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paul browne
20th August 2005, 19:22
Gassho
This has probably been done before but I thought I'd start this anyway.

Shorinji kempo obviously requires paired training to make any progress but many, if not all of us, find times when we cannot attend the dojo. Also between training days it's obvious that additional practise can only help.
SO I thought it would be informative if forum members detail what solo training they do, be it single form, exercise, stretches, bag work or other physical activities (sports). This will only be helpful if people give details (e.g. techniques/forms practiced, specific exercises/stretches and the duration they are practised for).
Besides it will make a change from discussing gi's, manji, badges and quitting, however worthy these other topics may be.;)
Any takers out there?:)

Kesshu
Paul

paul browne
20th August 2005, 19:25
Can't get the hang of this computer thingy.....no idea where the fella in the shades came from :D
Paul

Ewok
21st August 2005, 06:35
All of the above until I can be within 600km of a dojo and start practicing properly - basic strectches, jogging and weights for general fitness, furiko duki/zuki, giwaken, tenchiken, ryuouken, using a bag to practice predominately goho waza and doing juho waza without an opponent.

I did have a mate who did Hapkido and used him as my training partner, he would do his stuff on me, and I would practice SK on him. Now he's run off and joined the navy so I'm practicing solo again.

Omicron
21st August 2005, 09:32
My mirror is my training partner when there's nobody else available. I find practicing basics very slowly in front of a mirror to be quite revealing. I also practice ukemi as often as possible; I'll often do some impromptu rolls while I'm walking home or through the park, if I think nobody's looking :)

Daniel Son
21st August 2005, 12:04
Kata. All you need is kata. Practice 9 times slow, 1 time fast.

Left handed
Right handed
No hands

I myself do stretch, lift weights and will smack around a heavy bag, but this is stuff I do for being in shape, not for self defense, for that, all I do is kata.





Just my .02 cents.

Ewok
21st August 2005, 13:18
Kata. All you need is kata.

Except for some warmups, Shorinji Kempo doesn't have kata - you are supposed to practice with a live partner :) You can practice with a mirror or imaginary partner which almost gives the desired effect, but some things (hizaukenamigaeshikintekigeri for example, i just had to say it!) don't work that well alone.

Then again asking your mates to "go on, try and kick me in the goolies" can have amusing endings :cool:

tracey fuller
21st August 2005, 23:03
Kihon geri/zuki, tenchiken, gwaken and some other goho like shitake geri, ski ten ich. Also miwashi geri , sote uke geri. All the blocks and anything else I fancy, occasionally some single form juho but I find this really difficult.
Most days for about fifteen minutes followed by some stretching (with two small children this is all I have time for, plus training once a week). It seems to stop me being overly achy after training and is useful for brushing up on new things that I may have struggled with during the lesson.
Regards Tracey

cheunglo
22nd August 2005, 08:55
Gassho Paul

Since the birth of my first, 8 weeks ago, I have managed to attend a total of one class. My sympathies to all new parents out there - I now know how you feel. I've also now made the decision not to attend the dojo until the little blighter sleeps through the night since the combination of long hours, late nights and broken nights is too much to handle. I realy don't know how David (Dunn), Ade or Kizito does it!

This is my second forced long break from ShorinjiKempo. In my first (6 months), I did no exercise/practice at all. This time round, I'm going to do some other sport - I'm starting football during lunchtimes today. However, both Paul and I have had the benefit of a decade or two of training before our breaks and I do recognise that many Kenshi are not in this situation.


Except for some warmups, Shorinji Kempo doesn't have kataWhich ShorinjiKempo are you doing?

Anders Pettersson
22nd August 2005, 10:10
Except for some warmups, Shorinji Kempo doesn't have kataWhich ShorinjiKempo are you doing?

Actually Ewok is perfectly right, there is no such thing as kata in Shorinjikempo.
The correct name for what a lot of people wrongly refer to as kata is tanen kihon hokei.
Tanen Kihon Hokei is the heading for the explanations of Giwaken, Tenchiken etc. in the Kyohan and if you look in the kamokuhyo you don't find anything called kata either.

To make it a little confusing there is one tanen hokei that is named Ryu no kata (gyaku gote tanen) and there is also a second name to Komanji ken which is Manji no kata.



