Why did you choose your style?

Posted by: horizon

Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 08:09 AM

Hello all,

I've been reading a lot about the different styles in karate on this forum. Lots has been said about the differences between the styles, and people have told which style they do. What I couldn't find is the following (and excuse if there is already a thread excisting on this, I looked for it but couldn't find anything):

What made you choose the style that you do now, or did in the past?

Was it something you did research in before you joined a dojo, or (just as me) pure coincidence, wanting to do karate, walking into the nearest dojo, having absolutely no idea there were different styles?

Maybe you joined a style recommended by friends?

Is there also a reason why you joined a particular dojo:
again, just because it was closest to your house; because you knew people who trained there; or because you didn't know anyone and wanted to meet new people there?

So to be fair I have to give an answer first of course.
As already mentioned, pure coincidence for me. I wanted to do karate; walked into te nearest dojo, joined and enjoyed every minute. It is my first style, so I don't have any comparison with other styles.
Why this particular dojo? Well, again because it was close to were I live. I made some very good friends and is feels like a home to me now.

So share your experiences to feed my curiosity
Posted by: gojuwarrior

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 08:26 AM

When i first visited my dojo i was in awe.I was about 14,and i visited the adult class and sat through it.I never seen kata before and they did it very crisp and very hard with so much spirit it was flowing out of their ears!I was truly amazed(even at the young age i was)to see all of these grown men and a crippled master(my sensei)do such great karate.

Then they began to spar,man it felt like an earthquake in there.I never heard people get hit so hard and just keep on fighting,they looked like a beautiful choereographed movie.I was hooked the first day.I didnt know how a crippled man prouduce such great karateka. Even to this day people always ask me,"how does he teach you if he cant move?"When i was young i never had an answer for them.But as i grew and got to know sensei more,the truth came to me.The mind is so much stronger than the body,and sensei is the perfect example to this.

That is why i choose him rather than the style(which is goju ryu).Oss
Posted by: Trefathell

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 08:47 AM

[quote}
I've been reading a lot about the different styles in karate on this forum. Lots has been said about the differences between the styles, and people have told which style they do. What I couldn't find is the following (and excuse if there is already a thread excisting on this, I looked for it but couldn't find anything):

What made you choose the style that you do now, or did in the past?

Was it something you did research in before you joined a dojo, or (just as me) pure coincidence, wanting to do karate, walking into the nearest dojo, having absolutely no idea there were different styles?

Maybe you joined a style recommended by friends?

Is there also a reason why you joined a particular dojo:
again, just because it was closest to your house; because you knew people who trained there; or because you didn't know anyone and wanted to meet new people there?

So to be fair I have to give an answer first of course.
As already mentioned, pure coincidence for me. I wanted to do karate; walked into te nearest dojo, joined and enjoyed every minute. It is my first style, so I don't have any comparison with other styles.
Why this particular dojo? Well, again because it was close to were I live. I made some very good friends and is feels like a home to me now.

So share your experiences to feed my curiosity



Obviously this is going vary from person to person.
With me, it was so long ago (in the 70's) there weren't many martial arts schools around. I knew nothing about it really. To give you a clue, my measure of what a classy fighter was was watching John Wayne slug it out in a bar with Lee Marvin (Donovan's Reef, for those of you old enough to remember).

I just went along with a friend from school and was hooked. He eventually dropped away and I stuck at it, same style for all these years, the only time I've had off training was a brief brush with Hepatitis and a stay in hospital to have my nose repaired. And in all these years I've absolutely loved it. I am sure that I would have been a lesser person had I not accidentally wandered into that Dojo.

I also consider myself lucky because I've been trained by some of the finest instructors in my chosen discipline.

Also, the style I happen to do fits my physique, my personality and my approach to life, so I'm extra lucky.

I think that now things are more difficult because of the martial arts marketplace. The beginner does not know what is good or bad, they have nothing substantial to compare their martial arts school with. And naturally they will fiercly defend their decision to train in that particular style under that particular Sensei, even if it's a duff decision.

My advice to anyone in any school is to look around, find out what other martial artists in your own system are doing, go and visit other clubs.

The fact of the matter is that true quality is hard to find, particularly because it does not need to blow its own trumpet, it's often happening in very quiet corners.

For what it's worth.

Trefathell
Posted by: AshiharaStudent

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 09:33 AM

I started Karate because a mate of mine was starting his own class at the Dojo he trained at.

My mate and another of the students had just passed their shodan grading and had completed their assistant instructors course and were encouraged to start up their own beginners class within the dojo.

He was struggling for members as it had just started so I showed up to make up some numbers. That was about 4 years ago and I've never looked back since. At the time it started as a good workout and a bit of fun, but it has changed quite a lot since then and I now take it a bit more seriously.
Posted by: phoenixsflame

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 10:00 AM

Because I'm the reincarnation of Gichin Funakoshi... I have to practice its in my very soul meat.


