Why are Martial Arts classes great for Adults?

 

Here is why adults should take on Martial arts training and class environment.

Martial Arts are by far the best fitness activity you can do above water!  It's the MOST stress relieving, weight losing, fat burning, mental sharpening, self esteem boosting, socially friendly, toughness building, victim preventing, empowering, age combating, coordination building, balance forming, goal achieving and muscle toning activity you can ever do! 

TRADITIONAL SHOTOKAN KARATE-DO

Traditional Shotokan Karate is a great alternative for adults who are bored with the gym and looking for something more meaningful and more result based while learning a valuable skill set that goes beyond working out.

Shotokan's NO-NONSENSE approach to self defense, physical training and combat skills will get you in the BEST shape ever while challenging you mentally and physically.  Additional features are Weight loss, cardio endurance, strength, stress relief, flexibility and mental sharpness.

TYPES OF TRAINING THAT SHOTOKAN KARATE OFFERS: 

A) FUNDAMENTALS (kicking, punching, blocking, striking, evasive movement)

B) SELF DEFENSE (grabs, holds, chokes, strikes, pushes and ground attacks.

C) SPARRING (tournament sparring, free sparring and grappling)  

D) TRADITIONAL FORMS “Kata”

E) GRAPPLING and GROUND techniques 

F) FITNESS for CARDIO VASCULAR and MUSCULAR CONDITIONING

G) CONTACT TRAINING with Heavy bags, Focus Mitts, Target training

These are just a few benefits you’ll experience as an ADULT or as a student of any age for that matter.

KARATE works great for MMA!

It’s been proven time and again that Shotokan Karate is a powerful and valid martial art for combat and self defense scenarios.  Sports such as MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) are no exception. One such practitioner who has proven in recent years the Power of Shotokan Karate is none other than Former Light Heavy Weight UFC Champion LYOTO MACHIDA. Machida currently has an impressive 18 - 3 record. His fluid movement and strait forward counter attacking styles is a SIGNATURE component of Shotokan Karate. Machida is known for his elusive strategy, footwork, speedy hands and un-detectable kicking. His opponents find it difficult and puzzling when facing him in the ring due to his unpredictable methods. This type of training is commonly found in all Shotokan dojos across the globe. 

If you are looking to enhance your fighting skills for MMA or just looking for some KILLER sparring strategy, then Look for a good Dojo and start feeling the amazing impact Karate can have on your skills.  

KICKBOXING and MMA Fitness WORKOUTS:

Looking for the ULTIMATE workout? Kickboxing and MMA fitness just that! A high intensity, FULL BODY WORKOUT that includes the grace of Karate, the power of Muay Thai, coupled with Heavy & Speed bags, Focus mitts, Jump ropes, Balance ball, Battle ropes, Tire training and modern fitness techniques.

You will BUILD strength, TONE up, LOSE weight, LEARN basic self defense, Develop COMBAT skills and enhance your CARDIO endurance & flexibility and BURN over 800 calories per WORKOUT!

If these are not enough reason for your to start your martial arts JOURNEY, then you wont find anything else that even comes close!

Give us a call if you think you are ready to take that first step and try our 30 day FREE TRIAL!

You have NOTHING TO LOSE and EVERYTHING TO GAIN!!

MMA is Killing Traditional Karate

I've come to the conclusion MMA is 100% Bologna (Balony), It's not real, Rules are catered to unrealistic scenarios, and matches are lined up for $$, Not for those who deserve the shot. Not only that, UFC/MMA are stealing the idea that they actually do Martial arts when there is nothing that resembles BUDO or Martial arts in any way shape or form at all. It's all COCK fighting if you ask me.



People are lead to beleive it is great for self defense when in fact it not. Its not ideal for the average person to train either. How many 60 year olds will ever try MMA?? How many prarents want their children to try MMA?? BUT more and more kids now want to do it. I was told not to long ago by 12 years that KArate is not good and that he wants to do MMA instead!!! WHO told him that? He obviously has no clue what he is saying...All the meanwhile, BJJ is florishing because of this IDEA that it is the most effective art around. YO ucannot go without it. I used to get flyers in the mail from Gracie Jiujitsu Ads, claiming that All otehr martial arts are useless against BJJ!!!

