Zaine

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. Taking martial arts online is something of a taboo. For the most part, the arguments against them are good ones. Often, it seems, we find that the programs are predatory, uncaring belt-factories that only care if their customer pays the monthly premium on time. This view of online martial art studios exists because studios like this do exist, and we tend to hear about how bad these are far more often than how great a good program may be. This is human nature. We are far more likely to share a bad experience than we are to share a good one. However, are online schools bad? Or is it only our perception that makes them so? Some of the common arguments against online martial arts training include: "How can you know if you are making a mistake if you don't have an instructor in front of you?" "How can you objectively be tested if you get 're-dos' and the instructor doesn't know you?" "How can we get better if we do not have a partner to train with?" These are all valid concerns and only some of the arguments against training with an online program. Let's look at each of them. "How can you know if you are making a mistake if you don't have an instructor in front of you?" This, for me, is a very good point against online karate programs. In fact, I have made the same argument for years. Instructors are instrumental in making sure that we are doing techniques correctly. When a student does this in their own home, with an online instructor, the student runs a very high risk of developing bad technique that could take a long time to correct after they get some face to face instruction. However, it would stand to reason that an instructor who knew that this is a risk would compensate for this. When we learn, say, a kata in a dojo, it often breaks down in this way: The kata is demonstrated to the student, piece by piece, until finally the student has the whole kata. They take time to learn each section so that they have the prior part memorized before moving on to the next. In general, what we don't learn is specific details such as exactly where our feet should be. At this stage in the kata development, we are learning what to do and not how to do it. From now on, when we practice, it is generally outside of the dojo (or at least we should be practicing outside of the dojo) and we do not have an instructor in front of us. In this case, there is the advantage of going back to the dojo and being corrected so as to avoid taking on bad habits. This is not something that an online student can take advantage of. However, they do have an advantage that does, I think, play heavily in their favor. When they do their kata practice, they can do it "in front" of the instructor every time. They can match their movements, do it with them, pause the instruction if they want to check their own stances and techniques and always be sure as to how it is done. Furthermore, a good instructor making these videos will take the time to go over every part of the kata, from where the foot should be to how and when the student should throw a strike, and teach the kata in stages just as we do in a dojo. So while an instructor can never correct a student like a traditional instructor can, they do have the ability to give more instruction all at once, and the students have the added benefit of always having that information readily available, which I think is incredibly important to the beginning student. "How can you objectively be tested if you get 're-dos' and the instructor doesn't know you?" This is another great point. If we video tape ourselves for a test then we can cut all of the bad examples, send only the best takes and, in a big way, this is dishonest. Furthermore, we are tested when the instructor knows that we are ready, and the knowledge that the instructor has is really important. It helps the student not overextend themselves and also helps their journey in that they are not being tested before they are both physically and, probably more importantly, mentally ready to test. This is something that you lose when you do online training, and there is nothing in the pro column here. You lose that wholeheartedly, and this is another reason that I have often argued that online training is best left to those who are already experienced in this-or-that martial art. They have already gotten over that "maturity" roadblock, and without someone to check that ego, a practitioner can become very toxic quite quickly. This is an unfortunate truth about online martial arts. "How can we get better if we do not have a partner to train with?" Get a partner. This argument has always come across as odd to me. Find someone that you want to train with, ask them to train, repeat if they say "no." Partners can be easy to come by, you just have to ask. If/when you do get a partner, train with them regularly. Set up a schedule and hold each other accountable to that routine. I think having a partner is critical to development in martial arts and an advantage of a traditional martial arts path is that you have many. In this case, you start out with yourself, with only yourself to push you to be better. Finding a partner, something that is quite simple, is both a simple task and a great way to help your growth as a martial artist. There are many arguments both for and against training online. At this point, I am inclined to believe that training online isn't the demon that we martial artists make it out to be. Just like a traditional path, online martial arts takes discipline and honesty with one's self to be effective. If you feel that the program you have subscribed to is bad, then find another one. Yet, we often say that great martial artists can come from the worst teachers, and the reverse is true. Furthermore, how many arguments can be answered simply by creating better motivation within ourselves? Personally, I have trouble motivating myself to work out at home. This is why I have a gym membership. There is just too much to do at home and the best way to get a workout, for me, is to remove the distractions that I have in my house (e.g. computer, video games, television, etc.). This seems to be a common problem. It is easier, and more immediately rewarding, to watch television than it is to go for a run or work through some kata. In a traditional setting, we have a place that we go to learn martial arts. We set a routine to get in our vehicles and go to a location that is just for martial arts. However, we should be practicing at home anyway, so is it that large of a leap to start learning at home as well? All it takes is motivation. However, one can really never know without testing and data, and as such, my wife and I plan to enroll in an online martial arts program. I have over a decade of experience, and my wife has none. So I am in an exciting position of getting to observe someone who has never had any training take this journey, and I get to see how they react, and whether or not online training is a good option for beginning students. In 6 months time, I will write another article to update our progress, and come up with some cursory conclusions. Until then, I suggest that we all take the time to re-evaluate our thoughts on martial arts training, because for those who wish to take the journey, but don't have the time to go to a dojo and do so, online martial arts schools could be a fantastic option that we haven't fully considered.

