General Chat & Info Board

nimblebear3 said:http://www.kyokushin.org/clubs
you might find what you're looking for there, since you didn't mention which city you're actually in...

Well, I’m based here in the big city. I took a look at that link, and one particular club caught my eye—the Elka-Maksimir group (they're located near the Maksimir area and go by the name Elka). What I am really searching for is traditional training; I want that authentic, old-school Kyokushin approach. Does anyone happen to know just how traditional their curriculum actually is? If nobody is certain, I can easily head down there myself to ask around and get some clarity.

Another thing I was wondering about is whether there are any other clubs out there that aren't listed on the official federation website? Perhaps someone here knows of some off-the-grid clubs?

I honestly think every coach has their own specific way of teaching martial arts, just like in any other sport out there... Honestly, your best bet is to just head down there, scope out a training session, and see if the vibe matches what you're looking for:
Unfortunately, a lot of these skills aren't really taught traditionally anymore—meaning coaches don't always pass down the knowledge the way they're supposed to. Too much gets watered down or changed by the time it reaches us here in the States, and let's be real, most instructors aren't nearly as skilled as they ought to be, though I guess there are always exceptions. It's actually pretty tough to find genuine, original bunkai in any discipline these days; people tend to tweak things just to make them look flashier for the crowds...

I know there have been plenty of discussions about Wing Chun on this forum already, but most of them seem to focus on personal experiences with the style. What I am actually looking for is whether there are any places to train in San Diego or the surrounding areas. I think there might have been an older thread similar to this one, so I am wondering if anything has changed lately. I have a friend who practices it, but he trains out in Phoenix.

You won't find anything like that in Miami, and honestly, from what I can tell, probably not in all of Florida either...

Just one question... I’m nearly 19, so I’m wondering—am I too old to start competitive judo?

I honestly don't think it’s ever too late to start... any kind of martial arts, really, but especially if you're only 19.
Of course, it definitely helps if you got an early start with something like Judo—I've seen plenty of kids pick it up young and develop into absolute monsters on the mat, top-tier athletes and all that—but if you've got decent coordination and the drive to put in the work, it’s absolutely worth giving it a shot 🙂 even if it isn't about hitting the tournament circuit, but just doing it for yourself...

I’ve been getting pretty serious about combat sports lately—and apparently, my teeth didn't get the memo. My orthodontist is now suggesting I look into permanent braces. He actually had the nerve to tell me that investing in those specialized orthodontic elastics isn't worth the money, claiming they aren't significantly better than the cheap stuff—just much more expensive. On top of that, he’s insisting that I only really need the budget-friendly elastics for my upper jaw, even though I'll be wearing braces on both. It sounds a bit dubious to me, if I'm being honest. Does anyone here train—or at least know someone who does—while wearing fixed braces? And for those who deal with this, which elastics do you actually use or recommend?

If you’re getting into contact sports where head strikes are part of the game, investing in the best possible custom mouthguard isn't optional.

I suppose I should probably say hello. Not that anyone specifically asked for my input here, but I might as well make an appearance. Maybe. kaže:
I’ve been getting into combat sports lately, and now I think I might have to deal with permanent braces. My orthodontist suggested that paying for those specialized elastics isn't really worth it, since he claims they aren't much better than the standard ones—just more expensive, I guess. On top of that, he mentioned I only really need the cheapest elastics for my upper jaw, even though I'll be wearing braces on both. That seems a bit suspicious to me. Does anyone here train (or used to train, or at least knows someone who does) while wearing braces? Also, which elastics do you actually use or recommend?

Look, I suppose I could give you some firsthand information. 🙂

I picked up that basic two-layer mouthguard for about fifty bucks. I decided to boil it, pop it in, and well... big mistake. The material somehow tangled itself around my braces, and I had to basically perform surgery on it just to get it out. It ended up looking like a bunch of little rubber spaghetti strands after I hacked away at it, but honestly, it worked okay enough. I took some hits while wearing 16 oz gloves, and neither the guard nor my teeth felt a thing. No damage, no pain. I guess it did its job.

I guess this happened because the inner layer of the protection is rubberized, while the outer part is more plastic. If that inner layer had been plastic too, maybe this wouldn't have occurred.
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The season’s wrapped up, and my teeth are going to look pretty different by September. I'll probably pick up some new orthodontic gum then—the specific kind meant for braces. A friend mentioned you can find it at Pride.

