Should Noobs go to seminars?

**hadoken** · Posted On: 7/19/2011 12:27pm

Do it, I learned some cool armbar variations, and turtle attacks from seminars, although early on in my martial arts training my first seminar, kind went over my head till months later when the techniques started to come back to me.

Experience as much as you can.

**LarsCG** · Posted On: 7/19/2011 3:43pm

Orange belt in Judo (4th kyu?) and I go to any seminar I can get to. I find that there's plenty of people with less-than-or-equal experience to mine. If you're fairly matter-of-fact and serious about your training then you'll find yourself quite welcome and at ease at most seminars.

If they have a rank requirement, they'll inform you about it. I won't go to Judo kata sessions - I'm not looking for a dan grade yet and they sure as heck don't need my crappy kata guruma =)

Regards,
Lars

**kracker** · Posted On: 7/21/2011 7:56pm

Personally, I don't really see the point of seminars unless you're at or near the level of expertise of the regular class instructor. I went to a seminar when I was a noob and found it to be a waste of money, but again that's just me. In my case, the seminar consisted of 2 things: a) some of the same basic tech we drill every day in class and b) really advanced stuff that was cool but unapplicable to my weak 6-month-in game.

**daishi** · Posted On: 7/24/2011 6:05pm

I would go for it. Its my opinion that if you have a solid foundation in one martial art its no big deal to branch out to other seminars. Unless there's some rule stating a rank requirement I would attend.

I haven't seen the 'no videotaping' rule in quite awhile, interesting to hear of it again.

**Boneless** · Posted On: 7/24/2011 7:08pm

seminars are a place of learning in the first place.

i think you are not the only one there who is new and if so you will be well recieved

**daishi** · Posted On: 7/25/2011 10:57am

A lot of noobs are nervous about going to the seminars; paying the money, traveling, being away from family, etc. Don't be. Having a good turnout helps represent your school well, plus I've found seminars act as a way to "recharge" one's interest in training. You train with new people, and often some techqniues work better than on the people you normally train with, making you feel good, and other techniques work less well, making you want to try harder at it.