G
gojukylie
Guest
Interested in comments and thoughts on whether the style of Katate you study is fulfilling, whether it compliments you and any other thoughts regarding this topic. Ta.
K
KenpoMatt
Guest
I train in American Kenpo. It is my second style, TKD was the first. I find kenpo to be VERY satisfying. I really believe in what I have learned and continue to learn. I think it is an appropriate style for me, especially compared to TKD. I've got some rotten knees from being a runner. And, I don't have particularly long legs. I also believe I'm much much faster with my hands than with my feet.
Kenpo suits me. I'm a software developer. By nature I'm an analytical person. Kenpo's vocabulary, theories and scientific principles speak to me.
I'm very glad I found the school where I train.
Kenpo suits me. I'm a software developer. By nature I'm an analytical person. Kenpo's vocabulary, theories and scientific principles speak to me.
I'm very glad I found the school where I train.
OP
OP
gojukylie
Guest
I have been studying Goju Karate for approx 5 years and loved it the day I started. As soon as I walked into the Dojo I knew that this was for me. The more I went the more I discovered. I thought originally that Karate was about kicking and punching and these patterns where you move around striking, kicking and making loud noises.
Goju Karate is a really well balanced style that had everything in it that I was searching for. Kihon (Basics), Kata, Bunkai ( pre-arranged applications, both traditional and personal), Sparring, Grappling, weapons training and so much more.
For a while I studied other forms such as Kung Fu (w/c), Ninjutsu and Kendo. I enjoyed all of these but it didnÂ’t impact on me as much as Goju. I even found that I could use what I learned from these other styles and experiment within the Goju style. Good fun.
I think that the style that you study should let you experiment and cultivate different ideas, because you learn so much this way. The most important thing is that it is so much fun. Changed my life for the better.
Goju Karate is a really well balanced style that had everything in it that I was searching for. Kihon (Basics), Kata, Bunkai ( pre-arranged applications, both traditional and personal), Sparring, Grappling, weapons training and so much more.
For a while I studied other forms such as Kung Fu (w/c), Ninjutsu and Kendo. I enjoyed all of these but it didnÂ’t impact on me as much as Goju. I even found that I could use what I learned from these other styles and experiment within the Goju style. Good fun.
I think that the style that you study should let you experiment and cultivate different ideas, because you learn so much this way. The most important thing is that it is so much fun. Changed my life for the better.
C
cas
Guest
I've been training wado-ryu since 1990?1991?. Haven't trained much during my studies though. I love all the different aspects off the training.
Although I had some judo training when I was very young I've never trained in other m.a. / karate-styles. Wado is the biggest style in the Netherlands. So if you want to train karate it's likely you'll run into wado, o.t.o.h. wado does seem to fit me. Makes me wonder if I would be just as enthousiastic about another style if I would have run into something else.
Casper
Although I had some judo training when I was very young I've never trained in other m.a. / karate-styles. Wado is the biggest style in the Netherlands. So if you want to train karate it's likely you'll run into wado, o.t.o.h. wado does seem to fit me. Makes me wonder if I would be just as enthousiastic about another style if I would have run into something else.
Casper
While I have trained in a few different arts, my main art is American Kenpo. While it does address many types of situations, I found it necessary to look outside of the art, to round off my training. I train in BJJ to address the ground. I train in Arnis to address more of the empty hand defense, as well as the weapons, primarily the stick and the knife.
While the issue of crosstraining has been discussed many times in other threads, IMO, I feel that it is important to look at the other styles that are out there.
Mike
While the issue of crosstraining has been discussed many times in other threads, IMO, I feel that it is important to look at the other styles that are out there.
Mike
michaeledward
Grandmaster
I have been studying American Kenpo for about two and a half years and it has been very satisfying. There is no specific reason why I chose this style over any other. I have only recently been finding out about some of the other styles of Martial Arts that are out there, when I started Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, Tai Chi were all the same (I'm still not sure they are all that different).
But here is the thing that keeps me coming back. When I leave the studio, I feel better than when I went in. It's as simple as that.
I believe I am learning things that could be used if I ever needed to defend myself. Truthfully, I don't think I will ever be in a situation where my training will be required. (I can run away better than most.)
My rewards are:
The Conditioning - I know I am in better physical shape today than I was two years ago.
The Stress Relief - When on the mat ... the only thing on my mind is the technique, form or set we are working on.
The Comaraderie - I work out with a nice group of people.
Thanks - Mike
But here is the thing that keeps me coming back. When I leave the studio, I feel better than when I went in. It's as simple as that.
I believe I am learning things that could be used if I ever needed to defend myself. Truthfully, I don't think I will ever be in a situation where my training will be required. (I can run away better than most.)
