shortyafter

Hi sensei8. Your objection is quite a fair one. I live in a small Spanish town, and to be honest, the only other adult in my classes is my instructor. Other then that, I'm training with teens. So, when it comes to fair, straight-up kumite... there's not a lot of opportunity there. We tend to focus on application of kata and 1-step kumite, bunkai, etc. So there is application, just not much sparring (but hey, every now and then we do some). I reckon you're right. I don't think this is making me into a great fighter, far from it. But it's teaching me other things. So I would respect anyone who says that this approach is not the ideal... but I would have to disagree with those who say it is invalid, or a waste of time, or anything like that. Everyone has different goals, I suppose. Karate so far hasn't made me into some great fighter, and may never make me into a tough fighter without the right amount of kumite training. I understand that. But it has made me tough in other ways... It's taught me how to avoid a confrontation, it's taught me how to call people out who are doing the wrong thing, it's taught me how to persevere. And yes, my limited experience has taught me that when push comes to shove, I can fight. Just as long as my opponent isn't some hulking martial arts giant. I suppose I purposely abandoned a dojo that was more fighting / full contact oriented because, their values didn't really align with my own. Not that I don't wanna fight. Just that, they seemed so darn focused on sparring and being tough, that all the rest of it got lost somewhere. So anyway. All that to say, I don't disagree with you. But this is what I've got right now, and, it's working for me. I'll keep my limited kumite experience in mind next time I start thinking about picking a fight with someone. Thank you, as always, sensei8.

I was just practicing my kata on my rooftop terrace. I can't exactly explain it but I always feel like my kata are sloppy. Maybe it's my perfectionism, actually, I'm sure that's part of it. But I also got the feeling tonight that I'm just trying so dang hard to make my techniques powerful. Too hard. So tonight I decided just to focus on doing really proper techniques. It's funny because the kata actually looked and felt a lot better. It felt a lot lighter. What little I lost in power (being tense all the time, IMO, doesn't really make you powerful), I feel like I made up in proper body mechanics and velocity. My karate felt like it had a new lightness to it. Maybe I could have added more power back in, but, I don't feel like being super tense and brute about it is the right way. I feel like that's getting in the way. It's funny, because, you look at new (and some old) karate practitioners, and society in general, and brute force seems to be the way to the top. Everyone seems to be exerting themselves so hard. It takes a little bit of courage to just be like, hey, that's not my path. I was remembering a lot today, for some reason, a day we had done 1-step bunkai in class. My opponent was really going hard, and it made me think, "maybe I need to be exerting myself more, give it that kind of energy, like him". But then I thought. No. That's his style, that's what he's doing. That doesn't mean it's right, and it definitely doesn't mean it's right for me. A few minutes later, he was totally burned out and the decline in his technique was obvious. Meanwhile, I continued on, calmly and powerfully. Then I knew I had done the right thing. So, not saying I've got it all figured out or anything. But I do feel I'm on the right path with my "unwinding" philosophy.

We don't do much kumite in my dojo, a lot of kihon, kata and application of these things. But straight up kumite, not so frequently. Tonight was the first time in awhile. Was fighting against a blue belt younger teen. Jyu kumite. So yeah, he's young, but he's somewhat grown up and about my size. Also outranks me. But hey. It's not really about my opponent but about me. I didn't go into it thinking "I'm gonna stomp this kid" or anything, just like, let me do my best here. For my sake but also because this kid deserves an honest showing. No need to take it easy or anything. About 1 or 2 minutes into the fight the instructor pulled out the helmets. That gave me a boost because then I knew I could start throwing some honest shots to the head. Obviously not gonna knock this kid out but I could throw some controlled blows up there. It went well. Don't know how to explain it. I just felt like I was calm, threw good techniques, and used my head. Fought strategically and technically correct. There came a moment where I totally just whopped him into a corner. Like I said, we don't do much kumite in this dojo, but I think my old Kyokushin experience came out here. So anyway. Nothing crazy, I'm not gonna say this means I'm an awesome fighter, because it certainly doesn't. But it does mean I'm progressing and that I can feel confident in what I'm doing with my karate. And that's pretty cool!

