shortyafter

Hi there Alan Armstrong, thanks for the response - I enjoyed hearing your perspective. And also great to see a fellow Zumba fan. I hadn't heard of Batuka but looks cool! I agree and have also found that my workouts are all related - my zumba helps my karate and my karate helps my zumba, and on and on. It's all about learning to control my body and using it in a healthy and fun way. Also in a way that helps me to grow as a person. More so in the case of karate but I think it's important to let go of the constant drive to improve and just enjoy the moment - and zumba is great for that. So I like your idea about having no goal in mind. Obviously I enjoy more but I also find I do better at karate and other activities when I let go of results. Thanks again for the perspective - good luck with the canon kicks!

Hi Zaine - my CI has given me a set of stretches to work on my flexibility for yoko geri mainly but also mawashi geri and mae geri. So I usually do some general leg stretching to loosen up the muscles then do my regimen for the kicks. Although a walk does sound quite pleasant.

Hi there I usually hit the dojo 3 times a week and on off days do stretching, maybe some kata, etc. I do a bit of cardio (I do zumba two days a week) but I recently thought that maybe it'd be a good idea to add some light jogging / running in on my off days. The first day was hell, I tried pushing it too hard but today I went at a comfortable pace and enjoyed it. However, my legs feel a bit tight. My thinking was, well, my cardio is a bit lacking and being in good physical condition across the board will for sure help my karate. Still seems logical to me. Just wondering if this interferes with flexibility or if there are any drawbacks. General opinions from more experienced karateka would be great. (Yes, I did do about 10-15 minutes of my usual stretching after my run) Thanks

I have trained both for about a year each. As others have said Kyokushin is full contact and the training reflects that mentality - it's rough and tough. Don't expect an easy ride at any part of the journey. More emphasis was placed on strong spirit than correct technique, though part of that spirit is listening carefully to your instructor and making the exact adjustments in the moment and/or under pressure. As others have said it's also more conditioning for your body, you will sweat in the training. Shotokan seems to be more focused on the kata and executing the technique properly - less of a fighting mentality. I've done a lot of kata, kihon, and stretching. I've worked a lot more on footwork. It's also about speed and getting in and out quickly - Kyokushin in comparison feels a bit clunky to me. At the moment I prefer Shotokan because the drill instructor experience I got in Kyokushin was a bit overwhelming for me. Shotokan has required a lot of discipline on my part, strong spirit, and I am definitely challenged - although not as directly on the floor. To me there is a certain grace to it that I like as well. That said, when I return home for the summer I do train at my Kyokushin dojo and it's a good reminder that I can hang with the tough dogs. I think my training in Shotokan will actually lead to a certain improvement in the Kyokushin arena. I think my experience will reflect the general difference but of course it will depend to some degree on the school - I'm sure there are really tough Shotokan schools and relatively "light" Kyokushin schools. I got some good advice on here not too long ago - find what works for you. If the glove don't fit... +1 to trying out both schools if possible. See what you like. Good luck and enjoy!

The Moon

I've only been on this Martial Arts journey for 2 years but your question seems to be quite fundamental. It's one I constantly ask myself, or some variation of it. IMO in the correct moment the question just goes away, and that's when the relaxation molds with the power. It's not something that can be pinned down by the mind, it's beyond that. Until then, patience and persistence and just trust that the moment and my improvement will come. This is what the more experienced guys have been telling me on this site and in the dojo. I read Gichin Funakoshi's autobiography a few months back and the quote that left the biggest impression on me - "the trick isn't to make the students strong, it's to make them weak". Sure referring to non-violence, etc. but I think on a deeper level he means, don't try to control the process, but rather become weak and let the karate happen to me

