Dobbersky

I suppose you are correct in many ways, I as a full contact Knock-Down Karateka, in the Dojo and the Ring or on the mat (my bubble) am ready for action and act like every other person in situations like that. But when it comes to street situations its completely different. You don't walk round with your chest out starring out every person that’s walking down the street, with your fists clenched (that you would get locked up for in a soft cell). You walk with your head high, not looking for trouble, but not "acting" like a victim with your head down scurrying about like the little guy, with the glasses, out of the Police Academy series. Sometimes showing confidence and looking like you can handle yourself IS the "Art of Fighting without Fighting" as most would-be attackers are dare I say “cowards” they look for “victims” they believe they can overpower, not the ones that look like they could beat the cr*p out of them thus preventing their escape. Good Analogy but needs to be more open to various changes and points of view.

Falling Down kicks, especially when demo'ing I supose its not a fear as such just people tend to feature on the bad bits as opposed to the good bits I use to fear jumping spinning back round kick as it was "uncontrolled" and to stamina, balance and determination to be able to perform. I do fear "Neck Wrenching" techniques - application of as it can be lethal if done incorrectly

In Muay Thai Camps, Pink is the Colour worn by the best fighter of each camp. I was told that by a several Trainers that I know So I got a pink pair of shorts, I look lovely in them

Respectfully, You could be one of the best fighters in your Gym/Dojo/Dojang and may have won some WKA, WTF, WKF etc trophies in Kumite(Sparring) but it doesn't give you "Street Knowledge" just have a read of "Streetwise"! I know of a 1st Kyu who was a good fighter a few years back but got attacked by 3 guys and he didn't see it happening until it was too late. Moral, is being switched on all the time. or being able to be aware of your surrounding at all times. I think as Instructors we need to think, can this student defend themselves properly or do they need some guidance on how to "ACT" on the street without "asking" for trouble.

This is the Core meaning of "OSU" for Knock-down Karateka (Kyokushin, Ashihara & Enshin) you should alawys strive to do your best and more as you will always improve yourself and your skills OSU

This isn't the case for all martial arts schools today, though, thankfully. I've been training for 5 years and suspect I won't be testing for black belt for another year or two--and that's if I keep working hard to learn the curriculum, keep helping to teach and keep working to develop my technique and understanding. I also know that my Sensei's girlfriend trains at a dojo under an instructor who believes that no one with less than 15 years of training should test for black belt. True, not all dojo's and sensei's are handing out black belts like confetti, but I've seen many examples over the last 20 years of schools that do. You'll see the best examples of this at open, all style tournaments. There are people there sporting multiple dan black belts that have no power, speed, focus, control or technique. There was a thread on here a few months back of a woman testing for her first black belt that was just awful, and forum members (including myself) were pretty amazed at his woman passed. I'll try to find the link for the utube video and post it here. I'm grading for my next Dan Grade in October, but I know I am going to get "battered" and I am sooooooo looking forward to it. it gives me the chance to prove to myself that I am worthy of that grade. To me I understand why you see so many 1st Kyu Brown belts/1st Gup Red belts who don't want to take their Black/MidnightBlue Belts even though they have been that grade for 5 years plus because they have not reached the level required to pass the test. to me being a Black Belt is about being able to train with any colour belt but still being able to perform to the same standard required of Yudansha (graded martial artist). A Black Belt doesn't need to be checked, or told you need to do this you need to do that whereas a Mudansha (ungraded martial artist) does, I don't know why it is this way it just is.

