JohnASE

This is evidence of what everyone is saying about a good instructor or school being more important than the style. I'm not sure what a "good entry style" would be, but goju ryu is a good style. It has a strong Okinawan influence, like your shorinji kempo probably did. Goju blends both hard and soft elements. It has much less kicking than TKD. Depending on the dojo, it'll probably focus less on sparring and more on basics than you're used to. I'd definitely recommend it to a noob.

Kata will be included in Tokyo along with Kumite. The divisons will be Male kata Female kata Male kumite - 3 weight categories. Female kumite - 3 weight categories. 10 competitors per division. No team kata? That's my favorite division to watch!

I heard a stand-up comic do a routine on how she took karate, but doesn't anymore, because she's not 8 years old! With so many kids in karate, some people think of it as just a kids' activity. Maybe that's why they ask you "when". They can't wrap their heads around an adult jumping around in pajamas for so long. It's hard to explain a passion. It would be hard to explain doing any single activity 4 to 5 days a week for 15 years. I haven't trained since I was a kid, but when I was single, I played a sport called wallyball about 3 times per week and racquetball once per week. I don't remember anyone asking me why I was spending about 10 hours per week on the court, despite all the injuries and aches and pains. Maybe martial arts is different.

I don't know about now, but Adidas WKF karate gloves used to be available with or without thumb. This was just a loop of vinyl to stabilize the pad. The thumb cover itself was not padded. Some people like the thumb and some people don't. The option is yours, assuming they're both available to you. I got the impression that many vendors only had one or the other. If you're not competing in WKF events, there are many other brands of WKF-type gloves that are not approved and not by Adidas, so they're cheaper. Like anything else, you're taking a bigger risk when you buy an unknown brand. Some companies use lower quality material to save money. When we started using higher quality material for our ASE gloves, it cost us a little more, but it made a huge difference in durability. When Adidas karate gloves were made in China, the quality was great. When China stopped making them, and production shifted to Pakistan, there were some problems. That was years ago, though, so they might have fixed things. I'm not familiar with the current stuff. We use Tokaido WKF gear now.

You were very clear on what you wanted, and I don't think I can help with that, but maybe these will be close. If not, maybe they'll be of interest anyway. Book: "The Complete Series of Shito Ryu Kata Volume 1". There are three volumes. I don't stock them, but I got one for a customer recently. Sorry I didn't look at it before sending it out, and I don't know who did the book, but Champ's Shito Ryu videos are done by JKF Shito-kai. http://karate-dvd.sakura.ne.jp/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=141 DVD: "The Island of Budo - Shito Ryu Karate". This one's been around forever, so you've probably heard of it. It was originally made for VHS. Kenzo was one of Kenwa's sons, right? I've always wanted to check it out, but never got around to it. http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Tsunami/Pages/shitorev.htm

I'd guess that many schools and students will convert to WKF tournament training, but I'm sure there will still be room for more traditional programs. Maybe not as many as now or not as big. The growth of MMA made things tougher for traditional karate, but it didn't kill it.

Wow, that's horrible, Bob. I can't imagine what a loss this is for you, for SKKA, and for martial arts in the Valley. My condolences.

Ressurecting an old thread! Just came across it for the first time. I would be Captain Malcolm Reynolds of Firefly/Serenity, because he always seems to be having so much fun, despite his grumbling, even when he's being tortured.

You've all probably heard of Pokemon Go. If not, it's a hugely popular new game. I won't get into details here, but people wander around the real world while playing. Today, one of my Facebook friends said that he signed up two new students who came across his dojo while playing the game. I did a little research on the game's marketing potential and thought I'd share. I spent very little time on this, so you might want to look deeper. If you're lucky, you have a Poke-spot near you. If you drop a lure there, people will come looking for Pokemon or other prizes. They'll come anyway, but the lure makes the spot more appealing. You can earn lures in-game, but you can also purchase them relatively cheaply. I think I saw $1 per lure stated somewhere. All this will do is draw traffic into your area, but I assume more traffic generally means more students. It looks like as of now, you can't create a new Poke-spot nor a Pokemon Gym. Maybe they'll offer that in a future update. If you're interested in learning more, I came across this article that I thought was pretty good. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/07/13/6-ways-to-use-pokemon-go-in-your-local-marketing-campaign/2/#da7c09b395c3 The article mentions also using the social aspects of the game or free charging stations to get people in the door. This phenomenon is too new for much good info, but it might be a fun way to do marketing.

I had a pretty in-depth discussion about this with a friend when he fist started training. He was concerned that bowing was too close to worship, especially when bowing to a shrine or when entering the dojo. He decided that bowing to a person or inanimate object didn't need to be any more religious than saluting a superior officer or our nation's flag. I don't think many would consider saluting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to be an act of worship. Obviously, I don't believe in forcing your beliefs on someone else, but I don't see anything wrong with discussing this. If you can't convince them, at least maybe you can learn more about their position. That's interesting. Of course, a flag, being a symbol of a country, is used during war, but I don't see it as being a symbol of war. It's use goes well beyond it's use in war.

