ramymensa

We're comparing carrots and plums again, but if you really like it ... It would be quite tight. I've learnt in my karate class grappling and locks and practice them. So I guess it happens in many other dojos, so we wouldn't be quite lost.

She wears the karategi outside the dojo? Yuck. The only time I was wearing it out was when I would jump into my BF's car in order to go home. It was winter, dark outside and I was wearing a wintercoat. anyway ... going shopping in your karate outfit is quite childish. And the BB Academy .. that's screaming McDojo. It was nice if she would have been buying fries

I agree with you, fat donkey In Shaolin Kung Fu and Aikido a dojo that offers quick promotion is to be avoided. These two styles are very complex and it really takes some time to get the hang of them. Still I think they worth the effort

I had the "opportunity" at my 5 kyu grading. I was extremelly nervous, because I wanted to shine and really deserve my rank and I got a dry mouth (happens when I'm too emotional). In this situation I must drink some water and it's OK. Still I couldn't do it, because I was in testings and ALONE. So I did my kihon combos as powerful as I could and I got to the kihon kumite part. At this moment it was hard to figure out a way to breath, I had sand in my mouth (at least that's what I felt), and not a drop of saliva. Then 3 matches of free kumite. I was turning white (I imagine those who were watching were betting on the moment I would drop uncounscious ... I guess nobody bet on me surviving ) ... I was hyperventilated (sp?) and could barely stand up. I still managed to make some problems to my sparring partners (higher ranked and more used to sparring) and then ... kata. With the last drop of life I managed to muster all my strenght (where from?) and performed a kata that was powerful and convincing. After that I bowed and limped to my place. I could barely see my place .. but I had no problem seeing the water bottle. Nobody opposed. I got back in formation and did an entire training session (sadistic bas...ds ). After the training I got my rank, though I didn't matter anymore. I was glad I did it and didn't mess it. I was applauded by all

Shop some more. A good warm up is very important in order to reduce the risk of injuries. And the gym should be not that warm and the air flow is important, too. As for the guys with tattoos and bandanas ... they might be "cool" and really nice partners, still I wouldn't train with some guys who look like taken from the very dark parts of the streets and bars.

It's indeed nice how we make big issues of anything I call my sensei "sensei" and I feel like calling him that way. He's a 6th Dan and worthy of all respect. He's been in Shotokan for almost 30 years and he is a very nice person. I deeply respect him and "sensei" is the title I like to call him. The second instructor is one year older than me. We're friends and because of this similar age I call her by the name, still, when I feel like, I put a "sensei" for her too. I have all the respect for their proficiency and mostly for their way of behaving. And I consider the title is not that important. What's the use for having a 543654 dan unworhty of calling him human, not to mention sensei

Get over the losing thing. You are not losing anything. You win some more experience and have a good time. That's all that matters. I've had the problem you mention and the only way for me to get over it was to ... well, get over it I started ENJOYING the sparring and put behind the losing/winning aspect. I'm best friends with my coleagues and instructors and always looked at a kumite session with excitement, because I knew of the benefits. My fear was to get hurt and make a fool of myself. Still, I tried to get over it and good instructors and nice higher ranked coleagues did the difference. I told them straight in the face I have some fears and I'm new to kumite (jyu-kumite ... free sparring) and they took care of me. I'm deeply in debt in front of my coleagues and sensei for making me feel OK. They just showed me how to react, some good techniques and never stopped encouraging me. Though they could have swept the floor with me, they never used excesive force and preferred losing some "points" just to make me see my techniques could actually work. And now I work with lower belts, who are not as scared as I was, and feel it's my duty to act as careful as my coleagues did with me when I was "little". I'm ranting here, but I hope you see my point. So ... my precious advice Try to fight empty minded ... leave all worries, anger, fears and pride (it's killing us) and just try to land the techniques. We all have good and bad days so it's not the end of the world if you're losing or winning. Concentrate on the techniques and on "feeling' your opponent. And it would be OK.

Bassai dai. I thought it was so nice. I still think this and fortunatelly I've learnt it

With all my respect to both, samurais and ninjas, I wouldn't like to live like them. Their existence was less "exotic" than what we see in films and their life was mostly governed by some laws impossible to obey in the "real world" (our world ). Their determination, skill and courage are to be admired, still their era has passed. Nowadays we must live by other codes, though Bushido seems nice in some aspects. We'll have to take from them what's suitable and live like "normal" people (though our interest in MA is not "normal" in some people's minds ). Religion and moral codes (in our society) make impossible a pure "bushido" life, so we'll stick with what we can take from it. Just an opinion. and for the question asked ... I'd take Ninjutsu and the samurais arts as well. Hard to decide. Not to mention the need to find a REALLY GOOD instructor.

