TokyoSuitsMe

That's wierd, its still working for me. If you search for Varsha Vinod it should come up in the search on youtube. I'm obviously no expert but from watching that bit of her on there, she's good for her age but certainly not black belt standard IMO.

I found a video of her on youtube

I often wonder if some of the stuff we get taught in class would actually work if your attacker was a lot stronger than you are. For instance, sensei might demonstrate a hand twist in class and against the other women (and men that seem to play along and pretend I've done it right ) I can see how it would work. But when I get home, I 'practice' on my husband (he loves it really) and it just doesn't work because he's much stronger than I am. Sensei always says it's technique that matters and not strength but sometimes, strength must come into it, surely?

Hi, I'd like to put your mind at rest with regards to joining martial arts, although I am far from an expert! I joined Karate (Wado Ryu) around 2 years ago at the age of 28. I worried I wouldn't be fit/flexible/tough enough and I kept trying to put off joining. I even told the instructor that I would join when I was fitter. He told me the karate lessons would make me fitter and to stop using excuses Anyway, I joined one night and I was tired out after just the warm-up. I was bright red, out of breath and my mucles and bones ached like mad for the next few weeks. But I enjoyed it ... so I kept going back and the pain soon went and my fitness certainly increased in no time. What I'm saying is, it might be hard at first and people our age definately feel it more than say ... a ten year old but it's so worth it. When I first joined I could do only one press up. Now I can do 10 ... it's just silly little things like that which show you how much karate improves your fitness no matter what your age. Glasses won't be a problem although the sensei might expect you to take them off for sparring. Never tried private lessons. Good Luck

Thank you like you said, if it was easy, everyone would be a blackbelt. I don't want to be handed a black belt, I could go and buy a black belt tomorow but it doesn't make me a black belt. I want to earn it and now that I'm being made to work for any progress I make, I know I'll appreciate my next grade so much more.

Thanks for the replies. I have been back training again since I posted this and my motivation is coming back. I think the problem is, up until that point, everything had seemed relatively easy. I'd gone through the grades without much work and then all of a sudden I hit a barrier. It completely knocked my confidence and made me question whether I could actually do this. I then realised how ridiculous it would be to quit at the first hurdle It's supposed to be hard work, I've just got off easy up to now. I've now hit the point where I need to work at it and I guess that's good, it means I'm ready to move on.

Something that has suprised me is that it's not the end of the world if you get hurt. I used to watch and think "there is no way I could stand there and take a hit like that..." but after a while, you get used to it and it doesn't seem so bad. I'm suprised at how quickly your body becomes accustomed to being hit.

I am currently 6th kyu about to take 5th and for the first time since I started training I am beginning to get fed up with it all. I'm finding it so difficult all of a sudden and I feel like I'm never going to 'get it'. I see the black/brown belts and think I'll never be able to do what they do so why am I bothering anymore. I don't want to feel like this because deep down, karate is very important to me but I'm having to force myself to turn up training and I dread it. For the past few weeks I've had the odd moment where I've considered quitting altogether. I know I'd regret it but I just feel so unmotivated with it all right now. Has anyone else ever felt like this and gotten over it?