After 8 years or so I'm just starting to feel the spark

[NeilT]

I've been training in traditional Shotokan for over 8 years now across 2 clubs and can honestly say that I'm just starting to feel it all coming together.

One of the aspects being Kime -that millisecond of instant 100% focus, thats always seemed so elusive since I began and yet every now and then i'm finding it. It's not every training session but its certainly becoming more frequent.

Kase said that with patience you get a spark and then a fire that lasts forever, well I guess I'm just starting to get that spark!

Anyone else finding it too?

[JiuJitsuNation]

Absolutely! 10 years in and I have a real ability to slow things down in my mind. It's a great feeling.

[brickshooter]

I lost my mojo for Karate after getting my Shodan. I suspect that it's true for most folks. Looking into most Karate schools, I could see more BB folks spending most of their time talking than actually training. For some reason, once a person gets their dan, they slack. I was no exception.

But for the last two years, I found my Karate mojo with Kata. Ironic since I had completely dismissed it when I was younger. Albeit I knew all the steps, I really didn't know how to used it. And I couldn't have understand some Kata had I not moved on to Judo and Aikido. Funny. Learn grappling so that one can better understand Karate. Funny.

So ... "Crotty" Kata is my second wind.

[NeilT]

Agree with you on the kata - used to find it soooo boring, but over the past 3 or 4 years have started to find it far more interesting.

We frequently run through Kata bunkai which puts it all into perspective, and you can't beat a good bunkai session for a workout!

Neil

[Dobie1979]

I'm at the point of my MA career (1 year) that I feel I'm getting comfortable in my own body. When I first started the kata movements and drills were very awkward for me. Now everything is just starting to click. Now this is a great feeling.

[GaryMo]

It's good to hear that this does actually happen at some point (hopefully!). As a 7th Kyu (6 months in) in Shotokan I get picked apart when sparing with any Dan grades, which I do expect. They seem to know exactly where I'm going to attack seemingly before I do then have the perfect counter!

[NeilT]

Yeah given time it all really does start coming together, it's taken me 8yrs+ but I'm sure there's plenty that start to get it in less

I too used to get obliterated by 1st Kyus and Dan grades, work at it and it slowly comes

[Shotokan_Tigress]

I can't say I've truly experienced that spark yet, but I've had flashes of it. Tiny moments when I seem to be in total control of my body. Only two or three times so far, but I still have a long way to go (it's been only 3 years) and I'm not going to lose hope.

[Kruczek]

I want to say the first time I truly felt everything come together was when I was 16 and getting ready to test for my Nidan, 8 years into everything. After that I felt very relaxed and sure of myself.

[Uechi Kid]

For me it happened when we started looking deeper into the katas. Past the block, punch, kick and seeing what the real application for the techniques were. That's been what has kept the fire burning in me.