Things to look fo when evaluating a Karate Dojo? For Karate Instructors and...

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garritynet

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...advanced practitioners only.? I have a friend who wants to start martial arts. He is interested in a learning Karate only. Not BJJ. Not MMA. He is more interested in learning practical applications at a traditional school than learning sporting applications.

I already told him the basics on how to spot a MC DOJO and gave him the whole "Go to all the schools......." lecture however I don't know enough about how Karate is taught to give advice specific to his needs.

For those of you in the know, is there any advice you can give for a potential student whose biggest fear is spending three or four years in a school only to realize that his teacher is unwilling or unable to teach real life combat skills? Some schools, he worries, only go so deep in to the art. He has always wanted to do this and only recently got a good enough job to afford it. He is a year younger than me, so 24, and very dedicated. I wouldn't waste my time if I thought he was the type of person to quit.

This guy is smart enough that he can "take things into consideration" and not turn everything into a rule, if you know what I mean.

Is there anything I can pass onto him or is it pretty much a crapshoot between the not obviously horrible schools?
From our conversations he is pretty set on Karate. That is why I said no MMA or BJJ. Becuase thats half the answers on the MA forum.

Thats really good what you said about most instructors having instructors. I will pass that on.

I will also tell him not to pass on the community centers.
 
Actually, since he has a very specific want, he will have no problem finding a school that suits him. He will weed out anything that's too sporty. Tell him to watch some classes and see how often they go over forms and what are called One Step sparring exercises.

These are VERY basic, but a good example of what One Step Sparring is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm49yFR1DMQ

One guy I used to train with, one of those uber-seasoned brown belts, believed that you should not get any more complicated than what you see in these one steps. He would probably have a fit if he saw any kicks above the belt. In a way, I can see that because when you are surprised, you only have a split second to react. A simple react would be nice to have programmed into your subconscious.
 
I've found that local community/park/recreational centers often have truly dedicated martial arts programs for very little per month. That's where I discovered Goju Ryu karate which isn't balls to the wall street fighting but if you get up in real belts (I say "real belts" to diss "belt factories") you will probably be able to defend yourself against just about anyone.

Also look for places that practice contact kumite (sparring). That's touch sparring but it works you into human reflex speed if you do it regularly.

Honestly though I would say that if you become truly dedicated to just about any karate, judo, BJJ, TKD, style (and you are of average health and physical ability when starting) you will be able to open the proberbial can of whoop ass on most punks.

I end however with a word of caution about fighting: Some people can take a punch - others cannot.
 
The best of instructors will have instructors. Even when you find a teacher with dan ranks of godan or above, they will have instructors, and be connected to some legitimate organization, like the JKA (Japan Karate Association) for example. Any style will do if the instruction is of high quality. Rather than style, look deeply at those teaching, and at their students. You can see much of sensei by watching, and speaking to his students.
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I don't think MMA is strictly a sport style. I think BJJ is. But have him go to a place that teaches MMA and Jui Jujitsu which is a combat style. I think MMA is one of the most real world applicable styles. Karate is good if you want to learn the basics, but I think he runs the risk of learning dojo skills instead of real life combat skills in karate, rather than in MMA. Tell him this.
 
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