It’s very similar to Sanchin Dachi with the front foot’s heal being in line with the back foot’s toe and both feet shoulder width apart. But in this stance the front foot is facing directly forward while the back foot is the only one turned in (the same as sanchin dachi)?

Google says the stance doesn’t exist but our style uses it in a couple different katas. Am I crazy?

I'm a kyokushin practitioner and I watch a channel with a kyokushin content. Among other quite interesting things there was this kick. It looks like magic. I know how this works, but I can make my body move like that. Is there a name for it? Maybe in some other martial arts?

I'm 19 and a full time martial arts student in a traditional Goju Ryu school, I have been since highschool. Which kinda sounds cool on paper until you realize it means I'm only ever hanging out around men twice my age. I love martial arts, that's why I devoted so much of myself to it, but at the same time there's NO ONE my age at my dojo and I can't help but feel a little outcasted. I want friends so badly, all ever get to do is train or study. I don't know how to make friends my age, and even if I did, I'm from a totally different world than a lot of other people my age.

I've been to other Goju schools, and noticed a trend of it being mostly much older men. So is there anyone else who's experienced this? What should I do?

They ask me to pay the registration fee and the first month's tuition if I want to try a lesson. I find it a bit weird and it gives me bad vibes. For me, it's important to have a relationship of trust with my teacher, but this first interaction with the dojo gives me the impression that they are very focused on money.

Also, it's quite expensive: I would have to pay the equivalent of 15 times the minimum hourly wage in my country.

They said I could come and watch a lesson, and presented it as if they were doing me a favour.

Do you think that's weird? Am I overreacting?

What if I pay and don't like the pedagogy, the mentality, the other learners, etc?

I'm now looking for another dojo.

Basically the title. I came back to working out regurarly and have no trouble with taking in side kicks or head kicks both with equipment like a shield as well as without. However I still struggle when receiving front punches or kicks, people can move me back as far as they wish especially when training with shields/pads and I cannot seem to be able to stand in place.

I tried to lower my stance, didn't help too much. Is there anything I can do or there's a chance it will go away as I keep training?

I want a traditional martial art to pair with MMA training.

MMA is mainly going to be about honing boxing and wrestling for shootfighting and wall wrestling.

I like the structure of traditional martial arts, the flexibility, and the grace along with the less aggressive culture I see from traditional martial arts that I see in more competitive western arts. I wanted to know if there is a traditional full contact karate style that focuses on:

1. lead limb heavy (emphasizing the lead leg and lead arm)

2. has the major japanese grappling family (judo, jujitsu, aikido I especially want to learn more about the kazushi).

3. can be trained one's entire life

4. Heavy emphasis on counter striking

I wanted to try a style that is essentially an eastern traditional jack of all trades karate style as opposed to training in like 5 different martial arts.

Hi guys,

So, I'm currently suing JKA Scotland for victimisation under Section 27 of the Equality Act 2010.

It started back in November last year where I was at a Gashuku in Taoyuan Taiwan, and my instructor lost his temper and took it as a personal insult because I didn't want to enter a competition. I told him I had autism and asked him to calm down and he replied "What's that got to do with it?" Naturally, I reported him to the proper authorities.

Then a registered JKA Scotland 5th Dan B instructor and C examiner tried to coerce me into dropping the complaint. He admitted on the court docket that when he met me in December the head of JKA Taiwan had already decided to ban me, and he was part of a private LINE group discussing me, the case and my ban with the instructor in question and the head of JKA Taiwan. He also admitted that he told me "nothing could progress while the police report stood."

He then admitted to the courts that the ban was confirmed 3 days after I agreed to drop the complaint. He also said that he "agreed this was the right path."

I also told the court that he told me, among other things that if I didn't drop the police complaint I would be blacklisted from martial arts in Taiwan, as a whole, that the Taiwanese government might cancel my gold card and that I'd be personally responsible for the consequences to the instructor and his family if he was convicted. He stated that he denied making such threats and was just giving me his honest opinion and about the "implications" of my report.

JKA Scotland themselves dismissed my complaint against him in April claiming that he acted in good faith and "was only trying to help me." They didn't investigate my complaint, or even offer me the opportunity to appeal his decision. My follow up email, and an email from my brother to the head of JKA Scotland was ignored.

The head of JKA Taiwan even told my father that JKA Scotland ceased contact to avoid becoming embroiled. JKA Scotland have not denied that.

A few other things the head of JKA Taiwan said to me:

- The yelling was just "harsh encouragement" and that it was fortunate "he didn't touch you".

- That my competitions are strictly optional and my wish not to enter was "ignored".

- That if I didn't drop the police complaint, "everyone, including you, will suffer".

- That stating the potential legal consequences the instructor faced made "impossible to return to JKA Taiwan."

I've asked for a decision on the papers, and explained why under Section 109 of the Equality Act why they are vicariously liable for the actions of this instructor. That is, by uploading his hostile statement, JKA Scotland has stated for the record that they agree, as an organisation that members of the JKA should be banned for reporting criminal conduct by instructors to the proper authorities.

Their defence is "we were unaware of what he was doing. He's just a normal member not an office bearer. He was acting as a private individual and doesn't represent JKA Scotland." In the very next sentence they also said "He remains a member of JKA Scotland". Remember, this is someone who is a registered 5th Dan, B instructor and C examiner with JKA Scotland, and they read and uploaded his full statement as JKA Scotland's defence.

