# thinking of starting karate



## sendo (Mar 13, 2007)

I'm thinking of picking karate for self-defense and discipline purposes but I have trouble finding a place nearby.  Could someone possibly help me?  Boston, Massachusetts (Quincy to be specific).

If there isn't a place close by then I'll probably just do muay thai.  

Also, what's the difference between shotokan/seiei kan and Kyokushin?

Thanks.


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## Brandon Fisher (Mar 14, 2007)

Kyokushinkai and I believe Seieikan are both offshoots of shotokan.


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## tellner (Mar 14, 2007)

Discipline is what you make of it, and Muay Thai is an excellent choice for getting good self defense skills pretty quickly.


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## Drac (Mar 14, 2007)

tellner said:


> Discipline is what you make of it, and Muay Thai is an excellent choice for getting good self defense skills pretty quickly.


 
Yep....


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## Brian R. VanCise (Mar 14, 2007)

Find the Training Hall's in your area and go check them out.  Then you will have a first hand idea to base your decision on.


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## terryl965 (Mar 14, 2007)

I agree with Brian alot of the time it is not the style but the instructor that is teaching the style.


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## Carol (Mar 14, 2007)

For Karate in Quincy try East Coast Martial Arts Academy: http://www.ecmaa.com

Best of luck!


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## twendkata71 (Mar 14, 2007)

First off let me say, I am glad to hear of a new karate student. 
Now, Kyokushinkai is was developed by Masutatsu OYama from Shotokan and Goju ryu. It is a hard style with a lot of full contact training.
Seiei Kan karate was developed by Don Madden and it comes originally from the Koei Kan style of karate do in Japan(which was developed by Eizo Onishi-still alive-) It combines both Nahate and Shurite. In later years more Shotokan,Shorin ryu,Goju ryu,Shito ryu,and even Kenpo elements were added into the Seiei kan. Simply because we have members from these many styles. You may also see Taekwondo and other korean stylist in the organization. Some Seiei kan teachers are more Shotokan,mainly because it was their base when they joined or their instructor was Shotokan when he/she joined. I can see where some might think that Seiei kan is Shotokan,many Seiei kan instructors advertise Shotokan, they are usually Shotokan people that joined the organization.  I trained with the founder for seventeen years, so I am a little closer to the source. 
As far as finding a karate school in your area, I will do some research for you and get back to you.


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## twendkata71 (Mar 14, 2007)

From what I have found there are many kenpo schools, an Uechi ryu(okinawan),and a few Taekwondo schools in that area. It is a predominately a kenpo karate area. Which may be what you want. Good luck and remember it is the man that makes the style not the style that makes the man.


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## tellner (Mar 14, 2007)

I studied Uechi Ryu many years ago. Good stuff. But a lot depends on whether certain things are still being taught. Back in the day they were doing a variety of power breathing that was extremely unhealthy. In the Sanchin kata we were taught to hold our breath on the strike, then exhale on or after the retraction. Yes, it can help you armor and generate a lot of power, but it is very bad for you.

Years later when I first started Silat my teacher asked to see some of what I'd done before. I went through Sanchin. He said "Don't do that. You'll give yourself a stroke, and your guts will shoot out your ***." Some time down the line I found my old Uechi Ryu sensei and asked if they still did that sort of breathing. He said that he didn't teach it because too many practitioners were having strokes and hemmeroids :disgust:

I've been told that some teachers still instruct that way. If they do, find another school.


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## Brandon Fisher (Mar 14, 2007)

Tim,
I knew you would be able to help alot on this.  Thanks I learned something to.


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## Grenadier (Mar 14, 2007)

Normally, I'd say that unless you have your mind dead set on continuing in a particular style, the style shouldn't be the ultimate determinant of what you want to train in, and that you should make your own decision based on what you see when you watch a class, and speak with the instructors.  

I still hold true to that idea.  Basically, I'm more of a traditionalist, and when I was searching for schools after I moved, I eventually found what I was looking for, even though I had never trained in the Wado system.  I never had any intentions of training in this system, but that's where I ended up, simply because the material presented, and the teachers were to my liking.  



The style of Kyokushin, though, does need a bit of explanation, since they are rather unique.  

The Kyokushin organizations were the product of Masutatsu Oyama, and heavily emphasizes full contact sparring, no pads.  The sparring is still controlled, with neither fighter punching each other in the face, and they do some kata.  

Most Kyokushin schools adhere to Oyama's demands that his students behave honorably.  Furthermore, the only competitions you'll generally see them partaking in, are their own.  

Even though I do not train in Kyokushin Karate, I still have a healthy respect for them.  They attract a certain type of people to their organization, and there's really little competitive overlap between their schools and ours.  I've always found the local headmaster here, Yasuhiko Shihan, to be a pleasant fellow.


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## sendo (Mar 14, 2007)

Thanks for all the responses.


Carol Kaur said:


> For Karate in Quincy try East Coast Martial Arts Academy: http://www.ecmaa.com
> 
> Best of luck!


And thanks a lot for finding this place for me! ^^  I'll check it out sometime next month.


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## Carol (Mar 14, 2007)

deFT said:


> Thanks for all the responses.
> 
> And thanks a lot for finding this place for me! ^^  I'll check it out sometime next month.



You're very welcome!  I've never been there myself but I've heard some very good things about it from a friend that owns a school in a different part of Mass.   

Best of luck!


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## Yeti (Mar 16, 2007)

Here are a couple more that I dug up...

[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]*Okinawan Karate Do* 
169 Beale Street, Quincy, MA 02170 
(617) 786-8805 
[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]Don't know the style (likely Shorin Ryu, Uechi Ryu or Goju Ryu) and they have no website.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT] 
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]*Institute Of Okinawan Karate Do* 
28 Chestnut Street, Quincy, MA 02169 
(617) 471-8919 
www.iokarate.com [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] 
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]*Jae H Kim Tae Kwon Do Institute* 
1453 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02169 
(617) 773-2000 
http://www.tkd-boston.com[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]This is a TKD school, but worth a look. I started my training with GM Kim in the Boston school and can't say enough about it.   [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] 
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]There are others but these are local.[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] 
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]As others have said, go check out each school and watch/take part in a class. Talk to the students and the instructors and make a decision based on what you see.  Good luck and keep us posted as to how things turn out. [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] 
[FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1][FONT=geneva,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1] 
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]


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## Brother John (Mar 16, 2007)

You have an ASTOUNDING number of martial arts resources well within reach!!!!!!!!!
Check by clicking HERE.


Good hunting

Your Brother
John


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## Brother John (Mar 16, 2007)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Find the Training Hall's in your area and go check them out.  Then you will have a first hand idea to base your decision on.


YES!!!
YES!!!!!! 
To Brother Brian you listen. (In my best Yoda voice)

GO SEE!!!
Observe. Find out things about the style, the system, the instructor, their instructor....research! But most of all, watch the advanced students closely and ask yourself:
Do I want to MOVE like that?
Do I want to have THOSE skills?
Do I want to behave like they do?
...etc.

Scrutinize.
Question.

But at some point, you've got to stop aiming and SHOOT!

Your Brother
John


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## sendo (Mar 16, 2007)

Brother John said:


> You have an ASTOUNDING number of martial arts resources well within reach!!!!!!!!!
> Check by clicking HERE.
> 
> 
> ...


Oooh, thanks alot Brother John! =]


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## Haze (Mar 18, 2007)

If you can find a traditional Muay Thai school I would go for it. MuayThai takes great discipline and great conditioning. Self defense abilities can be gained quickly in this art.


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