I want to do a new style

[ShotokanKid]

I've been doing Shotokan Karate for 5 years now and I have a black belt. However, Since I am 14, I can't advance any farther till I'm over 16. What is a style that will be beneficial to my Shotokan experience but exciting enough for me (I like sparring but I also like kata)

[manuelito]

i think you should stick with it and not worry about the stripes on your belt. you are just a beginner so don't rush things. and yes bb can be beginners too.

[ShotokanKid]

Thanks for your post. What you said is really true, but it's hard to accept as a young person. Thanks again.

[kotegashiNeo]

I completely agree with manuelito stick with your style, it is just a piece of cloth after all

[delta1]

I don't know what part of CA you are in, but there are a lot of excelant American Kenpo schools in your state. You might look into it if there is one close. And they do a lot of forms, but the techniques are themselves like mini-forms. You have to treat them like kata in order to understand them. It has enough hard to make you feel at home, and soft to give you something new. And, they definately spar!

 

If you want something totally different that will help your understanding and improve your Shotokan, try Taijiquan. It is completely form based, all internal and soft.

 

If you want something fun, try the FMA's. And find a school that does a lot of full contact stick fighting. Guarantee you'll enjoy their version of 'sparing'!

 

Course, if you want the same old, but a little different flavor, try TKD. Or, if you can find it, Kyokushkin looks interesting from the clips Dijita posted here.

 

Grappling is allways a good thing to add to your striking skills.

 

If you're athletic, try Capoeira or Wushu.

 

Dang! At 16, the world is your oyster! Find something that interests you and go for it!

[Shorin Ryuu]

Well, there's always traditional Okinawan karate, since it will give you sparring, grappling, pressure point/joint/muscle manipulation, and kata...

 

But, I say that to everyone anyway.

 

Perhaps a real answer is more akin to the ones already mentioned. The fact that you can't advance any farther until you're sixteen doesn't mean anything.

 

So I have a question for you. You plan on training in some other style and then go back to Shotokan after two years only so that you can get an advancement in rank? That just strikes me as odd, since I would think that you needed to be training in Shotokan for those two years in order to get the rank; it's not just an automatic thing that happens after the two year period is over, you know.

 

So back to the age thing again. That just means that you can't advance in rank, not in learning. Sure, you've mastered the basics, I suppose, since you are a black belt. However, since I am a firm believer in that there is no such thing as advanced or basic techniques, only advanced or basic understanding of techniques, I would argue that you have quite a bit to learn (which is true for me as well, so don't feel like I'm picking on you). So perhaps your official rank won't advance any farther, but your skill can advance as well. And what is more important?

[Chirath]

Kickboxing works with karate best IMO. Or you could do a grappling art like Ju-Jitsu. If your in shotokan for the belts then maybe it's not for you. If you love Shotokan and want to do it all your life. Then I think the styles I mentioned would really improve your skill as they would provide aspects that Shotokan training (And most other Karate styles) sometimes don't provide.

[username9]

Dude - You should be training for those two years that you can't do anything to - I know - I was in the same position - I got 1st Dan at 14 and 2nd at 16 - Shukokai Practitioners have to wait 2 years for 2nd Dan, 3 years for 3rd etc - Dunno if this is common with other styles but......there it is!

 

Howevere - I started doing taeKwon Do after my 2nd Dan for a little bit - that was fun - but quite similar - now I am doing Ju jitsu and it is so good to compliment my striking skills with grappling! Try it!

 

Have fun and Good Luck - just don't drop your Shotokan!

[isshinryu5toforever]

I know the situation you're in, I was in it actually a bit younger than you. But you shouldn't worry about rank, I didn't. There is always much, much more to learn. If you want a compliment to the hard strikes and forcible movements in Shotokan, take Aikido. If you want to discuss it with me over AIM or MSN my AIM is writerguy86, and my MSN is wiaznatnyu@hotmail.com

[gojuchad]

personally i would stick to your old style. you said that you are fourteen and cant move up till sixteen, thats only two years. Thats not a long time to wait between dan promotions. Besides my teachers have allways told me that black belt is where you START to learn karate. Hope this helps good luck.