When Did You Know?!?

[IcemanSK]

I was 14 when started training. An uncoordinated kid with Cerebral Palsy who was just delusional enough to believe I could actually do this. I got tons of support from the BB's & my master (who made me believe I could fly if he asked me to jump off the roof). This was long before there was any hint of actual ability from me. So, I fell in love with it almost from the beginning. However, I'd say I was about green belt that my body started to click with the techniques.

I started with my best friend, who was a natural athlete. They figured he'd train forever & I'd give up. He quit after 6 months & I've trained for 32 years.

[ShotokanMaster]

Martial Arts was already in my blood my 3 of my cousin did it 2 did judo 1 did kung fu my 3 of my nephew did Ma also 1 did american kenpo 1 did taekwodo and the other 1 is doing shotokan and his a brownbelt and his only 8 years old 2 of my niece did it also and one is purple one is yellow

Me im a green Belt in shotokan and almost Blue in American kenpo and I love tournament and Belt testing i get exited all the time i have 4 1st place Trophie in Shotokan and 2 3rd place in American Kenpo so yeap it runs in my Fam bam

[Shizentai]

When did you know that the MA was for you??

I don't know that it happened all at once. I think it was a progressive thing... that being said there were certainly some pivotal moments:

The first time I threw my beginners' sensei in kumite as a yellow belt was probably the first one of those times for me. The look of surprise on his face was pretty terrific. I had only been allowed to train with the advanced class for a few months when it happened, and everyone else was a blackbelt except for me. The throw was kind-of an accident, but I tried to roll with it and it just worked out somehow. He was about twice my weight but it didn't seem to matter. When he landed I yelled and punched ippon to the head. A bunch of the others cracked up laughing at, I'm sure, what was probably the most awkward-looking throw they had seen in a while. Still I remember thinking "Well, maybe I'm not completely useless at this after all"

Keep in mind, before I did martial arts, I was a very slight teenage girl, with a habit of fainting and spraining ankles or wrists while doing the most mundane of activities (stepping off a bus, singing on stage, etc). Even just being able to do a pull up like the other kids was amazing to me. If you had told me a year before that I would be going toe to toe with a grown man I would have thought you were crazy.

[ninjanurse]

First day of class in 1978-Tang Soo Do at the YMCA!

[Spartacus Maximus]

I knew martial arts were for me since I was 6 years old, more specifically karate. I liked the idea that I didn't have to be very big and tall or built like a gorilla to defend my self and others.

[AmericanKenpoKarate]

I knew at age 13 ma was good for me caused i couldnt play sport but i guess Martial arts choose me and I choose him and it runs in the fam bam

[Alan Armstrong]

Started out as a sweet kid in the late 1960's. Just was bullied and beaten up too many times up until 11 years old. Had a street fight with a local bully and I won. He insisted on a rematch and I convinced him that he was a better fighter than me. So he left me alone after that. Didn't stop other bullies they just kept showing up. But I learned from them some skills while loosing to them. Took Judo soon after that, got beaten up there. Took boxing, got beaten up there. Took Karate got beaten up there ... I'm still standing

[Shizentai]

It's really interesting to read these different stories.

[bushido_man96]

It's really interesting to read these different stories.

Yes, it is. Seeing where everyone comes from is a great experience. Everyone's journey is so different!

[sensei8]

It's really interesting to read these different stories.

I wholeheartedly agree!!