Zanshin

Thats cool, do you feel you get a lot out of it?

Hi Guys, Just wondering how many of you guys have Idori incorporated into your syllabus. It features in Wado Karate from 1st Dan and I have seen footage of Chōjun Miyagi doing a Goju version of Idori. So it’s not exclusive to Wado. Is it something that is practiced In TKD for example. I know Hapkido comes from comes from Daito Ryu (which has plenty of Idori in it), but would be interested to hear your experiences in it.

Well... looks like your view (although entitled to of course) is in the minority. Fact is Eastern MA like karate and TKD did not originate in the west, and the best exponents of them are not here, they are in Korea/Japan.

Well like most people i started training at a young age (3 years old) i am now 26. i use i spent more time on marital arts then on school, it is very interesting for me , and after researching about bruce lee i started JKD and stried to get as much information as i could, and today i am still looking for new things and are getting involved in other styles. How did you get involved in TKD? Hmmm! At 26 you are just a youngan really, and sure, your CV is impressive. Did you do most of this at the same studio? If not you must have been training for about 10 hours a day for your entire life. Training in different styles, is a bit like digging holes in the dessert for water. Some will dig for a foot or so and if they dont find water, will start digging another hole. They will repeat this process until they find what they are looking for, even if it means they dig 100 holes. Others will keep digging downward in the same hole until they find water, even if they dig 100 foot.

the only way to relax is to mediate , go ova the steps in your head , and see were you go wrong or were you need to relax. do this everyday for a week and you will see a huge difference in how you relax while doing a move. The trouble is, there are very few instructors out there that can teach you that skill. Mokuso is an art in itself and very hard to do to the extent where it is of benefit.

Although I don’t study an Okinawan art, I think I am right in saying that traditionally, there was no belt system, (it was introduced by Judo's Kano sensei in the early twentieth century in mainland Japan). So therefore they probably just wore an "obi" to keep their trousers up. I think that the stripes on the belt are more of a western thing. "My amps better than yours cause it goes up to 11" really. It doesn't mean anything. Have a look at the person wearing the belt to see how good they are. None of the top “JKF” (Japan Karate Federation) instructors I train with wear anything else but plain black belts up to and including 10th dan. The “whitened” belts you refer to are supposed to be “symbolic”. They are a sign that a student at black belt has trained for so long, that that they have come full circle and their understanding of the art is so great that it can be done without conscious thought, a state of “Mushin” or mind of no mind. The white belt implies a return to purity. An easier way to do this is to buy a silk black belt, wear it for six months until it goes white and bingo – instant master.

I am student and a teacher. I pay for my own training on an "pay as you train" basis, and my students pay the club where I teach the same way, no contracts upfront payments or monthly direct debits from the bank. I have been training that way for 22 years and teaching that way for the past 10. It’s a very happy union which, although uncommon in the States (by the sounds of it), is very much the norm throughout the rest of the world. And I don’t pay for my cars upfront either, as I have company cars.

This one is quite interesting: http://markschat.blogspot.com/

I do understand what you are saying, I am just playing devils advocate really. I have an inherent personal dislike for paying for some things up front, and Karate/Gym membership is one of them. I look at it this way; do you pay your supermarket for your groceries monthly up front? No! So seriously, what does a gym offer that a supermarket doesn't in that sense? They have the cost of staff, building, rates and equipment etc. just like a gym does.

But many of us do train with those from other countries. I train and (used to) compete in many different countries, and whilst your logic is sound it's perhaps a bit insular. Whilst I accept that the finer technical nuances could be lost on someone who doesn't understand the language being spoken, there is a “universal language” thing here. As mentioned in an earlier post I will be training in Germany in a few weeks time on a course being run by the German Wado-kai with the guest instructors being from Japan. There will be students from all over Europe. During the Kihon, imagine how hard it would be to say "Ok everyone lets do roundhouse kick, on my count and.. 1 and 2 and 3 etc. in Italian, French, German, English etc... Instead everyone there will understand "Mawashigeri ichi, ni, san etc. But... there will be translators there as well, and they will probably do it in English, so I understand what you are saying. It works both ways I guess. There is also the bigger picture here, in that people enjoy the fact that their Karate classes are taught in Japanese / Korean is it adds to the perceived "authenticity".

In Japanese Budo the following titles apply. Senpai "Senior" is awarded at between 3rd Kyu and 2nd Dan. Sensei "one who is born before" or "teacher", is awarded at 3rd Dan (or at 1st Dan if it is deemed that the candidate has sufficient teaching skills/understanding). Tashi "proficient". This is the first of the formal "privilege" titles and is awarded to 3rd Dans and above. Renshi "Polishing Master" Awarded to 5th Dan and above. Implies someone has a high level of understanding but are still in pursuit of perfection. Kyoshi "Proficient teacher" Awarded to 6th Dan and above. Also could translate "Assistant Master Teacher". Hanshi/ Shihan "Model Teacher" Usually refers to someone who heads their own school or association. Meijin "Spiritual perfection" Awarded to 10th Dan and/or founders of a style. IE Shotokan, Wado-Ryu etc. Traditionally these were awarded by the Emperor of Japan. And was the equivalent of receiving a Knighthood. From Tashi onwards these are titles that recognise the practitioner’s depth of understanding rather than a reflection of rank, although the two sort of go hand in hand.

Ah, that's kind of cool. Like bunkai almost, right?yes, just like bunkai except its not the whole form, its just a piece. Thanks guys, Question then, do you take the techniques found in the Pyung Ahns and apply them in any other way outside of the "one steps". uhm yes and no. you find that you might use some of the techniques when doing knife self defense, or hand to hand self defense, or sword self defense, only because you make these up on your own. so are they in anything else in the textbook? not that i can think of. but you might use them in self defense applications. I see thanks for explaining. It sounds very similar to something we have in Wado called "Ohyo" Kumite. They are a set of paired techniques that are designed for the student to learn the principles behind the techniques found in Kata.

