Want to start Karate after 19 year abscence, recommendations

[jayfish]

As per title, as a teenager i did Shotokan for a few years before getting into sex drugs and general laziness
My old Dojo was KUGB affiliated and I really liked it but unfortunately it's to far to travel 3 nights a week and there isn't an affiliated one closer.
Looking for some opinions based on what I appriciated about my old Dojo; emphasis was very much on pure Shotokan:- technique, discipline, respect, fitness.
More Kata than Kumite would be a fair description.
I'm looking to improve my general fitness, in particlar suppleness (the low stance style of shotokan I thought was perfect for this) and endurance, I enjoy sparring but have always prefered the technical side.
Also I know if I return to KUGB I get to retain my grading (but will have to work my balls off to deserve it), are they in any way transferable within Shotokan organisations?

Thanks in advance.

[Martial Arts Man]

KUGB gradings will be non-transferrable to other orgs.

The problem is that it is unlikely that anyone else's syllabus will match theirs exactly and even if it did, you are so out of practise that it would be hard for you to justify an immediate promotion.

If I were you I would forget about grades, after all, it is just a piece of coloured cotton! Just concentrate on getting back into shape and becoming the best Karateka you can.

I wouldn't be too concerned either about your new club being KUGB or not. They have good and bad instructors like all Orgs; just use your experience to ascertain whether the club you choose is up to scratch.

Anything else I can help you with, please ask

All the best

[Boozy]

Wax on, wax off...(sorry)

[jayfish]

Martial Arts Man said:

KUGB gradings will be non-transferrable to other orgs.

The problem is that it is unlikely that anyone else's syllabus will match theirs exactly and even if it did, you are so out of practise that it would be hard for you to justify an immediate promotion.

If I were you I would forget about grades, after all, it is just a piece of coloured cotton! Just concentrate on getting back into shape and becoming the best Karateka you can.

I wouldn't be too concerned either about your new club being KUGB or not. They have good and bad instructors like all Orgs; just use your experience to ascertain whether the club you choose is up to scratch.

Anything else I can help you with, please ask

All the best

Thanks
Yeah tbh I'm not fussed about the grading was more of a query than an importance.
Guess I'll just get a Gi and a white belt and go try out a few, unless anyone has any recomendations in and around Tunbridge Wells.

[ShadownINja]

TBH I would turn up in tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt rather than buying a specific suit.

[Ewan S]

Yup just go along in something casual (no shorts if they do lots of kicks), join in, surprise the instructor with your technical knowledge (you won't have forgotten it hopefully) and see if you want to do all the gradings.

I did Karate as a kid, Wu Shu Kwan (kickboxing) at University and joined a very disciplined Kung Fu club when I moved up to where I am now. Frankly they're all fundamentally the same. Can't be bothered with gradings this time round so my instructor just teaches me everything regardless!

[wraggy]

Hi
Go see Sensei Mick Foster at Tunbridge wells shotokan. website twshotokan.com
Used to train with him about 4 years ago. Big emphasis on kata and basics. Very friendly club too.

[jayfish]

wraggy said:

Hi
Go see Sensei Mick Foster at Tunbridge wells shotokan. website twshotokan.com
Used to train with him about 4 years ago. Big emphasis on kata and basics. Very friendly club too.

excellent ty

[Martial Arts Man]

ShadownINja said:

TBH I would turn up in tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt rather than buying a specific suit.

I thought you dressed like this most of the time.....





Good to hear you have dress down days too!

[jayfish]

wraggy said:

Hi
Go see Sensei Mick Foster at Tunbridge wells shotokan. website twshotokan.com
Used to train with him about 4 years ago. Big emphasis on kata and basics. Very friendly club too.

Just had a good read through the site, sounds exactly what i am after and right on my doorstep, thanks again.

[wraggy]

No probs.
I'm sure you'll be impressed if you go. Only wish I still had time to train there!
All the best.
wraggy

[ShadownINja]

Martial Arts Man said:

ShadownINja said:

TBH I would turn up in tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt rather than buying a specific suit.

