tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post9057976197583963260..comments2023-10-22T16:13:55.130+01:00Comments on My journey to black belt: Some eclectic karate musings....Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-62943150102343641682013-08-15T05:11:07.317+01:002013-08-15T05:11:07.317+01:00Cool!Cool!Celiahttp://besttreadmillforhomes.us/2013/08/08/the-treadmill-who-and-how-to-use-it/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-2483839475774579802013-08-09T17:19:07.763+01:002013-08-09T17:19:07.763+01:00Hi Brett, gonna get myself a big stick...LOLHi Brett, gonna get myself a big stick...LOLSue Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-64271521363633674802013-08-06T22:09:49.029+01:002013-08-06T22:09:49.029+01:00Just thought I might give you a well timed update:...Just thought I might give you a well timed update:<br /><br />In my dojo we have a 6 yr old girl who, most of the time, is very lazy with her techniques in kihon. Well yesterday our instructor repeated to her some commands and got little improvement...until he went to the corner and picked up the shinai.<br /><br />Her performance picked right up!The Strongest Karatehttp://www.kyokushinblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-91951074799822354462013-08-02T17:24:26.847+01:002013-08-02T17:24:26.847+01:00Hi JM, thanks for the tea and sympathy, I'm pr...Hi JM, thanks for the tea and sympathy, I'm pretty well back on track with my personal training agenda now and November's not far away:-) I see you like the dreaded shinai stick too - sounds like the old headmaster's cane to me! You North American's are a hard lot!Sue Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-45175831174235333512013-07-31T04:58:43.843+01:002013-07-31T04:58:43.843+01:00Sue,
Nice to see you back. I've been rathe...Sue, <br /><br />Nice to see you back. I've been rather hit and miss myself lately. <br /><br />As for waiting for November, I know it doesn't really matter what any of us say, your battle with disappointment lies within yourself. You seem to be getting wiser from the entire process but I do feel for you.<br /><br />It's funny, I mentioned my little friend the shinai stick before I read your post. Funny how it came up in your comments.<br /><br />Well done on early training. Yuck.Journeymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00146093025259375890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-71753811264655482032013-07-30T11:12:33.227+01:002013-07-30T11:12:33.227+01:00Brett, thank god for that! I had a mental image of...Brett, thank god for that! I had a mental image of your class all beaten, bruised and dripping with blood for not standing in stance correctly. I know you're a tough lot in kyokushin but that sounded extreme! LOLSue Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-22333471944624262842013-07-29T13:43:39.477+01:002013-07-29T13:43:39.477+01:00"Brett, shinai? You get beaten for not standi..."Brett, shinai? You get beaten for not standing correctly? "<br /><br />haha...no, nothing like that. With the younger students, the simple fear of being popped with a shinai is enough motivation to help them remember the importance of proper stances. <br /><br />With adult students a verbal reminder is usually sufficient (though I can think of one or two of my adult dojomates who could seriously use a few whacks with the shinai).The Strongest Karatehttp://www.kyokushinblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-23030527081768724332013-07-28T12:37:48.203+01:002013-07-28T12:37:48.203+01:00Rick, sound advice....
Brett, shinai? You get bea...Rick, sound advice....<br /><br />Brett, shinai? You get beaten for not standing correctly? <br /><br />Charles, sounds like poor stance work is a universal problem (or maybe it's a Western problem?). I think you are right to do a lot of stance training before other things. When I was a junior belt we seemed to spend a lot of time doing stance training, up and down the dojo, but less of this is done in our current junior classes and I think it is starting to show in the juniors who are coming through now. <br /><br />Felicia, Like they say, time is a great healer. I think I've gotten over myself now and can focus on the road ahead once more. November's only 4 months away! Thanks for your supportive words:-)Sue Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-89534992260077170392013-07-27T22:15:57.287+01:002013-07-27T22:15:57.287+01:00Hi, Sue - and great to see you back :-)
Just want...Hi, Sue - and great to see you back :-)<br /><br />Just wanted to tell you that I understand the heart v. logical battle that rages within when testing is delayed. Cool, you'll do it in November, but that doesn't mean the emotional being that is you (representative of us all) can't be all "Wow. That sucks!" You know I have been there, done that (and I felt like I got punched in the gut when I got the news, which I shared with the blogsphere as well). The only thing that made that awful feeling of "not being quite ready" go away was time. And as you are now tweaking, fine-tuning and shoring up some of your basics, you are obviously using that time very, very wisely. Hats off to you for forging ahead.<br /><br />And if you can figure out a fool-proof way to help students understand the importance of/focus on their stances, please let me know (as it is a source of irritation for me as well)! The gentle shove to illustrate how unbalanced they are works for me, but it requires a self-correction that all of my students can't (too new) or won't (your guess is as good as mine on why that is the case) do. Sigh...<br /><br />Enjoy your garden :-)Feliciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-30108105521559270792013-07-26T23:11:11.029+01:002013-07-26T23:11:11.029+01:00Oh, as to no. 2 comment, you are already aware tha...Oh, as to no. 2 comment, you are already aware that every body is unique and although it may seem appropriate to assume stances as taught across the board you should adjust them according to your body so higher stances may be necessary to achieve the proper posture, alignment, etc. Charles Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13812618556413423872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-7914542218032622702013-07-26T23:08:47.281+01:002013-07-26T23:08:47.281+01:001. You are the better for your decision.
2. Ahhh,...1. You are the better for your decision.<br /><br />2. Ahhh, stances are a huge problem in American karate as well or so I think. When I am teaching I like to put stances and kamae up front even before the fundamental techniques, i.e. Isshinryu has upper and lower basic techniques before kata. I like to involve the fundamental principles within the stances as a fundamental learning, i.e. doing stances and transitions with focus on proper stance alignments, movement, etc. right out of the fundamental principles of martial systems. I have them keep their arms and hands naturally hanging down at their sides and we would do these for about a half hour before anything else similar to warming up but with emphasis on mental focus, etc. If I had to say what is the worst of today's karate it would be a total loss as to stances, stance transitions and the concept of kamae, etc. <br /><br />3. Try closing the stance by raising up slightly when assuming stances and transitioning. In other words don't take as deep a stance as you may be doing now. This slight adjustment will possibly assist you in removing the issue. Deep stances have their benefits as a novice but combative stances when applied are often shallower for ease of transitions and mobility but you already know this ;-)<br /><br />You, as always, seem to have a solid grasp of things as you mention in the last two paragraphs, November will be here soon and you will have achieved Ni-dan. Good Luck Sue! (a morning person, cool, me too, my best practice is about 7am California time :-)<br /><br />"The biggest battle we all face really is the one inside ourselves ..."Charles Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13812618556413423872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-10593910927546501922013-07-26T18:23:22.722+01:002013-07-26T18:23:22.722+01:00With regard to student stances during kata my dojo...With regard to student stances during kata my dojo employs three methods to improve performance. <br /><br />1. When I am standing incorrectly, my instructor will give me a nice little shove to illustrate how unstable I am. <br /><br />2. We will sometimes perform kata with our arms at our hips. This means that I have to focus exclusively on my legs.<br /><br />3. Shinai. <br /><br /><br />Osu!The Strongest Karatehttp://www.kyokushinblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-60281073560809930482013-07-26T18:03:29.453+01:002013-07-26T18:03:29.453+01:00Ranking comes in it's own good time. Just stud...Ranking comes in it's own good time. Just study and practice. Rick Matzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09699550034693340637noreply@blogger.com