And since we are on the subject on what things are called some people often do misstakes in the romanisation of technique names. This is not meant as nitpicking, just giving info.


... shitake geri, ski ten ich. Also miwashi geri , sote uke geri. should be: shita uke geri, tsuki ten ichi, mawashi geri and soto uke.

Also found a few people writing mei uchi when they (probably) refer to me uchi.

/Anders

David Dunn
22nd August 2005, 10:40
I realy don't know how David (Dunn), Ade or Kizito does it!

Cheung, you don't have much option if you run a branch.I can thoroughly recommend Gina Ford's New Contented Little Baby Book. Our little blighter has been sleeping through the night for five or six weeks now (i.e. since three months) by following her advice (not to the letter, but the spirit). The surreal fog caused by lack of sleep/clue what you're doing soon goes away when you get a good night's kip :)

tony leith
22nd August 2005, 12:28
Not that I'm averse to hearing about new babies, but back to the matter in hand...

While I think tan en training is obviously no substitute for training with partners, it can yield real benefits of its own. One is improving your ability to visualise techniques - this is in the end is absolutely no use whatever if you don't have the reality check provided by trying them on real live human beings, but nevertheless is something it's worth trying to cultivate.

I myself I am biased towards kinaesthetic learning (i.e. very much hands on, let-me-try-that) rather than verbal or visual cues, so in a way the effort to make tan en training useful forces me to develop visualisation skills which in the ordinary course of training I might neglect. In the end this can be very useful when it comes to trying to diagnose problems with either your own techniques, or other people's when you're teaching.

A classic moment of epiphany (or satori) to illustrate - a while back my wife and I were practising tan en gyaku gote to ura gaeshi nage, and were getting frustrated with the fact that the 'kata' bore little resemblance to our sotai technique. After a while (I never said I was that bright), it dawned on us that perhaps this was more likely to be pointing up flaws in our technique than the kata, and since then I've used it as a teaching aid as well as a focus for my own practice.

For tan en practice to be useful, though, a lot of concentration has to be applied. Just 'going through the motions' is as pointless with single form practice as it is with any other aspect of training. I have heard Mizuno Sensei recommend tan en randori as a really good way of improving your randori, but he was insistent on really having to visualise your attacker and the specific situations you're dealing with - just flinging arms and legs about randomly is not likely to develop anything very much (except possibly tendonitis)


Tony Leith

PS while I am of course as ever indebted to our esteemed moderator for the point that there are technically no kata in Shorinjikempo, at least in the UK the tenchiken series etc are in fact familiarly referred to as kata, so I think the confusion is forgievable.

jailess
22nd August 2005, 12:38
Can I just say I am well impressed by this extra-training training you all do! most mornings it's all I can do to roll out of bed, throw on my clothes and get to Uni, let alone do all this Kempo first!

Is there any one else out there like me who just goes to classes? or am I the worst Kenshi in the world (already my charming new nickname in the all-Kenshi flat I live in...)?

Also: What Gym stuff does anyone do? I used to do a simple workout (there's an expressway of machines at our Uni gym) and a 3K run, and I felt a lot better for it in terms of my form, but that could be coincidental ("Homeopathy cured my cancer!" 'Were you taking Chemotherapy at the same time?' "Well, yes, but I'm positive it was the sugary crystal!"). Now I'm entering final year I'll probably only go to 1-2 sessions a week, and was hoping to do some Gym work before classes. What would be a good pre-SK workout (or post, depending on the day)?

tony leith
22nd August 2005, 14:20
It'd probably be easier for me to just tell Jaime this next time I see him, but hopefully it'll be of more general interest. I think using weights can be a useful adjunct to training, but probably not just/before after class (yes, jaime, you have seen me do this, but only because time pressures have forced it on me, not because it's a good idea..)

Two basic purposes to using weights (I think) - to condition major muscle groups used in zuki/keri to increase speed, rather than simply aiming to increase basic power. I tend to do this using weights near my comfortable maximum (where I can do about eight-ten repetitions), but increase the effort involved by controlling the weight through the full range of movement. I feel you can increase the benefit by a quick movement in the active phase and slowly back to starting position (e.g. one armed rowing bring a dumbell quickly to the chest, then slowly back to the floor), sort of like slow down on katate and quick back up.

