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Karate, anyone take Adult classes

M

Mayfriday0529

Diamond Member
Opinons wanted on Adult Karate Classes, specially if anyone taken them from Tiger Shulmann's Karate.

I was thinking of getting then as an extra to my already 4 days at the gym.
 
I do Butokukan Karate and Aikido at UF... I don't know anything about the group you speak of, but I'd recommend giving it a try. It is a good workout and will improve flexibility. Possibly teach you how to fight too.
 
No idea, since I'm in Cent. IL, but let me ask a question/some advice on what to look for:

First of all, what are you looking for? Fitness/Discipline/Fighting Skill/Sport? Of course most people want "all of the above", but what are you looking for the most (or conversely, which ones are the ones you wouldn't mind not having?)?

And how many times a week do they meet/you planning on going? Now, be conservative here - if you have a full-time job/family(or SO) to be with/full time school, then you might have problems attending regularly, which might be complicated even more if they don't meet that often.

I'll give you an example: when I originally started training in my style (1x a week, 3~4 students avg.), it took me ~9 mos. of dedicated training to reach 2nd SG (the equivalent of an orange belt in belt-oriented styles). Now that we teach 4x a week, with 6 instructors, one of the guys is getting his 2nd SG in 3 mos. (that sonofa . . ..).

A lot of people in my position would have gotten frustrated and left - but me? Well, I'm a bit of a lunatic - I was taking Judo and TKD at the same time (all different clubs/gyms) so you could say I was pretty dedicated.

But if you're a complete beginner, and can only attend 1x a week, wait until you have a little more free time. I've seen people get frustrated and leave.

Now, I don't mean to be discouraging - but it's a fact that you must be weary about.

on to other topics - have you talked to the instructor, worked out with the club? The atmosphere can be important as well - you're going to spend several hours a week learning how to hurt people, remeber, so if the people you work out with/learn from isn't your cup of tea, then find a different place.

But how would you know? Easy - if you ask/show up, you can usually get a day/week's worth of free lessons - instead of watching (which is frankly, pretty damn dull), particiapte and ask questions - that's why you're there, right?

And as for pay structure - be weary of schools that push for package deals - the ones which they say "you'll pay $xxx up front, and then nothing until you reach black belt!" - I'm generalizing here, and yes, there are exceptions, but unfortunately, what happens is that those programs tend to produce rush jobs - face it, martial arts instructors don't live in the mountains - they need money to live too, you know. So what that means is that they normally don't want to teach longer than you've "paid for" - they have your money, and they want/need another way to get more (fitting the stereotype of a martial arts instructor? no. a reality? yes.).

Well, I could go on and on, but a basic rule of thumb - go there, be as active as you can, ask as many questions as you can, and if you're still not sure, bring a friend.

Good luck! :thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: Jehovah
No idea, since I'm in Cent. IL, but let me ask a question/some advice on what to look for:

First of all, what are you looking for? Fitness/Discipline/Fighting Skill/Sport? Of course most people want "all of the above", but what are you looking for the most (or conversely, which ones are the ones you wouldn't mind not having?)?

And how many times a week do they meet/you planning on going? Now, be conservative here - if you have a full-time job/family(or SO) to be with/full time school, then you might have problems attending regularly, which might be complicated even more if they don't meet that often.

I'll give you an example: when I originally started training in my style (1x a week, 3~4 students avg.), it took me ~9 mos. of dedicated training to reach 2nd SG (the equivalent of an orange belt in belt-oriented styles). Now that we teach 4x a week, with 6 instructors, one of the guys is getting his 2nd SG in 3 mos. (that sonofa . . ..).

A lot of people in my position would have gotten frustrated and left - but me? Well, I'm a bit of a lunatic - I was taking Judo and TKD at the same time (all different clubs/gyms) so you could say I was pretty dedicated.

But if you're a complete beginner, and can only attend 1x a week, wait until you have a little more free time. I've seen people get frustrated and leave.

