I have trained in kempo shoalin ryu and gung fu for 2 years quite the dojo and started trying to learn shotokan karate on my own. I bought 3 dvds and have not started training in it that hard yet. I was wondering if there are any shotokan practiciners that would reply saying they could review my shotokan work through youtube. I have not been in class but shorin ryu is about the same concept.

Anyway if anyone would review my videos on youtube when i practice something in shotokan I would be very grateful I want to do it right so if i post kata and the moves and all that a shotokan practicener can tell me if my form is right and mabye tell me whats wrong with it so I can get it down. Anyways if you were interested in reviewing some videos I make please reply and Ill send the video or just post it on here or another post. Thank you

I'd be happy to. I'm actually going thru the opposite. I got to 5th kyu in Shotokan (about to test for 3rd kyu) and quit for a long time. I'm now training in Shorin Ryu, and I have an exam today for 5th kyu in Shorin Ryu. I know all Heian and Pinan katas thru Godan as well as Tekki. (I also know a few original sequences that my sensei created).

I'd like to take a look!

...Anyway if anyone would review my videos on youtube when i practice something in shotokan I would be very grateful I want to do it right so if i post kata and the moves and all that a shotokan practicener can tell me if my form is right and mabye tell me whats wrong with it so I can get it down. Anyways if you were interested in reviewing some videos I make please reply and Ill send the video or just post it on here or another post. Thank you

Like I posted here, there are slight differents within the Shotokan karate style. If you want to learn the style, I would strongly recommend learning under an instructor, otherwise you may end up getting conflicting advice from various practitioners, eg movements, placements, etc during kata.

Thanks i will post some video soon and as for the instructor part i dont have an instructor in my area only an hour away which i will attempt to grade from her or there is a shotokan site that i would try to get graded from. If you learn from the site and get graded is it actual official belt rank and as for the variations of the kata i thought the shotokan katas have not been modified.

Thanks i will post some video soon and as for the instructor part i dont have an instructor in my area only an hour away which i will attempt to grade from her or there is a shotokan site that i would try to get graded from. If you learn from the site and get graded is it actual official belt rank and as for the variations of the kata i thought the shotokan katas have not been modified.

Personally I don't know of any legit Shotokan site that you can be graded from (however the world is a big place), if you do find a place like this, the only thing I can advise to do is to ensure that they are affiliated to (or part of) a recognised organisation, federation or association.

As for differences in kata, the differences are subtle (eg movements, placements, even timing). Check out, eg Empi:

"JKA version" and the "

"

Or Tekki Shodan, is another example:

"

" or "

"

There are other different associations with their variations, however the two that I've mentioned, imo, are the two main ones.

http://karateclassesonline.com/

that is the site. Is it legit and actual rank that you recieve

Personally, I'm against using videos to teach you. Not only do videos often have mistakes, but without an instructor to tell you to bend your knee some more, pull your hand some more, widen your stance, etc. you could be doing it incorrectly for years without ever noticing it until it's too late. I would recommend you attend a class at least part time to make sure you are doing everything correctly. You don't want to develop bad habits.

Not only is it possible to train "incorrect" form, it is possible to train DANGEROUS form - that is, form mistakes that will tear your body down and damage your joints and cripple you if not corrected.

Bad habits are quite difficult to break, if not practically impossible, if left uncorrected properly.

Let me offer a unique perspective. I am think learning online is a great venue for people who do not have access to a traditional school (find a local school if you can). The biggest limitation however is not having a partner. Karate training without a partner is like basketball class with no ball. You can only get so far.

That site however, looks like so many others. It offers information easily found for free online for $10 a month. It is your money, but I would use youtube and other free venues to find the same information.

One other thing I would like to toss out there - forget styles. Shotokan is an adaptation of Shorin-ryu...which is an adaptation of Kung Fu and indigenous Okinawan fighting. Learn the best techniques you can. Practice them with a partner often. Build around your strengths. Forget the notion that "this style is better than all the others". It isn't true.

Hope that gives you another perspective.