The other main pupose is to complement the muscle development you get through training. I do weights and Pilates type exercises for the muscles around my knees, because otherwise the continual stress we put on the outside of the thigh muscles going into zenkutsu tends to develop them disproportionately, and over time causes problems for joint stability. I therefore work on exercises to develop muslces on the inner thigh as well as basic strength in the quadriceps and hamstrings. Using free weights is also quite important, as machines tend to bulk out the major muscles groups without developming the ligaments etc to the same extent.

The good news is that you can get the kind of benefits most kenshi would be looking for in half an hour- 45 minutes concentrated work in the gym twice a week (i.e. not Arnie 'condom stuffed with walnuts' look - thanks for that one Clive James).

The only other general advice I'd presume to offer is lift weights with your body, not your ego - lifting more than you're capable is likely to result in injury and certainly means you won't be working the actual muscles the exercise is meant to (best example of this is bicep curls performed by heaving the whole upper body back, beloved of blokes showing their girlfriends round the gym, typically performed with a mock orgasmic grunt). The other is to warm up and warm down properly, inluding a gentle stretching routine afterwards.


Tony Leith

Ewok
22nd August 2005, 14:23
(edit: what Tony said sounds much better! :p)

Depends, aerobics is good for weight loss - bike riding is low impact, jogging isn't too bad, and classes can be alot of fun.

If you want to develop your muscles then I prefer free weights to machines - squats for the legs and core, a variety of shoulder and chest techniques (benchpress, pull downs, etc), as well as the bicep/tricep/forearm/wrist stuff (mainly curls, more curls, and even more curls).

All this and im still soft and cuddly :(

David Dunn
22nd August 2005, 15:46
I've tried going to the gym since I was sixteen. I manage a few months here and there, but it is as boring as I can imagine.

As for single form training. I mainly do jo-chu nirenko over and over again. It's an elusive little bugger. I haven't got space at home to do tenchiken, otherwise I'd probably do that.


A classic moment of epiphany (or satori) to illustrate - a while back my wife and I were practising tan en gyaku gote to ura gaeshi nage, and were getting frustrated with the fact that the 'kata' bore little resemblance to our sotai technique. After a while (I never said I was that bright), it dawned on us that perhaps this was more likely to be pointing up flaws in our technique than the kata...


Too true Tony. I've only got my head round ryu no kata since I practiced for my last grading. I kept asking Sensei, and he kept saying "exactly like gyaku gote..... no not like that, exactly like gyaku gote." Eventually it dawned on me that I ought to change gyaku gote so that it matched what ryu no kata looked like, rather than trying to do ryu no kata the same as I was doing gyaku gote.

While I'm here I might as well climb on this old soap box. The tan'en hokei are familarly referred to as 'kata', which can lead to a mistake in understanding the 'true meaning of hokei'. Like many others, I used to think that 'hokei' referred only to the single form patterns of tenchiken, byakuren ken and so on, and that they are 'like kata' but with principles in them; then you might as well refer to 'kata', since it's just a synonym for hokei. Once you've got an addled idea, it takes a lot of effort to overcome it, and it was probably ikkyu before I finally realised that all the techniques are called hokei. Then it's much more obvious that the 'true' meaning is jiko kakuritsu, jita kyoraku, learning about ken zen ichinyo, riki ai funi etc. I have been surprised to learn in some gakka essays that "the true meaning of hokei is that form isn't important." If 'hokei' translates as 'correct form', this assertion is a bit bizarre: the meaning of correct is that form isn't important. I might meditate on this if some wizened old master said it.

Anyway, it's far more heinous to say "the true meaning of hoKAI". I've been on an unsuccessful one-man crusade in the west country about this, along with hideri, ski ten itch, harry uke, akiri gote, each knee sends she go rook. I might have to invite kimpatsu for some correctional therapy :)

paul browne
22nd August 2005, 20:31
Gassho,

Firstly congratulations Cheung, you'll find your world will turn upside down (in a good way:)). What flavour baby did you have?
If you can't get the book Dave suggests try 'Solving your childs sleep problems' by Dr. Richard Ferber published by Dorling Kindersley...worked for us. Incidently I was running a Branch when my two were born, and working shifts so the strain on (and between) myself and my significant other became such that something had to give.....so now I'm a kenshi pure(ish!) and simple.

