Japanese Martial Arts

DoctorP · 20 Jan 2005

Forgotten said:
My daughters are currently taking karate. I'm a little disappointed because the organization seems very commercialize. Lately I've been looking into kendo (for them) and I'm unable to find anywhere near me that teaches it.

I'm curious, is it general practice to pay money for your next belt testing?

Have you tried any of these dojo's?

Bloomington Normal Mitsubishi Kendo Club
Safe Harbor Gymnasium
212 N. Roosevelt Ave.
Bloomington, IL
Contact: John Applegate (309)829-6883

Chicago Kendo Dojo
Buddhist Temple of Chicago
1151 W. Leland Ave.
Chicago, IL
Tu F 8:00-10:00pm
Contact: Frank Matsumoto fymatsumoto@msn.com (312)583-2282
Rober Kumaki robert.kumaki@ogilvy.com

Choyokan Kendo Dojo
Broadway Armory Park
5917 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL
Tu F 8:00pm Su 12:00 noon
Contact: Dr. Ken Sakamoto (773)871-5500

Choyokan Kendo Dojo
Golf MainePark District Gym
9229 W. Emerson Ave.
Des Plaines, IL
Sa 5:00pm
Contact: Tom Okawara

University of Chicago Kendo Club
Bartlette Gym
5640 S. University Ave.
Chicago, IL
Wed 6:30-8:30pm
Contact: Hyonggun Choi (773)702-0187

Here is a great link for you about Kendo as well:

Kendo America

Good Luck! Let me know if you find anything!

ippolito · 20 Jan 2005

Forgotten said:
My daughters are currently taking karate. I'm a little disappointed because the organization seems very commercialize. Lately I've been looking into kendo (for them) and I'm unable to find anywhere near me that teaches it.

I'm curious, is it general practice to pay money for your next belt testing?

Yes normally at the belt testing the school covers a fee here in Italy is from 10 up a max of 30 usdollars...
is included belt and diploma.
Some schools also organize in the middle of the examinations session
a demostration of masters and/ or pupils as to show to parents the level of their sons and daughters.
Generally I invited 2/3 other instructors as to make an external commission, I would pay them the post examinations dinner..
Some of the money were used to buy presents (martial arts books karategi etc) for the best pupils examineted as for the final total score
example: kata 7 technics 7 sparring 8 total 22
How much do you pay there for your daugthers let me guess 50 dollars each? And how is the monthly fee per pupil?
Is japanese or korean karate?
bye

Fantt · 21 Jan 2005

Yes, it is general practice to pay money for belt testing, though some schools charge ridiculous amounts of money ($100+) for testing. My wife is testing for 5th kyu in Aikido and she's paying a $50 fee to the US Aikido Federation.

Fortunately, in Aikido, I doubt we'll participate in belt promotions more than once or twice a year, so it's not a big deal. Some of the more "commercialized" martial arts schools are basically little more than belt factories where kids can earn their black belt in a couple or years or less. $50 a test gets expensive really fast when you go through every color belt of the rainbow in just 2 years.

One thing you may want to ask a prospective school is how long it generally takes kids to get their black belt. My kid takes a pretty traditional form of Wado Ryu Karate and at his dojo kids take at least 5 years to get their black belt if they work really hard at it.

Kama · 21 Jan 2005

I love judo. I had to quit because of accident, but I'll definetely come back to my love one day. I miss judo so much... It's hard to look at unused judogi.

ippolito · 21 Jan 2005

Well it seems that in us is very expensive.....for 100 us dollars
we pay for black belt examinations in the federation......not in the school.
in Karate could be for lower belts perhaps 3 examination in a year but
normally 2 are the wright number as wrotten about Aikido.
I am godan in Wado ryu.....do you remeber the name of the kata?
bye

sadakoyamamura · 21 Jan 2005

I used to study Aikido and Judo to break the monotony of school work and for exercise. Well I could afford to study both because my instructor is into both arts. Yup it'f fun to be thrown and go rolling. When I was a newbie and just learned the landing technique, I stepped on a wet floor and slipped and my body sort of reacted voluntarily. Since my instructor also taught both arts in a Phys Ed class, he let us become his little assistants, it was fun. I was addicting some of us even go to practice even if we had a fever.

