[Growltigga]

Where I am now, the kata and technique is superb but they consider bags & mitts completely unnecessary and turn their noses up slightly at the mere suggestion.

That is always the way - many clubs will concentrate on kata and how Daz-white their gi are - not enough actually concentrate on the power aspect of it - I am 6 foot and 18 stone, what the hell am I going to do with kata - my whole style is close-in power combos (and biting if I am really in trouble)

Personally I don't think you can learn to punch and kick properly if you never actually make contact with anything. how do you know you're doing it right otherwise?

Dogscoff, we agree on something. Unfortunately, my wife also thinks this is correct and that I am the punchbag.

I still wouldn't do full- contact though.

I think I am now officially retiring from full contact now. My weight says that I fight heavy/super heavy categories whcih usualy means the Dolph Lundgrens of this world - they put their hands on my head and hold me off that way

As for power combinations... I would argue that they're not really necessary- I've been taught that the whole ethos of Shotokan is that you only need to hit them once.

I disagree. To get that perfect strike in that disables your opponent is fine for Jet Li in a movie, but you try and do it IRL - the only strikes that will work that way are some of the lethal attacks and you cannot exactly do those round Bournemouth for long. Power combos disable an opponent and do it fast.