I'd probably choose Shotokan, mainly because it's a Japanese style, and I'm of Japanese descent. The cultural aspect of training would likely align with my heritage more than would Tang Soo Do. Plus, I'm short and stocky with short legs, so my body type isn't ideal for a kicking style. And, in general, Shotokan is more uniform and has stronger national and international organizations. I'm not sure why I value this, but I do.

I don't compete, but I've been a vendor at many tournaments over the decades, and I have spoke with many competitors, judges, and promoters, so I've heard some things. I haven't been around open tournaments as much the past few years though, so some of my info might be outdated. As a rule, it's not the competitor who chooses whether to compete in traditional Japanese style tournaments or open style tournaments, it's the sensei. Some dojos will let you compete outside their typical type of events, but most will at least recommend against it. The rules and judging criteria are just too different. Very few competitors enjoy doing both. I'd definitely recommend watching an open tournament or two while you're here. If you compete, learn the rules. I know one sensei who did well in Japanese style events, but when he competed in an open style event, he was disqualified from Grand Champion because his kata was too long. He did a traditional kata in the traditional way, but it violated their rules. Open style tournaments tend to be more casual than what you're used to. Judges often wear sweats or shorts and flip flops. Spectators and coaches tend to yell into the rings more. Judges don't need to be credentialed (unless things have changed) the way that WKF judges are, so judging tends to be less consistent. Open tournaments tend to favor flash and speed and diversity, unlike the perfection and uniformity sought by Japanese styles. I don't know what time of year you're coming, but if you're going to be near Las Vegas at Easter, I recommend checking out the USA Open and the Ozawa Cup. Many people do both. They're both traditional Japanese style events, but the Open is a WKF event, while the Ozawa Cup isn't, although it does have divisions that use WKF rules. Both attract international competitors. There's an Australian group I always see at the Ozawa Cup! I think the Open has something like 3000 competitors while the Ozawa Cup has about 800. FYI, I think there are more tournaments here in Spring and early Summer than other times of year.

Another US guy here. Finance options are generally a loan or a lease. New cars loans often have low interest rates, even 0%. With a lease, you usually turn in the vehicle at the end of the term, typically 3 years, and you basically pay for the estimated depreciation, plus interest and fees. Usually, you can get into a lease for lower up front costs and a lower monthly payment, but you come out of it with nothing. For people who want a new car every few years, a lease might make sense. If you're going to keep the car a long time, purchasing makes more sense. Like Montana says, used is the best deal if you don't absolutely need a new car. In the US, you can get a good deal on a lease turn in. They're plentiful, only about 3 years old, with not too many miles, and had regular maintenance. Dealers will often include extended warranties on such cars that are two or three years beyond the original warranty. I bought my car new, but I planned on keeping it a long time, so I didn't worry as much about depreciation. I've had it for almost 12 years so far with very few problems. Actually, one big reason I went new is that I bought a sports car, a Honda S2000, and many used ones had been driven pretty hard. I didn't want to buy someone else's problems.

It's almost official. From the linked article: "A final decision is due to be made by the IOC membership during the Session in Rio de Janeiro in August. This is expected to be a formality, however, with the vote due to be a simple approval or disapproval of the whole package."

What he said doesn't sound that mean to me, but I can see how it might be, depending on how he said it, and I assume it's just one of many mean things that he's said. Sometimes being "strict and hard" can be good things for an instructor, although being insulting about your vision was probably uncool. This reminds me of a guy I used to know. This was a long time ago, so I might mis-remember some things. This guy trained under Kenpoist Cecil Peoples. Coming up through the ranks as a teenager, he said he was afraid of Cecil. Cecil was tough and mean and scary. After he had earned his black belt and became an adult, he got to know Cecil better and discovered he was a really nice guy. Cecil is actually one of the nicest guys in martial arts, but he can be strict in the dojo. I guess he's Nidan Melbourne's Type 1 or Type 3 instructor. I don't know whether the guy needed Cecil to be tough on him, but it seemed like it added to the sense of accomplishment he got from training. Anyway, you have to decide for yourself whether this instructor is tough or just cruel and whether what you get from him is worth his harassment. Since you're avoiding his class, I guess that's your answer. In any group, there are bound to be conflicts. Sometimes, you can work them out; sometimes, it's better to just avoid the person. Oh, and everyone correct me if I'm wrong, but unless you're warning people to avoid Sifu Mike, I don't think it's necessary or a good idea to put his name on an open forum like this. Someone he knows might see this. I don't know him, but I do know Sifu Jesus, as do a lot of people. I won't say anything, but someone might. i assume this isn't something you wanted to bring up in the dojo.

