My kinda girl.

Karate Bunkai and the Modern World

Kata

Kata (型 or 形) (literally: "form") is a Japanese word describing detailed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. Karate katas are executed as a specified series of approximately 4 to 40 moves, with stepping and turning, while attempting to maintain perfect form. The practitioner is counseled to visualize the enemy attacks and their responses. A karateka "read" a kata in order to explain the imagined events. There are perhaps 100 kata across the various forms of karate, each with many minor variations.
-Extracted from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate_kata)

Personal intepretations of kata will be one of exercise, much like those practising Taichi, Wushu, Aikido, Silat etc etc

Katas are actual combat responses, albeit trained ones, to simulated attacks. We practise them through bunkai.

Trained responses to an attack is just like asking a short order cook to prepare "Steam Promfet"... repeat the tried and tested method of cooking the dish.. Perfect everytime! YAY!

...but wait..

What if the fish is NOT Pomfret?... er.... cook the same way?.... well maybe in cooking, you might get away with it... but in martial arts... NO WAY.

No one punch in the same way.
No one reacts in the same way.
No one moves with the same speed.
No one strikes with the same power.
...blah blah blah..you get the idea.

Kata gives you a story to recite by heart.
Bunkai gives you a script to perform.
Kumite puts you in the producer/director/lead actor seat.

We learn kata by heart to perfect our kihon (basic/fundamental) techniques, without which nothing will ever come to fruitation because we cannot even punch or block to save our lives.. true or not? Different katas give us a chance to practice different combination of kihon punches, kicks, blocks but most importantly you will notice about kata is the often neglected aspect...tenshin.

Wait..I did not forget about stances. Without good proper and strong stances, you should not even ben practising that level of kata. We have different katas that caters to different levels of training, so make sure you pick your choice of training katas that suits you and not over-expose yourself to too advance kata without proper training and waste time.. YAR. WASTE TIME.

Occasionally I will be asked to sit in for a judge in a kata competition, and the first thing I will notice about a competitor is the eyes when they approach the mat to begin their routine. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul... TRUE. I used to be able to stare down my opponents in the ring.. nowadays I just kinda squint at them.. hee hee *ahem..

Tenshin is the movement of the karate as he/she react to combat situations. Unfortunately, some aspects of karate is lost when different styles of karate emphasize on competition. See my above gripe about not having proper training in stances.

Try thinking like this, a skeet shooter and an air-rifle specialist. Skeet shooters react instinctively to targets being shot into the air, taking into account wind and velocity of the clay targets, they pull their trigger. The air-rifle specialist shoots in a controlled environment, zero wind and no outside distractions. Just the countdown and the number of shots they have to take. Put both together in a controlled competition and guess who is the better shooter? Now throw them in a war situation with just an M-16, guess who is likely to have more kills?

Another analogy, in a boxing match-boxers wear padded gloves and mouth guards, karate tournaments-karatekas wear padded fistguards, shin guards, foot guards, mouth guards. We fight in weight classes, below 65KG, below 75KG, 75KG and above, finally throw in a MMA/Muay Thai trained fighter-no guards . Now throw all 3 types of competitors into a bar brawl, who will come out alive?

Boxers will likely break their fists soon enough after a few punch (OH! You are a boxer and you disagree with me? Have you tried to make full contact with your boxer jabs and hooks WITHOUT GLOVES on HUMAN BONES!? Try first then comment on this article HOR!?)... *ahem...
Karate exponents will fare better due to bone conditioning but will not survive most probably not used to having different weights, types and class of fighters who can TAKE your karate kicks and punches, WHILE DISHING them out to you. Survive longer... but not for long either.
MMA/Muay Thai fighters are most likely to survive due to the fact that they fight and trained with all weight class and multi-type combat styles...beer bottle attacks..er...hmm... but they may not survived because some MMA fighters like ground grappling.. YAY!! Try having a roll in the hay on the ground during a bar fight brawl and you will find boots in your HEAD AND FACE while you trying to submit your single opponent...

Don't think I just type based on textbook analogies, I have been in bar brawls... I know karate, but I just split the scene... guess what, I survived... lol better fate then I can say for those who remained...

Ever seen hornets taking on bees? I have seen National Geographic Channel where a documentary was televised about 10 hornets, 10! taking on a colony of 3000 bees!

C'mon the sheer number of bee stings would have killed the hornets (Yar I know I forgot the species of bees liao, but they have stings one), but the hornets just killed the entire colony. Yar massacred. 300 to 1 odds. hmm...

I don't condone violence. Really I don't. I prefer looking girls and their figures, personally I am a shoulders, butt and legs man. But sometimes a man needs to do what a man needs to do (something like that lar, macho crap)..I will have to stand up for myself if I really need to. And I will.

PS: The reason why my blog is getting updated regularly these few days is because I am down with some crappy virus. So I cannot gym, train, run, ...you get the idea.. so I sit in front of my computer all day long...like as if I don't already.. wahahaha

Rob outz~

The Chronicles of Ka-Tia! The lingering scent of LCL injury

OMFG. I know knee LCL injuries are hard to heal but.. c'mon! It is taking too d*mn long to heal lor. I tried to sweep a student of mine last night... it was a textbook move, (it was supposed to have knocked his feet from under him and he will fall like NANG KA!), instead it only just destabilised him, and my knee replied with a really sharp pain... well more of a painful twitch but still PAINFUL!

