# Is this Kyokushin school a mcdojo?



## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

Learn Karate in Dallas, Texas | Dallas Kyokushin Karate
Don’t know much about the instructor or his rank. He rents out at dance studio for Cleese’s so it seems. Do you guys think this is a mcdojo?


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## Headhunter (Nov 21, 2018)

Why would it be?


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## drop bear (Nov 21, 2018)

Apparently they have a fight team. So someone is taking it seriously. 

There website is super cheesy. But quite often people use third party marketing companies for those.


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## MetalBoar (Nov 21, 2018)

drop bear said:


> There website is super cheesy. But quite often people use third party marketing companies for those.



I was going to say the same thing. There seems to be almost a cheesy commercial martial arts website template that gets used all over the country. This is better than some but it's got the same flavor. I admit it's not fair, but unless it's a style that I'm really interested in or I've had the school recommended to me I get so put off that I tend to just close the tab when I encounter one of these. I might miss some good schools this way but man, how hard can it be to put up a simple point of information site that doesn't scream, "Hey I'm exactly the same as every other generic TKD and Karate school in your city and I just want to sell you kids birthday parties!"

All that being said, yeah, outside of the cheesy web site design, I don't see anything that makes me think the place isn't legit. I personally like to see more info about the instructor than his picture but a lot of web sites have only that or less.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

drop bear said:


> Apparently they have a fight team. So someone is taking it seriously.
> 
> There website is super cheesy. But quite often people use third party marketing companies for those.


Where does it say they have a fight team?


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 21, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> Where does it say they have a fight team?


Check out their facebook. They've got a specific fight class too, and have some training videos. I saw at least one fight video as well, but tough to tell if theyre from that dojo or just vids of kyokushin fights


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

It’s Kyokushin. Being a bare knuckle, full contact system, it’s pretty hard to be a McDojo. Not that it’s impossible, but let’s be honest here.

The website is a generic “your name here” website. Notice most of the pics are stock photos. How many pics are people wearing gis with the Kyokushin kanji?  Other than a few stock tournament photos and the head guy’s pics, only one or two.

He’s been teaching since 2018, so it’s a new dojo 

I’ll give credit where credit is due - at least he’s trying with the website. I’ve seen too many horrible websites seemingly done by some guy in his parents’ basement. Or worse. If it were for websites, I wouldn’t have joined either dojo I’ve been a part of.

Go visit the dojo. See what’s going on. See if he’s a good guy to train under and if the other students are good people to train alongside.  All you should need to know from the website is who’s teaching, where they are, their schedule, contact info, and hopefully price.

Kyokushin is pretty hard to McDojo-ify. Nothing is impossible to reduce to crap, but I’d be very surprised if it was truly crap. It’s all going to hinge on how good the teacher teaches IMO.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 21, 2018)

If you go to the fb page, go to october 3rd and youll see a video of a ton of people kicking from yellow to black belt. You can see from that if theres a difference in skill level between the ranks, and if your impressed or not with the kicks in general. Will try to link it later, but on mobile and its not letting me copy the video link.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> It’s Kyokushin. Being a bare knuckle, full contact system, it’s pretty hard to be a McDojo. Not that it’s impossible, but let’s be honest here.
> 
> The website is a generic “your name here” website. Notice most of the pics are stock photos. How many pics are people wearing gis with the Kyokushin kanji?  Other than a few stock tournament photos and the head guy’s pics, only one or two.
> 
> ...


It’s the only kyokushin school in my area so it’s my only choice. I think he rents out a ballet studio but it’s probably because he just opened.


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## MetalBoar (Nov 21, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> It’s the only kyokushin school in my area so it’s my only choice. I think he rents out a ballet studio but it’s probably because he just opened.


I wouldn't be put off by that at all. I know Dallas is a lot cheaper than Seattle, but still, here there is no way to even pay for rent in a commercial retail-ish space much less pay for anything else or make a profit if you aren't a pretty successful full time operation. I didn't notice a schedule, but if they're only offering classes for a few hours 2-3 times/week there's no way operating their own dedicated facility makes any sense. Sharing space with a dance school or other martial arts school is a great way to keep things affordable for the students, make a profit and still have a pretty nice place to train.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> It’s Kyokushin. Being a bare knuckle, full contact system, it’s pretty hard to be a McDojo. Not that it’s impossible, but let’s be honest here.
> 
> The website is a generic “your name here” website. Notice most of the pics are stock photos. How many pics are people wearing gis with the Kyokushin kanji?  Other than a few stock tournament photos and the head guy’s pics, only one or two.


Some of them are pretty obviously TKD pics, too - two of them on the home page are in dobok. Stuff like that drives me a little nuts, but I can understand why a new school might end up using them...and most prospects won't know the difference.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 21, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> Some of them are pretty obviously TKD pics, too - two of them on the home page are in dobok. Stuff like that drives me a little nuts, but I can understand why a new school might end up using them...and most prospects won't know the difference.


Pretty sure all the testimonials are stock statements too, that they just attach a random name too.


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## MetalBoar (Nov 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> It’s Kyokushin. Being a bare knuckle, full contact system, it’s pretty hard to be a McDojo. Not that it’s impossible, but let’s be honest here.
> 
> The website is a generic “your name here” website. Notice most of the pics are stock photos. How many pics are people wearing gis with the Kyokushin kanji?  Other than a few stock tournament photos and the head guy’s pics, only one or two.
> 
> ...


Oh, I don't disagree. It's better than just a Facebook page with nothing but some pictures, an address and a phone number. And I know that these schools have no budget for this sort of thing. I guess I'm mainly disappointed that the companies selling these sites don't do a better job with them and that school owners don't demand more. Having owned and operated a web development company I know how big a hassle it can be to get content from your clients, things like instructor bios and even schedules seem to be closely guarded secrets! If I owned a MA school and didn't have the bandwidth to even get the basic info to someone who could do copywriting for me I'd personally rather do a super simple site that gave only the basics than go with a generic template with little substance and obvious filler.


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> It’s the only kyokushin school in my area so it’s my only choice. I think he rents out a ballet studio but it’s probably because he just opened.


Why does it have to be Kyokushin? I love Kyokushin, but it’s not exactly the only right way to train.


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> Some of them are pretty obviously TKD pics, too - two of them on the home page are in dobok. Stuff like that drives me a little nuts, but I can understand why a new school might end up using them...and most prospects won't know the difference.


I was going to mention the TKD doboks, but I got sidetracked.


