SHOTOKAN

[Reece Davo]

I've been doing shotokan for quite some time now, along with MMA but I was just wondering if it is a waste of time. At first it seemed good but it doesn't really seem to teach anything that would be useful in a fight. I am a brown double snake belt (1 from black 1st dan) and don't know whether to continute, or just to go on with MMA and hammer it with all my spare time left over from shotkan, thanks.
-------Reece-------

[cyrijl]

WTF is a brown double snake? Is that a sex toy?

[Reece Davo]

Hmm, your quite a comedian.

[cyrijl]

Well you didn't say what it is. Why is it snake?

[Reece Davo]

Not a clue lol it's just a brown belt with 2 white stripes on it, called brown double snake, lol.

[Feryk]

Straight answer to what seems to be a silly question required:

If you are planning to compete MMA, why wouldn't you devote full time to it? Shotokan's skill set CAN be transferred to some extent, but why would you bother?

If you'd rather practice the 'Art of Shotokan', then do that full time and leave MMA. But realize that Shotokan isn't a well rounded art, and you won't be developing ground fighting, clinch work or grappling skills.

Just my 2 cents.

[Reece Davo]

Thanks alot =]] helped alot in my decision.

[maofas]

Shotokan was very good to me, but, like anything else, it depends on your particular teacher/school. There's a difference between being dissatisfied with the quality/intensity of your school and having doubts about the art you are studying.

If it's the former, just leave, there's no sense in having a confrontation. It's a business relationship, and if the training is too soft, then just don't go back.

If it's the latter, and you've been there long enough to reach 1st kyu (it took me 6 years to reach that point), you ought to have enough of a relationship with your instructor to discuss your doubts with him. Maybe you'll get a good answer, maybe you won't.

As far as Shotokan in-and-of itself goes, there's nothing innately bad about it. There are no flashy moves, it teaches you how to be very evasive, and develops very good body mechanics that let you generate a lot of power for your size when you hit. Not getting hit and hitting hard are pretty good for fighting I hear. It's true, Shotokan will give you no ground game, but neither does Muay Thai; would you blame a baseball camp for not teaching you basketball skills? Few people that do mma only study one style.

My only real concern (besides the possibility of your particular school sucking) is that a karate instructor may not have the perspective to give you good advice for the cage specifically even if he's a good fighter in general. MMA is a sport (I don't mean that in a bad way), and all sports have nuances that only people who are familiar with them would know/understand. I know how to punch and kick just fine, but I wouldn't try to coach an Olympic TKD team.

[Reece Davo]

Thanks alot Maofas.

Thanks alot Maofas, I have read the post and I think it is my school that isn't too good, I mean, I get taught all the techniques and everything but, there is no actual fighting to test them out, also took me 6 years to get to 1st Kyu :) Thanks alot man =].

[hoodedmonk]

If I was a two stripe brown belt, I would at least stick it out until black. Just my two cents, take it for what it's worth.

[Reece Davo]

True, Thanks hoodedmonk =] much appreciated everyone !

[maofas]

Yeah, no fighting is definitely bad. I'd ditch them.

It makes me sad to hear people having bad experiences with Shotokan. Good luck to you though!

[Reece Davo]

If I was a two stripe brown belt, I would at least stick it out until black. Just my two cents, take it for what it's worth.

Thanks alot =D

[Reece Davo]

Yeah, no fighting is definitely bad. I'd ditch them.

It makes me sad to hear people having bad experiences with Shotokan. Good luck to you though!

Thanks, much appreciated :D:D:D:D:D

[Reece Davo]

RIGHT PEOPLE I'M GOING OFFLINE NOW, SO IF I DON'T REPLY, DON'T THINK THAT I AM BEING IGNORANT =] THANKS FOR EVERYONES HELP !!!!!!!