Do I fall in love or just fooling myself?

[Manny]

For some time I've been watching some karate videos and everytime it seems I like it more and more, the kata is fantastic I just love to watch a well done karate kata and also enjoy see the ipon kumites and the bunkai (aplication of kata). Truth to be told in TKD dojang I go don't practice any kind of bunkai and the one steps (ipon kumite) are not inside the regular classes, just a few days before the kup test then we proced to practice one steps, so basically right now I am teaching two guys and sometimes I just feel I am not improving a thing and would like to do something else and this must be in the martial arts.

Don't know if a change of enviroment/dojo/master will help me, but maybe this could be a nice thing to do, I mean to crosstrain in karate do, I need a little spark to start the fire again, I've been told Shotokan is in some how not very diferent from TKD but the lower stances and the way the kicks are chambered and in karate hands are more used than feet.

So, I will arrange an apointment/meeting with sensei Cabrera in a few days and have a little chat with him and see if I can join his dojo and take a few lessons.

What can you advise me?


Manny

 

[Bill Mattocks]

What can you advise me?

All I can say is that I agree with your observations, and I mean no disrespect to my TKD-practicing friends. I've sparred many of them and they're good at point-sparring and forms (what we call kata). I admire many of their techniques and their flashy kicks. I can't even say what is and is not in TKD, because I have no personal knowledge of it. But we have a few former TKD students in our dojo and they seem to enjoy what we do. Many karate dojos don't get that into kata or bunkai, but ours does. We even 'steal' techniques from other styles (even TKD) because if a technique works, it works.

I personally like to ponder the bunkai and get stuck deep into trying to not just perform the technique but understand it. I feel it enhances my abilities, not just at competing but as a martial arts student in general. I wish you luck with your exploration; hope it takes you in good directions for you!

 

[clfsean]

Change gears for a minute, maybe longer, maybe not as long. It sounds like you need a change.

 

[dancingalone]

You've been looking for something to replace TKD (at least in some part) for a few years now, my friend. I am not you, but if I were in your situation I would accept that my dojang will never change and move on. You frequently sound unhappy when you write about training there and that can't be a healthy thing to do. We should train things that please us ultimately or it becomes difficult to truly strive to become better and our negativity will eventually poison the atmosphere for everyone else.

My thought is that it doesn't matter what art you cross-train in until you reconcile for yourself what you want to do at your current dojang. I'd say it's time for you to drink fully from the cup your sabum offers you or find another cup entirely.

 

[Flying Crane]

It can be an uncomfortable position to be in, when you've invested years of time and effort into something, and you begin to doubt whether it's the best thing for you. Finding something else that seems to fill the void and adds the spark that you need to your training is a wonderful thing. Sometimes you need to drop the old and do something else. It's not just a journey of mastering something, but it's also a journey to find the right thing for you and not waste your time and effort on something that isn't right for you, even if you are entrenched in it.

do something new and see how you feel about it.

 

[Gemini]

do something new and see how you feel about it.

Exactly. It's not like you can't go back or change directions. As mentioned above, you have on more than one occasion expressed dissatisfaction with your current situation. "Sort of" doing something isn't your best option. Give it a try, but give it a "real' try. See where it takes you.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Manny, you've often expressed some dissatisfaction with your current school. I know that in the past you spent some time crosstraining in Kenpo. I don't think you'd be wrong to go try another system. There's no need to cut your ties with your current school to do so.

 

[MA-Caver]

Manny, I hope things are well with you where you live and that everything is alright with you and yours.
I agree with the others that say you sound like you need a change of pace or scenery. I'm sure that many MA-ists have been where you are at this moment. So at least take heart that you're not alone on this.
As far as the complacency goes; it happens with nearly everything in our lives. Keep at it and it'll pass. Make a change until the feeling that you have about TKD comes back and you're actually excited to go back and train in it again. Hell, even take six months or a year off from training and find something else that is just as physical, emotional and mentally rewarding then go back.
Hope your journey finds a better path in the meantime.

