BlueWaveKarate

I can pick one up locally from a craigslist guy for about 650, or make one for dirt cheap. Anyone DIY Mook Jong? Is it worth the effort or should I just spend the money? EDIT: I'm handy with wood. (thatswhatshesaid)

When you say 'karate', which style? Emphasis on which aspect, do/jutsu? Which forms? Going on a decade, I've pared my own practice down to four kata: naihanchi, passai, kushanku, and chinto, and I have so much work on with just those four (and I haven't really even started on anything deep in chinto!) that I plan on being busy well into my eighties. (I'm 32) You may choose breadth or depth, but I will quote the master himself here: "I fear not the man who has practiced a thousand kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick a thousand times". -Bruce Lee

I'm going to be renewing my insurance and thought I'd throw some questions out there to you all and see what those with more experience in admin-ing a club think. 1. What kinds of coverage beyond general liability do I need? 2. Are there any riders that you consider necessary? 3. Do you have any recommendations for insurance companies? Thanks much!

Just curious. If so, what do you think they offer adult students? If not, what are your lower belt kata?

I'm totally tracking with ya. I think a separate discussion might be: "How do independents keep up the standard?" It is vital that all teachers - affiliated or not - replenish the well from time to time. I think early in a MA teaching endeavor it's important to get actual lessons, while later on discussion and varying viewpoints might suffice to stir the pot so to speak. Said another way: Continued Professional Development is essential. Associations regulate it and independents must take initiative to find it.

I would personally be pretty ticked off at the organization I wished to join - and walk out instantly - if they refused to examine me on an individual basis to ascertain what rank/skill level I would be at in their association. Assuming the student applying has demonstrable skills, why should they begin as a white belt? Oh.... that's right. Politics. The only organizations I have ever seen in any sport or activity that refuse to take students in at their actual skill level (not rank but SKILL) were so caught up in politics and power structure that I wouldn't want to be part of them anyway.

I spent four years teaching kids 8-12 in the inner city. My best advice to you is DON'T STOP MOVING! Adults need time to let lessons sink in, so good water breaks are a great part of training to let the mind absorb what's just been done. Kids, on the other hand, need to be hooked like a fish - keep tension on the line at all times or they'll zip off in another direction completely! My adult classes are currently 90 mins and, though I'm not teaching youth at the moment, if I return to it I'll keep it short; 45 mins tops. That way I can run through basics, kata, and some fun exercises without stopping (lesson plan, lesson plan, lesson plan!) and I don't get burned out by the little bundles of energy.

Thanks for the input so far everyone. Here are a few additions to the discussion being started: Re: My Rank Recognition: I like karate for karate's sake, don't care about rank much. I've seen enough iffy sixth dans and some unbelievable first dans to realize it's all in the mind of the awarder and awardee. Re: Association Recognition: Call me naive or simple, but I practice with my club for my own joy. If a student doesn't like my material, association cred wouldn't help, and if a student DID like my material but was turned off that I wasn't affiliated, I'd ask them why and to make their free decision. So fellow independent instructors, care to chime in? Seems like the above have so far been from those with orgs they like/tolerate.

Just curious about this. I started off teaching under an association's auspices, then wanted to train in a different way than they did, and my students followed me. (I gave them the option, of course, without hard feelings.) So now we are an independent club and I'm the leader. It's great, and I really enjoy the freedom to develop and share my own understanding of karate. Just wondering if any of you are independent teachers and what challenges/perks have you found along the way?

From the moment they first walk into the classroom.

Thanks, I hope more people take the poll. I do $85, myself. I teach two indoor classes a week and one outdoor on saturdays. I figure the 8 indoors each month are worth $10 each plus a $5 admin, and Saturdays I keep free as an open practice with less instruction, followed by coffee with the group at a local bakery.

Very excellent analysis. Hohan (famiy) and other (itosu, etc) versions may differ simply due to the path of transmission. If that's so, it does make seito style a very unique style indeed; one that should not be assumed to have the same fundamental principles as the publicly taught versions. Thank you!

I know it's in a lot of threads, but I figured I'd post a poll and see what happens. If you don't charge per month, what would it work out to be?

Old thread, my 2 cents: A better question would be: "How far are you down the line from a passionate and constantly improving teacher?".