Back to business... excellent information so far, keep it coming but be more specific....I'd like to know the balance/emphasis you give Tanen Kihon Hokei (see Anders, I'm paying attention:)) stretching, fitness or power training.
What exercises you do, how long you train for.

As an example, if you read the articles by the various martial artists cum would be action movie stars (all of whom seem to live in LA...conveniently) they give long drawn out examples of their doing Aerobics 9 to 10, 2 hours Brazilian Jui Jitsu, lettuce leaf lunch, 10 km run, 2 hours Escima, 2 hours Muay Thai, protein rich dinner, hit the weights room and bed by 9pm.

Now those of us on earth have jobs, families we want to see, and (in my case) may live many miles from the nearest dojo. So I'm both curious what other kenshi do, and think a detailed exchange of ideas on this could prove useful. So more detail please.

Incidently, I recall that on a visit to the Rakuto Doin many years ago Morikawa sensei said that at the Rakuto they trained three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, because that was how Doshin So believed training should be to allow for kenshi to balance kempo with other aspects of their life (family. job, community etc). Anders may be able to shed more light on this but that is the translation we got.

Kesshu
Paul

tony leith
22nd August 2005, 22:16
From Paul


Incidently, I recall that on a visit to the Rakuto Doin many years ago Morikawa sensei said that at the Rakuto they trained three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, because that was how Doshin So believed training should be to allow for kenshi to balance kempo with other aspects of their life (family. job, community etc). Anders may be able to shed more light on this but that is the translation we got.

2-3 times a week would seem about right to me (of course, most weeks I'm doing four or thereabout, but I'm not claiming this is sensible). Given that all but a very very few of us are hobbyists rather than full time professionals, trying to keep some kind of a balance between Shorinjikempo and other activities isn't really optional.

It also allows more recovery time for the body. It's certainly possible to train more often than that, but I wonder how adviseable it is to do the same activity five-six times a week. Most full time atheletes seem to organise their training schedules so there is a rotation in terms of the kind of exercise they are doing.

Tony leith

JL.
23rd August 2005, 13:21
Gassho!




Anyway, it's far more heinous to say "the true meaning of hoKAI". I've been on an unsuccessful one-man crusade in the west country about this, along with hideri, ski ten itch, harry uke, akiri gote, each knee sends she go rook. I might have to invite kimpatsu for some correctional therapy :)

:) :) :) :) :) :)

I've LMAO on the counting bit! ;-)
Without insulting a whole country or more (I hope!!!) I must say I've always found it a bit of strange how some of the Japanese terms sounded when pronounced by English native speakers. For example there seems to be an Umpo Ho move in the UK involving "a toe". It took me just the second I didn't have to decipher it - everybody else had already moved (every single time!). :rolleyes:
I've been told that in France there are quite some interesting techniques, too - like "Kote Nüki" (emphasized on the very last syllable) ... and I really don't want to know what Japanese native speakers think about our feeble German attempts in their language... I've met a Kenshi once who learned Shorinji in Japan only and didn't even understand it when I said "Happomoku". :confused: :(

Kesshu,
______ Jan.

tony leith
23rd August 2005, 14:30
Like Jan says


Without insulting a whole country or more (I hope!!!) I must say I've always found it a bit of strange how some of the Japanese terms sounded when pronounced by English native speakers.

My first experience of Japanese as spoken by an actual Japanese person in the dojo was when Mizuno Sensei took my 4th kyu grading. This is as opposed to West Central Scotland Japanese, which is something else entirely.
It was all a bit traumatic. Especially the umpoho.

I've always thought it revealing that the one really indispensible bit of training English for visiting Japanese instructors seems to be 'no good' (accompanied by crossed arms and friendly smile).

Still, on the basis of tai kais and vsiting Japan, even our pidgin training Japanese works fairly well in the dojo (and even gets you a surprisingly long way with Japanese non kenshi - your effective functional vocabularly is pretty limited, but very polite in terms of saying 'please' and 'thanks').