You're going to have to adapt. The best way to describe it is, Leave your Shorin Ryu at the Door. Now I can't speak for Shorin Ryu but if its an Okinawan Style it will be full contact and similar to Goju Ryu (I can stand corrected if you want to correct me) Now Ninjitsu is a Japanese Style, they work more into Jujitsu/Samurai based styling. The one thing that I find strange is rather that the Sensei and Sempai telling you that you need to forget everything, they SHOULD have said we will work with you to mould what you know into the way we do Ninjitsu, molding the Style around you NOT molding you around the style. To say Ninja beats Shorin Ryu, how many Ninja are UFC champs!!!! Ninjitsu is an effective style but its not THE best as we'd all be Ninja if it were. I'd recommend finding another style to cross train in to "back up your Shorin Ryu, try Filipino Martial Arts or Krav Maga or Judo, The Samurai arts are the best as Samurai always defeated the Ninja when they were caught back in the days of the Samurai, but then are Thai Arts the best as Muay Thai fighters beat other styles, but wait aren't Brazilian Jujitsu Fighters the best as they dominate the Cage fighting arena? Depending on situation, on the rules, on the fighters themselves depends on who will win NOT which Style is the best!!!

MCDOJO WARNING!!!!!!!! It may be a really good school but its not somewhere I'd like to train or send my children to!!!! the Rolling Syllabus doesn't give you any roots or grounding to build from. its like learning piano for 4 weeks then learning guitar, then drums then back to piano, you'd never get good at any instrument!!! Sorry, but that's just the way I feel

I concur!! And if this helps you at all...you're not alone because here at KF; we're a family. OSU!!!! I totally agree

OSU!!!!

Welcome to the Board and Welcome to a lifestime of Karate have a look at the Thread Kitchen Kata! http://www.karateforums.com/kitchen-kata-vt40136.html Its currently on Page 2 of the Karate Topic. Best suggestion is make sure you have enough space WITHOUT havinig to make steps back or to the side as you WILL do this in Class with your Sensei. I know because I can spot any of my students that practice in confined spaces lol.

I always wore a plain belt, with no Dan Bars or any writing on it at all. My Assistant Instructor and I were presented with new Blackbelts by our students with Black Tiger Karate on one side and Sensei Ken (or Sensei Alan) on the other side which I thought was excellent. No Dan Bars so it falls within my scope to wear it. The only thing is, Do I wear it all the time or do I wear it for special occaitions like gradings or seminars etc? My next Belt is Black and Red Block Belt which is due in 4 years. So I wonder, do I keep wearing my Embroidered Black Belt or go to my unembroidered Blockl Belt?

Not too sure about the Door knocking, I believe from what I was told, they used to be a pure Shotokan Dojo, but their Dai Shihan trained in pure Gojo Ryu so the transition was there. I would say it was a genuine Goju Dojo as a senior Japanese Hanshi who is well know would not put his name to a rebel GKR school. I visited them and have invited them to my Dojo as with anyone in Manchester and surrounds are always welcome to train with me, I'll do my best to make you feel welcome

How Can you Teach if you've never graded? Respectfully, I worked damned hard to gain my Black Belt to give me the right to teach, I know Goju DOES have a grading Syllabus. I would never have a white belt, no matter how long they've been a white belt teaching others. In my school you'd only know the first grade syllabus too.

Razz, All because you have an Instructor that involves a lot of aplication doesn't make it Jujitsu. Karate HAS as much "grappling" if not more than Jujitsu. Enjoy you KARATE, can you find out from your Instructor the origins of the style. Welcome on board!!!!!!!!

My best mate for 23 years is my best training partner. We're both grading, together, for our next Dan Level in October We go full out with each other on sparring and with application Thing is we practice Full Contact, Ashihara (Kyokushin style) Karate, not too sure if my Partner would be able to cope I'm 6 foot, 120kg and she's 5 foot and 70kg so I would never spar against her.

I'm actually going on Sunday to the Class in Whalley Range, I'll be putting on my White Belt again. Its a long time since I been a Kohai.

