Guest Posted March 28, 2003 Posted March 28, 2003 I concede your point ninjamaster. In my opinion, fireka needs to maybe broaden his horizons and consider another, more available style beyond shotokan. It is not out of the question to train in another style then convert to a new one later. Many people that I have met at tournaments cross trained into my style of shorin-ryu. Shotokan is a good martial art, but there are other ones out there too. Perhaps he should talk to this instructor that is offering to test him and see about lessons.
stencil Posted March 28, 2003 Posted March 28, 2003 I think he should evaluate why he believed Shotokan is the only one out there for him. Martial arts, in my opinion, has a lot to do with keeping an open mind and, most importantly, training with others.
tommarker Posted March 28, 2003 Posted March 28, 2003 A belt only covers 2 inches of your butt, it's up to you to cover the rest -Royce Gracie I agree with a Gracie quote!!!! Fireka, Have you looked at the nearby universities or community centers? They often offer martial arts at a SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper price. example: the studio I attend at Ohio State charges $30 for a 10 week quarter. 3 classes a week x 10 weeks = a DOLLAR a class. Some places are flat out free. The university or center provides the space, and the instructor is just there for the love of the art. You say you might have to wait until May.. I say wait until May. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Martial arts are a lifetime pursuit, and will always be there for you. If you want to get the most out of the experience take the time until then to get in excellent physical shape. I will second and third the others who have asked you to keep an open mind towards other arts. The art means precisely squat.... the value lies almost all within the teacher. I'm no longer posting here. Adios.
fireka Posted March 28, 2003 Author Posted March 28, 2003 Im going to respond to all these post the best that i can. First off, i chose shotokan not because i think the other arts are not worthy, they are. i love all martial arts (though i do have something personal against the korean arts) its simply that after much research on all the arts i found Shotokan karate to be the one that fits me the best. there is a shotokan club near by, it is at the university of virginia wich is still a ways a way. ive not bothered to look to deeply into prices because my parents simply do not belive i have time to pursue this dream of mine. i will prove that wrong immediatly, and if it means self training, thats fine. i relize the risk i run, but its not as though im going completely unmonitered, i do have at least a part time sensai now, she will regonize if im doing something wrong. Next week the international shotokan karate association will regonize me as a yellow belt once ive passed my test for the 8th kyu. when that happens i hope you will all regonize me as a fellow martial artist as well, after all, i think ive earned it despite my bizaree method of training. The founder of shotokan said in his ten precepts 'Karate is not just practiced in the dojo' many of you seem to have forgotten that. Belive me, id love to train in a dojo...more than anything, but like nijamaster so pleasantly put it, i must face reality, and then make the best of it. i will be a martial artist, a great martial artist, and one who masters accuracy, speed, power, and balance. my real name is Richard Cox, remeber it, youll see it again some day i promise you. someday i will train in a dojo, but if im being monatored, and i can count on the support of my fellow martial artist like you guys, i can still begin my carrear now. I know were your opinions come from, but if you say the artist must have an open mind, why not have an open mind reguarding my style of training? you can not guarantee i wont succed, and even if its a 1% chance, that 1% will be me. I appriciate the help advice and even the critisim im getting, its good for me, and it will make me stronger. "i could dance like that!.......if i felt like it...." -Master Betty
bustr Posted March 29, 2003 Posted March 29, 2003 Fireka If you have someone helping you out then you have a teacher. The regimentation of a "dojo" may leave a bad taste in your mouth after receiving private instruction. A good student only needs some constructive criticism from a more experienced practitioner. Strong self discipline will do the rest. It sounds like you have a pretty good deal with your teacher. There's no need to go to a school.
ekafid Posted March 29, 2003 Posted March 29, 2003 You seem more determined to learn than anyone else I've ever met. As long as you have someone to correct you and you can keep up your ambition to learn, I don't see why you couldn't do it. I would suggest you find a training partner to sparr with if you haven't already. Good luck!
NinjaMaster Posted March 29, 2003 Posted March 29, 2003 I live in London but if i get the chance ill come and do some sparring with you! You sure are determined. Good Luck man. I mean that. Keep us up to date with how you are doing.
fireka Posted March 29, 2003 Author Posted March 29, 2003 thank you everyone. i would like that very much ninjamaster. im about four days away from the yellow belt test, and am getting just a little nervous. shell probably just let me take it again if i fail, but i really want to get it right the first time. Now remeber, she isnt actually giving me lessons, just correcting my wrongs. my art is a little bit (but not much) diffrent than hers so sometimes shell have to research a technique or kata to make sure i do it correctly. here though is my plan of attack for your approval: 1. in four days, i take my yellow belt test. almost ALL of the knoladge needed for this test was learned online, with the exception of one tape i rented once from the liabary. I downloaded a video of the kata and had some non-expert family memebers compare the video to my motions. im doing allright, few things wrong. Thell be fixed probably today as soon as i leave this computer desk. 2. i begin studying during the 3-4 month diration before i can take my next test and move on to the 7th kyu (in shotokan its an orange belt) here things get a bit more complicated so i should start building a liabary if i can. theres a couple of books im looking into, but id still like suggestions. also im thinking of purchasing a tape called "All Kata of Karate" its what i downloaded Heian Shodan from and it looks really helpful. 3. Green belt training for the 6th kyu begins immediatily after i test for orange. i am a senior in high school now, the time with my sensai is short, as i will be joining the reserves and soon will have moved out. i must make use of it, i extend my liabary, study deeper into Japanese language 9which i already no some of) and philosophy of shokan. 4. Blue belt training, 5th and fourth kyu. by the time i get out of this, i should have just graduated. but im still in VA my liabary extends and i will make one last visit to my current sensai after about three months from my return from boot camp and A-school, i will reciev my Brown belt. 5. from here my training must become extremely serious and i will find as many people to spar with and learn from as possible from all the arts. (please note that this is all if i havent fond a dojo by now) in about a year to two years i take my final plundge out of the graded belts. in order to get my Black Belt, i elect to request that a dojo sensai test me in his own facility for a large (im asumeing) fee. this will mean that, if i get a good one, it can NOT be denied that ive earned my rank. Now if things work completely my way, i hope to soon from here study in japan, and who knows were my training will take me from there, but i do know this, it will never stop. "i could dance like that!.......if i felt like it...." -Master Betty
BlueDragon1981 Posted March 29, 2003 Posted March 29, 2003 Stay commited to it. Remember there are a lot of techniques not shown in books. When you get a chance and time to take classes I would say go for it. You seem to want to learn. And you will probably already have the basics
NinjaMaster Posted March 29, 2003 Posted March 29, 2003 Also be flexible its hard to plan so far ahead. I have been doing Muay Thai for nearly 6 years and have done several other MA's as well as 2 years shotokan. I never did a grading. Why? You dont need to. Or at least i never felt the need. Not a rule though. i would have done them sometime. Done think belts belts belts. In Japan there is no belt system. Just Black belt and White belt. Thats all. There is a reason why. See if you can work that out. It may dawn on you when you start passing belts and then go into competition. Good luck mate.
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