Karate in Chicago?

[Doh Sensei]

Hello,

Can anyone recommend a karate school in the Chicago area?

Thanks.

[Kodiak]

Do you have any preference on kind?

[Doh Sensei]

Thanks patrick, that would be helpful wouldn't it?

I was hoping to learn one of the Okinawan styles. I'm more self defense and health oriented but I wouldn't mind a little competition either. Also, I'm a middle-aged huffer and puffer who's hoping to turn over a new leaf. I finally realized that life is too short to spend it on a couch and I've always wanted to try karate. I don't know if that last part matters as to style or school but I thought I'd throw it in there.

Thanks.

[tallgeese]

Chicago and the environs are pretty large. Any specific area?

[Wastelander]

Thanks patrick, that would be helpful wouldn't it?

I was hoping to learn one of the Okinawan styles. I'm more self defense and health oriented but I wouldn't mind a little competition either. Also, I'm a middle-aged huffer and puffer who's hoping to turn over a new leaf. I finally realized that life is too short to spend it on a couch and I've always wanted to try karate. I don't know if that last part matters as to style or school but I thought I'd throw it in there.

Thanks.

I know a really good instructor in Gurnee if you're not terribly far. He teaches out of the basement of a church at the moment and while he is very good with kids he is also a really nice guy in general and knows his stuff so adults can definitely benefit from his teaching. His name is Kevin Skoien and he is a Nidan (2nd Degree Blackbelt) in Shuri-Ryu and he runs Katai Martial Arts, and he still goes back down to Peoria to train with his instructor every now and then. Unfortunately I don't know too much else about the martial arts scene up there, but I know that the tournament I went to in Hoffman Estates displayed a lot of schools in the area that did not impress me at all so you might want to steer away from the sportier schools in the area when it comes to karate.

[Doh Sensei]

I'm out in Countryside which is a south-west-ish suburb of Chicago.

Thanks for your response Wastelander. Gurnee is about 65 or so miles from me. I don't mind a drive but I've got 2 jobs and school and I don't think 2 hours more of commuting will fit in my day. I did a little research online and the style sounds intersting though. It's influenced by Okinawan Karate and Hsing-i? Wow. How did you like it?

I notice that you practice Shorin-Ryu. There's a Shorin class taught at a nearby Japanese Cultural Center. Can I ask what you like about it? I've also found a Jundokan International Goju school in my area. Do you have any experience with that?

I didn't mean to sound like I wanted someone to do my Googling for me. But if anyone has any experience with schools or styles in the area and you don't mind sharing your experience I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

[Wastelander]

I'm out in Countryside which is a south-west-ish suburb of Chicago.

Thanks for your response Wastelander. Gurnee is about 65 or so miles from me. I don't mind a drive but I've got 2 jobs and school and I don't think 2 hours more of commuting will fit in my day. I did a little research online and the style sounds intersting though. It's influenced by Okinawan Karate and Hsing-i? Wow. How did you like it?

I notice that you practice Shorin-Ryu. There's a Shorin class taught at a nearby Japanese Cultural Center. Can I ask what you like about it? I've also found a Jundokan International Goju school in my area. Do you have any experience with that?

I didn't mean to sound like I wanted someone to do my Googling for me. But if anyone has any experience with schools or styles in the area and you don't mind sharing your experience I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

I would recommend checking out any of the schools you are interested in and watching classes there, because our experiences may not be the same as what you will experience. I can say that Shuri-Ryu gave me solid basics (hand strikes, kicks, stances, etc.) and very good control over my techniques. Shorin-Ryu has been more focused on the applications of the kata we practice and more advanced concepts, but I had already been training in martial arts for a while when I started Shorin-Ryu and my strong basics from Shuri-Ryu carried over.

[JohnASE]

We have several customers in the Chicago area. Most are shotokan though, and I'm not sure which dojos are near you. One very successful shotokan group I know of is Illinois Shotokan. They have locations ALL over the Chicago area. The head instructor is also the President of the USANKF. I don't know much about their program, but you don't get as big as they are without a lot of happy students.