I am not acknowledged

[Kante]

Hello, I'm a 15 years old boy and I practice Shotokan Karate. Lately I've been experiencing the worst moments in my life.

I've been having this pain in my lower back that's been holding me back alot. It pretty much decreases the efficiency of anything that I do.

It's been like this since over a year.

While in practice I do not inform anyone of my pain although it feels like being stabbed. The reason is because I do not want to be put on the list of people to avoid. As in I do not want to be treated differently.

I kept going to championships and even participating in kumite and winning while not using my legs because they trigger great pain in that area. And when it comes to Kata I just suck it up and withstand it.

While in kumite I feel like I'm being humiliated due to my pain. It's been holding me back alot.

On top of that, I've recently been informed by my sensie that the black belt test that I've done 1 and a half years ago has not been acknowledged by koga (Shotokan Karate instructor from Japan that holds the 8th dan) because he wants it to be him to be doing the tests so that hes the one to be getting the money.

Which ofcourse explained the fact that I haven't got my black belt diploma from Japan. Now that's not the main thing here. In addition to that, a group from our team will be going to Egypt for a karate course where some of our inadequate brown belts will be doing black belt tests and receiving their diplomas immediately.

At that moment I was filled with anger and became amazingly furious. I refused to go with them. And then this obsession grew inside me.

I instantly became obsessed with taking advantage of every second of free time that I have to develop myself in all ways and prove to myself and the others what true dedication and strenght is. I also continued to teach myself my 4th language which is German and started reading all kinds of martial arts books.

I felt this great burden on my back, the need to teach those people a lesson and fulfill my dream of going full contact once in the appropriate age.

I am going to sell everything I pretty much have from gaming consoles to.. well anything and add it to the money I already have and buy the required equipment. Although I can go to the gym next to my house for free since my sensie owns it and it's where I practice karate.

I want your opinion on whether or whether not I'm being driven by the wrong reasons to do this.

Keep in mind that my back pain is going to be healed soon I hope but I wont wait for it.

[Dazed and Confused]

I want your opinion on whether or whether not I'm being driven by the wrong reasons to do this.

Well in my opinion yes, you are. There's nothing wrong with being driven to prove yourself but it sounds like you are being driven by anger (neatly epitomised by this smiley: ). I am too inexperienced to give advice concerning the politics that has clearly gripped your blackbelt testing so I'll leave wiser forumites to post on that, but this issue with your back is something I myself have gone through with my knee.

I was busy trying trial lessons at gyms/clubs/dojos all over the place and the pain in my knee was becoming excrutiating, but I kept on at it, determined that Im wasn't going to stop. So my body stopped me dead in my tracks by tearing a ligament to go with my already torn cartilage, because you just can't do that to your body. So I'm now looking at 6 months of post op rehab rather than the few weeks it could have been. I still train MA though because I talked to my instructors and they tailor the sessions for me. I am treated differently but necessarily so. I contacted Ross Enemait with a query very similar to yours, desperate for some advice on how to work through the pain, and he gave me the following advice: Its a very long road ahead, and you have years of training to look forward to in which you can beat yourself up as much as you like. For now take some time off to heal and in a years time it will seem like such an insignificant hiatus. In your case Kante I am not a karateka but as I understand it the blackbelt is the beginning of the journey, so you should not be impatient, although I understand your frustration with the politics its nt worth injuring yoursefl, particularly at 15.

Finally I am sure you don't want to hear this but steady up on the heavy gym stuff. Regardless of your back problems at 15 you don't want to be overtraining.

[Kante]

I want your opinion on whether or whether not I'm being driven by the wrong reasons to do this.

Well in my opinion yes, you are. There's nothing wrong with being driven to prove yourself but it sounds like you are being driven by anger (neatly epitomised by this smiley: ). I am too inexperienced to give advice concerning the politics that has clearly gripped your blackbelt testing so I'll leave wiser forumites to post on that, but this issue with your back is something I myself have gone through with my knee.

I was busy trying trial lessons at gyms/clubs/dojos all over the place and the pain in my knee was becoming excrutiating, but I kept on at it, determined that Im wasn't going to stop. So my body stopped me dead in my tracks by tearing a ligament to go with my already torn cartilage, because you just can't do that to your body. So I'm now looking at 6 months of post op rehab rather than the few weeks it could have been. I still train MA though because I talked to my instructors and they tailor the sessions for me. I am treated differently but necessarily so. I contacted Ross Enemait with a query very similar to yours, desperate for some advice on how to work through the pain, and he gave me the following advice: Its a very long road ahead, and you have years of training to look forward to in which you can beat yourself up as much as you like. For now take some time off to heal and in a years time it will seem like such an insignificant hiatus. In your case Kante I am not a karateka but as I understand it the blackbelt is the beginning of the journey, so you should not be impatient, although I understand your frustration with the politics its nt worth injuring yoursefl, particularly at 15.

Finally I am sure you don't want to hear this but steady up on the heavy gym stuff. Regardless of your back problems at 15 you don't want to be overtraining.

It is in no way the fact that I haven't got my black belt diploma that caused this to happen to me. It's not about patience.

I'm just sick of the wrong ideas young people have about martial arts. I feel like karate and the martial arts world in general is being trashed.

It angers me how they have no idea what martial arts really is about. It isn't merely a sport or something to waste time with, it's way bigger than them or what they think of it.

That was just what pulled the trigger and made me set my mind to make a drastic change. And along the way do what I always was willing to do but was prevented from doing by my pain.

Also it's not really about proving myself, it's an obsession with taking advantage of time to develop myself and my body into a fighter's and not wasting time.

