karate_woman

Realistically, it takes quite a while to get really good at a new technique, and it doesn't usually happen in one day. What I've seen is that when a new technique is shown, an instructor will generally demonstrate, have everyone try it a few times, correcting the most obvious, glaring errors at first, and then as the student gets more familiar with the move, fine tuning the corrections as the student works towards perfecting the move. This often happens over several classes. It may be that you've "mastered" the technique enough for that day, and more corrections will be coming. Another thing that is possible is that the move isn't really intended for your belt level and the instructor is just letting you do it anyway, instead of giving you a technique at your own level. If you are comfortable with your instructor, you might politely ask them (probably before or after class) why they sometimes move on to the next move so quickly, or mention that you are having trouble keeping up when you are learning new techniques and see if their response satisfies you.

I wear a helmet (gotta get used to them so they don't bug me in tournaments), mouthguard, gloves, and shin/instep guards - they aren't really cloth, or foam, though. Well, the inside is cloth I guess.

Absolutely. In fact, with karate, the higher the Dan rank, the more suspicious I become - we wait a long time between Dan rankings, so when I see a 25 year-old 7th Dan it makes me wonder...did they get their black belt 3 years before they were born, because that's what it works out to in my style. Not that young people can't be highly ranked...I've met a wonderful 5th Dan in Kempo Karate that is 29, but I know her background and she's legit. Anyway...getting sidetracked again. I'd want to make sure the 1st Dan was still training, but other than that, if they are a good instructor why not?

Barrie, Ontario Canada

Shodan, Okinawan Goju Ryu and Kobudo Orange Belt in Judo

We haven't had any at my school, but my Sensei is over 50, so that might explain it. In addition, all the black belts at the club are married and had girlfriends already when they started at the dojo.

A name for it..not sure, I guess it depends on the guy and why he's into it...perhaps I should explain. I never really thought anything of it until I put "karate" down as one of my interests in Yahoo!. Within a week this guy started bugging me to beat him up...literally put him in the hospital. I of course refused, and even humored him enough to try to explain why I wouldn't do it, and why he's having trouble finding legit female martial artists on the internet who will do it. I never really thought of the attraction men have to female martial artists for their simple strength and skills until that moment. It turns out there is a whole branch of domination that is related to "martial arts" (I'll use the term loosely, no pun intended) babes who beat up guys for money. Anyway, I digress. In the case of instructors, their (while inappropriate) attraction probably stems from a simple case of finding a chick that is into the same stuff he's into; it is a common bond. I wouldn't even have a name for that type...maybe shark fits if it is someone who they are teaching, though. In the case of a guy off the street starting to train just to meet karate babes (like the dojo bunnies do, I believe), what about dojo pups? Following her around like a lost puppy dog?

I can't really relate, as I always enjoyed sparring. I have met a few women who are afraid to hit/spar with other people because they might hurt them, though.

I don't think you can tell how good a dojo is simply because of its price, but it is obviously priced too high for you at this juncture so the point is moot. We have to buy our own gi, though Sensei has a startup package for new students that is $100.00 that includes the first month, plus a gi, crest, manual and mouthguard. Sparring equipment is extra, and we have to pay $10 insurance. I found an interesting article from the perspective of the person opening their own dojo, and what they have to consider. http://winstonstableford.com/YourOwnDojo.html

Maybe we read about martial artists who've been beaten up because the person who has attacked them is simply a better fighter. To be a good fighter you need to practice, and perhaps the opponent is just much more experienced in actual fighting. Also, the MA may be too confident in their skills and not fight their hardest, which is always a mistake as you shouldn't underestimate your opponent. I guess we'd have to actually witness the fight to know what happened. I have seen plenty of articles where a martial artist has successfully defended themselves from an opponent, too; we aren't all wusses!

The most obvious character changes for me have been in the area of self confidence, and my ability to work under pressure. Also interesting was the fact that I had my first daughter when I was a green belt, but my second after reaching black. The experience was extraordinarily different. Even though both labours lasted a long time, my increased ability to relax and meditate that I'd acquired between green belt and black belt enabled me to relax so much (without drugs) that the midwives thought I was actually sleeping and they couldn't even tell I was having contractions at several points. As for why karate impacts your character, well you really work on yourself a lot when you take it. I find the katas nice to work with since it is just me and my invisible opponents. While my instructors are invaluable in my development, implementing the corrections is entirely up to me. You can also see your progress as you get stronger, and as you move slowly up the line and observe the new students, remembering what it was like for you when you started, and marvelling at how far you've come...and looking at the more advanced students and marvelling at how much you still have to learn, eventually realizing that even Sensei is still learning (or should be!). As for whether other sports, activities, etc have it....I'd say most certainly. If you want to be really good at something, you have to work and work at it, and you would feel a sense of accomplishment too. Personally I think the feeling is more complete when it is something that combines your mind, body and spirit, but that's just me. I believe that because I have heard athletes talk about getting in "the zone", and with karate I know exactly what they mean.

