itself although a Full contact style, including the 'expected' body conditioning is dare I say rather soft and fluid. As the body movement/rotation can only be done when your body is in a relaxed state. My style of Ashihara has gone further. I have taken my other styles mainly of Wado Ryu and Tang Soo and blended the techniques from them complementing it completely With regards to Famous fighters 1 of the name of "Semmy Schilt" 4 times K1 champ comes to mind also Enshin which is the "child" of Ashihara has a few Champs too. Although Enshin has more 'Judo-like' techniques on the throws etc

This my friend is where Politics comes in, I used to be like this mainly because I had to wear a white belt if I went to other dojos. I decided its enough, I had to make a stand. A black belt is earned for a reason. And should be honoured because of the level achieved!!! I have been championing this in the NGB I belong to, so far its going well!!!

I would allow you to keep your grade, if an adult grade, if you attended my dojo, you would have to reach the standards I require and learn all the Kata etc needed before I would grade you to Nidan though. If you stay with Shotokan it would be dependant on the Dojo and the Senior Instructor. Welcome back to the fold, OSU!!!

Is this genuine, does anyone practice this form of conditioning. I though I was hard with my Kyokushin/Ashihara/Enshin style conditioning but this takes the biscuit

Well my first post for 2012, I hope that everyone achieves their goals and I hope to meet up with as many of you as I can this year

Solid post!!! Dobbersku, does this comment mean that you agree that internet is not a good media for learning martial arts? Or does it mean that you cannot find good videos about techniques or history of martial arts? If we agree that learning martial arts is not possible thru internet, what are we doing on this forum? Are you not learning anything? Do you not find any new idea or argument to think about? What is so solid about that post? Fact that there are bad videos? Fact that video is only one way - no feedback? Well, if you want to videotape your techniques to youtube, you will get tones of feedback. (I would do it, but just for an example. I'd get my feedback from my training partner or heavy bag.) What about bad teacher? How many students have bad knees or hips after traditional karate training? It's not black and white - but I'm letting go of this subject. I will stay with my argument that you can learn from internet - good and bad and you can learn from teachers - right and wrong techniques. Just compare roundhouse kick from different karate styles, Taekwondo and Muay Thai. All correct techniques, but very much different from each other... how is this possible, if there is a correct one? Just one teacher tends to find their own technique the right one... There is no fully correct way to do anything, I have seen many "warm-up" exercises for instance go from "yes you can do them" to "no you cant because of this, this and this" back to "yes you must do this exercise because it good for you because of this this and this"!! I watch videos myself on You Tube etc when I'm trying to find specific techniques to Kata that I already know and practice. I don't learn anything directly from the internet because of what has been stated before. BUT, everyone has a choice as to whether they follow the advice/opinions of others or whether the take the advice/opinions and discard what they disagree with. Knowledge is the key but you can't ask a video "Am I doing it correct?" A "decent" instructor can see if its correct or not! (although in some schools we still have less skilled instructors (especially in some GKR and offspring dojos)) I agree that there are many "older" Martial Artists who are supporting injuries because of "OleSkool" Training but that was before people started asking questions and just did it without debate. I feel that today's Decent Instructors are more aware of body mechanics than those of the past. A Yundansha (black belt) SHOULD be taking, even the most basic of techniques, breaking it down to its components and rebuilding it, questioning every movement/stance/position and "feel" what effect it is having on the body. For example, Round kick off the back leg, unless checked and "trained" many will kick "without" turning the front foot out to open the hips etc thus creating eventual damage to the tendons of the knee atleast.

Which is why I pointed out that the book is not based on Karate Kata. No one said it was based on TKD forms. What I'm saying is that the similarities in movements between various arts can be interpreted the same in regards to grappling. For example: Both TKD and Shotokan have the same movements of gedan barrai (down defense). However, the movement can be interpreted in many different ways. There can be overlap in the interpretation when it comes to making it a grappling movement rather than something coming from the free movement phase of combat. These same similarities can be noticed and, in that regard, the book could be very useful. Naihanchi kata is Naihanchi kata no matter what style is practicing it, the same as Pinan Kata is practice by many styles including the Korean styles. As the Form is a multi-national kata if someone from a different style to me regardless of origin gives me a valid description as to what a specific technique with the kata I practice, I'll acknowledge and accept it and see if it can be worked into the kata period OSU

Solid post

Totally agree here! I know we all welcome you to the forum. I look forward to reading your responses to various threads and indeed thread you yourself have started OSU!!!

It would actually make an excellent grappling kata. Right out the gate it would be a break, grab and elbow to the face. Reload to throw them off balance and the throw them over to your left as you punch their face. Side step as you stomp on their face, block, double block, punch, throw them to your left. It's not exactly how I imagine it works while going through it but it certainly could work beautifully that way. Taking it one step further than just basic blocks to basic strikes. I find Wado's Jujitsu influence makes the Kata more usable in grappling than Shotokan's Tekki Shodan version! Grappling is anything where you and your opponent have a grip on each other. Now using the "Jujitsu/Judo Randori Waza" you can see, Twists, Rear Naked Chokes, Body Scissors, Throws, Sweeps and Strikes all part of grappling, I can see stand-up techniques and groundworking techniques all in the same kata. Its why I believe Otsuka Sensei decided why only 1 of the 3 Naihanchi kata was required as it would take a lifetime to learn all the techniques in the first Kata. I know Iain Abernethy touches on the grappling part of This kata but then again there are some WadoKa who don't feel Iain's Wado a Pure System.