From your post I assume you're not afraid of some styles that take YEARS to master. They are both great and rewarding. I'd recomend to shop a bit aroud and decide in favour of a good dojo with a nice instructor and good students. And go for it. As for hitting and being hit. I was terrified by this and I overcame my fears. I can take a hit and feel OK when delivering one. If you are attentive, it won't hurt to feel the "spice" a bit. Welcome to KF too. Keep us posted. PS: aikido vs. Shaolin Kung fu? Maybe both

Leave McDonald's aside. consume sweets moderatelly (when you are feeling like dying unless you have a bite), go for fruits and veggies. Find some you really like and consume them. Sugar, chips, Mac stuff are bad for everybody, not just for those who want to lose weight. So just leave them aside. Do your exercise and enjoy it. It's important

When having problems with weight and lack of a good physichal condition (sp?) the way to solve the problem is to do exercises. Don't wait to lose weight and become a sportsman by night. Do sports and you'll lose the weight and improve. The only way to be able to do situps is to do them. One or 2 today, 3 and more tomorrow. It's the same for all exercises. You won't condition while dreamind.Put yourself to training and you'll see the benefits. So go for it. Get down and do pushups, situps and so on. Make a schedule for your effort. Start realistically. For the first days do 5-10 repetitions if you can't do more. But stick with the plan. Don't be ashamed for your problem, hard work will solve it. So work and add some more "spice" as you become stronger. Watch for your diet and work out. And then tell us how it's working

Not to mention you'll feel bound to work harder especially for not making a fool of yourself So go with the "pros". You'll have only benefits

Let me put my 2 leis in this thread. In my opinion the title is not suitable (hopefully). People are not losing interest in Karate (MA in general), au contraire, they become more and more inerested. More girls and women enter the dojo in order to become something else than couch potatoes, parents dropping their kids in karate classes, and adults who have the courage to step into it, though some would say it's too late for them. Society is becoming more interested in this and little by little we are edicating it in order to accept this. So i don't see how the interest is being lost

Mart, yes you've got a date Move your .ss in Romania and I'll take you to a pizza

Every MA style is good for getting in shape if you train good and hard. At 15 years old, I guess being overweight is not such a problem (socially it is, but you're growing). So train. You'll gain strenght, good condition, lose some weight and grow nicely. If the dojo you know is OK, I say go for it. You'll feel excellent and your age is PERFECT for any sort of training

Having a certain rank doesn't automatically mean you can best all those under you. I can win kumite sessions against more advanced partners, because I trained like a mad man (well, woman) and I'm very determined in winning. In kata, I sometimes work better than most of my coleagues because I'm very attentive at all the details. Still, any beginnner with enough "spirit" and knowledge could sometimes win against me. We are not perfect (we're humans, make mistakes, feel ill sometimes, recover from injuries or having social/personal problems). All these can hinder us in MA life too. So it's not such an unusual thing to lose against a lower rank. Remember we all succeeded against higher ranks at least once in a lifetime And we were in heaven So, my precious advice move on. If they won fairly, don't despair. Work hard and put it behind. Go to other tourneys and prepare to win and also lose. If the contest wasn't fair ... it happens. I guess everybody here had this "surprise". So, go forward, learn something from this experience, unpleasant as it is and keep us posted.

Profacci, I respect your POV, though I can't agree etirely. Still I don't understand why you had to make a double thread

Tall people have an advantage. Sometimes they don't know how to use it and it's easy to make their advantage turn into disadvantage. Sometimes they know their business (I'm a tall woman and know to exploit this. I can't be swept, I mule kick like a ... well, mule ... and happen to know how to keep my oponent away). Of course, when it comes to good fighters, the game is not played until the end. It's all decided in those very moments, and our "recepies" are good for information and a better conduct of the entire "war". I'm ranting, here, hope you'll see my idea

Unfortunatelly it's hard to find a soul mate without any conditions, and having the guy involved in MA is even more narrowing the chances. I think it's ideal, but the idea is to have the other love you and respect you. The rest comes easily.

You should really try it. As for trophies, I never give them to the club. I've earned them, they're mine. I give my club money for my training, the other stuff is mine. Anyway, our club doesn't go for showing trophies. Nowadays you can buy them at ever street corner

I say they should train in mixed classes too But I'm even more mean ... I don't think a person (man or woman) has got to benefit that much from only self-defence classes. For best results they should be involved in a tougher program. Working twice a week and then sitting on a couch for the rest of the week won't do any difference. Before you take my head of for being so obnoxious, let me tell you I've been there, done that. Except for I was going at self-defence classes and a complementary activity for my Shotokan training and I've seen the differences. There were a lot of persons who were doing just the sd course and had no idea of what fighting means or even having a goog guard. So my opinion is that in order to be effective a sd course must me long and well structurred. Doing 20 classes means nothing. In order for the techniques to work in a real life situation, with the adrenaline rush and surprises from the enviroment, they sould be a second nature and that comes from MANY YEARS of training. My opinion

I agree with the knowledge part, too. I've studied all I could about my style and after 3-4 weeks of training I was able to ask some very interesting questions. My sensei gain a deep respect for my knowledge and our relation got even more "tight". It helps me understand and teach others and I strongly advice all students to know their stuff. Knowledge can't hurt you, the lack of it is sometimes the start point for many troubles. And it really .sses me off when I hear some coleagues say "huh, we're doing what? Shoto .. what?

Thank you Drunken Monkey for the input. So it's even worse with wu Shu

See, finals are not that bad? I'm stuck with "finals" at college and it's a killer too. I have work, Karate, lots to study ... But look at the brighter side ... in some weeks you'll rest and have an accomplishment to look at Don't give up. And try to REST. It's vital in order to sustain such a rhythm of study and work