ShawnJ

Fukyugata Ichi Fukyugata Ni Fukyugata San Pinan Shodan Pinan Nidan Pinan Sandan Pinan Yondan Pinan Godan Naihanchi Shodan Naihanchi Nidan Ananku Getting ready to learn Wankan - it's my first kata as a Shodan. Then Rohai will follow sometime over the next year or so.

Much luck In theatre, we say "break a leg"...but I'm not sure it's appropriate here. lol What style do you practice?

Well, personally I think that some people take rank a little too seriously. If you remember Mr. Miagi in the Karate Kid. Points to head "Karate here.." Points to heart "Karate here.." Points to belt "Karate never here.." There are quite a few people, unfortunately, who train in Karate until they reach Sho-Dan, and then they drop out. This is sad. It seems that all they really want is a piece of cloth and a diploma to put in a frame. I know what you mean here. I think this goes back to the McDojo syndrome. If it really takes a student only 1.5 years to earn a black belt..how much are they really learning? It's one thing to wear a black belt. It's another thing all together to be able to perform as a black belt. At my dojo, the time it takes to get to black belt is 3 to 6 years, with the "average" being 3.5 years. I got my black belt in 3 years. But still, as a Sho-dan, I'm still only a beginner in the grand scheme of things. We are never done learning. As Shoshin Nagamine said "Karate is a lifelong marathon".

Thanks a lot you guys. Yes, Wankan is the first kata you learn after you reach Sho-Dan in my school - I practice Shorin-Ryu Karate USA. There is another Shorin-Ryu school around here that actually requires Wankan in order to test for Sho-Dan. In my school, you need Ananku, then you learn Wankan as well as Naihanchi Sandan after you reach Sho-Dan. Shorin-Ryu Karate USA is pretty much that same as Matsubayashi Ryu...only slightly different. lol I get confused with all the styles/schools. The name of our style is really Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu which was brought to the US in 1962 by Ansei Ueshiro. However, my school split from the parent organization several years ago and took on it's own style name - Shorin-Ryu Karate USA Under the Direction of Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro. Or SRKUSAUDGMAU for short. lol

Hey guys, Passed! Very tired! Back to class on Tuesday to, hopefully, start learning my next kata - Wankan.

In my school, testing fees gradually go up according to rank. This is Shorin-Ryu Karate USA. Ro-Kyu (1st green tip) - $10 Go-Kyu (2nd green tip) - $20 Yon-Kyu (green belt) - $30 San-Kyu (brown tips) - $40 Ni-Kyu (brown belt) - $45 Ik-Kyu (black tips) - $50 Shodan (black belt) $100 or $150 depending on if you want the belt embroidered.

We have to perform all of our current kata, starting from our lowest and working up to our highest - that's what we do on the spot. So that will be eleven kata. We also have to do partner excerises, ie. three-point arm training, Yakusoku Kumite (I believe the first three), Oyo-Tan-Ren, cross-deck exercises etc. I'm not sure what else will be on the test.

My Shodan test is tomorrow. Nervous and excited at the same time. There are going to be about eight of us testing and the test is about four hours - followed by a spaghetti dinner that Sensei is making. lol I think the main thing I'm worried about is my stamina. I've been working a lot lately and haven't been able to be at the dojo as often as I would like.

At my school, the Kata that must be performed for Shodan are : Fukyugata Ichi Fukyugata Ni Fukuygata San Pinan Shodan Pinan Nidan Pinan Sandan Pinan Yondan Pinan Godan Naihanchi Shodan Naihanchi Nidan Ananku

Shorin-Ryu Karate USA Under the Direction of Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro (that's the full title of our style. We are one and the same with Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate USA but broke off from that organization in 2003.) : White 1 Green Tip (Ro-Kyu) 2 Green Tips (Go-Kyu) Yellow (kids only) Green (Yon-Kyu) 2 Brown Tips (San-Kyu) Orange (kids only) Brown (Ni-Kyu) 2 Black Tips (Ik-Kyu) Black (Sho-Dan)

Shorin-Ryu USA : Fukyugata Ichi Fukyugata Ni Fukyugata San Pinan Shodan Pinan Nidan Pinan Sandan Pinan Yondan Pinan Godan Naihanchi Shodan Naihanchi Nidan I need to learn Ananku before I can test for Black Belt.