I guess it was only prudent I did not insist to take part in this year's Pesta Sukan Karate Championships, not wise to worsen it at this stage of my life.

I need to fight. I am a fighter. But somehow I find the fire much more difficult to stoke as time moves on.. perhaps I am picking my fights now as opposed to looking for fights when I was younger...

Fighting comes from all aspects of our lives, fighting with our love ones, in your office, at the wet market with the "aunties" and "uncles", in the bus with the "aunties" and "uncles", and the MRT with the "aunties" and "uncles" (..heey..don't they look familiar??...hmm...)...

I think a person's fighting style reflects his life..

I dread the day will come when I am faced with an altercation with another person or a group of people (if they are wise, they WILL come with PEOPLE, if he comes with HIMSELF...., well anyway I digress.. LOL

....I wonder if I am fighting for my life, will my knee injury matter? or does it mean I will avoid fights simply because I have to protect myself... hmm.. (we fight because we feel the need to protect something...)**

**Don't start with your philosophy about fighting is not good, it doesn't prove anything...blah blah blah...**

..ahem.. I think no one in their right mind will ever want to fight, while those who decide to pick a fight or respond to a fight provocation can only have one thing on their mind, ANGER.

So I fight without a sense of anger, this way I can maintain control over my opponent(s), but when I strike...it will be filled all my pentup frustration, anger, emotions, etc etc, anything you can pack into a punch/kick... make sense to you?? hmm...you should pick a fight with me just to find out... wahahahaha

~outz

You say. I say. They say.

There are five principles of defense in Shitoryu karate, they are:

Rakka

Defense as attack. Using a defensive move as a form of attack. An example will be to use a vigorously applied Yoko uchi to block from the outside of a punch so as to break the momentum of the attacker. Hopefully in the process, you will injured his punching arm and break his rhythm and fighting spirit.

Kushin

Change in level. Good fighters think 360 degree angle from the left to the right, from the front to the back. Thinking fighters think 360 degree angle, left to right, front to back, also up and down. Example will be when an attack is low or aimed to draw the defender attention down, remember this blog's advice...

NEVER REACH FOR AN ATTACK
..if the attack cannot reach you, then cannot reach lor.
Ok, back to Kushin. Instead of reaching down and exposing parts of your body open for an attack, change the level of the defence. Drop into a low but stable stance for the block and if the distance and timing is right, counter. The counter may be made from a higher stance to take advantage of the attacker's lower attack level. (The attacker's level is low right? Otherwise why you bother to drop into a lower level to block eh?... Nothing better to do orh?)
An example of this will be dropping into nekoashi dachi to block + moto dachi to counter.

Ryusui

To flow like water. Ha ha. Personally I like this one. What!!?? You don't know the association of this phrase with regards to this blog and it's author??? What are you doing here??!!! Wahaha!
Ok, back to ryusui. Not much to say here except there will be days when your defence will need a gentle to the side. YAR. Martial arts not everything also Wack here, wack there one. Sometimes hor, use mouth can liao. Talk is also a form of sparring leh.
I have a personal thought about this, a coward talks but no action, a simple-minded person only knows how to punch his arguments across, a bully tries to talk but once he loses verbally he enforces his arguments with force... A gentleman on the other hand, is somebody who thinks they are "civilised" who do not resort to argument or force. Martial artists have the added advantage of "bargaining from a position of power".... meaning?
We can choose to be a gentleman, coward, simple-minded or bully. Wahaha!
No lar, we are very nice people. Fact is, we have more choices when it comes down to confrontations/altercations. We have a choice is better then none. Agreed?

Teni (Tenshin)

Change in direction has always and should always be the first choice when it comes down to reflex training. Why? A simple shift in body balance can deflect even the most powerful and committed of attacks. Adding blocks and yelling just makes it look cooler.. wahahaha~!
Example of Teni is side-stepping using shiko dachi and blocking with nagashi uke or osae uke.

Hangeki

Two flavours for this. 1st delicious flavour is Sen no sen. Attack at the point of attack. Huh!!?? Wait..let me explain. Erm... attack when the attacker attack... er... clear? er...
2nd yummy flavour is Go no sen. Attack after the attack has completed. Huh!!?? Why? I mean if the first attack ended with no contact, well, shouldn't we as nice guys let the matter rest?
NOOOOO.....

Attack me orh? Miss me orh? Too bad!! *All this while, I will most likely be counter attacking. Who ask you to miss me in the first place?... wahahahaha... Once you attack me, I am not nice guy lor, I will be your worst nightmare...

...I will your toilet paper cut!

~outz

The Chronicles of KarTia (Leg-pain) - Return of the knee

Waha!
Wahaha!!
Wahahaha!!!
Wahahahahahaha!!!!

My knee is back.
During the period when my knee was injured, I had the opportunity to concentrate on developing my reliance on my left leg which was my genetically weaker leg.
Also, I had to readjust my training regiment to rely on hands to compensate for my un-usable leg during this period of time.

Ahhhh... my little blog reading grasshoppers.. you are starting to see my point now...
I have recovered from my injury... A stronger man then ever... buahahahahahahaha!!!

~Still the committed one.

Bad Bacteria!! Baaad Bacteria!!!

I just came back from SKA because I wasn't feeling well. My stomach was cramping like hell and I was feeling sick. Slowly at first but it gradually got worst until I was practically doubled over in pain.

