Kyle-san

Kirves made the TMA point very well and, ironically enough, that applies to a situation I'm having in the Ketto Ryu dojo I'm training at. Thanks, it's got me thinking in a different direction.

I don't know anyone in the public eye very well so I can't really nominate someone from there. From personal experience I'd say my Aki Jujitsu instructor, but he really doesn't need that extra distinction when he holds the respect of his class so well.

Interesting. Flatulence tends to rear it's ugly head when I'm stretching, if it all. Just ignore it.

Fair enough. I'll apologize for pushing the point so hard and leave it at that.

It doesn't matter to me what I train in, but I love the feel of a gi. It's just something natural to me.

That's all well and good, but you still haven't answered any of my questions. I've beaten people that were stronger and faster than me (both strikers and grapplers) and have been beaten by people that were stronger and faster than me (both strikers and grapplers). Now that you've cleared up the stronger/weaker grappler point maybe you'd like to look at the others. All the examples you've given have been based on some level of experience (even your 4 months). The original point I was getting at was what happens to a person who just learns that specific choke and only that choke and gets into trouble? Clarify. Oh, and if you don't mind could you reply sooner than three weeks this time?

Thanks for adding to the MMA stereotype.

Nah, all my training was in Brandon. 4 years Karate, 3 years TKD, 1 year Jujitsu.

Cool, I lived in Winnipeg for a while, then moved to Brandon.

Where exactly in Winnipeg are you from? I'm assuming you're from Winnipeg because I doubt anywhere else would have a BJJ location.

It seems that way, but generally speaking everything is started at a very slow level (in terms of working with the locks and throws) and works up to that very physical state once everything is flowing smoothly for you. But, anyway, go with whichever seems best for you.

! !!! !!!!!! Jesus, I've never paid over $35 a month for any marial art and I thought I was being ripped off.

Yes, I am here to spout the wonders of Aiki Jujutsu. Anyway, the style of Aiki Jujutsu that I studied was a hybrid, so I can't give you a clear indication of what the pure form would be like. However, what I trained in was very complete and went quite well with my Shotokan Karate training. As Kensai has already pointed out the various differences, I don't need to. However, it's because they're so opposite that I'd say Aikido and Shotokan wouldn't work so well as a blend. The more offensive nature of Aiki Jujutsu might blend better, but it all depends on your personality. Personally, I'd check out both the Aikido and Aiki Jujutsu dojos and see which one you'd rather do. Either way you can't go wrong. Another option, if you can find it, is Ketto Ryu Jujutsu which has many blocks, kicks and strikes that are similar to Shotokan and you still get the joint manipulation of Aiki Jujutsu and Aikido.

If that's what you're looking to concentrate on, I'd go with the Hokutoryu Jujutsu. I'm assuming it has similarities to Ketto Ryu Jujutsu (another modern variation on Jujutsu it's been around for 20 years or so), which is the style I'm involved with at the moment. It'd be much more complete in terms of self-defence than Hapkido, but Hapkido is a good choice as well.

I have a bokken and a staff.

Jiu-Jitsu.

Learn them all, then decide what's usefull and what isn't. It's better to know the techniques than not even if you never use them.

The way the Aki Jujitsu dojo I was at did things was that the sensei advanced someone when he felt they had gotten a grasp on the techniques for that level and were prepared to move up. No testing, just being told to move up because you're in the wrong place. It could take anywere from 3 months to a year to be moved to the next belt. It all depends on the student.

1) I've studied Shotokan Karate, ITF Taekwon Do and Aki Jujitsu, and taken classes in Wing Chun and Ketto Ryu Jujutsu 2) 3 1/2 years, 2 1/2 years, 1 year "training" and several learning, a few months 3) I damaged my knees doing some of the kicks and stances in Shotokan and they are still weak today. During a TKD tournament I got kicked in the ribs hard enough to bruise them. Other than that nothing but minor bruises and cuts that come with the training.

The Aki Jujitsu dojo I go to when I'm at home runs from White to Black and that's it. No extra degrees of black, once you're there you're there. White Yellow Orange Green Blue Brown (Have to go open your own dojo at this point) Black

Yeah, I've met a lot of young black belts in my day. The ones below 16 usually don't get it, but there are always exceptions to prove the rule.

It never seems to work out that way, once that lock lands 90% of people forget about their training and concentrate on the fact that their arm/wrist is hurting so much. I've been in that situation and tried to get a punch off, but as I started to move the other guy just put on more pressure and that stopped me dead in my tracks.

I just set a pace for my breathing while I'm doing my techniques and don't have many problems keeping it there. It's a lot of practice to get it right, though. What I do is visualize the breath entering my body through my nose and slowly starting to move running up to the top of my head and down my back until it gets to my stomach. I visualize a dark coloured ball there which the breath circles once, twice, three times and slowly changes the colour to an orange. After the third circle I let it travel back up my body and out my mouth. It's... pretty corny, but works well. Especially as a chi exercise.

Recently while walking on campus I saw a banner advertising Gojukai Karate. I was just wondering if anyone knew the history of this style or anything helpful.

Indeed. Shotokan is all about low stances and one-hit finishes. There's a lot of power in the system, but less focus on speed. It's also very linear and that can get you into some problems. Most instructors don't have grappling experience, so you get the short end of the stick there. There's also a danger of damaging the knees if you aren't careful with your stances and some kicks. However, if you get a good instructor Shotokan leaves you a very powerful practitioner and your stances are generally very strong. Especially when you rise up to a higher stance than traditionally used in class. Still, the grappling and linear weaknesses don't lend well to open tournaments (if that's what you're looking at).