Dobbersky

Running. Skipping and Swimming are good ways to strengthen the legs also if you can do squats with or without weights. If you have access to a heavy bag this can help. Also if you break the front kick down to 4 component parts doing them slowly with full kime you may fine it will all fall in Finally Stretching will assist with the 'straightening' of your legs. Your instructor will give you the correct stretches to do; you need to practice them daily until you get them right then every other day etc. Osu!!

Killuminati-san, Oh to be your age again. If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to practice the martial arts from a younger age. Sign up for the Dojo and practice your kata and 2-mans every day. You WILL be a good martial artist and you WILL be a good black belt. It is about how you set your mind!! Also concentrate on Wado Ryu only; do not look at cross training until you are at least Shodan. If it takes you 10 years or 4 years to get to black belt don't worry, you will have worked hard to get there One thing though, remember, Black belt is just the beginning not the end of your training. Good luck and keep us updated on your training

KarateJock-san I wish you look on your journey, forget the when I'm fit enough excuse and just get started. If I had a £1 for everyone who said 'I'll come training with you once I'm fit enough' I'd be quite wealthy now. Your Instructor will work with you to get the required fitness levels for each Grading With regards to Shotokan or Wado, I would go with Wado only because I like it better and Bunkai (application of Kata) is more realistic. But if your Shotokan Sensei works with Bunkai around the kata that is realistic, then stay with Shotokan. I am waiting as with the rest of us for you to tell us how your first class back to training went. Osu!!!!

In my club and my instructor's club the lower grade controls the pace, if you are the same grade/experience or Dan Grade then almost anything goes. As long as it is controlled etc if he steps it up you step it up until the level is reached, I guarantee even though it may not look like it, your Sensei will be watching to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. We Instructors see a lot more than you think Osu!!! Osu

All Does anyone in the Manchester UK area know the Tiger form or Black Tiger form well enough to teach it I've seen it on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHSZ0Hz-uvs&feature=related And I would like to learn it from a good teacher Thanks

All Would it be possible for all those Martial Artists in the Manchester Area to arrange for a minor Seminar/get together so we can put faces to tag names on here Let me know what you think Osu!!!!

I have a size 5 16oz cotton/poly? Gi and a few size 6 14oz cotton Gi's I am 5'10" and 18 stone (UK weight) or 112Kg I went for Japanese Cut as the legs etc are already short. If you wash the Gi's at the correct temperature Shrinkage is minimal and if you Iron it correctly too this will stretch out the cotton again If you get a Cotton/Poly mix it wont shrink if you get cotton it will shrink. Osu!!!!

It sounds like you may need to get one made to order. I've never seen a Gi bigger than a 6 supplied by the suppliers I use. I would recommend contacting the manufacturer direct or getting one made in Japan of good quality cotton 14/16oz so it will last you a long time. Sorry I can't help any further Osu

Hiya Mel Martial arts especially Karate are striking arts and the best way to learn how to fight is to fight. I agree with everyone regards to the fact that you want an art to work on but don't know which direction to go to. I would recommend Wado Ryu, this is a blend of Shotokan and Jujitsu, working more on the lines of Sabaki, Body rotation. As you are 70 I would think this would be good for you. We have a 72 year old in the class I attend and he does well, being a Brown belt. Please Mel, don't get drawn into sigining any 'Membership' agreements until YOU are happy with the style - I wish you'd have asks us all long ago - I would have advised you against Kyokushin. Although I personally love the style and practice Ashihara karate which is an 'offshot' of kyokushin. Muay Thai/kickboxing are about stamina and work well in the ring but not against street fighters unless you are excellent in it. Karate kata bunkai is what you need. Sparring - unless you are competing - forget it. Karate is not about how 'hard' you are it is about the weak defending themselves from the agressors and muggers etc. There are loads of styles out there that you could try but you gotta think about time - if you wanna learn quick, Krav Maga is a good system but it doesn't give you the same 'feeling' as karate. Tai Chi (Chen Style) is also very good but this also takes time to learn If there are any Martial arts shows that you can get to which have Multistyle exhibitions then I would go to them so you can see what goes on.

