After a bad lesson...

[BritNoob]

I'm still very new to karate, today was only my 7th lesson (hour) so I'm still at the stage where I feel very out fo place and often question what I'm doing and if I'm kidding myself thinking I can progress.

 

Anyway, todays training didn't go well, no particular incident made it a bad session, i jus seemed to be so far off the pace it was unreal. I seem to be the only one who can't do stuff, and I know that it's mostly because I'm by far the most inexperienced student there, but that doesn't make me feel any better.

 

It's very basic stuff like getting used to the physical side like grabbing, it's still very alien to me. And the fact that 7 lessons in I am still more often than not looking around at everyone else during the katas.

 

Don't get me wrong, I didn't want instant results, it's not that. I'm prepared to work at it for years and I understand it takes dedication, it's just that sometimes it feels like no matter how long I try I'll never pick it up.

 

What do you guys do after a bad lesson? Is it a common thing? Do you ever feel down? I can't wait for the next one so i can put things right.

[CloudDragon]

Doesn't sound like a bad lesson to me. Seems that you have identified some important areas to work on. Some things you will learn faster than others, and with more experience you will "learn how to learn". Right now you are just establishing your base of knowledge and starting your conditioning, it will get better, I promise.

[delta1]

Doesn't sound like a bad lesson to me. Seems that you have identified some important areas to work on. Some things you will learn faster than others, and with more experience you will "learn how to learn".

 

Yep! Give yourself an honest critique, then work on the deficiencies and maintain and develope your strengths. But don't beat yourself up over your 'failures'. Just identify them as needing work, then get to it.

[disgracian]

i certainly wouldn't worry if you haven't picked up kata after just 7 lessons.

 

i got off to a particularly slow start myself. even basic combos like going from one end of the dojo to the other doing something like a step-up and feint, then step through and reverse punch got my arms and legs in tangles going at fast pace. usually half way down my "reverse" punch would start reflexively shooting out over my front leg, and other such calamities.

 

however, i found it all to be on quite a sneaky learning curve. literally without realising when or how, it all clicked into place and i found myself performing kata with my eyes closed and ending up on or very near to my starting position.

 

practising at home makes a big difference as well. i've found that if i run through some of the drills we did when i get home, particularly just before i go to bed i stand a greater chance of remembering what they were by the next morning.

[battousai16]

yeah, i'm with them. that said, i've been known to have bad days in the dojang every so often, usually when i'm distracted or i've been working to hard and i'm worn out. i usually just shake it off, it's generally ok again by the next day. don't sweat it, we were all beginners once.

[aefibird]

Keep going BritNoob & don't give up! After 7 lessons I certainly wouldn't expect my beginners class to know their kata or to be great at doing basic stuff.

 

I remember being utterly bewildered as a beginner. Everything seemed strange and wierd and I was so uncoordinated it was unreal (still am sometimes, lol!). I'm generally quite a pessimistic person (my glass is always half empty...) so it really used to get me down, especially when I could see that there were others who joined at the same time as me who looked far better than me and always seemed to know what they were doing.

 

However, I kept on at it (obviously, or I wouldn't be on here ) and now I'm a dan grade & also assistant instructor for my club. Whenever I get someone who joins my club who says they're "no good" or "can't do it" or whatever, I just tell them of how far I've come - from being unable to do Kihon kata (the examiner had to ask me to do it twice when I graded for my first belt 'cos I was so uncoordinated the first time round!) to being able to win trophies and teach classes. Hey, if I can suceed then anyone can!

 

I'll also leave you with this little story. Last night on my area's regional news, there was a story of an 11 year old boy who has just become World Escrima Champion for his age group. Now to become a world champion is an amazing thing, but even more so when you consider that this boy is blind in one eye and also has dyspraxia (it's a coordination disorder). I was very humbled to see the report about him - someone who obviously finds physical activity difficult but has had the determination to go on and become the best in the world.

 

So, don't give up. I'm sure that one day you'll look back on your beginner training and wonder what the fuss was all about. Sometimes, things take ages to sink in and then one day they suddenly 'click' and you think to yourself "now, why couldn't I do that before, it's simple!".

 

Good luck with your training BritNoob.

[BritNoob]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'm generally a pessimistic person too, so I have a tendency to let things affect me more than they should.

 

I would concentrate on my strengths but i don't currently have any lol. It's still very early days though.

 

It's all so new to me still, I don't know what most of the japanese terms used mean - although I'm working on learning my numbers. The instructor says where to aim the punch (for example) and uses the japanese for it and I have no idea, it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad if there were other students at my level but I think I'm the newest by at least 6 months. Even the other white belts seem way ahead of me.

 

I think what contributed heavily to the lesson being poor was because it was my first wearing a gi. It was very different from wearing a thin T shirt and jogging bottoms and i was constantly adjusting it and fiddling with it :/

 

What we were learning was brilliant, I still managed to pick up some good stuff.

[wing chun kuen man]

Britnoob,

 

Everyone made very good points. What you are going through is normal. Basically all you have to do is always attend your training sessions, be positive and enthusiastic and let evolution take its course.

 

Good Luck.

 

Wing Chun Kuen Man

[aefibird]

BritNoob, a good website that gives terminology, numbers etc is The Cyber Dojo.

 

It's a Shotokan site, but is still informative. You can also download a terminology tester application (like a mini game) to check how much you know.

 

If you're really stuck on a particular thing then go to a senior grade in your club. It doesn't necessarily have to be a black belt - just someone welcoming with a bit of karate knowledge. Remember, everyone has been a beginner. Most people can remember how confusing & bewildering everything is when you're a MA newbie and will take that into account and try to help you.

 

Good luck & keep going!

[Fish]

Hi Britnoob. I was in exactly the same position you're in just 6 months ago. I'm still very much a beginner, of course, and I still have bad days when I can't seem to get anything right. Three things I have found helpful:

 

1. Watch other, more experienced karateka carefully and make notes when you get a chance.

 

2. Listen to everything your sensei/ sempai say, and, again take notes if you can.

 

3. Practise at home as often as you can, especially basics.

 

With patience, diligence and perseverence, it comes in time.