Later on my instructor shifted to Mixed Martial Arts and I and a handful shifted as well. I think body can still take a beating or two and often I find myself wishing to go back but our practice hall transferred to a far place.

ippolito · 22 Jan 2005

sadakoyamamura said:
I used to study Aikido and Judo to break the monotony of school work and for exercise. Well I could afford to study both because my instructor is into both arts. Yup it'f fun to be thrown and go rolling. When I was a newbie and just learned the landing technique, I stepped on a wet floor and slipped and my body sort of reacted voluntarily. Since my instructor also taught both arts in a Phys Ed class, he let us become his little assistants, it was fun. I was addicting some of us even go to practice even if we had a fever.

Later on my instructor shifted to Mixed Martial Arts and I and a handful shifted as well. I think body can still take a beating or two and often I find myself wishing to go back but our practice hall transferred to a far place.

Aikido is deep and full of Zen ....in which country have you done Aikido?

Forgotten · 22 Jan 2005

Thank you everyone for your responses. You've been most helpful.

CC1, thank you. The schools that you've provided are far from where I live, but I think I'll call some of them to see if they know of anything closer.

ippolito said:
How much do you pay there for your daugthers let me guess 50 dollars each? And how is the monthly fee per pupil?
Is japanese or korean karate?
bye

Ippolito, I don't really know what type of karate it is. My one daughter recently tested and one of her forms was called Shee Hyung Bo, so I'm thinking it's not japanese?

I pay $67.oo (a month) for each daughter. I get a discount for having two children in the program and having them automatically withdraw from my checking. I also had to agree to buy all equiptment from them. Even if I find it cheaper elsewhere, which I always do, I have to buy from them.

I didn't think the $67.00 was that bad because there is no limitation to the amount of classes they can attend.

Fantt said:
One thing you may want to ask a prospective school is how long it generally takes kids to get their black belt.

I signed a three year contract which is the time they claim it will take for my daughters to get their black belts. Each belt testing is $30.00 and I'm sure when they test for black the price will increase.

sadakoyamamura · 22 Jan 2005

ippolito said:
Aikido is deep and full of Zen ....in which country have you done Aikido?

Here where I live, the city with no pyrotechnique displays during christmas and new year (even during the chinese or lunar new year). There quite a handful of dojos here. The most prominent Aikido dojo is the Seiwakai.

Yup is full of Zen, every transition from one form to the next feels like flowing. Our instructor chose to not to stick to some traditional stuff though, we call him Sir, instead of Sensei or Master. When he shifted to Mixed Martial arts, some went along because we have known him too long to change instructors (we were too comfortable with him) and the opportunity to try something else.

DoctorP · 23 Jan 2005

Forgotten said:
CC1, thank you. The schools that you've provided are far from where I live, but I think I'll call some of them to see if they know of anything closer.

Maybe (if you have a few people that want to learn) you could convince one of the sensei's from one of the dojo's that I listed to come over and teach you. If you look at Kendo America's forum, there are a couple of mentions in there where people had a similar situation to yours and the sensei came over and taught for little less than gas money! People teach Kendo because they enjoy it...not because they can get rich doing it!

Anyway...good luck!

ippolito · 23 Jan 2005

Forgotten said:
Ippolito, I don't really know what type of karate it is. My one daughter recently tested and one of her forms was called Shee Hyung Bo, so I'm thinking it's not japanese?

