Location location location

[Finlay]

When I was young, there was a general trend to pack and go to the source of a martial art china, Japan, Thailand to get the real 'stuff'

However as time has moved on and instructors have developed and moved around the world, maybe it is no longer in the home of the art that the best instruction is. Also modern training methods have moved the martial arts forward so sometimes the teacher that are restricted by tradition are not the best.

Where would you go for the best....

General martial arts, if you just wanted to train in something anything and have a lot of choice of top instruction.

And your art or arts specifically. You can select just one teacher or a place with a lot of high level teachers of that system.

If you want you can also mention what aspect of the art you're interested in.

As an example, from first glance L.A. seems to have a lot of high level legit instructors from many different systems.

FMA - I would aim for Cebu, lots of good guys there. Many different styles. Better to have a guide to start off with.

Interested to hear where the best place for different arts are

 

[Hot Lunch]

When I was young, there was a general trend to pack and go to the source of a martial art china, Japan, Thailand to get the real 'stuff'

However as time has moved on and instructors have developed and moved around the world, maybe it is no longer in the home of the art that the best instruction is. Also modern training methods have moved the martial arts forward so sometimes the teacher that are restricted by tradition are not the best.

Other than maybe basketball and American football, you'd be hard pressed to find a popular sport that is dominated by people from its country of origin.

There's nothing stopping martial arts from being the same way.

 

[Holmejr]

Fellow Eskrimador here.

Sounds romantic, but I don’t know about the real deal stuff. With all the great Filipino teachers here, what do you think you’d find different? I would think environment mostly. When I look up “why train Muay thai in Thailand?” I find answers like “great travel destination”, “affordability” and “ birthplace of the art”. When I look up “why train eskrima in the Philippines?“ I really don’t come up with much. My GM, Gerardo Alcuizar became a Master in the Philippines, but moved to Saudi Arabia to teach at the Air force base and then to the US. Between the years in SA and the 15 years of so that he lived here, he honed his art and many things changed. My Instructor was the last to train with him and was privy to the final version of GMs art. My instructor now updates the school GM started in Cebu and SA.

 

[HighKick]

When I was young, there was a general trend to pack and go to the source of a martial art china, Japan, Thailand to get the real 'stuff'

However as time has moved on and instructors have developed and moved around the world, maybe it is no longer in the home of the art that the best instruction is. Also modern training methods have moved the martial arts forward so sometimes the teacher that are restricted by tradition are not the best.

Where would you go for the best....

General martial arts, if you just wanted to train in something anything and have a lot of choice of top instruction.

And your art or arts specifically. You can select just one teacher or a place with a lot of high level teachers of that system.

If you want you can also mention what aspect of the art you're interested in.

As an example, from first glance L.A. seems to have a lot of high level legit instructors from many different systems.

FMA - I would aim for Cebu, lots of good guys there. Many different styles. Better to have a guide to start off with.

Interested to hear where the best place for different arts are

Speaking from a primarily TKD point of view and not trying to sound arrogant, I feel I have been fortunate to train under one of the best sources in the world. Our GM is extremely respected in the WT/KKW community and stays current on everything. But what makes him better is his depth of knowledge in other areas of TKD and other styles. He has never been shy about teaching and mixing them into classes. He has a PhD in theology and natural science (both stateside). Was in the Korean army for eight years. Just a very grounded person who can teach better than anyone I know, regardless of the subject.
I went to Kukkiwon in Korea for 2-weeks in the '90's. It was impressive to say the least, and I deeply appreciate the history and culture. The training was very thorough, but nothing different from what we were already doing. I have been through the KKW Master class in Chicago and New York (2012, & 2016) and have an active WT global referee license. Honestly, I found the trainers rather lacking.
I have to say this is from a traditional martial arts perspective. If a person just wants to learn carnal fighting, it would not be fit. Even though you would be very well trained to defend yourself, it is not taught as the first response to a situation.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

For Isshinryu, I would not want to be anywhere else than where I am in SE Michigan. There is no better training to be had in Okinawa or anywhere else that I am aware of.

I am also aware that an industry exists in Japan and Okinawa for the purpose of training people from other places in the world. You go there for the history, the culture, the deep understanding, the hand-polished wooden floors and the near-mystical experiences and you get Karate Disneyland. Pay your money, get introduced to some Masters see some historic places, take a seminar, drink at the Dojo Bar, get a certificate or a promotion with written in kanji with a real authentic hanko on it. Fly home all filled with the mystical light and a much lighter wallet.

Perhaps I am too cynical, but people are people. Where there's demand, an industry will spring up to provide it.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

For Isshinryu, I would not want to be anywhere else than where I am in SE Michigan. There is no better training to be had in Okinawa or anywhere else that I am aware of.

I am also aware that an industry exists in Japan and Okinawa for the purpose of training people from other places in the world. You go there for the history, the culture, the deep understanding, the hand-polished wooden floors and the near-mystical experiences and you get Karate Disneyland. Pay your money, get introduced to some Masters see some historic places, take a seminar, drink at the Dojo Bar, get a certificate or a promotion with written in kanji with a real authentic hanko on it. Fly home all filled with the mystical light and a much lighter wallet.

Perhaps I am too cynical, but people are people. Where there's demand, an industry will spring up to provide it.

I've no issue with that industry - I'd enjoy it so long as it's honest. Meaning if I actually see what karate was like back in the founders (of the style), I can see the places where they trained, what training methods they used back then, and learn the history, I'd be all for that. Making it an industry just makes that easier on me.

It's similar to going to DC, boston, or colonial williamsburg..yeah it's expensive, but I can get the history and something extra is added seeing the places in person that are being talked about. And with a place like colonial williamsburg, I can experience a bit of what that life was like, which is a pretty cool experience.

Now, if they're making stuff up and claiming that's how it was 'back in the day', and I think I'm getting a glimpse of what life was like when really I'm getting a glimpse into the village in Shang-Chi and the legend of the ten rings, that's an issue. But otherwise, that seems like a pretty cool experience.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I've no issue with that industry - I'd enjoy it so long as it's honest. Meaning if I actually see what karate was like back in the founders (of the style), I can see the places where they trained, what training methods they used back then, and learn the history, I'd be all for that. Making it an industry just makes that easier on me.

It's similar to going to DC, boston, or colonial williamsburg..yeah it's expensive, but I can get the history and something extra is added seeing the places in person that are being talked about. And with a place like colonial williamsburg, I can experience a bit of what that life was like, which is a pretty cool experience.

Now, if they're making stuff up and claiming that's how it was 'back in the day', and I think I'm getting a glimpse of what life was like when really I'm getting a glimpse into the village in Shang-Chi and the legend of the ten rings, that's an issue. But otherwise, that seems like a pretty cool experience.

I'm not against it either. I just smile when it's an all-inclusive package tour including photo ops with famous Sensei and important Honbu, a couple photos in the Dojo Bar, and a promotion. I mean, whatever you want, I guess. Everything is for sale. Even authenticity.

But like I said, I may be jaded. I lived on Okinawa for a year in the Marines. It's a small, hot, humid, smelly coral jungle island. The people are wonderful, and it's the birthplace of Karate. But it's a place. Like any place. And people showing up seeking enlightenment shall find it, for a price.