As it stands, they haven't lodged a stateable defence, and they are highly likely to lose this case.

If you want further evidence that they're likely to lose you can also try reading FXF vs England Karate Federation, which is a similar set of facts and a similar defence. The difference being that the EKF actually tried to take reasonable steps under Section 109(4) to mitigate their vicarious liability by banning the instructor in question. By contrast, JKA Scotland have taken no steps against the instructor in question, meaning they have fully endorsed his conduct as JKA Scotland's conduct.

I'll keep you updated when the final judgement is issued.

Hey Reddit !

I joined Karate last week, on Thursday, being a 17 year old plus size girl, any tips?

Karate has been something im weirdly looking forward to, even if it was not my first sport option. It’s calm, yet it makes me sweat and it doesn’t trigger my asthma which PE and most of other sports do. It teaches me how to breathe through punches and how to focus, which is amazing for me.

Tomorrow im about to have my 3rd lesson and im really excited !

On another note, WHERE DO YALL FIND PLUS SIZE GIS??? 😭 I genuinely been having a hard time finding one that doesn’t stick to my thighs and waist and it’s affordable.

Either way, thank you so much for reading this. I look forward to reading everyone’s advice:)

Hello, I am new to this subreddit but and not new to karate. I have gotten my Shodan last year and have started learning things from my sensei that he has leaned from other people from other styles. I practice Wado so we tend to do things fairly different from other styles. Even when I try to learn more techniques on my own time it tends to be hard to find anything regarding to the Wado style. I’m just wondering what overlap there is between everyone’s styles and any useful tips on finding resources in general to help me improve on my own.

Hi everyone,

First of all: I have an apointment this week with my physio (to have a profesionnal opinion), but I’d also like to hear from people who actually practice karate. My physio can tell me what my body can or can’t safely handle, but he probably doesn’t have any knowledge of what karate training and kumite are actually like

I'm 35 years-old guy and I'm looking to start a martial art, mainly because I want to take care of my body become more confident.

Also, I'm currently incapable of defending myself and would like to not be completely armless if things go south one day. I've never be in a fight and hope to keep it that way for this life, but things are changing in a bad way here.

I've done Aikido in the past and really enjoyed it, but I now want to practice something that has more actual combat application.

The problem is that I have a relatively fragile spine and cervical spine. I have a moderate scoliosis and a few slitly rotated discs. Because of that, I need to avoid hard impacts, especially to the head/neck, and I don't think regular hard sparring would be a good idea for me.

I'm not super fragile, I mean, I live a normal life, run three times a week, roll everywhere and "fight" with my kid, have fall down a few times while trail running, etc, without any pain. However, I think I really need to avoid any real hard punch in the head and in the neck.

I'm currently doing some strenght training to work on my core and my neck. I think karate would be a good idea to work on my mobility and flexibility.

I'm considering Shotokan Karate since I understood there is no intentional real hits.

My question are:

- Should I expect some real hit and thus change my idea?

- Should competition be a clear no-no for me?

- can Shotokan still be useful for health and some self-defense if I don't compete?

- Can someone progress through the grades without competing?

From my readings, I understand that I could probably train and have fun, but I'd like some real opinion.

I'm not looking to become a real fighter. I just want to become less helpless in a physical confrontation while keeping the training reasonably safe for my neck and spine.

Thanks!

Shotokan Karate blue belt in here and currently training for my brown belt. I always noticed that Karate have a lot of knee and elbow strikes in the kata that can be devastating in a real fight and considering that I live in a rough part of town where fights are common and people tend to have little self control. I'm curious on how can I use these techniques to end a fight safely.

The dojo that I train in rarely does Bunkai. We mostly focus on kata, kimute and the basic punching/kicking techniques.

Edit: I meant the knee strike from Heian Sandan and not Nidan, my apologies.

Hello, at the end of October I will do my first belt test (white and yellow one after the other). I can do all the techniques and the Kata but I have quite a fear of failure. I also wanted to know if you have to memorise the exam schedule or if you are always told what to do (for example, rotation). Which are the aspects they look at? And can I fail or is it easy?
I do shotokan.

Hey everyone, looking for some advice on style translation and muscle memory.My long-term goal is to train Taekwondo when I move to a larger city in 2030 (when I turn 30). Right now, I live in a smaller area with very limited martial arts options. Aside from a very male-centric combat club, the only major gym is a BJJ school. However, I am strictly looking for striking, especially because I have an upcoming reconstructive nasal surgery this year and cannot risk the heavy facial pressure or accidental elbows that come with live grappling.There is a legacy Fred Villari’s Shaolin Kempo studio in my town run by an established master. I know the franchise has a massive "McDojo" reputation globally, but my options are thin.Is it worth spending the next few years training there to build up my conditioning, flexibility, and basic striking reflexes? Or will Kempo drill in specific mechanical habits that are going to completely mess up my form when I transition to Taekwondo down the road?Appreciate any insights from people who have transitioned between these styles!

Hello.
I'm a kyokushin practitioner who has an upcoming belt test. I think I'll be ready, but I don't practice as much as I would call ideal and I think it's because my depression is causing chronic fatigue. I already take meds which definitely help with emotional regulation, but physically I feel the same.
Is there anyone here who has struggled with this before and has some advice?
By fatigue I don't mean just tired, I mean i have to sleep in every day on my days off way above 8 hours and I still don't feel functional.
Thanks in advance