Re-start Your Karate in 2025

[@Turn-the-Page]

This video came in a great timing to me. After 25 years stopped, I came back to Karate in order to teach my 8-year-old son in my own basement. Today I live in Canada while my old sensei lives in Brazil where I came from, but even so he has been helping me with tips e and corrections by internet. It's been a blessing been little by little recovering my skills and passing the knowledge to my son. Coming back to karate even as a 47-year-old was one of the best decisions I ever made.

[@FelipeFigueiredodeCampos]

Parabéns Oss!

[@Turn-the-Page]

@ valeu, cara!

[@asaventurasdenickyemandy8537]

🥋🇧🇷‼️

[@maitreip1433]

Starting karate is one of your best decisions so is getting back to it 25 years after stopping 😂

[@simonrcarson]

Excellent post. Like an earlier commentator, I had a 25 year break, for career and family. When I stopped I was a shodan. I returned to karate in my fifties and after a lot of hard work I am now a nidan in Shotokan. Now in my mid-sixties, I am thinking about sandan. Everyone can get back into it - it just requires hard work. The advice here is excellent.

[@davehughes8212]

Much wisdom in this video. Thank you. I took nearly 25 years off, having got to 1st kyu. Although I remembered the katas, etc. I started back at white belt, and I really recommend that people do that after a long break. (I had the offer to train for 6 months and then test for 1st kyu, but I'm glad I chose the longer path). Currently on a mini break due to injury but will be back (taking it slowly) in the new year, getting ready for Sandan. I'll be 70 by then, so I suspect that might be my last grading, but I'll follow the path as long as I can. Thanks for your videos... you are really inspiring.

[@toridisgrace]

Had a 15 year break. Came back as a 1st kyu (the grade I was when I stopped) and after a year and a half of remembering and relearning what I knew finally got my first dan last month :) happy new year!

[@jkgardiner]

Excellent, congratulations 👍🏼🥋

[@JoseFernandez-gi7cv]

Your advice is priceless. I appreciate your honesty and and advice. It gives me confidence and motivation. I’ll start with slow kata. Thanks, Sensei

[@quinnhawse]

Awesome video John! I've wanted to start learning Karate since I was a kid, I'm 30 now and this is the year I'm finally making the it happen!🥋

[@jkgardiner]

Go for it 👍🏼🥋

[@Docinaplane]

As someone just short of 3rd Dan, I took a long break from karate back in the day due to injuries and job responsibilities. Several years ago, I decided to get back into it. I was amazed as to the muscle memory that I still had. Still training - currently a 5th Dan. I've trained at several different schools and styles and at every one I was treated very nicely. Thank you!

[@brady_tyler]

I still have the muscle memory of karate even after 7 years away from dojo. I love to practice in my spare time 🙏

[@SimoneMorse-by4yr]

Excellent 👌 yes totally agree… find the right coach/sensei that understands how to gradually incorporate training and to what intensity to keep the karate Kai’s injuries at bay… Patience is the key!!

[@waynesmy3600]

Happy new year to you 🙏 , I have been training for 18 years with GoKanRyu GKR Karate International and every year after Christmas is the best feeling knowing starting back to training will only develop your self discipline more over time.

[@anthonymorrison6392]

Love this. ,just had 3 months off ,ready to go again slowly .🥋

[@lancecahill5486]

All very valid points. To add to #2, when you return, you would be older, and that would affect your balance, your flexibility, and your overall endurance, so set your own expectations accordingly. The most important thing is that you return!

[@emilrotmayyar4922]

Thanks. I am looking for this video. I am going to restart my journey again.

[@elcaddor]

Great video. Went back to karate in 2022 because my daughter wanted me to join her. At that time she was orange/yellow belt. Never thought I'd go back to karate one day. I did karate in Japan, tae kwon do and japanese jujutsu when I was younger. What you can do for your kids is amazing. They give you power and motivation despite the many challenges. At 54 with a 30 years break it was a huge challenge. I was fit doing sports on a regular basis but no martial art training over the past decades. Decided to re-start as a white belt. I will pass my black belt end January 2025. Sounds fast but it is amazing how much our brain & body keep in mind when you learn something as a kid and a bit older. It is there somewhere for ever. Only requires reactivation. I must say the expectations for the black belt exam is lower to what we were asked for in the 80s. Of course flexbility and strength is not as good but you compensate elsewhere. Sensei is there to guide you. I also have to be less a fighter and adapt especially with powerful partners if I don't want to be hurted. That's tough and teaches humility. My body is weaker and takes more time to regenerate. My biggest challenge has been managing wounds and I had a lot. Broke my ribs several times in kumite over the past months. I probably have a weakness there and have to adapt. Adapt adapt always adapt but keep moving to keep growing. If I hurt my legs I'd train the arms. If I hurt the top I'd train the bottom. If I hurt both I'd train my mind mental & martial spirit. Going back to karate and being able to share this with my green belt daughter is the best thing I did in the last ten years. Karate has become a language between us. When we do karate together there are only two karatekas entering a do-jo. If her exam goes well she should be blue belt in January. I'm proud as a father can be. I know what it requires.

