white owl

I get right on that, dineshm.

I agree with jay. Maybe even address them as a group so he knows it is not just you who has the concerns (it is a few of you that has them). If you address the senpai don't gain up on him take one or two people with you, I do not know how long he has been teaching but it not easy if you are just starting out by yourself and sounds to me like he is doing good job just needs to do little less talking, exspecially if you are losing kids and really that is not fare to the little ones to stand in that position that long.

I we do the jump in our dojo. And my standing it is a throw.

I like your point tori, I call my katas by their given name. but sometimes I slip on the pinan kata's and call them pinan 5, instead of pinan godan.

I do not wash my belt do to tradition, and it does not smell either and I sweat a whole bunch, too. I think it looks cooler to see belts sweat stain and dirty it shows that your working hard. we had a white belt who's belt started to turn yellow before he tested for his yellow. how cool is that.

We do burpees in our dojo at least 1 or 2 times a week. Our Sensei challenges us with doing 50 burpees in less 5min. and another one is 100 burpees in less than 10min. They make me sick every time.

I have always wanted to do martials arts as a kid, but it was not until I got married and had a child. My husband in I were looking for a place for our son. So we put him in a karate school and then my husband joined and the next class I thought, hey this would be good for me for many reasons, so I took and introductory class and been with ever since.

In our school it goes by when you came to the school, when you got the belt and sometimes the your age. This all factors in where you stand. And we also have junior belts they line up behind the adults belts. Ex. If you are a junior black belt you would line up behind and adult white belt.

Good advice NewEnglands_kyosa.

I like them. I use them in my basement I put around a pole and punch with it, kick with it. there great.

I wash in cold water and I hang dry. For sweat stains I soak in dish soap and some oxiclean and little bit of gain laundry powder. It takes alot of the yellow out from sweat. For shrinking I went through 2 gi tops one mine and the other my husband before figure out not to dry them. DO NOT DRY. Seriously. And a student used bleach on his proforce gi and it ate holes in it, I never had a problem using a little bit of bleach but I stoped after I seen what it did to his gi.

I carry advil, hand santizer, chap stick,d.o., face wipes,a sewing kit for touraments it just stays in my bag, 2 pair of shinguards, notebook and pen, my gi and sparring gear and mouthguard, numchucks, I use to carry and Ice pack until it got used and then I bought a few and left them at the dojo, some quarters for the gatorade machine, and one of karate do books, sometimes a Blackbelt mag. or etc.,and a bottle of water or 2.

We use japanese words for somethings like for counting and some techniques. I find nothing wrong it and I like learning it too. and also it is mantory for belt test , you have no so many word for different grades of belts.

I agree with budokin because some kicks are different. I would use the wall if you have know to train with. Round kick have your back to it and pivet to where you touch it and pivet back to starting position. Front kick face the wall judge your distance and touch and come back to position, you can do the same with the side kick too. just touch the wall.

I know some people have problem with it my son does and I can not get him to do it either. I told also it is way to breath and it is a spirit shout. If you do not have spirit your kata has no spirit. Just a way to try to get him to do it, maybe it will work for you too.

We have 2 older kyu's in our dojo. We tell them to do what they can, but one of them takes advantage over it because the person does not attend class regularly and complains about it. The point I'm trying to make is attend class regularly and do what you can and build on it then it will get easier.

I train 4 days week 1hour tuesday -thursday and saturday 3-4 hours. It is mantory to make at least 2 classes a week or you are not able to belt test when ever it comes up, we never no. The cost is the same no matter how many classes you attend a month.

I suffered with the same thing when I first started training. It will go away over time. But if it does not I would diffently get it checked out. I agree with Bushido man with the glucosamine chrodroitin your joints take a beaten with no support of shoes. Osteo Bi-flex works great and you can get it at any retail store and I would also get on a good multi- vitamin, too.

I have been practicing Shotokan for a couple of years and I am presently a brown belt. I enjoy the martial arts and love helping and learning new things. This a Great sight. People are respectful and very helpful and I want to THANK YOU.

I agree with Tori on going and trying some free classes and get the feel of it, and then make your decision on it. Good luck on your decision and let us know how it goes.

At my dojo we use Gyaku Zuki for reverse punch.

I totally agree with you Bushido man.

It is all about the school and the Sensei an what he teaches. Look for a school that teaches Bunkai in the katas because everything will be clearer.

Some schools we'll honor your rank or test you to see where you are at in their system.

Thanks for all of your replys. I compete under the pkc and pkra rules. I have only had to compete with the gymnist for the first time at this past tournament but my son has in the past. they do not seem to show up at every tournament that I have been to in my area,(so far). I know that the black belt divisions have traditional and free style katas. but they so far do not have in brown belts or advance divisions or lower.