My rewards are:
The Conditioning - I know I am in better physical shape today than I was two years ago.
The Stress Relief - When on the mat ... the only thing on my mind is the technique, form or set we are working on.
The Comaraderie - I work out with a nice group of people.
Thanks - Mike
After 4 years of TKD my knees were screwed, then I found an American Kenpo school. I trained in AK for 6 or 7 years. Whilst I was there we had a seminar with an 8th degree where he had spoken about Kenpo starting out with all your fulcrums at the shoulders, being very long. He said it shortens up to fulcrums at the elbows, nice and short, in tight. But, he said, real Kenpo comes from the wrists. He did say however that he hadn't reached that stage yet. When I found my present school, I wanted to add pressure points to what I already knew. One night after class, our instructor put on a video of some of the seniors from The Dragon Society, doing some demo's. They were breaking boards and knocking people down using tiny movements from their wrists. I figured these guys had what was only dreamed about at my old school, so I made the change, and put all my energies into Ryukyu Kempo.
Since then I have grown so much as a human being, I would attribute all the major changes that have taken place in my life, to the training and emphasis on character building, that are so much a part of our training.
--Dave
:asian:
Since then I have grown so much as a human being, I would attribute all the major changes that have taken place in my life, to the training and emphasis on character building, that are so much a part of our training.
--Dave
:asian:
T
twinkletoes
Guest
Nope.
I've been doing American Kenpo for 15 years, and am finally realizing my dissatisfaction.
My own personal feeling is that the theory and principles taught at my school (I'm not speaking for others) implies a kind of freedom, improvisation, and spontanaeity that are not in ANY way reinforced by the curriculum, nor the teaching method used.
This leads me to feel that if these philosophical aims are really what I am to aspire to, then I should be doing JKD (not Jun Fan, but JKD). I also have a background in lots of other things, including FMA and BJJ. Right now I am concentrating on those, while I decide what to do about my kenpo.
~TT
I've been doing American Kenpo for 15 years, and am finally realizing my dissatisfaction.
My own personal feeling is that the theory and principles taught at my school (I'm not speaking for others) implies a kind of freedom, improvisation, and spontanaeity that are not in ANY way reinforced by the curriculum, nor the teaching method used.
This leads me to feel that if these philosophical aims are really what I am to aspire to, then I should be doing JKD (not Jun Fan, but JKD). I also have a background in lots of other things, including FMA and BJJ. Right now I am concentrating on those, while I decide what to do about my kenpo.
~TT
Seing as I have been with my instuctor over 30 years Yes Im satisfied.
I do however study with people outside of my system to enrich my knowledge and make friends
I do however study with people outside of my system to enrich my knowledge and make friends
My main conflict is that there are not enough hours in the day to do it all!
I have as much material to practice as i could wish for.
no school is all inclusive, i appreciate the value that each has to offer.
I still enjoy learning more but i am very happy with the path i am on.
I have as much material to practice as i could wish for.
no school is all inclusive, i appreciate the value that each has to offer.
I still enjoy learning more but i am very happy with the path i am on.
Shodan
Master Black Belt
I have studied Kenpo for 17 years now and love it..........my only complaint is that I live so far away from the studio now and don't have any Kenpo studios near me......so I only get my "fix" once a month at the studio........the rest of the time, I am on my own.......:wah:
:asian: :karate:
:asian: :karate:
2
2fisted
Guest
After one year of shotokan, and three years of Wing Chun, I began studying Goju-ryu for the last year and have no intention of looking back. It just suits me better than other styles I've just toyed with (Lung Ying, Hung Gar). Plus my experience in Wing Chun has really helped my development in Goju-ryu, as their philosophies complient each other well.
L
LadyDragon
Guest
I do EPAK and not only do I enjoy the particular MA that I'm in, but I feel the it suites me almost perfectly. I can be as gentle and needed or I can be as rough as I've got to be to get the job done. Everything we do can be changes or altered to suite whom ever is doing the technique. Its great I love it.
V
vincefuess
Guest
Wow- There are alot of posts from fellow Kenpoists here!
I studied Goju-Ryu for a few years and enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately, in the small town I grew up in, martial arts instructors could not make a living and didn't stick around long. Hence, my instructor moved away and I moved on.
In the following years, instructors came and went, and most were Korean stylists as back in the 70's and 80's TKD was the most prominent art on these shores. I came to love the Korean arts, and found myself quite adept at kicking. Through a number of instructors, I learned kicking skills that in retrospect were quite useless (aside from developing balance, strength, timing, and flexibility, hee hee) but were fun as heck! Jumping, spinning kicks that ripped heavy bags from their mounts were my forte', and made for great exhibitions. There is no denying the raw power derived from the centrifugal force of true spin-kick, just take a gander at Master Hee-Il-Cho's book "Man-of-Contrasts" and see the pics of him splitting a heavy bag IN HALF at at least six feet off the floor! Practical? No. Impressive? WAY.
