new guy

[Hosoku]

Hello sportsmen. First of all i have to say i love everything

about Japan and its cultures and i was kind of a fan of karate myself

for like 2 years. I'm 19 myself. I have a friend that was learning kaarte for like a long period of time and he has a brown belt now. So yesterday we went to watch a karate tournament and i so much enjoyed it that i actually thought that i want to do this. So i want to ask if i can achieve something

if im already 19 years old? The style im looking at right now is Kyokushin.

The main problem about me is that i'm a smoker and i can say i dont have stamina at all, but for karate im willing to quit smoking and start my " career " as a kyokushin karate fighter.

So if anyone has to add something how others started this great sport im listening carefully.

Thank you

[Killer Miller]

First I'd like to say that I'm not supporting or promoting smoking - it's a deathly habit and it will definately take it's toll on me one day - as it did Nishiyama Sensei..

However, amongst many similar occasions, I can remember at an international camp one year, being behind the cafeteria after lunch and having a smoke with Nishiyama, Oishii, I think Shirai (but could be wrong on that one), and several other international team members and instructors - probably about 12 of us in the group. I'm not saying it was a good thing to see or do, but these were all reasonably healthy Karate-ka that achieved very high levels in Karate. And Karate, or any other MA, certainly helps keeps your system cleaned out of all the bad stuff, like smoking, etc. Not saying that it prevents smoking damage to your body, but it certainly helps minimizes it.

So what I'm really trying to say is that don't let the fact that you smoke deter your decision to go and get some exercise - it's all a good thing...

- Killer -

[Hosoku]

Yes, now i realised it's very bad for my health and i had

some lung and heart problems. been smoking for 4 years actually day after day. So now i decided to quit this habit starting from the next week and by starting going to the gym, cause i need to get my stamina and strenght a little bit and to get that nicotine out of my system.

So if i want to, lets say have a career as a karate fighter, wouldnt it be late to start aged 19? Im not saying i want to be the best but im really excited about this sport and i want to get started.

[Killer Miller]

Not a problem - go for it...

- Killer -

[Sokusen]

First of all quit smoking because it will eventually kill you not because it may impact your training. Second, many MMA fights start training at your age some even later. With something like Kyokushin Karate there isn't a lot of longevity in that style of competition only because it's full contact and beats the body down. You’re in the beginning of your prime with plenty of time to learn and compete, so go for it!

[tallgeese]

Defiantly go for it. 19 is still way young.

[Wa-No-Michi]

Stop Smoking man!!

Waaaay bad.

WNM

[dimitris]

You can quit easy you are only 19,better quit

[Hosoku]

Thank you for the replies guys. Yes smoking kills and i think that either you should smoke or do sports, these two things dont mix. So i finally decided to quit it from the next week and start by going to gyms and in January of 2010 start going to kyokushin classes when my friend will already have his brown belt black stripe test.

I'm not much of a fighter myself but i have to start somewhere so i see that kyokushin would help me develop my confidence and strenght and ofcourse attitude.

So i'll be reading this forum everyday aswell because i see lots of valuable information here.

Thank you again.

~Hoku

[RichardZ]

Welcome aboard. Quitting a habit is easier said than done. Come to think of it, Karate excellence is easier said than done.