Brandon Fisher

I tell my students that a black belt is only a stepping stone to the beginning and to wear your black belt around your heart, not your waist. Hope that helps. I wish all your students great success on their upcoming tests.

Everything is karate is built into kata. The power that it helps devolop, the technique, the focus, and the ki is incredible. I hated kata when I first started I didn't understand it and it was very confusing. Now I love it and I feel that people need to train in kata more.

I agree with this completely. After 22 years in the martial arts I have seen it benefit so many people I lost count a long time ago. Those girlfriends wives, or significant others that are not involved do not understand the love people devolop for martial arts training. I don't know of any style that you can't be in good shape to do but it seems Shotokan and the other japanese hard styles are very demanding of you physically. So don't go back to the hard partying otherwise your training will be over before you begin. Talk with her and explain your love for it, how much better you feel and everything that stands out to you about it. Hopefully if she truly loves and cares about you she will be more accepting and maybe join. My wife got involved right after we got married and now is a month and a half away from her shodan. She started simply because she didn't just want to sit and watch class. Now she has devoloped a great love for it and admits to the changes it has made in her life. I wish you the best of luck with this one. It is a tough situation at best.