I thought you dressed like this most of the time.....





Good to hear you have dress down days too!

Well, when I want to blend in, I'll dress in white. Team Epsilon are, as we speak, all attending a new class in the Guildford area, keeping an eye on a potential target. I must say, Bartholomew looks quite fetching in white.

[sidicks]

wraggy said:

Hi
Go see Sensei Mick Foster at Tunbridge wells shotokan. website twshotokan.com
Used to train with him about 4 years ago. Big emphasis on kata and basics. Very friendly club too.

Would this club / style be any good for a middle-aged man / couple who is / are total beginners?

Thanks,

Sidicks

[Martial Arts Man]

sidicks said:

wraggy said:

Hi
Go see Sensei Mick Foster at Tunbridge wells shotokan. website twshotokan.com
Used to train with him about 4 years ago. Big emphasis on kata and basics. Very friendly club too.

Would this club / style be any good for a middle-aged man / couple who is / are total beginners?

Thanks,

Sidicks

Of course!

Karate is great for all ages!

Go and give it a try. You'll love it!

[Martial Arts Man]

ShadownINja said:

Martial Arts Man said:

ShadownINja said:

TBH I would turn up in tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt rather than buying a specific suit.

I thought you dressed like this most of the time.....





Good to hear you have dress down days too!

Well, when I want to blend in, I'll dress in white. Team Epsilon are, as we speak, all attending a new class in the Guildford area, keeping an eye on a potential target. I must say, Bartholomew looks quite fetching in white.

I have no idea what you are talking about ya know

[sidicks]

Martial Arts Man said:

sidicks said:

wraggy said:

Hi
Go see Sensei Mick Foster at Tunbridge wells shotokan. website twshotokan.com
Used to train with him about 4 years ago. Big emphasis on kata and basics. Very friendly club too.

Would this club / style be any good for a middle-aged man / couple who is / are total beginners?

Thanks,

Sidicks

Of course!

Karate is great for all ages!

Go and give it a try. You'll love it!

Brief update!! - Following the recommendation above, I contacted Sensei Mick Foster at TW Shotokan to arrange to watch a session to see whether it was something I wanted to take part in.

From the original contact, Sensei Foster could not have been more welcoming, and after an introductory session, since August I have been training 3 times a week with this club. Dissapointingly, despite having done very well at the first lesson (unlike me!) my wife could not be persuaded to continue with the training, even for 1 day a week, so I'm doing this on my own!

As well as being very useful for general fitness I am really enjoying the variety with the Kihon (basic techniques), Kata (defined series of moves) and Kumite (sparring), particularly the adaptation of the formal techniques into practical self defence skills.

So far I just had the one incident when I got a punch to the face during sparring, resulting a trip to casualty and a couple of stitches, but this was entirely my fault!

All the other members of the club, from black belts down to newish beginners, have been extremely helpful to a new member which has helped me to settle in well.

My first grading is likely to be in December, and with a lot of practice over the next 6 weeks, I'm hoping to be able to 'double grade' and progress from the beginner's white belt onto orange and then red belt.

I can highly recommend TWShotokan - thanks for the recommendation!

Cheers

Sidicks

Edited by sidicks on Monday 2nd November 22:57

[Martial Arts Man]

That's great news. Glad you've found a club you are happy with!

Good luck with the grading in December!!!

[sidicks]

Update!!!

16 or 17 months on, I've just passed another grading and am now up to 5th Kyu (purple belt) - effectively half-way to black belt in terms of belts achieved, but probably somewhere between a quarter and a third of the way to black belt in terms of skills!

Sensei Mick Foster continues to run an excellent club in Tunbridge Wells - highly recommended!

Sidicks

[Martial Arts Man]

Really pleased you've stuck at it!

Good look for the future!

Oss!

[sidicks]

Passed my 4th Kyu (Purple/White belt) today!

Seems only yesterday I was asking for recommendations about which club to join as a total beginer!

Sidicks