I work as an assistant teacher in a public language school. Today I was working with a fellow co-teacher in his class, a weekly occurrence. Over the last few years I haven't just learned to become strong - I've also learned to become vulnerable. It's a journey that precedes my karate journey. In fact, the former led to me taking up karate in the first place. And both journeys are totally related, if not one in the same entirely. These last few years I've really learned to accept my humanity, my weaknesses. Which also has lead to me being able to accept the humanity of others. Well, doing so gives me a whole new perspective on life. It gives me a new, more positive perspective on myself, and it also has shown me that we're ALL broken, lost and confused in some way or another. We're all just fragile human beings doing the best we can. I've been working on this, like I said, for years. But it really has been coming up the last few weeks, and especially today. So I'm in the class with my co-teacher, as I said above. I get along well with this guy, but lately I've been struggling a bit with him. Like, I get a bit of a selfish, self-important vibe from him. I don't know, I'm not entirely sure. Well, today, there was a moment where we suddenly made eye contact for longer than normal. In that moment, in his face, I saw great fear. Not of me, necessarily, but, of being vulnerable in general I think. Of letting people see the truth. I realized, maybe he does have selfish tendencies, I don't know... but that's not the core of it. He's just a scared, fragile human being doing his best. So I don't have to be afraid or judgmental of him. I felt mildly awkward in that moment, but, I do not feel that I experienced the same degree of fear that he did. Not because I'm super strong or immune to fear or anything ridiculous like that. No. But rather, because, I've already come such a long way in accepting my weakness. I'm not so afraid to be vulnerable anymore. And it's funny. Because in that moment, where I saw great fear in his face, I saw great strength in me. Thanks folks for letting me share.

Yep. I got a "not secure" warning from both Chrome and Firefox.

Hi! Yep, these 3 years have not made me into an amazing fighter or anything like that. But they have taught me to have confidence in my strength - both physical and spiritual, while at the same time acknowledging my limitations. Thanks a lot for reading and for sharing. I look forward to hearing more from you.

MatsuShinshii - Thanks! I really appreciate the encouragement.

