My son (almost 6) and I have been training in a particular karate style for the past year. The problem is that we may may have to completely change styles due to moving.

I'm trying to get some perspective on this decision, to move to a new studio or to remain at my old one even though it will be inconvenient and timeconsuming to continue instruction there. I'm just totally torn on this.

8/22/2010 1:24:51 AM

1 year is nothing. Take the opportunity and broaden your training. You'll be a much more rounded student/fighter by learning the new techniques.

I trained for 15 years in the same dojo, but we kept ourselves sharp by always bringing in guests from different styles for long periods of time to train/teach us.

8/22/2010 1:27:46 AM

thanks. i agree with your sentiment, and it is one of the reasons i have considered as being in favor of moving to a new studio. Yes, one year is trivial in the scheme of things.

however, i feel really attached to the community and to the particular art form, i feel like I've just become minimally competent and have so much to learn.

another is that my son (almost 6) is going through a lot of transition right now with starting a new school, a new house and neighborhood, new friends, and so forth. i wonder if it would help him to remain at the familiar studio, or be better for him to just make a clean break since we've moved a considerable distance across the city. 10 - 15 miles doesnt seem far, but in a dense urban environment at rush hour traffic, it's easily an extra 1-1/2 hours of driving or more to do the round trip which is completely out of the way for our new normal patterns

8/22/2010 1:59:53 AM

Taekwondo, Wing Chun, and Judo.

If it's time consuming, you aren't going to want to do it as readily.

I'd choose the more convenient option, if you can find a class that you think is worth it (after the inspection period of course).

8/22/2010 10:39:27 AM

If you want him to be able to fight, the answer is muay thai

8/22/2010 10:40:06 AM

^this

8/22/2010 11:04:15 AM

Check out BJJ, I would love to have those skills. If I could pick anything it would be that and Muay Thai.

8/22/2010 12:58:23 PM

I always thought it was the TEACHER that was important, the style is secondary. When I last moved, I left an excellent TaiChiChuan/WingChun teacher and I wanted to continue in the style. Well, the only teacher here for that syle was a complete tool.

I ended up completely changing styles when I found the current teacher I have. Take your kid to all the local schools and see what the instructors do. What's he like? Does the school have too much a cult-like atmosphere? Are the techniques taught so that they are understood properly? Does the head instructor actually leave his desk and teach, or is it all just done by senior students?

Don't be fooled by schools that offer Kung Fu/Karate/Arnis/MMA. At best, the school offers all those, but at a level that's too watered down. At worst, it's just a false advertisement to get people in the door to pressure them to join. Shop around carefully. If your kid is really interested in Martial Arts, you may be with the school for many years.

Good Luck. Where are you geographically?

8/22/2010 4:14:01 PM

Whichever dojo is king of the demo.

8/22/2010 4:16:40 PM

Wait a second, is joe_schmoe Will Smith?

8/22/2010 7:46:00 PM

Quote :

"Where are you geographically?"

I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there
Lemme tell you how I became prince
Of a town called Bel-Air




... naw i'm in seattle. kajukenbo looks interesting, but i'm not really interested in MMA, i'd just get my old ass kicked by a bunch of young bucks. and 6 year old is too young for those studios, anyhow

i think my real problem is that i'm afraid of losing a great community and then finding out i'm dissatisfied with the new one.

I'm also skeptical of Taekwondo as not being "traditional" martial arts, and filled with a bunch of competitive people just looking to kick some ass.




[Edited on August 22, 2010 at 10:01 PM. Reason : ]

8/22/2010 9:49:15 PM

Taekwondo is for pussies. You really want to kick some ass, Muy Thai and BJJ is where it's at. Hands down.

8/23/2010 8:13:39 AM

well, i have to consider my son is not yet 6 years old. he's been studying for a year, but at the children's level.

there's not a lot of selection available when it comes to BJJ or other full contact combat styles.

8/23/2010 12:37:42 PM

i would LOVE to learn judo.

8/23/2010 9:37:36 PM

so what's a martial arts connoisseur's opinion of krav maga?

8/23/2010 10:52:56 PM

IMHO, it appears to have no foundational philosophical, spiritual, or meditative components... it's just a collection of effective and often powerful combat techniques.

i'm told it's quite effective at neutralizing aggressors and/or fucking some people up. if you're a cop or a bodyguard, it would probably make sense to have as a career tool. it seems like something you learn because you have to.

whereas with the more traditional martial arts, it become more of a lifestyle, it becomes a "way"

8/23/2010 11:30:22 PM