Should I only focus on EPAK or Crosstrain?

[Doc]

I travel 102 miles one way to train with my teacher every weekend.

ALL of my students travel distance. The furthest are in the United Kingdom. Why do they come? Because what they want, they can't get anywhere else, and certainly not on any video. It's all a matter of what you want and how bad you want it.

 

[Rich_Hale]

Chris,

When I first started studying with Larry Tatum I was living in Anchorage, Alaska and my good buddy Tony Martin, was living in England. We would both save up some money then hop on a plane and go to class.

When Tony and I first started going to Larry's we slept on the same mat at night as we worked out on during the day. Eventually Tony and I both moved to California, but not before Tony came to my studio in Alaska where he lived in the locker room and slept on a hide-a-bed for six months.

During this same time I traveled from Alaska to South America and from Hawaii to New York in search of Kenpo. When you love and want Kenpo you will do what ever it takes to get it.

When I moved to California, my wife (Barbara Hale) and I were living in Ojai (about 85 miles from Santa Monica) but it didn't keep us from being regulars at Larry's Thursday night class.

If you're 75 miles from your studio, find something that is closer to home and let the teacher know that you're a student who needs a local studio to work out in. If he, or she, doesn't welcome you there under those circumstances, you don't want to go there anyway, just keep looking.

I agree with everyone else - you need bodies first, videos second. But try not to settle for just any system - look for a Kenpo studio, club, or workout partners that are close to home, then visit with your teacher every chance you get.

 

[AmericanKenpoChris]

Thanks again for all the encouragement and positive responses. Chris

 

[Doc]

Chris,

Hey Rich, drop me an email at home please.

 

[Carol]

Wow, I am really glad that I saw this post.

I also have a long drive to my dojo. It is not 70 miles, but I usually have to allow 1 hour to get there. I thought that I was the only one that made that kind of drive.

I regularly meet people that think I'm nuts...including some of my class mates.

I may be nuts, but I appreciate knowing that I am not alone. :asian:

 

[OneKickWonder]

American Kenpo Karate is a progressive system that encourages you to experiment in new techniques and disciplines. This is shown by the requirement to create your own forms. But I suggest ranking in Kenpo before you try to experiment and mix the arts, some people tend to get them confused.