 

[Grenadier]

If the Karate dojo has something that you find yourself liking more and more, then maybe it's time for a switch.

If you are not satisfied with what your Tae Kwon Do dojang is offering, then that should give you even more reasons to do so. Just make sure that you've worked out any contract details with the school owner before you move on. Things like this can get very ugly...

Like Bill said, I also have a fair number of people who have also trained in Tae Kwon Do. They all have open minds, and adapted exceptionally well to the Shotokan Karate cirriculum, and are all good practitioners of Shotokan Karate for their levels. Some had a few stumbling blocks on certain fundamental techniques, but then again, who doesn't?

 

[K-man]

Manny, I too have a similar story. I loved what I was doing then circumstances changed and I stopped training. You have invested a lot of time in your training and it won't be wasted if you do switch to another style although it might take a little time to adjust. I actually returned to a very similar style, then changed from Japanese Goju to Okinawan Goju. That final change, plus learning Aikido, rejuvenated my love for the martial arts and has taken me to a level that I wasn't even aware existed.

My suggestion would be to look around, see what different styles have to offer, then when you see one that you like talk to the teachers and talk to some of their advanced students. The thing you don't want is to leave a style, in which you have invested so much, and find yourself in another style that you enjoy even less.

Check it all out, then make an informed choice. You might even find it's best to stay where you are.

 

[Manny]

Manny, I too have a similar story. I loved what I was doing then circumstances changed and I stopped training. You have invested a lot of time in your training and it won't be wasted if you do switch to another style although it might take a little time to adjust. I actually returned to a very similar style, then changed from Japanese Goju to Okinawan Goju. That final change, plus learning Aikido, rejuvenated my love for the martial arts and has taken me to a level that I wasn't even aware existed.

My suggestion would be to look around, see what different styles have to offer, then when you see one that you like talk to the teachers and talk to some of their advanced students. The thing you don't want is to leave a style, in which you have invested so much, and find yourself in another style that you enjoy even less.

Check it all out, then make an informed choice. You might even find it's best to stay where you are.

Thank you, in fact I've been doing some research, I want to a couple of aikido dojos, in one the schedulle does not favor me in the other the sensei is a good one but again is a kidie class (once a week) and the sensei carries with him his little daugther to dojo and is not good a 1.5 years old baby is walking around when one is doing the techs and it's anoying everytime the baby cry the sensei desatend the class to try to calm her down. I atended once a month mixed martial arts not the type of UFC or MMA no, this class consit of some masters of diferent martial arts for example aikido,karate shotokan, lima lama,TKD, etc that get togheter once a month two teach some basic techs of every martial art and here I meet a nice shotokan sensei and liked alot how he teach.

Yestarday I had a little phone conversation with him and will go to his dojo to talk with him and see some adult classes to see if in ashort time I can go once or twice to practice shotokan while still teaching tkd.

I think maybe in May I can start with the Shotokan lessons.

Manny

 

[chrispillertkd]

Manny, if you're interested in a style that heavily focuses on bunkai you should definitely ask the Shotokan sensei if that is something he focuses on. From what I have seen of karate (mostly Shotokan and Shorin Ryu along with a bit of Goju) Shotokan seems to be less focused on bunkai than other styles. Might be different where you are, though.

Pax,

Chris

 

[ballen0351]

Im not sure where in Mexico you are located or if any of these Dojos are close to you but its worth a look if they are. I know we spend alot of time on the Bunkai at least in our Dojo
http://iogkfmexico.com/index.html

 

[dancingalone]

Im not sure where in Mexico you are located or if any of these Dojos are close to you but its worth a look if they are. I know we spend alot of time on the Bunkai at least in our Dojo
http://iogkfmexico.com/index.html

Another Goju man! That's great!

 

[Black Belt Jedi]

It is always good to expand your horizons on your Martial Arts journey. Taekwondo is a great Martial Art to train in, but I prefer the ITF version than the WTF version because the ITF is more traditionally based, teaching students realistic combat more than the sport oriented format. Some schools teach bunkai applications for the forms while others may not teach practical applications.