I pay $67.oo (a month) for each daughter. I get a discount for having two children in the program and having them automatically withdraw from my checking. I also had to agree to buy all equiptment from them. Even if I find it cheaper elsewhere, which I always do, I have to buy from them.
I signed a three year contract which is the time they claim it will take for my daughters to get their black belts. Each belt testing is $30.00 and I'm sure when they test for black the price will increase.

The fee is not very high.....what you should check the contract term and condintions as you risk to pay the monthly fee for 3 years even your girls choose another sport..or just if one stay home for 1 or 2 months for some reasons....
in dojos normally is common to buy the equipment but is not mandatory to buy to them.....if you find the same article of the same factory you should be free to buy anywere....
Your daughters are doing a korean style karate perhaps taekwon do
testing black belt $30 is ok.

Fantt · 24 Jan 2005

I'm very fortunate in learning Aikido here in Scottsdale, AZ because my sensei's sensei was a student of o-sensei's. We practice a very simple and, I think, practical form of the art. It is very graceful, like all the Aikido that I've seen, but none of it looks flowery or complicated. Our classes are serious and traditional, yet my sensei has a good sense of humour and by the end of class everyone is usually smiling.

My dojo is affiliated with the US Aikido Federation which is, I think, the US one most closely associated with the main dojo in Tokyo which is led by o-sensei's grandson.

I don't think I'd want to learn any other martial art form at this point. At least in part because I'm in my mid-30's and I don't think my body could take a bunch of kicks and punches, and also because I prefer the non-aggressive nature of aikido.

As for yearly contracts, I'd strongly suggest everyone with children to stay away from them. My son's very traditional karate dojo has no contracts and I don't think I'd ever sign one. You never know how long your child is going to be interested in a particular thing, and in the end the art is for the child. I have a friend who signed his son up for and pre-paid a 3 year contract at a black-belt mill only to have the dojo fall apart a month later - the sensei went on to form another school, but never had as nice facilities or classes, yet he dragged my friend's kid with him to the new school. I just think contracts for any type of martial art or physical fitness to be a bad sign.

acquiredtarget · 24 Jan 2005

I pretty much agree with what Fantt said about contracts. In past schools, I've avoided them because they weren't in business for long, but at my current school I did sign a one-year only because its been in business for over 20 years, and I've been there for the last 5.

Fantt said:
I don't think I'd want to learn any other martial art form at this point. At least in part because I'm in my mid-30's and I don't think my body could take a bunch of kicks and punches, and also because I prefer the non-aggressive nature of aikido.

I'm in my mid-30's too and my belly dunlap over my belt, but I'm surprised how well I"ve lasted in Kenpo. Until now, that is. Monday I start learning under the Head Sensei who's been teaching for years. (I think he was an olympian back in the '60's) I'm actually so nervous, I've forgotten some steps in my katas

sabro · 24 Jan 2005

I'm 40, and currently 6th Kyu (Blue Belt) in Okinawan Shuri Ryu. My wife and two kids 17 and 12 are blue belts too. It is a great family activity.

Only physical problem: plantar fasciitis- darn tendons on the bottoms of my feet are like paper after too many ruptures. I have seven bone spurs that range up to two inches, (and I weigh about 50 pounds too much.)

ippolito · 25 Jan 2005

acquiredtarget said:
I pretty much agree with what Fantt said about contracts. In past schools, I've avoided them because they weren't in business for long, but at my current school I did sign a one-year only because its been in business for over 20 years, and I've been there for the last 5. I'm in my mid-30's too and my belly dunlap over my belt, but I'm surprised how well I"ve lasted in Kenpo. Until now, that is. Monday I start learning under the Head Sensei who's been teaching for years. (I think he was an olympian back in the '60's) I'm actually so nervous, I've forgotten some steps in my katas

