How much do you like your club?

[Mark Groenewold]

I really enjoy my club, my teacher, and the whole karate experience. I also get to do it all here in Japan, so that is a bonus.

 

I even put together a pretty lengthy website about the whole thing. If you are interested, please feel free to go and take a look at what I have put together. Any comments, suggestions, objections, rejections, inflections, or defections can be sent to my email address. Or even addressed on these forums.

 

Mark Groenewold

 

Kanazawa, Japan

 

http://www.karatethejapaneseway.com

[guarddog]

Hey there:

 

I have not been with my club a month yet, and so far I think it is the best. It is nothing "fancy" ie. polished wooden flooring etc, however the people are GREAT, the instructor also talkes to you in a way he does not make him self superior. He seems interested in what my past MA background is and shared his, etc. People are also very welcoming and helping.... especially to a new guy to the Karate system.

[CheekyMusician]

I like the people at my club, but I'm not sure if I like my club.

 

I worry that its a bit of a 'McDojo' at times, although I think I'm just being paranoid.

 

My sensei is terrifying during class, but afterwards he sometimes talks to me and he's a nice enough guy, and the other instructor who takes us is an absolute gem of a guy....he's really nice.

 

I feel really out of place there though because there isn't really anyone there my age. Its all folk a lot older or a lot younger, so I tend to be a bit of a "social outcast"

[Ironberg]

I really enjoy martial arts. My club (American States Karate) teaches American Karate which is mostly Tae Kwon Do, and a pinch of anything else. We learn that technique must first be taught, perfected and then unessencials removed. We also learn that our techniques are to be put to the test through sparring. My only complaint is that grappling is seriously neglected. I have toyed with it in the past, and I may have a talent for it- but it doesn't get any fresh air and there is nowhere to get it.

 

My instructor has the greatest teaching style. He is not a drill sargent, but simply tells us what we should be doing, and makes it abundantly clear to us what we should have the disipline for. However, he can't MAKE people do anything and I am sure he is as disheartened as I am when we see lazy people who think that martial arts is like some sort of coffee house. His black belt standard is very flexible and people who shouldn't graduate do (unfortunately), but there is only so much he can do about that.

 

However, his ideal standards are very high, and he isn't there to take money.

 

Final Verdict- Me and some of my friends have benefitted too much for us to not like this club. I have learned much about self-discipline in the past year.

[mArTiAl_GiRl]

HI ALL!

 

... Well, I lived in Sweden for 12 years and I practised Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu in Minakami Karateclub. My Sensei was a real Sensei, master and a man of course. But then, I had to move to Estonia. And Shito-ryu didn't exist in Estonia, so I had to start all over from white belt. (That was a pity). I chose Wado-Ryu. And the club: Karateclub Daigo.

 

Only now I feel and see the big differences between different Senseis, styles and karateclubs.

 

Still, my preferred club is Minakami and my preferred style is Shito-Ryu.

 

But right now, in Daigo, my Sensei is a woman. And it's kinda different with a female Sensei. We are more like friends. But with a male Sensei, you don't talk about other things and so on... Not like with friends. And you are more quiet and you have a big respect, when the Sensei is a male.

 

Of course, I love Daigo and so on....

 

But it's always, that the first style, the first Sensei and karateclub is more near the heart than the second one.

 

My male Sensei used to say:

 

"It doesn't matter what style you choose to practise and what club, the important is who the Sensei is, all depends on the Sensei."

 

I agree with it.

 

... Oh I miss Minakami ...

[ramymensa]

A woman sensei could be quite fun. Me and my instrcutor became friends too. Imagine my boyfriend, Mr.Perfect, driving us home

[SaiFightsMS]

I don't often meet many other's who have done Hayashi-ha shito ryu. Glad to hear from you.

[BKJ1216]

I don't know how much I like it. I go there for the first time tuesday.

[NinjaMaster]

I couldnt give a flying crap about my club all martial arts are useless. None of you have had a real fight and you all think you know how! just practice and keep your mouths shut and stop advising people how to do something you have never done before.

[jmy77]

Ahh thank you ninjamaster for that intensely profound statement!

 

It will take me a while to wrap my mind around such a well thought out and worded idea as the one you have laid before us.

 

And again - as in your first post - you use all encompassing statements - and this time based on an assumption! Your wisdom is far reaching!

 

As I am obviously inferior to your enlightened state, I will forevermore not waste my feeble time with endeavoring to read your posts.

 

(Ps. You should be able to wipe the sarcasm off your screen by now...)

 

______

 

In response to the thread I love my school - I always look forward to class and when class ends i can't wait for the next one.

 

The people in my classes are great, the higher ranks are immensely respectful to lower ranks and always willing help.

 

The instructors make the class. They are all young but mature beyond their years and they take as much time as needed and answer any and all questions.

 

My sensei spends as much time on why we do certain techniques and real world application as we do practicing forms and sparring.

 

I couldn't ask for a better experience with MA.

Edited March 17, 2003 by jmy77