Karate?

UncleMac

Anyone here get involved in karate? If so, what style? How far did you take it?

I started in Shotokan many years ago and went to shodan but then moved. The next place I lived had several Shotokan clubs but none of them appealed to me as they seemed focused on tournament prep as opposed to the art... so I dabbled in Taekwondo for a while, then joined a Gōjū-ryū club... and then moved again!! I'm not practicing currently but as my fitness level improves, I find I'm thinking about karate again...

katamus

I was in karate for 5 years when I was younger. It was pretty awesome. I want to get back into it but I don't want to pay for it. Lol.

elprincipito

you wanna do Karate? Because I think boxing is more combat effective.

peles_fire

Never done it, but there is a goju-ryu club here in town that I am considering, but not quite ready to start yet (thinking in January as a birthday present to myself) Haven't decided. Always wanted to try it and it is the style my husband used to practice and he recommends it highly. Ask me again in January!

Capt_Apollo

i did tae kwon do until i was 18. stopped because i went to college. i'd love to do some kind of MMA or kung fu but i just don't have enough time and or money.

UncleMac

@katamus, sometimes there are community clubs that offer classes for free or nearly.

@elprincipito, I haven't done pure boxing but I did kickboxing at the Shotokan club. The chief instructor used karate as the baseline training but was fluent in several other martial disciplines... plus he invited specialists in other forms to teach. He recommended kickboxing to me in order to improve my blocking... and eskrima to improve my hand speed & coordination.

@Pburns-2, do yourself a favour and sit in on some classes before you start participating. That way you'll get a sense of what kind of instructors they have and whether it suits you.

@Captain_Apollo, money & time were a factor in me getting away from martial arts. Now the kids are older and the pennies aren't as tight... Hmmm... kung fu sounds like fun... and I'm built like a panda now...

small_ninja

I've been doing Shotokan for about 13 years and have my nidan. I still love it, but its effect on fitness really depends on your own drive whilst training - it's really easy to go through the motions and not get anything out of it (something a lot of people I train with tend to do, and it frustrates me to no end). I love Shotokan and the principles behind the training; it really appeals to me as a person (but maybe it helped shape the person I am today, given my Dad's my teacher and I started at 8 years old). I've done a couple of kickboxing classes (Muay Thai) which was fun, but ultimately decided to stick with Shotokan and focus on my own individual training on days when we don't have classes.

UncleMac

@small_ninja, agreed about the fitness aspect... but that's the same with any activity... The participants who are going through the motions are making their journey at their own pace and will continue to do so whether you are frustrated or not. The best way, perhaps the only way, to get them engaged is to lead by example. I'm glad you do train for yourself in addition to classes since I expect you often end up instructing. While teachers do improve while instructing, it isn't the same as honing your skills in training. It's really important to make time for you.

bushidowoman

Gichin Funakoshi is one of my inspirations.
I practice a modern mixed style of karate. We are more focused more on self-defense than sport and borrow techniques from other systems. Like UncleMac, my soke has a law enforcement/military background and holds ranks in a couple different martial arts systems, so he is continually updating our instruction based on his street experiences.
But we've kept the tradition and discipline of karate (for example, we practice katas which are based on the Shotokan katas.)

small_ninja

@bushidowoman: Yeah, we're not a sport either.

@UncleMac: yeah, there is an element of that in a lot of exercise classes, but I think that it's particularly true in martial arts based classes given the type of movements involved, compare it to say, standard press ups; if you're made to do a standard press up, and you execute the movement, it's probably going to have the same effect universally. Whereas, a punch can have a lot of variation regarding muscle tension and effort exerted. I think there's a distinction at least, but I just don't waste my time on those that don't appear to want to be there. And you're exactly right, when I'm expected to assist in teaching I get very little out of the training session, which is a bit annoying, but someone has to do it I guess.

_the_feniks_

I took Wado-Ryu for about three years. Took it up to purple belt before I quit after I graduated high school. Wish I hadn't. It was a great workout and really helped with my inner-peace.

