How Karate changed your life ?

[Safroot]

It truely is a hard one to answer, not because I dont have examples of how Karate has benefited me over the years but because I have to many.

When I was a kid I was out of control. Bad temper, did stupid things that probably could have killed me (jumping off bridges into rivers for fun ext) and I had a huge amount of pent up rage. Karate mellowed me out by giving me tools to deal with those issues I had growing up.

Karate matured me because I trained with adults at a youngish age. I was held to a higher standard of behavior from the start and I had to live up to it. When My parents split I had no problem dealing with it from a non-emotional point of view and just "letting it go" it was not me splitting but them and I still had a relationship with both of them.

When my brother died I had a very hard time but the Dojo family I had built up supported me and let me morn the way I needed to while acting as a crutch and supporting me.

Karate has been their for me my whole life pretty much and I grew up in the Dojo.

Great experience, thanks for sharing it with us

[Do-gi]

Just after I turned 15 I turned up at my first lesson, extremely shy and insecure.

Now, 13 months later the dojo is my home, and the people are like my family. My confidence in myself and my abilities has increased tremendously and I'm more comfortable with myself and my body.

Karate's my life.

Do-gi.

[Safroot]

Just after I turned 15 I turned up at my first lesson, extremely shy and insecure.

Now, 13 months later the dojo is my home, and the people are like my family. My confidence in myself and my abilities has increased tremendously and I'm more comfortable with myself and my body.

Karate's my life.

Do-gi.

That''s great experience ... Thanks for sharing it with us

[SteyrAUG]

At first martial arts was simply a fun activity for me as a kid.

But early on I began to experience a turbulent home life. Where most kids escaped to their bedroom or under the bed, I escaped into the martial arts.

When my parents would be fighting over this or that, I'd go to the garage or front yard and practice. The ability to focus on something solitary like the martial arts allowed me to tune out the stress of my home.

Later on it would become a literal escape as I virtually became a uchi deshi to one of my teachers who lived in the neighborhood. I'd go straight to his home and begin practicing in his driveway or garage dojo (if the door was up) and I'd stay well into the evening with him frequently just telling me to put the door down before I went home when he retired for the night.

If I didn't have that psychological escape option who knows what might have become of me. Fortunately I would eventually move out of state to live with my grandparents so martial arts could become simply part of who I was rather than a hiding place.

[Safroot]

At first martial arts was simply a fun activity for me as a kid.

But early on I began to experience a turbulent home life. Where most kids escaped to their bedroom or under the bed, I escaped into the martial arts.

When my parents would be fighting over this or that, I'd go to the garage or front yard and practice. The ability to focus on something solitary like the martial arts allowed me to tune out the stress of my home.

Later on it would become a literal escape as I virtually became a uchi deshi to one of my teachers who lived in the neighborhood. I'd go straight to his home and begin practicing in his driveway or garage dojo (if the door was up) and I'd stay well into the evening with him frequently just telling me to put the door down before I went home when he retired for the night.

If I didn't have that psychological escape option who knows what might have become of me. Fortunately I would eventually move out of state to live with my grandparents so martial arts could become simply part of who I was rather than a hiding place.

It's amazing what MA can do in our lives

[SteyrAUG]

It's amazing what MA can do in our lives

It probably saved mine. Without it I was just a young kid trying to get out of the house. That road typically doesn't go to many places good.

[XPoint0]

I've learned to defend myself. It's been over a decade since I've been in martial arts. While my moves are rusty, they haven't faded. If somebody tries to attack me, I can quickly block the hit and then counterattack.

Also, even though it's been over a decade since I was in karate, recently I've been shadow fighting to help me with my anger.

[XPoint0]

At first martial arts was simply a fun activity for me as a kid.

But early on I began to experience a turbulent home life. Where most kids escaped to their bedroom or under the bed, I escaped into the martial arts.

When my parents would be fighting over this or that, I'd go to the garage or front yard and practice. The ability to focus on something solitary like the martial arts allowed me to tune out the stress of my home.

Later on it would become a literal escape as I virtually became a uchi deshi to one of my teachers who lived in the neighborhood. I'd go straight to his home and begin practicing in his driveway or garage dojo (if the door was up) and I'd stay well into the evening with him frequently just telling me to put the door down before I went home when he retired for the night.

If I didn't have that psychological escape option who knows what might have become of me. Fortunately I would eventually move out of state to live with my grandparents so martial arts could become simply part of who I was rather than a hiding place.

That's great to hear.

[Safroot]

I've learned to defend myself. It's been over a decade since I've been in martial arts. While my moves are rusty, they haven't faded. If somebody tries to attack me, I can quickly block the hit and then counterattack.

Also, even though it's been over a decade since I was in karate, recently I've been shadow fighting to help me with my anger.

That's good experience ... How long did it take you (in training) to be able to apply karate techniques in self defence situations

[andym]

It's something I don't think much on, as Karate as been part of my life for most of it. I have trouble detaching myself to see were it changed things, as i don't see it as change, as such. And then I look around me , at my contemporaries : friends , colleagues etc. Then there's a sudden realization....there but by the grace of god go I.