Is karate too BIG ?

[chufeng]

Senior does not refer to age...
It refers to those who have achieved Black Sash level...
The other part of Senior is Student...
Senior Student...after spending 16 years in the system, YOU qualify as a senior (whether you like it or not)...

Are you still a beginner? Of course, in many ways...but, then, aren't we all?

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Matt Stone]

You really have a way of taking the air out of a smart *** remark...

 

[chufeng]

Stinks, don't it?


chufeng

 

[Matt Stone]

yeah, mostly...

back to karate...

 

[GojuBujin]

Osu,

So many teachers were opposed to ranking. I know Miyagi Sensei did.

There was a time when there was only to Godan If i'mnot mistaken and shodan or Nidan was a really big deal. I think it still is in traditional dojos

Michael C. Byrd
http://www.inigmasoft.com/goyukai

 

[Mike Clarke]

That's right Michael, in times past godan was it.
I think the whole dan/kyu system came about as part of the Okinawa push to have karate-do accepted by the Japanese, in deed, early Okinawans were not graded [as such] but 'recognised' by their teacher as having reached a particular level of understanding.
In the Japanese Shotokai, I believe godan is still the highest rank issued. They do this because Funakoshi sensei had that rank, and no one wants to by placed higher than him.
You're correct also when you say that in 'traditional' dojo shodan and nidan are still a big deal. In mine they are anyway!
Regards,
Mike Clarke.

 

[vin2k0]

Each sensei has different teaching methods. Some may concentrate too much teaching all the techniques rather than understanding each of them and the application of them. My own sensei breaks each technique down so that you fully understand it.

Karate may well be 'too big', but this does not effect your individual learning. If you are keen to learn and develop both your technique and your mind your sensei will have much more time for you than he will for people who just come to keep fit, etc.

:asian:

 

[Jill666]

Originally posted by Mike Clarke
I have put these questions to a few karate teachers over the years and have had all kinds of answers.

Is karate too big these days?
Is there too much of it (too many kata, too many bunkai etc)
Has training in karate become more a test of memory, than anything else?
Has the collecting of techniques become more important than the understanding of them?

I Look forward to you comments.

Reagrds to all,

Mike Clarke.

Yes, yes, yes and yes.

I honestly believe many of us have reached the point where the collection of kata becomes an exercise in futility. For myself, I have several new, half-developed kata. I have to live with a kata for awhile. The more I work on the moves, the more it becomes ingrained in muscle memory, the more I can see applications for the moves, and feel the flow. I see the power generated here, and picture an extension there. But the new forms- eh, I'm just trying to keep up in the class. Which I think is a waste of time.

Why do we have techniques? Well one story is that some guy makes it home from a battlefield without dying, and teaches others- "I did this here- and it worked". And a waza is born. I don't know if that is true at all, but I like it. But when it becomes a contest who can pull out more techniques or whether Dance of Death is better than Sweeping Tiger, things get ridiculous.

How many people spar and use more than a few moves and a couple of combinations? Probably not many- unless you are very experienced. On the street how many moves will you do? How many do you want to do before extricating yourself from whatever difficulty you find yourself in? I am just as happy working on a different approach or extension to a technique I have to adapt my skills than to try to commit yet another kata to my limited memory. I get more jazzed by obtaining a useful insight into a move.

As for karate as a whole, an art, or a curriculum in a school of study, I'll defer to the teachers. Those are my initial thoughts :asian:

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by RyuShiKan
For the bogus ones.............gotta be the US. They don't call them "sepos" for nothing.

No, actually we call you guys "SEPO'S" , because it is short for the rhyming slang we use.
SEPTIC TANK = YANK

I told you, we talk funny!

--Dave

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by D.Cobb
No, actually we call you guys "SEPO'S" , because it is short for the rhyming slang we use.
SEPTIC TANK = YANK

I told you, we talk funny!

--Dave

Unlike Garbos

 

[Mike Clarke]

Garbos............Didn't she just want to be alone

Mike.

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by RyuShiKan
Unlike Garbos

Exactly!! See I knew you'd pick it up!

--Dave

:rofl:

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by Mike Clarke
Garbos............Didn't she just want to be alone

Mike.

Mr. Clarke, you are now being treated with the contempt, that that comment deserves.

--Dave

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by D.Cobb
No, actually we call you guys "SEPO'S" , because it is short for the rhyming slang we use.
SEPTIC TANK = YANK

I told you, we talk funny!

--Dave

In the martial arts world I have heard them referred to “Over Ranked Yanks”.

How would you shorten that to something along the lines of SEPO???

 

[Mike Clarke]

STRUTH !!!!

Keep your hair on cobber.

Mike.

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by RyuShiKan
In the martial arts world I have heard them referred to “Over Ranked Yanks”.

How would you shorten that to something along the lines of SEPO???

I think you might need to go back to my earlier post again,

We know that SEPTIC TANK = YANK.
ergo this could mean that YANK = FULL OF S**T

I'm not sure on this, but if it were otherwise, wouldn't we then settle for water tank or petrol tank or similar.

DISCLAIMER:
Please note, this is not to say that I think Yanks are full of it in general. For the most part, I have found you guys to be quite decent people. I'm just trying to nut out some nuances, that come out of the way certain terms may have come into our lingo.
I'm almost certain that this term came about during the 2nd WW. It used to be said that the Yanks were OVER PAID, OVER SEXED, & OVER HERE!

No offence is intended to anyone here.

--Dave

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by Mike Clarke
STRUTH !!!!

Keep your hair on cobber.

Mike.

Hey Mike, I hope you realize that post was written in humour. I just wanted to let you know that I thought the joke was poor at best.

--Dave
It is so hard to grin while you write,,,,,

 

[Mike Clarke]

No worries Dave.

Unfortunatly, all my jokes are poor. I'll try to do better next time

I didn't think it was 'that' bad though?

If you're ever down Launceston way don't forget to make contact. I'll show you how I do my kata, and that 'will' have you laughing

All the best,
Mike

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by Mike Clarke
No worries Dave.

Unfortunatly, all my jokes are poor. I'll try to do better next time

I didn't think it was 'that' bad though?

If you're ever down Launceston way don't forget to make contact. I'll show you how I do my kata, and that 'will' have you laughing

All the best,
Mike

Are you in Tassie? Or is there a Launceston in WA, or am I just getting muddled up thinking you are in the West?

--Dave



P.s., yes it was THAT bad!

 

[Mike Clarke]

I'm in Tassie Dave.

I lived in W.A. [ Fremantle] for ten years and didn't know there was a Launceston over that way?????

This place was named after the town in the South West on England by the early settlers [some of whom are still alive by the way and are still on the local council ]

Mike.