Post by sparks on Jan 10, 2005 11:58:02 GMT
Um, well, Hi.
OK, new to the forum. Have just moved back to Devon from London. Studied Shotokan up there for five years and finally got my 1st Dan. Am interested in keeping up with the style down here.
Brief history - started Shotokan Karate when I was about 9 years old. Got to about 5th Kyu and stayed there for a year or two (too much happening to train regularly). Took it up again at Uni for a year or so, but never graded. Took it up again age 25 in London and finally made it.
In between I've done some Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Aikido and a couple of other strange ones, but nothing really gripped me like Shotokan. I really enjoyed the kata and sparring, but on coming down to Devon and rtying to start up again, I was unpleasantly surprised to find that KUGB clubs down here don't recognise my grading. While normally that wouldn't really bother me (not a big one for status), it's a bit irritating that I did all that training only for someone to say, "Well you didn'y study with us, so your black belt is worthless in our eyes."
What made it worse was in the training sessions with the other dan grades, my technique was quite different, katas were slightly different and the lessons focused on different areas and techniques than I was used to. To be fair, the guys in the class were happy to show me where the techniques were different, but to go from a class where I was pretty good, to be the poor sap who goes the wrong way halfway through a kata is a bit soul-destroying!
Anyhow, I was a member of the HM treasury shotokan karate club when I graded, which was part of ESKA (English Shotokan Karate Association) back then.
Any news on a local Shotokan club which wouldn't mind a battered black belt joining them?
Laters
Mark
OK, new to the forum. Have just moved back to Devon from London. Studied Shotokan up there for five years and finally got my 1st Dan. Am interested in keeping up with the style down here.
Brief history - started Shotokan Karate when I was about 9 years old. Got to about 5th Kyu and stayed there for a year or two (too much happening to train regularly). Took it up again at Uni for a year or so, but never graded. Took it up again age 25 in London and finally made it.
In between I've done some Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Aikido and a couple of other strange ones, but nothing really gripped me like Shotokan. I really enjoyed the kata and sparring, but on coming down to Devon and rtying to start up again, I was unpleasantly surprised to find that KUGB clubs down here don't recognise my grading. While normally that wouldn't really bother me (not a big one for status), it's a bit irritating that I did all that training only for someone to say, "Well you didn'y study with us, so your black belt is worthless in our eyes."
What made it worse was in the training sessions with the other dan grades, my technique was quite different, katas were slightly different and the lessons focused on different areas and techniques than I was used to. To be fair, the guys in the class were happy to show me where the techniques were different, but to go from a class where I was pretty good, to be the poor sap who goes the wrong way halfway through a kata is a bit soul-destroying!
Anyhow, I was a member of the HM treasury shotokan karate club when I graded, which was part of ESKA (English Shotokan Karate Association) back then.
Any news on a local Shotokan club which wouldn't mind a battered black belt joining them?
Laters
Mark
;D