EpicMasterpiece Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Ok I do not have to time nor the money to regularly go to martial arts classes, so I'm looking for other ways. I was thinking about using Gichin Funakoshi's line of Karate-Do books. I know I would be missing the benefits of having a learned instructor but could I get a good grasp and be able to defend myself with frequent practice and exercise? Currently not attending any class.Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes. - Chinese Proverb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smarter Child Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 If you sparr with others you may learn to defend yourself better than before. Other then that, I don't think a book would be the best main scourse to learn karate from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G95champ Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 You can pick up moves but you can't learn from a book. Books and Videos should compliment your training. Funakoshi has some excellent books and they teach kata and stuff very well but its not the same as working with a teacher. However thats better than nothing just don't run arround saying your a black belt after you read the book. (General George S. Patton Jr.) "It's the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacificshore Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Books and videos are great reference material. But is it the best way to lean a martial art? I don't think so, unless you've had previous training in any martial arts. The best way obviously is to seek out a dojo/instructor. But if you are motivated to learn, and this the only way for the time being, then I suggest you go with video. That way you can see how things are suppose to be done, versus reading a book and looking at the pictures. Di'DaDeeeee!!!Mind of Mencia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaiFightsMS Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Self defense from a book without benefit of qualified instructor to critique technique? Not the best result. When I work with a book I use them mainly for forms - as a refresher and a way to compare how different groups do the "same" form in slightly, or not so slightly different ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stold Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Learning martial arts from a book is the same as learning a foreign language from tapes. It can work, but it takes a lot of discipline. If I were you, I would invest in a full length mirror before hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karateka_latino Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Well since you seem to not have any other options and you want to learn Karate, then go ahead and try. Keep in mind that you won't learn the art from a book. Keep your goals realistic. Maybe, you can even find a class for free on College gyms. YMCA offers Karate classes at ridiculous affordable prices. Comunity Centers offer karate took. Also, you can place an Ad on a message board asking for a training partner. That way you can find a person who do karate and doesn't want to train alone, that may help. Hey, even look around on basketball fields, you can see little Karate groups training there on weekends. Just don't give up and look around. Oh by the way, If you are going to buy books with the intention of learning from them, then i advice you to get the following books that were MADE for persons to learn from them. Dynamic Karate (basics) Best Karate vol. 1,2,3,4,5. (basics and Kata) Practial Karate (self defense) All by Masatoshi Nakayama. I don't know much about karate videos (becuase you may need to SEE the techniques in motion, not just pictures of them) But you can try with the videos by Tsunami. They have videos about Shotokan and other karate styles. All this products you can get them in https://www.amazon.com Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karatekid1975 Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 I agree. If you have to learn alone, the books Sub mentioned are great. I have two of them. I would have to agree that video would be the way to go also. If you want to try Tang Soo Do, C.S. Kim's videos are really good. He doesn't talk much on them, but they sure show proper techniques There are also good videos on different arts that the instructor explains everything on the tape. Those ones you should hunt for. Laurie F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta1 Posted March 2, 2003 Share Posted March 2, 2003 "Ok I do not have to time nor the money to regularly go to martial arts classes, so I'm looking for other ways." Money I understand. But if you don't have time to learn from an instructor, you certainly don't have the time to figure this out from books and learn it. Also, you should consider the time it will take you to unlearn the bad habbits you will develope without an instructor to corect you before they are ingrained in permanent mental and muscle memory. I'm sorry to tell you, but I don't think it is possible to properly learn a complex art from books alone. My suggestion is, if you can't find a way to get good instruction, that you get books or manuals on simplified fighting systems and start there. These systems typically use simple, natural moves that are easy to learn and apply. They also make use of coarse muscle movements, which is an advantage if you need to use your skills early in your training. Krav Maga would be one example of this type system. But if it were me, I'd get a copy of 'Kill or Get Killed' by Col. Rex Applegate. It is a WWII training manual, and an excellent place to start. I think Pallidan Press still prints this book. And, no matter what you choose to do, you'll need at least one dedicated workout partner. Good luck! Freedom isn't free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omnifinite Posted March 2, 2003 Share Posted March 2, 2003 I think feeling how techniques work is far more important than seeing how they work. 1st Dan HapkidoColored belts in Kempo and Jujitsu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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