Hi all, I'm coming up on 2 years since starting my karate journey. I am 25 years old. I have taken extended periods of time off but this time I've been going steady for about 6 months, and plan to continue. I just examined for my orange belt (shotokan) last Friday. I passed but I felt sloppy. I go to the dojo 30-60 minutes 3 times a week (this is all my schedule permits). I rest on Saturdays but on the other days I'm doing stretching, other exercises, some katas, and tying up loose ends in my technique for about 30 minutes. So weekly it adds up to about 3 hours more or less. I also do other things like zumba, mild weight lifting, and going for walks which is not strictly martial arts but they do work my body. Some days there's times where it's just like WOW. For example 2 weeks ago I entered the dojo and saw the photos of all the karate greats and an overwhelming peace and self-assuredness came over me. That night was one of my best trainings in awhile. I was strong, confident, and calm. But since then I've felt sloppy and disconnected. I remember other nights - last summer doing Taikyoku Shodan and just a wave of calm, my Sensei was super pleased with the performance as was I. It felt like a work of art. It was. A martial art. But I struggle to get there and stay there. Today I'm doing kata at home and it just feels like, I am rushing myself, I can't stay focused, and the movements feel forced, rushed, and sloppy. This is often how I feel. I keep going because I know some days everything just comes together perfectly. But sometimes then again I wonder if I'm improving at all. In that sense a little disheartened but all I can think is to keep going. Just looking for some advice / experience / reassurance here. Thank you

Hi, found this useful and enjoyable. It's always nice to see the application of these techniques so we remember what we're really doing. The application and explanation was good. Thanks

Hi all. OP here. Thanks for all of your insight and comments. This made me feel better about my karate. Thank you especially for this one. I feel like I have found a good balance with this school. As others have said, I have followed my heart. Now I can stop worrying about if I'm doing karate and start focusing on learning the karate I am doing.

Hi there - I wanted to get some 3rd party opinions from people who know more than I. I started doing Kyokushin-kai 2 years ago. No preference, I just googled karate near my house and it was 5 minutes away. The sensei had trained in Japan, training was quite rigorous - etiquette is enforced, and don't break that kiba-dachi until Yame is called or you are going to get yelled at. At least hope the Sensei doesn't see but that's obviously not a great attitude. I advanced rapidly in 3 months, then, my career took me out of the country for about 9 months. I came back the following summer and same deal, this time don't feel I advanced as rapidly but see improvement and train well. And here I am back in my new home again. It's a small town but there's a couple of dojos here. There is one I like, smaller, but I feel I jive well with the Sensei, and he was my first one here and I prefer to stick with him. It's Shotokan. Like I said, small dojo, so I'm usually training alone with the Sensei or with teenagers. Atmosphere is much more relaxed. We follow the etiquette but nothing is quite enforced, we greet the Sensei before the class but how we talk to him is really up to us, respectful sure but we can address him as a friend. I can break my kiba-dachi at any time without him saying anything, so it's really on me to be strong-spirited on that front. Or if I'm a bit sluggish one day the sensei might call me out but it won't result in a verbal disparagement until I shape up, or anything like that. That again is kind of on me. Dojo 1 I feel like I was learning about - strong spirit, persistence, don't give up and push yourself beyond your limits. Dojo 2 I am learning much less about spirit and much more about technique. I am still feeling pushed but I feel pushed at a leisurely pace, it's not necessarily do or die like in Dojo 1. It's moreso on me, if I want to advance, I come to every class, and I practice at home, which is what I'm doing. Honestly it got to the point where I did not enjoy training at dojo 1 because I was so darn scared going into class. Yes there were epic moments where myself or the class would rise above or overcome and I did learn from these, absolutely, but I finally decided gee it's just not worth so much stress to me. If my heart were in it maybe, but for me it's not my life, it's my hobby. I remember Sensei 1 told us that such a dojo as dojo number 2 might be considered "fantasy karate". What is you all's opinion? Am I learning fantasy karate? Is there such a thing as "real" karate? How do you all train? Thank you

Hey there Senpais and friends. This is my first time posting on the forums. I'm looking forward to posting more. I started practicing Kyokushinkai just over a year ago, in the US. I just googled "karate" and there happened to be a Kyokushin dojo 10 minutes walking from my house. Good stuff! I have since moved to Spain and the style we have in my small town is Shotokan. I have also grown to like it very much. As my interest in karate grows, I'd like to know something of the history of karate - in general. I don't know if it's possible to get it all in one book - from the origins, to Shotokan, to Kyokushinkai (and other variations). If not, then specific books from within those styles. Particularly, however, something that touches on the general origins. Also - I'd like something that touches on the philosophy / art of Karate. Less about technique, and more about, the metaphysical aspects. If such a book exists. I will take any and all recommendations. Thanks much. Osu!