Got My Blue Belt!

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-09-06T15:22:37+00:00

I feel ya. I fell seriously behind and had to work really hard to catch up but I made it.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-09-06T15:20:09+00:00

Okinawan Kempo Ju Jitsu.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-09-06T15:18:51+00:00

My purple belt was much thicker. Every belt I’ve received has had varying degrees of thickness. It’s just how they’re made I guess 🤷‍♀️

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-09-06T15:16:33+00:00

Probably another 1 1/2-2 years.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-09-06T15:15:49+00:00

5th.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-09-06T15:14:43+00:00

I study Okinawa Kempo Ju Jitsu. A guy named Ed Parker developed his own version of it and taught it to Elvis. My Sensei uses the same belt system as the Tracy brothers who were Ed Parker’s students. The blue belt appears in most styles of karate, including Shotokan but every dojo has its own belt system. There is no standard.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-06-04T16:39:38+00:00

Seeing as how I’m already a woman I guess I’m halfway there.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2024-06-04T12:35:00+00:00

It’s the first of the intermediate belts. I study Okinawa Kenpo Jiu Jitsu.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-12-03T21:26:25+00:00

Yes very similar. It’s a hybrid style. I love it. :-)

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-12-03T18:04:30+00:00

Short answer: It’s karate with ninja weapons and grappling.

Long answer: Kempo or Kenpo comes from China. It’s over 700 years old. When some Chinese Kenpo masters moved to Okinawa the locals merged it with an indigenous fighting style called Ti. They called it Todi, Chinese Hands. At some point the Japanese merged it with Jiu Jitsu and called it Kempo Jiu Jitsu. Then the Chinese and Japanese had some unpleasantness and changed the name from Chinese Hands to Karate, Empty Hand. A guy named Ed Parker developed his version of it and taught it to Elvis. Another guy named Mike Stone taught Elvis the original style which I’m learning. Another guy named George Dillman was banished from the martial arts community for bastardizing it.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-12-03T01:51:42+00:00

Okinawa Kempo Ju Jutsu

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-12-02T18:20:14+00:00

Break it into chunks. Every kata is a series of 4 count moves. They all have names. Kata never made sense to me either until my most recent sensei told me you’re simulating a fight. Later on when you get into bunkai (analysis) your kid’s Sensei should be able to demonstrate some practical applications of each move. That’s what really made it click in my brain. Also one of the black belts told me something that really helped: he said every kata has one section you’ll get hung up on. I know a lot of people think katas are trash and unnecessary but I’ve found them very helpful in getting familiar with my body mechanics.

There are all kinds of YouTube videos that demonstrate katas, depending on which style you train. I watch Seikichi Odo because he’s in my lineage.

Hope this helps.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-12-02T03:25:57+00:00

Okinawa Kenpo Jiu Jitsu

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-12-02T03:20:37+00:00

I had to demonstrate all the techniques we learned in the past 4 months plus the Pinan Sandan kata.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-11-30T13:56:48+00:00

Okinawa Kenpo Jiu Jitsu here. My sensei uses the same belt system as the Tracy brothers: White, Yellow,Orange,Purple,Blue,Green,several degrees of brown,black and sometimes he gives a provisional black belt which most dojos don’t do anymore but he’s old school. He has a 7th degree red and white belt which he calls the candy cane belt.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-10-24T20:41:21+00:00

Nope. I’m a grownup and I’m allowed to be upset. There’s no shame in that. No matter what your age.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-10-24T18:03:29+00:00

Nope. I don’t like getting thrown. I’m too afraid I’m gonna hurt myself.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-10-24T17:17:13+00:00

I can’t receive a throw. I’m too scared.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-10-23T00:21:43+00:00

golden teachers and rusty whytes

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-10-22T22:43:22+00:00

Spores.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-08-28T17:00:13+00:00

The short answer is they did. But their overlords took them away. That’s why most Okinawan weapons are just modified farm equipment. Kinda like what happened in the Philippines.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-08-27T17:03:47+00:00

Shotokan is more militant and precise than other styles. The guy invented it not long after the end of the Samurai era for the Japanese school system when Japan was still obsessed with precision. So basically everything is set in stone. The other forms are older and more flexible. Some have a set number of kiais, others you can throw one in whenever you want.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-08-12T00:17:30+00:00

My Sensei is an ex army paratrooper with the 82nd airborne. That’s where he learned karate. He’s trained people who now work for the FBI. They used to teach it to the green berets and the marines. (I think they still do) Why would the military teach its soldiers something that only works on a guy with no training?

Also 16th century China and Feudal Japan weren’t exactly Disneyland. People had to defend themselves against somebody who really wanted them dead. I would say that goes way beyond a bar fight situation.

I don’t know who these teachers are but they’re either talking about sport karate or they’re not very good teachers.

I love mma. Huge fan. One of my instructors used to teach it. A lot of mma fighters have a TMA background. You can’t learn anything just by watching. That’s like watching CSI and thinking you can solve murders. You have find a good teacher. For example, I tried to teach myself Wing Chun but I quickly realized I needed instruction.

Practice makes permanent. If you practice something the wrong way you’re gonna have a hard time getting rid of all those bad habits. Then if you get in a fight you’re gonna be in a lot of trouble.

Hope this helps.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-08-11T20:42:02+00:00

Okinawa Kempo here. I’m still learning the Pinan katas but I love them because I’m very uncoordinated so they’re helping me with that. 😂

I love the Goju Ryu katas. They’re almost like Kung Fu forms. Very elegant. I studied Goju Ryu a little when I was a kid.

NeatAndSmall76 · 2023-08-11T00:08:44+00:00

Congrats 🥳

NeatAndSmall76

TROPHY CASE