[@jkgardiner]

The motivation that you probably give your daughter by doing it alongside her is going to keep her going, as much as she does for you 👍🏼

[@aldothewarrior]

I trained between 2006-2015 across 2 clubs, both in Shito-Ryu (Shukokai) Karate, rising to 2nd Dan and had my own classes as a licenced instructor. I left my first club after a falling out with my original instructor in 2009 and ended up doing the same in 2015 with the second club. I was the problem however. My ego and my attitude was about how good I was and I said things I shouldn't have said that at 25. Big issue was I held a grudge against my old club and I would often bad mouth them. Thankfully I grew up after taking time away and became more humble and reached out to my original instructors and apologised - and meant it. They welcomed me back in 2016 but I chose not to do that until I had made the same peace with my second club (where I'd made the biggest progress - earned my black belt/Shodan/Nidan and became a Sensei). Even after I'd rebuilt those bridges, life had got in the way and I couldn't commit. Thankfully I made karate a priority again and reached out to my original club to restart in 2023 (I could have gone to the other club too but my original one is in my home town and both are every bit as good as each other). I don't really care when I go for 3rd Dan - I'm just happy being back and enjoying Karate again as I did when I was a teenager. I don't compete anymore (I haven't room for more trophies - my body couldn't take it anymore being older!), I'm just happy to be back in a familiar dojo, enjoying the martial art. My top tip: just start. My second top tip: admit your faults and park the ego. Apologise if you need to (and mean it) Third top tip: don't worry about how good you used to be - focus on getting better as you are right now. You're not starting from scratch - you're starting from experience

[@panostheodoulou1166]

As a teenager in the 70s I did Wado Ryu karate with master Tatsuo Suzuki. After gaining my 1st kyu brown belt I stopped doing karate which was a mistake. In 2012, 12 years ago I discovered a Wado Ryu dojo founded and run by a sensei who trained with all the old Japanese masters back in the day, including Suzuki, and even Kanazawa from the Shotokan school. Over 30 years since I stopped karate I started training again, and I said to my sensei even though I trained before, I'm going to start from the beginning as if i'm a beginner. Of course my previous experience, even though it was so long ago helped with my progress. Gained my 1st Dan in 2017 and 2nd Dan in 2019, so I took my time, starting in 2012. Also competed in a few competitions in kata and kumite before gaining my black belt. This year training for my 3rd Dan. So it's never too late to train or to get back into training, but you have to take your time like you say, to do it properly. I will keep training as long as i can now.

[@mikepatterson1975]

John has so much wisdom being such a young guy. Very modest! I enjoy watching his videos! ❤

[@davidgomezjimenez2495]

Great content. Thnks. Wish you the best for 2025

[@GridRBX]

Hoping all the best for your karate endeavor this year 🥋

[@Maewashigeri1]

Excellent advice Sensei John always enjoy seeing you and Nate’s videos

[@JohnGBlackBelt53]

Thanks for your posts and advice during the past year. I wish you all the best for the new year and the future.

[@jkgardiner]

@@JohnGBlackBelt53 thank you 🙏🏼

[@henrikvandrup73]

Good advice. I was on a break from age 25 to around 40. Around that time, the community i lived in, had the local school closed and we had to find use for the buildings. At a meeting some one (not me ) suggested the we started a karate school. Having attained shodan level, when I stopped training, I thought why not and voluntered. Took some time of course to get into shape and some traveling to My old senseis, but my dojo is now going on thirteen years and I'm working on my next grading hopefully in 2026.

[@timkittle5418]

Love your channel. I earned my chodan with the American Kyuki-do Federation in May 1997. I trained with the AKF for a couple more years and then moved 700 miles for a career change. I have worked out since I was a teenager. Thus, I continued to train but by myself. After 19 years of that I joined a TSD academy. I wore a white belt but due to my previous training I promoted rather quickly. However, despite being eligible to test for chodan 1.5 years ago, I am yet a red belt (which is of little significance to me - I simply enjoy the training), largely due to my wife's health struggles. You are spot on correct about the proper approach.

[@NYKgjl10]

As an assistant instructor and student of Karate (Kyokushin) for 16 years, yes, we do have lives that gets in our way, but always make the time for yourself, even though you're training for 1x per week due to very busy schedule, its better than nothing, but also as Mr. Gardiner pointed out, train at home so you don't forget your basics (Kihons). Stay fresh and up to date with your sensei, Shihan, e.t.c....Excellent video as always. Patience is super vital!!