Sorry. I figured someone had to say something ridiculous to get it out of the way.

I studied TKD when I was young, and found it lacked what I was looking for. I then stumbled through many martial arts until I hit Aikido and by way of association came to the Traditional Karate's... Shito-Ryu and Shotokan are the two that I've practiced with some fervor, Goju/Wado/Etc I've watched, spoken with practitioners but never gotten on the mat to practice. Although I would love to.

I was actually forced to enroll into martial arts by my mother because I was a scrawny kid with a bad temper that was constantly getting sent to the nurses off because I was getting the potatoes beaten out of me.

So you can thank my mother.
Posted by: ButterflyPalm

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 11:04 AM

Quote:

So you can thank my mother.



...or the people who beat the potatoes out of you
Posted by: Neko456

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 11:27 AM

I attacked my 1st Karate instructor (I was 14-15 yrs old) on a dark street he thrashed me quickly even thoughh I out weighted him and was taller, I didn't give up until he did twice. It took several months of begging for him to except me as a student. This was a Shorin-ryu, Judo, & boxing. Then I studied Tang-soo-do & Jujitsu from a local Instructor, met his Instructor who started study Goju-ryu. Later he introduces me to this art and I became his under study. He latter opened a Goju dojo there I was a assistant Instructor. Goju-ryu and my past training became my foundation of growth and study for the other arts. Now I'm a prepetual student.
Posted by: phoenixsflame

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 11:50 AM

Quote:

Quote:

So you can thank my mother.



...or the people who beat the potatoes out of you



Or the people who beat the potatoes out of me.

I don't normally thank the people who beat me up unless they were teaching me a lesson, I was an Uke, or I was being stupid.

But, in this case. They guided me towards learning lessons, being an Uke and preventing me from being stupid. Its like pre-emptive teaching! Thank your local Bully.
Posted by: Karateka13

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 02:35 PM

I've always been interested in the martial arts. As a nine-year-old I took TKD for a few months as an after-school activity and when I was twelve I took some kickboxing.

When I was 17, I took a Karate class as a gym course. My instructor said he also had a Karate dojo where he teaches if any of us wanted to join. I did the next week and haven't looked back. I didn't know anything about anything at the time really. I had no idea there were so many different styles, different kinds of teachers and dojos. That wasn't until I stumbled upon FA. Thanks to that I know for sure my dojo's a good one--which I thank FA a lot for. A site like this can save you tons of time and money, that's for sure .
Posted by: srv

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 05:54 PM

When I started going out with my now husband, I discovered that he had done some karate as a teenager (zen do kai - based on Goju-Ryu) and so had his brother. He had stopped but his brother was still training in a similar style ( had been training for about 15 + years and was a Sandan and running a dojo) Me and his wife decided to start training and he suggested we train with his instructor who was 5th dan in this style. Haven't looked back since. I haven't trained in other styles, but what I am currently doing suits me. So it was basically chosen because of the family connections!
Posted by: karates_awesome

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 09:20 PM

I remember when I chose my style. I was in 6th grade and i though it really cool because I had tried it when I was
really little and stuff yet I had to keep on quiting. Anyways my mom gave me the choice of tkd or shotokan and they both seemed to have reputable sensei so it took me a while but in the end I chose shotokan (really for no reason) and I have no regrets about it at all.
Posted by: StitchX860X

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 11/30/05 10:18 PM

I took tang soo do for a few years, i chose that because at the time it was the only place in my town that had martial arts instruction, my mom actually chose it because it was close to home and she had gone to school with one of the instructors.

Then about nine months ago I began taking Kempo. I chose Kempo because it was something that very many people had not heard of, including myself. My reason for choosing something many people in my area had not heard of was because I started taking Kempo as a project for my senior year in high school and the dojo is close to my house. As for finding out about Kempo I just came across it while looking through my local yellow pages. I am glad I found it becaue I am very hppy with the instruction I receive and I am eager learn many more systems in the years to come.
Posted by: horizon

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/01/05 04:19 AM

Quote:

Because I'm the reincarnation of Gichin Funakoshi... I have to practice its in my very soul meat.


Sorry. I figured someone had to say something ridiculous to get it out of the way.
Quote:



No problem, we all have those needs sometimes


Quote:

I was actually forced to enroll into martial arts by my mother because I was a scrawny kid with a bad temper that was constantly getting sent to the nurses off because I was getting the potatoes beaten out of me.

So you can thank my mother.