Now, I don't mean to be discouraging - but it's a fact that you must be weary about.

on to other topics - have you talked to the instructor, worked out with the club? The atmosphere can be important as well - you're going to spend several hours a week learning how to hurt people, remeber, so if the people you work out with/learn from isn't your cup of tea, then find a different place.

But how would you know? Easy - if you ask/show up, you can usually get a day/week's worth of free lessons - instead of watching (which is frankly, pretty damn dull), particiapte and ask questions - that's why you're there, right?

And as for pay structure - be weary of schools that push for package deals - the ones which they say "you'll pay $xxx up front, and then nothing until you reach black belt!" - I'm generalizing here, and yes, there are exceptions, but unfortunately, what happens is that those programs tend to produce rush jobs - face it, martial arts instructors don't live in the mountains - they need money to live too, you know. So what that means is that they normally don't want to teach longer than you've "paid for" - they have your money, and they want/need another way to get more (fitting the stereotype of a martial arts instructor? no. a reality? yes.).

Well, I could go on and on, but a basic rule of thumb - go there, be as active as you can, ask as many questions as you can, and if you're still not sure, bring a friend.

Good luck! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Nice book.
 
If you want to take a practical style that you can actually use on the street, find a studio that teaches Thai Boxing. I've been taking it for a while now, and after taking years of Tae Kwon Do, it's MUCH more practical. You shouldn't give a damn about forms and all the other impractical crap. Knowing that won't help you on the street. Your goal is the crush in the other guy's face if you're attacked on the street. Throwing high kicks and crap you learn in TKD will just get you killed, if you're just starting out.

So, my advice, take something practical, like Thai Boxing or Jiu Jitsu. Stay away from traditional styles like karate and Tae Kwon Do.
 
In my opinion, martial arts should not be a "learn how to fight" exercise but more of a "build your confidence and your ability to defend yourself, should the need arise" exercise. I took Shotokan Karate for 6 years and that's all they taught - the ability to successfully defend yourself if you are attacked. Furthermore, they stressed the one-strike philosophy - do only so much to disable your opponent and get the hell out of there. No reason to stay in a drawn-out fight (the brawl at the Pacers game comes to mind) and get hurt or, more seriously, hurt someone so much that you go to jail.

That said, I also agree that you should not pay for the package deals. I think the ones that promote you based on your ability, technique, and skill should be your top choice. I think our promotions were between 3-6 months apart. I was one level away from black belt and could have made it had I stayed and practiced... but college was calling at the time.

I've wanted to get back into it but I realized now that it's much harder with a day job...so good luck!
 
Originally posted by: Jehovah
Originally posted by: bluehorizon

Nice book.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I thought this'd be the first chapter in a book called "101 Ways to Annoy Asswipes". :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

You're very proficient at being annoying, Sir! :cookie: Choosing the name "Jehovah" is a good start.
 
Hap Ki Do or Jiu Jitsu would be the best for self defense. Any martial art you take will be a good workout.
 
i trained at tiger shulman's for almost 2 years.

i attended classes tue/wed/thu every week. i can't remember the payment schedule but eventually i payed for a lump sum that would cover me for about a year.

my sensei was very good. he eventually left after having a falling out with tiger shulman himself. i followed him to his new school.

anyway, it was a very good workout. every class(as usual) started out with some calisthenics and stretching, then followed by drills followed by the crux of the lesson which would alternate between: sparring, board breaking, kata, and self-defense. the class would end with some form of extended drills including blocks, punches, kicks etc.

the environment is very regimented and might turn you off. i always liked it because it instills a high degree of discipline, which i always felt made the class much more efficient.

it was pretty basic. one thing i didn't like is that you are judged ready for your next belt level test depending on the number of classes you've taken. ie - once you take 10 classes you get a stripe on your belt in the color of the next higher belt. once you get 4 stripes you can test for the next level. if you are ready before your second stripe you still can not test. i always thought it was a money-making scheme since you will be required to pay for classes you may not need.

anyway, if you have any questions please feel free to pm me.

btw, i just started taking taekwondo at a local dojang. it's not as militaristic a place as tiger shulman's but i really like the instructor. i had gone to a tigar shulman's in hoboken and asked about classes and they said they couldn't take into account any of the previous training i had at their other schools and i would have to take all the classes over again so that turned me off.

