nursenox

Mine doesn't. I don't know about others.

I've been training for about 15 years now.

Hi. I don't know if this will help, but here are my observations: Here in Okinawa, I hear Osu used almost exclusively at the dojo. They use it as an informal greeting outside only rarely. I wonder if that is more of a mainland Japan thing. In my dojo here, they use it as greeting and goodbye, to answer role call, and to respond to being told to do certain things, but not as militantly formal as I see in American schools. I don't know this for sure, it's just a guess, but since it seems to be more of an Okinawan thing than a mainland thing. Oh, and another observation- People also use a word that sounds similar when they are pushing or straining to do something difficult. Coincidence?

Currently studying Kobayashi Shorin Ryu. I have a tournament next month on the 17th, where I'll be competing in kata, kobudo, and full contact kumite. I'm currently a nikyu. The experience here in Okinawa has been awesome, and my fear is that the culture shock of going back into an American dojo is going to be pretty severe. I'm not really sure what to do. I mean, I would love to continue with this style, but that will more than likely mean training on my own, or I can go to another dojo, which will mean changing styles *again*. Not only that, but I've come far enough in my training to realize that there really aren't that many good dojos out there, that train traditionally (though they all claim to unless they made up the style themselves!), and that really know what it is that they claim to teach. Do you know how many instructors out there couldn't even begin to show you the bunkai to their most basic kata? And I'm afraid that finding a traditional school that also knows something about full contact is also going to be pretty tough. I know there are good dojos out there, I'm just hoping I find one. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi! I'm an American training in Okinawa! I've been here about a year now, and will be returning home soon. If anyone knows a good dojo in the Kansas City area, I'd love to hear about it!