Thanks everyone! Wastelander, your opinion is pretty much where I find myself coming back to. The Matsumura from Chibana seems to be, of the styles I posted on the poll, the most comprehensive, ie it includes most of the important techniques from everyone else's. Hohan Soken's seito style seems just SO different from the rest, it's quite confusing as to where it came from. Does anyone know where the "arms flailing overhead" (I know that's a gross simplification) came from? The seito version is the only one that has anything like it....

I wear the pro and love it. It's heavy, but breathable and very durable. I really do like it (and the modest price) but it does come with a caveat: Be aware that some of us have had some pretty significant issues with their customer service. Check out the thread I link to below to read a few cautionary tales. Again, the uniform is great - really great for the price - but know that you will probably have little help if there's an issue. http://www.karateforums.com/do-not-order-from-meijin-dragon-associates-vt30720-10.html

Less of a question and more of an "AAGGGGHHH!" I started with Bassai Dai when I was learning at first, then later learned (for fun) a few other versions. Now I can see benefits in all of them, which is great, except... As an independent (not affiliated with an association) teacher, I can teach my students whichever makes sense. I consider most Passai's are better than Bassai as far as bunaki and complexity, so which one do I teach?! I suppose my question to you all is: which style of passai/bassai do you practice/teach?

I got my first 10oz (is that middle weight?) as a shodan, because it felt right. I was teaching a lot and wanted to represent the art well. (Plus it feels good). It took me about three years to get from white-black. IMHO, that was too fast, but then again, that's why I took my training into my own hands. (insert rant on 'obedience-based-ranks vs skill-based-ranks' here) Average is 3-5 years, from what I see.

Thanks, Darksoul. I'm totally gonna sound like a momma's boy, but I am not ashamed to say that as a 32 year old Nidan in Shotokan and in TKD: My mommy wants to make me a custom gi. I'd say that solves the problem. She's good. I'll write a report about it in a few months when it's done.

Just sent my email 3: I'll let you know how this goes.

Update: Here are the emails I sent to Meijin. They appear to have ignored my last email, and are not interested in helping me out. So, they're off my good list for sure. Email 1: Reply 1: Email 2: Again, that's the end. Nothing back in five days. Considering how fast they replied to my first email (a matter of hours), I can only imagine they've read my second one.

I'd bet there are a lot of us (self included) who train solo these days. It keeps getting easier to do. I teach a small club, and have a few friends my dan grade, but no one specifically as my instructor. A part of me cringes when I say this, but YouTube is an excellent resource for dan grades looking to improve or even learn kata, in addition to things like Nakayama's "Best Karate" series of books. Of course, once you get yourself back to where you feel comfortable you will need training partners. And if there isn't a club around, there is always 'that' way to remedy the issue.... ....sensei.

Oh, and thanks sensei8! I've read as a guest for a while, figured I might as well join in.

@tayl0124: I am exactly the specifications they list for size 7: 74" and 220#. That size 7 fit me PERFECTLY in January, and now is, as I said, a size 5 by their own measurements on the website. Again, I should add that the woman I spoke with was nothing but kind and concerned, but that there didn't seem to be any ability or initiative to resolve the issue.

I know this is an old thread, but I've had some recent experience with Meijin that - while not damning - should instill caution in buyers. The uniform cut and construction is pretty awesome, you can't take that away from them. It's solid, canvasy (strong though rough), and is an appropriate weight for daily use. I also ordered a belt with embroidery from them, and its ok but the kanji isn't as pretty as say, Tokaido's. The issue is shrinkage and customer service. I ordered a size 7 one year ago, and I noticed it slowly getting smaller. After seeing a recent picture of myself in it, I thought I'd break out the old measuring tape and check on what 12 months of wear and EXTREMELY CAREFUL WASHING IN ONLY COLD WATER WITH ONLY LINE DRYING ha done. Four and a half inches off the vertical measurement for the top. One inch off the horizontal measurement of the bottom hem of the gi top. Two inches off the waistband. I can still wear it, though I have to get it adjusted and will be replacing it with a Tokaido when I can afford to do so. On to Customer Service. The best I can tell, based on pre-purchase email questions about the belt and both pre-purchase phone calls and recent emails about my issues with the gi is this: She is a middle aged Japanese woman with only basic English skills and no authority to make decisions. I'll post the emails after this update. She seems very, very nice and I have no issues with the etiquette of the service, but know that if you plan to purchase from Meijin, it is a final sale and the gi will shrink up to 10% on some measurements.