EDIT: tiger shulman's style was a mixture of okinawan karate, aikido and jiujitsu iirc.
 
Originally posted by: bluehorizon
If you want to take a practical style that you can actually use on the street, find a studio that teaches Thai Boxing. I've been taking it for a while now, and after taking years of Tae Kwon Do, it's MUCH more practical. You shouldn't give a damn about forms and all the other impractical crap. Knowing that won't help you on the street. Your goal is the crush in the other guy's face if you're attacked on the street. Throwing high kicks and crap you learn in TKD will just get you killed, if you're just starting out.

So, my advice, take something practical, like Thai Boxing or Jiu Jitsu. Stay away from traditional styles like karate and Tae Kwon Do.
Click to expand...

See, let me, ahem, "write another book" ( :roll: ) - you're recommending a style to him without knowing anything about him - hell, it might even be a her for all we know - and you're recommending a style assuming that he'd want to learn how to fight, plain and simple. What if he just wants the discipline?

Most people think that in martial arts, the ability to maim people is the end-all be all for all styles, of all people - would you say that to a kid taking martial arts? Or their parents? If this is the only case, why not just buy a pistol? Wouldn't that be a lot easier?

I'm not saying that Muay Thai is a bad choice - but, not all people are going to put themselves through the type of training that some of them do. You have to look at the person, and find the style that fits them, not the other way arond.

BTW, you're not SnapIT or Alkymist, are you? "cause I'd hate to get my arms ripped off or get lectured by how cooler you are than me . . . . :beer:😀
 
Originally posted by: bluehorizon
If you want to take a practical style that you can actually use on the street, find a studio that teaches Thai Boxing. I've been taking it for a while now, and after taking years of Tae Kwon Do, it's MUCH more practical. You shouldn't give a damn about forms and all the other impractical crap. Knowing that won't help you on the street. Your goal is the crush in the other guy's face if you're attacked on the street. Throwing high kicks and crap you learn in TKD will just get you killed, if you're just starting out.

So, my advice, take something practical, like Thai Boxing or Jiu Jitsu. Stay away from traditional styles like karate and Tae Kwon Do.
Click to expand...

I agree. I took Shotokan karate for 7 years and feel its not very practical as a fighting form. You are much better off with Ju Jitsu or Brazilian Ju Jitsu. I took BJJ for 3 months and saw it very practical from a self defense standpoint. Unfortunately, my situation changed so I was unable to continue but would again if I got the chance.

On a side note, now that I learned a few moves in BJJ, I keep thinking about that scene from Saving Private Ryan where the Nazi guy stabs the Jewish guy in the heart. If he had known BJJ, he could have gotten out of that situation 😉
 
Originally posted by: Doggiedog
Originally posted by: bluehorizon
If you want to take a practical style that you can actually use on the street, find a studio that teaches Thai Boxing. I've been taking it for a while now, and after taking years of Tae Kwon Do, it's MUCH more practical. You shouldn't give a damn about forms and all the other impractical crap. Knowing that won't help you on the street. Your goal is the crush in the other guy's face if you're attacked on the street. Throwing high kicks and crap you learn in TKD will just get you killed, if you're just starting out.

So, my advice, take something practical, like Thai Boxing or Jiu Jitsu. Stay away from traditional styles like karate and Tae Kwon Do.
Click to expand...

I agree. I took Shotokan karate for 7 years and feel its not very practical as a fighting form. You are much better off with Ju Jitsu or Brazilian Ju Jitsu. I took BJJ for 3 months and saw it very practical from a self defense standpoint. Unfortunately, my situation changed so I was unable to continue but would again if I got the chance.