I have practiced also Kenpo Kosho Shorei of Mitose family...grand master Mitose lives in California (I think).
In US was very popular Ed Parker he was the Elvis Presley head of security....even Elvis tooked some dans in Kenpo.
I came in Us in 1994 for a seminar in Las Vegas with Chuck Norris.
There were also Bob Wall (the eternal enemy of Bruce Lee in the films).
They are very nice persons and good martial artists.
About Aikido I suppose that if you practice a martial art and you enjoy it the sensei you will be satisfied and not search other m.a.
I have done japanese karate korean tang soo do ju-jitsu judo and a little of thai chi.
In this case you should follow your style but have an experience in other styles even short as to be reacher under a cultural way.
Even an experience in boxing....that is only a sport...but has a very strong
phisical preparation....or floor grabbling and some self defence could be useful in some bad situations.
Only one more thing in many years in the dojo...(38 years) I found a particolar planetary fraternity between martial artists....where ever I have been I visited local dojos or dojang and mostly I was receipt with kindness and they let me feel home...full of respect for praticant.
I trained in Spain, Us, UK, Argentina, Korea, Japan, Hungery, Thailand Africa ...

Forgotten · 25 Jan 2005

Fantt said:
As for yearly contracts, I'd strongly suggest everyone with children to stay away from them.

To late, we're already comitted. I was under the impression that contracts were not unusual. There were a few other schools that I check out and they required contracts too. I'm learning (from this board) that it's not necessary.

So far I'm lucky because both my daughters love martial arts.

ippolito said:
he fee is not very high.....what you should check the contract term and condintions as you risk to pay the monthly fee for 3 years even your girls choose another sport..or just if one stay home for 1 or 2 months for some reasons....

So true ippolito. There was a young lady that was pregnant and due to complications, she had to be bed ridden early in her pregnancy. She tried to get out of the contract, but they still made her pay. Which to me, is ridiculous.

sabro · 25 Jan 2005

We have contracts (6 month and 1 year minimums), but our senseis are definitely human. They would definitely let you out of a contract with a good reason. At any one time we always have a couple of kids on "scholarship", and sometimes they even extend this to tournaments and belt tests. My sensei was one of those dojo rats that swept and mopped the floor for his lessons, so he is very understanding.

ippolito · 26 Jan 2005

Forgotten said:
To late, we're already comitted. I was under the impression that contracts were not unusual. There were a few other schools that I check out and they required contracts too. I'm learning (from this board) that it's not necessary.

So far I'm lucky because both my daughters love martial arts.

So true ippolito. There was a young lady that was pregnant and due to complications, she had to be bed ridden early in her pregnancy. She tried to get out of the contract, but they still made her pay. Which to me, is ridiculous.

Yes but in Us all is commercial at 100%.....also here there are gyms that they give a special 1 year card but in this case the customer save a lot of money... even 30 %....
I am not sure as I do not live there but with a medical doctor cerificate
or an hospital cericate of impossibility to move from the bed and of course cannot do any acivity she could have money back....perhaps with a loyer....
But if we are talking of martial arts....senseis (masters) budo zen etc....
they should not be so slave of god dollar...and do an exeption for a person that like m.a. but phisically cannot...
But where is the "master" in this case I would advice the administration
to stop this fully contract.
I am glad your girls like and enjoy taekwon do what belt level are they?

Forgotten · 26 Jan 2005

Hi sabro and ippolito, you would think that since she had a medical reason, she would be able to break the contract, but according to her, she had to pay.

Ippolito, my daughters are taking karate. One is a red with brown stripe. The other is a red belt. One is very good at kicking, while the other is great at punching. My red belt (the puncher) is a little scary while sparring. She's such a caring soul, yet when sparring, she shows no mercy when fighting upper belts. Last Friday, they had a seminar with Brain Ruth (a fantastic fighter) and he made a comment about her mean punches. It does concern me how determined she is but her master seems to think she's fine.

ippolito · 27 Jan 2005

Forgotten said:
Hi sabro and ippolito, you would think that since she had a medical reason, she would be able to break the contract, but according to her, she had to pay.

