Training on ones own after 8 years of training in a Dojo

[BeikokuBushido]

Hi y'all

 

I studied a style of Karate called Bushido, which was based on Kyukushin and was created after Mas Oyama's death. My Sensei passed from cancer about three years ago. When he died he left the dojo to his wife who was only a nidan, and becasue of politics and external influence she broke away from the Bushido system. To make matters stranger her husband, my sensei, was the son of the headmaster of Bushido.

 

I trained with her for a couple of years after his death out of loyalty. But I got to the point where I could see she had totaly went away from what Sensei had taught. So I quit at the end of 2001 at the rank of Ikkyu. At that point she was no longer teaching the bushido system and had distanced herself from from the headmaster, her former father in law, so there was no one to test and rank me.

 

I live in another state now, away from the headmaster. But I am in good standing with him. He offered to train me, but I took a job after college that put me in another state. And before sensei died he left me documentation on the Kata's and Kihon, so I have an idea of the bushido knowledge base.

 

My question is this, Could I train on my own? Building from what I know and learning the new kata's that he had planed for me to learn? I feal this is the only way to show any honor to what he has taught me and I have yet to see a Karate Dojo that was of the same caliber as his was. So can I as an Ikkyu build on what I have been taught and train myself?

 

 

 

P.S I left out the whole name of the Karate style and the state to protect the honor of the Dojo and Style. I know what Bushido is

[Jussi Häkkinen]

P.S I left out the whole name of the Karate style and the state to protect the honor of the Dojo and Style. I know what Bushido is

 

Ah, I understand. You respect the style so much that you're embarrassed to bring its name to a public discussion?

[delta1]

I feal this is the only way to show any honor to what he has taught me

 

I think that finding another good school and doing your best there would also honor your sensei and headmaster, possibly more than going in their style on your own.

 

Also, there never seems to be a school as good as the one you had to leave (regardless of the style). But there are some good ones out there. My advice is to find one and do your best there. And when they ask you where you learned to move like that, or how you learned to hit with such power, honor your teachers by saying "I studied Bushido under... !"

[delta1]

Ah, I understand. You respect the style so much that you're embarrassed to bring its name to a public discussion?

 

I think the point was that, since he alluded to some internal politics, he didn't want to state the name of the school or people and dishonor them. It wasn't important to his question, so he just called it Bushido, indicating a Japanese style, and left it at that.

[karatekid1975]

My instructor's instuctor is in Ohio. We are in NY. He trains on his own. If he has a guestion, he calls his instructor. He also travels to train with him often. My instructor is very good, so I don't see a problem with being in another state. But then again, he is a 5th dan.

[Guest]

What sort of things has your former instructor done to earn such loyalty? Did he save your life? Your soul?

 

I don't think the question you are really asking is if it would be OK to train yourself. I think the question you are _really_ asking is if it would be socially acceptable for you to train yourself under the circumstances, because you don't want to be the target of ridicule and not be respected. As we all know, most people do not condone training one's self, and perhaps wouldn't even recognize any accomplishments achieved as a result of the training. It's a tough choice, because it seems like you've had a pretty good dose of the ugly side of karate at your bushido dojo.

[BeikokuBushido]

To Jussi Häkkinen

 

The reason I left out the name of the Dojo and style was to not air out my schools dirty laundry. The internal politics of a dojo are not something for public discussion. But I needed to give some background informatioin so you would understand my situation.

 

To smr

 

I am not interested in ranks, belts or recognition. But only the preservation of the body of knowledge the made up the style of Karate I studied. I want to know if you think it is possible and if you have any advice for training on your own.

 

My sensei taught me skills that have saved my life and taght me some important virtues about life and death. He has earned my loyalty.

 

Karate is not all kicks and punches, there are martial virtues to be learned. Loyalty is one of them. If you do not have loyalty for your school then either you are just going through the motions of Karate or you need to find another school.

[Guest]

I tend to believe the opposite. I think that people continue doing karate long after it provides them any real benefit, just out of loyalty. People will continue to train in one dojo, under one instructor even if they aren't learning a darned thing just because they are loyal to thier instructor. That, in my opinion, is just going through the motions. I personally only under stand two reasons to study karate: Sport or self defense. We can fool ourselves for the rest of our lives saying we are there to improve our character or values or what have you, but in the end, it's all about the fighting or the sport. I don't need to learn martial virtues. My virtues were given to be by my parents, my friends, my teachers and my experiences. I am loyal to my friends and my family. It is true that I have loyalty to my instructor and to my dojo, because the people there have became my friends. I am not loyal to them because of some romanticized feudal warrior fantasy. If I wanted to be a warrior, I could have joined my nation's finest -- in the armed forces.

 

As far as training yourself, you have to answer that question. You seem to know whats up, so why couldn't you train yourself? From those options you have presented, it seems like the best one you have available.

[Guy_Who_Fights]

BeikokuBushido,

 

it is easy to tell by reading your words that you desire to train yourself to preserve what your Sensei taught you, and are only looking for approval from strangers. All of my philosophies on "preserving styles" aside, I feel very strongly that you should train yourself even harder than you trained when your Sensei was alive. When you do get a chance such as a free week to go visit the headmaster, they will be very honoured at your dedication and loyalty. Since you have obviously trained in the style for some time already, it should be easy for you to get the basics with some advanced priciples to really improve, and the headmaster will be able to correct you on areas that need correcting. This is more beneficial than spending the short time you may have with the headmaster trying to memorize the movements of kata and such. Instead you will already know all of the movements and the headmaster can take the time to focus on teaching you all of the things you don't know - extra insight into the movements.

 

You have obviously already made your choice and just need some encouragement. So, follow your heart.

[Kyokushin]

Osu,

 

Sounds like you've been through alot. Although I haven't been through anything quite as traumatic as you've mentioned. I also had to make a similar decision about training. Train alone in the style you love, or in another dojo. Here's what I've done and I really think it's been working out. I go to a dojo which I decided was the best out of all the ones in my area. There I'm able to learn skills that I didn't always get as much work on in Kyokushin, and also it keeps me in shape. Then at home on my own I work my Kyokushin katas and anything else that is important in my style. The hardest part is finding a balance between the two. I don't worry about rank in the dojo I'm at. Only about learning new techniques or improving areas I'm weak in. When I'm finished at this dojo I will find another style that I think could help improve me, and so on and so on. Each style has something to offer and will make you a more well rounded karateka. While at home you can still stay true to your roots and visit the other instructor you mentioned whenever possible to train. I also like the fact that being in other dojos people will notice something different that you do that you got from your original style (Bushido, right?). Then you have a chance to tell them about it and spread awareness of your style. Hope that helps:)

 

Osu!