Tony Leith

JL.
23rd August 2005, 14:45
*nodnodnod*

jailess
23rd August 2005, 15:03
"Just relax and you'll be fine."

I nod like Robocop, I'm so stiff.

"Jun Tsuki Jodan (okay so far), Gyaku Tsuki Chudan (fine,) Gyaku Mawashi Geri"

What? What's a mawashi? is that some sort of kick I haven't seen? That's a bit unfair, I'm only a 5th Kyu and I only know 3 kicks:

1. Jun geri.
2. Moshee geri.
3. Sock Toe geri.

I move, to a JoChu, then stay frozen like a comedy bank robber caught in headlights as the guy behind me Mawashi's me in the bum. I learned what Mawashi was after that.

David Dunn
23rd August 2005, 16:35
I was coming up for my fourth kyu grading. I was warned that Mizuno Sensei might be hard to understand, having a funny accent and all that. Anyway, Jimmy Carr springs to mind: "I don't have an accent. This is what words sound like when they're pronounced properly."

Back on topic. I train two or three times a week, and one or two weekend days a month. That leaves me exactly no time for any other fitness activities, and at the moment I'm not trying to find ways to do them I suppose I could go to the gym at lunchtime, but I prefer to eat my lunch :)

Steve Williams
23rd August 2005, 18:52
I could go to the gym at lunchtime, but I prefer to eat my lunch :)
Eating lunch is for wussies..... ;)

And Jame..... its "Suck toe geri"...... gives a whole new spin on that technique eh? :)

Tripitaka of AA
23rd August 2005, 20:49
Then again, not all Japanese instructors come from the same regions of Japan. In the UK, Mizuno Sensei hails from Nagoya (a town famous for its car plants, midway between the ancient capital Kyoto, and the modern capital, Tokyo), while Maehara Sensei is from the southern island of Kyushu. Hombu is located on the island of Shikoku, far away from both those places. It shouldn't be a surprise to learn that there are significant differences in pronunciation from one region to the next. However, I am told, despite the differences of regional dialect and accent, everyone in Japan CAN do the "proper" Japanese when required. Not too sure if the British tribes could make the same claim.


I knew I'd made a big mistake the day our captain was off sick and I volunteered to call the Taiso... that phrase which seemed so obvious when other people said it ("taiso o hajimemasu") now seemed like a plate of spaghetti replaced by a bucket of live eels. Once bitten, I made sure I got the proper pronunciation in my head... not to need it for maybe six months after that!

I'm sure glad I did some evening classes in Japanese, even though I never got beyond the beginner level.

cheunglo
24th August 2005, 08:46
Firstly congratulations Cheung, you'll find your world will turn upside down (in a good way:)). What flavour baby did you have? If you can't get the book Dave suggests try 'Solving your childs sleep problems' by Dr. Richard Ferber published by Dorling Kindersley...worked for us. Incidently I was running a Branch when my two were born, and working shifts so the strain on (and between) myself and my significant other became such that something had to give.....so now I'm a kenshi pure(ish!) and simple.


Cheung, you don't have much option if you run a branch.I can thoroughly recommend Gina Ford's New Contented Little Baby Book. Our little blighter has been sleeping through the night for five or six weeks now (i.e. since three months) by following her advice (not to the letter, but the spirit). The surreal fog caused by lack of sleep/clue what you're doing soon goes away when you get a good night's kip :)

Gassho Paul, Dave

Thanx! We have adopted the EASY method from The Baby Whisperer. The auther, Tracy Hogg, makes the plan sound easy but no plan survives implementation and this is no exception. I'll pm both of you with a link to a website with some photos.



What's a mawashi? is that some sort of kick I haven't seen? That's a bit unfair, I'm only a 5th Kyu and I only know 3 kicks:
1. Jun geri.
2. Moshee geri.
3. Sock Toe geri.

Looking at your spelling, I think you mean
1. Jun geri.
2. Moshee geri = mawashi geri (pronounced as spelt in the latter)
3. Sock Toe geri = Sokuto Geri (pronounced as Steve says)

Tripitaka of AA
24th August 2005, 13:02
Err Cheung, I think Jame was attempting humour with his mis-spellings (it made me laugh).