So where did this Idea of KArate not being a good art come from, Wehre did it start getting spread from? Ill let you think about that one.



Fact: Karate-do in america is slowly dying because of MMA and BJJ. FAIR? you be the Judge.



In Google, Ther is an ad that says: Looking for KARATE? TRY BJJ instead!! This comes up when you type in Karate for kid in MY AREA!!

My being about integrity would never say LOKING FOR BJJ, KARATE IS BETTER, Come try it!



Like the photo above decsribes, in principle, the one who kisses more butt gets the title shot, not the ones who deserve it.



This is the main message the UFC is demonstrating. That is far from honorable. If the top of the organization is crooked, then what is the bottom gonna be like? Either you are part of the plan or a victim of it. It's abusive to many fighters and at the same time it is attracting trash like people to become fighters. (full body tatoos, body peircings, Mohawks and Testoserone drivin attitude) No one classy hardly ever truely wants to be an mma fighter. Ther are a few like Machida and GSP who really bring pride and character to MMA but the majority are bumbs who have no other way of making anything of themselves. A Perfect example is the Ultimate fighter show. How many people with Koolaid pockets and Champaign dreams get on this show and how many just dont make it? These people are not only ignorant but they too are USED and never to be remembered. I don't see anyhting honorable about MMA.



Why is it that Traditional Karate schools are dying in America? Why are they so scarce? I think its directly because of all the HOOPLA, THE UFC and MMA in general do not promote the principle's and etiquette of REAL Martial arts AND they do not ever say in the media to become a great and balanced fighter. Never do you hear" you should look for a TRaditional Dojo"



What you hear is "SO and SO is working on their Muay thai, Boxing, Wrestling and BJJ." WHat about KARATE? Why is Karate never in that list of Arts to enhance an MMA fighter skill set? . CAll me crazy, But i really think the main factor here is that the UFC was a creation of the Gracie family.



MMA has helped that single family more than any one on the planet. WHY? Because MMA rules are SO CATERED to BJJ it's unbeleivable.

Unlike in "Pride" and "Jungle fight" and a few other promotions where Strikers were the more Dominant, Now UFC allows rules that MAKE it easier to Grapple an opponent.



Traditional Dojos are not suffering because they cannot produce balanced fighters. Beacuse BJJ shool are booming and quite successful only offering the ground game with BJJ. Most Bjj school do not include Stiking in their programs, once they do they claim they are an MMA school.



MY TAKE is the UFC really needs to start promoting or mentioning TRADITIONAL arts like Karate, Hapkido and Aikido as legitimate foundations of good combat skill arts so that we really do see a MIX of Martial arts. Otherwise ALL arts will continue to fade in this mainstream era of whats popular on TV and the internet. We will continue to see a few techniques from BJJ and muay thai and that's pretty much about it.



In fact WHY not ad a traditinal Division. Full GI and BUDO ettiquette. Call it the UFC Traditional TItle. At Least maybe there would be a chance for more Traditionalists to spread their arts instead of fall victim to the popularity contest in the media.



One thing is for certain, If the rules were less catered to BJJ and ground fighting which they REALLY are (cage, Illegal strikes, No Kicking grounded opponent rules) then more Karate-do and Kungfu, Tai Kwondo & Hapkido practitioners would feel it's more inline with their game to participate. No one is promoting Karate in MMA only BJJ. I personally have never heard Dana White Say the word KARATE. Many strikers claim you must learn BJJ, but have you heard of any BJJ practitioner ever promote KARATE a "SISTER ART" to their own roots.



IT's like a CASH COW SYSTEM with every Brazilian coming to America on the UFC BANDWAGON NOW. Yes grappling is needed but MMA is much more than Boxing, Wrestling, Muay thai and BJJ. Apart from Machida, Who is really able to say they promote Karate in MMA? After all the UFC was the Gracie's Idea was it not? IT sure helped kill many dojo's and build up their art at the same time.



This is my note for the day.

