Hello everyone

[Jetrail]

Hi everyone, my name is John and I live in maryland. I'm 39 years old and really got a interest in martial arts after my son started taekwondo. Due to long commute hours it's almost impossible to attend any local places so i started taking classes with GMAU in shotokan karate. I started it to help me get in better shape and because I really like the discipline of martial arts. I was wondering if anyone else has takes karate lessons at home and if so from where and what was your honest opinion ? . Thank you for having me here.

John

[sensei8]

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

Briefly and generally speaking...

I respect the predicament that you find yourself in with there being no MA school nearby, it's a tough road to travel. I just want to encourage you to consider other alternatives in your MA training; you're accountable for your training. I sincerely wish you luck in your MA training!!

It's of no secret here, or elsewhere, that I'm not a staunch proponent of acquiring MA knowledge and experience through any on-line course whatsoever. My reason(s) mainly are is there's no instructor with you to properly instruct you, guide you, correct you, feedback, and instill in you every necessary aspect along your MA journey immediately.

Habits set in, and while habits are beneficial for any MA student, but it's the bad habits that creep in, and in short time, the bad habits can become difficult to break. Without immediate feedback/correction, those unruly bad habits set in, therefore, ineffectiveness becomes the norm.

Immediate corrections are vitally important to any MA student because the students MA betterment is grossly affected in a negative tone. By having the instructor with you directly allows that immediate fine-tuning.

How can I correct that which is apparent from a distance effectively. Move a foot here and there...knee bend here and there...posture this way and that way...hip twisting this way and that way...head this way and that way, so on and so forth, The interaction between instructor and student is paramount, and unforgivable, as the the minute corrections. In my direct and immediate feedback/correction I can separate the ineffectiveness away from that which IS effective.

I can show you, teach you, correct you, help you, and motivate you most properly and immediately before any bad habit rears its ugly head if I'm standing right next to you. The instructor can't provide quality instructions through an on-line course due to the limitations that that one-dimensional analysis venue provides.

The better-than-nothing, for me, is still nothing!!

Imho!!

[Fat Cobra]

Jetrail,

Welcome and congratulations on starting your martial arts journey. I agree with Sensei8--live instruction with a good instructor/sensei is the way to go. However, if this is not practical, then online instruction can work, but I would get to live instruction in the future if possible.

Take care and good luck!

[Wastelander]

Welcome to the forum! I would definitely say that online training is NOT a replacement for in-person training, and if you have the ability to train in person, that would be vastly better. That said, online is better than nothing, if you have an interest. Just remember that the training you will be doing is not of equal standing, so to speak, as in-person training, because you can't get the same direct feedback and assistance.

[Jetrail]

Thank you all for your honest opinions and replying. My son who turns 8 in December just got his blue belt in Taekwondo, but he has been attending there since he was five because they run an after-school program and a summer camp, I had wanted to join their butt the problem is being at work at DC on Capitol Hill I'm not home till 7 at night and there's no classes at that time this kind of force my hand to try to find some sort of martial arts I could do late at night because of scheduling. It came down to two different places that offered any sort of distance type learning karate. The first one was w w k a and they teach a former karate I believe is called Kanzen Ryu. The other where is GMAU and they teach shotokan. To be honest I'm not sure what the difference us in styles, I can say the one thing that drew me to GMAU was they seem as hands on as can be with helping you to learn. I do agree that I don't feel there's any substitute for being able to physically go into a dojo and learn martial arts and I hope it's some point I can end up doing that where my son goes but as long as I work on Capitol Hill I don't think I'll be home in time for any sort of classes in the evening. Thank you all for having me and again I do appreciate everybody's input as I'm so new to all this and the reason why I wanted to start with because I'm very curious about martial arts but I also needed the fitness has at one point I was up to 252 lb but I'm down to 2:18 now so if anything at least I'm getting some sort of workout lol

[MatsuShinshii]

First, welcome to KF Jetrail. I agree with the others. Home training, if that is the only alternative is a solution but not a good one. Nothing replaces a live instructor who can guide you, correct you as you make mistakes and teach the nuances that you just do not get training on your own.

Having said that, if this is your only option then it's better than not training at all.

Either way we are glad to have you here.

[singularity6]

Welcome aboard!

[wagnerk]

Hi @Jetrail

Welcome to the group, hope that you enjoy it here

-Ken

[tallgeese]

Welcome to KF!

[Patrick]

Welcome aboard, John. Glad to have you.

Patrick