danbong

That. For me, I like how the front stance and footwork of shototkan has allowed me to bridge the gap with hand techniques instead of kicks. Specifically the deep front stance (notice that I didn't say long) and the explosion forward when punching. For me this is useful for two reasons: 1. I have spent significant time in Korean arts where everybody else concentrates on kicks, so they aren't used to attacks that start with hand techniques. This is doubly true when they don't realize I can reach them with my hands from what they think is kicking range. 2. As you get older, your kicks get lower and slower, while your hand skills decay at a much slower rate.

And Funakoshi was following in the footsteps of his primary instructor Itosu who created the pinan katas for teaching middle school students.

The problem with giving pushups or mountain climbers as punishment is that we try to tell the students that those exercises are good for you and they should be motivated to do them on their own initiative. So when we us them as punishment we are sending the conflicting signal that the students should dislike doing the exercises.

Getting started is half the battle. As others have mentioned, the instructor will be more important than the style. The key issue is that he knows hor hard to push you so your general fitness improves but not push you too hard so your body breaks down. And I would not even begin to think about doing a second style until you are proficient in the first.

If you think hapkido focuses primarily on powerful but slow strikes, you do not have a good grasp of hapkido concepts yet. Yes, there are very powerful techniques that take time to execute. Those tend to be techniques that rely on large circular body movement, such as the spinning heel kick and the spinning backfist/knifehand. However, there are many techniques that are much quicker that are used to set up those powerful but slow strikes: eye pokes, throat strikes, kicks to the knee. My hapkido instructor would tell us "stun and blow" meaning quick light strike, then powerful but slower strike. As far as learning on line: don't do it. Especially if what it is covering is significantly different that what you are experienced in. you absolutely need the immediate feedback from a live instructor.

5 years from 5th to 6th dan 4 years from 4th to 5th dan 3 years from 3rd to 4th dan 2 years from 2bd to 3rd dan 1 year fron 1st to 2nd dan 15 years from 1st dan to 6th dan and anywhere from 3 to 5 years to get to 1st dan. It doesn't seem that unreasonable if the instructor has been practicing since 1990.

I have an impressive collection of books from 30+ years of martial arts. Much like JusticeZero, I have gotten good ideas, and many things that I have tried. But unless it was something that was really close to what I already could do, I needed more information/feedback to make it work well.

Agreed.

No.

I'm glad that wrestling is back in and even more glad that karate will not become an Olympic sport.

My short answer to your question is that a ripstop gi would work well for you. Now for the long-winded explanation: The school that I train at has three core areas - old school TDK, standing grappling based on hapkido (think of JJJ) and yudo (Korean judo) and ground grappling originally based mostly on yudo and that we are beginning to work some BJJ into. Most of the students start off with a typical student lightweight gi and as they move up change to a single weave judo gi. I get hot quickly and sweat buckets so I looked around and found a 250 gm (about 8 oz) BJJ gi from gorilla fight gear. It works very well for me for both striking and grappling. One of the other instructors went at it from the other direction and got a heavyweight 16 oz karate gi and cut off the ties. He's very happy but I think that if you do very much BJJ you will want either a judo gi or BJJ gi. The only reason not to use a hybrid gi made of ripstop is because some like the way a technique performed with focus makes a snapping sound when a heavyweight karate gi is worn. For me, when I judge kata competitions, I ignore the sounds and try to determine focus by watching the way the performer is moving.

Can beginners learn from a book? Not just no, but heck no! Even if a book or video could explain everything perfectly, you can't get feedback on what you are doing right and wrong from a book. Now in terms of a McDojo, I hate that term because quite often it really means "they train/run their school differently than mine". JusticeZero had a good working definition that went something along the lines of: if you are getting the training you want for a price you are willing to pay and if your perception of your martial arts ability is close to what it actually is you are not at a McDojo. (my apologies to JZ if I butchered that). So to answer your second question, you would first have to give your definition of a McDojo. Also, you would have to state what your goal is for learning said martial art.

well put

I think the previous posters have covered if you are too old. Now for specifics, if you are talking about a shotokan side snap kick (yoko geri ke-age), it *is* very difficult for all beginners to perform, especially above knee height. Just keep at it, concentrate on good form rather than kick height, and work on your hip flexibility.

As mentioned, the instructor and the way the school is run is more important than the style. Your user name looks like it has the zip code for Galt. I know there is bus service from there to Elk Grove (where I live). In Elk Grove there are several schools that I think are pretty good (I don't train at any of them, I go to a school in Sacramento). Private message me if you want to discuss specific schools.