americankarategal

I have learned a few things about assuming also, just because an instuctor has a "blackbelt" doesn't mean they are knowledgable about their art. I guess I am crazy because I am really the only one that wants to these things at my dojo as far as the adults, but when he asked me to teach an after-school program I wanted to actually teach more than just technique, I wanted them to get a good feel for why they where learning Karate and tie in the mind, body, and spirit, as welll as history. I had them do a journal writing in yesterdays class, it was a series of 5 questions example: what is the most important part of Karate to you? I got some answers that really made me feel good, some said the history (imagine that), one said the realationship between sensei' and student, others said learning about yourself and self-defense. I am making a big bulletine board for the whole school to see. Even sensei' said "I need to build a closer relationship with my students like you have .....I think it has made a big difference in your program..." I am very close to all of my students. I make them b-day cakes and we have a party that day...they come to my house, I take them bowling ect...but in return I get their respect and they look up to me. Best of all if they have problems and feel they can't talk to parent's or others they all know they can come to me and most of them have. I do encourage them to talk to mom or dad in all situations, beacause that's the right thing to do..but I will always be available when they need me. Anyways this post is getting long.....I am glad this has helped you.....It has helped me too......

Thank you all so much for replying, I am really excited about the information you all have sent my way. I did speak with someone that trained at the same dojo as my instructor and has been training fo 15-20 years. I asked him where this all came from and he said iit really started with Bruce Lee when he started breaking away from tradition. He said that people would train in one or more styles and begin to "tweek" them to make them a little different and then claim to have developed a new style. He also said that we are more of Sport Karate, we do japanese terminology because we use technique that began in japan such as : dachi waza, uke waza, , tsuki waza, ect...... Thanks agian everyone and still anything else you find or think of please let me know

My sensei' is 33 years old, he had trained in martial arts for 4 years, got his blackbelt in Jan. 1999 and opened his dojo in Sept.1999. Like I said in one of the above posts he is a great point fighter and his kata are interesting but I agree with you that they should be derived from traditional kata. The names of our kata are basic 1-3, and competition 1-2, but alot of people make up their own moves to add to what he made. I would like to learn the traditional kata and even teach it to my after-school course that I teach....how hard do you think it would be to train myself..what resourses would you recommend? Thank you for your input

That's the odd part of all this and what has about made me decide we have no tradition...He makes the katas up and those of us in the blackbelts course are in the process of building one now. I am really interested in learning the traditional katas also...I don't think it would be that hard to learn(with the right resources)..I do know the different techniques...I know should have a high repect for our sensei', but all the research I have put into my after-school classes that I teach...he is now taking and implementing into his BLACKBELT classes and that to me is somewhat disrespectful to me..I feel he should have already taught me these things if he expected me teach a class on my own....I am certain if I put my 10 yellow belts against his 10 of his green - brown in a trivia/technique in kata sparring or board breaking...and especially terminology and facts...we would overcome them easily.. I am not in anyway trying to boast...just stating that I feel like something is not quit right...If you can help me in anyway please do it will be greatly appreciated...

Thanks for all you guys concern, it really makes me begin to wonder, I know he will not want me to ask his instructor anything because they ended on bad terms so I don't know where I should look next. Maybe I should let it lie. As far as why AMERICAN KARATE should use japanese terminology because we are taught japanese blocks,kicks,stances, and punches ect... and sensei' counts out our movements in japanese. I have about come to the conclusion that American Karate just means a japanese art taught by an american anyways. Thanks for your concern and opinions, if you find anything else that may help let me know please. by the way thanks for proof reading my last post, I'll start sending you my term papers if you don't mind.

Goodness people don't be so hard on me I am just trying to see if anyone else is a part of a dojo that dubs itself American Karate and if so what their sensei' teaches them, is it just technique or is it some type of background to it ? I live in a fairly small town and he is the only instructor in it? He did get his training from another school his sensei' has been teaching 20 years, and about a year after recieving his blackbelt he opened his own dojo. I teach the japanese terminology because, we use the japanese words for the stances, blocks, punches ect..Yes I speak it correctly our sensei' that teaches judo trained in okinawa and was very fluent in the language, and helps me with that. I just want more information on the style and if it is even a legitament style. I did not realize that someone that only has blue belt could make up their own stuff and promote themselves??? Anyway thanks for your opinions.

Thanks to all of you who have voiced your opinions..I do agree on the aspect of the sensei' that wasn't taught any background, That was the case of my sensei' his instructor concentrated on the buddism which my instructor was not interested in. Sensei' is an excellent point fighter so he concentrates more on technique and Kata. He is very supportive of my quest to dig deeper into the background. I have been doing research on people such as Joe Lewis and Ed Parker (i know his style is american kenpo). I have also incorporated some japanese things such as terminology and a basic history of okinawan karate the kids love to learn these types of things and I am learning with them. Thanks again for the input.

Thank you I will try all these. They will enjoy them I know. I train with 5 days a week so it gets kinda hard to keep it interesting. Thanks again.

It's not Kenpo, or full contact..it's a non-traditional almost free-style I guess. The reason I asked is my sensai doesn't teach any history of the art and I teach an after-school program for children age 6-16 and wanted to offer them a little background info...

Is anyone training in American Karate...

I am teaching an after-school program for ages 6-16...Does anyone have ideas for some drills I could work them with, they are all at yellow belt right now. [/code]