How afraid should I be...

TwiceStacked · 12-03-2007, 02:33 PM

...of walking into a dojo?

I just read those white belt stories that are stickied and... I'm kind of concerned that a sack of lard couch potato like myself is going to wither and die and come crawling out only half-alive, if at all.

Seriously speaking, is there some sort of pre-white belt training I should do so I don't get my buns whooped. Those stories gave me chills.

seienchin · 12-03-2007, 02:38 PM

Just do it! I was terrified when I walked into a dojo. I had read somewhere that I was not allowed to decline kumite if I was asked to do so by a higher belt, and I had visions of being pounced on by every one in the dojo and being used as a human punching bag....it just didn't happen.

The most important thing is to take your time to choose a dojo wisely. A good dojo will respect the fact that you have made a momentous decision to change your life (from couch potato to karateka), and will support and nurture you through that transformation. If they don't, they don't deserve you.

We here are all ordinary people, who one day, one step at a time, commenced an extraordinary journey. There is no reason that you can't do it to. Just keep remembering that. EVERYONE even Sosai, started out as an "ignorant" whitebelt. We all have that in common. And we all continue to journey in different ways.

Safe Travelling on yours!

guty · 12-03-2007, 02:41 PM

just go,enjoy,have fun,lern,know something new,concentrate,dream,jump,run,....JUST GO TO TRAINING... youll lovit

Azimuth · 12-03-2007, 03:31 PM

Every day you don't go is a lost day .
Just go 4 it . And tell us how it went :P

andy83 · 12-03-2007, 03:42 PM

Nobody born learned.
Each day passed in a dojo, even only looking the others, is never fritters away.

**tmd** · 12-03-2007, 03:47 PM

As the man from Nike says 'JUST DO IT!' I'ts just like everything else not experienced; strange at first - expect nothing, try as hard as you feel able - no one should push you (at first) and you'll learn something new, hell you may even like it!!

Martin H · 12-03-2007, 03:56 PM

People train to learn and to get in shape. As long as you are prepared to do your very best and improve, you will do fine.
Noone expects the beginners to be at the same level condition or toughness wise, as the people with more experience and training. Gaining that is what the training is for.

Having said that. If you cannot start in a dojo immediately, it is a good idea to do some running, pushups and situps until you can start. But if you can start in a dojo immediately, that is better than any "pre-training" you can do on your own.

vapor · 12-03-2007, 04:00 PM

Most everyone went through some level of degree of doubt and anxiousness the moment before opening the door the first time. I know I did.

vapor

**hasbeen** · 12-03-2007, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seienchin

Just do it! I was terrified when I walked into a dojo. I had read somewhere that I was not allowed to decline kumite if I was asked to do so by a higher belt, and I had visions of being pounced on by every one in the dojo and being used as a human punching bag....it just didn't happen.

The most important thing is to take your time to choose a dojo wisely. A good dojo will respect the fact that you have made a momentous decision to change your life (from couch potato to karateka), and will support and nurture you through that transformation. If they don't, they don't deserve you.

We here are all ordinary people, who one day, one step at a time, commenced an extraordinary journey. There is no reason that you can't do it to. Just keep remembering that. EVERYONE even Sosai, started out as an "ignorant" whitebelt. We all have that in common. And we all continue to journey in different ways.

Safe Travelling on yours!

wise words for you twicestacked...how did you come by your name?

madflojo · 12-04-2007, 12:55 AM

Before I started up I went through the same thing. And tried to do some pre-dojo training. Honestly it would have been better just to go because I wasn't doing anything close to what was in store for me when i first started.

When the water is slightly chilly just jump in and wait a few minutes it will warm up.

Kris · 12-04-2007, 03:39 AM

Thanks for sharing your anxiety.

I think there is no need to be afraid. A good dojo should not take advantage of a beginner or give him a hard time.

What happens to me in sparring is that I sometimes get worked up by my previous partner and after we shift I go at the next partner with the same energy. If that partner is a beginner or smaller than me it can be hard on them. This is when the instructor tells us to remember to use LIGHT contact in sparring. When shifting partners it is important to make sure I start over, and always begin the sparring very light.

For pre dojo training I recommend running or just WALKING. If you are a little over weight or have not done any serious training for a long time running can be hard to start. The knees can for example get hurt if a heavy person starts training running to suddenly.