On Monday I told my instructor that I have been feeling unmotivated lately. I figured he's the person who most needs to know that. I liked his advice - he told me to take my time, be patient. I'm young. It's very similar advice to what I've gotten from you all. I've been in a good mental and spiritual space lately. Not without its bumps but of course the bumps are just a sign of hitting new territory. On the way home from my class I saw a bunch of older teen boys hanging out in the small park by my house. That morning I had found it utterly trashed - rubbish all over the ground, basically everywhere except in the bin. Which was just less than 5 feet away. So I decided to confront them. "Hey, you guys were here last night, right?" - Yeah. "OK, well how about tonight we throw all the rubbish away? I mean, there's a bin right there, it seems easy enough to me". - OK. "Thanks, see ya". And that was that. Of course the next day the park was just as bad as ever. But I felt good about how I acted. I feel like I did the right thing. It's not OK for them to trash my park, to trash our park. That's not OK. Whether or not they listen to me, that's not up to me. The way they answered that night made them sound to me like good kids deep down. So if anything I made them feel a little guilty for doing the wrong thing. Good. Maybe that encounter will stick with them every time they choose to do something stupid like that. And I wasn't afraid of it. It's not like they're gonna whip out a knife and start attacking me right there over this small thing. But you never know. My karate has taught me I don't need to be afraid. Especially when I'm in the right. And hey, I was on my bike. Worst case scenario I booked it out of there. Karate's also taught me when it's better to avoid confrontation, and when to set my ego aside. I just passed by these teens again right now after tonight's class. I decided I wasn't going to say anything. Maybe a simple "hey" if they paid me any mind, but otherwise nothing. In the end there was no opportunity to speak, but that's OK. I was a few meters away but I think they saw me on my bike. And just seeing me is a reminder of "Oh crap, we're doing the wrong thing" on some level. But I don't need to go in there and make it a personal vendetta. That would be my ego speaking. Tonight in class we finished with an application of Heian Shodan. There was no time for anyone else to do it, and we were about to close out the class, but I asked my instructor if I could try it. But this time was different. In my old dojo, this kind of thing was expected "to prove our fighting spirit". To whom? As far as I can gather, to our Sensei. Tonight I didn't do this to prove anything to anyone, not even to my instructor. I did it because I wanted to, and I found the application useful. I don't know. I don't fully understand these dojos that are founded upon gaining the instructor's approval, which means doing everything his way or the high way. In the end in my old dojo I felt like we were being turned into dogs. Very deadly and powerful dogs, but still dogs. Always at the whim of our master, never able to think for ourselves. That for me is not what this journey is about. This journey, for me, is about learning to be able to stand up for and defend what I believe to be right. And doing everything my instructor says and hankering for his approval (or for ANYONE's approval, for that matter) is not what I'm after. I don't care about approval. I care about truth. When I say truth, I mean my truth. But, I know that when I am true to myself, I'm also true to the whole. Because I'm part of the whole. But this is just my philosophy. I will say once again that I appreciate barefoot-kohai's plug of "My Way of Life" (Funakoshi). Notice Funakoshi doesn't say: "The Only Way of Life". Or "The Best Way of Life". Nope. It's just his way. I can certainly learn from him, and from others. But at the end of the day, I have to forge my own path. And to always remember, like Fuankoshi, that what's right for me may not be right for everybody else. It's been awhile but I practiced a bit of kata on my own after class. I don't want to go into superlatives like "that was the strongest/best kata I've ever done". But I will dare to say that it was a damn well executed kata. There's been some bumps for me, and there will certainly be many more. But this is working for me. I'm happy with karate, and with life. Thanks folks.

Funny that you mention that. This has been THE definitive karate book for me. I really identify with Funakoshi's perspective on the art and on life in general. Thanks for that.

I asked my instructor this one tonight: What's the benefit of training traditional karate instead of just training the self-defense application directly? In class we tend to drill techniques/kata and the like and then learn how to apply them in a self-defense scenario. Why not just skip the whole technique drilling and start directly with practical application? Assuming that my primary goal here is self-defense. But if you want to touch on the other things that traditional karate can give you apart from self-defense, I'm open to that too.

Thank you. That's how I feel about the situation, too, but feedback like this strengthens my resolve in what I'm doing and why. And I agree with you - that's a great point about this being the student's journey. Everyone is different, right? Thanks again!

P.A.L. - Yes. Avoiding conflict is not glamorous. Like, it's not comparable to winning a tournament or even being the strongest/toughest guy at a wedding party. There's something utterly dull about what actually happened that night. But you know what? I went to bed without any injuries, and most importantly, with a clean conscious. Not glamorous, but, there's just something more meaningful about the way I handled that. It's not gonna win me any awards. But it does make me feel good about the person I am. And that's meaningful to me. Thanks a lot for reading and for your comment. sensei8 - Yes, I really appreciate your support and encouragement. Slowly but surely. You're right, I've come a long way. Thank you for that reminder.

