okay! so im a hipocrit! who knew?

[fireka]

Hi everyone, its been a while!

 

i guess i kinda owe an apology. about amonth ago i said i was training myself in shotokan karate with a private instructor only testing me. i said this was the best way to learn. i said no art could beat shotokan, and i would never do another art. i said these things, and you all gave good rebutals, and i at least acted like i ignored them. im sorry, because i kinda took your advice anyways, and it paid off. i remebr specifically one guy that really ticked me off saying "im not saying you should give up. just stop---you need to look harder for an instructor"

 

will, once my pride had been swalowed, i did, and i found a perfect dojo for me! its not shotokan, its isshinryu (hope im spelling that right) its really traditional (yes!) great equipment (yes!0 good instructors (Yes!) ONLY 35 DOLLARS A MONTH (yes) weapon arts, flexible schdeules tournaments, everything i want it has! if mcdojos are the crappy ones than this is a dojo bell! (i work at taco bell, gotta support my company):<)

 

Anyways, im sorry for being ignorant to all of you. and i wondered now if you could help me? see i studed alot about japanese culure and im still intrested in that. i hope okinawain is very similar, i find i know little to nothing about it. im researching it now, so any information or websites helpful to me reguarding okinawa history, culure, language (still Japanese?) and the basic ettiqute of a isshinryu dojo would be very helpful. thank you all for knocking some scince into me!

[Guest]

Congratulations. I hope you are happy with your new dojo.

 

As for the cultural aspect, I am not very interested in japanese or okinawan culture. I only practice the the dojo etiquitte that I have to in order to stay in classes. But I will say that all dojos have thier own standard of etiquitte, and it will be up to your instructor to let you know. Some pretty universal ones are that you have to remove your shoes and bow before entering and exiting the dojo floor. Personnaly, I think the part about removing your shoes is a good idea. I don't want doggie doo on the dojo floor. Another one is that the highest ranking student has to yell YAME! when the instructor enters. I think that's kinda lame but what can ya do.

[fireka]

yame: a japanese noun meaning attention or show respect. i like it! thats one i havent heard before. i havent taken or watch a class yet but based on the assistant instructors attitude towards me and the dojo itself i am very impressed. its by far the best most un-mcdojoish dojo ive ever been in.

[karate_woman]

Good luck with your new style!

 

I'd suggest asking for a dojo manual - you might have to pay a small amount for it (probably under 20), but they usually contain such wonderful tidbits as etiquette, belt tying, a brief history of your art, perhaps some lineage and info about your club, belt requirements and terminology. If they don't have one, they should at least have a handout for new students to read.

 

I don't remember much changing with respect to the language when I switched from Japanese to Okinawan. I remember the stances weren't as low in the Okinawan version of Goju, and the moves became more subtle in the kata (the same in bunkai however).

 

Here is a link to an Isshinryu Karate site. It has a lot of info including etiquette As I don't take the style I can't comment on its accuracy, however

[gheinisch]

Here's a pretty good site with lots of information. Hope it helps a little.

 

http://karatethejapaneseway.com/index.html

[G95champ]

It happens. LOL

 

Lots of us get blinded by our art or our teachers to think our style is the best or teacher is the best. No big deal. Once you learn that all are good and can help you then you are truely growing as a Martial Artists.

 

Congrats.

[tommarker]

I told ya so. j/k

 

In all seriousness, I hold Isshin-ryu in the highest regard, and it definetely will give you a well-rounded education in the martial arts.

[SaiFightsMS]

Isshin ryu is a solid style.

 

Here is another link to a good isshin ryu site.

 

http://www.isshinryu.com/index.htm

[fireka]

thanks for the sites. karatethejapaneseway ive already visited before, and karate woman lol. that is the exact site i started conducting my research from! its very useful. I leave today at 6:15 to observe a class. they told me that i should bring my gi with me, in cass i wanted to join in latter this evening. ill most likely be signing in tonight. i love this art from what ive seen simply because of the attitude not only my dojo, but the intire isshin-ryu community takes towards there study. for example: its only $35 dollars a month, none of the instructors are paid they do it for the love of the art and that 35 dollars goes to maintaining the dojo and its equipment. (but karate woman, i am not against someone making a DESENT living off of karate, i plan to do it my self, hopefuly more in the ring than by teaching at first) also, the isshin-ryu world feels that (and some may disagree) there is no reason for rank rules such as "one must study for x number of hours to make kyu/dan x' simply its based on skill. everyone learns at diffrent levels and speeds, so when your ready, you test, you promote! Anyways im just really glad i took you guys advice instead of acting stupid, and im really excited about tonight! i feel like its my first day at collage or something (not that id know, but i suppose, if i follow one of the carear paths i want, it is like my first day at collage!) thanks again everyone, id better change my profile now, im no longer a student of shotokan! (not to say theres anything wrong with being one, you students of the ainchient tiger) keep it real!

 

Fireka

[karate_woman]

Enjoy.

 

I look forward to hearing how your first experience goes