New to Martial Arts...McDojo?
Original Poster: Jdub1107
Forum: McDojo Dicussion
Posted On: 04-07-2005, 17:20
Orginal Post: Jdub1107: Hi, I'm new to this forum and also new to martial arts. I'm planning to take Kenpo, since it's one of the more interesting styles around my area (mostly tkd and hapkido). I've found the place below and would like your opinion. I'm going to check it out this thursday. Anything I should know or ask before joining a dojo? Thanks!
http://www.americankenpokarate.net/
Post: Tease T Tickle:
When you join a new dojo that you don't know anything about, there a few things you need to think about and a few things you need to look for.
First, you need to assess your goals. Are you joining the dojo just for the fun of it, to try to get into shape, because you're enthralled with certain aspects of certain cultures or because you want to be able to kick somebody's ass?
Second, you need to think whether or not going to this dojo will really help you in your goal. For instance, if you want to get into shape, going to a gym and working out with a qualified trainer will give you better results so joining a dojo may not be in your best interest.
Then, you need to examine the school. Many schools allow you to sit in on a session to get a feel for the school before signing up. Regardless of your goals, you need to assess how serious the school is. If the instructors spend about as much time cracking jokes as s/he does teaching, then you could probably find a better school to train at. I'm not saying that being relaxed and having fun with training is bad, I'm saying that everyone in the studio needs to be respectful of the art and of each other.
Lastly, you need to see how well they will help you reach your goals. If you want to kick ass, you need to see how often they spar, how simple and easy to use their techniques are to use, etc. If they do triple spin front flip kicks, you should leave immediately. If you want to get in shape, you need to see how hard they work students, if only a few people break a sweat in the dojo you can find some place better. If you really like tradition and all that, you need to make sure the instructors uphold the titles, bowing, ranks, etc. You get the idea, I'm sure.>
Post: Jdub1107:
Thanks for your reply.
I'm mainly joining to learn self-defense. I'm in pretty good shape (24yo, 5'11", 170lbs), although I could gain to be leaner. Are there any specific questions that I should be asking before I join?
Also, this is taken directly from their site -
"Training: .... No contact is permitted to the head, neck, face, legs or groin in freestyle sparring; and only light contact is permitted to the helmet and body in freestyle fighting. No full contact fighting."
Is this a normal rule for a dojo?>
Post: bamboo:
You said-
Quote: I'm mainly joining to learn self-defense
and on the site it reads-
Quote: "Training: .... No contact is permitted to the head, neck, face, legs or groin in freestyle sparring; and only light contact is permitted to the helmet and body in freestyle fighting. No full contact fighting."
Is this a normal rule for a dojo?
Short answer- no, not a good dojo.
long answer- yes, for most chain (read crappy) mcdojos, they don't want thier insurance premiums to go up because people are injured.
How can you possibly learn self defense without ever touching the person?
Move on, find a place that will atleast allow you to test what you've been taught.
No contact in my book = pretty dancing= no defense or offense= useless.
This coming from an aikidoka, the "lords of the dance". At least most of 'em.
Where are you? Maybe we can help. :wink:
bamboo>
Post: Jdub1107:
I thought most places wouldn't allow full contact fighting. I guess I'll have to call around and find a place that does, because I definitely want to spar with people and try what they're teaching.
I'm from the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California. Any recommendations would be appreciated.>
Post: bamboo:
It shouldn't be full contact all the time, but with a cup, mouthguard, gloves (like harbingers) and a little common sense, it can and should happen.
I would suggest a kyokushin karate dojo as they are all about full contact sparring, muay thai is also great for this.
Really do watch a class or three, talk to the students and make sure you like the environment, if you don't you'll likely leave.
best of luck, i hope some of our CA friends here can help you out.
-bamboo>
Post: Gong||Jau:
Just in general, although some places will want you to wear them when you first start, helmets are a pretty bad sign.>
Post: Jdub1107:
I visited the place yesterday and I'm going to try their introductory course for $35 which is 3-30 min Private sessions and 2-Group Sessions. Spoke to a student their and said that in the higher levels, their are a few people who like to spar pretty hard, but I think she said you just couldn't hit to the head.
I also visited a Hapkido place as well, and it seemed that their sparring is never full contact. I'm wondering if that's something common here in my area (Southern California).>
Post: zefff:
what is the point of not sparing hard untill u r a 'higer level'? If you never spar 'pretty hard' you will have a false experience and your understanding will be warped...which in turn will warp your mind and techniques and hinder your progress. IT WILL ACTUALLY STOP YOU FROM ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES YOU ARE PAYING GOOD MONEY FOR.
That is bollocks! nevermind WTF are you meant to learn in 30mins! u will have just got there when it is time to leave.>
Post: Gong||Jau:
What part of Southern California?>
Post: bamboo:
Its not your geography, its the nature of "martial arts" these days.
People don't like to sweat or work hard and most of all the majority of people are scared of even a little pain.
Hard sparring = pain.
Most martial arts centers will never have you spar and will tell you the techniques are too deadly for sparring, this of course is complete crappola.
You have to shop around, the good places can be hard to find but not impossible.
-bamboo>
Post: 8LimbsScientist:
Full contact (literally) is not necessary all the time. Most good Muay Thai gyms train at 60-80% contact most of the time and maybe do full contact training every once in a while.
Going this hard gets you used to getting hit, and you definately get bruised up and you know you dont' want to get hit again. But full contact all the time often encourages bad technique as people are afraid to experiment and just dissolve into brawling. Plus its just plain unhealthy to take multiple full force blows to the head on a regular basis.
On the otherhand, those rules from that kenpo place are so restrictive I don't see how you could get ANY better at fighting from them. In a self-defense situation, all techniques and targets are fair game. Therefore the least restrictive rules for sparring are going to result in a better fighter. Whats going to happen if some guy on the street punches you in the face and thats never happened to you during sparring? Will you freeze?
By the way, the above is just my opinion, and people might disagree with some or all of what I just said.>
Post: bamboo:
Just to clarify,
Full contact does not mean 100% full out fight.
It means body contact and actual technique application to a resisting partner but at an agreed upon level.
As 8limbs pointed out, 60%-80% is a norm in most places that do contact, it allows for experimentation but also relieves some of the fears that people have.
Interestingly enough, even with agreed upon restrictions, most good sparring sessions usually get turned up tp 90-95% percent as the adrenilene hits and peoples inhibitions are lost, you just don't realize it because noone said it was a full out match.
-bamboo>
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