Karate

Hi there sensei i'm a karate student here in my country w/ shotokan style i prefer both kata and kumite. during summer a lot of kids, teens and old ones here enroll at karate clinics especially shotokan style, so i think it is still trendy. i started to learn karate when i was 12 y.o and now i'm 20 yrs. old still i love karate.

I've been doing shotokan karate for 7 years now. I got my shodan earlier this year. I like to have a mix of kata and kumite, obviously not at the same time but just not one exclusively. However, I don't ever compete in the kumite at tournaments because it seems a bit too rough. I don't think it's really worth the risk. I find that karate keeps me really fit and it also helps to relieve stress. It's good stuff.

I did Shotokan when I was in college. I love Martial Arts culture, too. I prefered Kata, Hein 3 I think had lots of horse stances (I'm now 50, so it's been decades, maybe it was 4). My stance was very strong and it did wonders for my legs in this Kata. Plus it was on more than one level. It was the last Kata I was able to complete. Always like Kata better than Kumite because I like dance and I got into Martial Arts to quit fighting. I like T 'ai Chi now. I think Karate as a hard form is better when young and TC better when old like me and have lots of medical problems including arthritis and back injuries (I've had 3 accidents that involve my spine). TC you can continue to do no matter how messed-up you are and it helped me get over an operation.

if u are a martial arts teacher you should know that practicing at a younger age is better because u are more flexible. and i belive kata's are just for flare and look fancy.