Ippolito, my daughters are taking karate. One is a red with brown stripe. The other is a red belt. One is very good at kicking, while the other is great at punching. My red belt (the puncher) is a little scary while sparring. She's such a caring soul, yet when sparring, she shows no mercy when fighting upper belts. Last Friday, they had a seminar with Brain Ruth (a fantastic fighter) and he made a comment about her mean punches. It does concern me how determined she is but her master seems to think she's fine.

It seems it not karate but korean style as in karate the red belt
is for hight ranking dans belt 10th degree black belt...
in karate the korean red belt is a brown belt....so could be a korean style maked by a korean master living in us...or taekwon do...you can see by the korean flag in the gym.
So you have a warrior daughter....but the one who is scared of sparring
could be a form champion one day...many forms champion not alwayw are good fighters....we have in Italy 3 world champions in katas
japanese forms....I know that in usa there are many federations founded by americans koreans and japaneses.
good luck for your future champions

ippolito · 27 Jan 2005

sabro said:
We have contracts (6 month and 1 year minimums), but our senseis are definitely human. They would definitely let you out of a contract with a good reason. At any one time we always have a couple of kids on "scholarship", and sometimes they even extend this to tournaments and belt tests. My sensei was one of those dojo rats that swept and mopped the floor for his lessons, so he is very understanding.

sometimes korean master are not so human....

pipokun · 5 Feb 2005

Hi all. I quit my 10 yr Karate in Shotokan and 3 yr Judo practice after I joined my uni, a lot of temptations there... I really regret doing so now.

I am interested in Sports Chanbara right now.

ippolito · 20 Dec 2008

Testing fees not all the amount but a large part goes to the federation
as to provide to the organicacion of tournements, seminars etc...
for Aikido there are no tournements so alll goes to the instructor...
50 usd it is exagerate fees.
In Karate from white to black belt need from 3 to 5 years, it depends how may lessons a week, here no gym in July and August, so they loose 3 month ( a good part also for Xmasa) than it is individual, I had very clever pupils that hey have done superbus examinations and they get a "discount" on the interval between a bet to another, meanwhile others that were a disaster.
So a clever in 3 years get Kuro Obi....see the film I found in Emule Kuro Obi
it is in japanese....but a good martial art film
bye

Jericho Desu · 7 Jan 2009

I did Judo when I was younger but the organisation moved for some reason, then I did taekwondo but my instructure tried to put my mum in a pyramid scheme so I stopped going. Then I did Wing Chun Kung Fu for about 4-5 months, my friend got me into it, but he stopped going due to money trouble and I got sick of my Sifu being such a womanizer and trying to push his merchandise on every new face that shows up.

Then I tried Japanese MA for a while, first joined the Bujinkan which I thought was very practical for defending yourself, however something didn't feel right about it, then I did Aikido but lost interest. I found that I was more fond of Chinese MA so I decided to search for a new art, meanwhile I did Tai Chi which I liked, but wasn't physical enough for me. Thats when I discovered Hung Gar Kuen, I respect my Sifu alot, he knows what he's doing, doesn't mess around, but at the same time is gentle and encourages you to do your best.

So Hung Gar Kuen Kung Fu is what I'm currently doing and it feels totally right, I feel myself getting stronger after everytime I go which is twice a week and I'll remain for as long as I can. The search is over!

Some info on Hung Gar: Hung Ga - Wikipedia

Dogen Z · 5 Jun 2009

Samurai Girl

I practiced karate for about 2 years but gave up because my body is not flexible enough--I can't kick up to the level of my head. So now I'm considering taking up aikido. The vid below is not about aikido, its more judo and kendo but it's inspiring. I feel the need to sign up for some martial art class. OSSU!

Japanese Martial Arts

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Envious of Nabeshin's Fro

Okama XD

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Danshaku Sadako

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Danshaku Sadako

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Envious of Nabeshin's Fro

Um...okay

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七転八起

aka YOSUQUE

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