First thoughts was that I had indigestion but it turns out to be false as I did not have anything to eat throughout the whole day. Then it struck me, Food Poisoning!! 2 things lor, either the bowl of Cheng Tng at Ten-Mile Junction around 3pm or drinking water at SKA's water cooler around 6.30pm...(Yar lar, today quite pathetic, busy busy) I think it is the latter leh.... oh gosh, I tried to call Mr Wong to warn him about it, but he never return my call..

Well, anyways, I was running a 37.8 temp and was curled up in bed because it was sooooo painful lor. I was drinking a lot of fluid so I can flush the crap out from my system. Finally Pam got me THE SOLUTION! 1 x tab - Synflex + 1 x tab - Muscle relaxant = K.O.

Ahhhhhh............ I felt so much better in the morning.

Can you imagine something so small like microscopic bacteria infection can cause so much damage over a short time... What is the use of being a good martial artist?

~sigh, I guess I have to relook at my life motto.

"I would rather fight standing up then lose lying down"
-Robert Sim

~outz

Casting for Commercial!!!

Oooooo! Oooooo! How exciting!!! I hope I get call up for casting tomorrow morning! Thats the first step. Then If...IF they like me, then I get to be on a commercial leeeeeh.... Wooo hooo!... Cross your fingers and wish me luck!

Oh yar..if you were wondering what kinda of commercial, well, its the TV kind and erm...they wanted me to do a FLYING KICK!... YAR.. I know if Seow is reading this.. He will call me and go.. "Oei! Sim! Your knee like that you still want to FLY ah!??"

Ok lar, I know ..I know.. but If I can heal in 19 days for my grading, I can heal in 10 days for my commercial shoot right... hor?...

I damn (Hokkien) Gien Pung - Desperate for rice... I WANT TO HAVE A TVC UNDER MY PORTFOLIO... I WANT...I WANT....

I WANT!!!!

ok.... tomorrow morning must ask Mr Wong to see if I can go... Wahahahahaha!

**Supplementary Blog: Oh,..so it was not for a TVC.. how disappointing, STILL, a print ad is as good as any.. Bwahahaha

NEW OBSESSION!!

HOLY CRAP! Talk about simple games that can get you hook. Try this out and you will know what I mean....

HTTP://WWW.PUZZLEFARTER.COM

The Chronicles of KarTia (Leg-pain) - The pain! The pain! The pain!

Erm.. it seems I am hobbling around alot these days. I wonder if I will become a permanent cripple.

Seow asked if I will be interested in competing in the Pesta Sukan. I think I answered, "Maybe.." I guess the reason being I think I am going to leave the kumite to the younger ones and I might want to fight for a place in Kata. There are no senior kata players around anymore and since we have so many up and coming kumite fighters, I might as well have a head start in the area of OLD MAN KARATE.

Traditional karate and competition karate katas are slightly different in the sense that competition karate are more flowery and flowing *(Power and speed is a given constant hor).

Traditional karate katas have a more practical feel to it and involves a lot of bunkai practice. Important note on this is that I think we should always preserve what our masters' legacy. As time goes on, we should pass these katas on in their purest forms to our next generation. As for bunkai we should spend time observing how it corelates to our changing times.

No longer are we dealing with empty hands or samurais with katanas... Modern conflicts involve brutes with plastic chairs, beer bottles, metal rods, stilleto blades, parangs, choppers, oversized ego and common sense of a roll of toilet paper.

We don't deal with opponents who show honour and courage by competing in individual combat but rather we are faced with "Ah Bengs" and " Ah Sengs" who turn up in the truckloads, they poke you in the chest and ask you for your *number (For those not in the know, number means which gang you belong to and so can call everyone in the gang who is not watching the Euro finals at the moment to turn up at an appointed time to "Pia Chiu!"-"Gang fight".

In this type of confrontation, it is no longer a matter of whether I will prove myself the better martial artist, it becomes a matter of survival... by virtue of doing the right things... like the ability to swallow our ego and pride by apologizing to the little bastard who happen to think you are staring at him.... even though you are really just looking at how ugly he is. Therefore, humility training in karate is very important and a very neglected part of our curriculum.

Next, the 10 kilometre run we do regularly is also very important because when you apologised and failed to appease the little bastard, RUN. Let's see that little bugger chase after you for the next 10 kilometre... well, if he manages to chase you that far, stop, turn around and beat the living daylights out of the remaining few who arrives.. wahahaha!!

Another school of thought for those who are reading this blog, BUNKAI WORKS. Whether you believe it or not, it works, so please practise deligently..over and over and over and over... you get the idea...

Well, if I limp so more, I guess there is nothing more I can do except maybe run for the presidency of SKA?

~Outz

The Chronicles of KarTia (Leg-pain) - The pain, the grading and the belt

SANDAN!

Wahahahaha.... I got it liao..so what's next? I think sleep is immediately on the top of my list.. gonna sleep through this Sunday because I cannot take the stress already and the sleepless nights I had due to my knee treatments, constant training without rest and fitful nights because my knee hurts sooo much.

Next on my list will be make upgrading all my karate skills a priority Nothing more needs to be said about this topic already because my opinion is not important.

My eyes are going to sleep as I type this... Zzzz.....

The Chronicles of KarTia (Leg-pain) - The grading and the examiners

Sensei T. Arai

Sensei K. Sakamoto


Sensei K. Kawata


Sensei Y. Morooka


Sensei George Tan


Sensei Wong Tuang Seng

Hmm...I have not idea whether I pass of fail for my grading... only time will tell....
But I must definitely thank Mr Seow Kwee Yong for all his expertise and help in getting my knee to heal in time for the grading. Although it must have been quite distracting for him, he still tried his best to help me mend my knee.. :) Thanks!!