On a side note, now that I learned a few moves in BJJ, I keep thinking about that scene from Saving Private Ryan where the Nazi guy stabs the Jewish guy in the heart. If he had known BJJ, he could have gotten out of that situation 😉
Click to expand...

If he was the T-1000, he could've meltd and reformed around his arm, getting in a juji-gatame.

So what's your point? [/smartass]
 
Originally posted by: Jehovah
No idea, since I'm in Cent. IL, but let me ask a question/some advice on what to look for:

First of all, what are you looking for? Fitness/Discipline/Fighting Skill/Sport? Of course most people want "all of the above", but what are you looking for the most (or conversely, which ones are the ones you wouldn't mind not having?)?

And how many times a week do they meet/you planning on going? Now, be conservative here - if you have a full-time job/family(or SO) to be with/full time school, then you might have problems attending regularly, which might be complicated even more if they don't meet that often.

I'll give you an example: when I originally started training in my style (1x a week, 3~4 students avg.), it took me ~9 mos. of dedicated training to reach 2nd SG (the equivalent of an orange belt in belt-oriented styles). Now that we teach 4x a week, with 6 instructors, one of the guys is getting his 2nd SG in 3 mos. (that sonofa . . ..).

A lot of people in my position would have gotten frustrated and left - but me? Well, I'm a bit of a lunatic - I was taking Judo and TKD at the same time (all different clubs/gyms) so you could say I was pretty dedicated.

But if you're a complete beginner, and can only attend 1x a week, wait until you have a little more free time. I've seen people get frustrated and leave.

Now, I don't mean to be discouraging - but it's a fact that you must be weary about.

on to other topics - have you talked to the instructor, worked out with the club? The atmosphere can be important as well - you're going to spend several hours a week learning how to hurt people, remeber, so if the people you work out with/learn from isn't your cup of tea, then find a different place.

But how would you know? Easy - if you ask/show up, you can usually get a day/week's worth of free lessons - instead of watching (which is frankly, pretty damn dull), particiapte and ask questions - that's why you're there, right?

And as for pay structure - be weary of schools that push for package deals - the ones which they say "you'll pay $xxx up front, and then nothing until you reach black belt!" - I'm generalizing here, and yes, there are exceptions, but unfortunately, what happens is that those programs tend to produce rush jobs - face it, martial arts instructors don't live in the mountains - they need money to live too, you know. So what that means is that they normally don't want to teach longer than you've "paid for" - they have your money, and they want/need another way to get more (fitting the stereotype of a martial arts instructor? no. a reality? yes.).

Well, I could go on and on, but a basic rule of thumb - go there, be as active as you can, ask as many questions as you can, and if you're still not sure, bring a friend.

Good luck! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


Thanks for you opinions, to answer what you asked.

My main reason to join is to get more in fit, at the same time gain confidence and actually learn something that could help me one day. In fact i have always been curious I?m not looking to be into competing and all the rest of the stuff that comes with martial arts.

The tiger shulmann's place actually has a good time slot, Monday through Saturday have adult classes after 8pm and 9pm, which fits in my schedule nicely, i already got to the gym 4-5 days a week from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. I guess if I join I have time to attend 2-3 days.

as far as the place and talking to instructor i haven't yet, i stopped by this past Saturday and just took a peak got some information but the instructors were not there, they were actually having some kind of kids party that night. I only took a Interest of Tiger Shulmann's because they are always around since they are a franchise. there are other places around my area that teach karate or other martial arts but most seem to go broke after a while so that?s not very comforting.

As far of money and stuff, Tiger Shulmann does have those sign up specials and stuff which one reason i posted this thread to find out more about them and of course I did some Google searching and still reading.


 
Originally posted by: blackdogdeek
Originally posted by: Slvrtg277
So where's the best place on the net to read about all the different styles and what to expect from them?
Click to expand...

a quick google of "martial arts styles" returns this as one of the links.
Click to expand...

I found that site as well as some others, but I'm not schooled enough on this stuff to know how reliable all the info is. I thought someone here in the know may be able to point to a site that's legit, for sure, with a little more info.
 
