how can i learn self defense/fighting skills without having to go to a class where everyone is way above me?

Question

i tried going to a karate school, and everybody has experience and i have none. its really frustrating. and yesterday the class i went to, they had a lot of black belts in there and stuff. you see all the adults are in one class. and i'm all like , well ****, i cant do this stuff. and the instructor realized this, and hes like, well try this then. and i find it annoying that everyone else is doing somethign advanced and i'm doing somehting simple, which to be hoenst, i had some hard time doing. what is the way to get a class thats more tailored to a beginner? or ought i to consider private lessons? how much ought they to cost?

i dont have any friends that would be interested.

what books?

Answer 1

Actually, if you look at it another way, it is a good thing for you that there are more higher level students in your class than lower levels, one of the quickest way to learn and improve your skills is to train with better skilled students as they tend to pull you up to their level standards as opposed to practicing with students who don't have a clue what they're doin and thereby stunting your growth. Everyone experiences the confusion and difficulties of being a beginner no matter what style or art they study, your frustration has more to do with ego and the fear of looking stupid, but you can't learn anything if you don't make mistakes. Just be honest and ask them to help you out, I'm sure some sempai would be wlling to give you a hand. If as you stated, your goal is to learn self defense, then nothing as petty as looking clueless compared to the highel belts should deter you from your goal. The only reason you would wanna look good besides less skilled students is that your goal is to look cool and not to learn self defense. You should think over your priorities carefully and decide what you really want to achieve from learning Karate. And remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, so don't expect to become an extpert overnight. Hope you continue with your training and good luck.

Answer 2

The old, traditional way of teaching was to have all the adults grouped together and class was 90 or 120 minutes long and children did not dominate the martial arts. Things have changed somewhat and now with high rent, utilities, and other costs many places have shortened their classes to an hour, added a children's class, and have separate classes for beginner, intermediate, and advance adult students. Look for a program or school that offers that kind of schedule and you should be much happier. Many students struggle under a program where all the ranks are lumped together all the time; especially the beginners or ones that have trouble learning. Private lessons is an alternative and you may also see if there is floor time available when there is not any class and be able to get some helpful pointers and practice those things you are having trouble with.

Answer 3

You are new , and in anything new we all feel our inner Pride come forth , having that battle with our sense of reason. You want to learn but not at the cost of considering yourself lower than others.
Here is some Facts;
1) Any good Black Belt will tell you unless you are Gene LeBell , Carlson Gracie or someone of that stature that a Black Belt is only the door opening to an art, not Mastery of it.
Those Black Belts all have and have had the same desire as you do. They are all growing, just like you.
2) Having the luck to have a class of Black Belts willing to associate with you is better than private lessons, you get various views on the same subject.
3) You need a base first before you go to books etc., or you will have a poor Base Skill level.
4) Funny as this sounds, in a fast time you will have rank over some guy just like you, thinking the same thing you are now. How will you be as a Black Belt?
That is how your classes Black Belts should carry themselves.
So as you would help new folks , so should they. So go train with em and have a good time.

Answer 4

LOL. you are going thru the exact same thing that EVERYONE goes thru when joining a class. Remember, they were new at it once. I'm a red belt (1 belt below black) in Tang Soo Do. I look back at the new members and say, wow...that's what I used to do. No offense to new members. You will get there. DON'T give up. The classes are VERY Valuable!. You can't learn it by urself. You need others to give you guidance, self esteem, and quite frankly, point out the things you do wrong to help you improve.

Believe me, your master knows your abilities, probably better than you do. Trust him/her and learn. Don't buy those stupid books and expect to learn squat!.
Get back into your class and do the best you can. Not everyone can be a Chuck Norris or Jean Claude Van Damm.
I can't. Just be yourself and ENJOY THE CLASS.

Don

TANG SOO!

Answer 5

You could always find a school that has a separate beginner class that allows you to train with people around your own skill level until you progress with them. That's the simplest answer, but not necessarily the easiest.

However, the easiest way to get a class of beginners is to bring in people. I hear that you are saying you don't have friends that are interested. Fine, how about your hair dresser? Butcher? Babysitter? How many people have you actually talked to about your training? The best compliment you can pay your instructor is to tell others how wonderful the school is.

Answer 6

Think not about what you do not know, but about what you can teach the others who are in the class with you. They might be more advanced in their training, but every time a newbie comes into the class, it forces them to go back to the basics, to retrain in technique they no longer think about, but only do. This is incredibly valuable to them, whether they consciously realize this or not. You can teach them as much as they can teach you. Do not degrade yourself and your role in that class. Go back. Stick it out. Reduce your ego to zero and just do the best that you can do at any given time. You will not only advance rapidly, but you will learn so many wonderful lessons along the way.

Answer 7

I say enjoy that you are surronded by so many better. Because after everything is said in done, you will become that much better. Its just a matter of focus, try not to worry about the others just listen to instruction and practice, practice practice. Those others in your class had to start from somewhere too. And because you would be forced to be around so many better, that will make you instantly better the more time you spend time training with them.

Answer 8

If I were you, I'd begin with some books so you don't start out a complete novice. After reading the books, you might find yourself even more motivated to learn and more readily appreciate real practice. With the right attitude, I believe starting out as a beginner would be a breeze.

Answer 9

Private lessons would probably be too much, why not ask the instructor if he does any beginner classes, or simply take a friend, and you can both learn and laugh at each other making mistakes