New to karate and already being picked on!

[luigi105]

I have been doing karate for about 8 weeks now. (one class a week as thats all i can afford at the time being)

I get picked on for sparring as i am the slimest and newest.

Firstly, i dont mind being picked on as i WILL ONE DAY TURN ROUND AND WIN and suprise them.

i need your help as i go to the gym and i am trying to get fitter but nothing seeming to work. i am 20 years old and weight about 10 1/2 stone and average height.

i really want to be strong but i think strength is not going to be my main priority so i think speed will have to come first.

There is alot of people in my class that are bigger and stronger so i have to be faster and wiser then they are.

Can anyone help me with what i can start doing in the gym to gain strength and speed. and also, can anyone help with tips when sparring as when the first punch is thrown, my eyes glaze with red anger and i loose control (normally causing me to end up on my backside)

Help me please.

[Spodo Komodo]

I get picked on for sparring as i am the slimest and newest. Firstly, i dont mind being picked on as i WILL ONE DAY TURN ROUND AND WIN and suprise them.

Good attitude to have, if you are getting lots of quality sparring you are probably getting a good deal there. If they are just using you as a punching bag then that's not so good, is there a good atmosphere or is it intimidating?

i really want to be strong but i think strength is not going to be my main priority so i think speed will have to come first.

Well technique comes first, then power and speed can develop. If you have access to a friend and some focus mitts you can practice what you are taught in your lessons and apply it to a sparring situation without having to pick yourself off the mat each time. As you get better at the techniques then your sparring will naturally improve and you can concentrate on the speed of delivery.

Can anyone help me with what i can start doing in the gym to gain strength and speed. and also, can anyone help with tips when sparring as when the first punch is thrown, my eyes glaze with red anger and i loose control (normally causing me to end up on my backside)

Can't help you with the gym, I tend to stay away from them and do other things for exercise but if you are losing control then maybe you need to try meditation or something similar in order to understand your emotional response a little better. There are plenty of basic breathing meditation instructions around and regular practice can really help you to keep your head together under pressure.

Good luck and I hope you get to land a few yourself soon!

[JAKEHE3078]

You-Tube can be a great resource if you know what you are looking for.

[todome]

I wonder about any school that lets their white belts get picked on.

[joesteph]

I have been doing karate for about 8 weeks now. . . .

I get picked on for sparring as i am the slimest and newest.

When you say "picked on," does it means excessive contact? Are these noticeably higher belts? If so, whether it's Tony's "punching bag" or my favorite description, "target practice," it's way out of line and expected to be reported by you to your instructor. If s/he is already aware, then something's wrong with the school, a negative climate instead of a positive one. Even if you weren't a beginner, Luigi, differences in belt levels always factor in.

i need your help as i go to the gym and i am trying to get fitter but nothing seeming to work. i am 20 years old and weight about 10 1/2 stone and average height.

I don't know how long you've been going to the gym, but don't overtrain so that you're burning yourself out, unable to perform at optimum in either the gym or the training hall. I believe that your weight in stone is 151 pounds US; when I was your age, I was painfully thin, 110 pounds US, and remained that way into my 30s, when I started doing weight-resistance training. The weight came on without sterioids; it came on from hard work and supplements such as protein drinks.

[C]an anyone help with tips when sparring as when the first punch is thrown, my eyes glaze with red anger and i loose control (normally causing me to end up on my backside)

Losing control will never help you. You're reacting as though you're being attacked. I don't believe in blaming the victim for the crime, but when you spar, do you feel you overreact, and so your sparring partner is doing the same? Are you comfortable enough with either your instructor or a higher belt to ask about this? It might be wise to have someone watch you spar with others to see what the actual problem is, such as that it's being picked on as opposed to a mutual escalation.

[luigi105]

thanks to all of those replied.

its not like they are doing it to be mean, i think he wants me to catch up, but its also very off putting as i feel this is how its going to be all the time.

As for the belts, they are either 1 or 2 belts higher than me. i dont have a problem sparring against them, if only i knew what the hell i was doing!!

I want to be very flexable and fast so i think i will have to keep on practising stretching and agility training.

is there any tips anyone can give me to help me improve and maybe give me something i could suprise the higher belts with please.

Thanks in advance.

[todome]

Stick to technique. All the physical prowess in the world won't help you if your stances suck.

[GeoGiant]

I think everyone that is new to a martial art tries to find some piece of information that will allow him / her to speed up the advancement of his / her skill level… I know I certainly did! Unfortunately there is no secret bit of information that will transform you, only hard work and repetition.

If you want to impress the higher belts show them that you are dedicated. Try something like increasing your flexibility. Stretching is something that you can do at home at your own pace. Trust me, the higher belts will be impressed when they notice that the new white is working into a full split.

[Spodo Komodo]

As for the belts, they are either 1 or 2 belts higher than me. i dont have a problem sparring against them, if only i knew what the hell i was doing!!

Fair enough, it is pretty normal for a white belt to spar against yellow or orange in most of the schools with which I have trained. Eight lessons is really not that much experience under your belt so the gap is wider at the moment that it will be when you are a blue belt and they are wearing brown*. The hardest bit of training comes at the start when you go from being a non-karateka to being a karateka - when you become a bit more comfortable with the techniques you can relax and enjoy using them. The best way to get good at sparring is still to spar though.

(*assuming your belts go white-yellow-orange-green-blue-purple-brown as in many Wado schools)

[luigi105]

what is karateka? and our first belt is red? is that correct?