Been awhile folks. I've been in a mild karate identity crisis lately. I dropped out of my old Kyoksuhin dojo, a fact that I posted about awhile back, and recently tried out a new SKA (Shotokan Karate of America) dojo. Honestly, I got some good tips from them but I did not leave there feeling like, "Yes, this is the direction my life needs to go in". Not necessarily because of them. But because I'm questioning what role karate has in my life in the first place. I went a couple of months without training and my world didn't fall apart... in fact, it was liberating in a way to get some of that stress off my back. This was back in the States, here in Europe I do have a dojo that I like. We started back last week and I have been attending because, well, I don't have a good reason to quit (not that I necessarily will, but you get my point). For context, let me mention that last year I set a challenge for myself to pass a super difficult language exam that I don't need for anything other than to prove to myself that I can do it. Well, turns out that I'm a far ways off from passing still. I gave up on that challenge. Not that I'm not for excellence or anything like that... it's just that, bursting my butt doing something I hated just for a stupid certification. I decided it's not worth it. And I'm glad I did. But then I started to think, am I treating karate the same way? And the answer is, yes. I'm still using it to prove something to myself. And the truth is, that's not what I want it to be about for me. I want to do it because I love it, for the art of it. Not for belts or validation or anything like that. So my last couple of trainings have been different, in a good way. I'm not trying so hard to advance or do things perfectly... I'm just doing my best and really engaging in the art. I already do a lot of sports, and karate on top of that is just another commitment. On some days I go to the gym twice because of how things work out, one of course is the karate gym. And honestly, that's a lot. I sort of a got an answer to these questions tonight. Our instructor is going to remove a day, Friday, and make our other two classes on Monday and Wednesday 30 minutes longer. I like this solution. It means karate will be less of a burden to me, but still a part of my life. Another answer came to me about a month ago, though I'm only totally realizing it tonight. I was at a destination wedding and the bride and groom rented a house for all of their friends. 3 story house. Lots of people and most bathrooms occupied constantly. I'm not a drinker and was exhausted so I went to bed earlier than most. I knew there was a bathroom on the top floor, even though my friend group and I were on the second floor. So I went up there to brush my teeth. A young guy about my age approaches me and says - "What are you doing here?" I said, "Brushing my teeth". Matter of factly. And he says - "But this is ours." "Oh, ok." And he adds - "And what are we supposed to do if something's missing?" And I said - "But I haven't touched anything". In a sort of bullying fashion he says - "Get back inside the bathroom (I had stepped out a bit while brushing) and finish up". I was going to floss and use some mouth wash and stuff but I figured it was best not to play games. I finished brushing, packed my things, and left. "All yours" I said. Politely, but also in an assertive tone. "Thanks, dude" in a sort of mocking tone he says. And that was that. I thought about it. Should I have "stood up" for myself? I mean, I know I was doing nothing wrong but he seemed to be looking for a fight or something. And I didn't like that. My ego I suppose didn't want him to think that he had got the best of me. But in the end, I was happy with how I acted. He clearly wanted confrontation, I avoided it but also was not apologetic or scared of this guy. That was good. That, I think, was karate. So karate has taught me how not to fight. But I think it's important to know how to defend myself, and this situation showed me that. When he confronted me I could feel my whole body tense up, and go into fight-or-flight mode. These situations don't happen frequently, but I'm certain I will face them at some time. And when they do come, I want to know that I'm ready. The best thing I can do is do what I did that night - just leave. But if the aggressor doesn't settle for words, if he wants to make a bigger case of it, if he wants to be physical... there's something to be said for knowing how to defend myself. And that is a gift that karate has given me, and will continue to give me. I don't need to bust my butt 7 days a week in order to prove that I can make black belt. That will come, if it's meant to. But going to the dojo twice a week to learn about self-defense, get a good workout and learn values like perseverance, patience and non-violence? Eh. I can do that. In fact, it would be my pleasure. So onward we go, my friends. Thanks for letting me share.

Yes, I noticed that they seemed a bit narrow and more focused on tournament fighting than anything else. My experience with them is limited to one training session but it does line up with what you're saying. No hate here either though, they did give me some good tips, just wasn't for me. Thanks for sharing.

