Safroot

Thanks so much. I have this book already ... It's an amazing one but my problem is that terms never stick to mind but sure i will do it one day

Too difficult for me actually ... I am 31 YO but my brain can't absorb it

I thing english class will be much more better ... I feel like you need to master the art ... kicks, punches, blocks, kata, combinations whatever the language is ... too complicated to be only Japanese ... wish my sesnsi change it to english

Progression is progression, regardless of the speed. Stop worrying about being good enough and practice at being good. Regardless of the speed at which you progress the important part of progressing through the ranks isn't wearing the next belt, but the journey to the belt. We learn nothing in our tests and everything in between. You are right Zaine ... completely agree with you may be because it's my first time to learn something that needs lots of practice and time for progression.

Time ..... I feel I need to train to have patience before training in Karate In TIME, all things will work together for those who exercise...patience!! Hajime = Begin Yame = Stop Rei = Bow What to say at the end of sparring?...well...just BOW, and be done with it!! The bow says a lot on its own. Hopefully I get it with time & thanks for the sparring terminology

Time ..... I feel I need to train to have patience before training in Karate

In my short journey (4 months) ... no proud moments yet ... hopefully I have one soon to share with you guys

I have a dictionary handed out to me when I started & I look at it frequently but terms don't stay in mind

I want to know how long it took you to can understand your Sensei's Japanese instruction during your class ?! I found myself struggling to follow up and I usually wait to hear the English explanation or to see what the class is doing Shall I concentrate on the terms used for my grade only (stuff I will be tested for) & go grade by grade or I have to know everything ?! I even don't know what they say to start kata or during sparring and don't know what to say after sparring, is that normal for a white belt or I need to know all this now?! I am really stuffed up with all this Japanese terminology

Take all advise as good advise, if they conflict then think of them as both being right and there is more than one way to do things. Look to your Sensei for the way that you should be doing it. He should be setting the standard and will also be the person who grades you. I also learn from different seniors, some have developed bad habits, others have just made mistakes, some have their own way doing certain moves. This also applies to Kata, you will find slight differences and sometimes its because of the teachers body limitations or the fact that the application works better for them their way, or they are thinking of a certain application when they perform the Kata. Take rising block, I have been taught to go straight up or to bring the fist in slightly then go straight up infront of your body. Both are good but thinking of grabbing an arm and going up underneath it then the second way makes more sense, if it was going up into a throat then the first way works best. Later on when you are a few grades on then judge if there are still inconsistancies with techniques and maybe question you Sensei (politely) about them. You should always question stuff, just be polite and enquiring. Too many people take the Sensei's word as law. Also, just relax and train, look how far you have come since starting and keep training. Mostly enjoy yourself! I guess you are right mal103 ... I will keep training ... The weirdest thing is that when I started karate training I did it only for fitness and grading didn't come to my mind at all but now actually grading matters .... I love this art & want to master it one day so I will keep training and as you said, now I am better than my first class back in January. Progressing but very slowly

Thanks for your advice, sure i will try it

Yes, i know that practice is important but unfortunately for me it's bit difficult at work (pharmacy) & due to work shifts, I have very limited time at home (leave home 8 am & back 8:30 pm) mostly spent with family . I will try to do my best to find time to practice

Thank you so much for your nice words and advice No they didn't tell me that but I felt it Anyway I will keep trying and hopefully don not lose motivation Ok, well then from the sounds of it I bet you feel frustrated more because you see how far you still have to go - - but you should have far to go! You are still beginning this journey! I am new to this as well, but I do have experience teaching another precise physical art, and I can tell you that more corrections is often a good sign, not a bad one. It usually means the teacher sees potential in you, and feels you can handle it. If your sensei is giving you many corrections then he feels you have the ability to make these many improvements. He has faith in you that you are up to the challenge! It can feel counter-intuitive, but really it's an encouraging sign! Try to look at it from that perspective. And I also suggest keeping track of this thread. Look at it a year from now, and you will be amazed at how far you have come! Thank you so much for your very encouraging comment . I guess you are right, I have to look at it from this prespective & keep going on. The problem is getting instruction from a different person each time, sometime 3rd, 2nd or 1st Dan & each one has his /her point of view ?!! For this reason it's a bit frustrating