3 times a week I teach and train, I also practice every day at home Karate is a way of life when it gets to a certain stage of development Osu

Welkom IIrene aan het forum, hoop ik u van uw tijd op hier geniet. er zijn vele uitstekende karatevaklieden die vele jaren van ervaring hebben. Welcome IIrene to the forum, I hope you enjoy your time on here. There are many excellent karate practitioners who have many years of experience. Regard to switching styles I would stick to one at least until Blackbelt. Wado Ryu is an excellent basis to work from, it teaches you Tai Sabaki from the beginning whereas other styles don't teach this until the higher grades. I know you say you like Kyokushin, it is an excellent hard style but I would recommend Ashihara or Enshin instead as this will fit in more with your Wado training. Whenever you 'switch' styles you will always have to begin at white belt. IIrene please stick to Wado Ryu until Shodan at least, you will be surprised what Wado has to offer Osu!!!

I agree with everyone here If your friend wishes to learn Weapons Kata, he should ask his own Instructor or Ask yours, failing that he should enrole in a weapons school. You must respect the kudokan. If you ever leave your Instructor's Dojo then you would no longer have to honour the loyalty to him and only then would I say it was ok to teach him the Kata. Osu

Shotokanka92-san I do understand how you feel, Karate IS a way of life, it not just 'something to do to keep you fit' I sometimes feel the same because what’s more of an advertisement for your Dojo than a Gi fastened with a Kuri Obi!!! But what you got to look at is what the Gi is and was, It was undergarments originally for the samurai, White is a colour of death and was worn in preparation of your oncoming death in Battle in the Age of War in Japan, nowadays it is only a training garment to be used whilst you are training and/or giving demonstrations. Are you Japanese? If so then a Kimono for Outside may be worn, failing that change into it when you are at home. Most Karateka in Japan wear 'normal' clothes when they are not in the Dojo so I would follow their example. If you live in the middle of nowhere do what Sosai Mas Oyama did and spend 2 years in the wilderness perfecting his art and calling it Kyokushin Osu

Ladies and Gentlemen A question for you, I know that some have not reached the levels of others and only know a few Kata but base for those who only know a few please answer with what you know and what you would like to learn. The question is double barrelled. Which are your favourite Kata? And If you were only allowed to practice 5 Kata, which 5 would they be? My answers are:- Which are your favourite Kata Jissen kata Ichi Jissen kata Ni Kihon kata San Kihon kata Ni Nage kata San Kumite kata Yon Pinan Shodan (Heian Nidan, Pyung Ahn E Dan) Pinan Yodan (Heian Yodan, Pyung Ahn Sa Dan) Naihanchi (Tekki Shodan, Nahanchi Cho Dan) Chinto (Gankaku) Bassai Rohai My Shortlist would be 1. Jissen (this would be a Hybrid of the 2) 2. Kumite (this would be a Hybrid of the 4) 3. Kihon San (or a hybrid of all 3) 4. Naihanchi (Tekki Shodan) 5. Chinto (Gankaku) NOTE- If the kata is known as various different names please would you add them in brackets next to them

I agree totally with Everyone on here with regards to XMA 'kata' I understand the complexity of the kata and believe that each move has to be a genuine attack/defense. Ashihara Kata is exactly the same although somewhat different to traditional Kata Where would I stand in this. I mean we do have the jumpy spinny kata which I believe was targeted against the TKD forms to attract them to ashihara but they are genuine kata and are genuine attack/defense combinations. I have a Student/Parent who is interested in competition, Kumite is not an option with them, so I can only see kata, they are a gymnast too and are very flexible. I can submit them into a competition with some of the senior kata but I wonder how would they score on this. Your thoughts please Osu

All Iain Abernethy's Site is https://www.iainabernethy.com There are some interesting articles etc from Iain and other senior Karateka there Osu

All, Why do we have these Kihon Gumite, Oyho Gumite, 2-Mans, 1-steps, 3-Steps in our grading syllabuses in Wado Ryu, Shotokan, ShitoRyu, Goju Ryu, and Kyokushin Etc? Almost all the techniques practiced in the 2-mans are found in the kata. Why do we have to practice these, when all we need is the Bunkai of each kata? I ask this as in Ashihara and Enshin there is a Bunkai for each kata, there are no 2-mans just kata Bunkai. So why therefore isn't traditional karate the same? Why don't we either practice kata Bunkai for each grading etc or just formulate the 2-Mans into their own kata(s)? I leave it to the forum to advise! Osu!