Funny that you all mention Rick Hotton because that’s exactly where my mind went when I read this. I was watching some videos of his a couple of days ago and one that really stuck out to me was one where he says “forget about form”. Actually, I think I was asking myself a similar question as you and the video was entitled “Natural Movement” (link at bottom). He’ll explain better than I but what I got out of it is that if you just do something that feels natural and strong, you’ll probably end up having a better if not “perfect” zen kutsudachi. Overthinking it makes things sloppy whereas just doing something powerful tends to get you closer to where you need to be. I totally understand the doubt and Lord knows my stance is still weak. But I did notice an immediate difference in my technique after watching this video and applying this mindset. Here’s the video:

When I started training I had blisters on my feet for a few weeks. After a short while they become conditioned. I stood lightly on a drawing pin last year, it penetrated the ball of the foot near the big toe by quite a bit and I didn't feel a thing. I won't be modelling hosiery any time soon but my feet are tough! Good to know I'm not the only one. Ouch, tough feet!

Hey OneKick. Yes, that’s good advice. In the short-term I could certainly pick up some technique but long term I don’t think our styles/philosophies/goals align. So I’m not sure if I’ll return next week but either way I’ll go with my gut, like you said. Anyway I’ll be back to my normal dojo in just a few weeks so yeah. Thanks again for the insight.

Just noticed this thread. I just wanted to say I really enjoyed reading it and getting to know what motivates you all on a deeper level. I don’t know the average age on here but my impression is that I’m a bit younger than most (26), and while I’m not totally lost in life a lot of my older friends remind me that so many of my doubts and struggles come from being young. One thing that I’m learning is that everyone is different, and that my motivations and goals are deeply personal, and that doesn’t make me better or worse than anyone. I think despite all our little quirks and flaws, we’ve all got something beautiful and positive to share with one another. Especially because we’re part of a community that is dedicated to bettering the self and those who surround us. For me personally, I am not totally interested in the punches and kicks. I wanted and continue to want to learn the techniques just so I feel confident that nobody can push me around. But that’s secondary to me. Karate (my MA of choice but why limit it?) for me is about fighting, but on a level that goes far beyond the punches and kicks. Karate has taught me to be persistent, and to keep my head up when I’m discouraged. It’s taught me discipline, and even if I hate the thought of getting out of bed on a workday, I do it, because that’s just what I need to do to keep my life going (and one day, my family’s life) - nobody is going to do it for me. It’s taught me patience. You all always remind me that this is a journey, and a life long journey, and I don’t have to have all the answers in karate or in life right now. I trust that they will come in time. And it’s taught me humility. I’m not the best at this, in fact physically I’m quite clumsy. But through training I have changed the way I use my body, and have also begun to use it in a way that is uniquely mine. Again, lessons that go beyond just how I move my hips. Finally, it’s taught me to fight for myself and for what makes me happy, and it’s taught me to fight for what’s right - regardless of what anyone else says. All of these things are what motivate me to train. I honestly believe that I don’t need to be in a dojo to practice my karate - karate is a sort of way of life, and can be applied to everything. But the final thing I want to say - without getting the body involved, I am missing out on one third of the equation (body, mind and spirit). Without the body, I would not be complete. There would be no balance. (Learned this one from Mr. Miyagi ) Thanks for sharing all and thanks for letting me share.

Hey guys. Sorry, let me clarify, I did not mean to associate the absence of mats with poor quality of instruction. Two seperate issues. The concerns about poor quality were due to all the things I listed in OP and that we talked about before. Although OneKick that makes sense about trusting the leader and not necessarily the association literature. It also occurred to me that the leader has to be encouraging to draw newbies in, but that doesn’t preclude a bait and switch (seen this before). But again this may just be me being skeptical, at this point I don’t know. As for the mats, I appreciate the insight. Both of y’all’s points are duly noted. The blisters thing was more of a personal aside. Honestly I don’t know if I got them from poor technique or just because I’m not used to that type of floor (probably a combo), feel free to opine on that, but at this point rubbing those suckers more is just going to keep me out of action longer. Thanks guys.