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

MetalBoar said:


> Oh, I don't disagree. It's better than just a Facebook page with nothing but some pictures, an address and a phone number. And I know that these schools have no budget for this sort of thing. I guess I'm mainly disappointed that the companies selling these sites don't do a better job with them and that school owners don't demand more. Having owned and operated a web development company I know how big a hassle it can be to get content from your clients, things like instructor bios and even schedules seem to be closely guarded secrets! If I owned a MA school and didn't have the bandwidth to even get the basic info to someone who could do copywriting for me I'd personally rather do a super simple site that gave only the basics than go with a generic template with little substance and obvious filler.


If I were to open a dojo, my website would contain contact info, location, schedule and instructor(s) bio. And a brief description of the organization I’m under and a link to them. A few facility pics, and call it a day. I’m honestly not convinced that an elaborate website will really get a ton of people in anyway. I think Facebook pretty much replaced that, or am I off? I don’t have Facebook, so I’m not sure.

My dojo redid their webpage after I joined. It’s pretty much what I’d do, minus the gallery section (that they haven’t updated in a few years), and I’d have more pics throughout the site. Simple and what I’d consider effective...
Adirondack Seido Karate


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

MetalBoar said:


> I wouldn't be put off by that at all. I know Dallas is a lot cheaper than Seattle, but still, here there is no way to even pay for rent in a commercial retail-ish space much less pay for anything else or make a profit if you aren't a pretty successful full time operation. I didn't notice a schedule, but if they're only offering classes for a few hours 2-3 times/week there's no way operating their own dedicated facility makes any sense. Sharing space with a dance school or other martial arts school is a great way to keep things affordable for the students, make a profit and still have a pretty nice place to train.


I agree.


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> It’s the only kyokushin school in my area so it’s my only choice. I think he rents out a ballet studio but it’s probably because he just opened.


A ballet studio actually makes a ton of sense. Mirrors, wood floors or similar that don’t allow street shoes, and even a stretching bar. And some music if he wants it.

If I ever start teaching, starting out at a dance studio makes a ton of sense. The location would have to be right though.

Come to think of it, when my former teacher moved a while back, the building he vacated was turned into a Fred Astaire dance studio.

There was a local dance studio in my hometown for decades. The owner got old and retired. She sold it to a BJJ club. All they had to do was put down some mats.

Here I was thinking about starting out at a YMCA or the like if I ever started teaching. I’m rethinking that now. The only hiccup is dance studios mostly operate at the same time a dojo would.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Why does it have to be Kyokushin? I love Kyokushin, but it’s not exactly the only right way to train.


Because I’m looking for knockdown rules karate to train and compete in and it’s the only knockdown style school in Dallas


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> Because I’m looking for knockdown rules karate to train and compete in and it’s the only knockdown style school in Dallas


Any Enshin or Ashihara karate locally?


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

Training apparently at this kyokushin school is 6-7:30 Monday night and 1-2:30pm on saturdays. When I spoke to him he mentioned “I teach an old school style approach to Kyokushin


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Any Enshin or Ashihara karate locally?


Nope. Trust me I checked. My dream karate would be knockdown rules with some grappling involved


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> Training apparently at this kyokushin school is 6-7:30 Monday night and 1-2:30pm on saturdays. When I spoke to him he mentioned “I teach an old school style approach to Kyokushin


That could very well be a good thing.


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> Nope. Trust me I checked. My dream karate would be knockdown rules with some grappling involved


I’ve got a man-crush on Ninomiya and Enshin. Nothing near me though. I’ve contemplated making a trip to Denver as an excuse to visit his dojo. A soccer team I used to work with was contemplating playing in a tournament at University of Denver. No matter how much I reasoned with the head coach to do it, he backed out because of the altitude issue. I didn’t tell him my ulterior motives.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> That could very well be a good thing.


I got a kyokushin Gi. I know the instructor has connections with tournaments and apparently the Karate combat league emailed him looking for fighters so this might be a good school. I’m gonna hop on all over it and train there. It’s the only knockdown style in Dallas. Training is better than not training. I come from an mma background so I think this will be good for me. I also see combat karate leagues getting big again soon.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> I’ve got a man-crush on Ninomiya and Enshin. Nothing near me though. I’ve contemplated making a trip to Denver as an excuse to visit his dojo. A soccer team I used to work with was contemplating playing in a tournament at University of Denver. No matter how much I reasoned with the head coach to do it, he backed out because of the altitude issue. I didn’t tell him my ulterior motives.


Team DKK- Fight Team Check this out from this schools Facebook page


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 21, 2018)

https://www.amazon.com/Budo-Sports-...+karate+gi&dpPl=1&dpID=41jK+oj67yL&ref=plSrch  I 


JR 137 said:


> I’ve got a man-crush on Ninomiya and Enshin. Nothing near me though. I’ve contemplated making a trip to Denver as an excuse to visit his dojo. A soccer team I used to work with was contemplating playing in a tournament at University of Denver. No matter how much I reasoned with the head coach to do it, he backed out because of the altitude issue. I didn’t tell him my ulterior motives.


got this Gi as my starting Gi for training what do you think JR? You seem like a good guy for advice since your in the full contact karate world


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## JR 137 (Nov 21, 2018)

I’m not full contact any more. That was my late teens-mid 20s.

I don’t know much about the gi you linked to, but it should be fine. Isami was (and possibly still is) THE Kyokushin gi. Other than the free giveaway gis beginners wore, if you saw a Kyokushin guy, he was wearing an Isami gi like 99% of the time.


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## Headhunter (Nov 22, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> It’s the only kyokushin school in my area so it’s my only choice. I think he rents out a ballet studio but it’s probably because he just opened.


You seem to have an issue with that fact....the majority of places are like that. Not everyone can afford a private so have to rent out halls. That doesn't make it a bad school at all. Pretty much every place I've trained has been a rented room in a hall.


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## hoshin1600 (Nov 22, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> I’m not full contact any more. That was my late teens-mid 20s.
> 
> I don’t know much about the gi you linked to, but it should be fine. Isami was (and possibly still is) THE Kyokushin gi. Other than the free giveaway gis beginners wore, if you saw a Kyokushin guy, he was wearing an Isami gi like 99% of the time.


How do they compare to other Gi like Shureido or Tokaido?


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## JR 137 (Nov 22, 2018)

Headhunter said:


> You seem to have an issue with that fact....the majority of places are like that. Not everyone can afford a private so have to rent out halls. That doesn't make it a bad school at all. Pretty much every place I've trained has been a rented room in a hall.


And if he’s just starting out and/or is new to the area, renting space in another place is the safest and smartest way to go. Without very many committed students, it would be stupid to open an elaborate place by yourself and hope students come in and fill the place fast enough before you’re bankrupt. Start out small, build up a student base, then move once you see the space starting to become the limiting factor.

The only issue I see in the dojo being discussed is the times class is available - 1 only class on 2 days. If I’m a prospective student and can’t make those times, I’m not going to sign up no matter how much I want to. I won’t even visit.

