FAQ

Will my child learn discipline?

Absolutely.  We have certain rules to be followed upon entering the class, during warm-ups, during class, bowing to partners, etc. that are to be followed by all. We find that after the child has achieved a little in the class, they get more interested. We foster this accomplishment and can increase disciplinary requirements as the child feels more confident.

My child is shy. How will karate affect his/her confidence level?

We encourage shy kids to join. Karate tends to benefit kids with low self-confidence much more than kids that are confident. It has also been our experience that some of our shy kids turn out to be the best martial artists. We want to build self confidence in our kids as a result of their own achievement. Many of our kids come in with little or no self confidence, but by the time they test through several belts, their confidence level has doubled, which positively affects their interactions at home and school.   

How long does it take to get a black belt?

Different martial arts have different requirements; therefore they require different times to earn the black belt. Generally speaking, arts that incorporate throws and joint locks take appreciably more time to master. In Seidokan, both kids and adults learn traditional kicking, punching, blocking, etc. while learning basic rolls and proper falling techniques necessary to take the falls required for the joint locks and throws.  No throws can be taken until the associated fall is mastered. The combination of all these things is very similar to learning both karate and jujitsu. Because of this, our brown and black belts can walk into any karate class or jujitsu class and immediately train with upper-level belt ranks. Children take anywhere from 6 yrs/7yrs for the younger kids to 5 yrs for older kids. Adults can range from 4 yrs to 6yrs to earn Shodan. This is based on attending karate class two nights per week.

What is the big difference between sport and self-defense training?

Most martial arts today in the U.S. practice specifically to compete in sport competitions. This is a very exciting sport and there are a ton of great schools out there that vary in their training. However, The School of Traditional Okinawan Karate-jutsu teaches techniques that were designed for self-defense and the defense of one’s family. The goal in sport fighting is different, and so is the training. In self-defense, no one wants to fight.  You could be attacked at any time. Self defense training trains what-if conditions that may happen in real life, which may involve multiple attackers. In self-defense, your attacker will probably be larger than you. In sport, your opponent is aware you are trained. In self-defense, the element of surprise can be very important. Self-defense training is, and should be, completely different from tournament training.

Where do many of the techniques come from?

Most lessons are derived from techniques from the traditional katas learned.

What weapons are used in class?

The weapons used are the tonfa, bo (6 ft staff), sai, kama and katana. The art of weapons is called kobudo.

What is the name of the sword art studied here?

Iai-jutsu. It is the Japanese art of drawing the sword. In other words, it is a “quick draw” sword art.

When can I start training with weapons?

For children, after the green belt is earned, provided room in the weapon’s class, the student will be invited. For adults, it is at the discretion of the instructor; however, the rank is generally 4^th kyu. 

WYLIEKARATE.COM