ramymensa

10x to you all The ordinary guy would have thought I was a chicken, but let them have their way. To be honest I hope I'll never have the "opportunity" of defending myself from such a guy. It's frustrating

I'm horrified. How could he do this? It's bad these things happen, but they do

Some months ago I thought TKD stinks. Sorry ... was stupid. I do Shotokan and I've learned any style should be respected and I guess TKD is OK. Anyway, we shotokan practitioners should be greateful, because we had something to learn from the other style. Back in the 70's shotokan used even less kicks than now. I've seen some clips from the championships. They used low guards and almost no kick. Nowadays ... we have some high kicks ... and I wonder where have we got inspired from

I'm a girl, 1.70m and only 48 kg. I think size DOES matter. Especially if I have to defend myself against a 1.85m/80 kg male. Probably he wouldn't feel me kicking him Just a thought

Guess I'm just coward ... Had the "opportunity" of kicking some drunk b..t, bur I ran away. The guy was too "stoned" so i guess he wouldn't appreciate my technique And because I like to show off and I didn't have "audience" I've chosen to retreat. He wasn't that aggresive (only in language he was criminal ), so I thought the best way is to let him go. I don't know if it was bad ... but it was my choice then

I've studied only Shotokan so it's easy to remember my first class. Well it was horrible I trained in sport equipment, because my karategi was on it's way to me so I felt like an alien, though there were many practitioners who weren't wearing a gi. I fount it strange ... I refused to kiai, because I though it to be stupid. Now I do it I respected the bowing and the other stuff, but I was kind of martian because I didn't know the names of the techniques and I haven't had the opportunity of knowing the guys and the girls. Things changed now. I've studied a lot of things about shotokan, get along great with everybody and feel like home.

I also thought of starting Aikido. I'm doing shotokan and considerred those two are Ok and may cover many aspects. Nice to find out I'm not alone

Another one who is thrilled with MA Yeah ME It helped a lot in many aspects: I'm more confident, more relaxed, I can use my "energy" , helps with concentration, makes me powerful, the muscles have a good workout, I gain more flexibility, I meet nice people and I feel more healthy. So ... let's keep on doing this Good luck to you all. Nice to meet you

Thank you LeaF for the link. I've already added it into my favourites

For short term ... to be able to train as often as I can ... On a longer period ... to become proficient in shotokan, take up Hon Do Ryu, become proficient there too, open my own dojo and age beautifully doing this great stuff

We were taught taikyoku shodan first. After that we got to the pinan (heian) series without doing taikyoku nidan or the others. Guess it would have been a waste of time In our dojo we start at the 10th kyu level wearing the white belt, but having to earn it. Thus the 9th kyu has still a white belt For the exam to the white belt to the other white belt (with a superir rank though) we have to perform taikyoku shodan. Afterwards the heians. For myself it was OK, because heian shodan is a little more difficult and knowink taikyoku shodan was helful. I remember I had some problems with tettsui Hope I've helped a little here

Just that? For a whole training session? On your profile I see you are a SHODAN. Haven't you done this stuff yet? It's quite normal and perhaps you've experienced it before. I usually go home on my bike and wearing some tight jeans, that after training almost can't fit me anymore In our dojo we do this stuff often. Standing on one leg and doing mae-geri, mawashi geri, yoko-geri and sometimes even ushiro-geri. We must do 30 kicks without touching the floor with the kicking leg, in order to improve ballance. If we touch the ground before finishing those 30 kicks ... we do 50 squats (hope this is the way to write it. Sorry, English is a foreign language.)

I guess you'll think I'm mean, but shouldn't we know this stuff? I saw many here quite amazed. Why? Dojo Kun, Ninju Kun, Mizo No Kokuro, Tsuki No Kokuro and the other philosophical stuff should be very familiar to a real karateka. Now you hate me Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anybody, it was just a thought. Thanks anyway to the one who made finger exercises writind this stuff down

Excelent idea ... Unfortunatelly in our dojo it's done only for 1st kyu. The others won't have the opportunity of showing how smart they are. And I know so many things well back to the idea. I think it's great because everybody should have a minimum of knowledge regarding the stuff they practice and they should be able to "reason" even after a "killing" physical test. Maybe I'll convince sensei to do this

I train in Timisoara, Romania at a SHOTOKAN club and I love every minute Sensei is funny and also very serious when it comes to important stuff. He is a Godan and very proficient. The coleagues are great and we get along very well, the training sessions are 4 a week and serious ... everything is OK.

Well you might try it, but beware. Some people would think you're crazy to run and kiai at the same time. I would think that Try it and tell us how it was

Honestly? i don't think it's apropriate. I would feel too scared. Hopefully the higher ranks can control their techniques better than the beginners and that should be in favour for sparring with "brownies". Unfortunatelly there isn't always control and a yellow belt (a beginner, who practiced Shotokan for a small period) wouldn't stand a chance. In our club we may spar even when absolute beginners, but it's more like a game. We are not supposed to put power in that, it's more like touching the "surface". After becoming green belts, we start "the real thing", but still with control, especially on the jodan level.

Love ashi barai Effective and sweet. Always nice to see the others at your feet. he he he ;D

I couln't have said it better. Nice to know such open-minded persons.

Interesting topic. I train in shotokan and i'm an othodox, but it never occured to me that I shouldn't bow while entering the dojo. I agree with you, those who said that if you don't like to bow ... don't or find another MA which doesn't require that. And to sue somebody in this matter is ... ludicrous. Perhaps we Europeans, are less interested in the courtrooms And again about not doing what you dislike ... I've read a lot about Osu and honestly I don't think I should utter it so many times. The result. I just shut up and nodd my head. Thus sensei would understand I was paying attention.

10x for the link. i've joined the club

I train in [color=red]shotokan[/color] and I love it for many reasons: - i've learnt some self defence - it allows me to work my muscles and to become even more atractive - I have fun and I can relax in an active manner - I learn coordination and God knows I needed that - the movements are interesting and beautiful - love to do kata and sparr with my friends - and I look great in karategi The main reason Is that I LOVE it Seems a good choise for me so far. Probably I'll take up hon-do-ryu pretty soon. So I'll double the joy

I've seen some videos with championships in the 70's (Shotokan championships.) Their guard was VERY low and sensei explained us that in those times they didn't use too many kiks at the jodan lever. Picture a contemporary championship with karateka using these low guards ;D ouchhh Nowadays mawashi geri jodan is the "mother and father" of many karatekas and the result was the guards in a higher place

How to increase awareness? Ride the bike in the middle of an horrific traffic. Then you'll be always able to stay on the yellow or even the red light, as many of you said in this forum. Unfortunatelly they can't teach us in the dojo how to be prepared. It's up to everyone., For myself ... I avoid going to suspicios places and try to stay awake all the way Kinda hard ...

Happened a few months ago. Here we are in the dojo, doing several exercises for warming up. We had to run as hard as we could. So I did it. Unfortunatelly when I've ran half of the distance I felt too relaxed where my pants should be tied. I grabbed the falling piece of clothing before anyone was able to notice and ran to my place with one hand grabbing the pants. Those who noticed I'm holding my pants had a good laugh. So had I, being happy I could catch them in time.