Dobbersky

I found that because I had already been practicing my style for many years before taking Wado as additional Training We already worked on "real" karate techniques which to some looked like Jujitsu Techniques anyways. I was practicing the Kihons and the Oyho Gata but found them no different to what I had already been practicing, The use of Kuzushi etc (see my previous post) had already been dare I say second nature too me via my Ashihara Karate training although via a slightly different concept. I enjoyed Wado and wish I was still practicing it but I had to encompass my style to make it grow. I hope you enjoy the Ebook I added Your friend always

Just to add, found this on another forum and wanted to pass it onto the rest of you guys on here. http://www.visioi.net/33 The Author is Timo Klemola Contents: 1. The structure of the kumite katas 2. Taisabaki no kata in wado-ryu 3. Kumite gatas 1 - 36 4. The three elements of kumite gata and wado-ryu as a style 5. Kuzushi - breaking the balance 6. Kyusho-jutsu of wado-ryu

To quote Otsuka himself... "Okinawan Karate is to Wado as a pinch of salt is to a stew". Sojobo Well I am pretty sure it was his son that said that. He can say anything he wants to sell the style, but the fact is that to my knowledge all of their katas are of Okinawan origin. I am not a Wado stylist, but to me that suggests a lot more influence of Shuri-te than these words imply. I agree with Ueshiro here, I did practice Wado Ryu, and to me I found the evidence was more akin to Karate than it was to Jujitsu. (Note I have also studied Jujitsu so I am aware of what 'makes' Jujitsu Jujitsu). The Training involved heavy input into the Okinwan Kata as opposed the the "Jujitsu" ingredient(s) of Wado Ryu. Although I know it can take a life time to 'understand' Wado Ryu and its concepts and ethos and my time studying the style may be condered as a drop in the ocean, I speak on what I saw in my training and observed in the training the other Dan grades undertook. I remember reading a thread as to whether Wado Ryu is Karate or whether it is Jujitsu (don't recall which forum it was on) To me as long as the Okinawan Kata is performed in Wado, that makes it karate

Yes, this is a really good book, Hardcover: 210 pages Publisher: Japanska Magasinet (Dec 1984) ISBN-10: 9197023108 ISBN-13: 978-9197023108 Also a good book is Wado-Ryu Karate: The Complete Art Uncovered by Shihan Frank Johnson Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Orient Publishing (16 Dec 2005) ISBN-10: 1873861044 ISBN-13: 978-1873861042

Were you studying another style at the time? . I was practicing/Teaching Ashihara Karate, as well as practicing Wado Ryu. Agree with you there, my friend. Its best when 2 styles are so similar yet so different to pick one or the other. If the OP, prefers his ShotoKan, if you speak withe the Sensei, I am sure he will allow you to train with him but just do the Kata the Shotokan way so as not to cause confusion.

Over to the rest of you guys, I practice knock-down kumite

Totally agree with you there, I studied Wado for 4 years but when the styles began to overlap, I respected the Sensei enough to decide to leave because I didn't want to disagree with him over techniques etc. I only practice Naihanchi (Tekki Shodan) and Niseishi (Nijushiho) now, everyrhing else has been enveloped into my style Wado is definitely an excellent style to study

My Ashihara Instructor Searched for a Style that fitted in with what he needed for his size, abilty and effectiveness on the street, he trained in Shukokai, Shotokan and a few other Martial Arts before he practiced/taught Ashihara. My Wado Instructor Found that from the beginning Wado was for him, it fitted his size and ability and the ethos and deeper meaning he was searching for. My Tang Soo Do Instructor looked for an Art that gave him something he could use on the street to make hin effective and accompany the years of boxing he did prior to taking up TSD. For me, It was virtually the same. I searched for an art that fitted with "me", I trained in "3" main Arts but the Core was Ashihara Karate. It was for me, perfect for my size, build, abilities and effectivenss for street confrontations. It gave me more than Tang Soo Do and more than Wado Ryu, although training in them made me see what was "hidden" within the art I now teach to my students. Although I lable my Art as Ashihara karate it is not pure as it is also Tang Soo Do and it is also Wado Ryu, If you understand what I mean

