karatekid1975

Sai, do you mind if I print that out for a friend of mine? She is in a similar situation that you were in when you started karate. I think your article will give her inspiration (sp?).

My instructor says, "You think about it too much. Just do it." Now I get what he was saying

Wow! No, thanks to you, Patrick for posting it. Sheesh, that was a while ago, and before I switched schools. But that was still a learning experience for me, and it still holds strong on how I feel about conquering fears. Eventhough I switched schools, the instructor I was referring to is still at my boyfriends school, and we are still buds He's a good guy at heart, and a good instructor.

People with attitudes period, specially the ones that think they are better than everyone else. And ones that teach that have attitudes. If you don't do a technique right, they get all "flustered." I am refering to a certian person in my school Of course he is just a college kid with an ego. Which is fine for me, because I'm not there for a popularity contest. I'm there to train. You don't have to like me, just drop the attitude, and train.

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community. My story started when I first started martial arts. When I started, I had very little (if any) self-confidence or self-esteem. I started martial arts to learn self-defense. But I quickly found out that learning martial arts is so much more than physical abilities. Passing my orange belt test in Tang Soo Do was a big event for me. I was allowed to spar for the first time. I promptly bought my own sparring gear. Even though I wasn't very good at sparring yet, it was kind of fun. My favorite move was the back fist. It was quick, and it scored almost every time. A few months later, I attended a sparring clinic, and I was doing fairly well, I thought, for my rank. I was using good control, and I was getting a few good points in. Then I was up against another orange belt. She kicked me full force in the stomach. She was corrected for not using control, and I was out of the clinic for the day. After that incident, I would refuse to spar. I got to blue belt without sparring, except for tests. Even then, I would run away. I wouldn't fight back. I would just block, and back off. I believe that my instructor should have helped me with this fear of sparring. But he let me get away with not sparring. Then I moved. I had to hunt for a new dojang. I found a Tae Kwon Do dojang. Unknown to me as a white belt there, I would have to spar. After receiving my yellow belt, I was told that I would have to spar. No excuses. I was scared. Being in an art that is full contact, it made me shutter with fear. I told my instructor this. He told me that in class, we don't fight full contact. It's light contact only. So I thought, "Ok. This shouldn't be too bad. I have good control.” Well, it was. I was still running away. I so frustrated at this point. So much so that the next time I sparred I went against my fear. I just got in there, and sparred. Now, I am more aggressive. I go after whom I spar instead of running. But I still hold back. I have too much control and/or I don't throw more than one technique. But now, I'm like a sponge. I soak up any advice or instruction I get on sparring and try it out. I don't run anymore. Even though I can get my butt kicked, I still try to hold my ground when I spar. That is a big difference for me from when I first started at this dojang with the help of my instructor and fellow students. I want thank them all for this. Another fear I conquered, in my opinion, was the worst for me yet. When I tested for green belt, I was so scared of being the class senior (beginners class). I made so many excuses to switch to day class, which had all ranks there. I didn't want to face the real reason why I wanted to make the switch. The real reason was "stage fright". Being the class senior, you have to lead the class in the student oath. I have a major problem with "public speaking." I attended day classes for a long while. Then I decided that I should make up a few classes that I missed the past few months. This will enable me to test for my blue belt on time. The only way I could do that is to attend night classes, and be the class senior. I had an agreement with my instructor to try my hardest to make up these classes, so I decided to go through with it. I arrived at the dojang, and I was about to turn around and leave. But I told myself that I couldn't turn back now. I did go through with it. My voice cracked, and I fumbled my words, but I made it through. That night was a turning point for me. In class, I was a totally different person. Knowing I was class senior, I had to set an example for the rest of the class. I tried a lot harder than usual. I paid more attention to detail, and so forth. I guess my instructor also noticed this, because he broke the class up by rank, and asked if I would help the green belts (my rank no less) with their forms. I was shocked, but honored. I tried my hardest to help everyone, and do a good job. Even though he asked me to help with one student that is very difficult. I tried my hardest to get her to do her form (she refuses). She said, "It's too hard. I can't do it right." I told her in the gentlest way that I didn't want to hear the word "can't." Obviously, she didn't want to do it. She back-talked me and my instructor over heard her, and had a chat with her. But since I told her that I didn't want to hear the word "can't," which is something I say often as well, I refuse to say it now. This night was a big learning experience for me. My instructor knew that I had this fear. But yet, he let me learn for myself that I can overcome my fear. I want to thank my instructor for the learning experience, and for having the faith in me that I didn't have in myself at the time. I will be going to advance class (which is taught by the master instructor), and have the honor to train with him. I just want to let him know I do appreciate all he has done for me.