The Chronicles of KarTia (Leg-pain) - The knee, the TCM and the grading

*Sung to the tune of K Sera*

When I was just a white belt,
I ask my Sensei what will I be...?
Will I be champion? Will I be black-belt?
This is what he said to me...

Oeeei! Sim you see....
whatever will be, will be...
the future's not yours to see..
just keeping training and see...

When I just got my black-belt,
I ask my Sensei what will I be...?
Will I do kumite? Will I do kata?
This is what he said to me...

Oeeei! Sim you silly...
compete in every event...
you still have potential you see...
just keep training and see...

When I am going for my grading,
I ask my Sensei what will I be...?
Will I be Sandan? Will I be failed?
This is what he said last night...

Oeeei! Sim your knee...
Seow (The TCM) you can just burn his knee...
Like that I don't think you see...
Most likely you'll fail...*

Sim: "tsk tsk tsk.... my dearest Sensei, after so many years, you should know me better... I would rather fight standing up than lose lying down..."

Wahahahahaha!!!!!! Okay, so now that is settled, I have attached a youtube clip I find so amusing that I think I should share.. ENJOY!

Weight loss ad?

Weight Loss Ad A - By a very expressly popular and "rich" weight loss company...


Weight Loss Ad B - By own individual effort

Would anyone pay for this? Look at figure A. Then look at figure B.

Let me give those who would give Ad A a try... Who needs to be ultra slim? It makes men look like wimps... YEAH! WIMPS!

...*ahem.. anyway, I digress...

...don't want to end up looking like a wimp, you need to supplement your weight loss with some...EXERCISE!!!

Muscle toning??? what muscles??? Build em first then tone mah.. This is like comforting guys that they have muscles that can be tone WITH EXERCISE... C'mon, we can do that on our own already... LOL

Flabby skin treatment... Hmm..same therapy as a face lift huh? Otherwise how to tighten skin??... hmm?...Orrrh... WITH EXERCISE AGAIN ORH??? ..no?..then? DIETING ORH? ...no?...then SECRET RECIPE ARH??? WAAAAAAH..... yar right... I heard from somewhere rubbing horse sh*t on you face can make you beautiful, wanna try?... what a load of rubbish... *grumble grumble...

BEER BELLY THERAPY...*What a load of cr*p! I know a few of my friends go for beer belly theraphy almost every night after training and you know what happened? While their beer belly got bigger, they don't seem to get any healthier or happier... go figure...

As for rubbing lar..massaging lar... apply "special" super uber herbs and spices.. ala marinating meat... The last time someone did that successfully, they called him Colonel Sanders... nowadays all these people masquerade as weight loss specialist companies.. LOL

PLEASE LAR...don't want beer belly, stay away from Beer lor... cannot stay away orh? Don't have the determination orh? Then too bad lor. Waste money on "BEER BELLY THERAPY", then you think suddenly your beer belly gone for good har??!! Won't come back de meeeeh?

**PLEASE READ THE NEXT LINE**

****Companies like that are depending on your lack of self-determination and self-esteem to earn money. You will gain back what you lost and go back to them for more punishment to your wallet. Look around you, there are people.. no, families who need your financial help more. Go on, just look around.. maybe you might just feel a little guilty enough to start losing weight on your own...****


And if any of you young 'uns (read here... macho little WIMPS!) out there who think you are macho enough to give this old uncle a try at Contender style punch out, just drop me an email and name the time. I have got the perfect fighting arena ready 24 hours.

YEAH. I am proud to declare that I lost weight in under 3 months under my own steam. 26KG to be exact. FREE OF CHARGE. Want to know how? Ask me, I just might tell you, but remember, if you are sincere, I promise to help each other all the way, if you are just asking for the sake of asking, don't waste my time...

~outz

Needing a miracle to happen

I need a miracle to happen.. like this picture. Who would have ever thought that I will carry my nephew Gareth on my lap one day...He so small, so damn cute lor...sigh~

ANYWAYS....
I have exactly 8 days before my big day - my dan upgrading.

Certain emotions are running high in my life now.... stressed, depressed, anger, disappointment, regret... mostly disappointment.

Anyway, which ever angle you look at it, to recover from a MCL injury to full functionality within 19 days is POSSIBLE. Either that or I MUST believe it is.. so that IT WILL BECOME SO for me in 8 days.

The swelling has gone down a fair bit since the first day, but internally it is still swelling otherwise I will not be feeling these FR**KING pain!!

Since Monday, I have been feeling stray firing of pain shooting through my knee joints... hmm, that means my nerve endings are alive...
THEY ARE ALIVE!!!!!
-sic Dr Frankenstein

I am still hobbling, although I can bend my knee joints at right angles already and apply strength to it, but it still hurts. For those who will take reference from this blog on self treatment of minor knee MCL injury, this is what I am self-administering:

DANZEN (Serratio peptidase) - 10mg, 2 tabs, cute itsy bitsy lil pills

FASTUM (active ingredient ketoprofen) - 5cm, external only, contrary to stupid beliefs ingesting it does not help to work faster although it DOES kill you AND take away the pain

TRADITIONAL CHINESE KOYOK (too many to list)- 2 pieces per day, anymore and it will cause my skin to itch and hair to grow in places where they don't belong...

