Dobbersky

Welcome to the Forum. Looking forward to reading your posts & threads, especially on your Aikido experience

Wow, the whole family, awesome, good luck to all!!!!

Good luck my friend, did you manage to find out what style as Green as first grade is quite rare.

Looking forward to some excellent threads & posts from you. Welcome to the Forum

Agreed, hence why baseball bats and pool cues are better as I've never hit a flat square bone before, the ribcage is close but .....

Dave, I'm glad you have genuine reasons, you must agree at first glance, what your thread can be perceived as hence why I responded to the change, then offered assistance. What I would love to know is was there never a chance to train in both Shotokan AND BJJ at the same time. As I just don't want you to loose all that knowledge you've gained from all your hard work, pain, sacrifice, blood sweat and tears that got you both Blackbelts

Personally I think you treated Shodan as the end point not the beginning. Switching styles every few years isn't good. Will you when you get your Nidan drop Shotokan and go back to BJJ? Self training I've not met anyone yet who doesn't train at home. Because its been so long since you trained in Shotokan I'd find the nearest Dojo and ask if they do any seminars you could attend to make sure what you practice is correct.

Don't tend to break boards just Pool cues and baseball bats. Last time I did board breaking I was a 4th Gup in Tang Soo Do.

Well thanks for your response. PM your grades I will not disclose them to anyone. With regards to opening a school to expected minimum grade is1st Dan Blackbelt. You need to get everything in place first. A complete syllabus IS very important, you've not mentioned whether you have this or not. I recommend getting quoted on Liability insurance and joining a State or National Governing Body who will assist with gradings and guidance on running a Dojo. Get a few guide books including Starting & Running Your Own Martial Arts School by Karen Levitz Vactor & Susan Lynn Peterson. Also age, how old are you, to get students, you'd be looking at being late 20's upwards for people to take you seriously. OSU

All I know most of us are conversant with Naihanchi, Naihanchi/Tekki Shodan, Naihanchi/Tekki Nidan & Naihanchi/Tekki Sandan. But is anyone aware of a.y other versions? I'm on phone so have limited options I saw on another forum, an Okinawan Open Hand version of Naihanchi! That's correct, I personally, never thought it existed. Would anyone else like to add this version for me. Also if anyone knows of any other versions and can upload a video of the Kata it would be brilliant, thanks Ken

So AOF, Tell me what makes YOUR style effective? What is your current grade in your core style and will you continue to train under your current instructor? Have got a written syllabus with levels from basic entry to at least 4th Dan/Degree level? Are you in it for the money or for the art itself (I ask because you may have tone totally on your own at times with noone to assist you or any students)? Now before you think I'm "tearing you down" I'm asking because I have created my own style and is finally becoming rather successful. I've been there done that and believe me the people on here will give you the best advice you'll get from than from other Forums I could mention where they would tear you down and spit you out. One I know was that bad its been closed down

I get a bit nervous when you get mixes of this that and the other like your Krav Maga Survival, it may be really good but I wouldn't take the chance. To me Krav Maga is an ok style as is Kippap but not seen anything that hasn't been done before. Almost everything done in the Arsenal of techniques can be found in the midst of the Pinan/Heian Kata. Even Keysi Fighting Method is the same. I would be more lined up to learn Pankration over KM or Kippap

Definitely a book I want

Larry my friend, welcome to the forum, it will be an honour to read your posts and discuss many topics on here, OSU I love your quote and that you state 4 or 5 styles (rabbits) that you train in, thank you, its a practice what I preach not what I do scenario

Nothing wrong with that. Have you got access to a heavy bag, wooden man etc. Work on your stand-up game using these or get a training partner who can work with you to once a week to keep both of your stand-up game in the mix OSU

Totally agree with the above, only issue I got is the Kata. There's various differences in the Pinan/Heian kata and Kyokushin also includes Goju Kata. Try it and enjoy, OSU

For those of us not in a Japanese style, or not Japanese, English terminology would be great here... oi tzuki = stepping punch (or lunge punch) gyaku zuki = reverse punch gedan mawashi geri = front roundhouse kick aimed lower than waist ushiromawashi uraken = backfist circular back fist uchi momo geri = ??? Sorry I forget, its not as if I haven't been here long enough, LOL Uchi momo Geri = inside thigh kick (knockdown karate terms)

Uchi momo Geri, oi tzuki, gyaku tzuki, gedan mawashi Geri, ushiro mawashi uraken

Agreed, but I have a system where I have 3 or 4 tabs they must receive before they can grade. All those that graded had all the required tabs so they must have been at the level required for gradings to receive their tabs. I might possibly create a Sho grade where they passed but only just or graded but failed.

Great to have you on board, looking forward to reading some of your posts etc.

Just to say, I feel really proud of the fact you have been invited to grade for blackbelt. But just have patience my friend. Just to advise, I have a now 1st Kyu who was a 1st Gup TKD, prior to joining my dojo. He had to put the time in (although the first 4 gradings were done in 1/2 the time as normal) its not just about doing the 3 "K's" correctly its all about various things Adult Dan Grades I'll expand as to what I need to see before I put Student forward for Shodan (1st Dan). I'm looking for mental attitude as the physical is only part of it. Seven virtues of Bushido The Bushido code is typified by seven virtues: Rectitude Courage Benevolence Respect Honesty Honour Loyalty Associated virtues Filial piety Wisdom Care for the aged You can teach a monkey to perform karate (you can find this on You tube), does that mean it is worthy of a black belt. To me and many Yudansha (blackbelts) the above Virtues are what makes a Yudansha not the physical side.

Failing Students. What are your thoughts on failing students. I've not failed a student yet, but came close to it over the last couple of gradings. Now is this a issue of my own making or am I seeing to much into it. One student currently on junior syllabus was borderline on his grading. Now if he was working on the adult syllabus I would have failed him, definitely. Do I have to fail someone, to make students realise that they do have to meet a specific standard to get the next grade. This is why I have separate syllabi for juniors and adults, because I have different levels of requirement. A few of the kids would have failed if the same requirements are needed. Your thoughts please.

There's no limits on fitness or size within martial arts. As long as you consult your Doctor, advising him what you want to do and informing your Instructors of any issues there's no reasons only excuses in the way. OSU

You're forgetting all the different Organisations that exist since the death of Sosai. And there's varying changes to the context of the syllabus depending on who heads that particular organisation. Also regarding evolving, you forgot Ashihara karate, Enshin Karate, Daiko Juku, Japanese Kickboxing amongst others. Hence my thread on this forum and K4L asking are Kyokushin Karateka ashamed of the evolved versions of Kyokushin. OSU

I agree on all counts. Where I train, it's a twelve month gap between first kyu and first dan. Plus the rules should be posted up etc. Perhaps it should have been mentioned at the first kyu grading, so as not to lead to this disappointing ? Just to add, 12 months is the minimum timescale and even then its on invitation only. One of my students grading the end of this month has been waiting over 2 years for His (i didn't feel he was "ready" to wear the Kuro Obi, not just physically but emotionally too)