Please,I need help

[Nickmaster]

I feel like quitting karate.I just can't stay motivated.Sparring scares the crap out of me.I'm having family issues,not to mention school and band and the rest of the stuff in my life going on to.

But If I quit,I feel guilty that I've been avoiding classes to make time for homework and just because I didn't want to go.I don't want the image of me being a quitter and a coward to haunt me for the rest of my life.

Please,any help,or motivation?Anything?

[Montana]

Geeze guy (gal?)..if it's such a burden in your life...QUIT!!!

[shadowspawn]

You shouldn't have to spar if you don't want to. If your sensei insists on forcing you to spar, I think you should consider finding a new dojo. As per staying motivated, you don't have to just attend classes to practice karate. My sensei always says that as long as you can stand in the center of a room and take two steps in every direction, you can train karate. Practicing basics and double stepping through kata will help you build technique and practice on your own without having to attend as many classes. Of course you should always attend classes to get the critique of your sensei to make sure you're not practicing incorrectly. Bad habits are things that that are really irritating to get rid of.

[A. Orstrom]

Perhaps you should take a break. I realise that it sounds overly simplistic, but sometimes I find that I need to focus my energy where it is most needed and family and everyday life are the most important things.

Try to speak to your sensei about it and get his advive. Perhaps it will help to set a date where you will return to your class to prevent you from 'slipping through the cracks', so to speak, and quit entirely.

I obviously do not know what your troubles are and neither is it any of my business but I know that I have had success with simplifying my life and the number of activities I have done in the past.

I hope it helps a little.

[Evil Dave]

Take six months off, or another fixed time period, talk with your instructor about 'life' without going into details. Take this time to look at the other things in your life, and tackle the major stressors. If you love Karate, you'll come back. I know this was already mentioned, but sometime repetition is key. Myself, like a lot of others, have made drastic changes in life due to stressful situations. My biggest enjoyment activities are Karate and Scuba, I have taken large breaks from both to do what I needed to do.

[Dobbersky]

Take up Tai Chi, its calming and relaxing and definitely no sparring

Osu

[JohnnyB]

Sorry that u see it that way. For me Karate is like a heavenly break from the anxiety of real life and i look forward to every lesson.

It's that 1-1.5hour of quality time that i crave for. The calmness i get from this is priceless.

Imho u should find things to motivate you towards your martial art. Be it fear of getting beat-up, be it inspirational music, be it fitness there are so many reasons that can take you to the dojo. If you are that serious of quitting why not make a list of all the things u like & dislike about Karate and then decide.

Besides, there is no rush, everyone needs 'his own time frame' to make progress.

Just enjoy the ride.

[bushido_man96]

If you don't have time for it, then take time off.

However, if you are coming up with other excuses to yourself in order to avoid the sparring aspect that scares you, then I think you would be doing yourself a disservice by quitting. Take sparring in gradually; you don't have to win, the goal is to learn something. And you will eventually overcome your fear, which will make you feel great. Life is full of things to overcome. Don't walk away from them all. Otherwise, you spend life looking over your shoulder at what you could have been doing.

[DoctorQui]

I felt like this once, so I gave myself a nice break from it, about 3months. By the end of the 1st month I was missing it so by the end of the 3rd I felt very ready to go back!

If you end up not missing it, then it isn't for you, there's no shame in it! Being in a Band isn't for me but I don't feel unfulfilled as a result!

Don't be so hard on yourself!

[ShotokanMaster]

Nick bro all i can say is that your so negative about your self be Positive bro and every thing will workout fine and if ya have issues and cant deal with them put those issues away and think to your self i can do this my issues is not gonna bother me and about the sparring bro don't be afraid bro sparring is fun and exiting they will not hurt you in sparring they used control when they sparring in my school all the kids loved sparring they go nuts when they do sparring hehehe you will enjoy it never quit karate the only ones that im scared to spar is a black belt the rest i can spar hehehe. I wanna talk to you in skype or something so i can be your bud and we can chat and ill make your all your issues are gonna be gone and karate is a stress relive because you can kiai all your stress out

message me and ill ya my skype ok