KNEE GUARDS - 2 to rotate daily, so that I can wash the other one and let it air eeeeeee


Self-administered physio-theraphy:

1) Walking the stairs.. SLOOOOWLY...
2) SQUATING.. SLOOOWLY....
3) DOING MY KATA...SLOOOWLY....
4) *GOING THROUGH MY KARATE DRILLS...SLOWLY..
*(Although this part of the theraphy involves a lot of @#$%$# cursing and swearing because I will be in constant pain...)

~Word of advice: Don't get injured lor... bummer

WANTED!!!

My ELEMENTAL Self

To take my mind off my injuries, I have re-channelled them into creating my mental image of who I am and what I am...

This is a series of elemental image I have of myself when I am in training mode.

Train passionately burning like FIRE

Be relentless, unstoppable and move like WATER

Swift, flexible and strike ferociously like WIND

Stand firm, an immovable force like EARTH

*Copyright me hor. I am okay if you use these cool logos... but let me know.. heh

My injury got scientific name one

It appears that you have partially torn your medial collateral ligament (MCL). Luckily, the vast majority of people who injure their MCL have a complete recovery once they have been properly rehabilitated.

The MCL is actually a complex of ligaments, hamstring muscle attachments, and a thickening of the lining of the joint on the inside part of the knee. The MCL is one of the strongest ligaments in the body. It protects the knee from opening towards the outside. It is most commonly injured when an athlete sustains a direct contact injury to the outside of their knee (such as a clipping injury in hockey or football). Injuries to the MCL are graded I, II, and III. Grade I injuries are mild sprains, Grade II are partial tears of the MCL, and Grade III are complete tears. While the majority of athletes who sustain MCL injuries do not require surgery, occasionally we see athletes with a Grade III MCL tear who have torn their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or medial meniscus. It is important to make sure that you have not injured either of these structures, as you may need treatment for them prior to returning back to hockey.

-text info source from Sports Medicine Institue, University of Minnesota Orthopaedics

The meniscus is a c-shaped cartilage pad between the two joints formed by the femur and tibia. The meniscus acts as a smooth surface for the joint to move on. The knee joint is surrounded by fluid-filled sacs called bursae, which serve as gliding surfaces that reduce friction of the tendons. Below the kneecap, there is a large tendon (patellar tendon) which attaches to the front of the tibia bone. There are large blood vessels passing through the area behind the knee (referred to as the popliteal space).

The large muscles of the thigh move the knee. In the front of the thigh the quadriceps muscles extend the knee joint. In the back of the thigh, the hamstring muscles flex the knee. The knee also rotates slightly under guidance of specific muscles of the thigh.

The knee functions to allow movement of the leg and is critical to normal walking. The knee flexes (bends) normally to a maximum of 135 degrees and extends (straightens) to 0 degrees. The bursae, or fluid-filled sacs, serve as gliding surfaces for the tendons to reduce the force of friction as these tendons move. The knee is a weight-bearing joint. Each meniscus serves to evenly load the surface during weight- bearing and also adds in disbursing joint fluid for joint lubrication.

-text info and diagram source from eMedicineHealth

Dilema

A knee... a knee...
My kingdom for a knee...
I wonder if I should withdraw from the grading....
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
It should heal in time.... shouldn't it?

But enough of this defeatist talk... I don't like to post this kinda of talk on this blog...

Starting today I am going to start a whole new series of crappy topics starting with ROBERT PREDICTS... LOL Hope you like it...

Robert predicts: The Top Ten likely questions from the grading examiners:
1) Why is your face like that?
2) Why are you so fat?
3) What do you do when someone insults you about your mother?
4) Can you go lower? (Refering to cat stance and shiko dachi)
5) How come you shout so softly?
6) "...your dogi is very dirty..."
7) Wong san, is this your student?..."Er...no..."
8) You! *pointing to a brown belt* Go home!!
9) In this bunkai, you think we can get some yakuza to attack them?... No?
10) Start with your left! Right! No, no, I said your left. Yes that's right. No. Left. Right. Lef....

...so you still think karate begins and ends with respect? I think it begins and ends with the language barrier.. LOL

Remember to bring your fistgaurds and wear a CLEAN DOGI down for your grading.

Good luck and till my next blog.. ~out

Knee problem..so..grading how?

Er...
Hmm...
lemme see....*glancing longingly at my right knee*

Uh-huh...*gingerly moving it up, down, left and right*

...yep...yep...

It's official then... I cannot manipulate my knee.

...so......

Grading how huh?

15 days to go...

Uh-oh...

&#*@&$^!

Nevermind...nevermind... cool down... cool down...

Phwa! $&(@&$*(! +#&$*! !&*#*$(!

GRRRRR!!!!!

Never back down from a fight

Most fighters (physical, mental, psychological, whatever the choice of battleground) already lost the fight before they even started.

How far are you willing to go?

Halfway? All the way? Beyond your limits? This is where the fight is won or lost. You decide where your commitment level is and then you go in. I mean let's face it, if you are not already physically ready and fit, and possess a certain level of fighting ability, you will most probably be sidelined during the selection process.

So if physical is not the key to success, then what is?

I am on my way to a doctor's now...I will be back to complete my blog....
~Back from the doctor's... it seems to be a inner knee ligament problem.. Doesn't look good :(

Anyway, like I care.. LOL

...now where was I?... oh yeah... what is the key to success if not physical prowess?

You are what you THINK you are... nothing more.. nothing less... really..really...

If you think you will win, then you will win, if you let yourself think you are going to lose, then most likely, you will lose.