I was promoted to Brown Belt yesterday. I had missed the big promotion this past weekend, so I asked if I could test privately with just me and Sensei. I did very well - had to perform Fukyugata Ichi through Pinan Godan, Oyo-Tan-Ren and some partner exercises with Sensei. I love one-on-one instruction. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to be starting Naihanchi Shodan. I think the Naihanch kata are going to be a whole new world. - Shawn

I started my Karate training a year and a half ago at the age of 24. I was a heavy smoker and weighed 184 lbs. I'm 5'9" When I quit smoking, I gained - I am about 215 right now and trying to lose. But at least I'm healthy now and I can breathe. When you do any form of martial arts, you can either breathe or pass out! You will love how invigorated you feel after a work-out. If you are interested in training in MA, go for it. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. 23 is a great age, I think. The typical age for an adult class at my school seems to be late 20's into early 40's. My Sensei will be 61 this week and she looks like she's about 45

White Belt First Green Tip (Ro-Kyu) 2nd Green Tip (Go-Kyu) Green Belt (Yon-Kyu) Brown Tips (San-Kyu) Orange Belt (polishing level) Brown Belt (Ni-Kyu) Black Tips (Ik-Kyu) Black Belt (Shodan) Then the traditional 10 degrees of Black Belt - Shodan through Judan. For children, they will test for Yellow Belt after their second Green Tip. And some people will go to Orange Belt level after Brown Tips - more advanced students usually skip Orange and test directly for Brown. - Shawn

Thanks guys, Passed with flying colors Now on to Pinan Sandan and Yondan. - Shawn

Congratz on your test Green Belt really is where a new journey begins. My Sensei has always said that "the Green Belt is the backbone of the dojo". Keep up the good work. - Shawn

Congrats on doing well on your test Good luck with Pinan Shodan - that's my favorite kata

I'm testing tomorrow morning for my San-Kyu Brown Tips. Wish me luck!! - Shawn

True. Red in some systems is the equilivant of brown (or just before black belt) in other systems. In my own particular system, and I believe the majority of Okinawan/Japanese systems, a solid red belt denotes the head of the system. Only one person can wear it (legally). Yeah, I believe in most Okinawan systems, a red belt signifies a 10th degree Black Belt. I study Shorin-Ryu USA and our belt system is : White Belt 1 Green Tip 2 Green Tips Yellow Belt Green Belt Brown Tips Orange Belt Brown Belt Black Tips Black Belt

My school is $75 a month and $50 for each extra family member. Testing fees are as follows : Ro-Kyu - $10 Go-Kyu - $20 Yellow Belt - $25 Yon-Kyu - $30 San-Kyu - $35 Orange Belt - $40 Ni-Kyu - $45 Ik-Kyu - $50 Sho-Dan - $100 There are 9 classes per week. Belt tests/promotions are every 6 months.

That's great man. Good luck on your test

Actually Matsubayashi-Ryu was brought the style over to the states in 1960 by Jim Wax. Ueshiro didn't come over until 1962. Link Also, although the article states that Ueshiro branched off, it is my understanding that he was asked to leave by Osensei Nagamine for creating Fukyugata Sandan--but I could be wrong on that part. Jim Wax was one of Master Ueshiro's students. He studied with him in Okinawa and was the first American to open a dojo in the US. He opened it in Dayton, Ohio. He opened that dojo in 1960, at the instruction of his sensei - Ansei Ueshiro. As far as Fukyugata Sandan, I'm not entirely sure either. I was told that Ueshiro created that kata to strengthen the legs of the Americans, because we have weak legs - that's why that kata is so low. Ueshiro always referred to Shoshin Nagamine as his sensei. Though, Karate was actually taught to him by his father, Anho Ueshiro, as well as Entasu Isaenta, and Toguchi Seitoku. Ueshiro then opened a school in New York city with his student Robert Scaglione who became the CEO of Shorin-Ryu USA and ran the school with his wife, Sensei Judy Scaglione. Then, they moved to Florida and opened the Okinawan Karate Dojo. Then they got divorced, Sensei Scaglione (now Hanshi Scaglione) runs a school in Melbourne, Florida and his former-wife Judy (my sensei) runs the Okinawan Karate Dojo here on Merritt Island.

I practice Shorin-Ryu USA. The full title of our style is "Shorin-Ryu USA under the direction of Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro". Basically, we are just like Mastubayashi Shorin-Ryu except we have 19 kata instead of 18. The extra kata we have is Fukyugata Sandan, composed by Ansei Ueshiro in 1960. He was the Okinawan who brought this style to the United States. - Shawn

Passed my grading The whole promotion took about three hours this morning. There were quite a few people testing - for all levels. Only three of us testing for Green Belt. I was the oldest testing for this level. It really went great. When it came time to break the board...I was nervous. At my dojo, we aren't graded on the breaking. Sometimes it breaks and sometimes it doesn't. I had never broken before so I didn't know what to expect. The breaking happened so fast it was almost like...I blacked out and the next thing I knew, the board was in half, lying in front of me. lol The adrenaline was so extreme, I was actually shaking when I broke it. What a rush! So, I'm now a Green Belt and I start learning the first Pinan Kata (Pinan Shodan) on Tuesday. - Shawn

Thanks a lot you guys...today is the day! I'll let you know how it goes. The promotion starts at 10 this morning and there are twelve of us testing. So it should go until about 12:15. Keep me in your thoughts between those times. lol - Shawn