I do not know your current lifestyle, but make sure you walk everyday and you will be OK for dojo training. Just a nice slow paced walk. Start with 1 km if you are in bad shape, then try walks 2-3 km. Do this for a week and it should be safe to start running without getting hurt.

**smoothsake** · 12-04-2007, 06:23 AM

Yeah you have nothing to worry about. Any respectable dojo will not hurt you before you even know what's going on. Trust me though, if it is true Kyokushin you will be learning, you will appreciate pain (and look forward to it) in no time.

I would take Kris' advice and run/walk but also start stretching now. If you are not very flexible it will be very hard for you to copy the moves even initially.

**Brad** · 12-04-2007, 06:35 AM

My answer is just dont be afraid.

madflojo · 12-04-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris

What happens to me in sparring is that I sometimes get worked up by my previous partner and after we shift I go at the next partner with the same energy. If that partner is a beginner or smaller than me it can be hard on them. This is when the instructor tells us to remember to use LIGHT contact in sparring. When shifting partners it is important to make sure I start over, and always begin the sparring very light.

To be honest what Kris is saying doesn't apply to everyone either. One thing my Sensei makes sure he tells us when we are sparring lower rank students to fight them at their level. Otherwise whats the point for them to continue.

And you don't always jump right into sparring I think generally they ease you into sparring and make sure you are ready.

**Deaken** · 12-04-2007, 06:53 PM

Most schools will give you some private lesson time during your first few classes to help you get up to speed. Also, any good dojo won't just let newbies walk in and spar. You need to learn some basic skills first.

I know for ourselves, we stress technique and skill before force, so I usually make any new student wait 3-4 weeks before sparring and then only with very light/limited contact becase I want them to learn controle and work on their technical abilities before I want them to worry about hitting hard. Once they have the basics down and can control then they can start increasing the contact level.

Go try a class for free somehwere and see how the dojo is, but just go for it, best way to start is to jump right in....

**smoothsake** · 12-05-2007, 09:19 AM

Yeah definitely no sparring for at least a month or so.

Sensei always tells us that kihon is like learning your A, B, C's... ido geiko is like spelling everything in caps... kumite is like writing in flowing shorthand. Until you get the basics and moving basics down, there is no point in putting you in a combat situation.

Bottom line: don't worry, just do it.

Spirit · 12-05-2007, 12:48 PM

Well lets say this then...
stay home eat more crap and live afraid of doing anything new.....
Is that what you wish for?????

If you are OK with living this way then do nothing, if you are sick of living this way then do something about it!!!!!!

If you need to do something before going to the dojo then get up and go to you cabinets and throw away all the junk food (sugars, candy, snacks, cokes, chips, etc) and take a walk. Walk everyday until you can walk for 1 hour straight at a good clip.
Then at that point you will feel good, your legs will be stronger, your round bell may have a bit less to it and your mind will have positive though in it.
Take that thought to the dojo and join and let what happens, happen and go from their.

good skill and enjoy the ride.

StarKodama · 12-07-2007, 06:25 AM

To echo everybody else, just go! It took me a full year in Japan before I finally got up the courage to walk into the dojo for the first time. I always wish I had done it sooner.

SplendidMonkey · 12-07-2007, 07:09 AM

Wouldn't worry about it. Your sparring partners should practice some restraint when sparring you, full-contact or not. Just let people know when they're going beyond what you feel you can take and they should comply. The teacher should be keeping an eye on you as well so if he should make sure you don't end up against the hard-core fanatics.

Then again, Kyokushinkai IS a full-contact style that focusses a lot on conditioning and where sparring is generally pretty rough. If this is what go for it but if not you might want to check out other martial arts that better fit your needs. Good luck anyway!

helenosch · 12-07-2007, 09:06 PM

Like the other's said: just go. You won't regret it.
Take that advice from a couchpotato who's goal was one of the lowest phys-ed grade at graduation, now I'm training four times a week plus all the supplement training that comes with kyokushin like running and weightlifiting...
Believe me, if someone told me four years ago, I'd thought he was insane, now, I'm quite happy with the decision of stepping in the dojo and don't regret it one bit. Just actually being able to catch the bus or outclimb my boyfriend coz of me having more strenght in the arms is a grand experience....
If you step into a dojo for the first time, everyone knows you're a beginner and you'll be treated softly first, but not so soft that you won't experience the mother of all muscle-sorness the next morning!
Also don't worry about sparring at the moment, fitness and kihon will occupy enough

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