HOWEVER, be true to yourself, never let yourself be deluded into over-confidence. OVER-CONFIDENCE & ARROGANCE have the distinctive smell of failure. Failure to recognise fear in itself is a major contributor to the ultimate fall.

Be afraid... be really afraid. That is a sign you are human. It is okay to be human. Only then you can fail...only then you can die... human is a survivalist in nature, we will fight to survive.

I will be back! This time even stronger and better.. but for now.. *yawn.. I want to go and sleep, have not slept a wink last night because my knee was giving me so much pain, it was a wonder how I was able to move around when I couldn't even put weight on it... ewww...

Maybe it was adrenaline... maybe it was because I was afraid... maybe it was both...

~Outz

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Thank you and GOD bless!

PS: To all my team-mates who will be fighting in this Sunday's tournament, rest assured I will still do my best for you guys even though I am kinda reduce to a storekeeper these couple of days.. wahahahahahahaha!!!

When was the last time you fought?

When was the last time you had fire burning inside of you?
Burning so hot you actually swagger around like you own the place... own everything in sight.

Well, today I ACTUALLY did that... and it FELT goooooood... HEH HEH HEH

"Karate for life" - Sensei K. Tomiyama

Hmm.. These words were repeated quite a few times when he was in town last Saturday to give us a short lesson on what it means to be training karate wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, it was rather short. I had so much to digest over that short seminar but it generated so many questions, many questions that came a little too late (after he left to be exact). Nevermind, I guess there will always be next time.

Grading is around the corner and I see a lot happening in our dojo. There are some (like myself) kanchiong spiders, practising katas, kumite, bunkai and upping our fitness level so we won't make an ass of ourselves during the grading.

There will be 6! SIX! Examiners... GULP! Sensei Morooka, Sensei Arai, Sensei Sakamoto, Sensei Kawata, Sensei George Tan and Sensei Wong. They are good solid teachers, but this is an exam, so they will be wanting to see what we know so far....

Ahh....

Liao liao liao liao

The way I see it. there can be no shortcut through this grading. They will be brutal, strict and serious. I mean, hey c'mon guys, if you don't do your homework before the big exam, don't expect miracles to happen on that day hor...

3+ weeks left, plenty of time to catch up on training... 27 days = 648 hours. Go go go!!

Oh by the way, good luck to those having grading this Sunday. Don't be late!

Next week we will be going to Woodlands Civic Centre for a tournament. Monday, Mr Wong will be choosing who will be in what team... Hmm, I don't know if I will be in or not...anyway.. K'Serra Serra... Wish us luck!

~Outz

9th Malaysia Schools Open Karate Championship 2008

Cheras Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur.

The title and picture says it all... Hmmm..But where do I really begin to start telling about this?

My kiddies did such a good job lor.. well... not exactly excellent lar.. all of them were a little deaf to what I say to them at one time or the other... BUT BUTT... overall they did their best and I think they deserve better.

The Boys and Girls and Uncles and Aunties that were there...

Yvonne, Paolo, Christian, Xavier and Edwina. Well done! Although I wish I could be there fighting by your sides, I guess there is always next time. :)

~...(grumble... grumble...)...~

**additional comments (made 27 May)**

~~...(grumble grumble grumble).....

I AM UNSTOPPABLE!

Hey world! I am here to tell you I am unstoppable! Starting in 3 weeks time, I will be unstoppable for a while... Stop me if you can...

Don't believe, click here--->I AM MIGHTY!!

~The Committed One

Matsumura no Rohai

The other kata I am training up for my sandan grading is Matsumura no Rohai. This will come under Matsumura Sokon kata. (Video footage will be posted once I get some decent ones)

Problem is there are so many versions I was confused uptil a couple of weeks ago. I guess I am going to stick to my guns and go with my chief's version. He is my chief after all, haa haa.

Anyway, I really think that knowing a kata is one thing, getting to know and apply what we have learnt from the kata is another. I got this from "Kuro Obi". I finally laid my hands on the movie! I will be doing a short review of that show here in my next post.

I will be leaving for KL in a couple more days, gonna accompany my kids up for a short tournament and hopefully we can warm up for our Goju Invitational (8th June) when we get back.

FINALLY! A decent tournament for me to warm up and pick up where I left off so many years ago. 8th June will be the start of my resurrection. I guess if there is anytime to finish my competition career, this last few tournaments will be a good place to end. Hopefully by the end of it all, I have some good memories.. new ones to replace all the old ones.. I am kinda sick talking about the old times... Lets get new ones baby!!!

~~Out

My kata Jiin

Jiin looks more similar to Jion as to Jitte and is also longer than Jitte. But Jiin includes footwork with difficult turns, requiring good balance ala Chinto. In this area it is the most difficult of the three Kata.

Jiin, the name is to translate to "ground of the temple" or "temple ground". It is classified under Itosu-Te family of katas, however, there are some (including myself) who thinks the 3 katas may have their roots in both Tomari-Te and Matsumura.

Common traits of Jion, Jitte and Jiin are movements out to the side and in the case of Jiin, there are some backward turns which sets it apart from the former two.

I would love to show you what Jiin is all about but due to copyright issues, I will only have to show you what I can do. (...not very good, but at least it is better than some I have seen posted online.. *wink!!)

Kata: Jiin. Time: 1min 18secs

By the way, I think it needs more work (I need more practise lor), my grading is in 6 weeks time)

~Outz

DANG!!

