Karate help?

Question

I'm not that great uder pressure, and in group class karate i practically fry when trying to do those complex techniques and end up getting yelled at for screwing up. Its like no matter how hard I pay attention I just cant get the movese through my head. Like when I try to do it, especially in front of the teacher, I'm just like "Ummm... What do I do first??" Any suggestions for things i can do to help myslef?

Answer 1

Stop whining and be a man. Seriously, ask your sensei to slap some courage into you.

Answer 2

I've been doing karate for 14 years. My style of karate is simple and straight forward, so we never have this problem. Also, our sensei don't "yell" at students. If it takes you a whole class, or 10 whole classes to learn a technique, we take the time necessary and learn it. There's no benefit to pressure. A lot of mistakes are because of the pressure of feeling you're not learning how fast everyone else is. But, the fact is Karate is not a "compared with everyone else" sport, but an "individual journey" Do. Karate-Do... The "Do" means "way," which speaks of an individual's journey.
I guess this is why I teach such small classes. You can't focus on the individual enough with 10 people in the class. You can with 5.

Answer 3

It sounds like the problem is partly your instructor and partly you. Teaching is something that not all black belts or instructors are good at and while you don't say what rank you are or your age it sounds like your instructor needs a little help although I doubt he will ever get it or change his teaching methods and become a better teacher. His frustration level seems to be carrying over to his teaching level and that usually does not work well for students like yourself and they oftentimes struggle or flounder even more then. In short-your instructor's teaching approach sounds like it is a little lacking.

What you can do for yourself is relax a little and try not to be so nervous. Secondly practice some of the techniques at home or just before going to class and also review them in your mind and picture doing them first by yourself and then in front of or for your instructor . Get to class a little early and ask what you are working on that evening and review it a little before your class actually starts if you have time. Ask for a little help from one of the other students after the class for a few minutes and have them watch you do what you had trouble with. If you can do it fairly well for them but could not in class for your instructor I would talk with the instructor and tell him he makes you nervous and maybe he will back off a little; especially if he sees you can do it later on your own. That also will tell you your problem is more of a mental one and you need to relax mentally while still trying to do things physically and keep your concentration up at the same time.

If you can't do the techniques very well then perhaps you have a problem with how you learn and his teaching approach may not be suited for you very well. Some students have learning and attention problems and perhaps you have a slight one and don't know it. It is good that you that recognize that something is wrong. Some younger students think that if it looks like what the instructor showed them it was and they did it just as good. Quality and discerning it is a lesson all in itself that kids have to learn so you are ahead in that. Try the above things and see if they help you some. Keep working and keep kicking and if all else fails you may want to consider going to a better school that has an instructor that will conduct himself in a professional way and help you to learn and develop your skills.

Answer 4

the answer to your question is practise... you need to practise at least 5 minutes every day, until the movements become instinctual... you need to be able to operate under pressure, think about how you would react if confronted by a real life aggressor?! That is why you are put under pressure in class situations, to imitate the stress you would be under in a real fight. (this reaction to stress can be termed body alarm reaction and is necessary to train in order to become a successful martial artist)
In saying that, It doesn't sound like you have found a very good school to train with if you get yelled at! I practise Karate, a traditional Okinawan style called Bushin Ryu. There are many styles that have been based on Japanese Karate, which the Japanese learned from the Okinawan's. But the Okinawan's did not teach everything to the Japanese and the art has become misinterpretted over time. for example movements such as Gedan Barai being considered a deliberate block when it is actually much more than that...
anyway... practise practise practise... it is the key!

Answer 5

Hey there, well I'm in karate too...and I know what you mean those techniques can get really complicated especially with all of that pressure. I suggest maybe either talking to the teacher and/or writing down the routines after you've learned them at the end of class then practicing them on your own. I find that if i know what i'm doing the confidence automatically shows itself. It may take a little while to get used to, but you can do it!

Answer 6

Go find a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school and in about 6 months to a year you could handle anyone in the school. Don't train anywhere where they are yelling at you. All of those Karate moves are worthless for the most part. All of those very deliberate blocking moves are crazy.

I am not a hater I just hate for you to waste time and money on Karate.

Answer 7

I don't think they should yell at you for "screwing it up". May be you should reconsider the school. If you like the school, then you have to start taking it more seriously, but don't think of it like note grammar in music. First you move thins then this, in response to this you do this....etc. Think of how would you respond to different attacks NATURALLY. And the techniques will come to you soon or later. Just make sure that when you think or feel for your responses, you try to stay withink the framework of yourschool, otherwise you might get too good for them:) yA HA HA.

Answer 8

Being shouted at is not helpful as it increases the stress.Is this the right Dojo for you?What may be helpful is to try to practice the moves daily at home just for a short time.what has been shown to be helpful is to visualize performing the moves in your mind .In this way you are actually learning and embedding the moves.this will make the actual performing easier because you have practiced it many times already.

Answer 9

It sounds like you could benefit from 2 changes: 1 - find a more mature instructor, and 2 - consider private lessons. No instructor worthy of the title would berate, belittle or yell at a student.

Answer 10

Take it 10 times slower than anyone there, make sure you do the technique perfect and speed will come with it