Why did you come back?

[Spartacus Maximus]

Here is a question for anyone who has returned to martial arts after a long time for whatever reason: What made you decide to go back to martial arts? What motivated you?

[Spodo Komodo]

Its like malaria, you think you are ok for a few years and then bam! You find yourself side-kicking lamp-posts on your walk home and collecting your chocolate bar from the vending machine in horse-riding stance.

I tend to wander away from training due to life circumstances, moving away for a job, looking after family or nursing a serious injury. Inertia stops me from going back for a few years and I tend to have other things to fill my time but eventually I need to do something active and once you have done martial arts, the gym is a poor substitute.

[Spartacus Maximus]

For whoever has gone back after a long time, did you start a different martial art or do try to pick up where you left off?

[Theochh]

Hi

I never stopped loving Karate, the discipline it gave me and the etiquette it taught me helped me in so many ways. I trained in Shotokan Karate for 7 years or so and achieved the grade of shodoan. However, life changed for me, met a girl, got married and had a son, very run of the mill. What was strange / odd was that my wife was also a karateka and trained in Shotokan...it didn't stop there, my father law was a 6th dan instructor and ran his own club. That inspired me to return to training and pick up from where i left off. The saddest part was that I didn't return sooner, huge regret. The happy part is that my wife also returned to training and my son also trains with us now.

[Capella]

I only trained for a few months when I was a teenager. I did a highschool exchange year in Kentucky, and that is where I started karate at a very small and cozy Goju Ryu dojo. It was the perfect place for me at the time, and my sensei, Robert Brown, did become my very own Mr Myagi.

When I returned to Germany, I wanted to continue, but the only thing I could find was very sports oriented Shotokan Karate at large sports clubs. A lot of rather rough kids in there as well. I really did not feel like I fit in. I did a little bit of Judo and Shaolin Kempo at uni later, and I liked it, especially Judo, but there were so many other things to do and so I gave it up.

Last year I decided I wanted to do something for my fitness, and I was tired of going to the gym on my own to lift weights or run on a treadmill. So I had a look at several martial arts schools instead, because it seemed more fun to me. And I stuck with a small kyokushin dojo. Great freindly atmosphere, really tough workouts and a very realistic, no-nonesense fighting style. I never thought I would enjoy full-contact fighting, but I really do.

[Lupin1]

I stopped in 5th grade because I wanted to play basketball instead. After college I was back in my hometown and was sort of in a rut and had gone from having so much to do in college to not being involved in anything. I needed a hobby. And I still felt drawn to karate-- especially to the personal challenge of learning the forms and the techniques and advancing through the ranks.

So a few months after being home, I e-mailed my old instructor from when I was a kid and I started training again.

[SLK59]

Hi

I never stopped loving Karate, the discipline it gave me and the etiquette it taught me helped me in so many ways. I trained in Shotokan Karate for 7 years or so and achieved the grade of shodoan. However, life changed for me, met a girl, got married and had a son, very run of the mill. What was strange / odd was that my wife was also a karateka and trained in Shotokan...it didn't stop there, my father law was a 6th dan instructor and ran his own club. That inspired me to return to training and pick up from where i left off. The saddest part was that I didn't return sooner, huge regret. The happy part is that my wife also returned to training and my son also trains with us now.

That is wonderful, Theochh! As for myself, after training for 15 years, I ceased for a variety of reasons at the age of 30. Now, 31 years later and after some major medical issues, I am healthy enough and my spirit has been rekindled, so at long last I am training once again.