telsun

It belongs here but I'm not a beginner!!! I already knew what the club was like! What I wanted to determine is whether a bad club can paint a rosy picture of itself........ Perhaps I should have been more direct but I didn't want to influence your answers.

*mArTiAl_GiRl* it seems to me that you are onto a good thing with the karate. You're receiving good instruction and are obviously doing rather well. If I was you I would stick with it and form a strong foundation. You will find that learning new skills with strong foundation much easier than if you go wondering off. There are many things that I wish to be doing in my martial arts but due to family and work commitment I can't. I am frustrated but I must make the most of what I have got, I can learn the other stuff later. I am sure like me you have plenty of time too. Make the most of what you have right now......good luck.

4 conservative, which seems to fit me better than any other!!! Oooohhhh!! Coincidence?

Please except my aplogies Rick E. you appear to be offended by my post. It is nice to know that you have no ego to drop Perhaps I did misinterpret your post, perhaps you misinterpeted mine..........

Some wise words there from martialgirl. If you have not been studying long then you will probably find that you can slip into another karate class fine. Go into JJ or something then you may feel a little uncomfortable. Just check out the local clubs, find the best instructor, teaching the best art (in your opinion). You'll know when you walked into the right dojo. Good luck.

I was forced to find new instruction when my sensei emigrated about 8 years ago. I looked around the clubs in my area only frustrated to find that noone was teaching any quality stuff. I stayed at the dojo's for a while but really I just wasted those couple of years. I started my own dojo as this was the only way, at the time, I could see of maintaining my training. I stumbled upon my current instructor 4 years ago and I got quite a slap in the face!! My sensei has showed me how shallow my karate was! What I learnt from this is that good clubs are very hard to find but there is always a club better than the one your at!! So should you stay or should you go? You have a good instructor in isshinryu, do you think that you are going to find an instructor of his quality? I train with my sensei because he is the best I could find, I will train with him for as long as he is teaching, NO MATTER WHAT. Hell, his 20 miles away. I'm not too sure what you intend to do. Are you giving up life and going on a pilgramage of Martial Arts discovery or are you just going to train at a few different clubs?

No martial artist should over commit whilst fighting. Kicking/ hitting a bag fine, fighting a big no, no. That is until the time is right....... Goedikey try checking out some JKA tournaments. The thing with tournament fighting is that you cannot afford to get hit because you lose points. Trying a spinning back fist (not a very traditional move!) will expose your back and leave you blind for a split second allowing your partner to score. Deep stances are difficult to move from and do not offer the speed of a high stance. As someone else has mentioned they are generally for conditioning.

So if he grabbed your arm you would "just" keep hitting him with your other hand? If he grabbed you from behind you would "just" pop his knee? LOL No I 'm not taking the mick, I know where you're coming from. The "Just do this" thing gets up my nose too. All scenerio's are different and like you have said it is extremely difficult to predict how something is going to turn out, i.e you've hit your mate in the face/ kicked him in the groin before he grabs you. There is alot of it though. I expect even your sensei does it, you did it above. We all tend to be bias towards our chosen style but our style often has weaknesses. You are practicing different arts, you striking, him grappling. He tied you up and you could not get out, wouldn't you like to learn to do that? You and your mate should be learning from one another. Drop your ego's and keep an open mind. If he does not want to learn karate then albeit but don't be as ignorant yourself.

I presumed that too, but I thought he meant strength of technique not ability to perform a technique. Strength of technique is down to your physical build, your technique and your speed. Because we are all different builds, poccess different learning ability, etc it is impossible to say exacty when you will become strong. But with dedication and good instruction you should become progressively stronger well up into your dan grades. One point on your own strength. It is not always apparent to you that your technique is getting stronger, get someone you can rely to give you feedback.

real goju katas?

Does anyone have a fulltime dojo? Are you a professional M/A's instructor?

How many students are there at the club you practice? Mainly interested in adults but juniors as well if you wish. At my club between 1 & 6. Also what rank is your instructor? Mine = 5th dan

so are the remaining 4 days of the week your training days?

does it seem to be a genuine, decent club to train at?

How does this club look? http://www.karategoju.com/

There are alot of new people on the forum and I think that this is a subject that tells you alot about a person. Here's the link for the original thread http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=108776&highlight=#108776 So let us know what your long and short term goals are.

Hey Robin, 4 times a week training is great. 3 would surfice and you could get by on 2, with some personal training. Do you run your own dojo or teach at your sensei's? You should have atleast 1 chillout day a week. Yeah, not just England but the garden of England!! Really there's not much "awesome" about England. Well, I suppose there probably is, you always tend to take for granted the things that you have in lfe don't you......

I would not judge an art by it's name. I try it. I like it. I do it

5. You allow him to attack so that you can counter him. He strikes through your defence, your dazed his still hitting you but you don't really know what's happening anymore. Your on the floor looking through your hands at your crazed attacker.................You're in hospital staring blankley through the window wondering what the hell happened. Who know's we're entitled to our opinions. There is no need to force yur opinions on others. Sometimes things should be left as:agree to disagree, eh guys?

What's in a name anyway We all know that KARA-TE was originally written in Chinese hand don't we? A "Japanese" art written in chinese until the Japanese changed it. Erm......what is the translation for Shaolin? Ahem....OOPS! I wasn't going to say anything, I think the name thing should be dropped, like it probably had been until I brought it up again.......... Jeees can't I just shut up? No guess not: What's the difference between all those styles of karate, jujitsu, kungfu........ I've never heard of it but yes with a name like that I would believe that it is a martial art. Neat tricks? What neat tricks?

That's how I used to teach. Honestly, give my way a go, even with a beginners class you can do the moves slow with them. It really makes alot of sense. Do you still receive instruction in karate? Just you haven't mentioned it. You don't seem to be getting any older either..........hubba, hubba

Scaling back to 3-4 times a week should not result in a lack of progress. You have done extremely well to train as often as you have over a 6 year period Your training does not have to be all physical, having your head in a book or cruising the web also counts as study. You mention that you feel " a little burnt out", a step back from training will help you with this. You could try this Whilst teaching the adult class, instead of standing at the front observing and correcting, train yourself, you know, do the moves with them. If you don't already. My sensei teaches this way and I have followed his example. You will earn tremendous respect from your students (providing you set a fine example!). It is surprising how much you can pick up on your own technique as you watch others for their mistakes or make them aware of what you are focusing on whilst performing the techniques. You have to push yourself hard so that you do not loose face.

My first sensei video's himself exclusively prior to training for any comps. He came 6th in last years world championships in Scotland (vets-kata). It is a good method to use. Your karate is never the way it "feels". I remember the first time I filmed myself I thought that my technique was better than what I actually saw. Recently when I filmed myself I thought my technique was worse than what I saw It works just as well for basics, kata and kumite. Also training in front of mirrors has similar merits, with the benefit of being able to correct yourself instantly. Although, not wise to watch yourself in the mirror whilst your sparring

He pulls his fist back to strike. Do you hit him first or wait for the punch? I know what I would do!

Hey cymry, I know where you're coming from I am familiar with the work of Geoff Thompson and he sure knows his stuff. I agree with the pre-emptive striking that you have mentioned. Like you say, when it is obvious that there is no other alternative other than to fight (always the last choice). I would rather face a jury than the inside of a coffin lid. Fights get nasty and you never know how far the punk looking for a fight is willing to go to "prove" himself. I hope you and I never have the opportunity to find out..............