OP: i think the best idea is going to be to sign up for a trial period and see how you like the environment and the instructor. that's the only way to know if it suits you. sure everyone will have their opinions but that should only go so far in your decision-making.

i enjoyed training at tiger shulman's and i got in very good shape.
 
Originally posted by: blackdogdeek
i trained at tiger shulman's for almost 2 years.

i attended classes tue/wed/thu every week. i can't remember the payment schedule but eventually i payed for a lump sum that would cover me for about a year.

my sensei was very good. he eventually left after having a falling out with tiger shulman himself. i followed him to his new school.

anyway, it was a very good workout. every class(as usual) started out with some calisthenics and stretching, then followed by drills followed by the crux of the lesson which would alternate between: sparring, board breaking, kata, and self-defense. the class would end with some form of extended drills including blocks, punches, kicks etc.

the environment is very regimented and might turn you off. i always liked it because it instills a high degree of discipline, which i always felt made the class much more efficient.

it was pretty basic. one thing i didn't like is that you are judged ready for your next belt level test depending on the number of classes you've taken. ie - once you take 10 classes you get a stripe on your belt in the color of the next higher belt. once you get 4 stripes you can test for the next level. if you are ready before your second stripe you still can not test. i always thought it was a money-making scheme since you will be required to pay for classes you may not need.

anyway, if you have any questions please feel free to pm me.

btw, i just started taking taekwondo at a local dojang. it's not as militaristic a place as tiger shulman's but i really like the instructor. i had gone to a tigar shulman's in hoboken and asked about classes and they said they couldn't take into account any of the previous training i had at their other schools and i would have to take all the classes over again so that turned me off.

EDIT: tiger shulman's style was a mixture of okinawan karate, aikido and jiujitsu iirc.
Click to expand...



Thank you for your input on TSK and how they work and stuff.
honestly i would like a local place to learn but like i said in my other post, most local places don't last they go broke after a while, but i'm also concern about TSK, they feel like joining NYSC Gym's which i happen to be a member off, all about money only.

Also if i have to pay more than 150$ a month anywhere for Martial arts, i just can't take it, thats out of my spending range.
 
Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Thank you for your input on TSK and how they work and stuff.
honestly i would like a local place to learn but like i said in my other post, most local places don't last they go broke after a while, but i'm also concern about TSK, they feel like joining NYSC Gym's which i happen to be a member off, all about money only.

Also if i have to pay more than 150$ a month anywhere for Martial arts, i just can't take it, thats out of my spending range.
Click to expand...

i think i paid $100/mo for a while before i paid the lump sum. the prices may be different now.

i did feel like the pay structure was like nysc's in that they are definitely into making money, but after all it is a money-making franchise. 😉

i did however feel like i got a decent martial arts background and i definitely got into good shape.

make sure you like the instructor at your local place.
 
Ok, I read the thread and I would like to suggest Krav Maga to you. I am 28/m and I am finishing my first class.

Great workout, and excellent (I feel better than karate) in self defense
 
Originally posted by: hevnsnt
Ok, I read the thread and I would like to suggest Krav Maga to you. I am 28/m and I am finishing my first class.

Great workout, and excellent (I feel better than karate) in self defense
Click to expand...


Thanks for the suggestion, i see its a self defense system of the Israeli Defence Forces taught to law enforcement in the U.S

I just like to point out another reason i wanted to join some kind of defence class was to also be more flexible and have some basic skills since i'm trying to become a police officer also.
 
Originally posted by: Bigblades
I do Butokukan Karate and Aikido at UF... I don't know anything about the group you speak of, but I'd recommend giving it a try. It is a good workout and will improve flexibility. Possibly teach you how to fight too.
Click to expand...

lol the first time i read this i thought you were making a joke and said Bukake Karate. lol.
 
Oh, and this might not be a concern since he's in NYC, but you also have to consider the availability of certain styles in your area as well - doesn't do him much good to recommend something like Shaolin White Crane or Kyokyushin-Kai if they don't teach the style around his area.
 
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