Style continuity over different Karate clubs

[auteur3]

Kyokushin Karate,

Dear fellow Karatekas. I have been studying karate (Kimura Shukokai) for about two years now, and I love it for so many reasons. It has changed me in many many positive ways. Unfortunately, my career is going to take me overseas over the next ten-fifteen years or so, and I will have to keep moving from country to country. I want to devote myself to a style of karate that I can keep learning progressively at rather than having to go back to white belt whenever I have to start at a new karate club. The cities I am most likely going to be moved to don't have Shukokai Karate clubs.

My question, therefore, is if I choose to study a style such as Kyokushin (which is popular and is taught in the places I am probably going to be posted to), will I be able to keep my belt and keep learning progressively once I have to change to another Kyokushin club after a couple of years, or will I have to have to start over as a white belt? Any help would be greatly appreciated .

[mazzybear]

Kyokushin Karate,

Dear fellow Karatekas. I have been studying karate (Kimura Shukokai) for about two years now, and I love it for so many reasons. It has changed me in many many positive ways. Unfortunately, my career is going to take me overseas over the next ten-fifteen years or so, and I will have to keep moving from country to country. I want to devote myself to a style of karate that I can keep learning progressively at rather than having to go back to white belt whenever I have to start at a new karate club. The cities I am most likely going to be moved to don't have Shukokai Karate clubs.

My question, therefore, is if I choose to study a style such as Kyokushin (which is popular and is taught in the places I am probably going to be posted to), will I be able to keep my belt and keep learning progressively once I have to change to another Kyokushin club after a couple of years, or will I have to have to start over as a white belt? Any help would be greatly appreciated .

Try looking for Shito Ryu, of which I'm sure you know Shukokai is a direct descendant, and part of the Shito Ryu Shukokai World Karatedo Union. Most cities I would think would have a Shito Ryu club of some sort, also this way you would be more likely allowed to keep your rank, whereas changing styles completely, some clubs may not allow you to keep it. Shotokan would be another choice, being the most practiced style worldwide you would likely have no problem finding a School in any city in the world. Again they may or may not allow you to keep your present rank, if they didn't and made you grade from white in the first Shotokan club you were to attend, then I would think that would would be a grade you could take from Shotokan club to Shotokan club as you would be keeping within the same style.

I hope this made some sense to you, I may have rambled on a bit

Good luck on your travels and keep us posted on the style you eventually settle on.

M.

[Safroot]

I guess it relies mainly on the school and the Sensei .... some would accept same grade from other same style schools and others won't

[mal103]

Forget styles and look for a club that will just allow you to train.

I have had 3 Shotokai Karateka join me recently, they will train for 6 months and then join our grading from their current grade. So long as they have a good grasp of the syllabus, or they may go back one belt but I see no point in starting them from the beginning again.

I have also assessed returning students and after 6 months handed them an appropriate belt, they can then carry on grading from there.

So long as you keep your training up then just find clubs that you want to train at. If you are with them long enough you may hopefully grade.

[Hawkmoon]

Kyokushin Karate,

Dear fellow Karatekas. I have been studying karate (Kimura Shukokai) for about two years now, and I love it for so many reasons. It has changed me in many many positive ways. Unfortunately, my career is going to take me overseas over the next ten-fifteen years or so, and I will have to keep moving from country to country. I want to devote myself to a style of karate that I can keep learning progressively at rather than having to go back to white belt whenever I have to start at a new karate club. The cities I am most likely going to be moved to don't have Shukokai Karate clubs.

My question, therefore, is if I choose to study a style such as Kyokushin (which is popular and is taught in the places I am probably going to be posted to), will I be able to keep my belt and keep learning progressively once I have to change to another Kyokushin club after a couple of years, or will I have to have to start over as a white belt? Any help would be greatly appreciated .

Hi there auteur3!

I took up Kyokushin a long time ago, reached 1st kyu back then!

Now for various reasons I took a break, I effectively stopped training for about 15'ish years.

Anyway, I've now started training again and returned to Kyokushin a little over two years ago now, I was allowed to wear my 'old' belt (1st kyu brown) and a few months ago regraded to 1st kyu brown!

We have in the club a growing number of Tang Soo Do students, who are all allowed to wear the grade they have earned, some have applied to join, and as far as I am aware are still they wear the grade they have earned!

All that changed was the Gi!

We also have some kick boxers turning up on a regular basis, looking to join/grade with us!

I cannot speak for other dojos or associations, but will add simply the dojo I train with is very open, friendly and promotes the idea of open exchange with anyone!

[Zaine]

Welcome to KF!

It really depends on the instructor. Some will let you keep what you have and rank you up when they feel that you are ready (which could take some time, you may find yourself learning a lot to catch up to what they would consider your rank) and others will put you at white belt. If they put you at white belt, don't be disheartened! Look at it as the start of a new journey, not a hard reset.