As for lifting weights, it is not a problem since my back pain is caused by something totally different and I was already given the solution (apparently It's the arch in my feet). But I can still do anything regardless of that pain.

[Kajukenbopr]

Hello, I'm a 15 years old boy and I practice Shotokan Karate. Lately I've been experiencing the worst moments in my life.

I've been having this pain in my lower back that's been holding me back alot. It pretty much decreases the efficiency of anything that I do.

It's been like this since over a year.

While in practice I do not inform anyone of my pain although it feels like being stabbed. The reason is because I do not want to be put on the list of people to avoid. As in I do not want to be treated differently.

I kept going to championships and even participating in kumite and winning while not using my legs because they trigger great pain in that area. And when it comes to Kata I just suck it up and withstand it.

While in kumite I feel like I'm being humiliated due to my pain. It's been holding me back alot.

On top of that, I've recently been informed by my sensie that the black belt test that I've done 1 and a half years ago has not been acknowledged by koga (Shotokan Karate instructor from Japan that holds the 8th dan) because he wants it to be him to be doing the tests so that hes the one to be getting the money.

Which ofcourse explained the fact that I haven't got my black belt diploma from Japan. Now that's not the main thing here. In addition to that, a group from our team will be going to Egypt for a karate course where some of our inadequate brown belts will be doing black belt tests and receiving their diplomas immediately.

At that moment I was filled with anger and became amazingly furious. I refused to go with them. And then this obsession grew inside me.

I instantly became obsessed with taking advantage of every second of free time that I have to develop myself in all ways and prove to myself and the others what true dedication and strenght is. I also continued to teach myself my 4th language which is German and started reading all kinds of martial arts books.

I felt this great burden on my back, the need to teach those people a lesson and fulfill my dream of going full contact once in the appropriate age.

I am going to sell everything I pretty much have from gaming consoles to.. well anything and add it to the money I already have and buy the required equipment. Although I can go to the gym next to my house for free since my sensie owns it and it's where I practice karate.

I want your opinion on whether or whether not I'm being driven by the wrong reasons to do this.

Keep in mind that my back pain is going to be healed soon I hope but I wont wait for it.

go to a doctor, get better and wait ur time....

[Patrick]

Definitely go to the doctor and tell people about the pain in your back. The martial arts may be very important to you, but they can't be as important as your quality of life.

Balance in life is important. Being devoted to the martial arts is fine and all, but you don't want them to consume you where it's the only thing you do and the only thing that matters to you.

[Cheradenine]

How is your lowerback going to be 'healed' soon? Are you going to a doctor? Could well be the best thing you could do.

Often the lower back psoas muscles are neglected through karate training - I found this right back when I started. Situps, pressups, and generally developing your hara or abdominal area can cause a negative effect on your lower back. I found after I went to the osteopath it was ironed out in no time, and with some simple yoga stretches every week I havn't felt the pain once since.

[ps1]

The most important thing you can do right now is to go to a doctor! Period. Lower back pain could be caused by something as easy to fix as an inbalance in muscle development or as serious as a sliped disc. Unchecked, you could lose the use of your legs. Get it checked out.

As for the rest. I'm sorry to tell you that you are falling victim to politics within the martial arts. The question you should be asking isn't "does some guy in Japan think you're a black belt." It should be, "does your instructor consider you a black belt?" He's the one who knows what you can do.

Good luck with the back and I hope you're able to fulfill your dreams.

[The BB of C]

I feel the same way sometimes. That the martial arts are disreguarded for what they really are. I respect you for wanting to shed new light on it, but you don't need to take it to this extreme. It's good that you practice a lot, but take some time and enjoy life. Friends, dating, after school activities, things like that. You'll find the balance and you'll be very happy with yourself and you'll also find it easier to cope with the problems in the world around you. I know this all worked for me.

About your back, DON'T BE FOOLISH. See a doctor and let it heal. Pain is weakness leaving the body...only when you're training. But if you have pain and you're not training, that's your body telling you that something is wrong and to fix it as soon as possible or it will only get worse. And if you don't fix it, and you keep training like that, you'll only make it worse and I can gaurentee you it won't be long before you disable yourself from practicing your Kumite at all.

Take the necissary time off, fix your back, then have at it again. It sounds like you're doing great so far. Don't ruin it for yourself and almost just as important; your cause.

[Dazed and Confused]

It is in no way the fact that I haven't got my black belt diploma that caused this to happen to me. It's not about patience.

I'm just sick of the wrong ideas young people have about martial arts.

Sorry if I misunderstood you but I don't think this was particularly clear in your first post. No offence was intended.

As I said, I am in no position to comment on the complexities of the politics of your organisation or the way you feel about the young people's opinions of karate, but I absolutely stand by everything else I said. You have a long road ahead, and injuring yourself is needless. The lower back is quite capable of giving people grief even when they've looked after themselves all their lives. If you over train with a back injury you might put yourself out of karate for good.

But I can still do anything regardless of that pain.

Seriously, this is no way to think about it. working through pain of a workout is comendable. Working through the pain of an injury is reckless and foolhardy.

[cross]

It is in no way the fact that I haven't got my black belt diploma that caused this to happen to me. It's not about patience.

I'm just sick of the wrong ideas young people have about martial arts. I feel like karate and the martial arts world in general is being trashed.

It angers me how they have no idea what martial arts really is about. It isn't merely a sport or something to waste time with, it's way bigger than them or what they think of it.

Kante,

Its truly great to read about your passion for martial arts, and you shouldnt let other peoples opinions change that. But keep in mind, that whilst martial arts are your passion, its not for everyone, and there really isnt alot that you can do to change peoples minds. Just take comfort in the fact that you have found something you enjoy doing and let others do the same.