I am considering taking some katate lessons and just wanted some opinions from others who have or are doing it. I have wanted to for years but never got around to it. I finally got out of my Ballys membership and have been working out at home. I got my own bench and weights, and have had much better results than I did at the expensive gym, and I don’t have to wait for any machines and can do it when it is convenient for me.
Anyway, after my apartment was broken into on Tuesday, (I was going to post a hate-filled venomous rage in the Pit but decided to direct my rage and hatred in other directions) I think supplementing my weights and bike riding with somethin else.
so my questions for those who know:
Do/did you find the lessons worthwile?
Does it really help build confidence and peace of mind as well as physical ability?
Any other relevant comments would be appreciated.
Thanks
Note to Mods,
By the way, not sure if this is the best forum for this question, if not please move it to the apporpriate place.
I’m sure someone a lot more knowlegeable than I on this subject will be along shortly, but here’s my dos centavos.
Absolutely. I found them very worthwhile (sorry, couldn’t resist).
It did for me. Actually, I was surprised to learn how easy it was. Well, maybe not easy…but not as difficult to defend yourself effectively as one might believe.
Do/did you find the lessons worthwile?
I took it for almost a year. I enjoyed that much, but have no desire for more lessons.
Does it really help build confidence and peace of mind as well as physical ability?
Slightly.
Any other relevant comments would be appreciated.
Like you, I just wanted to try it. I don’t consider it needed for self defense. It’s better to avoid danger. As a sport, it didn’t excite me. As you progress it becomes dangerous. Accidents can happen.
What I disliked the most was the attitude: shouting, bowing, etc. Almost like boot camp.
I took tae kwon do for about 4 years. I joined to get in shape and for self-defense reasons. It worked on both accounts. Self-confidence, yea pretty much so. You definitely get in shape-say goodbye to those flabby abs.
Funny thing is after about 4 lessons you think you’re Superman, or Bruce Lee-and you’re not. We always say the most dangerous person on the streets isn’t a black belt, but a white belt-they think they know everything.
A good club should let you try a lesson or two before joining. Try it out.
I burned out after 4 years, too much for me. The one thing I learned most of all though wasn’t kicking, punching or such. It was respect. Respect for others, Respect for your teacher, you name it.
I don’t know if this is the kind of information you’re looking for, Zap, but there are a lot of martial arts out there. Karate is a good choice for a lot of people, but unless you have your heart set on it for a particular reason, you may want to look into a variety of martial arts to get an overview, then decide which style, and which dojo, suits you best.
Here’s a link to the Martial Arts FAQ, which I found very helpful when deciding on which art to study.
Personally, I finally settled on Aikido, as it took into account my desire to be able to defend myself without doing excessive harm to others. Also, I found a great local dojo, with a good crowd of people, all dedicated to helping each other learn. No barked orders, or boot camp stuff; these are all adults, cooperating to help each other learn difficult techniques.
I’ve found the months I’ve spent studying aikido to be well worth it; I’ve become better balanced, more confident, stronger, and more at ease. Also, the flexibility I’ve acquired is amazing to me. Even more so to my SO.
Hope this helps. Good luck on finding the right art, and the right school in which to study it.
The cooperative atmosphere MrVisible mentioned is one of the key things I look for in a dojo–I really don’t like the old-school authoritarian approach.
I noticed a significant improvement in my balance and coordination after spending some time studying kenpo and arnis-aikido. That, in turn, did lead to some increase in self-confidence (a trait most people would never have judged me deficient in anyway ). I definitely consider it worthwhile.
). I definitely consider it worthwhile.