DWx

Have just seen adverts for her album on tv. Definitely think it was a PR stunt.

Congrats Being nervous is totally normal. Well done to him for placing.

The last paragraph is odd! Yeah I know, I'm not sure why the journalist would think to include something like that. Its not like it had any real bearing on him walking the dog like that.

Congrats Lupin

Haha I saw this on BBC. Not really sure how the last paragraph is relevant?!?

Oops you get so used to calling them splits that you forget everyone has no idea what you're talking about . I don't think they're even called that properly?!? Anyway, to answer your question.. I have no idea. I think the original intention was to copy team kata and then to try to "spice them up a bit". We also don't have to do the bunkai aspect with ours too as that gets covered in a different tournament discipline.

Oh yeah the splits (as they're called) are not in unison strictly speaking but they have to still match the rhythm and be technically correct so the team is moving as a whole. That is if a movement is normal (or continuous, connecting, slow or fast) motion each person still has to be doing the technically right motion individually and it must match up with the rest of the teams so they're still working in unison. Kind of hard to explain without going into the technicalities of TKD forms but there are extensive rules on what you can and can't do for "splits" as the team still has to look like a whole.

Is it really that different? Aside from the obvious stylistic differences and the fact that we are supposed to put the splits in ours, it is similar? In competition, the majority of marks go technical content and on being in unison.

Congrats

I guess it is very similar to our team patterns, but we get to put splits into ours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d51ZezEOLt0

For stains/dirt/sweat my mum always put detergent directly on it before putting it in the machine. Also if you're not going to wash it straight away soak it in water until you do rather than leave it festering at the bottom of a washing pile. Used to use Vanish oxyaction (think it probably has a different name in the States) and that worked really well on the whit bits... just used to fade all the embroidery to grey.

I used to love watching this and that Jackie Chan cartoon. Haha my sister used to even subscribe to the Jackie Chan magazines...

How do team kata work? If its anything like team patterns in TKD its a great training tool and we do it all the time (for comps as well). Adam_XKT has good advice. The first thing is definitely to learn the kata well and then just practice it over and over again together to work on the timing (presumably you want to all look identical?). A mirror is very useful or if you don't have access to one a video camera will work. Sometimes slowing the whole thing down can really help you to get the movement down so that you're all doing it the same but don't practise too much this way as you need to get a feel for everything at full speed. Like Adam said, its worthwhile splitting up the kata into sections, the natural combinations that fit together and then drill them in your group. Everyone will have their own quirks and ways of doing the movement so you will have to sort out amongst yourselves how you are going to do the techniques. Breaking down each movement further and looking at how high you start a block and how low you finish it etc. is stuff to work on too so you really do look identical. Useful tip my coach told us for timing is to have someone "count out the kata". So that you all move on each "1, 2" or whatever and slow movements are "1, 2, 3, 4". If you get what I mean. Team stuff is always fun so I hope you enjoy it

Congrats Blade96

Well they're not very good judges then are they. "Hypothetically" this could certainly happen. Bias is often present in tournaments and rank identifiers are one thing that judges could be swayed by but they shouldn't be if they're good umpires.

I agree its a little harsh for a blackbelt to keep hitting a beginner repeatedly. IMO a beginner is not going to learn anything if you just hit them, just to be apprehensive about sparring. Perhaps having a word with who you're sparring and tell them to be lighter.

Problem I found with Tai Chi is that you have to look hard to find a teacher who isn't just teaching it as a recreational activity as opposed to martial art.

Good luck I think kata is used as the plural form...

I can't remember the exact details (or even if its true) but my instructor once told me of a student that some guy had trained almost exclusively to break boards for competition. The student only had a yellow belt (8th gup and minimum belt needed to compete) yet they were beating blackbelts in the nationals.. If someone's being trained all day every day for a year to perfect just those kata it doesn't seem that far fetched for them to win.

They could do depends on a lot of things like whats been said. Their background for a start. People who are used to doing sports already tend to find the transition easier. I've found people who dance can pick up kata sequences pretty quickly and can then spend their time perfecting the "routine". Also on the quality of tournament/competitors. Grand tournament don't mean its going to be top quality.

Welcome back

Welcome Mark

I wouldn't. I don't think the sensei would probably expect you to either. Wave, say hello and be polite and there should be no problem.

Good luck quinteros1963

Congrats mudansha