'08 in the Martial Arts for You

[tallgeese]

Since we're starting to round down the year here, I thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to reflect on how '08 was for each of us individually in the ma's.

Did you meet your goals? Develop new ones? Acheive a rank you had worked for? Start up something new?

Just how did the year treat us in regard to the martial arts?

I'll kick it off I guess. It wasn't bad on this end.

Personally, I got a lot of training time worked into my new schedule. So my game and timing got to be as good as it's been in a while. I spent alot of time making my ground game more mobile and crisp and that seemed to work out overall.

As for the guys that train with me, I had one guy get competitive and do well in the grappling areana. A couple of mma guys I worked with had a good year. And one of the cops I train with got to use some of what we work on in a real serious throw down and credited what we're doing to how well he controlled it.

On the downside, my older joints gave me a lot more trouble with the increased training load. Also, with alot of guys I'm working with wanting to focus on mma stuff, I didn't get as much time as I wanted to train with joint work or weapons.

So I have to rack '08 up to an incredably successful year over all. Here's hoping to continue the trend (with some course correctinos here and there)as we head toward '09.

Who else...

[joesteph]

My sons, David and Patrick, started Soo Bahk Do in late 2007, and their enjoyment carried over into 2008. It was a good year for me just to see them earn stripes on their white belts, and eventually earn their orange belts. Special needs or not, they do their best and have so far earned two stripes on their orange belts. If anything, karate in 2008 has been a "sports year" for my seven-year-olds, and has aided in their growth and development.

For me other than being a proud father, I began to take Soo Bahk Do in order to be more helpful to my sons when not in the dojang, and eventually I earned my orange belt and permission to be on the floor during the special needs classes of my sons and other children.

Karate is a "father-sons" thing, and I'm happy to share this activity with my boys. But it's also become important to me as an individual; the dojang has become a place of friendship as well as activity.

My mental and physical health has definitely improved, especially since I no longer do my old standard, weight-training. I've no regrets about investing in a WaveMaster, BOB, gloves, and even a bag paddle. I published an article "Age Is Just a Number" online at Tang Soo Do World, where there are a number of articles on different martial arts, about my entry into the martial arts, and I've been very fortunate to have found martial arts sites, especially KarateForums.com.

The year isn't quite over, yet, but I'm looking back at a good one due to the martial arts.

[mizu]

This has been a good year for me. Nothing special happened - no grades or tournaments, just a good solid year of training under my belt.

I really enjoy my karate when I can just get on an train, when I'm not particularly building up to anything - and that's what I've had this year! Great stuff!

[DWx]

08's been a good year for me too. After a year of getting my current syllabus stuff right ('07), could relax a bit more this year and devote some time to competing. On that front I think I've done pretty good, I'm happy with what I've acheived. Late this year I've had to move away for uni and had to join a new club so have had to deal with a lot of differences in teaching style and methods and technical differences. Just getting used to that now.

[pittbullJudoka]

2008 is nearing it's end but my joourney hasn't even started. I have become more comfortable with having students looking toward me as an assistant instructor. I learned to deal with the responcablities as a shodan. On the down side we had to close the door at the dojo we all so dearly love and I earn all of my rank from white to black in. But we got another place to train even though it's much smaller. But that too have an up side of we still have a place to train.

[bushido_man96]

2008 was a good year for me. I tested for and earned my 3rd dan in TKD. A personal highlight of the testing was nailing all of my board breaks on the first try, and I think I was the only one to do that at the testing.

I also started working with Combat Hapkido regularly again, and plan to test in the spring for my next rank.

I also kicked up my amount of DT training, doing so on a fairly regular basis until this last month. It has also paid off for me at work once. You just can't beat being prepared.

Last, but not least, I started taking Aikido classes this year as well, and I have enjoyed them. Overall, I have been pleased with my MA training in 2008.

[Kuma]

This was a pretty tough year for me. I ended up going overseas for almost a year and aside from my solo workouts had no other MA training to speak of. Fortunately I managed to do something with my training at least, really focused on Sanchin kata this year and a lot on my kihon and body mechanics. Seems to have paid off well, so all in all not a total waste.

[Shotokan-kez]

2008 has been a good year for me, nothing special has happened but i have been training for 2nd dan and have been teaching the kids...so its all good!!

[ShoriKid]

Time flashes by when you gt a little older, so, lets see...

I earned my second dan after over a decade of hard work. It's not that I've ever chased rank, but it was nice to be twested and found ready by the group of instructors who I respect in both ability and character.

As Pittbull said, we're in a smaller place, which hurts in some ways. But, I guess we'll all get better at doing stand up and rolling in a much more confined space.

My conditioning is getting much better, despite taking a hit lately with the lack of time to work on it while working on the house.

I've improved some of my transitions while on the ground and gotten a few things into my head about not panicing. Stand up wise, I want to get in and shake out the kinks more than I've had the chance to lately.

Pretty good year all in all.

[arcelt]

It's been a great year for me....After a decade absence, I'm training again, and I haven't felt better in years....