Hi sensei8. As one non-MA friend of mine put it, "well of course they're excited about something they're invested in". That attitude I can understand. And nobody's going to want to train at an inferior dojo or organization (as you alluded to). But feeling the need to talk down on other organizations in order to build my own up? Kind of insecure, and lame. I agree with you. Thanks for the input. Update on these guys: training would have been tonight. I thought about it and honestly they're not that bad. Don't know if I could stomach full-time with them but I could definitely learn a lot from them as a guest these next couple of weeks. The CI in particular had really good encouraging energy. All that said, I'm not desperate to get back in there, and I've got some nasty blisters on my feet. They don't have a tatami, just a standard gym floor, and my feet didn't really like that on Monday. I'm going to let these feet heal up and I'll reconsider going next Monday. Tonight, then, I'm off to the gym to do some weights, stretching, light kata, and maybe hit the bag around a little bit. May not be training at this dojo but that doesn't mean training stops. Thanks to all for chiming in, and feel free to keep 'em coming.

Hi JR. Sure, I mean, I'm sure there's some basis to it besides like evil cult doings... there has to be. But like you said, it's definitely pretty extreme and when I read that bit in the brochure it sounded some alarm bells pretty quickly (especially given the problems with my previous dojo). I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that. Again, I have no intention of doing these special trainings. But being around people with this kind of training philosophy? I almost prefer to pass. It's got to seep into the lower ranks somewhere. But yeah we'll see. Thanks for the input.

Good insight OneKick. At my previous dojo I received the "scream in my face, but in a threatening way" kind of encouragement. Like, push yourself harder, or else! I much prefer the type of encouragement you mentioned, and despite my recent post about my primary instructor having a bit of a temper, I've never felt threatened or belittled by him in any serious way. These new guys? I'm not so sure. To soon to tell. Like you said, there is no perfect instructor. I'm trying to find that balance between exploring my options and finding what works for me, but also just being happy with what I can get. I'm not sure what I'm going to do at this point but I'm thinking I'll play it by ear and go with my gut. Thanks again for the insight, it's very helpful for a new guy like me.

Hey OneKick, thanks a lot for getting back to me. Training was not bad and people were friendly, but I suppose red flags did come up. Firstly there were no beginners, just me. Almost like they are an exclusive club or something but hey that could just be my read on it. Second the CI was very positive and encouraging but now looking back there were a couple of black belt students who seemed a bit condescending in their corrections. Again maybe I’m misreading it but I got a good vibe from most of them, but one couple (husband and wife, two advanced students) particularly rubbed me the wrong way. Third they immediately started telling me how SKA was superior to JKA and recommended I find a SKA dojo in Spain, where I live 11 months out of the year. Certainly one prefers their own style but to the exclusion of others? Possibly another red flag. The woman that rubbed me the wrong way told a visiting brown belt that “we have a special training in Boston next month, if you end up drinking our kool-aid”. Literally said that. The religious adherence to a certain style scares me a bit. The special training thing really did it for me. Apart from what you said, also the fact that you literally can’t leave without permission, and if you do they sack you from the organization. Like, how about an incentive based system? Special trainings for 1st dan grading or something. But do as we say, or else? Plus no sex, alcohol or smoking. I mean, I don’t even drink or smoke, and probably wouldn’t be looking to shag at this kind of thing, but did it need to be said? Seems like another control thing. Finally like you mentioned, the “most intense physical and mental workout of your life”. I’m all for training hard but this attitude of “pain is good” is something I’m quite skeptical of. Especially when it’s forced on you from higher ups. I don’t know. Maybe I’m being too harsh on them now after getting your opinion. But I really appreciate it because I’m a newb and I don’t know what’s out there and what’s normal/good and what’s well, not. Would love to hear more from you if you’ve got any other insight, and would love to hear from others, too. Thanks again. I haven’t paid anything yet so I’ll think about this a bit more before I decide to go back. Part of me says “it’s only 3 weeks what have you got to lose?” but honestly I’d rather train by myself and do conditioning/strength/flexibility in my time off rather than train with fools. But not casting my final judgment yet.

