Hey everyone

Eye of the Tiger · July 17, 2002

Welcome to the forums

shuriken_girl · July 25, 2002

Thanks everyone!

And thanks kickchick, that's really cool. I know just a little history from our sensei.

White Crane karate is basically shotokan karate (the most common type of karate), except there's heavy influence from white crane Kung Fu (that's the one you just told us about). For example, White Crane Karate has more moves than regular old shotokan, different stances and a slightly different technique. It's also more well-rounded because it combines the soft and hard styles.

We even do this weird kung fu tai-chi type thing called tensho...it's like a dance with your hands that looks beautiful but it's actually a bunch of strikes and blocks. It's very tiring when our sensei makes us do it a million times...your arms get tired. When we're more advanced we'll learn the foot movements which he says are complex. We have a great sensei. He speaks calmly but firmly all the time, and you'd be amazed to see how he can control a bunch of fidgeting little 6-year-olds. (Um...I'm in a beginning class...*cough cough*) He's very strict but nice too.

I've been taking it for a month now, and I'm getting better so slowly that I don't notice it. We take things slow in class (doing basic moves over and over) but when I look at how I was when I started compared to how I am now, it's pretty impressive.

I'm having so much fun doing this! I have discovered the wonderful world of martial arts...lol