I saw a post in another forum asking for identification of males and females and some people had objections to that. By my name you can surely guess I'm a woman, so I obviously didn't consider that My first karate Sensei was a woman, and I haven't had any issues where people disrespect me in the martial arts because I'm a woman. My Sensei had to fight hard to get a black belt ring and into the black belt committee for the franchise she was involved in at the time, though. She was the first woman to get such an honour. I've noticed at times that I'm the only woman - especially if I go to grappling seminars - but I've never felt like I didn't belong or didn't deserve to be there. I don't really think much about it when I'm the only woman in class, and the only person to make an issue of it was a teen-aged boy at a seminar and didn't belong to my club. He was so cowardly that he decided to mouth off about being stuck with "the woman" when he was in the men's change room (my Sensei and ex-husband then both told him to be careful, that I'd kick his ass ). We were newly paired off at that point in the seminar (we were rather similar in size) and I have no doubt that without even knowing about his "issues" I more than held my own against him in the end. I hope that opened his eyes about women in the martial arts, but if not, I'm not losing sleep over it. Without opening a debate on men vs women martial artists, what are people's thoughts on the matter?

Just work at your own pace. With few exceptions, people don't start karate already conditioned for it. Even athletes get sore trying it because their muscles aren't used to working in that particular way.

I've periodically lifted weights but find I'm really driven by learning and a sense of accomplishment. I just can't get into weight lifting, pure and simple. If I did, I get kind of obsessed and would end up wanting to compete or something; it is just my nature.

I pay 55 per month Canadian. There is a local club that charges 82.50 and makes you sign a year contract, so relatively speaking I'm doing alright. Not telling you the price over the phone is straight out of the training manual for selling memberships. I remember reading the franchise manual for the club I used to work for - it was stressed NEVER give out the price over the phone. Whether you blame the guy for following the rules is up to you; the club I read that particular manual in was excellent, with top notch instruction, so it doesn't always point to something sinister. Like many other businesses (and it really isn't a crime to have a martial arts business, in my opinion), sometimes a really excellent martial artist just needs a little help in the business department (I've heard over and over, I'm a carpenter, mechanic, etc not a businessman), and will follow the "rules" they've been taught to the letter.

For me, some moves (basics you learn from white belt and up) are second nature already (at shodan, and were by 1st kyu), others aren't quite there yet.

I was 12.

It is funny how everyone wants to know what style/martial art is "best". For me, I've found any exposure I've had to other martial arts fascinating. I really am not in a position to say which martial art is the best. My honest opinion is that it is a personal thing; the one that is best is the one that suits you the best.

I'm 30.

Well, I've never dated a martial artist. I'm not sure why. I guess that isn't entirely true, since my ex-husband ended up becoming a jujitsuka, but that really didn't have anything to do with why I dated him; it happened after we were already married.

Hi all. I just joined today and have been posting like mad to anything that catches my eye...wow you have lots of topics to browse! Anyway. I'm Tera, from Barrie ON Canada. I am a shodan in Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate, and Kubudo but also trained in Japanese Goju (to 3rd Kyu) before my Sensei switched styles. I trained in judo first (to orange belt), and since my Sensei also teaches jujitsu I've had the good fortune to take some classes in WJJF and Kitsune JuJitsu (haven't graded though). I've also taken some classes from Sensei in T'ai Chi, but the slow pace isn't really for me at this stage in my life (I just turned 30 last December). I started my first martial art (judo) about 18 years ago, but I've had a couple of breaks in there. Even during the breaks I never consciously decided to quit; I just wasn't training for whatever reason. I missed training terribly when I was away. I graded for shodan in August of 1998, trained like mad until June of 1999, sporadically during the rest of 1999 and then stopped completely the fall of 2000. Since I just started training again the end of February after having my 2nd daughter the end of December, I don't expect to grade for Nidan until probably next year - or whenever Sensei deems me to be ready. Enough about me...Blah, Blah, Blah...

JuJitsu - gentle techniques, Judo - gentle way Basically, judo is derived from jujitsu. Some say Jigaro Kano felt some of the techniques were too dangerous and took them out when he made judo. Others say he simply took the best techniques and put them together. As for why to take one over the other...well on the side of Judo, it is an Olympic Sport. On the side of Jujitsu, from what I have learned between jujitsu and judo, jujitsu has more lethal techniques, but I only reached orange in Judo, and jujitsu seemed to teach more dangerous stuff (comparatively) right away.

I take goju. Since goju is itself a combination of even older martial arts, I see no reason why other martial arts can't be combined together to make an effective art - it happens all the time; what can be improved upon will be. That isn't to say that the other styles don't contain what you're seeking, but perhaps they make it more obvious (many styles have hidden bunkai and applications that you only learn or discover when you are really high up). In reference to the part about kobujutsu, most Okinawan/Japanese styles I'm aware of teach weaponry/kobudo to their students in addition to the karate. In the end, what style you take is a personal choice, and will likely be influenced by whatever dojo fits you best.

I don't think karate is unique, actually. I think it compliments other martial arts rather nicely. The more martial arts I've been exposed to, the more I believe this is so.

I think it all depends on what you are being attacked with, and, of course, the skill of the practitioner. I'm a karate and not not an aikido practitioner, but I have a respect for all of the martial arts. Aikido demonstrations can be rather impressive in showing the effectiveness of the techniques