Zerofizz I notice from you styles list you practice (practiced) GoKan Ryu, Shorin Ryu and Krav Maga. I see this as an excellent basis to start from. Krav Maga is VERY street orientated so this is a good place to begin, I have done a few Krav Maga Courses and read many books/watched DVD's on it. What you’ll find, once you are experienced is that 98% of the techniques you practice in Krav Maga, you will find within the Kata you practice in your karate. Forget about 'hidden' moves etc. look at what is in front of you. You will notice you will react instinctively to any 'attack' without even thinking about it. Bunkai is a 'way' all on its own. If you want more Bunkai ask you Sensei, if your Sensei is unable to help you, change styles to one that fits the bill. Ashihara, Enshin and Kyokushin have a lot of Bunkai within their Syllabus, There are no Ashihara Dojo's in Yorkshire, but I am aware of a Enshin European Champ who is looking at opening a Dojo. Kyokushin I'd surf the web. If these are too hard for you, look at Wado Ryu; depending on the instructor, there are a lot of Bunkai applications Hope this helps Osu

Wow, This Thread has brought some really good opinions From what I have read, to us all, this cloth/cotton belt is 'Our' belt, it symbolises all the blood sweat and tears throughout the years. For us to have 'Our Name' or 'Our Style' on it is not really an issue as some do and some don't We do all agree that the rank of a Black Belt doesn't matter, being Shodan, Sandan etc, its what it means to the wearer. Let me ask you all, I will do this tomorrow. I will put on my White belt (if it still fits me) on in front of my class I will teach the class, as normal, and I will let you know how it went. I ask you all to do the same and see what 'reactions' you get. Then we will be able to truthfully answer, what 'Our Belt' truly means to us. Osu

Pama4242 Osu!!! Let me put it this way You are having an operation say for an appendicitis removal. The choice of surgeons is one who has trained for 6 years and is a qualified surgeon and one who has trained for 8 years but in yet unqualified. Who will you pick to do the surgery? I know whom I would pick!!!! Shodan is not about how much time you put in; it’s about how you are as a Karateka. As I have stated before, a Blackbelt doesn't make the KarateKa, it’s the KarateKa that makes the Blackbelt. All Shodan is just the beginning of the journey; it is just a test to show that you know all the basics etc. sometimes in may feel like an anticlimax only because you have worked so dammed hard to pass it. I hope this helps you, as only you can decide.

Zanshin-sama Osu - this is from my Ashihara roots, which originates within Kyokushin and gets used a lot. Its deemed as respectful and to mean that we understand and acknowledge what's being said. Lol, I too sometimes think that the 'Osu' bit can go OTT. Osu!!!!

All, I have a question to ask, With regards to your Blackbelts, Is your Blackbelt plain or embroidered? Or if you haven't got one yet what would you prefer? Mine is plain with no Dan Bars. But I am looking at, once I grade at Wado Ryu, getting a belt with Wado Ryu karate do on one side and Ashihara karate do on the other (in Japanese). Arguments are:- Yes, it looks good and it will last you the rest of your Martial arts life. And No, its too expensive for what it is. What are your thoughts and the reasons behind them? Also which brand of belt would you suggest if any to get for embroidering? Osu

I find that 7 is a good age to begin its when they begin to acknowledge what they are doing needs to be treated with the respect it deserves. Teaching children is an excellent reward, especially when you grade them or they come and tell you they stopped a bully using a technique they'd learnt in class. The age that lacks most input I feel is the 14 to 17 age group, they're all too busy getting drunk smoking and getting into trouble (well they are where I live) I think Martial Arts should be part of the high school curriculum as I am sure it would instil respect, which is missing in today’s culture. Osu

Johnlogic-san, Yes I see your points and yes I do agree that if you leave it alone you loose it. I stopped training in Tang Soo Do about 3-4 years ago, and for the life of me I am unable to practice Hyungs/kata that I now wish I still knew, I would love to be able to practice the Chil Sung Hyungs and Dumon Hyung but I cant remember its format, even with books and DVDs as some of the techniques are done with their back facing so I am unable to decipher the techniques. Regards still being able to fight and defend yourself then I would say that your body always goes into a fight or flight mode and it will recall anything that will allow you to WIN. Note your brain remembers everything it is subjected to, but its how you store the information is to how you recall it. Osu

Wado is an extremely effective Art. I've studied it for around 18 months now grading to 5th Kyu (green belt which I wear even though I have a black belt in another style) in around a months time. I also Practice and Teach Ashihara Karate which is a 'Modern' 'Street style' Karate. Allot of the Kata, Bunkai (applications) and Oyo and Ippons are truly 'useable' in a 'street' situation Belt chasing is not the correct way to view your Karate. I've known Brown belts that would give 3rd and 4th Dans a run for their money. And I've known 1st Dans who can perform kata better than higher graded Dans. Look at the art not at how long it will take you to get to Blackbelt, remember Blackbelt is the beginning, not the end, for you to truly master the art you need to revert back to your white belt. Just enjoy your journey through the way Osu