Here’s a real-world example - when I was looking to start back up again, there was a Kyokushin school on my radar. My 2 main targets before I started visiting were the Kyokushin school and the Seido school (which I joined). The Kyokushin school only had classes on 3 nights. There was no way I could make 2 of those nights due to my work schedule. I wouldn’t have signed up for a place I could only train once a week at best. The one night I could’ve made it would’ve taken some finagling with my wife and kids’ schedule. Combine that with do I really want to go bare knuckle again, only being nearly 40 at time, and I didn’t visit.

On another note, I was only interested in Seido due the organization. My dojo’s website sucked at that time. And their Facebook page wasn’t much better. It was all pics and posts about special events, tournaments, and closings due to weather. It looked like a social club with karate thrown in. After visiting and watching a few classes, it became obvious that their Facebook posts were so current students and kids’ parents could see and download pics of that stuff. All the Facebook stuff was stuff they did out of the ordinary day to day training.

About 5 minutes into the first class I saw, I knew it was the right place for me. I watched 2 full classes on different nights, and everywhere else I visited didn’t compare. 

Forget about what the place looks like. Forget about the website. Forget about all the BS and just watch what’s going on on the floor. When you’re on the floor, you’re not thinking about how pretty the place is or cool the website looks; you’re training. Crap instruction is a pretty building with a great website is crap instruction.


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## JR 137 (Nov 22, 2018)

hoshin1600 said:


> How do they compare to other Gi like Shureido or Tokaido?


I’ve never worn an Isami. They’re the Japanese cotton like Tokaido and Shureido. Most of them don’t have the ties on the jacket and are cut a bit differently. I think the higher end Isami gis are a heavier Japanese cotton canvas top and lighter weight twill pants.

The real Kyokushin and Isami connection comes from Mas Oyama. He was allegedly friends with Isami’s founder and co-developed their gis at some level (I think Oyama provided a lot of feedback that Isami implemented). Isami embroidered the kanji and had a Kyokushin logo where other manufacturers put their logo, making them all official feeling.

People love them. Their karate gis don’t get a lot of attention outside of Kyokushin. I’m pretty sure they’re very popular in Judo in Japan too.

I’ve seen them but never tried them on. I wear Shureido. They fit me right and I really like the quality. Pricey but worth it. Tokaido is great too and IMO equal to Shureido in every way, regardless of what people say one way or the other. I’m speaking of the Japanese made Tokaido gis, not their lower end ones nor the blended fabric ones. I’d happily wear Tokaido, but they just don’t fit me right. Shureido is the stocky guy’s cut (me), whereas Tokaido is the tall and thin guy’s cut (definitely not me).

I don’t know where Isami fits in the whole grand scheme of things. I’ve seen them a million times, but they all pretty much look alike to me anyway, minus the obviously cheap giveaway with a new membership gis.

I wish there was a store like a Men’s Warehouse where they had racks of gis I could try on. It’s all order online and hope for the best. I got lucky when I found Shureido - it fits right, which is nearly impossible for me; it’s very comfortable; and they last forever. Once I find the combination, I’m done.


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## JR 137 (Nov 22, 2018)

@Brandon Miller 
If you’re looking for a great gi, I love the Shureido K-11. Combination of weight and comfort. I wore a K-10 for a while, but I think it’s too heavy in retrospect. My dojo doesn’t have air conditioning and the Northeast gets pretty humid. And I sweat A LOT. Whatever you go with long term, the Japanese cotton gis are where it’s at. They’re expensive, but they breathe right, are durable, and they’re very comfortable. I’m pretty sure Isami uses it too, but the high end Japanese brands like Shureido and Tokaido use it in their cotton (non-blended gis). Wear one a few times and you’ll see why they’re expensive.

I’m not a fan of the blended “kumite” gis. They’re moisture wicking, but I find them pretty hot. I wore one a few times and had to get rid of it. They stay drier, but that’s about it in my experience.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 22, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> @Brandon Miller
> If you’re looking for a great gi, I love the Shureido K-11. Combination of weight and comfort. I wore a K-10 for a while, but I think it’s too heavy in retrospect. My dojo doesn’t have air conditioning and the Northeast gets pretty humid. And I sweat A LOT. Whatever you go with long term, the Japanese cotton gis are where it’s at. They’re expensive, but they breathe right, are durable, and they’re very comfortable. I’m pretty sure Isami uses it too, but the high end Japanese brands like Shureido and Tokaido use it in their cotton (non-blended gis). Wear one a few times and you’ll see why they’re expensive.
> 
> I’m not a fan of the blended “kumite” gis. They’re moisture wicking, but I find them pretty hot. I wore one a few times and had to get rid of it. They stay drier, but that’s about it in my experience.


I’ll look into those his in the future. I’ll need a second Gi eventually


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 22, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> That could very well be a good thing.


I looked more into the instructor he’s from New York he moved to Dallas a year ago. He’s a 4th dan Kyokushin blackbelt with an “old school style” emphasis. He seems legit. I’m looking forward to training under him.


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## MetalBoar (Nov 22, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> If I were to open a dojo, my website would contain contact info, location, schedule and instructor(s) bio. And a brief description of the organization I’m under and a link to them. A few facility pics, and call it a day. I’m honestly not convinced that an elaborate website will really get a ton of people in anyway. I think Facebook pretty much replaced that, or am I off? I don’t have Facebook, so I’m not sure.
> 
> My dojo redid their webpage after I joined. It’s pretty much what I’d do, minus the gallery section (that they haven’t updated in a few years), and I’d have more pics throughout the site. Simple and what I’d consider effective...
> Adirondack Seido Karate


A lot of people seem to think that Facebook has replaced having a website and I guess it kind of has. It just doesn't do a great job as a stand alone page in my opinion, the format is good for keeping people up do date and maybe creating a sense that there are things happening at your school. That being said, pretty much all the Facebook MA school pages I've seen have been terrible for actually giving me any information that I want as a prospective student. Having a Facebook page is probably great for exposure as your students can like and follow it and then hopefully that results in their friends gaining interest. Probably the best way to go is to have both a website and a Facebook page that refer to each other because they both do different things well.

I personally agree with you about what I want to see on a website: What is the school teaching, Who's doing the teaching (and what is their background), When are the classes, Where are the classes and finally How do I contact you for more info and to get started. I'm sure someone better at marketing than me would want to add some things to try to hook people with why they ought to train with you and the SEO people are going to want to do the things necessary to hit the first page on Google based on Google's current algorithms, but overall I think that's frosting on top and a lot more expensive to do right than the basic part.

