What do you get out of your Karate

**gr455h0pp3r** · 01-18-2005, 11:33

Hi-
Just starting a thread for people to talk about why they do karate, and what they get out of it. How long you have been doing it, at what school, and why you will continue to go etc..

I am just a beginner in Seido Karate

When i think about bettering myself and my Karate i get excited.

www.seido.com.au

**Wulf** · 01-25-2005, 07:05

kicks

for real!!

**jwinch2** · 01-25-2005, 07:42

Originally Posted by gr455h0pp3r

Hi-
Just starting a thread for people to talk about why they do karate, and what they get out of it. How long you have been doing it, at what school, and why you will continue to go etc..

I am just a beginner in Seido Karate

When i think about bettering myself and my Karate i get excited.

www.seido.com.au

Hi,

I am actually studying jujutsu (only for a very short time by the way), so I apologize for invading your Karate forum, but I found the question interesting and I imagine that most people will have very different answers depending on what they were hopingto get out of it in the first place!

For me, it is something that I can do that is for me alone. It is a way for me to push myself and learn that I do for my own growth. When I look at the things that I do in life most of them are for others or outside factors. Work, school, etc. are all necessary evils that I could not do the other things I want to do without, such as have a place to live or eat for that matter! MA however, is something that I do because I want to, not because I have to. There is a certain freedom in having that choice and a satisfaction that comes from pushing yourself in that kind of enviornment.

I don't advertise that I train, certain friends know as it has come up in conversation but otherwise it is really not important to me that others know. It's for me, and I like that!

Good luck and I will be interested to see other's response.

Jason

**TonyU** · 02-02-2005, 07:01

Originally Posted by gr455h0pp3r

Hi-
Just starting a thread for people to talk about why they do karate, and what they get out of it. How long you have been doing it, at what school, and why you will continue to go etc..

I am just a beginner in Seido Karate

When i think about bettering myself and my Karate i get excited.

www.seido.com.au

Good question. I'm sorry I didn't answer sooner.
I've always been interested in the Martial Arts. Due to the availabilties of schools in this area at the time I could only find Japanese and korean (TKD) based systems. There was only one Chinese based sytem around here at the time. So I went with the Japanese styles.
Now I do Okinawan karate, specifically ShorinRyu. I fell in love with it. I felt it had more to offer me than the other styles that were being taught in this area. I also felt that since my sensei was a former officer he was always ahead of the curve when it came to teaching realistic self defense.
Now initailly I started training to learn a TMA and Japanese culture, but now I train to keep myself prepared for anything I may encounter in the streets. So I get several benefits out of it.
1. A TMA with tradition and history
2. Self defense.
3. I enjoy trying to interpret the moves in the katas, like a never ending puzzle. It's doing the puzzle that's fun, not necesserily the finished product.
Another thing I've noticed is that whatever I may learn from other systems I find in my Katas somewhere and if I incorporate into my training and self defense it does not change or take anything away from the style.
Now that may also true of other systems, but I'm more familiar with ShoriRyu.

**Dennis Monk** · 02-02-2005, 09:23

1. Broken toes, because I need to learn to kick correctly.
2. Broken hands, because I need to learn to strike correctly.
3. Busted nose, because I need to keep my guard up when sparring.
4. Sore muscles, because I am not woking out enough.
5. Exhausted breathing, because I need to work on my cardio.
6. Sore feet, because my sparring partner does block kicks with his elbows correctly.
7. On top of it all the humility to accept that I need to work on these things and a reason to do so.

**jakmak52** · 02-02-2005, 10:22

Originally Posted by gr455h0pp3r

Hi-
Just starting a thread for people to talk about why they do karate, and what they get out of it. How long you have been doing it, at what school, and why you will continue to go etc..

I am just a beginner in Seido Karate

When i think about bettering myself and my Karate i get excited.

www.seido.com.au

I started training in 1993 at USA Karate in St. Petersburg, Florida, the style is American Tae Kwon Do leaning towards the ITF forms, I continue to practice because it's become a way of life for me, it has taught me self-discipline, respect, confidence, and self defense. I also enjoy competing with my fellow martial artists from around the world, yes, it's exciting still to this day, keep it up Ryan

**KyokushinGuy** · 02-08-2005, 19:41

Very good question. Man...hard one to answer!

The biggest thing I get out of my karate is the friendship. Yea, I get self defense, I get physical fitness, and all that great stuff, but really, it's the people that make me come back three times a week. All of our instructors are really great people and my fellow students are a hoot.

Apart from that, I simply love everything about karate. I love kata. I love fighting. I love breaking. I just love the whole thing.

**shashkes** · 02-13-2005, 07:23

Ii've been asking myself the same thing Lately since the time that I'm putting in to training has increased dramatically. Yes, I love it, but why?
Is it just because I want to feel strong? I hope not, I mean I could just buy a gun for self protection.
I think practicing martial art give one a unique perspective and understanding of his (or in my case her) body and mind and the way they interacts with the world. It is a form of expression.
And yes, you could say that about almost anything, but the fact that martial arts try to simulate life and death situations makes them different from any other sport. The fact that karate especially, deals with concepts such as emptiness, and irimi (entering your opponent), with out actually using words (although here I am wasting a few on the subject) is what has kept me practicing, even if I didn't know it myself.