The IMPACT of Karate in my life

I wrote this essay for a written segment of one of my Black belt tests many years ago...   _________________________________________________________________________________

The impact of Karate in my life

By: Yousef Claycomb 

1997 - Kanzen Budo Kai (WKBKF - Glendora)

Well, where do I begin?

I've been involved in the martial arts since I was a seven-year-old kid. However, it was not until I was sixteen years of age that I became really serious about training. I always had a fascination for Karate while growing up in a culture that was very different from what I was used.

I needed to have something to belong to. I was always involved in Soccer and Basketball, but those sports never fulfilled the things I needed to make it in a place where I was considered an outsider.

I was targeted and picked on because of it. As I started Karate, I began to enjoy it increasingly. My main concern at first was to learn self-defense to be able to protect myself. As I progressed, I began to learn that there was much more to it than that. The more I trained, the more I felt the effect it had on me. 

I began to learn how to adapt to different surroundings and situations. I began to mature in ways that allowed me to be recognized amongst my peers and elders, not just in the Dojo, but in society as well. To this day I still grow with karate by my side. I believe that Karate is not just a sport or and art, but a way of life also. 

It has no barriers of ethnicity, gender, religion or age and it promotes a positive influence and energy to everyone it embraces. 

 The main aspect Karate has touched in my life is my inner-self. Physically it has kept me growing healthier and stronger. I realized that I was developing my mind, body and spirit all at the same time.

Karate-do has given me not only a guide to a better path in life and a way to develop my character, but, much more. Almost everything that has happened in my life has been directly related to my Karate training somehow. 

Even my current place of employment hired me because of my Karate background. My boss told me I had the discipline, confidence and the structure in a person that he needed for the job. 

Throughout my life, the people I've met, the friends I've made, and the relationships I've kept are mostly because of Karate. 

 Karate has affected me in many more ways than I could have ever imagined, more than any school, university or institute could have ever taught me. It has taught me how to deal with life’s hardships and challenges. It has taught me how to be responsible and it taught me the discipline I needed to succeed. Karate has enlightened my awareness about myself, which has helped me to understand others. 

For the most part, Karate-do has provided me a livelihood of ambition, perseverance, courage and love. It is there for me through thick and thin and will never abandon me. 

Along with my faith in God, Karate has given me hope and a sense of root and belonging. 

This is why I consider Karate my passion in life. I would not be the person I am today without it and all the wonderful people I have met along the way and the CARING and nurturing Sensei's I've had the privilege to learn from. 

My ending quote: We were all born into this life naked and empty. At the end of the road, we will all leave this world with our memories, knowledge and good deeds… I am also proud to say I will leave this world with Karate-Do.

Zumba Classes now being offered at Duarte Shotokan Karate Academy

We are Officially Starting a ZUMBA class in Duarte!! We have a FREE Class @ 830 pm on Sep. 6th and Sep. 14th Duarte Shotokan Karate Jitsu Ryu Academy and Duarte Kickboxing & Yoga Center PLZ Share this with your friends and Invite them down to TRY Joann's class... She is young, Enthusiastic and ready to Rock! I hope I can see you all there! here is Her ZUMBA Profile: http://joannw.zumba.com

Our NEW youtube channel.. Academyofkarate1

This is our new youtube channel... We've uploaded a few new videos and are looking forward to many more tutorials and other related topics. Follow the below LINK to check it out and check back once in a while for updates drills, class footage and other interesting topic related videos Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/user/AcademyofKarate1

Duarte Shotokan Karate Academy | Martial Arts Classes for Kids, Teens & Adults: Contact Us

Duarte Shotokan Karate Academy | Martial Arts Classes for Kids, Teens & Adults: Contact Us: Our Address: Academy of Karate, Duarte, CA, USA 2310 Central Ave. Suite # 1, Duarte, CA 91010 Phone: (626)599-1633 E-mail: info@duarteka...

The Truth about REAL Karate-do and Krotty

Have you come across any so called "Karate" studios in your area that claim they offer Karate-do, but instead they offer something not even remotely close to Japanese or Okinawan Karate-do?

