COMB 404/405 AX Beginning, Intermediate & Advanced Shotokan Karate A WORD FROM THE INSTRUCTOR "Every day is a battle. If you fight from a place of anger, you're part of the problem.  If you fight from a place of joy, you're part of the solution." Carlos Santana

OTHER PAGES Karate Main Page A Word FAQ COMB 404/405 Home

If you are reading this page you are probably already enrolled in COMB 404/405 or are thinking of enrolling. I would like to take this space to briefly explain how I view karate training and how I run my class. The martial arts in general are rife with myths, misconceptions and misinformation. Shotokan karate is no exception. Many students are not sure what to expect when they sign up for a class in karate. On the other hand, some students come to class full of expectations and are often disappointed when these expectations are not met. First, forget everything you've seen in martial arts movies, TV shows and video games. Karate training is not glamorous, exciting or entertaining. Our training is disciplined, rigorous and repetitive. Shotokan karate focuses on a relatively few basic techniques that are practiced over and over and over. The goal is to do a few things extremely well, rather than doing a lot of different things, but with no depth or real skill. In Shotokan we try to delve deeply into our techniques. There are many levels of understanding to explore. If you are used to sampling a bit of this, a bit of that, flitting from one thing to another like a butterfly, you will probably be bored silly in our class. If, on the other hand, you have a serious desire to learn and are willing to put your heart into your training you will find that Shotokan karate has much to offer you.