Why you started Karate?

[joaolx]

A friend of mine in school was a karate orange belt and convinced me to try...i guess i liked it...

[Shizentai]

I started karate when I was 14. My friend and I decided that because we were going to be freshmen in high school, we should probably try to be as cool as possible, which somehow we decided was synonymous with becoming martial artists. Originally, we were just going to train during the summer before our freshmen year, get some basics, and then discontinue (we had a tradition of doing varied summer activities like this)... however for some reason I never quit.

My parents didn't want me to train. I was a very slight ~100lb 5'3" girl at the time. I had a penchant for fainting in PE, and I often had braces on my ankles and wrists to support chronically weak joints that were constantly being injured.

I remember when I went with my dad to watch the first class. I saw this woman throw a man twice her size right over her head and into the ground. I saw people of all ages, sizes, shapes and skill levels fighting each other with smiles on their faces. Unexpectedly, the instructor came over to me after class and asked "Why do you want to train karate?"

I hadn't prepared an answer, so I just awkwardly blurted out "A lot of people tell me I am weak. I'd like to find out what it's like to be strong."

Not a bad answer I'd say. I mean, I did get bullied a lot back then, but I never wanted to fight those people. I didn't want anything to do with them. No, I wanted to be able to fight those people I watched that day, those smiling martial artists on the floor. I wanted to be like them.

[njc81]

First post on here and thought id continue this thread.

I started back up again 12 months ago, when my son started.

i did karate back when i was a kid but stopped with numerous other sports.

I had a back issue at the start of last year and could see the benefits of karate to help my core strength.

I have loved being back into it and the extra benefits to my health and focus outside the dojo have been fantastic.

[cathal]

Welcome to KarateForums, njc81! Stop by the Introductions area if you like: http://www.karateforums.com/introductions-vf8.html

I'm glad you've returned to MA. I recently returned after a long break myself. I agree on the focus and health benefits!

As for me, I got into MA because my father wanted his sons to be ale to defend themselves. I've been doing one MA or another on and off since I was six, though I didn't really get into officially grading until I was in my teens.

[wildbourgman]

Why did I start karate? That's an easy question to answer, just like most of the other karate students out there. Total world domination!

It hasn't worked out as of yet but I'll keep training.

[cathal]

[Nabil Kazama]

I actually cannot remember how or when my interest in the martial arts started to show, it happened when I was VERY little. I have a keen interest in Karate in particular and also the fighting games play a role in my interest. The Karate Kid films and any martial arts movies helped reinforce my decision to promise myself that one day I will become a Karateka.

This guy was a major inspiration growing up: http://streetfighter.wikia.com/wiki/Ryu

[Davis]

I started karate after being assaulted twice in one year by a group of 4 dudes. I was terrified, literally sweating bricks. I had to learn something. Something fast! For me, 4 years or so was fast enough!

Then why Karate? It was dumb at the time, and it think its dumb now, but its the truth. I saw a lot of full contact fights between styles and karate guys always won. That was in the 70s. The style, I found out later, was Kyokushin Kai. I did not go on to study that style, I found a much different one. But watching those one knee shot to the head knockouts made me say...I gotta learn that one!

Stupid eh? But when yer young, you go into stuff for all the wrong reasons. Lucky I found a good teacher.

[Shotokannon]

I actually started about 11 years ago (I was 12 years old at the time), because my parents encouraged me to.

At the time, I was a very timid boy so I was easily discouraged when I didn't understand something, so I quit after a few weeks.

Then last July, I lost my job and I got a bit of Cabin Fever so I thought "Why not give it another try?", I thought (rightly so) that Karate would get me out of the house and keep me fit, while learning the skills I want in order to defend myself and my family.

I have been assaulted in the past and because of that, I wanted to be able to defend myself and my family.

So I found a local club (which happened to be literally 5 minutes from my front door), did a couple of lessons and I've been doing it ever since! =D

I've lost a few stone since I've been doing Karate as well, so it's done wonders for my health! =D

[bigjono]

Unfortunate or fortunate?? mine is not yet a great story, i took up karate because i was lazy and undiciplined, saw an add in the local gazette for a new dojo opening near my home and thought, might just be time to get off my lazy A#@e and with the help of my sensei and all at the dojo im working hard in achieving my goals. ATM i dont wanna leave my dojo.