Fran's blog

I’ve obtained the green belt -obi- last Thursday. My exam was some kihon followed by Heian Godan kata and just a minute of kumite. I’m a bit dissapointed, since I’ve obtained just 7 points on 10, while on orange belt exam I got 9 on 10.
Last two weeks I did not train because I’ve [...]

This is the kata I’m currently working on. It’s rather long and has some complex movements for me. It’s a very advanced kata for an orange belt. I just need to known til Heian Godan for the next “upgrade” to green belt.

I’ve started today with Tekki Shodan kata. It seems not difficult, as there’s just a movement a bit complicated. The kata seems to be quite short, and the second part is the first one “mirrored”.
I’ve found next execution more original than those more classic from sensei kanazawa, that I used to publish here, so [...]

Yesterday I passed my examination for orange belt easily at my karate dojo. My Sensei told me that “If you continue training so hard, you’ll soon remove me from my post.” He also said that I did it with real kime, that’s really good. So I’m very happy with the results.
My exam consisted in some [...]

Today I started training my fourth kata: Heian Yondan.

My movements are far to be so good like Kanazawa’s one, indeed, but I think I do not more mistakes than other guys with a superior grade. I think the fact is that my subconscious has not forget all the work I did for my blue [...]

I just started to learn Heian Sandan today. Next embedded video is from Hirokazu Kanazawa, that as far as I know is the unique 10th dan alive currently. You can see all his katas through youtube, and may be you can download them through a p2p network also if the laws of your country are [...]

Since on Friday my sensei was satisfied with my execution of Heian Shodan, this week I’ll start learning Heian Nidan (Peaceful Mind II). Hope in this case the aphorism “never second parts was good” will be wrong.
I’ve found this nice and very complete video, in which the Heian Nidan kata is explained step [...]

Yesterday I began working on my first kata: Heian Shodan. When I practiced Jiu-Jitsu fifteen years ago, I used to learnt katas just for the belt’s exams, and I used to think that they were useless. I think I was too young and restless to understand the true value of the kata. Today I’m rediscovering [...]