DANG! As the title of my post suggests, DANG!! DANG!!

Sometimes the most well meaning gestures can be detrimental to our health.

My mother has been trying to stuff me with rice, noodles, bread... almost everything CARBS you can think of. I think I may have gained a bit of weight back since.

This goes to show that if you are lazy even for a few days and ill-discipline about maintaining your fitness and weight... it will come back. Like I said previously, this is all about a life-style change. If we go back to our old life-style, your old habits and weight comes back... Like a boomerang.. whoosh whoosh..TWACK! DANG! SH*T! Weight gain lor, figure go out of shape lor... go bang wall lor...

OR... OR!!!!

Just make sure we resume our active efforts at life-style change. No use going around blaming others for our weakness... Like my chief told me yesterday..

Mr Wong: "Oei! Sim! You getting fat again ah! Look at that stomach! Hoi Yoh! Weak lar you!"

SIGH!!!.... I tell you ah... sad lor..

**Note: I don't usually blog from SKA but I am doing it now because I just finished my morning training (Today is kata training, later at 2pm I am going to Cali Fitness for gym and STEAM & SAUNA.. ahhh.....).

Anyway, the reason why I must blog now is because my kata SUUUUUCCCKKKSSS!!!!

YES!~ Really sucki man! I have never had such bad kata in my life! I am thinking what the heck am I doing, trying to go for grading!! Argh!

My kicks sux big time as well!

My punches are generally slow!

I have SUPER high neko-ashi (for those not in karate, that means cat stance.. one of the few advance stances in karate.. and it has to be low to be considered good. I have super high one lor..so equates super bad lor...).

Wah l*n! Anyone might as well give up man. Like this carry on, I think 3-4 years, anyone also cannot cannot make it lar!

Hmm... but then again.. oh I see, I am not just anyone. Haa haa haa.. So it does not apply to me.

I will be making daily trips to the gym (strength), dojo(karate) and running(cardio) my ass off. I am also making sure I stick to my regime of non-carb (weight loss) and healthy foods (nutrition). I am also trying to throw in a healthy dose of stretches (flexibility) and swimming (joint & muscle mobility). Sundays are off-limits to training. It is couch potato and family day (Recovery)!

Be defeated or do something about your obstacles. The choice is up to you.

I choose the path of the water.. it is my representation of the unstoppable force.

Hmmm..? Hmmm..? What is that you say? Did you not read my blog title? I suggest you go read it again. Be the unstoppable force...

"Be like water my friend"

- Bruce Lee

The Commited One

Changes are in the air

I am not sure if changes are good for life, but generally they are good... especially so for maintaining a diet that leads to a better quality of life.. :)

I know losing weight to many means to abstain from food, some does extreme exercises humanly impossible, some do both... and the end DESIRED result will be to look good, perhaps, or maybe feel good? PLEASE understand that losing weight is a process, not a destination (CORNY lar I know, stop going "eh eh eh, he got that from somewhere.. but I digress), By pegging it as a destination, once you reach there, there will be nowhere else to go but back...see what I mean?.. hmm? hmm?... But if you see it as a process or journey, then it will become a lifestyle change. I cannot stress enough, the road to losing weight, getting fit and looking AND FEELING good, is a sustainable change in lifestyle habit. That means, food in-take, exercise, work and hobbies must be tweaked to suit our new lifestyle.

*For those who winced at the word CHANGE, you may not be ready... If you must, take it easy and slowly.. SLOWLY change (heh? winced again eh?)... the Key word is SUSTAINABLE hor...

Anyway, let me just share a little today, since I seem to be in the mood to blog... (more to come in the next blog)

Modified Atkins Diet consist of non-existent carb intake + cardio-vascular exercises leading to ketosis induced fat burn.

My version of the Modified Atkins Diet is divided into 2 parts for the sports person aka martial artist like myself;

1. To reach your target weight:

• Intake: Non-carb. Always go for high protein, high calcium, fibre-rich and low fat content food.

• Workout (Week 1 & 2): 30 mins to 1 hour of low level intensity (2-3 times a week)

• Workout (Week 3 onwards): 1 hour of low - mid level intensity (2-3 times a week)

• Caution: Always start SLOW. The weight WILL DROP as long as you are patient and willing to persist.

2. To maintain:

• Intake: Carb intake is permitted. Again, always go for high protein, high calcium, fibre-rich and low fat.

• Workout: 1 - 2 hours of mid - high level intensity (3 times a week)

• Caution: Remember to let our bodies rest once in a while so it can recover.

Part of my lifestyle change was also NOT to eat at night, I made it easier for myself by getting involved in computer games or going online when I feel hungry (roughly translated, that is me being greedy and being a glutton). Draw your own road map, make detours away from your obstacles, maybe you might just make that all important step FORWARD.

Remember, there is only FORWARD and BACKWARD, never STILL in time. So go go go!!!

Finally I managed to settle down

Been a few days since I last blogged, yar lar blame it on the weather. It was and still is SOOOO hot lor... I have moved my office back home for a while because my landlord sold their building and we had to move out. So my place looks damn cluttered with all the boxes and movie posters and boards and...bla bla bla.. aiyah! Alot of things lar..

Training update:
I have moved on from 12.5KG DBs to 20KG DBs last week. Already after 1 session I am getting muscle tear! But...muscle tears are goooood... it means they (muscles) are growing.... bwahahahaha.. *wink ..provided I drink plenty of milk.