Based on what I could see in this PDF, there are a few dentists listed. I guess they might be able to recommend whatever would work best for you.

Keith Davis96 said:Well, I’m based here in the big city. I took a look at that link, and one particular club caught my eye—the Elka-Maksimir group (they're located near the Maksimir area and go by the name Elka). What I am really searching for is traditional training; I want that authentic, old-school Kyokushin approach. Does anyone happen to know just how traditional their curriculum actually is? If nobody is certain, I can easily head down there myself to ask around and get some clarity.

Another thing I was wondering about is whether there are any other clubs out there that aren't listed on the official federation website? Perhaps someone here knows of some off-the-grid clubs?

First off—define what "traditional approach" actually means to you? It’ll make it easier to give you a straight answer.
As for that Elka-Maksimir spot, I'm not totally sure about their senior numbers—not that I know how old you are or anything—but sometimes they have a decent crowd, though who knows what the vibe is like lately...
Then there's our club, Sosai, over on Selska. We've got a pretty big group in the "main" division, so feel free to drop in and check us out.....
There’s also a branch of the Dugo Selo Kyokushin club (same instructor) over at the elementary school on Zvijezda, so see what works best for you—though they're done for this season; they start back up in September.

As far as I know, there isn't anything else left in the city for Kyokushin...

Gerald Smith76 said:If you’re getting into contact sports where head strikes are part of the game, investing in the best possible custom mouthguard isn't optional.

Thanks. 🙂
My only real concern now is the breathing aspect. Everyone tells me those double-layered ones make it impossible to catch your breath, and honestly, I'm not sure if just protecting my upper jaw is smart when my braces on the bottom are sitting there completely exposed. 🤷

Steven Wright10 said:

I suppose I should probably say hello. Not that anyone specifically asked for my input here, but I might as well make an appearance. Maybe. kaže:
I’ve been getting into combat sports lately, and now I think I might have to deal with permanent braces. My orthodontist suggested that paying for those specialized elastics isn't really worth it, since he claims they aren't much better than the standard ones—just more expensive, I guess. On top of that, he mentioned I only really need the cheapest elastics for my upper jaw, even though I'll be wearing braces on both. That seems a bit suspicious to me. Does anyone here train (or used to train, or at least knows someone who does) while wearing braces? Also, which elastics do you actually use or recommend?

Look, I suppose I could give you some firsthand information. 🙂

I picked up that basic two-layer mouthguard for about fifty bucks. I decided to boil it, pop it in, and well... big mistake. The material somehow tangled itself around my braces, and I had to basically perform surgery on it just to get it out. It ended up looking like a bunch of little rubber spaghetti strands after I hacked away at it, but honestly, it worked okay enough. I took some hits while wearing 16 oz gloves, and neither the guard nor my teeth felt a thing. No damage, no pain. I guess it did its job.

I guess this happened because the inner layer of the protection is rubberized, while the outer part is more plastic. If that inner layer had been plastic too, maybe this wouldn't have occurred.
.
The season’s wrapped up, and my teeth are going to look pretty different by September. I'll probably pick up some new orthodontic gum then—the specific kind meant for braces. A friend mentioned you can find it at Pride.

Based on what I could see in this PDF, there are a few dentists listed. I guess they might be able to recommend whatever would work best for you.

Yeah, I’ve been looking into those specialized orthodontic guards too. Apparently, they offer single-layer and double-layer options, which leaves me stuck in limbo. Was a single layer enough for you? My fear is someone landing a shot that wrecks my bottom teeth, lip, or braces—even if the top guard feels sufficient for now. 😬 But it feels foolish to spring for a double layer if it’s just going to suffocate me without providing any real functional advantage. God, I'm overthinking this. 🤷

Jessica Williams10 said:Thanks. 🙂
My only real concern now is the breathing aspect. Everyone tells me those double-layered ones make it impossible to catch your breath, and honestly, I'm not sure if just protecting my upper jaw is smart when my braces on the bottom are sitting there completely exposed. 🤷

Yeah, I’ve been looking into those specialized orthodontic guards too. Apparently, they offer single-layer and double-layer options, which leaves me stuck in limbo. Was a single layer enough for you? My fear is someone landing a shot that wrecks my bottom teeth, lip, or braces—even if the top guard feels sufficient for now. 😬 But it feels foolish to spring for a double layer if it’s just going to suffocate me without providing any real functional advantage. God, I'm overthinking this. 🤷

From what I can tell at my training sessions, everyone seems to only bother wearing mouthguards for their upper teeth. Maybe that's enough, I guess.
Nobody noticed anything. I guess maybe it's because the upper teeth sit further forward, or perhaps the bottom ones are just naturally stronger. Who knows.

