Dobbersky

In the end all the advice that is given, it's your choice in the end. Shukokai is an excellent style, I've trained with a few people who practice it, taught people in my dojo who had blackbelt in it, but they all seem to be no more than about 15 stone. And it's quite an athletic style. YOU said you have an issue with size etc, hence my recommendations to you. In Shukokai you have 42 (forms) Kata to learn plus all the combinations etc. In Shotokan T's 26 plus the combinations and the other styles have around 15 to 20 forms etc.

At 3 year old these gradings are token gradings. If they are a bonefide school and doesn't have 9 year old Full blackbelts then no reason to worry. If they are the same as adult grades, if you don't like it, find somewhere else to train. Tang Soo Do is Korean Shotokan so you would adapt better into that style

Remember true karate molds around you not you around the karate. For you I would recommend Shotokan, Kyokushin, Tang Soo Do, Goju Ryu or even Wado Ryu and Kenpo, as these would be more fitting to you personally. Now I know what part of the world you're from, please Check local sports centres and Church halls ad some clubs don't always have websites or adverts, usually done by word of mouth.

Agreed, see if the instructor has vetting certificates etc to confirm he/she has no highlighted issues when working with minors or vulnerable adults etc. They call it a CRB check in the UK any style can be good for a 5 year old

Welcome to the forum. What other choices of Karate Styles do you have I'm your area? Shukokai is an excellent style but is geared more to quick actions and movement, the Style itself comes from the Tomari te and Shuri te regions of Okinawa. You should look at Naha te region karate such as Goju Ryu or other Naha te based styles. If you are close to 300lbs then make sure you wear anklets and knee pads/braces to protect them. I'm 120+ kg so not too far off your size, but I'm only 178cm.

I've trained with Many a career Brown belt, who wsa happy to sit at 1st Kyu for as long as they wanted. I even know of one Shotokan Brown belt who even the Shodan's And Nidan's called Sempai. I concider two grades as the most "dangerous and underated grades in a Dojo, they are White - as they are untested and therir skills haven't been checked etc and Brown as they know everything a Black belt does, they just haven't taken the test

I think the meaning is bespoke to your instructor. Not heard of anyone putting these "special" meanings to the Dan grades before

You'll be fine, your Instructor wouldn't put you forward if you weren't ready. What Style of Karate do you study?

Welcome to the forum Tempest, OSU

So dare I be bold and say similar to Wado Ryu as this is a blend of Jujitsu and Karate. I know its not exactly that as I know a few will give the correct description of Wado (something regarding a pinch of salt etc.)

Sounds a little bit of a hybrid, like the Karate Jitsu clubs I see around, possibly a marketing ploy to get people into thinking it's Jujitsu when it's more karate based. If it's a good school great, if it's a belt factory - booooo

Question, in addition to Seppuku, what about being given the "honour" of being a "second" for the person acting out the ritual. Could you be a "second" and would it not be deemed as murder or at least manslaughter?

I've read many a story of Shodan & Nidan grades getting on a plane in Tokyo and getting of the plane at the other end as a Yondan or Godan. It's possibly the same as Kancho Sullivan, who is only officially graded to Nidan. His other grades are awarded by a panel of his lower grades to him. I'm not too sure is Kwang Uk Lee was awarded his grades officially too as he's the head of one of the Tang Soo Do organisations. After a certain level in many arts. The grades are time served anyway. Understand the frustration but I've seen far far worse than GM Villari on YouTube that are supposedly officially graded to their current grade

OSU, welcome to the Forum, There are some excellent PURE Okinawan styles in Austrailia including Isshin Ryu, Shorin Ryu, GoJU Ryu and others

Welcome Back I'd love to know how Judo mixes with the TKD, I can understand the Boxing (I know an instructor who teaches a Jujitsu Boxing mix which has really excellent properties) I have ex-TKD students and its having to unteach them their TKD fighting Stance and adopt a more rounded stance which I find hard

But one must wear white and write a poem first!! http://www.samurai-archives.com/deathq.html

I would never consider suicide ever! I'm a westerner, I practice Japanese arts, BUT I'm not Japanese I am "Gaijin" I recall reading (correct me if I'm wrong) that Korean conscripts were not allowed to fly as Kamikazi Pilots as it soiled the right of passage that is meant for pure Japanese/Samurai lineage. So on this note above if you are not from Samurai lineage then Seppuku is not an honour distilled onto that individual hence the individual would not die in honour as Seppuku is for. I can understand the culture in the pre-1900's for suicide being the norm, but in this day and age, it a bit freaky just like the movie "Hostel" there seems to be a real possibiltiy of this actually going on in an underground sect - thats what makes it terrifying. For western culture I can't think of Suicide as an act of reverence, I only recall in Roman/Greek Culture of Suicide being accepted as "part of life" Good thread and no it didn't offend me in any way my friend.

I agree with what's been said already. I have an excellent relationship with my students, very similar to a "big brother" Remember respect is earnt NOT expected. I give respect and I get it back. We chat, meet up, go to social events. Go on seminars together. We are like a big family and we all have our places and duties within this extended family good thread

OSU!!! Congrats my friend, GoKyu is a milestone in karate's jourrney. One steps up to a different plain when one gets to 5th Kyu OSU

This is precisely it. How can it be your fault if you can't predict. Also this is why Demo teams look so good because THEY ALLL KNOW what's coming next. Put a fighter from a different style in WHO's not conversant with the demo and it WILL go wrong! This is one reason why Bunkai and Oyo of Kata is so important, forget all the "self-defense" combinations and wrist locks 1 to 24 etc that only work against a compliant opponent. Karate, Jujitsu, Kenpo & other styles work well within the confines of their systems and competitions with their rules but go outside that comfort zone and the weaknesses start to show.THIS is Mushashi said one must train in several schools to become an allround fighter.

Personally any technique which is only applied against a Karate attack isn't the fault of the practitioner, its the fault of the creator. I when practicing Wado tried one of the Oyo Gumite against a blackbelt Tang Soo Do'ist and it didn't work because he didn't defend the way it was taught in the Oyo. Some of the combinations etc work perfectly within the core system but don't work outside it. I find a lot of schools train all these technical jumble then resort to "kickboxing" style sparring when fighting other styles etc. Which says what about the styles as kickboxing isn't in the syllabus

I hate schools that just practice Kata for passing grades, it's like carrying around an empty flask. It contains no water so you'll always be thirsty. Same as the kata, without Bunkai and Oyo, the Kata is just an oriental dance. It's the instructor's fault fonopassing on the knowledge I concentrate on Bunkai & Oyo a student MUST be able to apply the Kata of the previous grade to pass the next. Bassai for example has been known to contain at least 14 neck wrenches within it.

I think this was a "Kung Fu" guy who slightly not thought about putting a chalenge out and was totally out of his depth. Thing is in the western world it seems a bit OTT but in China its normal practice. The checked on him and left him to recover awesome side kick though

OSU!!!! Welcome to the forum my friend

MMA hasn't affected my Dojo its the tippy tappy McDojo's and belt factories that have with their programmes etc. guarantee'ing grades etc for just turning up. I enjoy MMA and my Style is like a precurser to MMA anyway. Being Full Contact (including thigh kicks), we tend to have a niche Market anyway so only those interested in doing Full Contact will train with us. I don't expect huge classes but I wont lower my standards to keep students either