Hello MAP

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Gunner, Jan 5, 2015.

  1. Gunner

    Gunner Valued Member

    Hello - Great site for information! I got here by searching for stretching and flexability and found some awesome information. I want to thank everyone who shares their experience and information.

    About me - I turned 50 last summer and was getting bored with my usual gym routine. Most of my friends quit working out and playing sports so I was lonely. I spotted a Karate school near my house and thought - maybe I can do that. They offered me to come in an try it for free for two weeks. I"ve been going for a few months now and love it. Lot's of fun.

    I took TKD when I was 20 but got injured goofing around and broke a rib and tore a rotator cuff. That pretty much ended my "Bloodsport" fantasies. Anyhow, I was only a green belt and so not too much lost. Now, I'm just doing it for the physical fitness and camaraderie. I have suffered a few brusies and things but nothing too bad. The cardio workouts are a bear though at my age.

    Anyhow, great site and thanks again for the information you share.
     
  2. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    Welcome to MAP! Pop in to the karate forum for all your karate needs!
     
  3. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    Welcome. I'm a new user myself.

    There's plenty of usefull information here, and a lot of very interesting conversations.

    What style of Karate do you train in?
     
  4. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Welcome to MAP!

    What kind of Karate have you started?

    EDIT: Damn, Jaydub beat me to it. :p
     
  5. FunnyBadger

    FunnyBadger I love food :)

    Hi there and welcome :)
     
  6. Gunner

    Gunner Valued Member

    Thanks for the welcome. I don't know a lot about Karate lineage but from what I understand it's a Kokushinkai style. The school's Grand Master was taught by Hulon Willis who was taught by Mas Oyama. As far as I can tell it's very traditional. We learn a weapons form with along with the traditional kata and Self defense for each belt. I'm an orange belt and the physical conditioning -especially the ab workout - is a real killer on endurance day. After that we free spar and I feel like I'm gonna die. Having said that, it's a lot of fun. Most of the students are 17- 22. I never felt so old. Ha.
     
  7. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    Kokushinkai is very similar to my style: Yoshukai.
    Our founder, Soke Yamamoto, worked with Mas Oyama to develop the rules for full-contact sparring.
     
  8. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    welcome to the MAPness! :) What weapons style do you study? I assume it's some sort of kobudo considering the open hand style your dojo teaches. I'm studying Kokurin kobudo myself. (My shihan studied with several of the highest ranking students of Kenwa Mabuni, and most of the Kokurin syllabus comes directly or indirectly from them)
     
  9. narcsarge

    narcsarge Masticated Whey

    Welcome to MAP.
     
  10. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Haha, Kyokushin Karate is pretty brutal on the body no matter who you are :). "The strongest art is karate and the strongest Karate is Kyokushin" as Sosai Oyama used to say.

    Beautiful style though.
     
  11. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter

    Welcome to MAP! :)
     
  12. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Welcome aboard :)

    mitch
     
  13. Gunner

    Gunner Valued Member

    You start with the staff. I've just learned basic staff forms. The advanced form is beyond my comprehension. I watch the advanced students do staff and I think WTF, I'll never be able to do that.

    I've also seen swords, tonfas, sai and commas being used.
     
  14. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    Cool. :cool: I'm terrible with the long forms too. It's best to learn them in pieces instead of trying to digest it all at once. In Kokurin, all the kata are simply combinations of 15 basic (kihon) techniques. Does your style teach something like that? If so, you can break down the kata in terms of basic techniques strung together. For example, the opening of Sunakake no kon starts with a clear as in no. 3, then a step followed by a high strike as in no. 3. The crane stances and turns are unique to the kata and simply have to be learned.
     
  15. Gunner

    Gunner Valued Member

    The white belt has 3 basic kata forms to learn. They were really easy to learn because they were almost identical to the basic TKD forms I knew from a long time before. The Pinan katas add new elements that are easy to pick-up because we do dynamic offensive and defensive techniques during warm ups every class. The staff is a different animal but I'm getting the hang of ir slowly.

    I was pleasantly surprised to see the well written and explained post on baisc stretching by Redcoat Ninja Big THANK YOU to Redcoat Ninja for that! http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85373
     

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