I really like your dojo's page, I think it hits all the marks, it's clean and easy to navigate, there's no distracting fluff. I like the text on the home page, it speaks to me anyway, talking about Seido as a martial art that will give you benefits in terms of fitness, etc. Many pages lose me when they make the school seem like the top 3 things you're getting are fitness, fitness and more fitness and there may not be a number 4, and oh, by the way we'd like to sell you a kids birthday party. It may be what sells, but if fitness were my only interest I'd just hit the gym and I don't think I'm alone in this perspective. I like the pictures as they manage to look both professionally done and authentic, which is a harder thing to manage than you might think. I agree that it's generally better to drop something like the gallery if you aren't going to do at least annual updates of some kind, but overall I think it's a nice site.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 22, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> @Brandon Miller
> If you’re looking for a great gi, I love the Shureido K-11. Combination of weight and comfort. I wore a K-10 for a while, but I think it’s too heavy in retrospect. My dojo doesn’t have air conditioning and the Northeast gets pretty humid. And I sweat A LOT. Whatever you go with long term, the Japanese cotton gis are where it’s at. They’re expensive, but they breathe right, are durable, and they’re very comfortable. I’m pretty sure Isami uses it too, but the high end Japanese brands like Shureido and Tokaido use it in their cotton (non-blended gis). Wear one a few times and you’ll see why they’re expensive.
> 
> I’m not a fan of the blended “kumite” gis. They’re moisture wicking, but I find them pretty hot. I wore one a few times and had to get rid of it. They stay drier, but that’s about it in my experience.


I've never worn any of the high-end gis, so I'm curious. The only somewhat expensive one I ever bought was from Bujin Design (who mostly specialize in Aikido gear). I have a preference for Judo gis, and have found I quite like the single-weave Gladiator (in black) from Asian World. I'm pretty sure it's not nearly as nice, but have no idea how. At wholesale, I think I pay about $40 for mine, but I've been wondering what I'm missing. Surely there's some reason I need a new gi. Has to be.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 22, 2018)

MetalBoar said:


> A lot of people seem to think that Facebook has replaced having a website and I guess it kind of has. It just doesn't do a great job as a stand alone page in my opinion, the format is good for keeping people up do date and maybe creating a sense that there are things happening at your school. That being said, pretty much all the Facebook MA school pages I've seen have been terrible for actually giving me any information that I want as a prospective student. Having a Facebook page is probably great for exposure as your students can like and follow it and then hopefully that results in their friends gaining interest. Probably the best way to go is to have both a website and a Facebook page that refer to each other because they both do different things well.
> 
> I personally agree with you about what I want to see on a website: What is the school teaching, Who's doing the teaching (and what is their background), When are the classes, Where are the classes and finally How do I contact you for more info and to get started. I'm sure someone better at marketing than me would want to add some things to try to hook people with why they ought to train with you and the SEO people are going to want to do the things necessary to hit the first page on Google based on Google's current algorithms, but overall I think that's frosting on top and a lot more expensive to do right than the basic part.
> 
> I really like your dojo's page, I think it hits all the marks, it's clean and easy to navigate, there's no distracting fluff. I like the text on the home page, it speaks to me anyway, talking about Seido as a martial art that will give you benefits in terms of fitness, etc. Many pages lose me when they make the school seem like the top 3 things you're getting are fitness, fitness and more fitness and there may not be a number 4, and oh, by the way we'd like to sell you a kids birthday party. It may be what sells, but if fitness were my only interest I'd just hit the gym and I don't think I'm alone in this perspective. I like the pictures as they manage to look both professionally done and authentic, which is a harder thing to manage than you might think. I agree that it's generally better to drop something like the gallery if you aren't going to do at least annual updates of some kind, but overall I think it's a nice site.


Yeah, I've struggled with deciding what the purposes of the website and FB page are. I think the best use of FB is as a place for some community and maybe announcements. Even folks without FB accounts can see the page (and the announcements, I presume), and there are plug-ins that can create a feed between the website and FB page. I tend to personally prefer NOT to have to muck through a FB page for any information and updates (since I don't go on FB very often), so I duplicated all announcements at both locations.


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## JR 137 (Nov 23, 2018)

MetalBoar said:


> A lot of people seem to think that Facebook has replaced having a website and I guess it kind of has. It just doesn't do a great job as a stand alone page in my opinion, the format is good for keeping people up do date and maybe creating a sense that there are things happening at your school. That being said, pretty much all the Facebook MA school pages I've seen have been terrible for actually giving me any information that I want as a prospective student. Having a Facebook page is probably great for exposure as your students can like and follow it and then hopefully that results in their friends gaining interest. Probably the best way to go is to have both a website and a Facebook page that refer to each other because they both do different things well.
> 
> I personally agree with you about what I want to see on a website: What is the school teaching, Who's doing the teaching (and what is their background), When are the classes, Where are the classes and finally How do I contact you for more info and to get started. I'm sure someone better at marketing than me would want to add some things to try to hook people with why they ought to train with you and the SEO people are going to want to do the things necessary to hit the first page on Google based on Google's current algorithms, but overall I think that's frosting on top and a lot more expensive to do right than the basic part.
> 
> I really like your dojo's page, I think it hits all the marks, it's clean and easy to navigate, there's no distracting fluff. I like the text on the home page, it speaks to me anyway, talking about Seido as a martial art that will give you benefits in terms of fitness, etc. Many pages lose me when they make the school seem like the top 3 things you're getting are fitness, fitness and more fitness and there may not be a number 4, and oh, by the way we'd like to sell you a kids birthday party. It may be what sells, but if fitness were my only interest I'd just hit the gym and I don't think I'm alone in this perspective. I like the pictures as they manage to look both professionally done and authentic, which is a harder thing to manage than you might think. I agree that it's generally better to drop something like the gallery if you aren't going to do at least annual updates of some kind, but overall I think it's a nice site.


You said everything I was thinking, only better 

Regarding birthday parties...

My CI said several students’ parents have asked him if he does them. He said for the ones he knows and trusts he tells them they can use the space, just clean up and lock up when they’re done. Meaning he’ll give them the keys and let them have a party there, but he’s not “doing a birthday party.” They got his subtlety and none of them took him up on it.

The pics look professional, but they actually aren’t. It was mainly one of the students taking them. Funny you mention a professional... We had a photographer shoot our annual beach workouts the year after the website was updated. No pics surfaced anywhere that I saw. That’s the only time I saw a professional anywhere around us. They should’ve gotten one this summer, as it was our dojo’s 30th anniversary and we kind of made a big deal about it.

Our dojo’s small and the adults and a lot of the parents are pretty tight-knit. It’s a great atmosphere. An atmosphere where we beat each other up, but great nonetheless


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 23, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Our dojo’s small and the adults and a lot of the parents are pretty tight-knit. It’s a great atmosphere. An atmosphere where we beat each other up, but great nonetheless


That's what I really want for my program. I'd love for a core group to have a real sense of community.