There is nothing wrong if a school claims they teach "martial arts". That is absolutely fine and it does not matter what the style is or where its from, it is a generic term. Call it what you want. A martial art can be anything you want it to be. But labels can be tricky and once you give a martial art a label it might not be the most accurate description and even flat out misleading. Especially when it comes to Karate-do

When you look for a Kungfu school, what kind of martial art do you expect to find? Usually you find a school that is teaching Kungfu of some sort and they have some kind of connection to China or a Chinese history.
The same goes for when you look for a Judo school, you will probably find Judo being taught. Right?

So why is it not that simple when you look for a Karate school?? Why is EVERYTHING called Karate even if it is totally and utterly not?

If something looks like "karate", does it mean that it "IS" Karate?? Isn't there more to Karate than just looks? Do kicks and punches determine something to be Karate?

Its very common that when you look for a Karate school, you end up finding a mix schools that teach many things that are not even remotely close to anything Karate at all.

So, lets set the record strait, if we talk about fruit, You can be guarateed that an apple will be picked from an apple tree, NOT a banana tree. There is no such thing as a "Banapple", at least to my knowledge.

So why it not this way with Karate. Or is it? Do people just not know any better?

FACT#1: KARATE only originates from Okinawa/Japan It did not start in America, Europe or Africa.

FACT #2: Karate Literally means "Empty Hand". It was named that partially due to the Ban on weapons in Okinawa by the Japanese therefor giving the name its meaning.

FACT #3: Karate is internationally recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Karate Federation. The Recognized Styles are: Shotokan, Wado Ryu, Goju Ryu and Shito Ryu. Only those styles are recognised world wide as a Legetimate style of Karate-do and anyhting else is simply independant and/or not considered authentic or credible, especially if the style does not originate from Okinawa or Japan. If they are to be recognized, the independant style must be presented in front of a technical comittee and an entire board in order to begin an authentication process to be regonized and accredited with the WKF.

It is dissapointing that Karate is used so loosely. It should not be used so casually just to attract business for the sake of easy marketing just because "karate" has become a house-hold name. Karate is a very unique art and it is not as watered down or generic as so many people may think it is. In fact the word Traditional has to be used just to determine what is actually authentic because so many NON traditional schools use "karate in their name." It baffles me when I see Korean Karate on a sign, that is just as inaccuarate as seeing a Japanese Wushu or Chinese Aikido.

So what are some good indicators that a school even though they may teach their own form of martial arts, they DO NOT actually teach Karate-do???

Example: Schools that teach Kuk sool, Tang soo do, Tae Kwondo, Hapkido, Kenpo, Kajukenpo, American Karate, Krava Maga, Lima Lama, Kickboxing, MMA or any other style or brand that puts "Karate" in their name to attract the unsuspecting public.

Example #2; Americanized or commercialised schools that claim they teach several styles and then garantee a student they will earn their black belt quicker and in a guaranteed time frame no matter what age they are.

Example #3: Schools that the head instructor claims to be a 9th degree black belt in multiple styles and has coached the national teams of North Korea, South Korea, China, USA and the planet Jupiter as well as the police and armed forces for all those places, yet they are barely 35 - 40 years of age and they barely spreak english well enough to communicate but know just enough to tell you their prices.

Example #4: Schools that have multiple instructors and staff that are gold medalists, national champions and world champions and claim that half their student base is filled with champions too! But none of them actually competed anywhere internationally.

Example #5: The school allows the title of Sensei to anyone under the age of 16 OR even worse, they have 12 year olds who are 3rd degree black belts or higher teaching full time. Another perfect example is schools that have 21 - 25 year old masters that are 6th - 7th degree black belts and have done martial arts for only 10 - 12 years total.

Eample #6: Schools that don't teach KATA and declare that "that" type of training is useless but swear they earned their black belt ranking from Japan/Okinawa or China or from some famous person.

Example #7: When a school can describe their entire style and history in less than 3 sentences and the style of martial art does not even have a name. And when you ask the sensei why doesn't their style have a name?, they tell you "We are not limited to a single style or name" and "that history of the art is not important, What is important is what we teach you now."

Example #8: If the Dojo teaches gymnastics and acrobatics as part of the KATA's. This applies to schools that claim they teach Okinawan Kobudo, Yet they add spin kicks, jumps and flips in the weapons KATA's they teach as well.

