Looking for Karate...

[OleOle]

Well, I'm brand new to the forum and brand new to karate, so what I have to say is certainly not the voice of experience speaking. In fact, I'm still awaiting delivery of my first gi so I'm not even a white belt yet, just an absolute beginner, open eyes, open heart, open mind.

I've a great friend who for the last fifteen years has encouraged me to take up martial arts and for one reason or another it was never the time for me to find and join a dojo. I remember him saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear," and about three months ago something shifted in me and I decided that now was the time to take up martial arts. He's trained in a couple of disciplines I believe and has focused on Kufudokan Open Way Budo, which I think is a karate derivative based on Japanese martial traditions.

For one reason or another I had always thought I would join the same school as my friend (although he has moved interstate with his sensei, the school still operates a dojo in my city) yet when I had made the decision to join that dojo, I realised that it was farther away from home than I thought and the times of the classes weren't going to work for me so I didn't really know what to do.

The next two months after that, nothing really happened, I looked around online and checked a few places but I never really felt that any of the nearby dojos would work for me. Then about six weeks ago I got a flyer in my letterbox advertising a dojo only two streets away from where I live and after making contact by email and asking a number of questions, I was satisfied that not only was the dojo in close proximity, I was fortunate that the teachers had 30-40 years of martial arts experience and that they were more than happy to help an absolute beginner like me. Everything felt right, the people involved are warm-hearted and generous, it was an easy path for me to walk.

I've only been a member for about a month, the dojo is new in my neighbourhood so I am the only new student at this stage and I cannot describe how honoured and fortunate I feel to be receiving one-on-one training from my kyoshi, sensei and a senior black belt student. I completed my eighth class tonight and I'm loving every minute of it. There's a long road ahead and I'm in no hurry whatsoever, I'm just happy to be where I am at the moment and it seems that what my friend said has indeed been true in my case - "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear".

I hope the OP finds what they are looking for and that the way opens up clearly and easily, very best of luck to you.

Sincere greetings to all the members of the Karate Forums, it is excellent to be here and nice to meet you all.

[CredoTe]

http://www.superioracademy.com/

I lived in Augusta, GA for 3+ years, and have actually been to this school. This is a top-notch place, and probably the best choice of the MA schools in the Augusta/CSRA. As a bonus, the head instructor's wife is also a top-notch dance instructor. You could learn self-defense and learn how to ballroom/salsa dance from the same place... Pretty intriguing...

I visited A LOT of MA schools during my time in Augusta, but never joined any of them because a vast majority of them are McDojos that will not give you the self-defense aspect you are looking for. They will give you the tournament aspect you want, which has its value in and of itself, but no real self-defense.

The biggest McDojo in the Augusta/CSRA that I visited was Seigler's Karate Center (main location in Martinez). Again, they will give you a great workout, discipline for your kids, and training/experience in tournaments, but I question their effectiveness in self-defense. I didn't see any real self-defense skills taught until I visited their MMA/BJJ school. At the time, their MMA/BJJ school was extra, on top of normal MA training/fees/costs. It may not be that way now, but I don't know (I'm not in Augusta anymore).

Just my $0.02 worth of experience from my stay in the CSRA...

[sensei8]

Well, I'm brand new to the forum and brand new to karate, so what I have to say is certainly not the voice of experience speaking. In fact, I'm still awaiting delivery of my first gi so I'm not even a white belt yet, just an absolute beginner, open eyes, open heart, open mind.

I've a great friend who for the last fifteen years has encouraged me to take up martial arts and for one reason or another it was never the time for me to find and join a dojo. I remember him saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear," and about three months ago something shifted in me and I decided that now was the time to take up martial arts. He's trained in a couple of disciplines I believe and has focused on Kufudokan Open Way Budo, which I think is a karate derivative based on Japanese martial traditions.

For one reason or another I had always thought I would join the same school as my friend (although he has moved interstate with his sensei, the school still operates a dojo in my city) yet when I had made the decision to join that dojo, I realised that it was farther away from home than I thought and the times of the classes weren't going to work for me so I didn't really know what to do.

The next two months after that, nothing really happened, I looked around online and checked a few places but I never really felt that any of the nearby dojos would work for me. Then about six weeks ago I got a flyer in my letterbox advertising a dojo only two streets away from where I live and after making contact by email and asking a number of questions, I was satisfied that not only was the dojo in close proximity, I was fortunate that the teachers had 30-40 years of martial arts experience and that they were more than happy to help an absolute beginner like me. Everything felt right, the people involved are warm-hearted and generous, it was an easy path for me to walk.

I've only been a member for about a month, the dojo is new in my neighbourhood so I am the only new student at this stage and I cannot describe how honoured and fortunate I feel to be receiving one-on-one training from my kyoshi, sensei and a senior black belt student. I completed my eighth class tonight and I'm loving every minute of it. There's a long road ahead and I'm in no hurry whatsoever, I'm just happy to be where I am at the moment and it seems that what my friend said has indeed been true in my case - "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear".

I hope the OP finds what they are looking for and that the way opens up clearly and easily, very best of luck to you.

Sincere greetings to all the members of the Karate Forums, it is excellent to be here and nice to meet you all.

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

Solid post!!

[OleOle]

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

Solid post!!

Thanks very much Sensei8, it's very good to be here. Hopefully at some point we'll hear some positive word on the OP's aim of joining a suitable dojo. These things take time sometimes.

Take it easy and thanks again, your comments are sincerely appreciated.