Help with getting started

Discussion in 'Karate' started by wakaba, Apr 3, 2006.

  1. wakaba

    wakaba Valued Member

    I really want to learn Karate, if I do anything in my life I would at least like to become really good at this. But where do I start? All I have here is a University Karate club... Are those ok?

    What are all these federations I hear about? Do I need to be a member?

    I just want to learn Karate (not sport, tournament based, or "reality" based) and be able to instruct, those are my goals. What do I need to do?
     
  2. prowla

    prowla Valued Member

    Find a good club and walk through the door...
    In my experience, must people who do karate are genuine and helpful - when you join a dojo, you will be welcomed, and not treated like a fool.
    Karate is a structured system for learning to fight - anybody can do it (subject to certain physical abilities, of course). The belts & grades are an indication of where you've got to.
    The key thing underpinning training is physical fitness. I believe that I have always struggled with my training because I've struggled with fitness. (But I have exceeded my expectations from when I started.)
    The other things is that you will receive injuries, either strains/pulls, minor breaks (ribs, toes, etc.), and many, many bruises. But you would in any sport.
    I say go for it, and have fun!
     
  3. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    Hi Wakaba,

    University karate clubs tend to be pretty good quality. Because they're run by the students rather than "for profit" you don't usually get an instructor who's in it for the money. I've trained at a few university clubs and the instructors have always been very experienced teachers who teach for the love of karate. You also don't get children at a university club so the class isn't disturbed by kids doing stupid things and can move at more adult pace.

    Don't worry about all the federation stuff. It just means each class is governed by a certain association who sets the syllabus of what is to be taught in class. You don't need to worry about what association a class belongs to - you'll just join whatever association your teacher belongs to in order to be covered by their insurance. Your class teacher will help you sort all this out, it isn't something you need to do by yourself.

    Good luck - I hope you come to enjoy karate as much as we all do! :)
     
  4. chrispy

    chrispy The Hunter

    exactly what Moosey said, AND make sure the club you join is a club you are enjoying. While you are learning and there will be long sweaty sometimes frustrating hours spent learning the art the underlying thing to it all is that you should be having fun and enjoying the experiance.
     
  5. wakaba

    wakaba Valued Member

    Thanks. I found that the instructors are only 1st dan... is that a problem? I thought teachers are usually 3 or higher?
     
  6. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    Nah, doesn't make much difference. Give it a go and if you like them and think they're a good teacher then stick around. There's a lot of variation in how good a 1st dan can be - he might have been a 1st dan for 20 years and just never bothered to take gradings any more.
     
  7. wakaba

    wakaba Valued Member

    lol, that would be funny. But it could be... I never thought of that. Thanks for the help!
     
  8. Groucho Musashi

    Groucho Musashi New Member

    got my 1st dan in kyokushin in 1998...been meaning to get fighting fit and test for second dan since 2000...

    but as Socrates said:"Life is just one damned thing after another..."
     
  9. leodus

    leodus New Member

    This depends...

    It depends on your point of view. Personally I hold the martial arts on a high place as what they were invented for; combat. And if you want to be really good at it you will have to be more commited than that. You have many others that have been practicing for years just to get a certain technique right.
     
  10. samuri-man

    samuri-man New Member

    no you don't need to be a member of an federations, but if your club is affiliated it a very good thing
     
  11. Alexander

    Alexander Possibly insane.

    Is there a link you can post to the Karate club website?
     
  12. Venrix

    Venrix Oooo... Shiny....

    Wakaba, I hope you don't mind my asking...? But, why have you set out "to be able to instruct" as your goal? I've never seen this before.

    Most people say, "I want to learn". You have said, "I want to learn and be able to instruct." Why is instruction your goal???

    -V-
     
  13. wakaba

    wakaba Valued Member

    It's ok. I thought MA was something you learn and pass on to others? I'm not looking for money, any fees would cover the dojo and equipment, that's about it.
    I also want to instruct because the only Karate places around here are 2 University clubs, one Shotokan and one Okinawan, and those are restricted to University students. Everything else is a TKD McDojo. Not that there's anything McDojoish about TKD, but that's just the trend where I live. Off the top of my head, there are at least 7 TKD places to train at! None of them are very good, or just plain too expensive (at the YMCA it's $40/month + the regular $35/month basic membership).
     
  14. Venrix

    Venrix Oooo... Shiny....

    Thanks for taking the time to reply. I hope you won't mind if I make a suggestion. Whatever style and/or art you choose, it will likely be many years before you are of a sufficient standard (or level of understanding) to begin teaching. That said, there are of course exceptions to every rule.

    However, my suggestion would be this:

    Whatever style you choose, focus on becoming good at it. Really good at it. No matter how long it takes. Put being an instructor out of your mind and make "being that best that YOU can be" your goal. No matter how long it takes.

    This is just my personal opinion and I hope you will not mind my sharing it with you.

    -V-
     
  15. robertmap

    robertmap Valued Member

    Hi All,

    ABSOLUTELY AGREE

    Don't agree - to have goals is a good thing:
    Short term goal - go to training this week.
    Mid-term goal - to pass my next grading.
    Long-term goal - to be good enough to instruct.

    I think that any goals that motivate or inspire anyone to do anything positive are good and to be applauded.

    All the best.

    Robert.
     
  16. Venrix

    Venrix Oooo... Shiny....

    Couldn't agree more. Oddly enough, like many martial artists of my generation, I was "inspired" by the likes of Bruce Lee and... ...wait for it... "The Karate Kid".

    Here's the odd part: even back then (at the ripe old age of eight) I didn't want to be "Aahhhh Daniel-san". I wanted to be Mr. Miyagi. Strong, graceful, peaceful, explosive, with all the answers. :eek:

    Now, at the ripe old age of 32 (ok, 31 with a few days to go) my focus has changed somewhat but "Miyagi" will always be "The Man!" :D

    -V-
     
  17. robertmap

    robertmap Valued Member

    Yeah - and anyway Daniel was a whimp :)
    Nice car though :) :)

    All the best.

    Robert.
     
  18. Venrix

    Venrix Oooo... Shiny....

    How can you say such a thing!?

    At the beginning of the movie he was nothing more than a bullied child (much like me - probably why I liked the movie.. ). But, just one hour later in movie world he was able to win a karate championship (decidedly unlike me!) against the military trained forces of high-school evil! :cool: And... he got to fiddle with Elisabeth Shue's wobbly bits! :love: Ahhh.... those were the days. But, Daniel could never jump a fence with Miyagi's grace and warrior like purpose of mind. :D

    I can remember playing "karate kid" with my friends one day in the field. Unfortunately, a local bully that was in fact a child black belt in Shotokan (whereas I was in fact the 80's equivalent of todays power ranger kids) decided to join in uninvited. He beat the living daylights out of me and left me in a bloody heap on the floor. My friends took a leaf out of Ben Johnson's book and legged it into the distance leaving a Road Runner-esque trail of dust in their wake.

    Ah... ...great movie moments.

    -V-
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2006
  19. wakaba

    wakaba Valued Member

    I'll be great before I teach anyone, no worries there! But, as that is an important part of my goals, it will always be in my mind.

    Mr. Miyagi was great, too.
     
  20. Venrix

    Venrix Oooo... Shiny....

    I wish you all the best!

    All Hail Miyagi! :cool:
     

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