Well ps1, how did you get on. I am sure you were fine. All the best.

By that logic...neither is Judo. I don't consider the phone book to be a valid sourse of defining a martial art. I am defining it as a system of combat that can be used for self defense. Exactly. The reason that Wrestling is practiced as a sport, and done to "win medals" is because that is the way things evolved in Western society. Competition and strength have always been highly valued in Western cultures (as well as many others), and that is why feats of strength and cunning, such as Wrestling, Boxing, and Swordplay evolve from the fighting systems that they were into the sports that we see them as now. The Eastern arts became "ways" and Western arts became sport. Yes... You could also say that because in the west, we like to have a sporting approach to many of the things we do, sport is our "way". Ultimately the eastern "do" principle of the martial ways aspire to achieve the same end results as western sport IE self improvement.

Thats to bad cross. Could it be that it was just that school that was over the top in the ways you described? I sounds like the school has a very "academic" approach to teaching and, as you say, that works for some people and satisfies their goals. Would it be worth you having a good look around at other schools even styles?

I understand what you are saying, but my answer to that would be that the content of the lessons should be enough to make people want to come back. True, but it is not looked at the same as a Martial Arts program. It is an aerobic exercise program; not the same. I don't think people take them as seriously. They can always find another form of exercise. Maybe I live on a different planet, but being asked to pay for something monthly in advance would not make me more enthusiastic about it. Quite frankly people who feel that they need to pay "upfront" for lessons in MA or Aerobics in order to encourage themselves to train more regularly are numpties really.

The subject of Kiai was recently covered in another thread. The word means to unite or harmonise ones spirit. Ki= Spirit/energy (same as the word "Chi" used in Chinese martial arts) Ai=Harmonise. Although in the old schools of Budo there are specific sounds that a student is supposed to make when performing Kiai, in Karate I was always told to keep Kiais short using vowel sounds A,E,I etc. As others have said, do it from the diaphragm or Tanden in karate terminology.

Similarly, I am due to attend a seminar In Germany in a few weeks time, and although I dont "Sprechen Sie Deutsch" hopefully I will have no problem with training cause it'll all be in Japanese.

I can see that, and would have to say your take downs were good. Very good timing That’s good but bear in mind "Iponne Kumite" is still Kata, its is paired Kata, but none the less still Kata, because by definition it is a drill containing a pre arranged sequence of moves

Worryingly, I am a mine of useless information like this.

I think most of us know that the word kiai means to unify or harmonise your inner spirit and so shouldn't really be used as the sound that you make. I was always taught to use short vowel sounds A,E,I. If you study some of the older arts you may come across specific sounds that are used during each stage of engagement, by both sides namely: "Eeee" when initiating an attack. "Yaaa" when receiving an attack (Ya of course meaning arrow) and "Toe" when finishing a technique. Apart from Ya, I have no idea what the others mean, but they are bound to have some significance.

Hi ps1 not too shabby at all. The only thing that I would make comment on, was on your "mai-ai" (or lack of it) on the first set. Could be just particular to your school, but I thought you were a little close to you "uke" when performing your counter techniques Shotokan seems to be quite a rigid style and for this reason probably there wasn't a lot of hip rotation in the counter punches and there was not a great deal of fluidity in the techniques. That said I think you are being faithful to your style and you performed the katas well.

yes, i dont know what it is, something in the water or whatever, but theres about a half a dozen black belts who are regularly there who regularly make higher ranks very angry. i just hope its a phase, im quite sick of it. although i thought there'd be problems in other schools, now it makes me feel like im surrounded by ego-maniacs It is a cyclical thing: First dans feel they have arrived and think they know it all. They will say they don’t of course. Second dans have an "Invincibility" issue and the grade is often referred to as the "power" grade. They are obviously a cut above shodan... or so they think. Third dans begin to realise that they know less than thought and begin to look introspectively. Fourth dans slowly begin to get it. That’s why in many associations the title of sensei or teacher is reserved for 3rd dans and above, and even then it may be too soon. Unfortunately people get consumed by the whole grade and black belt thing. Although classical budo has no grades (only titles) I think it is fair to say that the students graded up to and including 3rd dan in modern gendai arts are the equivalent (in "Koryu" schools) of what would be referred to as "Shoden" or beginner stage. So really these guys that are fighting each other for position are only beginners and given time they may realise the folly of their ways. That said, in many ways, whilst the grade/belt system has some great qualities, it can also create a monster in some dojos. Mr Kano has a lot to be proud of, but also a lot to answer for lol.

Here in the UK, a ban on purchasing Samurai swords comes into effect in April. It has been met with mixed reactions, and although the government claims that it wont effect "martial arts enthusiasts" or collectors of "Authentic Swords" the boundaries are very unclear. Many of the quality suppliers of Iaito and Shinken in this country will not be taking orders after the cut of date, (even though they are clearly supplying to bona fide martial artist), for fear of prosecution it would seem. In truth, I am all for the banning of horrible replica "Katana" that can be picked up for $ 50.00 in your local high street, but in order to create a "catch all" piece of legislation, it means that we all suffer. How likely is it that your average "spotty hoody" is going to want to shell out on a decent Iaito, which despite not having a razor sharp edge, will set you back over $ 600.00. Here is an article from the BBC. What do you guys think? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7138735.stm

Absolutely, in stage combat the main aim of the practitioners is NOT to hit each other. They are extremely safety conscious, but the skill I suppose lies in making it look real. I am reminded of the words of the late great Laurence Olivier - "Dear boy...its called acting"