self trained, self empowered

[fireka]

ninjamaster, i couldnt agree more. belts are somewhat important to me though, i like this color system, perhaps because of my other obsesion with the coast guard and the whole military rank thing, it feels good to have physical evidence of your advancement. but i plan is, once ive gone to black to do some other kinds of training. part of this is the meditation i already to. also as i said im an advocate of the 'martial arts are meant to be arts'. my theory (like Bruce Lee) is that martial arts techniques are all just the basics, the idea is to creat your own techniques and even kata (that would be so much fun!) that work for you and your needs. Ill use the belts to learn the basics, but a true master takes the CONCEPTS of his/her art and then flows with them.

 

[ramymensa]

TANAKA: why didn't you tell us you have someone helping you? It kinda changes the whole thing. Your training could take place in basement, on a mountain top, you name it, but it's important to have someone help you.

 

Adding a book to your library: try out the famous Masatoshi Nakayama's "Dynamic Karate". I find it useful.

 

Try to work with your friend as frequently as you can. I would learn from her everytime a new technique and only after that repeat it with the help of books and video. Thus it's more likely you won't make too many mistakes. Don't learn Katas without her showing them to you. It's important to learn it CORRECTLY. If not it's very difficult to unlearn the wrong stuff. Trust me, I know what I'm saying

 

And in the end ... GOOD LUCK. You'll make it. You don't have to become a star in Karate. Just do your thing and remember to enjoy it

[fireka]

thanks, and your right, i dont HAVE to be a star, but i will be. not even so much cause i want to be, its just, i dont know, in me. shes an american style fighter, so every technique and kata wont be possible, also she works at a dojo she dosent have time to train me all the time. but ill take advantage of her whenever i can.

 

[Samurai_Steel]

OK I have come into this late. I hate to say it but in my opinion it is impossible to train yourself and be any good. I have seen plenty of black belts join the school I am in and be appalling, much less people who have never had instruction.

 

I think your dedication is admirable and you should be applauded for that, but I think it is a little misguided. So what happens if you do get an instructor and they disagree with something in a book, which do you fall back on?

 

Remember that there is more to karate than kata, your ideas about timescales and how good you are going to be will be left to grow whilst training yourself, in a proper structured environment these should be removed. There is so much more than you can read in a book.

 

The belt thing is right, in fact they never had belts at all in Japan for a large amount of time, just students and instructors, interestingly enough always that mix, never one without the other.

 

As an instructor myself I see a lot of people come through the doors who think they know everything and are awful. Be careful, you could be doing more harm to your martial arts future than you realise.

[Ninja_Master]

Take your time fireka and stop rushing youre so excited you will probably forget to learn anything at all.

 

You sound alittle frustrated and i think this is because you dont have a full time intructor.

 

As i said before if you cant do something properly dont do it at all.

 

Join a club and do some real karate.

[BKJ1216]

Hey Ninja_Master what happend to all your post?

[karate-ka]

The self-training method is often misleading as to its accuracy...

 

When I started Shudokan at a new dojo, I started at white belt of course- and there was another white belt with me. He had 'self-trained' himself in Goju-Ryu for around 3 years, thats the amount of time it took in this dojo to reach Shodan. I thought it was interesting that he would (and could) teach himself for that long, but I soon found out that he was more puff than punch.

 

We did some full-contact sparring, and even though he knew what the basics were, he didnt know how to apply them, and I consistanly beat him successfully, without a single successful counter on his part. He was lucky if he got the blocks. As further evidence to the differences in self-training and Dojo training, I was promoted specially 3 ranks higher a month later, while he remained a white.

[fireka]

hi everyone, wow i thought this subject was going to die, im sure glad it didnt! lisen, just wanted to give a report of my progress and see if some of you new comers might wanna change your opinions just a wee bit. I went to my yellow belt test, got it with flying colors from a qualified instructor, then we proceded to train some. i learned a lot in those two hours! were supposed to do it again next week and see if ive perfected the skills she taught me that day, dont tell me yall dont even practice at home!!! also, her boss, the big instructor for her dojo, is working with me in other ways to. His alowing me to view some classes, at times to use there equipment, and also is planning to set something up were i can (for a fee) compete in there tournements. Im really learning alot and now have proff thats its working. i am still an advocate of martial arts are ARTS, not sciences, but understand im not actually 'self trained' shot, i dont even own a karate tape! wish i did though... but most was research and the help of my sensai.

[BKJ1216]

hi everyone, wow i thought this subject was going to die, im sure glad it didnt! lisen, just wanted to give a report of my progress and see if some of you new comers might wanna change your opinions just a wee bit. I went to my yellow belt test, got it with flying colors from a qualified instructor, then we proceded to train some. i learned a lot in those two hours! were supposed to do it again next week and see if ive perfected the skills she taught me that day, dont tell me yall dont even practice at home!!! also, her boss, the big instructor for her dojo, is working with me in other ways to. His alowing me to view some classes, at times to use there equipment, and also is planning to set something up were i can (for a fee) compete in there tournements. Im really learning alot and now have proff thats its working. i am still an advocate of martial arts are ARTS, not sciences, but understand im not actually 'self trained' shot, i dont even own a karate tape! wish i did though... but most was research and the help of my sensai.

BTW do you have a sparring partner yet?

[fireka]

na ha, i wanted to wait till i get the sparring equipment first, which will be soon. there are plenty of ppl willing though.