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## JR 137 (Nov 23, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> That's what I really want for my program. I'd love for a core group to have a real sense of community.


We do several things that I think brings us together. They weren’t done in my previous dojo nor many others that I’ve seen. Here’s a few examples...

Dojo cleanup day
- About quarterly. We get together and clean the place up. Everything comes off the walls and gets dusted, the mats get a thorough washing, mirrors get windexed. One of the guys has a hardwood floor washer/vacuum. Stuff like that. It reinforces that taking pride in the place mentality. No one’s required to, but no one skips out. Parents who don’t train even lend a helping hand. In a commercial dojo, this wouldn’t go over well IMO.

- Annual Christmas party
Everyone brings something to eat or drink. Black belts bring an inexpensive wrapped boy or girl gift or two. Kids (including kids that don’t train but parents do) get a ticket, and pick a gift when their ticket is drawn. Whatever toys are left over go to toys for tots charity. It’s a couple hour Sunday afternoon get together at the dojo. Nothing elaborate.

-Black belt dinner
My CI and his wife host the black belts and their spouses at their house. I haven’t been there (not bb yet), but it seems to be a BBQ or the like. I’m sure people bring a few things to eat or drink out of courtesy.

- Annual beach training
Black belts meet at CI’s house early in the morning and do a short workout. I’ve been told it’s like a black belt review class. All karateka meet at the local beach around 10 am we have a workout. We rent a pavilion and have a picnic afterwards. We pay about $10 a head and bring side dishes/desserts. Any extra money goes to charity.

With all this stuff, everyone helps set up, break down, etc. People volunteer to do certain things or bring certain things. Nothing’s mandatory nor expected. I’ve never heard anyone complain about anything.

None of this is elaborate or over the top. It’s just us getting together. The only times things get a bit formal is when it’s a special time like our 30th anniversary during this year’s beach training. Other than a few awards, speeches, and catered food rather than the norm, that was pretty much business as usual too. We had several out of town guests and Nakamura and Charles Martin were there, so we rolled out the red carpet a little bit.

I don’t think these things would be the same in a commercial dojo. People would probably look at them as just another way to get money from them. And they’d probably get overblown too. I think it’s the little stuff like this that truly makes the sense of family.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 23, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> We do several things that I think brings us together. They weren’t done in my previous dojo nor many others that I’ve seen. Here’s a few examples...


I'm replying to each item, because....well, let's be honest, because I like to post.



> Dojo cleanup day
> - About quarterly. We get together and clean the place up. Everything comes off the walls and gets dusted, the mats get a thorough washing, mirrors get windexed. One of the guys has a hardwood floor washer/vacuum. Stuff like that. It reinforces that taking pride in the place mentality. No one’s required to, but no one skips out. Parents who don’t train even lend a helping hand. In a commercial dojo, this wouldn’t go over well IMO.


I actually think it would still go over okay. Back when I was going through the ranks, there was an expectation that everyone would help keep the dojo clean. It wasn't required, but by the time you got to purple belt (mid-upper colored rank), it was considered as part of what made someone a good student. By brown, it was almost a requirement. For black, if your name didn't show on the cleaning sign-off list regularly, you wouldn't test. When I was senior brown (that's who had traditionally overseen that function), I managed to get most folks pretty active in clean-up, and that carried for the entire rest of the time I was there. Set the expectation, and most folks will participate. Most people like feeling useful. I like the idea of regular gatherings for this in a dedicated space.



> - Annual Christmas party
> Everyone brings something to eat or drink. Black belts bring an inexpensive wrapped boy or girl gift or two. Kids (including kids that don’t train but parents do) get a ticket, and pick a gift when their ticket is drawn. Whatever toys are left over go to toys for tots charity. It’s a couple hour Sunday afternoon get together at the dojo. Nothing elaborate.


We never did that (and they still don't at my old school). The instructor in the middle of SC does things like that (an annual BBQ at a student's lake house, for instance), and the difference in community is noticeable. I was invited one year, as I'd been training there while working a project in the area. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it due to travel for another client.



> -Black belt dinner
> My CI and his wife host the black belts and their spouses at their house. I haven’t been there (not bb yet), but it seems to be a BBQ or the like. I’m sure people bring a few things to eat or drink out of courtesy.


This is done rarely. When someone is promoted to BB, there was often (not always) a get-together at a sushi place sometime later. That's a rare promotion (takes most folks 7-10 years, so only a handful in a school of <100). Sometimes when there's a seminar or something like that, as well. Rarely organized.



> - Annual beach training
> Black belts meet at CI’s house early in the morning and do a short workout. I’ve been told it’s like a black belt review class. All karateka meet at the local beach around 10 am we have a workout. We rent a pavilion and have a picnic afterwards. We pay about $10 a head and bring side dishes/desserts. Any extra money goes to charity.


The closest thing I could think of to do here would be at a local park or something. Nearest beach is 4 hours away. But I like the idea. I think this only works, though, once you start building some community. Even with the small program I had, if I'd scheduled something outside normal class time, chances are almost nobody would have come.



> With all this stuff, everyone helps set up, break down, etc. People volunteer to do certain things or bring certain things. Nothing’s mandatory nor expected. I’ve never heard anyone complain about anything.
> 
> None of this is elaborate or over the top. It’s just us getting together. The only times things get a bit formal is when it’s a special time like our 30th anniversary during this year’s beach training. Other than a few awards, speeches, and catered food rather than the norm, that was pretty much business as usual too. We had several out of town guests and Nakamura and Charles Martin were there, so we rolled out the red carpet a little bit.
> 
> I don’t think these things would be the same in a commercial dojo. People would probably look at them as just another way to get money from them. And they’d probably get overblown too. I think it’s the little stuff like this that truly makes the sense of family.


I think the community starts in the dojo, and if it's built right, folks see the rest as more community. I don't think it's a strong suit for my primary instructor (he's not very people-y, and doesn't build strong relationships with even his senior students), so it didn't go far at his school. And his is a side business for him. Down in the middle of SC, there's a full-time instructor who makes his living off the school, and they have a much stronger sense of community there.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 23, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> You said everything I was thinking, only better
> 
> Regarding birthday parties...
> 
> My CI said several students’ parents have asked him if he does them. He said for the ones he knows and trusts he tells them they can use the space, just clean up and lock up when they’re done. Meaning he’ll give them the keys and let them have a party there, but he’s not “doing a birthday party.” They got his subtlety and none of them took him up on it.



Perhaps im just tired, but im missing the subtlety here. Why did no one take him up on it/what was he trying to say?


