Total newbie would like to try some Karate. Advice?

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Nightfall, Aug 23, 2012.

  1. Nightfall

    Nightfall New Member

    I'm quite sure I had eaten something - not much, cause the course was in late afternoon (and I did not want to risk eating too much before training).

    I suppose I will have to find the correct balance of sugar intake.
     
  2. Mike Flanagan

    Mike Flanagan Valued Member

    Check out these guys in Milan:

    http://www.bushido-academy.com/


    I was there training with them for a few days a couple of years ago. In my opinion you would be very hard pushed indeed to find a better traditional karate dojo.

    Mike
     
  3. Nightfall

    Nightfall New Member

    This one would be very convenient - If things go as I hope, this dojo would be very close to where I'm supposed to get my job.
    I see that they offer various disciplines as well - I'm quite interested in Kenjutsu in addition to Karate.

    I will definitely check this out, thanks a lot for the tip!
     
  4. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    eh....i just didnt. I was very fine. :) and am. :)

    except for the arthritis attack the summer.
     
  5. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Nightfall, i started Karate age 40 and like you, was not very fit.
    JWT's advice is good, i had a full medical this year before my 1st dan grading and it really put my mind at rest so i could concentrate on the stuff i needed to be worrying about. Go to a club and try it out, remember that a warm up should be just that, not a work out. I'm at the class to learn Karate, if i need to be fitter i'll do it outside the class.
    If you're into Japanesey things thats good (i'm thinking of going to Japanese classes myself this year) but a lot of people aren't, even Karate teachers and students!
    Go, enjoy, hit people and get hit, discover what it's like to inhabit your body!
     
  6. Nightfall

    Nightfall New Member

    Hello guys,

    I apologize for necro-ing this thread, but wanted to let you know that I started Shorinryu Karate and Enshinryu Kenjutsu, at the dojo that Mike Flanagan suggested.

    I must say that his suggestion was spot-on.
    I found a very warm environment, and while the place is relatively small (considering the amount of people usually present) I'm almost finding myself already at home.

    Now, however, my old enemy reappears: during Karate, it seems I am unable to keep up the pace; my vision goes wonky, my arms and legs become weak and nausea kicks in.
    I had to stop mid-lesson two times already because apparently I just ran out of energy and was literally about to collapse on the floor.

    I had to wait a good 30 minutes before being able to even stand up without seeing stars.

    I have no idea why this happens - I know I'm not used to this kind of activity, but I find it odd (and so does my sensei) that this is what happens after even a "normal" workout that shouldn't stress the body THAT much.

    He suggested it might be Labyrinthitis - but I hope he's wrong.

    Anyone witnessed something similar in the past and have any advice (other than perform a medical check-up, which I already have planned by the way)?
     
  7. gapjumper

    gapjumper Intentionally left blank

    Are you remembering to breathe? You may be holding your breath.
     
  8. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Go see your GP.

    Mitch
     
  9. Nightfall

    Nightfall New Member

    Interesting question - now that you mention it, I BELIEVE I sometimes forget to breath when I'm trying hard to perform the correct movements - and at the same time I have the tendency to keep arms and shoulders incredibly stiff (which is another bad thing do to).

    Not sure if this can be the whole cause tho.

    Mitch, yes I will check with my GP as soon as he's back from his holidays.

    I'm just hoping, whatever my issue is, that it won't stop me from getting better at the discipline itself. That would be a REAL letdown.
     
  10. JonWal

    JonWal Valued Member

    I started Karate 4 months ago at 29 years of age, my state of fitness was poor at best.

    My first session had me out of breath and feeling dizzy, wishing the clock to move faster, I remember thinking to myself that I was not going to return after that first session. I rememeber how dificult it was to move due to the aches the following few days.

    However I did return, and there was improvement even from the second session, I guess a lot of my issues were due to the unknown, physically and mentally. My fitness level has improved greatly over the last few months.

    On Friday, I did my first Kumite class, sparring, fitness drills etc and I was back to the start again, but I'm determined not to be put off.
     
  11. Nightfall

    Nightfall New Member

    Thanks for your reply - I understand perfectly as this is pretty much what happened to me as well.

    I am currently following Shorinryu Karate course two times a week, and Kenjutsu two times a week as well.

    At the start I was dragging myself on the floor, but lately I'm getting used to it and my body is not hurting THAT much anymore.

    Already thinking about the yellow belt... :p
     
  12. Bozza Bostik

    Bozza Bostik Antichrist on Button Moon

    Bit late for this I guess...but my mate started karate (Wado-Ryu) a few months ago, he's 43 or so. Always been a drinker, never done anything in his life sport related. He's really addicted, loves the stuff :) He has his yellow belt test this week.
     
