That's a interesting idea fish but I think for some movements such as shifting you'd be over compensating for the weight of the vest and it'd mess with your coordination when you take it off by over shifting or not shifting enough. __________________ Quoth the Raven ????,???? (Absorb what comes in, throw off what goes out, when the opponent breaks contact, strike!) That's a interesting idea fish but I think for some movements such as shifting you'd be over compensating for the weight of the vest and it'd mess with your coordination when you take it off by over shifting or not shifting enough. that would of course be assuming that you always do it full speed and full power, which some karateka have a tendency to do, overdo and then do some more on the belief that it makes them more hardcore, or something like that. __________________ Quote: Originally Posted by bigmikey on msn Is it wrong that I want to go forge a huge axe out of my neighbors car and name it folksbane? The short answer.... it depends. In traditional hojo undo training many of the exercises were built around movements in the kata. Light ishi sashi (similar to light dumbbells) were used for many of the upper body movements. If done correctly, there can be some benefit. Done incorrectly though, it can negatively affect you. Staying light and using good form is crucial. Check with your sensei. A small example (demonstrator is Takemi Takayasu, 7th dan