Remote Training

[Quest33]

I am looking for a GOOD instuctor who offers instruction from remote. I live in a rural community and there are not many instructors around. I am seeking Kenpo as a style and would generally like to stay with a hard style. I wonder if there is a program that offers instruction by video tape, literature and etc and then permits testing by onsite evaulation. I have been in the martial arts for over 5yrs and I am pretty good at it, though I have much to learn. I have a passion for helping train women, children and the downtrodden in the art. I am already teaching but in an informal way. I need someone to advance my skills and I need the experience ... I need to be a black belt. I know it has little to do with it but it seems to qualify a person to the masses. I also intend on doing tournement competition as a way of gaining validity. Like I said...my ultimate goal is to help others....there is no greater reward than to lift another human being up.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I am looking for a GOOD instuctor who offers instruction from remote. I live in a rural community and there are not many instructors around. I am seeking Kenpo as a style and would generally like to stay with a hard style. I wonder if there is a program that offers instruction by video tape, literature and etc and then permits testing by onsite evaulation.

Personally, I'd put little, or no faith in a videotape training and testing series, asthey are primarily interested in your dollars, not your progression in the arts. The is TONS more involved in learning the arts than just the movements.

I have been in the martial arts for over 5yrs and I am pretty good at it, though I have much to learn.

 

Question: Why not continue training under your old sensei, since he/she knows you already and where you're at in your training? Even if you are no longer in close proximity to them, they should be willing to help you after 5 years.

I have a passion for helping train women, children and the downtrodden in the art. I am already teaching but in an informal way. I need someone to advance my skills and I need the experience ... I need to be a black belt.

 

Ahhhh...now we see the root of your issue I think. You want to teach and feel you need a black belt for credability reasons...right? I'm sure there are a number of websites that will gladly take your money and eventually give you a black belt. How legit are they? I have no experience with them personally, but I wouldn't give any stock in somebody that told me they got their black belt by mail order (basically).

I know it has little to do with it but it seems to qualify a person to the masses. I also intend on doing tournement competition as a way of gaining validity.

 

Gaining validity through competition? I don't think so. Some of the best tournament people I've seen are terrible martial artists and couldn't whip a 5th grade girl in a playground fight.

Like I said...my ultimate goal is to help others....there is no greater reward than to lift another human being up.

 

Have you considered volunteering at the local food bank? It's far more legitimate than trying to find a videotaped "black belt" somewhere in helping people.

 

Sorry bud, but I think your reasoning for wanting to find a video-black belt suck.

[Quest33]

I understand that my post can seem misleading in my purpose... Do not be quick to judge. I have no use for "paper belts" and "paper certifications"..... I WANT PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE...

 

I do not want my absense of "belt" to be a stumbling block for someone who truely wants to learn. So far it has not been so.. but they always ask. I say no. I need to advance in my art and that is the most important issue.

 

I could choose to take your lack of insight personaly but I am not. SO let me clerify once more.

 

 

 

*I have a lot of experience already.. through different styles. My job and life has swept me from one place to the next and I would like to pursue just ONE GOOD STYLE*

 

* I wish to help others. I do not want any stumbling blocks in the way. I clerify that "belt rank" has nothing to do with it.

 

* I am always asked if I fight and I alway say very little and that I have had no need.

 

I have no instructor close .. my old instructor is 75+ miles away.

 

You can not judge a person by a single post.. so choose not to..

[Quest33]

I may be misled here and that is why I am seeking a forum to get my head strait..

 

We train in the self-defense class that I am in for the sake of handling street situations.. I know that tournament fighting is not a good example. But I am not going to pick a fight and I do want a lot more **Practical** sparring and combat experience.

 

WE fight and we spar with control being stressed. I want to be able to handle confrontation in all scenarios... as best as possible (having been equiped with proper technique and form) I can't advance without good instuction..

 

This class takes the opportunity to practice from a book or whatever a technique that we have found. We may find a way to combat a knife attack for example but we have no real instuction.. WE find our way. It is that instruction that I seek.. Otherwise.. we will all just simply settle and advance together.

[delta1]

I don't have much time right now, but I do know what you are up against. Go to:

 

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=13216

 

I think we are in a similar situation. I'll talk later when I have more time.

[Dijita]

Shorinryu Sensei:

 

Chill out eh? You are quick at attacking the person for what he posted. I don't think he is intending to be one of those people who just want to get a black belt and be done with it. I think he has a real situation in which he is struggling to get real experience from someone but lives too far away from anyone. No need to get so negative.

 

Why do you think tournement fighting is a crock? I mean seriously... a good tournement fighter being whipped by a 5 year old girl? That's a bit harsh don't you think? Personally I think you learn A LOT from doing tournements, especially if they are full contact rules. I can practice like crazy in class, and then when it comes to a tournement, it's a great tool to see what has actually been engraved into my mind that will come out naturaly. It gives me an idea of a lot of things I need to focus on in my dojo.

 

Quest33, I feel for you. I know what it's like to live in such a small town where there is nothing near by. I was lucky when I was young because we had someone in our town who happened to be a great Kuk Sool Won instructor. Maybe if you tell us where abouts you are, someone might be able to help you?

[Quest33]

Delta1 it sounds like we absolutely have a bunch in common. Our class has the very same approach. WE are all getting better. We do hit and expect to get hit. Why else train? We are training with the concept of defending against muggers, rapists ...terrorists or just bullies.

 

We have a sense of comradery and competition.. this goads us on.

 

I would just simply like to offer more up for this course and I would like to advance in my art to actually be a Sensei someday. I do teach now and offer good practical instruction. I don't teach garbage. I just quite simply want to be more qualified still.

[JerryLove]

My instructor has several remote students, and obviously I like the art: https://www.clearsilat.com

[Quest33]

Thanks for the defense Dajita.. Shorinryu is definately jumping the gun.

 

I work in Fruitland, Id across the snake from Ontario, OR.

 

They have a good Judo school here but it is not what I seek. I will take Judo for the sake for close-quarters combat, but I need to meter out what is most important to me. I am primarily more interested in advancing in my Kenpo skills.

 

I apreciate the help and advise,

 

Thank You

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Yeah, you guys are right. I did jump the gun and come down hard on you, and I apoligise. It started out as a bad day this morning, to end what has been generally a bad week for me anyway.

 

I also come from a small town (maybe 12,000 people) in Montana when I got my shodan back in 1978, and my sensei moved to Minneapolis shortly afterwards. I was on my own for the next 9 years, with (as far as I knew) not one other sensei of this particular system in the entire country that I knew of. I just continued to train in what I knew as faithfully as possible until Lo and Behold, I stumbled upon several other sensei in this system that could help me on my journey. That journey continues to this day.

 

75 miles isn't really that bad of a drive. Heck, you can make that in little over an hour (less if you kick your cycle in the butt like I always do), and a once/week trip isn't outragous I'd say to continue training. That would be the way that I'd go if I were you, instead of looking for video training, which I have a low regard for. There's nothing like one-on-one with a sensei to get things right, and explained correctly also.