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## drop bear (Nov 23, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> I've never worn any of the high-end gis, so I'm curious. The only somewhat expensive one I ever bought was from Bujin Design (who mostly specialize in Aikido gear). I have a preference for Judo gis, and have found I quite like the single-weave Gladiator (in black) from Asian World. I'm pretty sure it's not nearly as nice, but have no idea how. At wholesale, I think I pay about $40 for mine, but I've been wondering what I'm missing. Surely there's some reason I need a new gi. Has to be.



From a bjj perspective the better gis fit better. Not as cardboardy.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 23, 2018)

drop bear said:


> From a bjj perspective the better gis fit better. Not as cardboardy.


I'm not even sure what "better" is, as far as fit. I went most of my training career wearing cheap gis in size 5 (something close to size 3 in BJJ, I think), and taking up both sleeves and legs. Baggy things, they were, but it's what I got used to. Now, I wear a fairly shapeless Judo-style gi. And I wouldn't say it's "cardboardy". I'd say it's like wearing a carpet. And folding it is a lot like folding a carpet. Heavy, unyielding, and nothing I really dislike about it. I still really want an excuse to try a more expensive gi, so maybe the cardboardiness is my excuse.


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## _Simon_ (Nov 24, 2018)

Semi-late to the discussion, but yep what was previously said, it's rare that a Kyokushin dojo is McDojofied. It has a strong philosophy and foundation, and it's one of the things I admire about it. You can go anywhere in the world and it's one big family, and they all train hard together in the same manner more or less. Some dojos may be less about the grit and hardness and may be more technical, but still it's pretty rare for there to be a "McDojo."

Hope it goes well!

Edit: And yes, the website was bizarre to me haha. Did feel a bit like a page selling some pre-workout supplements or training e-book or something, but that's the only odd thing here, best way is to go check out the dojo yourself and see how they train.


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## JR 137 (Nov 24, 2018)

kempodisciple said:


> Perhaps im just tired, but im missing the subtlety here. Why did no one take him up on it/what was he trying to say?


He basically told them he’s not going to be their birthday party entertainer.


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## JR 137 (Nov 24, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> I'm replying to each item, because....well, let's be honest, because I like to post.
> 
> 
> I actually think it would still go over okay. Back when I was going through the ranks, there was an expectation that everyone would help keep the dojo clean. It wasn't required, but by the time you got to purple belt (mid-upper colored rank), it was considered as part of what made someone a good student. By brown, it was almost a requirement. For black, if your name didn't show on the cleaning sign-off list regularly, you wouldn't test. When I was senior brown (that's who had traditionally overseen that function), I managed to get most folks pretty active in clean-up, and that carried for the entire rest of the time I was there. Set the expectation, and most folks will participate. Most people like feeling useful. I like the idea of regular gatherings for this in a dedicated space.
> ...


The black belt dinner is an annual get together for all the black belts, not a dinner for when someone’s promoted.

I’m pretty sure a commercial dojo can have a strong sense of community/family. I just think it’s probably a lot harder for them. Especially large professional dojos. Or better yet, the expensive and large dojos where people are nickle-and-dimed. I think people start thinking “great, yet another way to get more money out of us.” Nakamura’s dojo is pretty big, and being right near the Flatiron Building, it ain’t cheap. But he’s got a pretty strong family atmosphere.

Edit: The things my CI does pretty much come from Nakamura. My CI does them the way he wants to, but Nakamura is big on the Seido dojos doing these things. Nakamura feels things like this are what makes it feel personal rather than a business. My CI doesn’t do them out of obligation by any means though. I remember talking to him about it a while back. I told him my former dojo didn’t do any of this stuff. We had a tight knit group of a bunch of us, but it wasn’t really the same. He said he likes it because it makes it all personal rather than being business-like.


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## JR 137 (Nov 24, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> I looked more into the instructor he’s from New York he moved to Dallas a year ago. He’s a 4th dan Kyokushin blackbelt with an “old school style” emphasis. He seems legit. I’m looking forward to training under him.


Sorry I’m late replying to this. I got sidetracked a bit 

I googled his name and Kyokushin. He’s been around, in a good way. I didn’t read everything, but he’s seemingly got plenty of experience. As you said/implied, he’s relatively new to the Dallas area, so he’s just starting over in that sense.

I wonder who he was under in NY. I wonder which IKO he was/is affiliated with. Kyokushin splintered quite a bit after Oyama’s death in 1994. There was a ton of politics involved, and it got really ugly. Most of that dust has settled and the CIs have put that behind them. But for quite some time different groups wanted nothing to do with each other and CIs were forced to choose who they followed. Many were told if they had anything to do with people from other Kyokushin groups, they’d get kicked out. It got really nasty. Not as much here in the States as in Japan and Europe, but knowing people in Kyokushin here, they said it was pretty uncomfortable for a while.

This has no effect on you as a student. And probably didn’t effect him much as a student back then. I just find it interesting to figure out who came from which organization. They pretty much all follow the same syllabus and claim they’re sticking to the real ideals Oyama set forth.


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## Gerry Seymour (Nov 24, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> The black belt dinner is an annual get together for all the black belts, not a dinner for when someone’s promoted.
> 
> I’m pretty sure a commercial dojo can have a strong sense of community/family. I just think it’s probably a lot harder for them. Especially large professional dojos. Or better yet, the expensive and large dojos where people are nickle-and-dimed. I think people start thinking “great, yet another way to get more money out of us.” Nakamura’s dojo is pretty big, and being right near the Flatiron Building, it ain’t cheap. But he’s got a pretty strong family atmosphere.
> 
> Edit: The things my CI does pretty much come from Nakamura. My CI does them the way he wants to, but Nakamura is big on the Seido dojos doing these things. Nakamura feels things like this are what makes it feel personal rather than a business. My CI doesn’t do them out of obligation by any means though. I remember talking to him about it a while back. I told him my former dojo didn’t do any of this stuff. We had a tight knit group of a bunch of us, but it wasn’t really the same. He said he likes it because it makes it all personal rather than being business-like.


I agree - the way the business is approached can hurt or help the sense of community.

In any case, I like the way Nakamura seems to have worked to instill a sense of community across the association.


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## JR 137 (Nov 24, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> I agree - the way the business is approached can hurt or help the sense of community.
> 
> In any case, I like the way Nakamura seems to have worked to instill a sense of community across the association.


Nakamura’s annual black belt dinner is more formal. They wear a jacket/blazer, rent a restaurant, etc. I’ve heard it’s a bit expensive, being NYC and all. The attendees pay a flat fee, but Nakamura/Seido pick up the rest as it doesn’t cover the entire bill. A lot of out of town people attend, including my CI and his wife most years.

We’re more of a back yard BBQ group. I think they did a restaurant once or twice but abandoned that format.