Wado is an Excellent way to continue your martial Arts training It takes what you learnt in Shotokan and gives you a different ethos to your forms. The stances are much shorter, the Knife hands in the kata are done differently in Wado compared to Shotokan. Wado'ists work more on body motion, Tai Sabaki, you'll spend more time on the Pinans/Heians than any other Kata so research on You tube the differences in them, enjoy it and be open to the changes, Sometimes it will be "emptying your cup" before you can proceed with refilling it

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion just because you didn't get kyu rank certificates. The quality of instruction is not based on whether or not your were handed a piece of paper. If you got to First Kyu in less than 2 years then I would be suspect as to whether your school is a McDojo, but as above, I agree with IcemanSK. In some schools, you don't get a different belt for each grade either. the old way there were 3 colours, White, Brown and Black. Westerners brought in the culture of having different colours for each Kyu/Gup/Kup grade. For Most Organisations the Only Certificates that Count when you transfer allegiance to them is your Dan Certificates. Kyu Grade Certificates are nice and good to have, I have every Certificate I ever received in a folder at home, but normally outside the "Style" you train in won't allow you to wear your current grade in any other "Style's" Dojo, Dojang, Kwan

How do you define best in their field? Also - wouldn't you check that first - or would you take their word for it? Sure, your surgery may work and even hold up for a number of years even, but over time it may fail? How do you minimise the chances of that happening? - By going to the guys that hold qualifications with organisations that have a proven track record for quality - tried and tested over many, many years. Sojobo Its an honour to discuss this topic with you all. I don't disagree with you but just have a slightly different opinion. If we look at your comment about the school having a true pedigree etc. The World Karate Federation recognises these styles of karate Shotokan, Shito-ryu, Goju-ryu, Wado-ryu. Whereas the World Union of Karate-do Federation (WUKF) recognises these styles of karate. Shotokan, Shito-ryu, Goju-ryu, Wado-ryu, Shorin-ryu, Uechi-ryu, Kyokushinkai, Budokan. So this means that if you are not one of these organisations and are a "pure" style without any outside influences then you're not a bonifide school. Not many schools these days that are pure without outside influences where the senior instructor hasn't trained in a few styles and merged them to make one! The thing is the "pure" styles are not that pure in themselves either Shotokan - a mixture of Okinawan Te, Shito-ryu - a mixture of Okinawan Te, Goju-ryu - a mixture of Okinawan Te, Wado-ryu - a mixture of Shotokan & Jujitsu, Shorin-ryu - a mixture of Okinawan Te, Uechi-ryu - a mixture of Okinawan Te, Kyokushinkai - a mixture of Goju, Shotokan & other influences, Budokan - not sure of origins.

So from what you are saying is that, to compare it to another situation, you would not allow a surgeon, even though they are the best in their field, to operate on you unless they were from a specific Medical College? Pancration (spelling) is an art that's history is a bit sketchy, it is a recently rediscovered art that's founders had trained in other arts for many years before bringing it to the forefront. Krav Maga has the similar issues. American/Hawaiian Kempo Karate/Jujitsu delivers some of the best martial artists around, but most of them can't fully trace their lineage back to china/japan if not to Ed Parker. I would say as long as its not a belt factory (took you less than 3 1/2 years) or from GKR or similar then I would recognise your Dan grade in my school.

Most BB's are only valid within the Dojo or Organisation you train under. If you joined another Dojo or Organisation they might not honour your grade no matter who signed it etc etc. You may have to "regrade" for your current grade or accept maybe 2 or 3 grades lower than you are. I wouldn't worry about where he got the certificate etc, just as long as the quality of his techniques and forms are at the standard deserved of his current grade. My personal Dan grades are all by Independent associations but that to me doesn't lessen my grade because its not with the "correct" organisation and a copy of the said grades kept at a "Honbu" in Japan. The chances are I will never get to go to Japan and my style is not like the core style its based on so I'd have to wear a white belt in the authorised dojos. I know there are many on here that even if they wore a Pink Belt would still show they are quality Martial Artists and deservent of the current grade they are now

In Kyokushin they never used to, but they have gradually been introduced. OSU!!!

Karate Punching, why teach this When most people when sparring or fighting in the street punch like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq0tGu27SmE

I think it must be when I caught my Sensei's (at the time) leg when he tried to round kick me in the ribs, I pause for a second to think then took his standing leg dropping him on his back! he then "Humbled" me for the next 5 mins around the Dojo, I was a 1st Kyu at the time lol I always spar with my students, I disagree that Sensei is untouchable!

