Very Interesting...

[karateka_alex]

As interesting as I find it... I do not see as many women/girls in the martial arts [mostly karate] above 15, I wonder why that is?...
I teach karate so I know who usually sticks with it.. and who won't stick with it... out of 345 karateka at my dojo, there is only 38 girls, most of which only go there part-time...

[gmattson]

For some reason or other, teenagers gravitate toward activities where other teens are either involved as participants or as spectators. After a few years of excellent karate training, kids who formally wouldn't be considered football/basketball/etc material are now able to make "the team". When faced with the decision to remain in karate with it's low key recognition factor or join the high school "team" with all the "benefits", few opt to remain in the dojo.

This trend will change when the dojo gets involved with the school system to accept karate and tournaments as recognized phys-ed programs and when dojo can somehow get the schools to run the tournaments.

This will involve dojo working together and of course, this will be the toughest challenge of all.

[f.Channell]

Alex,

I think sometimes Karate schools do a disservice to girls or women by not having a separate class for them.
If I could I would at my school.
I've often thought of having a separate girls class once a week for those who this might work out for.
This would if nothing else be a good thing in their early training time.

Perhaps you could discuss this with your teacher as your school sounds large enough to handle it.

F.

[seisansister]

i think separate girls classes would keep the girls with uechi. thats a good idea. many girls are upset when they are surrounded by boys. karate is made up to be "a guy sport" but all us uechi girls know thats not true

adios

seisansister

[karateka_alex]

well my school actually has seperate classes for girls..
Women's Jujutsu & Women's karate, but Kobudo and Iaido are taught for everyone... It's just, I don't see as many girls in these classes.. and I teach them... We have like one girl that does just karate and her sister does just jujutsu... but I mean it is only like 4 girls out of sixty-something people...

[seisansister]

yeah well all my friends think im this big tomboy just cuz i take karate.. all types of martial arts are made up to be a guy thing. idk maybe us girls need to spread the word haha.

~SeIsAnSiStEr~

[karateka_alex]

Well I'll just say this... some girls are made to do karate
and other girls aren't [some girly-girls; no offense]
girly-girls can do karate just not very well... [again no offense]
To truly "know" karate, you have to know yourself, and you can't be self-conscious about yourself...
Personally I'm built like a Goju-Ryu artist [like an Okinawan; short, lots of power, and rooted to the ground]... But that doesn't matter to me, it's the art form...

[seisansister]

yeah but some girly girls dont seem like the karate type and then come alive and go crazy when they do uechi-ryu. same with little kids. they could seem shy and quiet and then they become some crazy karate dude as soon as theyre in the dojo.

but yeah ur right. thanks to everybody for stopping by

adios mis amigos
seisansister