Hiya

I kinda agree with you there (hey, people, don't bash me. I do TKD). You do make a good point there. When I first moved here, all the TKD schools I looked at were sport/high kicking stuff. But I don't blame it on the art itself. But the art of TKD still exists. My school is a good example. It was hard to find (and I was in another TKD school at the time when I found it). It's a shame, because the "art" of TKD is so awsome. If you have a good instuctor, you can become an awsome fighter. But schools that teach the "art" of TKD are few and far between

Bart the Lover and ninjanurse, thanks. That's the kind of info I was looking for Heidi, I don't eat any meat now, except eggs (that's not meat, but ......) and fish. I do stay with dairy (as much as I can handle, that is). I have learned that a vegetarian diet is very healthy, like you said. And my training has improved. I have more energy, it seems like. So I do agree with you I thought it would be difficult to make the switch to a vegetarian, but it wasn't It seems so natural, eventhough it's only been a short time, so far.

Yes, there is open tournaments. I've been to a few. I've been to two closed tournies (allows just one style/school). I do like the open ones better. Usually when you enter a tourny, you would sign up with/through your instructor (at least that's how I did it). Usually your instructor would have the details. I also started martial arts at 24, so I don't know how a minor would go about signing up for a tourny.

Thanks for the info, iolair I don't workout more than 5 hours a week (mostly martial arts), so I don't need carbs LOL .... well to a point, that is). But I'm more worried about taking in enough calcium, than protein (I don't body build). I eat eggs, and cheese off and on. But I have a problem with dairy (lactose problem). How does vegetarians get around that?

LOL Doug. No, I don't. But I wish we were allowed to where t-shirts in the summer

I agree, Jerry. I can throw a 220 lb guy. I don't use any strength, just leverage. We have this woman in my class that is 22 (I think), 5 feet tall, and maybe a 100lb if she is soaking wet. This lady throws like it's nothing to her. She is awsome at throws. She is better than most of the guys (I'm not saying the guys are bad, she is just better).

My school goes like this: white yellow gold (don't ask me the difference LOL) orange green purple blue (me) brown red probationary black black We also have junior black belts for anyone under 16.

Thuggish, I didn't cut out white meat and fish. I don't plan on it (except chicken ... I hate chicken anyway). As far as the "bloated" thing goes, everytime I eat a meal, like steak and potatoes, I feel bloated. I had a nice salmon meal tonight, and I didn't get that full bloated feeling that I get with red meat, and I ate like a pig! LOL. There was no "uncomfortable feeling" afterwards. I didn't feel like I needed to sleep for a week after chowin' down. It was great.

I had to, cause I sweat like a guy. Now I have three uniforms. Much easier as far as washing goes

Hiya all. I just want to know who else on here is vegetarian and does martial arts? Did you make the switch when (or during) you started training? How does it effect your training (if it does)? I always pondered the idea for several years. A friend of mine and my instructor are vegetarians. My friend told me to try it for two weeks. I cut out just red meat for now. I did that for only two days, and I feel great. I'm not "bloated." And I feel like I can train for a week straight

I agree with TKDLadyInSC. I do dry mine in the dryer, though. But I use low heat. It also depends on what brand dobok you have. The Centery brand shrinks no matter what you do. So if you have one of those, don't put it in the dryer.

LOL .... wait. I thought it was stolen? Sorry folks. Inside joke LOL

Here's the link I mentioned in my earlier post ..... I hope it works this time. http://www.budostudienkreis.de/Video/VidUbers.htm It's not in english, but if you know Japanese term, it's easy to figure out

My instructor has us do sticky hands. He makes us do this, and has us push our partner once we feel them loosing their balance. It's kinda fun.

Hiya

I was just invited to be on the demo team. I went to my first demo meeting tonight. The way my instructor is going to do it is: He is letting us pick what we want to do. Like for instance, I want to do kicking, and breaking. One guy wants to do forms, and so on. We also have to pick an openning. Something to catch the eye, so to speak. Last year they did dive rolls across the stage, and other cool stuff. So ninjanurse's suggestions will come in handy for us, also

Our adult classes are mixed. I like it that way. I can work with the black belts, and learn faster. The kids classes are split up.

Cool. Thanks G I wanna also figure out ones for the Taegeuk forms, since there isn't a site for them(not for bunkai, anyways). So I'm taking bunkai from the shotokan kata, and trying to match it to similar moves in the taegeuks. I'll PM you if I get stuck P.S. my link didn't post, but I'm at work. So I'll fix it when I get home

I just found this site. It has a lot of bunkai on it. The videos are not that good, but you'll be able to see most of the bunkai. Pretty cool stuff