The version of karate that is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is organized by the World Karate Federation (WKF). The USA branch of the WKF is the USA National Karate-Do Federation (USA-NKF), which also goes by USA Karate. There will be both kata and kumite competition. If you compete in traditional Japanese tournaments that are not WKF, such as AAU Karate, JKA Shotokan, etc., it will be fairly similar to what you're used to. If you compete in open-style tournaments, such as those sanctioned by NBL or NASKA, or if you compete in TKD tournaments, the rules will be very different. The USA Karate website is here... http://www.teamusa.org/usa-karate Links to their rules are on this page... http://www.teamusa.org/usa-karate/athlete-resources/documents-and-resources

If your rules require chest protection, check their requirements. That might limit your options. The Cool Guards that DWx mentioned are great! Many women find the two separate inserts more comfortable than the larger one piece units, and they wrap around the sides a little more than standard turtle shell type inserts. Some rules might require sternum protection, which these don't have.

I think I remember hearing that Shotokan tends to be linear. Move straight in and move straight out. Not as much side to side or angles as most other arts. Is this true? If so, I can see how there might be a slight tendency toward "beefy" in Shotokan, with more agile people tending to excel at a softer art. Haha! I went to Japan with my wife. She's white and short; I'm Japanese-American and short. She thought we'd get there and she'd be tall! She was sadly disappointed. There were plenty of short people around, but lots of taller ones, too. Oh, well, she still towers over my mom and grandmother, but they're both under 4'10" and shrinking.

The usual reply is appropriate here - go check them out. Some Krav schools have belts and some don't. I have no idea what the proportion is nor what it says about the program. What I do know is that any Krav program is likely to be drastically different from any Goju program, especially when comparing adult Krav to kids' Goju.

I've heard of dojos that don't do any sparring, but to allow it only starting at 4th dan is uniquely odd. My first thought was that he only wanted students with adequate control to spar, but 4th dan crazy high!

Yes, you never know. My ex-girlfriend is a ni-dan in Shito-Ryu and a dog expert. She competes in obedience, agility, and herding. She's the president of her dog club and sometimes teaches obedience classes. She doesn't participate here. I'd ask her, but it sounds like some possible treatments have been found. Hope it works out!

From what you and others in this thread have said, it sounds like the second school is the best option for you, but if you're still considering the first, I suggest you visit both before making a final decision. I'm trying to be unbiased here, but I have a longtime customer that's a Stephen Hayes dojo, and I've met the man on a couple of occasions, as well as his wife, who I believe is from Japan. I don't have the background to speak to the quality or authenticity of what he teaches, except to say that the people who run the dojo that I'm familiar with are very nice people who are dedicated to the dojo and its members. Their dojo is a warm and inviting place, and a lot of care obviously went into making it that way. I'm also pretty familiar with a local smorgasbord type of dojo. They teach a wide variety of arts in a large space that includes a boxing/kickboxing ring in addition to more traditional mats. It can be fun learning a lot of different things, and I would recommend them to anyone not looking form something specific. I'm less sure about the dojo you linked. Looking at their schedule, I'd say they're not so much a smorgasbord, as much as an Aikido dojo with a lot of other things mixed in. That's fine, if you want Aikido, but if your focus is any of the others, class time is limited. Either way, it could easily be a great place to train. Visit both to really see what they're like, and ask whether you can watch a class.

I don't have a good answer for you, but since no one else has chimed in yet, I'll put what little I know. SKIF and SKA are both traditional Shotokan organizations, and traditional Shotokan organizations tend to pride themselves on teaching pretty much the same things in all of their member dojos. I assume this means they rarely if ever change anything, and they all still teach pretty much the same thing that Funakoshi Gichin taught back in the day. Differences will likely be minor, at least at the lower ranks. I don't know this for sure. Kanazawa (SKIF) and Oshima (SKA) both broke away from the JKA a looong time ago, so they might have changed some things over the decades. And, of course, this is very general. Each sensei is different and brings his own spin to what and how he teaches.

As is obvious from others' posts, this varies greatly depending on specifics. One customer told me his breakeven point was 50 students. He was renting a dedicated retail space in a suburban shopping center. If you're in a warehouse or industrial complex or share space in a community center, you would likely have significantly lower rent and would need fewer students. Someone I know rented time in someone else's dojo and only needed 3 or 4 students to cover the small hourly fee requested.

Seriously? You don't often run across people who have heard of it, let alone played! May I ask where? My home court used to be in Studio City, California, but we play in Sherman Oaks, now. I've played in tournaments hosted by a defunct San Diego group. There, I played with teams from Mission Viejo, Marina del Rey, and Lancaster (or Palmdale or somewhere out there), and I think someone came from Canada and someone from New York. Sorry to her about your knee problems. They can be tough. I probably don't have much cartilage left in mine. Many of us have issues. One woman tore her ACL and had it replaced. She plays with a brace now. Several have dropped out with joint problems.