[@kyoshivp]

Excellent video! Great advice for anyone who's fallen off...whether completely and restarting, or just getting more consistent again. I'm in the latter.

[@nurbaiti_hikaru]

I was not training for 20 years, and it need 2 years for me to getting back the same power and skill I used to be. I started with kihon training at home as if I am a white belt and then back to dojo. Put in mind as if I am a white belt giving me much opportunity to ask from the masters and learn more about karate. I'm still learning in that mindset. Forget your grade. Karate is a whole life journey and learning process.

[@multiversego4174]

I did karate as a kid from 2013 till 2016 got my brown belt and was considered young for black belt , got back in 2019 to get my black belt but surprisingly I had to retake my brown belt again then I had to wait a year to get my black belt and that was supposed to happen in 2020 but we all know what happened , then I was graduating high school and guess it wasn't the right time till the beginning of November 2024 I decided to take that step and went back to training and there was a black belt test after 2 weeks so I trained every single day and Igot my black belt on 29th of November then the official national championship was being held in a couple of weeks and after my main goal was to participate in my university's championship and just be able to do karate again I got my black belt and participated in the official national championship which is crazy to compete and just be there with world's champions and the Egyptian national team players and all that happened in less than 2 months

[@danielsaturnus1234]

Happy new year sensei ❤❤

[@andrewpacejka1965]

You definitely have to ease yourself back into it. If you try to go with the speed and intensity that you once had, right off the bat, you run the risk of injuring yourself. Baby steps.

[@EZBNEZ]

Held a brown belt in shotokan yrs ago in the early to mid 90’s had to leave it but since then I’ve started jiu jitsu off n on

[@Vincentorix]

Nice video Sensei, thanks.

[@bertdrenth2514]

Dear Sensei John, lately I encountered your KZbin films and I follow them with great interest. Your holistic, realistic approach combined with great love for the art makes them fantastic to watch. Your films makes me so enthousiast that I’m considering to start karate. However, I am 64 now (but in my mind 35) and I have never practiced karate. In my early 30 I did hapkido, taekwondo but due to very busy working and private live I stopped. I am training for myself and it is combination what I have learned, gathered from the internet. Some Qi-gong, stretching, dynamic stretching and strength training. Maybe is my situation to specific, but would you elaborate on it if you wan’t to start training karate after a long break instead of a restart. There is karate school in the town nearby. But I’m reluctant to step in the dojo without any preparation. I always had the idea that karate is “hard” art compared e.g. with taekwondo. So some basic movements, fitness, mobility and endurance is required to survive the your first lessen on an older age. Of course will it also depend on how respectful and considering the karate school is. My question is where and how to start karate.

[@rmgibson88]

I’ve never really taken a break from karate after starting in 2018; well apart from when the dojo was closed during COVID. But I think it’s important to find a dojo that works for you and have an honest conversation with the Sensai. Also it might help if you can reconnect with someone you used to train with and speak to them about coming back?

[@josuesolar1771]

I wish i could start over again everything With a better attitude, with a better understanding of what i did and why i did that But first i think i'd need physical and phsychiatric therapy and getting a job Thx for this, maybe these ghosts of the past will come out of retirement one of these days

[@Javisub599]

Osu Sensei, gracias por este video, de verdad lo necesitaba, porque desde septiembre que no he vuelto a entrenar karate por estar ocupado en la universidad y pues el otro año voy a volver con mi entrenamiento y estar en forma pero, que puedo hacer para ser mas sociable y sentirme incluido en mi dojo? , porque quiero cambiar eso para este año que viene Saludos y bendiciones 💪🙏

[@FelipeFigueiredodeCampos]

I stopped on 2 kyu, brown belt, after passed 25 years, started again, my new Sensei told me to not fixing in belt level, just training , I trained more 3 years with white belt without exams and after that I was invited to final exam. Now I am shodan . Oss. !

[@jkgardiner]

Good job 👍🏼

[@abcddcba8882]

👍

[@sea-ra9995]

I want to get back to karate after my kumite competitive past however I want to train Kata. Unfortunately I dont have dojo in my province due to my University being at a different province. Any advices ? Since I am a student I cant really afford online coaching :(

[@aether3456]

Kata is one of the only things in Karate you could actually get reasonably decent in with just solo training and the Internet. If you already have solid kihon, Kata will just be about learning the steps which you could do off a KZbin video. If your kihon isn't good, then yeah you probably need an instructor :(

[@harshaltheboss]

Bro in gym how do you train like bodybuilding style training or powerlifting style training?

[@harshaltheboss]

Sir how you perform your 100℅ in weight training and in martial arts does weight training doesn't make you sore so it will hinder your karate?