KATA! Work your kata's! Concentrate on your stances. Making sure that your stances aren't too narrow or too wide or too short or too long. Have someone while you're in said stance, try to knock you over in any direction. Do walking drills where you go from one side of the room to the other in one particular stance, and then do same thing while switching from one stance to another, going forward and backward. Swimming pool drills in the shallow end up to your waist, and go from one side to the other is said stance. Have someone tie your belt around your waist, stand behind you while holding either end of your belt, and while you're advancing forward, have that person resist you, but not so much as you can't move forward at all, as you try to walk forward from in one particular stance. This is for a start. You're ending the turn to soon. Each turn, 90, 180, and 270, take more time to complete, and in that, if you're sitting your leading foot down too soon, then you're ending both feet on the same embusen line. So, for example, from a right forward-leg stance, put your hands on your hips. This gets the hands out of the equation. You already know where your leading/turning/landing foot is suppose to be at the conclusion of said turn, so, don't put that foot down until it's there. Back to your hands on your hips, lift your turning foot as you've been taught, just enough to turn, let the momentum of your turn carry you to that final point. Then do it again until you've done a complete circle. Then switch your lead foot! Do it again! Eventually, it will become automatic in TIME!! Don't rush the turn!! Don't hesitate the turn. Turning is like learning how to crawl, then to walk when you were a baby. In time, you mastered both! Same thing here, in TIME, you'll master all your turns! Give them time!! You're feeling it just right; the BB's ARE doing the blocks differently than you because they've been on the floor much longer than you have. In time, you're blocks will change for the good. Make the blocks/deflections YOURS, even though you're taught one way, you must make every technique YOURS while keeping the core of said block/deflection pure!! Listen to your CI!! Respect the other BB's, but the CI is the one and only one you should be listening to on the floor. The BB's wanting you to do it THIER way is meaning well, but it's in conflict with your CI and with your MA betterment. Fine line? NO!! Listen to your CI!! Listen to not how they block/deflect, but listen to the intrinsic elements of said block/deflection to the effectiveness at its core!! I hope this helps. I'm just a question away to help you. Good luck, hang in there, and train hard!! Solid post as usual , thanks sensei8 to take time writing this encouraging post

And stronger bones! which is very true for the style Yes I guess you are right

Thank you all guys ... you really put me back on track ... will keep trying

Thank you so much for your nice words and advice No they didn't tell me that but I felt it Anyway I will keep trying and hopefully don not lose motivation

Thanks hammer for your advice ... unfortunately I am not able to do 2 classes weekly due to work shifts and no enough time at home to practice (mostly it's family time). I completely agree with you that correction now is better than later. yes I am doing the same 2 katas with only one difference that Kyokushin is my first martial art ever.

Hi Guys, I have been away from the forum for some time and really missed it. My situation in short is : last class one of the 1st Dan guys took me aside and started working on the basics and first 2 katas as my first grading will be soon I guess. During the training, I found myself below standards that would allow me to pass a grading . my problems were: 1- loose or non-solid/firm stances. 2- when doing rotation/turning in kata it ends with my 2 feet on the same line instead of being spaced with nearly shoulder distance. 3- fine adjustments needed for the basic blocks (I feel like BB guys in my class are doing it in different ways and each one wants me to do it his way) The guy was very nice to me but after the class I got very demotivated and don't know what to do! Anybody has experienced this before ? if yes how did you get over it ? Any advice about improving above mentioned stuff will be much appreciated. N.B: I have been training 1.5hrs/week for 4 months now

That's really an amazing video ... It was very inspiring specially for me at this stage ... before I saw this video I was going to write a new thread on how frustrated and disappointed of myself I am as in my last class a 1st Dan took me the last 45 min to work with me on basics as my first grading will be soon and I found myself below the standard ... lot of mistakes with first kata ... non-solid stances .... After seeing this video, I am heeps better. Thanks for sharing it Sensei8 ...

I started Kyokushin Karate mainly for getting fitter and more healthy.

Congrats and well deserved

I think it depend on the style .... It's not allowed in Kyokushin

I think that said white belt is here to learn, so I'll do my best to help said student to make that "first" step, and we'll make each and every "first" step together. I'm no better than that while belt!! I think that said while belt is a beginner. Nothing more, nothing less! Again, I'm no better than that white belt!! Gi's have drawstrings or elastic waistbands, now a days. I've never thought that the belt was a way of holding up ones pants, never. A quick look at any belt tells me what level of experience said student is. Now, I can proceed forward in teaching said student what's appropriate for that rank. While a white belt and I aren't the same rank, we're the same; martial artists, and I'm excited that we're able to share the floor together!!

Solid post