Why I Train

Everyone should answer this simple question: "Why do I train?"

The answer might be as simple as "To get into shape.", or "To gain self-confidence.", or maybe "To spend time with my kids doing something we all enjoy.".  I like that one.  That's the reason I started training again just over two years ago.

These answers explain why you started, but fail to address why you still attend class. What keeps you coming back to the dojo after all this time? For me, there are four reasons why I train.

The workout

I could work out on my own, in the comfort of my own home, but I lack the self-discipline to pull that off four times a week. Working out in a group (or leading the workout) gives me more incentive to keep going and give just one more push-up or hold the plank for just 10 more seconds.

Another aspect of the workout is that there are some exercises that some people just can not do, and this forces those who lead the warm-up to think outside the box and come up with exercises that will benefit everyone.

In our Hampton Dojo, we have a 2nd kyu with two prosthetic legs.

Yes. You read that correctly.

This student is a huge inspiration to me and others in the class. I (and others who lead the work-outs) take this students needs and limitations into consideration when warming up and doing strength training, but we can't limit what we do because all of the other students will not benefit as much from the exercises. Everyone is different, and we are forced to think outside the box.

“Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a fucking sharp knife to it.”
- Banksy

The Ah-Ha Moments

I remember working with one particular Sensei in Rothesay, reviewing some bunkai. I had a question about a technique regarding which leg to use for a kick. I had what I believed to be valid reasons for using each leg. Sensei told me to perform the technique and had me stop and then perform the kick with each leg, and then had me look at everything and tell him what I saw. There it was, just as plain as day. That moment cleared up not just that one question, but other questions for techniques that I didn't even realize I had.

Working with someone who can give you the answer is one thing, but working with someone who helps you discover the answer on your own is something entirely different. Everyone who has a sensei who cares enough to do this is lucky.

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.”
- Chinese Proverb

The People

Not everyone who starts classes will stay forever. Some won't even finish out the first year. A lot make it to 3rd kyu and hit a plateau, and that's where they unfortunately stop. Others push through that and continue on with their training.

Every single person who joins has some things in common: they want to learn. They want to get better.  They want to try something new. No matter the experience or skill level of the practitioner, everyone who enters the dojo is eager to learn new things, or help others learn, and this makes the classes so much more enjoyable. Practicing with people who are so dedicated to their martial arts training is a huge benefit for everyone involved, and makes people want to be at class.

On top of local practitioners, there are several million people around the world that share the same passion and dedication to the martial arts, and want nothing more than to share their knowledge with others, and learn new things to expand on what they know. We all share an immediate connection that makes us all part of something bigger and brings us closer together.

The Journey

I know why I joined, and I know what I continue to train. It is not to attain a specific belt. It is not to learn how to kick someones ass. It is the three reasons mentioned above that keep me coming back to the dojo, as well as the moments of discovery; discoveries about the art, about the people around me, about myself. The best method for me to make those discoveries is to push my boundaries, and teach and encourage others to push their own. I might sometimes be a teacher in the dojo, but I will always be a student, because if you think you've learned everything, you're missing the point.

“Karate-Do is a lifetime study.”
- Kenwa Mabuni

My journey has taken me to the point where I am no longer learning "how to do", but rather "how to use". I am so happy to be at this point, and I am looking forward to continuing the journey surrounded by great friends.

Me and Griffin, immediately after the grading.The smiles say it all.

“From white belt to black belt you shape the tool, at black belt you start to learn how to use it.”
- Unknown

12 months down ...

So my 1st Kyu test was a success (Yay me!).  I now have a nice list of items, courtesy of my Sensei,  of things that I will need to improve upon before the end of classes this June. On top of that, I'll be learning all of the new Kata, kihon and bunkai required for Shodan. That doesn't really amount to a huge amount (Chinto, Kihon-Kata-San, which I already know, Nage-no-kata, and a few jumping kicks), but everything must be performed perfectly. My technique must be flawless, and I know I have a ways to go before everything is flawless.

So, Sensei says that I should be looking at May / June 2012 for my Shodan test. Thats about sixteen months to prepare, and I am really looking forward to the journey. I've come quite a ways in the past twelve months, and I'm amazed at what I was able to accomplish.

• Eight Kilos dropped
• 2+ Inches gone from my waist
• More muscle mass added
• (Much) More flexibility
• Re-learned (and fine tuned) five Kata
• Re-learned eleven Kihon
• Learned 2 new Kihon that didn't exist the first time (There's a Kihon-dosa-yon??)
• Learned the finer points of Bassai
• Learned Tehodoki-no-waza
• Learned Ju-ni-ko
• Removed flaws from my punching technique
• Identified issues with my ukemi (aka, still working on that active foot)
• Removed inconsistencies in my stances
• Grasped the concept of Shime, Shibori and Hari (I do not remember this being mentioned the first time at all)
• Learned, and now regularly apply, several terms and concepts (Ichi Gan people!)
• Began diving into the history of Chito-ryu and Okinawan Martial Arts
• Began learning Kata from other styles
• Started instructing junior students.

All of that in exactly one year. On February 1st, 2010, I walked into the Hampton Dojo of KV Karate in a white T-Shirt and track pants, wondering if I was going to survive the first work-out. On February 1st, 2011, I walked out of the Apohaqui Dojo of KV Karate with a Brown Belt. Twelve months down, out of countless more as I continue my journey.

"Karate-Do is a lifetime study."
Mabuni Kenwa Sensei - Founder of Shito-ryu