Congratulations on the sprog. I would offer books, videos, old wive's tales and traditional herbal poultices... if I had any confidence that I've witnessed the right way. As yet, I can only say that with twins it has become patently obvious that the exact same techniques, environment, food, discipline, etc. can have wildly different effects.

jailess
24th August 2005, 16:04
Err Cheung, I think Jame was attempting humour.

Less of the attempt, you! I'll have you know I'm very funny! Why, my sensei laughs his !!! off whenever I attempt some Kempo, so there! :p

paul browne
27th August 2005, 17:19
Gassho,
Boy are you lot easily distracted, (I have always wanted to learn the secret Bournmouth techniques of Furry zooki and marwarshi gareree myself:))
Back to task folk's. durations, methods, secret recipes.....anything.
Kesshu
Paul

David Dunn
28th August 2005, 01:22
Paul, I thought the purpose of internet forums was to drift well away from the topic, preferably into flame wars.

Anyway, isn't bad Japanese pronounciation just old-fashioned English reticence aboout speaking other languages? We laugh at American (for example) attempts to pronounce English placenames, yet refuse to say Roma, Munchen or Sevilla. Without embarassment, we say "wowkey geri", "subammy guy ash", and complain that it's pendantry to correct it.

btw - I am mainly joking here. Some of the best cockney is bastardised from other languages. Cosh and mush come from Romany for stick and mate. Pukka is from Hindi for genuine. Kosher, schtum and nosh are all from Yiddish. My favourite isn't heard much any more - "san fairy ann" means "don't mention it" : "cheers mush", "san fairy ann". From French "ca ne fait rien" - "it's nothing". Older Londoners like Steve and Paul probably remember well :)

Shame there's no cabbies on here to explain "rounditup", as in "when it's eighteen quid rounditup to twenty, innit."

satsukikorin
28th August 2005, 05:56
Stand aside everyone while Professor Dunn holds forth... Were you wearing a tweed jacket with suede elbows when you wrote that last post, Dave? :D

My first Japanese teacher was from Lancashire. Imagine my amazement when I took my first trip to Japan 6 months after starting.

Andrew Sparks-sensei, who got his 6-dan some months ago, has some of the most atrocious Japanese pronunciation I have ever heard. So cheer up, me hearties!

"Kote Nüki"? Sounds like heavy metal Shorinji Kempo to me.

Re _Solving your child's sleep problems_ by Dr. Richard Ferber: my 14-month-old son obviously has never read the damn thing, no matter how many times I've left it by his crib. He just doesn't believe that babies are supposed to be able to sleep well over 10.5 hours a night (Ferber says so, so it must be so, surely!). Bloody nonconformist.

Okayokayokay... On topic. The obvious problem with practicing alone is that you can't do much for juho. Ryuo Ken tan'en has been mentioned already. What else is there?

Personally, I don't have a training regimen outside of class. Around the house I do kihon and tan'en at stray moments, but that's about all. I have a standing promise with myself that I'll do more, including bag work (have to get the bag first)--now let's see if I can deliver. (Telling you folks about the promise is part of the strategy to make me follow through!) On the other hand, maybe keeping it small could be a good strategy: rather than making a big deal out of capital-T Training, just keep your mind and body ticking on Shorinji Kempo and keep yourself hungry for attending class. What do you think?

:)

hsuntzu
29th August 2005, 06:21
Gassho All,

Beyond the items already discussed... let's not forget that you can do chinkon-gyo (zazen or meditation) on your own as well. Trying to do good chosoku (breathing) during a long commute is challenging but can be an interesting thing to try.

Kesshu,

jailess
29th August 2005, 11:50
How much Zazen do people do at home? I would like to do it more, but I never seem to find the time. Do people do it in the morning or the evening? How long for? in what position? is it hard? and if they do it commuting, does having your eyes closed impede with them driving at all?

hsuntzu
1st September 2005, 07:21
It is hard to find time for zazen at home... but doing a bit of meditation in the bed right before going to sleep does work. Leads into a good night sleep as well. :)

During commute (driving), just the breathing cycle. Closing eyes while driving would not be a good combination. Helps in heijoshin and happomoku training as well.

