COMB 404/405 AX Beginning, Intermediate & Advanced Shotokan Karate FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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"How hard are the workouts? Do I need to be in good shape to start?" The workouts can be as rigorous as you want to make them. I realize that students come to class at all levels of physical fitness. We start off easy at the beginning of the semester and build in intensity as we go along. I encourage students to work to their own level. No one will criticize you if you need to rest or slow down a bit. On the other hand, you do need to be prepared to work up a good sweat! If you have any doubts, check with your doctor before beginning any type of strenuous physical activity.   "What will class be like?" Read the rest of this page and the related pages to get an idea of what we do in class. We always begin with a short meditation followed by a warm-up and stretching period. Training consists of practicing our basic blocks, punches, kicks and combinations. We also learn and practice our forms, called kata. Other activities include sparring drills and exercises, and self-defense applications.   "Will I get to (have to) free-spar with other students?" Yes and no. Beginners (white belts) don't do free-sparring. As you progress through the belt levels you will work up to free sparring. top "Will I get to (have to) participate in tournaments?" Yes and no. I am not a great proponent of tournament karate and I don't emphasize training for tournament competition. Tournaments are, however, a good motivator for training. We usually participate in at least one invitational tournament a year. Participation is voluntary and not required.   "Will I get promoted in rank? How long until I get my black belt?" As explained in the Karate Club section, promotions are not part of the regular COMB 404/405 physical education class. Promotions are held at the end of each semester for karate club members. Promotion requirements are listed in a separate section. Since there are eight levels of rank to get to first level black belt, it would take about eight semesters, or four years.   "What does having a black belt really mean?" Too much emphasis has been placed here in the West (and even in Japan) on being a "Black Belt." Many people believe that having a black belt in a martial art means that you've become some sort of invincible fighting machine who has to register his/her hands as deadly weapons. Nothing could be farther from the truth! A first degree black belt should be seen as the equivalent of graduating from high school, or maybe even middle school, in terms of the knowledge you have. You know the basic curriculum and you have a foundation for more training. Most people don't want to hear it, but getting your first degree black belt means you're just now ready to start really learning about karate! top "I want to learn to defend myself.  How effective is karate as self-defense?" This is actually a difficult question to answer, and cannot be adequately addressed in a few sentences. Most martial arts are historically based on developing fighting skills, hopefully to be used only in self-defense situations. Even with the advent of modern "sport" martial arts, most people signing up for a karate class have some interest in self-defense.  In my classes, I actually put more emphasis on self-defense than on tournament or "sport" karate.  However, that doesn't mean that after one semester of a karate class, you'll be able to walk down dark alleys with impunity.  Learning a martial art is like learning to play a musical instrument.  It takes a lot of practice to be able to be effective with either.  For a more thorough discussion, read what Rob Redmond (a knowledgeable karate instructor) has to say on his website.   "Do I have to wear a karate uniform?" I strongly encourage, but do not require, wearing a karate gi (uniform). You'll get a greater sense of "belonging to the club" if you wear a gi. I have to be honest and say that when a student goes to the trouble of wearing a gi, I interpret that as showing more commitment and dedication. Impressing your instructor would seem to have its advantages (especially around promotion time). See the page on Uniforms for more information.   "Do I have to learn Japanese to study karate? How traditional is the training?" Teaching karate at a community college setting, I realize that few students will stay long enough to go from white to black belt with me. One of my goals in teaching is to present you with enough knowledge to be able to continue your training at another Shotokan karate school, should you desire to. Given that other schools run the gamut from very traditional to very non-traditional, I have elected to follow the middle path of presenting the traditional training methods and Japanese vocabulary, but not being a fanatic about it. I usually name the techniques in both English and Japanese. We use the common Japanese terms for "Start," "Stop," "Bow," etc. so that if you go to another school you won't be totally clueless. I long ago gave up trying to be an "American Samurai."   COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER: "Taking this class has been very rewarding and I have learned many things. In signing up for this class I had the idea that I would learn to defend myself. Being a small person, I knew that I could easily be pushed over and therefore taken advantage of. I definitely got what I wanted out of the class, but I've learned so much more than just self-defense. I've learned confidence, how to use perfectionism in a positive way, balance, focus and happiness. I very much enjoy the people in the class. It's sort of like a family to me." "Beside benefiting physically from this class, I also learned a lot from it mentally. After taking this course I realize that the most important thing about karate is not always about strength. The most important thing is the ability to control your strength and use it wisely." "I have played every sport there is to play and have not learned more about myself than I have in this karate class." "In karate class I have learned to discipline myself. I have been training hard every day in class. When I walk into the dojo I feel like I am a different person, only concentrating on practicing as hard as I can." "I have enjoyed the class and the people in it. We have a very good group. It is good to see improvement in myself and everybody else in the class. I think that most people come to karate to learn how to kick butt, and then stay because they get a great deal more out of it than they ever thought they would." "I'm not quite sure whose idea it was for me to enroll in this Shotokan karate class, but it was a great idea! I am no longer a spectator of life, but an active player who has just received my yellow belt!" "I learned that karate is so much more than a self-defense and fighting technique. There is a much larger picture involved. Karate is a way of thinking, a philosophy, a form of self-expression. I found a deep respect for the beauty of kata. I was impressed by the theme of respect that seemed to encompass the dojo." "For the longest time I wanted to take a karate class, but I hadn't considered the amount of effort I would have to put forth. After thinking it over for a while, I decided to stick it out. I know now that I made the right decision. Had I quit, I would have missed out on a great learning experience." "All I can say is that karate is one of the best things I have done in my life."

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