Nakamura is one of the most personable guys I’ve met at his rank/status. He makes it a point to know everyone’s face and name. I’ve met him a handful of times and took a class at his dojo once. He’s always spoken to me like he knows exactly who I am. He typically has to ask me my name when he first sees me, but then he has that “that’s right, how’ve you been?” look.

It’s a change from a lot of people I’ve met from that era. A lot of them won’t give you the time of day if you’re not sandan or higher, and/or unless your teacher formally introduces you. I always found that odd. He’s the opposite of that. He’s really big on building that family atmosphere with everyone.


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## _Simon_ (Nov 24, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> I wonder who he was under in NY. I wonder which IKO he was/is affiliated with. Kyokushin splintered quite a bit after Oyama’s death in 1994. There was a ton of politics involved, and it got really ugly. Most of that dust has settled and the CIs have put that behind them. But for quite some time different groups wanted nothing to do with each other and CIs were forced to choose who they followed. Many were told if they had anything to do with people from other Kyokushin groups, they’d get kicked out. It got really nasty. Not as much here in the States as in Japan and Europe, but knowing people in Kyokushin here, they said it was pretty uncomfortable for a while.
> 
> This has no effect on you as a student. And probably didn’t effect him much as a student back then. I just find it interesting to figure out who came from which organization. They pretty much all follow the same syllabus and claim they’re sticking to the real ideals Oyama set forth.



Yeah was a strange time from what I read... I honestly still don't even know the difference syllabus/training-wise between the different IKOs, or even if they are that different at all apart from who runs it!

There was that and even within branches this still happens. In my old club there were a few dojos/instructors which left our branch as they weren't a fan of how the branch chief was doing things. So they joined other groups or went independent. Would be funny if it was all about simply how to do a certain move in Pinan Ni or something XD


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## JR 137 (Nov 24, 2018)

_Simon_ said:


> Yeah was a strange time from what I read... I honestly still don't even know the difference syllabus/training-wise between the different IKOs, or even if they are that different at all apart from who runs it!
> 
> There was that and even within branches this still happens. In my old club there were a few dojos/instructors which left our branch as they weren't a fan of how the branch chief was doing things. So they joined other groups or went independent. Would be funny if it was all about simply how to do a certain move in Pinan Ni or something XD


I’m pretty sure the different IKOs are basically who’s leading them. One or two have changed their name, ie Royama’s IKO is now ShinKyokushin. Or was that Midori’s? The major ones off the top of my head are Matsui (IKO1), Midori, Royama, and Oyams’s daughter Kirustina (I think they’re IKO Sosai). There’s several others too. I’m not sure where Arneil’s organization fits into things.

At the end of the day, I’m pretty sure they’re doing more or less the same thing, just different head honchos and competing in different tournaments. I think they all get along well at this point, except last I knew they despised Matsui and basically aligned against him. I think that had a lot to do with Matsui trying to claim sole ownership of the Kyokushin name and Kanji, and trying to sue over it. He lost that battle. 

It was all some really sleazy stuff. It doesn’t really effect the students as far as I know.


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## Buka (Nov 25, 2018)

Brandon Miller said:


> Learn Karate in Dallas, Texas | Dallas Kyokushin Karate
> Don’t know much about the instructor or his rank. He rents out at dance studio for Cleese’s so it seems. Do you guys think this is a mcdojo?



My educated gues would be no, not a McD.


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## Yokozuna514 (Nov 26, 2018)

I go away for 1 week and a Kyokushin discussion starts up without me, ha, ha.   I would be very surprised if this dojo would be a McDojo.  As many posters have already said Kyokushin doesn't typically lend itself to being a McDojo.   If a dojo was operating like a McDojo, their students would learn very quickly at the first tournament they entered that their school would not be up to snuff. 

I do not believe he is not part of Shinkyokushin (Midori, Shihan's group) nor do I believe he would be part of Royama, Shihan's group either as their patch is noticeably different from the Kyokushin patch Duvall Sensei wears.   A quick search in google tells me he was part of Kyokushinkai or IKO1 (Matsui, Shihan's group). 

I wouldn't worry too much about the politics.  Go take a few classes and try it out for yourself.   It should be hard training to get your body accustomed to bareknuckle sparring.  Good luck and let us know how it turns out.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 28, 2018)

Thanks fellas! I love my Gi by the way it’s gorgeous!


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## JR 137 (Nov 28, 2018)

Yokazuna514 said:


> I go away for 1 week and a Kyokushin discussion starts up without me, ha, ha.   I would be very surprised if this dojo would be a McDojo.  As many posters have already said Kyokushin doesn't typically lend itself to being a McDojo.   If a dojo was operating like a McDojo, their students would learn very quickly at the first tournament they entered that their school would not be up to snuff.
> 
> I do not believe he is not part of Shinkyokushin (Midori, Shihan's group) nor do I believe he would be part of Royama, Shihan's group either as their patch is noticeably different from the Kyokushin patch Duvall Sensei wears.   A quick search in google tells me he was part of Kyokushinkai or IKO1 (Matsui, Shihan's group).
> 
> I wouldn't worry too much about the politics.  Go take a few classes and try it out for yourself.   It should be hard training to get your body accustomed to bareknuckle sparring.  Good luck and let us know how it turns out.


Good call with the patches on his gi; I didn’t think of that.

Being from the NYC area, my initial instinct was IKO1 “Matsui” as there’s a strong presence there. I think the US IKO1 headquarters is in Manhattan.


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## Brandon Miller (Nov 28, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Good call with the patches on his gi; I didn’t think of that.
> 
> Being from the NYC area, my initial instinct was IKO1 “Matsui” as there’s a strong presence there. I think the US IKO1 headquarters is in Manhattan.


JR I got my Gi it’s amazing but it feels a little big even though I bought mine according to the size chart. How much does it shrink when you wash it?
It’s 100% cotton I believe.


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## DKK (May 25, 2019)

I was checking the net and stumbled on this site. I have seen it before couple of years ago or maybe something similar. Very good site for info. I wanted to mention that the Kyokushin in Dallas is not a MCDOJO. I know because I teach the classes. I would like to invite all to come and try the classes out. especially our Saturday class. I would like to possibly do a question and answer session (interview) about me and Dallas Kyokushin Karate. Thank you all.


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## Gerry Seymour (May 25, 2019)

DKK said:


> I was checking the net and stumbled on this site. I have seen it before couple of years ago or maybe something similar. Very good site for info. I wanted to mention that the Kyokushin in Dallas is not a MCDOJO. I know because I teach the classes. I would like to invite all to come and try the classes out. especially our Saturday class. I would like to possibly do a question and answer session (interview) about me and Dallas Kyokushin Karate. Thank you all.


