Jade Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 I imagine you have read almost everywhere that Karate is also a character training....to become better persons in every side. Well...my question is simple...in what way you've changed since you started training karate? Me...for example i used to be a very shy person when i was a teenager and specially the latest years people/friends say i changed alot...i've a stronger personality and i won some of my wrost phobias. Shotokan changed my life making me better(not in everything of course... ) and that's the true power of MA. What's about you? "With a bit of imagination, kata can be deadly." - Hidy Ochiai
Ripper Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 Sorry Jade for ruining your world, but to me this is all bogus. Why would karate 'perfect your character'? It is just a sport like tennis or soccer. Why wouldn't it happen there? Where is the difference? How do you know you changed because of karate? Maybe if you had not done karate you would have gone through the same changes. Maybe it was just a part of growing older. People don't get better characters just by doing karate. There are enough people doing karate who still are obnoxious. René
cathal Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 My self-control has improved, and my self-discpline is also growing. .The best victory is when the opponent surrendersof its own accord before there are any actualhostilities...It is best to win without fighting.- Sun-tzu
Dijita Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 Hrmm... Ripper I can see how you think that it can't change people. I partially agree, however I can see how it can also change people. I think that in most cases, if you're super obnoxious going into Karate, chances are there won't be too much that will change that unless the teacher recognizes this and is willing to work directly with that student to try and change their mental attitude... however at the same time the student would have to have a willingness to put forth the effort to change. But if the student is a young child, then yes I think Karate can have a great effect on the mental state, as the child is still learning and developing. I agree that Karate can have a tremondous change on a persons confidence though. It wouldn't be an overnight change but it could be a change taking place over the years. A really great example of this is a few of our yellow belts (yellow is a higher belt in our style BTW) are preety darn shy people. In the last few classes our instructor has forced them to get in front of the class and lead the class in warming up and kata. They were hesitant of course at first an spoke very quietly but by the end of class they were bellowing out the commands to get us to do things and getting the students to ask questions. Other examples can be getting a student to enter some tournements... it's a huge confidence builder even if that student loses because they've already fought the battle of getting the nerve to enter in the first place. I think Karate is much different then many sports like tennis or soccer... because it doesn't have the same mental training. This of course depends on the dojo as a lot of dojos are more "sport" oriented. However I think it's important in martial arts to train the mind to be calm in tense situations, to be able to focus, to be humble, show respect, and to build the confidence level of the student... where as the mental training for other sports is more to prepare the practitioner to win the game, to not lose it under pressure, and to deal with team mates. It's quiet interesting though, because there's a whole field devoted to sports psychology. I'm not saying that other sports can't develop a persons attitude either. However to say Karate cannot change a persons attitude, in my opinion is a slightly narrow minded opinion. Most martial arts (and again it depends on the school) is very devoted to self development.
Ripper Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 I agree that Karate can have a tremondous change on a persons confidence though. It wouldn't be an overnight change but it could be a change taking place over the years. A really great example of this is a few of our yellow belts (yellow is a higher belt in our style BTW) are preety darn shy people. In the last few classes our instructor has forced them to get in front of the class and lead the class in warming up and kata. They were hesitant of course at first an spoke very quietly but by the end of class they were bellowing out the commands to get us to do things and getting the students to ask questions. Other examples can be getting a student to enter some tournements... it's a huge confidence builder even if that student loses because they've already fought the battle of getting the nerve to enter in the first place. You can use these examples in tennis or soccer also. It's not solely for karate. I think Karate is much different then many sports like tennis or soccer... because it doesn't have the same mental training. How do you do that mental training? Can you show me some drills to 'perfect my character'?However I think it's important in martial arts to train the mind to be calm in tense situations, to be able to focus, to be humble, show respect, and to build the confidence level of the student... You train these things in other sports too. Again, this is not something exclusive for karate. Most martial arts (and again it depends on the school) is very devoted to self development. You think? I think there is a difference in MA schools and MA's. Mostly schools are very devoted to receive your money. MA's are very devoted in self development..........but isn't every sport? René
Dijita Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 Ripper, you're missing the point. In your original post, you made it seem as though Karate cannot be used to change a persons character. I'm saying it can, and I am not arguing that other sports cannot. I am also not arguing that other sports require mental training. Of course it requires mental training that is why I say there is an entire field devoted to sports pshychology. However the biggest difference in the mental training... and I'm having a hard time to describe this is that the mental training in other sports is for the sole purpose to increase the potential and the capacity for the athlete to win. It's not necassarly intended to make you a better person outside of the sports that you participate in. In other words, most athletes can be complete dinks and still be a phenominal athlete... the coaches aren't going to take much effort to better the persons attitude unless it hampers theirs or a team mates performance. In this example I am also exluding kids leagues because I think that is different entirerly and would hope that a coach would deal with a kid that had a piss poor attitude. In martial arts, I think most schools are careful with their teaching to instill a more humble attitude and I believe that piss poor attitudes would be dealt with a lot more seriously. No martial arts doesn't have "drills" to perfect ones character (unless you consider meditating a drill), but learning isn't always done with drills. It's the environment you are in, the way you are taught, the way the instructor leads, sets an example and guides the way.
Dijita Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 Oh and one more thing... I don't think Jade was starting this post with the intention to say that Karate was the only way she (sorry if you're a guy, but Jade sounds like a girly name) could have improved herself. I think she was just stating that Karate has happened to improve her life. Why bring in the arguments about soccer and such in the first place. Perhaps if Jade had been doing soccer she would be on some soccer forum elsewhere saying how much she's glad she's been doing soccer for so long because it has improved her life. You may think it's bogus and you may not have gotten anything positive from martial arts, but a lot of people have. So no, you have not ruined anyones world because their life has already been enhanced by the sport or martial art that they practice.
Drunken Monkey Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 sounds like arguing for the sake of it..... for a start, jade never mentioned that karate would 'perfect your character'. all that was stated was that she feels she has developed a stronger character becasue of her training. that was the point. what is yours? that you don't think karate can change your character? post count is directly related to how much free time you have, not how intelligent you are."When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."
Dijita Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 LOL! I suffer from verbal diarehha and Drunken Monkey says what I wanted to say in a heck of a lot less words. Thanks, Drunken Monkey.
Drunken Monkey Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 after 2 years of this place and 2337 posts i have learnt that sometimes, the less i say, the clearer it is. post count is directly related to how much free time you have, not how intelligent you are."When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."
Recommended Posts