Anyway, when I got out of college and settled down in the big city, I chose Kenpo as the art to pursue. Not so much because of what the art was as much as I was impressed by the credentials and establishment of the instructor (he had been at the same location for twenty years and had numerous black belt students). While I trained in Kenpo, I never forgot my Korean roots, and always prided myself on being the big (220 lb) Kenpo guy who could throw a spinkick over ANYONE'S head. ( I even have an autographed pic of Herb Perez, Olympic TKD Gold Medalist, lauding my kicking ability)
I am just tooting my own horn to make a point. Arthritis hit me hard a few years ago and almost crippled me (did for awhile). What's worse is it crippled my spirit. After years of being so full of foolish pride at my physical abilities they were robbed from me, or so I felt. I had to give up my training and I took to drugs to kill the pain, and the pain became ME.
I have (with the love of God and friends) since then learned that there is so much more to the martial arts and to life than just being good at something. All those years I spent with what seemed to be serving myself, to being as good as I could for my own ego, actually taught me things I never realised before now. Now, instead of being "Mr. Kickass", I am now "Mr. Teacher". And I do not expect, nor influence my students to kick higher or be stronger or be anything but better people than they were an hour ago. I have learned that the martial arts are not about being the best fighter, because someone is always better. You can kick as high as you want, but someone will always kick higher. Break as many bricks as you can, and there is always another brick.
Your life only happens once. If you are happy in your art, then just be happy.
I studied Goju-Ryu for a few years and enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately, in the small town I grew up in, martial arts instructors could not make a living and didn't stick around long. Hence, my instructor moved away and I moved on.
In the following years, instructors came and went, and most were Korean stylists as back in the 70's and 80's TKD was the most prominent art on these shores. I came to love the Korean arts, and found myself quite adept at kicking. Through a number of instructors, I learned kicking skills that in retrospect were quite useless (aside from developing balance, strength, timing, and flexibility, hee hee) but were fun as heck! Jumping, spinning kicks that ripped heavy bags from their mounts were my forte', and made for great exhibitions. There is no denying the raw power derived from the centrifugal force of true spin-kick, just take a gander at Master Hee-Il-Cho's book "Man-of-Contrasts" and see the pics of him splitting a heavy bag IN HALF at at least six feet off the floor! Practical? No. Impressive? WAY.
Anyway, when I got out of college and settled down in the big city, I chose Kenpo as the art to pursue. Not so much because of what the art was as much as I was impressed by the credentials and establishment of the instructor (he had been at the same location for twenty years and had numerous black belt students). While I trained in Kenpo, I never forgot my Korean roots, and always prided myself on being the big (220 lb) Kenpo guy who could throw a spinkick over ANYONE'S head. ( I even have an autographed pic of Herb Perez, Olympic TKD Gold Medalist, lauding my kicking ability)
I am just tooting my own horn to make a point. Arthritis hit me hard a few years ago and almost crippled me (did for awhile). What's worse is it crippled my spirit. After years of being so full of foolish pride at my physical abilities they were robbed from me, or so I felt. I had to give up my training and I took to drugs to kill the pain, and the pain became ME.
I have (with the love of God and friends) since then learned that there is so much more to the martial arts and to life than just being good at something. All those years I spent with what seemed to be serving myself, to being as good as I could for my own ego, actually taught me things I never realised before now. Now, instead of being "Mr. Kickass", I am now "Mr. Teacher". And I do not expect, nor influence my students to kick higher or be stronger or be anything but better people than they were an hour ago. I have learned that the martial arts are not about being the best fighter, because someone is always better. You can kick as high as you want, but someone will always kick higher. Break as many bricks as you can, and there is always another brick.
Your life only happens once. If you are happy in your art, then just be happy.
OP
OP
gojukylie
Guest
In my opinion, this is a sign of a true martial artist. Thankyou for your reply, and for the wise words of self realisation. I found answers in your post.With gratitiude..:asian:
drunken mistress
Orange Belt
I started with Shukokai Karate for the first seven months before our teacher left for another country. The only black belt teacher we could find to take over was Freestyle and some Shotokan. The class is very much about sparring now. I like both forms but miss the Japanese words and frequent practice of the katas in Shukokai.
D
Druss
Guest
I too have been impresssed by Vinces experience.
Osu
Osu
I think i am satisfied with my art Im still doing it and learning after 30+ years of study
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