Be warned about Bill "Superfoot" Wallace. I took a seminar with him in 06 and, at least back then, he was a proponent of ballistic stretching. Other than that, his regimen is pretty great.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

I agree, anger in fighting, or even sparring, is incredibly debilitating. It can also cause us to associate anger with the need to fight, which causes even more problems down the line. I know everyone is different, but this isn't true for me. A little kindling can go a long way, and I spent a large portion of my life training myself to let go of the little things. I would assume for most people this is true. However, despite needing fuel to continue, it does not take much to flame up. I also find that people will find ways to stay angry out of some sadistic need to do so. People are weird.

Passion, joy, excitement, etc. It's about controlling the impact that negative emotions can have. MA can be good at teaching this, provided you have a teacher who has taken this principle to heart. It's not about never feeling anger, but about channeling that anger into something better.

Congrats! Well deserved!

The second link provided is a great read. I like the conclusion the author draws based on the information, and found myself compelled to agree with him.

Castille Armory is a great site. They are all battle ready, which means that you can use them in actual combat sparring, and they're really high quality. Their katana is a little above your price range at $465 but the quality is fantastic and it will last you as long as you take care of it. That being said, they don't come sharp, though they might sharpen it for you if you are wanting to do cuts.

Should we judge someone's worth by whether or not they take a sport MA or one that is more centered around self defense?

I can't speak for the Chinese systems, but in Japanese terminology you are an Ikkyu. Before that you were a Nikyu, and before that a Sankyu, and I think you get the idea after that. It's often just the number and "kyu." Similarly, when you get a black belt you are a Shodan. Afterwards you become a Nidan, then a Sandan, and so on. What your system uses will depend on whether or not they use Chinese or Japanese.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you! Don't worry about the bragging. We like humbleness, but sometimes bragging is a good thing, especially with some of the accomplishments you've made.

Good luck! You're going to do great!

Hey manwofear, Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

That would be correct, Seiichi Akamine's Goju Ryu Ken-Shin-Kan, and Shorin Ryu Kenshin Kan under Fuse Kisei. I would suggest 'Kenshin' is the dojo name in this respect rather than a style. It's quite a common name written as either Shinken or Kenshin it mean "true/pure- fist/blade". K I guess that in the case of Fuse Kisei the "true/pure" part of his dojo name is because he has familial ties to the Matsumora's thru Hohan Soken. That's possible. My instructor can trace his lineage to Kise, through Gagni and Coffman. There are a lot of rumors that surround the reason that Kise went to Kenshin Kan. It seems most likely that it is due to wanting to evolve the system, though other rumors exist, mostly bad. The most popular one is that Soken didn't want to hand over the system to him, and so Kise was forced to create his own system. This rumor appears to have come to being around the time that Coffman and Kise had their own falling out, so I don't lend that much credit. In all likeliness, Kise felt the need to make changes to the system, and in the end the changes were great enough that he felt the need to rename it. Can't really know without talking to Kise himself though.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

Kenshin-Kan is essentially Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu. It's currently headed by Fuse Kisei.

Welcome to KF! It's great to have you!

I'm glad everything resolved in a good manner. I think the most important thing to take away from this is that if someone has a stalker, whether it be ourselves or a friend, the worst thing we can do is handle it ourselves. Escalation via violent intervention can sometimes make the situation quite a bit worse. Not only does that put us accountable for assault, but it may trigger more aggressive behavior in the stalker as well.

If the large part of your base is Shotokan, then I wouldn't count it as your own system. Just your own style of doing a particular system. You will find that you do this anyway. As teachers, we kind of apply our own Ockham's Razor to what we find useful within the system we learn, and build upon that. It's how a system evolves, and this isn't a bad thing (but goodness would you think it is to hear some speak of it). I get that you're set on opening a studio, and that's great. I still would suggest waiting until at least Shodan (that's not so far as you might thing) and at best wait until Sandan. In the time it takes you to finish setting up everything you might be a Shodan anyway. However, in your case I would talk to your Sensei about opening a school where they have a large part in. It would be your school, but they would visit and advise you on how to run it and give you tips on how to be an efficient teacher and so forth. A partnership with your current school could also lend some more credibility, which is something that a nikyu can lack due to their rank and the outside perception of someone coming in. This way, you're teaching through your Sensei, and not just without them.

I don't see any reason to not go through the process anyway. Not attempting something because it is difficult is inviting danger. It's good that he got arrested though.

Okay, so the police have been contacted and the culprit interviewed. I'm assuming that the stalking is still happening, so can I also assume that there is a restraining order involved?

Awesome! Thanks for the information!