Well, had a kobudo grading today. And passed. Now I can add "graded in kobudo" to my resume.


Mick

details?

Details?

6th kyu

Terminology
Kamae
Ken waza (Jo waza's cousin)
sword kata
Seito jo kihon waza 1-4 (solo and partnered forms)
Aiki jo kata

I think that was about it


Mick

And in English?

I thought it was in English. Else I would have written something like

用語
構え
剣技「四尺棒技従兄」
剣の形
生徒四尺棒基本技一－四「単独相対」
合気四尺棒の形

Yes, I know half of it I probably got the kanji wrong

Kamae are postures. Sort of like stances but more defined.
Ken waza (here) are basic forms, sort of like a set combination.
Seito jo kihon waza are just that. There are 12 set forms.


Mick

Well done on the grading Mick, doesnt matter which way you write it, its all japenese to me!!

Oh good! It isn't just me then!
So, you had to define kamae, and do some forms and kata?
Well, you obviously did them very well. And we are very proud of you.

*pat, pat, pat*

No, did not have to define kamae. Kamae is posture or position, not just how your feet are placed but also where the weapon is positioned.


Mick

So you had to demonstrate it? I thought you meant "Terminology - kamae" but maybe you meant you had to do some terminology, and demonstrate kamae?
Sorry sweetie. I not being mean. You really just done confuse me again!

Had to demonstrate knowledge of terms used and move through different stances/postures/positions (kamae).

Do you think a theoretical component to gradings is a good or bad thing?


Mick

I think it's a good thing; I wish it was done in Go Kan Ryu gradings.

I would like to see it included in GKR too.

I'd also like karateka to have some basic knowledge of Japanese, as well as the sensei, before they join. It's not Kara-tea, folks. We don't drink chamomile while we train, nor do we sip green tea while we do kata. Kara-te. It's also not Sen-say, it's Sen-sei(pronounced "se as in setting".

Great idea! Have an entrance exam to join which includes a language test

Think those pronunciations are bad? Imagine japanese being spoken (mangled? ) in e.g. a Geordie accent.


Mick

Though, you'd have to start at the top. The RM in Tasmania, for one, is as guilty as all the students...

什麼做了Sionnagh 言在他的早先崗位裡

Eh Heh Heh

Good thing.
But in light of this:



I take back what I said about theoretical components in gradings being in GKR.

I started MA with GKR believing I was going to be laughed out of the dojo (not that I knew it was CALLED a dojo), believing I was going to suck at karate big time, knowing not a thing in Japanese except what I had learned from old WWII (Western point of view) movies, and not having a clue there was more to karate than doing some cool moves.
If I had had to have some knowledge of Japanese, I would not have started training.
If I had had to do theoretical tests for grading... I don't know if I would have passed to 9th kyu... let alone 8th!
If I had had to even know what kanji was, or the proper pronunciation of a single Japanese word to join, I would not have signed up.

GKR is not a perfect style. It either provides rotten bunkai or none at all, it doesn't test us on precise pronunciation of Japanese, doesn't even teach us the most correct translations of the terms we use. But I don't want to see these things change. If I want more, I can go and find it. If I don't then that is my loss, I guess. If GKR DID introduce these things then there would be many, many people who would never start any MA and never even know there was more to life.
I have been totally hooked on karate since my first 60 seconds in a GKR class. I would like to expand my knowledge one day by learning more things, but I am glad GKR doesn't try to teach me these things or I wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't be who I am.

Perhaps ideally GKR should be developed into two styles in one - an "introduction to the basic ideas and functions" of MA, and a more in-depth plunge into as many aspects of MA as is practical.

Good grief. Tired , cranky and rambling.

But I am glad there were no complicated pre-requisites for joining GKR. And so are you cos you got me now!

-- K

Australian Japanese
Stop - yAH-mAAAAY
Start - hADja-MAAAY
Everybody - auterGARNey
rising head level block - joe-dan- ARRgeey - EWW-kay
inside block - ITCHEY EWWkay