Does it annoy you when people tell you karate is for kids?

[ozm8]

It does for me so many times now when i tell someone I do Karate they always say something like karate is useless and is for kids, makes me angry. In my class there is more adults than kids and most of the kids i see usually don't last long/lose-interest within a weeks - months.

Does it annoy you guys when people say this rubbish?

[Bulltahr]

Meh, No. Bet those that say that stuff spend most of their spare time in front of a TV or computer screen. Human nature mate, negative people are everywhere. Leave them to wallow in their negativity and carry on getting stronger and better.

[Lupin1]

I don't agree that karate is for kids, but I still usually word it "I help teach karate at the Boys and Girls Club" because the combination of me doing karate and it being at a kids' center usually gives them pause.

Karate is no more for kids than any activity. Yes, kids are usually the ones with the time to do basketball or swimming or dance or music lessons-- but adults doing those things is in no way weird and should actually be encouraged and praised. Adults need to learn new things, get out there, and have solid, positive hobbies just as much as kids do.

[bushido_man96]

I've never heard this told to me. Maybe I'm just lucky that way, but its not anything I've heard.

[ozm8]

Well I think in my opinion people just assume Karate is for kids because of the movie The Karate Kid

[Wado Heretic]

Not really; I do get tired of sometimes having to correct the difference between karate as I practice it, and what children get to practice as karate. They are not entirely dividable, however, I would never ask children to do the kind of training I put myself or my adult students through.

In that sense, that is why I enjoy karate; it can be all things to everyone. I do not think of there being "real" or "false" karate, rather just good and bad. The good and the bad come from being sincere about what you are doing, and holding yourself to the appropriate standards for what you are doing.

People say nonsense about a lot of things; I worry more about when that nonsense is in danger of hurting people, rather than wondering if it might bruise my ego.

In the west where MMA and Boxing dominate the highest levels in terms of exposure to the public; people wearing pajamas and seemingly doing choreographed dance does seem somewhat childish. However, only once one no longer cares about being childish has one achieved adulthood. Just do what you love, and carry on. People say what they say; listen but spend the time you have on the things said which matter.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Wado Heretic

[Patrick]

Bet those that say that stuff spend most of their spare time in front of a TV or computer screen.

*cough*

[sensei8]

Bet those that say that stuff spend most of their spare time in front of a TV or computer screen.

*cough*

Now THAT'S FUNNY!!

[sensei8]

It does for me so many times now when i tell someone I do Karate they always say something like karate is useless and is for kids, makes me angry. In my class there is more adults than kids and most of the kids i see usually don't last long/lose-interest within a weeks - months.

Does it annoy you guys when people say this rubbish?

Never bothers me at all!! Things are said, and when things like this are said, that person has not even a minimum of an idea of what they're talking about. It's their opinions, and they're allowed to have them; right or wrong!!

Just have to smile and shake my head and breath a deep sigh and carry on!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

The situation is much akin to an unemployed dropout telling an honour student that studying and going to school is for nerds. What is the merit in listening to people who are not in the least informed enough, let alone qualified to discuss karate? Karate is not any more or less of a children's thing than hockey or baseball or cricket.

People who have this concept of karate or martial arts in general have only the most superficial familiarity with the subject and their shallow opinion is only a reflection of the flawed image propagated by popular culture and the entertainment media. They just repeat what they heard or interpret what they saw in a strip-mall dojo when they happened to walk by during the little dragons class.

This is just one of many arguments for keeping karate a personal secret.