By the way, I am having an average intake of 2 litres of milk (low fat, of course) everyday, especially so after a good workout. It contributes to an additional 15% muscle growth!

Betcha did not know that.. well neither did I until recently.

Some friends call me a big baby. Hmpf! Well I am a mighty big baby then... I can crush coke can with my bare hands.. rip namecards (unlaminated ones hor!) in a single shred... BUT the most impressive feat recently was witnessed by my good friend Seow Kwee Yong... hee hee

Some things are not mentionable one..

I find the pulley weights at SKA not up to my requirements already because they can only go up to 105lbs. I need more resistance than that, I guess I will be popping into the gym pretty soon... I miss my pec fly machine and the pulleys.

DBs and leg curl machines are still good to go at SKA because I don't think I can go up in weight anytime soon too.. I have to keep reminding myself I cannot get too bulky. As a martial artist, three things cannot never go hand in hand (without prior training), that is Strength, Speed and Flexibility.

Just think of the 3 elements as points of a triangle, we can only get a good balance, very difficult (not impossible) to achieve all three elements. Looking back, I almost had it all... sigh

Oh well, back to the grind of training.. I know it is possible... I will give you the number of that guy that will do it...

Or better yet, call me. *GRIN

What is KUMITE?

K - Karate lar.. what else?

U - Don't have you... how to spar? LOL

M - Got you also must have me also...

I - Stands for "I" kick your ass!

T - "T" stands for I kick your ass... TWICE!

E - E is for me to kick your butt..EXTRA HARD!

For more information refer to this link for what is actual kumite defined as in karate.

"Look under Committed One in the dictionary and you will find my picture there..."

6 Packs update

With reference to the challenge posted here -> "6 PACK CHALLENGE"

Here is my latest progress... been working hard to get the fats off!


Here are some homemade videos of some of the exercises I do for my back, chest, abs and arms... I have more if you email me and ask for them...

JAVOREK COMPLEX (Works the shoulders and chest)

3KG Dumbbells 2 SETS
6 Reps: Vertical raise to shoulder level (Note the position of the dumbbells)
6 Reps: Side vertical raise to shoulder level
6 Reps: Front lift to chin level
6 Reps: Vertical raise to shoulder level (2 and 10 o'clock position)
6 Reps: Side vertical raise to shoulder level (Body parallel to floor)
6 Reps: Vertical raise to above ear (Full extension of arms)

PLATE PRESS (Works the shoulders, chest, abs and arms)

5KG Plate weight 2 SETS
10 Reps: Horizontal extension (Full extension of the arms, palms must be pressed together to keep plate from dropping). Lower fully extended arms and raise back to shoulder level. Bring back front of chest.

DROP PULL (Works the shoulders, arms and abs)

105LBS roughly 47KG Resistance 3 SETS
10 Reps: Start position - Kneel with fully extended arms. Pull behind head using only arms to pull. Additional work on abs - When pulling with arms, sit down on your thighs (Using your abs to help pull down as well)

I will be posting some of my karate workouts in my coming post because I need to take good pictures and videos first.. and I am a lousy video and photographer.

McDull

Have a listen to this... damn funny stuff.... LOL LOL Beware, it is in Cantonese but it has English subtitles... LOL LOL

What the hell happened to this guy!!??

??????????????????????????????????
What the hell happened to this guy?? You have heard of shrinking after washing, then I must have been in the wash for a mighty long time lo..

Add in the terrible effects of spin dry, tumble dry and wring dry...

It so happened that I chose to wear the same shirt, and thought what the hell, take the pix lar!! I might not be able to wear this shirt much longer.. LOL I look like covered by with a robe or sumthing... actually, thats about all I am covered with... hee hee...

Before 112kg... after 86kg (it might be 85kg now I have not weighed myself properly for a week now)... Go figure.. LOL

Anyway, anyone who needs additional (ADDITIONAL HOR, becuz I am not a pro weight loss consultant or physical trainer) advice on weight maintainence and weights, guys and girls, can drop me an email at swell_head@hotmail.com or add me MSN, and we can move on from there. Don't SPAM me hor.

Training Schedules

This post is to keep me on the straight and true path of achieving what I want in my karate training.... with whatever remaining time I have left on my "ahem"..youth.

Monday:
Session 1: 9am - 10.30am (SKA)
Flexibility and dumbbell training
Session 2: 3pm-4pm (SKA)
Strength and conditioning
Session 3: 7pm-9pm (SKA)
Kumite techniques training

Tuesday:
Session 1: 3pm-4pm (SKA)
Strength and conditioning
Session 2: 7.30pm - 9pm (Class at SKA)
Conducting basic training

Wednesday:
Session 1: 9.30am - 11am (SKA / Gym)
Strength and conditioning
Session 2: 3pm - 4pm (SKA)
Flexibility and dumbbell training
Session 3: 7.30pm-9pm (Class at SKA)
Kata and bunkai training

Thursday:
Session 1: 3pm-4pm (SKA)
Strength and conditioning
Session 2: 7.30pm - 9pm (Class at SKA)
Conducting basic training

Friday:
Session 1: 9am - 12pm (Gym)
Strength and conditioning

Saturday:
Session 1: 3pm - 4.30pm (SKA)
Strength and conditioning
Session 2: 4.30pm - 6pm (Class at SKA)
Conducting basic training

Sunday:
Compulsory rest day

Yar lar yar lar... no life lar.... TSK! Say whatever you want... but I will reap the benefits of my hard work... Buwahahahaha...