  13. Sketco

    Sketco Banned Banned

    For those of us with addictive personalities I think martial arts is really good. It gives us a positive addiction and for those who have a negative addiction it can sometimes supplant it with the positive one.
     
  14. fatcat

    fatcat Valued Member

    For what it's worth I have a similar story.
    I started TaeKwonDo about two years ago at the age of 43. Really because of my kids. Looked like fun and it has been. The kicking is difficult for me - I don't have alot of flexibility but I am working on it. There are lots of aches and pains but a real feeling of accomplishment.
    Stick with it. Don't worry about what the young ones are doing. Work out your own pace and listen to your body.

    Good luck.
     
  15. Bozza Bostik

    Bozza Bostik Antichrist on Button Moon

    Very true, never thought about that...and let's just say, he has an addictive personality!! ;) Mind you he has quit smoking, which I think was a result of his total fear of collapsing on the mat in front of people half his age while stretching!

    Edit: I think the coordination thing has been a big thing for my friend. He likes the stretching, but coordination was tough. He's never had to think about it. The kata has helped him though, although he still finds left and right a bit of a challenge!
     
  16. Grass hopper

    Grass hopper Valued Member

    Shorin ryu karate is fantastic, I personally practice shorin ryu shidokan. And don't worry for a second about your fitness level at the start. When I started karate, not only was I overweight (not obese, but out of shape) but I was very severely asthmatic. Karate has cured me of both! If you would like some style related tips you can pm me if you want. I always open :)
     
  17. shinpatan

    shinpatan New Member

    Go for it! I was quite intimidated when my role changed from a karate student's parent, to myself also being the karate student. I was a 30-ish female, and I think being female made me feel a bit uncomfortable at first. BUT, you never know unless you get out there and try.

    Karate students come in all sizes and shapes.
     
  18. Napitenkah

    Napitenkah Valued Member

    I'm new here, but there is one thing that may help.

    I am going to be 46 next Monday, and although I have done martial arts on and off most of my life, I really became committed about 4 years ago.

    One thing that may prevent some hurt or injury that would cause you to possibly get sidelined just after you start, is find some kind of stretching routine, before you even start the classes.

    Like I started Taekwondo again, 4 years ago, and at that school, they didn't focus on stretching that much.
    I was running around the Dojang with a black belt student, the second day, and he was doing some kind of cross leg run, so I tried it, and pulled my soleus muscles on my right leg.

    The Qwangjangnim didn't pay it any mind, though I was obviously hurt, and the next we tried a tornado kick and it really got pulled.

    Then he said to not kick anymore. But I couldn't even take class for another two weeks, and could barely walk for atleast a few days.

    After that I paid more mind to stretching on my own, as well as in class, and later when I went into Kung Fu, they were really good about stretching.

    Where the Taekwondo was 5 minutes at most, the Kung Fu was a half hour.
     
  19. Nightfall

    Nightfall New Member

    And here I am after some months - I hope no one gets offended by this thread necro'ing :p

    Anyway, I'm still practicing and I don't think I will stop anytime soon.

    The dojo I found is awesome, and I'm loving the Matsumura Seito style a lot. Very practical, direct and rather brutal :p

    Still yellow belt for now, but I'm seeing improvements in both my technique and physical condition (but I still have to seriously work on my coordination and balance...)

    At least I'm no longer collapsing on the floor after just the warm-ups.

    I'm getting really into it - while I won't be able to crush rocks with my hands as the senpai do, I am confident I will gradually become better.

    Thank you guys for your advices (and do try Matsumura Seito if you have the chance:p)
     
  20. Kuniku

    Kuniku The Hairy Jujutsuka

    I'm glad its going well for your Nightfall.

    2 things I find help a lot with the physical condition (especially the dizziness and feeling sick you described earlier) are to make sure you eat a half decent meal about 2 hours before you train, this will make sure you've got enough calories (energy) to keep you going, but at the same time give you enough time for the food to settle, so that the warm up doesn't inspire your stomach to let you experience the food in your mouth a second time. Likewise with liquids, keep hydrated throughout the day, but about an hour before the training drink a good 1-2 pints of water/squash and that will help you hydration levels during training.

    Secondly - the warm up is just that, many places I've trained at do really intense warm ups, and possibly for the instructors and higher grades they can handle those warm ups, and they are just a warm up to them, but newer people can struggle with them, and the instructor sometimes doesn't make it clear that you should stop once you're warm. SO you carry on trying to keep up with everyone else and push yourself too far before you've even started training. A lot of people treat the warm up as a competition, trying to keep up with everyone else or trying to do it faster than everyone else etc, do it at your own pace and once you're warmed up stop or slow down the pace until everyone else has finished =)
     

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