[KF20] KarateForums.com is Turning 20! Share Your Stories

[Spartacus Maximus]

I found this forum completely by chance and made the decision to join after a long time just reading through posts. When it became clear that it was regularly moderated and that serious discussion on martial arts were possible without interference by trolls, I registered.

Almost eight years ago I held a sandan with a rather large Okinawan shorin ryu karate organization. I had trained with XYZ-kan since my teenage years and had earned two dan levels in Okinawa graded by the grandmaster himself. Despite this, I realized how little I really knew, especially the functionality of basic fundamentals and kata applications. This is what drove me to personally and independently seek out other sources to fill in the I knowledge and skill gaps I knew I had. I read books, watched DVDs and took every opportunity to learn from different instructors of my style of shorin ryu. Especially those from different associations.

At the time of my first post here, my path had already diverted totally by chance and curiosity. I had finally found what I wished I had learned on a set of DVDs by an obscure instructor. From that set of videos I had tracked him down and by stroke of luck he was teaching less than two hours away from where I had moved.

I finally met this old Okinawan gentleman and re-started my training from zero and have never looked back since joining his association. I re-learned the exact same kata from the exact same lineage, but with a new perspective. I can now say that in a year I learned more than I had since I started karate as an awkward teenage nerd. So I put on a crisp new white belt and gave up my sandan.

As of now I have re-earned up to nidan and am close to getting sandan for the second time. This time under this new sensei’s methods I have gained so much that gradings have become secondary. A nod of approval from this new sensei is worth far more than any belt or paper.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it because my instructor and my peers honestly see more to my real abilities than I do myself. I’m also here because it’s the only place I can freely express and share my thoughts on karate and martial arts. Out there in the real world, for my own sake I would rather avoid mentioning my training or discussing it at all.

[Patrick]

Devin, thanks so much for sharing that! It's really amazing to hear that sort of thing, and it'll be good to see you around more as you venture back into the arts.

Spartacus Maximus, I'm glad we can be that place for you. Thanks for sharing that. You've definitely helped a lot of people over the years here, and it doesn't go unnoticed.

[RW]

Hey all,

On May 21, KarateForums.com will turn 20 years old. This is an incredible milestone. It is rare that an online community exists, consecutively, for this long. We've been fortunate, as a community, to have so many amazing members over the years.

As we cruise toward May 21, we have a number of things planned as part of what will be a lowkey, intimate celebration. We'd like to start with this thread!

I'd love to hear your stories about how KarateForums.com has impacted you. How members within this community have helped you or made something better or added enjoyment to your life. What stands out to you? It would be so great to hear your stories, and I know that I and others would love to read them!

This is a special place, and it is your experiences and stories that illustrate why that is.

Thank you,

Patrick

this place is really special to me. I can talk about martial arts from an academic standpoint and also vent out about certain things from the martial arts world I would not be able to do in real life. I found many like minded people here, and I love it

[RW]

as for how I found this place....way back in ye old days message boards were called "message forums" sometimes. I wanted to find a karate message forum, and thought to myself "there must be karate forums out there..." I typed that into the URL field and here I am lol

[Patrick]

Thank you for sharing, RW! That's really nice to hear.

[ps1]

Thank you, Patrick, for the invite and congratulations for turning 20!

I first joined the forums in 2004. I was in Iraq during the war and KF was how I spent alot of my down time. These forums gave me a way to get out of a pretty tough situation, even if for just a few minutes a day.

I remember the BJJ forum was almost non existent at that time. Heck, it was before I actually trained BJJ. LOL. Then I became involved after I came home and, as life often does, I drifted away.

Since that time I have had 2 kids, and even run a school full time now. I get to live my dream.

I hope all of you out there get as much from these forums as I have over the years.

Thank you all!

[Patrick]

Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Bill. It means a lot.

Patrick