The Good thing about this is that it a very very rare situtation as 99.99% of Martial Arts Instructors are bonefide and have CRB checks coming out of their ears. I feel for the victims. If you take other Trusted Vocations like Social Workers, Teachers, Carers, Clergy etc, these have a higher percentage of cases for abuse, Social Workers having the highest percentage of cases against them. I know it can be a bit OTT with regards to the Hands On approach that we use especailly when teaching and practicing application but as long as it is done openly and no where will 1 student and 1 Instructor will be alone, no matter the age of the student, I think this will be the best way forward. The anoying thing is that the Good Instructors get tarnished with the same brush. Look what happened to the Catholic Church, the actual percentage of Priests involed in the abuse charges was less than 2% of the whole chuch, but the Press made it look like it was 90% of the Priests that were doing it.

For all those Goju Practitioners on the site that are within the UK. Ho Shin Do Karate are hosting a Seminar with Hanshi Fujiwara 8th Dan, Shihan Lipinski 8th Dan and Shihan Coleman 7th Dan Monday 6th June 2011 Cedar Mount High School, 50 Wembly road, Gorton, Manchester, M18 7DT This would be a fantastic opportunity to train with some fine Karateka around the country and by the VERY best in Goju!!! It is a Goju-Ryu Seiwakai seminar held by the japanese master Seiichi Fujiwara Hanshi himself! It will be an open seminar with a close look at KATA and KUMITE £20 entry free ALL WELCOME The Kata's i think they will be looking at mostly are: Geki Sai Dai Ichi Geki Sai Dai Ni Saifa Sanchin Seiyunchin Tensho Go to http://hoshindo.co.uk/ that is their clubs website it should have all the information you need on there

I suppose, we'll always have this ethos as long as we have Karate. Belonging to a greater group is only there to validate you grades. Are these same people the same ones that must have Dan Bars on their belts too? in my opinion, a black Belt should be plain apart from Style name (ie Black Tiger Kara Te) and Holder's Name (Sensei Ken) if nessesary. Dan Bars should never be added If a person walked into your Dojo, and they didn't know the grades of the people in that Dojo (as none of them were wearing belts), would that person be able to correctly give the correct grade to each individual after watching a class. this is the biggest test I think. My style falls into this category as its Ashihara but its not pure Ashihara, its also Wado Ryu but its also Tang Soo Do, but its also Muay Thai and then again its also Jujitsu. In which case I can not say I'm one or the other so i won't get recognistion from the JKA, never mind eh, I won't loose sleep. If my students feel it is a competent enough style to train in then I'm happy too. There are so many NGB's in the UK and so many Independant Schools in the UK alone who have "Mixed" styles and are unable to claim pure lineage to any of the JKA recognised Styles. Dare I say we have become a International nation of Freestyle Karate!!!!

Dave Moore, From a different Forum asked the following Question, I thought it was an excellent question but didn't want to take away Dave's ownership of the topic, Thanks Dave your thoughts please

I voted Yes, The only issue is that due to the influx of Mcdojo's and Belt Factories, and some TKD schools having anything upto 15 Gup Grades etc people want to see something for their money. I would be happy with White, Yellow, Green, Brown, Black, but grading would include a Tab between each. But some feel "cheated" if all they got for their grading fee was a Certicate and a bit of Electrical tape.

if it was a weekly basis, that would be easier, for example, Monday & Thursday = Judo training Tuesday & Friday = Jujitsu training Wednesday & Saturday = Shotokan training Would equal a better learning curve as the gaps between the training won't be as much. I can't understand Judo and Jujitsu being taught together. I would say one or the other myself, or have Judo and Shotokan together or just Jujitsu or Shotokan on their own. Enjoy and keep us updated. I would love to know how they grade you etc. Do they have a website? Welcome to the Forum

Shame, the classes are so far! I live near Manchester Airport, so Bolton & Wigan are slightly too far away for me. Heaton Mersey would have been fine, shame the Sensei only teaches kids.

Definately agree that we should all train for multiple attackers! I teach my students to use one of them as a shield against the others. Quite a lot of the kata, we use in Karate are against multiple attackers