wagnerk

Funny, haven't heard of this either. When I use to train in Shotokan karate 10-12 years ago, we use to train (with control) strikes to the head including jabs (kizami zuki) and these were allowed in competitions as well. I don't know, maybe signs of change for a more safe approach??? That would be the only reason I can think of for reducing/stopping certain techniques...

Cool, congrats mate

Welcome to our little corner of the interweb. Congrats on achieving your Shodan.

Cool, glad you returned to the arts. What Kyu/Dan did you get to before you had to leave in 2008?

This is a grey area, as different martial arts will have different requirements for their grades. Even within arts like Shotokan and Tang Soo Do, I've seen different requirements for each grade. I've seen several Shotokan associations that will accept your rank for a year under probation, then after that will ask you to re-grade. You will then either drop down, stay the same or move up grades. And this isn't even mentioning the unscrupulous clubs/organisations that trade ranks or sell ranks without any proof.

I don't think that there's anything that turns me into an unfunctioning quivering wrecks... Well maybe apart from slugs. Ever since I stepped on one by accident (barefoot), I can't get the squishy sound and feeling off me everytime I see one.

IMO, it's a two view thing - internally and externally. It's also about implementation, I mean take a look at Lyoto Machida, a very successful traditional karate-ka and he brings what he has learnt to the MMA field, see . And he's not the only one...Another issue is that you have "traditional" martial arts that are popping up that don't know their left from their right, yet market themselves as the "ultimate" self-defence art while not teaching how to form a fist properly. It gives a wrong impression of all traditional martial arts. You've also got the belt misunderstanding. A lot of people when they see a black belt automatically assume that is the pinnacle of all your training, when it's not. It's just the beginning really. Added to that standard, requirements, etc change between organisations.

There are karate competitions that allow strikes/punches to the face, but I'm not sure on how international they are Chaos Mad Max -Ken

Saw this on TV, it was cool to watch - glad that the martial arts world is getting some positive attention

Take a look at this site, it shows the different colours of the TKD belt and the means of the colours. However the requirements of each belt may be different, association to association.

This is my understanding of the terms: Karate: Translated from Japanese means the "Way of the empty hand", before that it meant "Chinese hand" or "Tang hand" but was changed to gain acceptance in Japan. Karate-do: Is the "path to self-knowledge" or self-development Karate-jutsu: Is the "Science" or "Method" of karate Karate-ka: One who practices karate In my opinion, when one practices "Karate" should be both "Do" and "Jutsu" and stay away from the awful debate that keeps on going round of Do vs Jutsu which just (in the end) gives a negative view on both sides of the same coin

Congrats mate, well done

Welcome to our corner of the interweb

There have been discussions on this and other forums in the past and to be honest, the start points of the martial arts have really been lost in the folds of time...

I agree, there is nothing wrong with that schedule if done correctly. However playing devils advocate, does that mean that you can only go up 1 belt at a time? Do they still use the 10 kyu/10 dan system? If so, just to get to the beginning (black belt) it would take 10 years. I'm not saying that this association is like this (far from it), however without all the information, it's kinda hard to make a snap decision. Saying that it is based on a certain style, imo, doesn't really mean a great deal, for instance... Kyokushin based on/from Shotokan and Goju Ryu, but then again so is GKR karate - it's all about the implementation

Welcome to KF. While you will always be welcomed back to Shotokan. If you are having second thoughts, have you considered a different martial art?

Welcome to our corner of the interweb

To be honest, for me it's the Chil Sung forms. Simply because coming from a Shotokan background, these were new to me - both the forms and the "feel" of the forms.

Congrats on trying out TKD and on getting your first belt in it

I don't go round shouting it, but I don't hide it. If people are interested, then I talk about it - this is also a way to get people interested

Any sort of practice, provided it helps you is good. Sometimes I practice forms slowly to think about the movements (this includes visualising the applications of it when I practice by myself), practicing faster (to improve my techniques with speed), sometimes I practice parts of the form, sometimes the whole thing... Depends on how I feel, sometimes I just continue even if I know that I made a mistake, sometimes I stop and restart... There is no right or wrong, it's just practice, practice, practice

That's one of the issues with watching/using youtube to augment your own training. There are different variations/interpretations out there. If you're going to be using vids to help you out, I would suggest either seeing if your association has vids that you can get/purchase or ask to record your sensei/higher grades doing the kata - at least that's what I done (then shared it with the others going for black belt - of course with the permission to do so).

Good luck with your grading and let us know how you get on

Can't give specific advise as I'm not a medical practitioner, plus you don't mention what arthritis you have (eg Osteoarthritis vs rheumatoid). I've got Sjogren's and undergoing further testing for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus etc... and was told to practice when I can (when I'm not in pain) and not to practice when I can't (when I'm in pain). I was also prescribed Naproxen and codeine for when I am in pain. I would have a word with your instructor about your condition and see what he/she says. My instructor has modified a lot of the movements for me as I have issues with my joints. Personally I wouldn't training through the pain as you may end up doing my damage long term. And worse case scenario, you have to stop karate training and take up a soft form of martials art, like Tai Chi. This is something that I've had to come to terms with in case my condition gets worse.

Congrats mate