your thoughts...

[Armani]

Hello!

I've been training Karate for about 3 years now, but i would like to know your thoughts...

My sensei has a 3rd dan in Shotokan karate, but in the last 10 years he switched from Shotokan to Goju and vice versa... (About 3 times)

The last 3 years i've been training we only practice Goju-ryu but because my sensei is not really a Goju-Ryu sensei (He has no dan in Goju) we not seem to get further than the the first 4 kata's and about 15 bunkai's...

So i am asking you, do you think i an wasting my time here?

Also one more thing, in exams we all do the same so theres not really a diffrence wether you are a yellow belt or blue belt

So please let me know what you think...

Regards from The Netherlands

[Sokusen]

If you are enjoying yourself and learning something then you're not wasting your time. But I would have a hard time believing that you are learning anything of quality from someone so disjointed with their own training. A building is only good as it's foundation. You being the building your teacher being the foundation.

[GeoGiant]

I agree with Sokusen. If I want to learn “something” technical, I want to be taught from someone who has mastered “it”. A jack-of-all trades type person is great for a handyman, not a MA instructor.

[Toptomcat]

It seems to me like you need to evaluate what you want from martial arts training. If you want tradition, if you want technical correctness according to a certain defined style, if you want advancement in rank as recognized by an outside authority- then this teacher is not for you. Does he provide other things you want- a good workout, a practical fighting method, a good friend or father figure, a place to meet people and make friends? If so, then you may want to stay even if things aren't perfect.

Sit down, do some thinking, and make as honest and complete a list as possible of what you want to get from the teacher, then do the same for a list of what you're getting. Compare the two and your decision will be as good as made.

[ninjanurse]

It seems to me like you need to evaluate what you want from martial arts training. If you want tradition, if you want technical correctness according to a certain defined style, if you want advancement in rank as recognized by an outside authority- then this teacher is not for you. Does he provide other things you want- a good workout, a practical fighting method, a good friend or father figure, a place to meet people and make friends? If so, then you may want to stay even if things aren't perfect.

Sit down, do some thinking, and make as honest and complete a list as possible of what you want to get from the teacher, then do the same for a list of what you're getting. Compare the two and your decision will be as good as made.

Good advice here!

[joesteph]

I agree. Insightful. Definitely good advice.

[CheekyMusician]

Everyone else has given good advice. If you are enjoying it and getting a good workout etc. then your time isn't being wasted, but if you want to improve as a martial artist, it sounds as though this guy isn't giving you the opportunity to grow.

Keep in mind, however, that if you enjoy the club or the workout you get there then you can keep going for that and find somewhere else to go too for your serious training. I was doing that at one point: going to a 'fun' sports based karate club for the workout and to chill out and then going to a traditional club for my serious training and gradings.

[ps1]

That just seems weird. Are you sure he has no ranking in Goju? I don't understand why someone with 3rd degree in one style would suddenly want to switch and teach another style in which he/she isn't trained.

[sensei8]

That just seems weird. Are you sure he has no ranking in Goju? I don't understand why someone with 3rd degree in one style would suddenly want to switch and teach another style in which he/she isn't trained.

Expelled or resigned from an organization might be one possibility.

[JohnASE]

If you are enjoying yourself and learning something then you're not wasting your time. But I would have a hard time believing that you are learning anything of quality from someone so disjointed with their own training. A building is only good as it's foundation. You being the building your teacher being the foundation.

I also agree with Sokusen, but I'll add a couple of my own thoughts.

Switching back and forth is weird, but it's not uncommon for someone switch from one style to another. You don't usually see it when the person is running a dojo, but it does happen.

I remember a Tang Soo Do school not too far from us switched to Ninjutsu many years ago. That was a drastic change. All the instructors stopped training in the old style and began training in the new one. I don't know how long they waited before they started teaching it. I know the original school eventually closed down, but, if I remember correctly, some of the former assistant instructors opened a separate school and continued their Ninjutsu training. Today, they're still affiliated with the same group, but I don't think they call themselves Ninjutsu anymore.

I guess what I'm saying is that if you are enjoying your training, and you think your instructor might keep training in Goju, then I don't think you're wasting your time. He might not offer the level of instruction you need yet, but is he progressing? If not, then you might soon reach the extent of what he can teach you, and maybe you should start looking around for a new dojo.