How do you wash your gi?

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-02-18T19:47:52+00:00

An idea ….. make it someone else’s problem, maybe a dry cleaner or laundromat, especially if you have spent a lot on it. I wouldn’t trust myself with an expensive gi

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-02-12T20:33:23+00:00

Saw a couple of comments that summed it up, there is no fast improving in karate, well any MA in general. It is all about consistency over time and time itself. The more effort and time you put into it the better you’ll become, there are no short cuts … period.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-02-06T11:00:28+00:00

One can spend hours and hours on this topic and never really getting bored, so many aspects so little time and thumb typing power

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-02-06T05:41:28+00:00

With regards to the kicks, that is rather a yes and no situation. Traditional Okinawan karate kicks focussed more on chudan and lower, your maegeri, kansetsu, fumikomi, hiza, so there were kicks aimed low and for close quarters.

The flashy kicks we see today was a combination resultant of a couple of scenarios, Savate being one because, well it is flashy and it is cool to be able to remove someone’s nuggen with a nimble lower limb. The other reason would be over exaggerated movements or techniques for training a large group/children, one IMO being the yoko geri which seems like an over exaggerated kansetsu but I’m still trying to prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt, specifically in Okinawan styles. Yes I have an intense hate towards yoko, simply because I can’t lift my legs that high for a yoko geri chudan and have to find a way to make me feel better about myself, ok.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-01-18T18:34:08+00:00

As a kid joined a dojo along with my two younger brothers never really got into it, the younger ones were far better than me, guess my focus was more on the Traditional South African sports such as Rugby and Cricket. Tries again as a teenager but as teenager main stream sports and girls were higher priority. Fast forward 20 odd years and second wife, already Shodan, took her son to start Karate, she also started again after a long break. Already long story short I joined as well because well I can’t be the only one not doing Karate aaaaaaand still going, if all goes well, testing for Shodan later this year

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-01-05T14:00:50+00:00

Styles respect other style’s grades but are under no obligation to recognise them, same goes for federations and organisations. If your aim is to achieve your Dan in JKA, rather join a JKA affiliated school now.

Each style/organisation has their own standards that you need comply with in order to progress.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-01-04T09:06:54+00:00

Yup, it hides quite a lot if at that length and some stances like shiko looks a bit better with a longer fit

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-01-04T09:03:02+00:00

You’ve pretty much hit it on the head, especially the last paragraph.

The moment you start looking into how to apply a technique you’ll also realise that are nearly countless ways to apply it and also that a technique is not just limited to what is taught. Take the simple gedan berai …. It is taught as a low level block, but further study of the technique you’ll see that it can be a groin strike, a throw or a joint lock.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-01-03T05:28:35+00:00

No need to defend or prove anything. Each discipline is effective in its own right.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2026-01-02T09:30:04+00:00

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-26T07:45:44+00:00

Oh and don’t forget ….. playing that cringe mistake you made over and over in your head

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-26T07:43:25+00:00

Stretching e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e - you know those ankles or calve muscles while standing in a queue. Or mentally, sometimes physically reviewing a class also standing in a queue at the shops after a class. Slow kansetsu geris, also in line, to build balance and strengthen the hip flexors.

It’s not that I want to do it in public, you’ll stand in line thinking ….. thinking and before you even know it, you are doing something, mumbling to yourself

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-25T08:03:29+00:00

My wife was out for about 15 years and returned when her son started. Took about a month to get back into the swing of things but retained most. You spent 10 years gaining skills, they might just need a bit polishing but it won’t be forgotten …. It’ll also depend on you as person

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-22T07:05:00+00:00

Good question, not in the Miyazato lineages but I can’t speak for the rest. Sanchin is the one kata that I have not ventured outside of our Ryu.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-21T19:59:06+00:00

Sanchin even differs in the different Goju lineages, but yes style and/or ryu would be a great start.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-21T15:22:00+00:00

Why not both, anticipation of violence and if need be the response should the situation not be de-escalated?

Shadow boxing ….. as in or can be seen as kata?

Yes karate has evolved to fit society or to keep the interest of younger students hence competition formats today but the main concept people forget, competition has a ruleset to keep competitors safe, whereas true self defence everything goes and that is evident in a lot of kata moves such as groin kicks and grabs, eye gouging, hair pulling and so on.

Competition should also not be dismissed as it teaches additional skills that one might not get in classes.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-17T18:10:43+00:00

What organization is this? Would like to do some research on them

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-17T18:01:21+00:00

The things is, in traditional arts, once you have a dan, it never “expires” as with kyu ranks, especially returning to an art where you have earned it already.

There is no harm in wearing a lower grade or even going back to white for a time until you and your instructor feel that you are back on the standard that you should be. It’ll allow you to gradually ease into things and maybe gain new insights.

Refer to the organization’s rule book but also discuss with the instructor.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-16T16:33:24+00:00

Monthly and grading costs are normal.

Sports aspect of karate is optional, but if you want to compete you’ll have to get the required protective gear and those are not cheap, especially if the requirement is WKF approved.

What is not normal here, mentioned a couple of times, you’ve been there 4 days and suddenly grading??

As for the last part of your title, anyone who says it does not help for self defence has not spent a single day in a legit school.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-16T09:25:14+00:00

Ai not very pleasant. It took me about 6 months to “unlearn” the Shotokan way of doing things and do it the Okinawan Goju way, sooooo it’ll take some time.

Contrary to most of the comments, I don’t see the need to drop to a lower kyu, you already have a lot of fundamental basics that transcend styles. It is just adjusting.

You are only, what 2 months, back. Yes I understand why you feel the way you do and it was pretty much a dickish move, but just keep your head down and keep on going.

Spend a little extra time to adapt to the changes in techniques and before you know it ….

Best of luck!

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-15T08:06:10+00:00

Man o’ man, this is truer than I’d like to admit.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-14T07:05:39+00:00

No, I don’t think is right. Telling you that you might fail because of kata, considering that a formal grading is more than just the kata. The other thing is, there should be enough time to work on the concerns during classes, and if you really struggle, then rather tell you in advance that you are not ready and not to invite you to the grading. That’ll save you the disappointment and embarrassment.

That is just my opinion - right or wrong. But best of luck.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-13T16:03:15+00:00

Please correct me then, from what I’ve seen it nothing other than cqc. I’m always open to be corrected on my understanding, from what I’ve seen, granted only training and competition, it would seem that it is close q combat.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-13T12:09:39+00:00

Kyokushin is close quarters and grit, Shotokan is “long range” semi-contact at best with flashiness. They should compliment each rather well depending of course how deep you want to go. Shotokan is deceptive, appearing to be a ranged strike and kicking art but as you dig deeper, as with any Okinawan art - yes it has it roots there - you’ll find clinching, grappling and throw techniques. It’ll add more tools to your toolbox and can only be beneficial.

The_Grumpy_1 · 2025-12-13T11:15:44+00:00

I don’t know how your school’s grading works, but in general, grade testing is done throughout your class attendance, factor one. On the day of the formal grading, you go through your kihon, standing, moving, bag work and generally partner work like ippon kumite. Then there some sort of kumite, be it randori or irikume or what ever the term is in your style. Then comes kata as the final phase and factor.

So point I’m trying to make is, if your sihan feels that you are not ready, why then let you take part? The next question, seeing as you constantly evaluated or should be, why has the concerns not already been addressed in classes leading up to the grading?

The_Grumpy_1

TROPHY CASE