Why you started Karate?

[Iskrax]

It's very interesting and personal quotation for any of us. I started Karate because every sport I tried I couldn't stick to it. I tried fencing, swimming, judo and when KARATE which is I think the sport of my life!

[sensei8]

When I was 7 years old, 1964, I was bullied at school in Canoga Park, CA each and everyday. A group of 6th graders would catch me in the restroom and knock me around, then steal my lunch money.

I'd come home after school and raid the refrigerator. Didn't take my mom long to ask me a ton of questions. One question lead to another, and before I knew it, I was enrolled in a local karate school. I've just celebrated my 50th year in Shindokan Saitou-ryu.

[KushankuShoe]

For me it was something that was always 'in' me but I didn't quite understand at the time. There was nothing in particular that made me want to take up martial arts, I was bad at sport, never really into fitness or health and didn't like to socialise so was not a member of any clubs even as a child.

For some reason, martial arts was always my 'thing'. I started off with jujitsu because it was the closest MA club to my home. I graded to yellow belt but didn't quite gel with it. I next tried Judo and lasted one lesson.

When I was 15 I went along to a karate class and have never looked back. I had found what I had been searching for

[hammer]

I thought about it growing up but never pushed anything with my parents. Decades later, I decided to have my son try it out and the instructor encouraged me to sign up as well (was only another $10/month). My son kept it up for a few years and then decided to do other things...by that time I was hooked.

Edited February 11, 2015 by hammer

[Karate_John]

I got a long rocky story, and "Started" a few times.

the short version is I started when I was around 7. I was bullied, among other issues. Started in a small hole in a wall until the old man left or something. (too young to remember) then started at a tiger schulmann's at around 12, until the Sensei had a affair... that ended that for a while. Then I started at my current Goju school at around 18, stopped at around 20 for college. Returned at 28, and now being tested for my back belt in 2 weeks. it's been quite a journey so far.

[Spartacus Maximus]

My reasons are many and common to many who start martial arts as children.

The majority of my heroes and role models were martial artists.

To deal with bullying

Because I had no interest in any of the popular team sports

[jaypo]

Got bullied a little, but became friends with 2 guys in Junior High that both took karate. And I saw the respect that they seemed to have from everybody. Since I was basically a nobody, I wanted that same kind of respect. Having been a fan of martial arts for years, I was finally able to begin training at 14 yrs old. Did pretty well for a couple of years, then life got in the way. Started training again about 3 years ago, and never looked back!

[Zaine]

I was bullied a lot as a kid and beat on so I joined karate to learn to defend myself. In the end, I stuck with it because I fell in love with Martial Arts. 13 years later I still train diligently and I cannot imagine a time when I will not be a Martial Artist.

[armanox]

I was inspired by such films as "The Karate Kid" when I was younger, and TV shows like the Power Rangers.

Also, always had friends who where doing some form of martial arts when I was in high school (Kung Fu, TKD, and two in Juijitsu) and decided I wanted in too.

[TwoPoints]

At 4 years old I was mesmerized with watching Martial Arts movies. Anything from Enter the Dragon to the 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

At 5 I started TKD. 30 years later....