Quick update since I already updated the other thread. Just did my first training with an SKA (Shotokan Karate of America) dojo. Training was good but I'm a reflective guy so let's go ahead and reflect: 1. I've been training on my own for the last month or so out of necessity. Getting back with (more experienced) people and also fresh faces just reminded me that I have a long, long way to go. Mind you I've only been training for 3 years and the majority of these guys have been going for 10+ years. But yeah got a long way to go, and you know what, that's OK! As you guys always tell me, patience. And I'm looking forward to learning. 2. Despite that I am definitely more confident and humble in a way. Like, I'm open to correction. I didn't feel stupid or defeated because I got corrected or anything, like, it's normal! I think that's growth for me. Also, I didn't walk in there scared or anything. Nervous sure but I was confident that I could handle it. Definitely thank my previous karate training for that. 3. My karate is still my karate. Like, I have a lot to learn, and I need correction and guidance. But what was that principle that sensei8 usually reminds of me? Like, first you have to learn the techniques then you go beyond them? I feel like that comes into play here. These guys technically seem great but the fighting spirit... that's inside me. 4. After a bad experience at my previous dojo now I'm skeptical about dojos in general. But hey I doubt they're going to lock me in their basement or anything like that, lol. But yeah I do want to know that what I'm doing is worthwhile and not just some "drink the cool aid, our dojo is the best" type scenario. Hence my other post. I think it's a healthy skepticism. All said and done I'm happy with where I'm at and with where I'm going. Let's see how things play out. Thanks folks.

Hey folks, just had my first training at a new dojo that is a branch of an international organization called "Shotokan Karate of America" (SKA). I will update my personal thread with some reflections but wanted to open up a thread for broader discussion about this organization - I want to share what I observed and also get some outside feedback from you guys. Why? Because every organization I've ever been a part of always says their the best, and this one was no different. I've moved around a bit so I've had the privilege of training in various dojos, and in my humble opinion no style is the "best" - all have their strong points and of course some weak points too. So let's get a discussion going on this particular organization. My impressions Keep in mind I'm still a beginner to karate, I've only been training for 3 years and at my primary dojo (JKA affiliated) I'm a 6th kyu green belt. I've got a long way to go on this journey and I was reminded of that tonight by these guys. But yeah, keep that in mind as I share what I noticed: 1. Good tips for kumite. We did some jyu kumite as well as some form of ippon kumite that focused on free counter-attacks. They gave me some really good pointers - keep eyes locked with opponent, counter-attack quickly, attack to the head not to the body, when possible. I felt these were all very valuable pointers for me. 2. It seems like I'm telegraphing my oi-tzui somehow, like, my arm is moving before my feet and it's easy to block and counter. I feel this is a good fix for me but it will take some time to get the knack of it. 3. Very intense physical workout. Not anything insane but up there with my Kyokushin days which were almost insane, if not totally insane some days. 4. Kata was like, go at your own speed (when not by the count), even when we did it in a group. In Kyokushin I was always told to stay together with the group. That was a bit odd to me but it sort of makes sense, sort of. Oi-tsuki - squared shoulders vs. extended shoulder? Here's a point I'm not sure on but would like you all's opinion: In JKA I was taught to keep the shoulders square when I launch the oi-tsuki. They showed me that in SKA they actually extend the attacking shoulder in a sort of spear like motion. They say it adds power. I can sort of see it but would like an outside opinion. My impression is that it's possible but I believe I was taught to square my shoulders for stability. Special Trainings Maybe I'm just being paranoid but lately I've been watching this show on the A+E network about cults. And it's funny because some of these traits they attribute to cult leaders I identified in my ex-Sensei. Sort of exaggerating but maybe not really. This tidbit they included in their brochure which I also found online: http://ska.org/ska-special-training/ Seems a bit strict to me but hey maybe I'm just a total weakling. TL;DR - practiced with a new dojo affiliated with Shotokan Karate of Association (SKA) tonight. Listed my thoughts above - good stuff, but I'm always skeptical because every organization seems to think it's the best. You guys got any experience with or knowledge about these guys, or any opinions? Would love to hear it. Feel free to ask me anything. I plan to go back on Wednesday. Thanks.