Yes, I study Submission Wrestling, I didn't really want to label myself but have updated my profile to reflect this. There are no grades, and I'm not writing a book, I just wanted some people to list some sources, that's all. OK Now I know how to place my response to you. Naihanchi, Tekki Shodan Kata is a "Grappling" or "Wrestling" form. but can be used for striking too (see "Crane sequence" in Casino Royale). there are lots of manipulations of joints, headlocks, takedowns and other sweeps involved in the kata. Definately look at either Iain Abernethy's DVD on the Form, Also look at the Kissaki DVD of the form too. For Books any that are available will be fine just "amend" the techniques where a "karate" attack is involved. I would contact Iain and ask if you could attend a seminar on Naihanchi Kata locally to you as this would be the best avenue for you to follow to get to know what the kata is about Good luck in your research

I Practice The Wado Version of Naihanchi, so same as Sojobo-san

Solid post!!!

Its a Tradition in my school for Adults to do a Full Bag Test within a month of joining|, LOL I would put Taekyon as more of a Classical Art as opposed to traditional Art. Tang Soo Do and the other arts of a similar "Real" age as Tradtional and TaeKwonDo as Modern

The ultimate Gift for a Martial Artist I believe is as an instructor a full class of students who want to learn from them!!! I would love to receive a years worth of Judo Classes!!! Merry Christmas everyone and all the Best for 2012!!!! OSU!!!!!!!!! But I'll do with this post promoting me to a KF Purple belt lol

Totally agree. without the technique being varified by a qualified instructor as Injuries can occur etc. body mechanics work in a different way than the best discription! Application of techniques HAVE to be able to be changed as you can't guarantee where your attacker will "land"

The ultimate Gift for a Martial Artist I believe is as an instructor a full class of students who want to learn from them!!! I would love to receive a years worth of Judo Classes!!! Merry Christmas everyone and all the Best for 2012!!!! OSU!!!!!!!!!

Ryan As A Yudansha, even the most basic of techniques has a million avenues to go down! All because you're doing the first kata, don't treat it like a beginner would treat it like a Yudansha Would!!!! Sparring etc is neither here nor there. Possibly suggest that 1 a month etc the class would be a sparring Class etc. What is the Levels of students there. are there a few gaps between the levels etc. Everyone hits a low when they become Yudansha as before then there were gradings every few months now you are 'responsible' for your own training. Just focus more on your style and look into the kata, make each kata your own. starting with the first. look for possible uses for each technique within the kata etc. this in context is your sparring whilst you are studying Bunkai OSU

And.. I guess you are unlikely to be wearing your gi outside the dojo etc - where you could require your self defense skills? Point is, seiza is no more a cultural ethos than a Karate-gi. Seems people are happy to use those quite a bit still... especially with a spangly black belt. Sojobo Point taken but how does Seiza and the Seiza Waza come into play for a modern "western" world? Seiza is usually accompanied by Motsu - to a Christian or Muslim any meditation must be on the word of God only! I've visited many schools and more and more are "letting go" of seiza and just doing a standing bow instead.

Out of interest, do you train in a Karate-gi? Sojobo Good question Sojobo! I do train in a Gi and it is a White Gi not a Black (or other Colour) Gi or one of these "Freestyle" Gi's that are on the market. My reason is that the techniques we practice a Gi is perfect to take the "punishment" that we give them We also "OSU" a lot too, but that is because I am from an Ashihara Karate background

All I need you guys to advise me what the Sine Wave is for. I have popped to my local ITF Dojang, got my ITF Dobok and raring to go, even though I got to put on a White belt again. I need to understand the SineWave, what's it for? What's the application of the technique, with the "up/Down" effect comes into play? Where did it originate from as I have researched some ITF schools don't teach the Sine Wave to their Forms (Poomsae)? Is it more Western Schools putting the Sine Wave in as opposed to Korean School etc/ I'm also learning Koryo Poomsae (WTF) from a student of mine. I am Japanese/Korean Karate based as you already know and we tend to glide without a Sine Wave on the Forms I'm used to doing. Is there a way of gaining Dan Grades in ITF without performing the Sine wave? Looking forward to your responses etc Thanks

Ameri Do Te is awesome! Enter the Dojo! Stomp the groin...........restomp the groin.... the kill face.....

I don't use Sieza in my school, This is a Japanese Cultural ethos. There are quite a lot of techniques in traditional Karate like Shotokan, Wado Ryu and others that have techniques from Seiza, how would these work in European settings where everyone is sat around tables etc on chairs?