Self training karate?

[RW]

Hi there!

You know my story: got a 2nd degree brown belt in shito-ryu karate, quit when I was 18, then didn't do any martial arts until a good 20 years later, got a belt in some mcdojo style of kempo (it wasn't a mcdojo until I had my brown belt, but by then I felt I was too far along to quit so I decided to get my shodan anyway), and I was also doing some muay thai.

Then COVID hit and I stopped all my training. You'd have thought COVID would be over by now, but here we are. I really don't want to risk going into a closed space where a bunch of people will be within handshake distance of each other and exhaling, so going back to any dojo or MMA gym is a no-no for the time being.

I still feel the itch of practicing martial arts, and since I am really disappointed in the kempo stuff (did I mention they change their "kata" every couple months as the instructors see fit? lol), I decided I want to try to train shito ryu again, only this time by myself.

I know self-training is far from ideal, and that it doesn't count officially. But I already have the background (brown belt, after all) and I just want to stay active and remember the kata I once used to know.

How can I go about this? I'd like some sort of guide to re-learn the shito ryu curriculum.

[bushido_man96]

My go-to has always been books, but you can probably find some great resources on YouTube, as well.

[Zaine]

I know self-training is far from ideal, and that it doesn't count officially. But I already have the background (brown belt, after all) and I just want to stay active and remember the kata I once used to know.

Says who? Don't let anyone tell you how to do something that you love, especially when you already have all this experience. I self-trained with videos and books when I was looking to get back into karate with a dojo. It helped me finish up the curriculum that my teacher had when he stopped teaching.

I also would do some research into books. Blackbeltwiki could be a resource, but it's a shot in the dark as to whether the Shito-Ryu kata videos on there are the ones that you would have practiced or from some branch that wasn't yours.

[RW]

I know self-training is far from ideal, and that it doesn't count officially. But I already have the background (brown belt, after all) and I just want to stay active and remember the kata I once used to know.

Says who? Don't let anyone tell you how to do something that you love, especially when you already have all this experience. I self-trained with videos and books when I was looking to get back into karate with a dojo. It helped me finish up the curriculum that my teacher had when he stopped teaching.

I also would do some research into books. Blackbeltwiki could be a resource, but it's a shot in the dark as to whether the Shito-Ryu kata videos on there are the ones that you would have practiced or from some branch that wasn't yours.

Oh, I didn't know about black belt wiki, this is great, thanks!!!

[JazzKicker]

I started in Shito-Ryu at the same age and got just as far. Then I went off to college, and hooked up with a Tang Soo Do club. Forms were pretty much the same. I went through the black belt ranks and moved on to other things from there, but all these years later I still do those forms. Have fun with it! And if you get stuck, have a question, now we have YouTube.

[Shojiko]

we have youtube and online schools using facetime technology, which even includes testing!

but nothing can replace the feel of training hard with your classmates, you share the floor and sweat.

[GojoBoggy]

I would only learn from books if that's absolutely all you have available. The true value of karate is being part of a Dojo.

[Zaine]

I would only learn from books if that's absolutely all you have available. The true value of karate is being part of a Dojo.

Welcome to KarateForums!

I'm interested in this decision. Why only books? With the variety of video we have available, I feel like it is much easier to learn from a video than a book.

[bushido_man96]

I would only learn from books if that's absolutely all you have available. The true value of karate is being part of a Dojo.

Welcome to KarateForums!

I'm interested in this decision. Why only books? With the variety of video we have available, I feel like it is much easier to learn from a video than a book.

I feel the two combined could be quite a valuable learning experience.

[Zaine]

I would only learn from books if that's absolutely all you have available. The true value of karate is being part of a Dojo.

Welcome to KarateForums!

I'm interested in this decision. Why only books? With the variety of video we have available, I feel like it is much easier to learn from a video than a book.

I feel the two combined could be quite a valuable learning experience.

Agreed. Scientifically speaking, we learn best when we expose ourselves to a variety of learning modes. The more ways you can learn something, the better.