I would make it Illegal for Non-Black belts to take Classes without guidance from their Shihan or another Black belt (ie GKR would be unable to teach most of their classes) I would love to have Full/Semi Contact as part of every School and get rid of the Tippy tappy bouncy bouncy stuff that's taken over. Get rid of the Sine Wave in ITF tkd All styles come under one umbrella, ie Karate is all under 1 Dai Shihan, Jujitsu the same etc. Bunkai is compulsary and students ARE ALLOWED to ask questions of their Shihans as to why is it done like this and that etc. And "karate" attacks replaced by more realistic attacks "Self Defence Techniques" must be tested against other styles who are unaware of the "scenario" to prove its worth. if it doesn't work it gets changed or binned! No Politics as to grades etc, ie no Dan Bars on Belts and Grades should be respectful to lower grades as well as to higher grades. 4th Dan and above only to wear say Black/Red Block to distinguish Honoury Grades as opposed to Technical Grades No experts - we are all lifelong students of the martial arts No Musical Kata or Gymnastics made to look like martial arts etc ever No more than 9 Kyu/Gup/Kup grades, or 9 Dan/Degree levels Senior Dan Grades should not be unable to perform techniques or require a new belt because they have "grown" out of their old one. Martial Arts SHOULD be part of the School Curriculum. Martial Arts should be part of the Olympics - a Karate Section, Judo Section, TKD section, Jujitsu Section, Kempo Section, Kung Fu Section and Kickboxing Section Belts earned in one school should be recognised in another school - ie Dan grade in one style to progress to next dan grade in abnother school would need to learn the syllabus in that school but would still be allowed to wear their black belt from their previous school.

PMSL....... Totally true, I suppose specific martial arts are only as good as the envirpment they are taught and used in?

Hi Difflock, Please would you expand on your story, Grade 5 and Grade 7 sound like school years not Martial Arts Grades. What style of Martial Arts do you study? Does your Martial Arts school have coloured Belts system. Most schools have Kyu or Gup grades depending on the origins of the style, if it is Kickboxing then 9 levels before Black under a different name will suffice. To elaborate, it is not uncommon for some schools to "jump" grades if the student shows knowledge and understanding of the techniques/forms required for the specific grades. Usually it is done within the lower grades not the higher grades. Don't worry if your friend has got higher just concentrate on your own journey through the system you have taken on

i've read that as well as Goju Ryu and Shotokan, Oyama Sosai Studied Daito Ryu Aiki-jujitsu. There are also other sources that advise Sosai trained in Chinese Kempo too the grappling arts in my opinion help you understand the Grappling techniques in your own style.

This is very true, my friend, I've know Blackbelts who've been 1st Dans for 17 years or more, mainly because they're happy to stay where they are and just perfect what they have learnt already. I've know Brown belts who "refuse" to take their black and have been Brown belts for over 7 years etc. It does seem strange that almost everyone who isn't a Black Belt etc strives to get there, but once you get it, the "whiter" your belt gets, the less you feel its importance although it is still very important to you. I am just a life long student of Karate. I'd be happy to sit at my current grade but due to my students I need to progress up the ladder too. Does any of the Dan Grades on here train with their old coloured belts on, now and againi, to show the "lower" grades that the belt colour doesn't make a difference to the quality of your techniques etc? Thank you Sensei8 for your kind words on my previous post

Im my School The Guide Line is a Minimum of 3 1/2 years but Dan Grades are on invitation and I have Students who have been training for over 6 years who are still yet to take their First Black Belt. It's not a race, its a lifetime's study a Black belt is not the finish but just the Starting Line

In a sense, aren't they one and the same? Only if the Art is strongly built upon kata Some schools may use kata simply as a means to delevop coordination, basic techiques and movement. Not sure I agree with that philosophy. But in the system I am in, kata is the heart of karate. Totally agree with you on the ethos that Kata IS the heart of Karate

Kyokushin is very similar to ITF TKD but its continuus sparring and thigh kicks and knees and elbows are allowed. Sosai was Korean and His Martial Arts Lineage (from some sources) depicts training in Chinese Kenpo which is also the source of some of the Korean Martial Arts too

Definately needs some Feng Shui going on. Even just a change around of a few items in the dojo can make it more calming. I wonder if you brought some Shakras to the Dojo and placed them in various places it would iron out the soul of the Dojo