Hi from New York

[DauntlessDruid]

Hi there everyone. Thought I'd introduce myself. I'm a woman from Upstate New York and a current Isshinryu practitioner. I've been studying Isshinryu for about two years, and I just became a San-Kyu (three belts away from Shodan) about a month ago. Prior to Isshinryu, I studied TKD when I was a kid, and Western Boxing, Muay Thai, and a (very) little BJJ in my early to mid-twenties.

I got back into martial arts a couple years ago to try and get back into shape and finding the gym boring. It's one of the best things I've ever done as the Dojo I belong to is very much like a big extended family and the people there are great along with it being really fun.

[Himokiri Karate]

Hi and welcome. I am from Vancouver and I mainly practice boxing but am very fond of Karate. I envy your location, you guys have incredible boxing gym like gleason.

Besides Isshinryu, have you tried other karate styles and if so, how do you find them different with one another?

[DauntlessDruid]

Hi and welcome. I am from Vancouver and I mainly practice boxing but am very fond of Karate. I envy your location, you guys have incredible boxing gym like gleason.

Besides Isshinryu, have you tried other karate styles and if so, how do you find them different with one another?

I actually haven't done any other style of karate besides Isshinryu. BJJ just wasn't my cup of tea (no knock against it just wasn't for me), but I did enjoy Muay Thai. The places in my area tend to be MMA focused and if you wanted to progress behind the basic classes where you just hit pads (which became boring and repetitive fairly quickly), you needed to be willing to spar full contact. As I am an average sized woman and the gym was primarily populated by 20-something guys that had aspirations of semi-pro or pro MMA careers, I found the danger of sparring them to outweigh what I was getting out of it.

I found my current Dojo after doing some research and contacting some TKD, TSD and Karate schools in my area. My original plan was to go back to TKD or try TSD as I like to kick (and that is primarily what's offered in the area), but I didn't like most of the schools in my area. They had mixed age classes almost exclusively, and while I like kids I don't want to train with them. It also seemed like most of them had very young black belts and I don't really agree with giving black belts to very young kids.

My current Dojo offered adult only classes and the curriculum interested me, as they include throws, joint locks, and some grappling, along with striking. So I tried them out and the rest, as they say, was history.

*Edited to Add* Though I haven't practiced other styles of Karate, I am aware that Isshinryu does have some unique features that don't occur in other Okinawan styles. The most noticeable being the vertical punch with the thumb on top, and also the two bone blocks (i.e we block with the meaty part of the art).

[JR 137]

Greetings and welcome from a fellow upstate New Yorker. I’m in Troy (next door to Albany).

[Wastelander]

Welcome to the forum!

[Patrick]

Welcome aboard, DauntlessDruid. Glad to have you.

Patrick

[Himokiri Karate]

Hi and welcome. I am from Vancouver and I mainly practice boxing but am very fond of Karate. I envy your location, you guys have incredible boxing gym like gleason.

Besides Isshinryu, have you tried other karate styles and if so, how do you find them different with one another?

I actually haven't done any other style of karate besides Isshinryu. BJJ just wasn't my cup of tea (no knock against it just wasn't for me), but I did enjoy Muay Thai. The places in my area tend to be MMA focused and if you wanted to progress behind the basic classes where you just hit pads (which became boring and repetitive fairly quickly), you needed to be willing to spar full contact. As I am an average sized woman and the gym was primarily populated by 20-something guys that had aspirations of semi-pro or pro MMA careers, I found the danger of sparring them to outweigh what I was getting out of it.

I found my current Dojo after doing some research and contacting some TKD, TSD and Karate schools in my area. My original plan was to go back to TKD or try TSD as I like to kick (and that is primarily what's offered in the area), but I didn't like most of the schools in my area. They had mixed age classes almost exclusively, and while I like kids I don't want to train with them. It also seemed like most of them had very young black belts and I don't really agree with giving black belts to very young kids.

My current Dojo offered adult only classes and the curriculum interested me, as they include throws, joint locks, and some grappling, along with striking. So I tried them out and the rest, as they say, was history.

*Edited to Add* Though I haven't practiced other styles of Karate, I am aware that Isshinryu does have some unique features that don't occur in other Okinawan styles. The most noticeable being the vertical punch with the thumb on top, and also the two bone blocks (i.e we block with the meaty part of the art).

Right on, good to hear. I agree on giving black belts to very young kids. Personally, if they show an ability to fight or the ability to deliver self-defense strike, then its fine. But if they are just getting black belts simply for showing up, then its not right.

[singularity6]

Welcome! My only experience in Upstate NY has been in Utica, where my friend lives, and I've visited a few times.

I live in Michigan's UP, so we have an "Upstate" and a "Downstate" as well!

[tallgeese]

Welcome to KF!

[sensei8]

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