Welcome to Martial Talk! When you get a chance, pop over to the Beginner's Corner and introduce yourself.


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## JR 137 (May 25, 2019)

DKK said:


> I was checking the net and stumbled on this site. I have seen it before couple of years ago or maybe something similar. Very good site for info. I wanted to mention that the Kyokushin in Dallas is not a MCDOJO. I know because I teach the classes. I would like to invite all to come and try the classes out. especially our Saturday class. I would like to possibly do a question and answer session (interview) about me and Dallas Kyokushin Karate. Thank you all.


Welcome aboard. Please stick around and get involved in our usual tirades  Kyokushin and offshoots don’t have a big enough presence here, and someone of your experience and knowledge will be much appreciated. 

How’s the move and new (I’m assuming) dojo going? Starting a new dojo of any kind seems to be difficult. I’ve never opened one myself, but judging by all the ones I’ve seen come and go, it seems quite tough. I can only imagine opening a Kyokushin dojo would be that much harder, as the training doesn’t lend itself to people who just want to say the “do karate” if you know what I mean. 

Best of luck to you!


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## Yokozuna514 (May 27, 2019)

DKK said:


> I was checking the net and stumbled on this site. I have seen it before couple of years ago or maybe something similar. Very good site for info. I wanted to mention that the Kyokushin in Dallas is not a MCDOJO. I know because I teach the classes. I would like to invite all to come and try the classes out. especially our Saturday class. I would like to possibly do a question and answer session (interview) about me and Dallas Kyokushin Karate. Thank you all.


Osu !  Good to see another Kyokushin practitioner here.  Welcome !


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## dvcochran (May 27, 2019)

Anyone else have trouble connecting with the website? It keeps saying I cant connect securely.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 27, 2019)

dvcochran said:


> Anyone else have trouble connecting with the website? It keeps saying I cant connect securely.


Just tried it on my phone, says the site can't be reached.

@DKK , assuming that's you're site, just a heads up it doesnt seem to be working right


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 27, 2019)

DKK said:


> I would like to possibly do a question and answer session (interview) about me and Dallas Kyokushin Karate. Thank you all.


Feel free to start your own thread, and do a question/answer on your style of kyokushin. Just be aware, you generally cant advertise on here (if you want to advertise, check out the TOS on info on how to do so, or just message a mod/admin for info), so try to keep your question/answer session away from any actual advertisement for your dojo.


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## DKK (May 28, 2019)

kempodisciple said:


> Just tried it on my phone, says the site can't be reached.
> 
> @DKK , assuming that's you're site, just a heads up it doesnt seem to be working right


Please try again. I will check it out on my end


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 28, 2019)

DKK said:


> Please try again. I will check it out on my end


Seems to be working now


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## DKK (May 28, 2019)

kempodisciple said:


> Seems to be working now


New site so i am working through the kinks and still building


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## DKK (May 28, 2019)

Is Kyokushin for life still around?


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## Yokozuna514 (May 28, 2019)

DKK said:


> Is Kyokushin for life still around?


Osu, unfortunately the website forum was never revived since it last went down.   The  FB group is still around but there isn't as much interaction as there used to be on K4L.   

There are other FB pages that people use to keep up with Kyokushin news.  Most have to do with KD karate.


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## JR 137 (May 28, 2019)

DKK said:


> Is Kyokushin for life still around?


The site is gone without a trace. I’m pretty sure it was me, a guy named Sasha and one or two other guys at most posting for a few months. I went to logon one day, and it was gone. It’s a shame they didn’t at least keep it archived somewhere, as there were some great discussions about everything Kyokushin and offshoots.


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## DKK (May 28, 2019)

I have a pic of a few members from NYC area meeting at Gorai (IKO1) tournament at Baruch College. When i find it i will post.


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## _Simon_ (May 29, 2019)

Yep I miss the K4L forum... I was active on there for years and there were many a great discussion. Yeah would have been great if it was archived somewhere, some really top notch ideas and insights!


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 30, 2019)

Archive has some screenshots of the site. I clicked on 3 from 2007 and they just seem to be the front page, but someone may have screenshotted and added in a few good discussions in there.
Wayback Machine


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## Yokozuna514 (May 30, 2019)

JR 137 said:


> The site is gone without a trace. I’m pretty sure it was me, a guy named Sasha and one or two other guys at most posting for a few months. I went to logon one day, and it was gone. It’s a shame they didn’t at least keep it archived somewhere, as there were some great discussions about everything Kyokushin and offshoots.


I actually still keep in touch with Sasha.   He's a Shodan now.  Good guy and good karateka.  

What were your screen names on K4L.  I was and still am Yokozuna.


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## _Simon_ (May 30, 2019)

kempodisciple said:


> Archive has some screenshots of the site. I clicked on 3 from 2007 and they just seem to be the front page, but someone may have screenshotted and added in a few good discussions in there.
> Wayback Machine







Yokozuna514 said:


> I actually still keep in touch with Sasha.   He's a Shodan now.  Good guy and good karateka.
> 
> What were your screen names on K4L.  I was and still am Yokozuna.



Oh that's unreal.. had no idea such a site existed! I can even click and get access to like the first page of some of the threads, very cool! Ah yep I remember FredInChina. Spirit, Dent... wow this takes me back . Thanks @kempodisciple.

My screen name was _Simon_. I actually just went and did a search in my old emails, seems I joined up K4L in 2007, but was maybe most active during 2011/2012 (or got more email newsletters and notifications then). Oh really you still keep in touch, awesome. Yeah Sasha was cool, very insightful posts he made .


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## _Simon_ (May 30, 2019)

Heeeey there ya are @Yokozuna514 XD

Chopping wood, carrying water. - Kyokushin4life


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## _Simon_ (May 30, 2019)

Ah here we go I posted in this one, found the thread/news "Australian club runs out of time after 40 years", which someone posted and that was my dojo that was knocked down. A renowned dojo it was hehe

Australian club runs out of time after 40 years - Kyokushin4life


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## JR 137 (May 30, 2019)

Yokozuna514 said:


> I actually still keep in touch with Sasha.   He's a Shodan now.  Good guy and good karateka.
> 
> What were your screen names on K4L.  I was and still am Yokozuna.


Same screen name as here - JR137


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## Yokozuna514 (May 30, 2019)

_Simon_ said:


> Heeeey there ya are @Yokozuna514 XD
> 
> Chopping wood, carrying water. - Kyokushin4life


Yup same optimistic fellow after all these years .   Dent and Sandman.....we certainly had some good discussions back then.   Thanks for the walk down memory lane, Simon.


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## _Simon_ (May 30, 2019)

Yeah definitely, really liked that forum, chances are we probably all chatted to each other at some stage!


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