I guess I don't quite understand why local dentists don't bother with advertising. Maybe they just think word of mouth is enough. 🙄

I guess we’re talking about martial arts here. Maybe Jiu-Jitsu or some kind of MMA. It isn't entirely clear, though.

Steven Wright10 said:From what I can tell at my training sessions, everyone seems to only bother wearing mouthguards for their upper teeth. Maybe that's enough, I guess.
Nobody noticed anything. I guess maybe it's because the upper teeth sit further forward, or perhaps the bottom ones are just naturally stronger. Who knows.

I guess I don't quite understand why local dentists don't bother with advertising. Maybe they just think word of mouth is enough. 🙄

I guess we’re talking about martial arts here. Maybe Jiu-Jitsu or some kind of MMA. It isn't entirely clear, though.

It’s the same at my place—everyone uses a guard for the top only, though nobody wears braces, so I can't say if that makes any difference.

It's kickboxing. 🙂

I suppose I should say hello. Maybe. It’s probably not necessary, though. kaže:
It seems like everyone here only has retainers for their upper teeth, too. But since nobody actually wears braces, I guess it’s hard to tell if there’s any real difference between us.

It’s kickboxing, I guess. 🙂

I guess I'm technically training Muay Thai, but we actually spend most of our sparring sessions working on K1 style and technique. We rarely even touch lactate work, if that.
So, I’ve got this apparatus thing going on, and now my upper and lower teeth are both throbbing. It wasn't really an issue before, and I've only been wearing protection on the top anyway. Still waiting to hear back from the dentist, too. 😁

Apparently, some ladies on this forum are genuinely offended if they don't get an immediate reply. I suppose other things in life must have been incredibly trivial for them.

To reiterate my previous point: if we're talking about my own teeth, I’d head to a specialist to have a custom mouthguard made for maximum protection. Prices tend to be inflated, though I did find a colleague who offers a better rate, around $133. Since that’s likely out of budget for most people I've spoken to, just pick up a store-bought one designed for braces. With a decent bite—meaning the top teeth overlap the bottom—a single upper guard absorbs most of the impact, which explains why Karantena held up so well. But again, this is subjective; there's no one-size-fits-all solution. You have to try them and see what works.

So you just waited for someone to get their teeth knocked out before deciding to invite them to your clinic. What a jerk.

Jessica Williams10 said:Thanks. 🙂
My only real concern now is the breathing aspect. Everyone tells me those double-layered ones make it impossible to catch your breath, and honestly, I'm not sure if just protecting my upper jaw is smart when my braces on the bottom are sitting there completely exposed. 🤷

Yeah, I’ve been looking into those specialized orthodontic guards too. Apparently, they offer single-layer and double-layer options, which leaves me stuck in limbo. Was a single layer enough for you? My fear is someone landing a shot that wrecks my bottom teeth, lip, or braces—even if the top guard feels sufficient for now. 😬 But it feels foolish to spring for a double layer if it’s just going to suffocate me without providing any real functional advantage. God, I'm overthinking this. 🤷

For me, that double-breathing technique was a massive struggle when it came to catching my breath.🤷

I haven't even attempted using double wraps, and honestly, even the single ones make breathing a bit difficult (not terribly, I suppose) and have me salivating like an idiot...
What do the pros—boxers, K1 fighters, and so on—actually use? Single or double?

Sam Roberts said:So you just waited for someone to get their teeth knocked out before deciding to invite them to your clinic. What a jerk.

Shut up, damn it. You're going to ruin my business.🙂

Thanks to everyone for the input—you’ve been a huge help 🙂
I'll probably give the double-layer a shot first; if it feels too restrictive for breathing, there's a decent chance a single layer will do the trick. Sounds good 😍