HeatherPH

I do shotokan too! I've been training on and off for 15 years now, and am a nidan. Shotokan rocks!

ReesesPuffs

I took one lesson after a guy knocked on our door selling lessons. We stood row by row in some ****ty cafeteria of some rundown school, and were told to stand in a squating position and hold it for 20 minutes. He said it helped to strength our inner core but, after a close run in with a prolapsed *kitten* resulting from squatting for so long, i decided learning kung-fu wasn't worth it.

Pualana

I was involved in Wado-Ryu, and did everything except for sparring. I was the only one in our district using the Tekken for my weapon. I had to quit after my motorcycle accident. I do miss it (great way to relieve stress), but I have gotten myself involved with a local Legion Pipe band, which now takes up my time.

MattTheWaterRat

I used to be heavy into Karate and Kung Fu. I tore my ACL sparring and haven't fully recovered. I wouldn't recommend contact sports, and martial arts, in general, tends to attract crazies.

UncleMac

@_the_feniks_ & Pualana, I've never seen Wado-Ryu. Is it a softer style?

@ReesesPuffs, I'm sorry to hear your experience was so unpleasant. I usually recommend people sit in on classes before participating so they get to see the teacher(s) and students in action.

@MattTheWaterRat, you are the first person I've heard of who was "heavy" into Karate and Kung Fu that I've heard of recommending against getting involved in contact sports. Most schools of martial arts don't allow full contact sparring until the student is well versed in self defense. In many cases, students can opt out of full contact sparring. Do people get hurt? Absolutely. Is it preventable? For the most part, yes.

In my experience, the crazies are everywhere and not more so in martial arts than any other activity. For instance, I was involved in a car club for a while and the percentage of freaks was higher than any martial arts group I've ever been involved in. Guys who argue for hours on end about petty details and get their knickers in a knot over nothing. I've been with my kids as they've participated in their chosen activities throughout their teenage years. The groups they were involved with had their fair share of crazies as well.

It seems like the human state seems to bring about a certain level of crazies and nothing prevents it...

n0ob

I can throw myself. Usually that's enough.

yeshualovesme

Six years - mix of Kempo, Shoto-Kan , Gojo-Ryu, Kempo, Aikido, Philipino fighting sticks, Danzan Ryu Ju-jitsu, Rocate Martial Art, Ju-jitsu/Judo, ****o-Ryu, Army Ranger Training, Street Fighting. Moved away so no more of that. Stopped @ advanced purple (had green then brown left). Plus the last year or so it turned into a McDojo Shihan started to do birthday parties. Meh.

All I can find locally in the formed of a mixed martial art is MMA style. Though - I might consider it once I'm back in fighting form. Gina Carano is my figure hero. Would love to take Krav Maga. I also love weapons, especially firearms. My favorite gun is my AR-15 with a bump fire slide stock.

UncleMac

@yeshualovesme, I've never heard the expression "McDojo" before but it seems strangely apropos. When I moved four years ago, it was to my wife's home town. She suggested we try out her old shotokan dojo.

Like I said earlier in the thread, I don't join up until I've seen the action. The day I watched, they did a half-class and then did promotional testing of four candidates at various levels including one person testing for brown. I know observing karateka during testing isn't always the best way to get a sense of their skills since people get nervous and the tests are less dynamic than a class but wow... The level of skill wasn't great and the person testing for brown got confused a couple of times, stopped and asked for instruction but the McDojo issued them all new belts...

peuglow

you wanna do Karate? Because I think boxing is more combat effective.

lol I eat boxers for lunch.

I'd recommend getting into some more effective striking and grappling techniques if you're into combat. If not, Karate is fine.

UncleMac

lol I eat boxers for lunch.

I'd recommend getting into some more effective striking and grappling techniques if you're into combat. If not, Karate is fine.

If MMA has taught the world anything, it's that boxing doesn't work when you are on the ground.