Gassho,

Richard Codling
1st September 2005, 10:55
I've found recently, while not actually practicing full-on chinkon-gyo, the lack of chairs in my flat leads to the adoption on seiza/anza when we're all sitting about chatting in the same room. This gives me the opportunity to get more used to sitting in these (for westerners) unusual positions. Sometimes I wimp out and employ a cushion though. Also, I find that when I'm doing things such as sorting through paperwork (bills, bank statements and other such wonders of the modern world) I need a lot of room to spread them out so I can keep track of them. Enter the floor and sitting on it surrounded by mountains of said ex-tree.

Someone mentioned to me recently that knee problems in Japan have risen dramatically over the past few decades, a trend which is apparantly being blamed on the Japanese using western style chairs more and more, as opposed to more traditional seating practices (seiza and anza).

As for cycling the breathing, taking 5 seconds or so to close your eyes and performing chosoku at your desk while working does wonders too. I guess the same would work while driving, although possibly not while doing 70 down the motorway/freeway/autobahn of your choice - one for traffic jams and red lights methinks!


RC

Tripitaka of AA
1st September 2005, 13:09
Richard, don't be fooled by the martial arts world. Japanese people are just as likely to wimp out from extended Seiza or Anza. In tatami roomed restaurants you'll find plenty of cushions (flat, from 1 to 3 inches thick, called zabuton).

When I attended a funeral some years ago, as part of the family of the deceased, we had to sit for a long time in seiza. I managed to earn some brownie points by being able to tolerate the pain quite well (this was years ago). Some particularly sly members had brought little stools ("T"-shaped) that fit invisibly beneath the Kimono, but I'm not sure they helped all that much... everyone struggled to stand up at the end.

JL.
1st September 2005, 21:39
Gassho!

I know this is not exactly what the topic is about, but isn't going out practicing to "live half for others", i.e. helping people and so on, a pretty good way of training ShorinjiKempo outside the Dojo?






As for cycling the breathing, taking 5 seconds or so to close your eyes and performing chosoku at your desk while working does wonders too. I guess the same would work while driving, although possibly not while doing 70 down the motorway/freeway/autobahn of your choice - one for traffic jams and red lights methinks!
I don't drive by car a lot these days but I still wouldn't recommend closing one's eyes for more than a blink in traffic. Not even at a traffic light and definitely not in a traffic jam.

Kesshu,
______ Jan.

JL.
2nd September 2005, 12:30
Gassho!

It's also good Happomoku-training to always try to see if anyone around oneself needs help.

Kesshu,
______ Jan.

Ewok
2nd September 2005, 14:57
Heres a typical weeks for me:
Monday - Plan to wake up early intending to go jogging.. I sleep in. I decide to go jogging when I get home... doesnt happen. Perhaps I'll go do weights? Nah..
Tuesday - Actually wake up early... and remember I have to start work early! I plan to jog after work.. hah, no way, but I do get in an hour of weights and bag training.
Wednesday - Remember that jogging? Not in the morning but get 30mins done in the evening. Also do 30mins of bag work (which means kicking/punching a heavy bag and doing hokei).
Thursday - Morning jog! 10mins around the block. No afternoon exercise.
Friday - Sleep in :) 30mins bag and hokei.
Saturday - Party... maybe if I dance alot I can justify it as aeorobic exercise... :rolleyes:
Sunday - No exercise...

I'm sure if I did train (and I think I've found something) it would look similar, just with more sleeping in!

paul browne
9th September 2005, 16:56
Leon,
Surely all the Barby lighting and tinnie opening counts for something :)
paul

Tripitaka of AA
9th September 2005, 18:12
Paul, are you suggesting that all Australians do is light BBQ and drink tinnies? Surely you must know that they also spend hours in Make-Up classes learning how to apply that silly white lip-stick... and lessons in how to sew dodgy european patches onto their rucksacks for when they "do Europe".

We look forward to meeting you one day Leon, you could let Paul buy you a beer (warm and in a glass) :)

Ewok
9th September 2005, 18:44
How could the beer get cold when its warmer here in summer than over there in winter! :p Love to go visit the UK sometime in the future - if my plans for Japan go through (a nice paying bilingual IT job) then I'd be able to do that sooner rather than later... I've heard you guys are pretty good at this Shorinji Kempo stuff

Down south we tend to drink more from bottle than tinnies, but its still important exercise nontheless...