Thanks Phoenixsflame's mom
Posted by: BrianS

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/01/05 04:32 AM

Here's how it happened for me. My dad's friend was a goju instructor,I was 17 and wanted to get back into martial arts. I didn't know what goju was,but I knew the guys who taught it were seemingly some badass dudes,which is what I wanted to be. I didn't know much about the different styles at the time,but I soon found out that our instructor was feared by the other instructors around the area. Not because he was mean,but for his abilities.
My dad and my older brother started at the same time I did. My brother quit a year later and my dad stayed to get his shodan. I just kept at it.I still enjoy every minute of it.
For my first class I wore my TKD blue belt--What an idiot!!!!!!
Posted by: harlan

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/01/05 08:10 AM

I went looking for some exercise with a stick (kobudo), happened to see the teacher doing Goju, and liked what I saw.
Posted by: phoenixsflame

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/01/05 12:00 PM

Quote:

Because I'm the reincarnation of Gichin Funakoshi... I have to practice its in my very soul meat.


Sorry. I figured someone had to say something ridiculous to get it out of the way.
Quote:



No problem, we all have those needs sometimes


Quote:

I was actually forced to enroll into martial arts by my mother because I was a scrawny kid with a bad temper that was constantly getting sent to the nurses off because I was getting the potatoes beaten out of me.

So you can thank my mother.



Thanks Phoenixsflame's mom




Actually, whats funny is my mother practiced with me for three years. She was a black belt in TKD, but had to stop because she fell and broke both elbow's, it took her out of the scene completely.

I was really proud of her at the time, she was very over-weight and she took it up inspite of how much it taxed her. She ended up losing a lot of weight, and I kept teaching her things during my different schools of thought.

I think it really inspired me to keep going having a parent in the martial arts with me. I often suggest to those whom have children practicing, that they should practice with them...

And really, I think when it comes to Style. You should never condemn yourself to a single knowledge. We are most effective when we know many ways to do one thing. Because if we try one technique and it fails, if we only have one way to do it, we're screwed. Thats why I enjoyed my instruction in Shito-Ryu, Sensei Nosworthy (My instructor) taught me many routes to do anything, so that if one thing failed I could immediately twist into another.

I humbly thank my instructors for their knowledge, because without them I'd simply be a dancer.
Posted by: roniwankan

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/02/05 02:11 PM

I had no idea about styles, I though that I would arrive in the dojo and smash lots of brains, but... whit the time my sensei used words like traditional karate, goju ryu and shotokan.
so I discovered that he began with traditional, passed by olympical goju-ryu and after changed to Shotokan, So I am a mix of these three kinds of karate, but, of course, I am most shotokan than the others!
Posted by: Ives

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/03/05 08:53 AM

The way I ended up joining Karate was because of overhearing friends about planning on a try-out lesson. I thought: "Why not, you always wanted to know more about it?" So I went with the guys to a dojo in a nearby town. And I was impressed by the sensei and his instructing-abillities.
So I joined.
It's a rather technical and phylosophical style of bogu-karate.
I really enjoy it.
Posted by: BAMA REDNECK9000

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/09/05 09:28 PM

To be completely honest I didn't know what the hell I was getting myself into, I was about ten and I went to my fist class and did some basic stuff, next thing you know I show up for the next class and the next and so on and here I am happy that I'm staying with it becuse I like it and we do a lot of stuff like grappling kick boxing and mainly traditional shotokan.
Posted by: funstick5000

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/10/05 09:48 PM

it was local.
Posted by: Ironfoot

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 12/15/05 05:46 PM

I actually went shopping around. Some places just wanted to sell you on the facilities. Hell, I had a shower back home. My 3rd visit was to a real dive, but the sensei did something that said "Don't say 'no' to this guy".
Posted by: Genenahs

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 01/03/06 07:06 AM

Well after doing MMA for about 9 years i wanted to get back to studying a traditional MA.I needed something that came from its original source(eg karate=Okinawa)and has a no-nonsense/no-frills way of training which includes weaponry training,after looking around for a looong time I found an Isshinryu instructor,started training and havent looked back since and that was over a year ago!!
Posted by: zKing

Re: Why did you choose your style? - 01/03/06 04:43 PM

I didn't choose the style so much as I chose the dojo. At the time I knew I wanted to try martial arts, but I wanted to avoid anything too... 'spiritual' or macho man.

I went to 5-6 places and let them give me a pitch or did the trial work out. It surprised me how quickly I eliminated most of them as a bad fit for me. Two of them come to mind:

In one place everyone dressed in black and the walls were _covered_ in weapons. The instructor gave me this long speach about how he could use anything "even this coffee cup" as a weapon. He basically said that he turns his students into killing machines.

Another place was OK, but the instructor seemed quite out of shape and, just, well kinda dorky. And worse, it seemed like in my trial lesson he was just trying to show me how cool he was. I realized that I could never commit to a place where I didn't respect the head instructor.

I've been with Koei Kan for a while now. It is right for me because it is down to earth, traditional and we do plenty of contact.