Example #9: I am personally okay with wearing black or blue uniforms since it is quite common in traditional Judo and Okinawan Karate. But it is a big indication that the school is NOT a true Karate Dojo when they make you wear a different uniform each day of the week and you have to put on ten different patches, One for each style or form you learn. And all the patches go down the pant legs and sleeves.
I walked in to a dojo one day in the fall of 1994 and I was puzzled when I noticed a student had a Shotokan patch at the bottom of their pant leg by the ankle. So, I asked if they actually did Shotokan? They said YES! "It is one of our POWER STYLES!" I did not know what that meant, but I walked out shortly after noticing many other indicators they were on another planet.

Example #10: If the School that claims to offer Karate cannot trace their Lineage or credibility back to a known founder of any traditonal karate style, then they are not a true Karate School.
Examples are: Shotokan "Gichin Funakoshi", Shito Ryu "Kenwa Mabuni", Shorin Ryu "Shoshin Nagamine" Wado Ryu "Hironori Ohtsuka", Goju Ryu "Miyagi Chojun", Kyukoshin "Mas Oyama".

Example #11: Another indicator the school is not a credible Karate-do school is if the school's style is only found within the four walls of the school itself and the founder of their style is the instructor himself.

There are quite a few studios that make these claims and commit highway robbery by charging a lot more for their tuition than most honest traditional dojos would ever dream of doing. They look at students as merely walking currency. Real dojos actually CARE about their students and take pride in the quality of their services and legitimacy of their art and that their students will be able to carry on their journey even when they do not continue to train in the same dojo.

So lets come together for the sake of informing the public about TRUE, AUTHENTIC and REAL KARATEDO.
What it is, where it came from, its historical development, Why Karate is CALLED "KARATE" and so on....

Here is a List of schools that ARE True Karate-do dojos in Southern California:

- Academy of Karate, West Hills - Alireza "Bruce"Hojati
- Academy of Karate, Duarte - Joseph Claycomb
- Academy for Martial Arts, Fontana - David Blair
- All Japan Karate-do, Sand Diego - Paul Dal
- Seiden Kai Karate, Indio - Jesse Canedo
- USA Martial arts Center, Beverly HIlls - Morteza Alborzi
- School of Hope, Glendora - Anthony Maquez
- IKA Karate Gosoku Ryu, Glendale
- UMAC, Rancho Cucomonga - Rick Duffy
- West Coast Shotokan, Temple City
- Upland Shotokan Karate League - Tai Aponte
- Camarillo Shotokan - Victor Young
- Busonjuku USA - Florence Bigsby

If your dojo is not on the list above and you are in Southern California, please notify me so I can put you on the list. I do not mean to offend anyone if your name is not on the list yet.

There are many schools all over that DO NOT OFFER Karate-do but use the word "Karate" as "part of" their name or in conjunction with thier school, or use Karate on their signage or website to attract customers. The Fact is they have no connection or understanding of the technical intricacies of KA-RAH-TEH-DOH nor are they completly familiar with the history of how Karate came about and probably possess a very limited understanding of the technical premise that Karate posessses.

Another Sad bit of information is that on Google when searching for Karate in the search bar, 10 Locations popped up, I did not find any True Karatedo Schools other than the other Shotokan school in another city. When I searched for Shotokan, I was one of 2 in my area in the same radius. To find more Shotokan Dojos you have to drive A LOT further to even find them.

We can only hope that more honest and authentic Dojos start popping up and begin marketing themselves to the public. Between the misguided opinion of what Karate really is and the bad Media hype with all things MMA I am reaching out to all those I know who are on the same path as I am, a Path of someone who just loves his art and hopes to spread more truth about what IS Karate-do and what is NOT in hopes of making a difference and continue to spread the truth about Karate before it is lost forever due to false media and the lack of true understanding and naivety of modern society.

OSS

Disclaimer: This post is in no way meant to offend anyone but only to educate those who are curious and open minded about the Art of Karate-do and in the effort of trying to distinguish from "Martial Arts and Karate as a Unique and Distinct form, that should not be used commonly.