How will my karate training
help me in the future ?
by Sempai Linda Hibbs
I commenced my karate journey in February 1992 ; a very quiet timid young woman with no concept of what karate was about. It is only now, nearly 7 years later, that I am beginning to comprehend the enormity of benefits my karate education has and will continue to provide me every day of my life. Karate-do is not only the acquisition of certain defensive skills but also the mastering of the art of being a good and honest member of society. The mind of the true karate-ka should be primarily concerned with love and respect of family and loved ones before he, (or she), turns their attention to their body and refinement of their techniques. Love of karate, love of oneself, love of family and friends ; the true meaning of karate can only be found through such love.
Karate has taught me many valuable lessons. One lesson of particular importance is to 'never give in'! In my early years of training many times I felt despondent when I could not accurately perform a technique ; I experienced feelings of hopelessness and self pity. Negative thoughts would fill my head and I was tempted to quit karate and try something easier. Yet through the encouragement of my Sensei and my fellow karate-ka to persevere and try again I was eventually able to execute the techniques. Now I continue to practice and perfect these same techniques seeking to one day master them. These elementary techniques once seemed like mountainous obstacles in my way and I almost convinced myself I could not get beyond through my poor negative attitude. Now I notice other lower grade karate-ka struggling with the same obstacles I faced and I can share my experiences and encourage them to think positive and remain persistent. I believe it is beneficial for all karate-ka like myself to go through these testing times. Not only does it forge the development of our characters, it also weeds out the dubious disinterested students who are not truly dedicated to karate-do. Unfortunately there are many drop outs along the way. Half hearted students will never aspire to black belt if they are not determined to work hard and succeed. Senior students are graded as much for their spirit as for their technique, and are expected to show courage, controlled aggression and mental alertness. I know I will experience many more testing times along the way as I attempt more difficult techniques where a higher degree of expertise is demanded.
For so many years I have viewed situations pessimistically and seen the negative side rather than the positive side. Karate-do has taught me that for every situation there is Yin and Yang ; negative and positive. I am gradually training my mind to reverse my defeatist attitude and seek out the good aspects of all situations whether at work, at home or in the dojo. Its amazing how much more contented and cheerful I feel when I view a predicament from an optimistic outlook. I believe it also sets an example to others. Most successful people in today's society are the ones who don't let unfortunate circumstances draw them down. They put it behind them and get on with the favourable parts of their lives. It is my belief karate training is contributing to slowly building my inner strength and confidence . This will continue to develop through further constant practice of karate-do. I am certain this will help me in years to come to overcome the inevitable obstacles and hurdles I will meet along the way. Lack of confidence, fear of the unknown is still a major flaw in my character which I must endeavour to overcome. I often distance myself from people and situations afraid to venture out of my comfort zone. Only by overcoming this vice will I be able to show true humility and put my fellow karate-ka's problems and concerns before my own feelings of inadequacy.
The elements of karate training fit together like building blocks. When you first commence your karate training the journey is very slow. Building the foundation takes the longest time because it must be strongly constructed. A karate practitioner can be likened to a living tree ; if the roots are well formed and robust the structure as a whole will be enduring and strong. The foundation encompasses all the training through Kyu grades up to black belt, (shodan). Once the groundwork is set, the options for adding to the structure are limitless ; like a tree growing new branches each year of it's life. A significant ingredient of karate education is self discipline. This is one of the hardest aspects of karate I had to face. To build a strong foundation in karate, basics (kihon) must be firmly entrenched. This means practicing basic blocks, kicks, stances and punching techniques every training session, night after night, week after week, month after month, year after year over and over again. It is very easy for the weak minded karate-ka to begin missing classes due to boredom or finding something more challenging. Self discipline means ensuring you attend regular training sessions as instructed by your sensei and not finding excuses for not attending. The importance of basic techniques cannot be emphasised enough. They are the foundation from which all other techniques stem from ; they are the roots of the tree. Only by constant repetition of basics can we aspire to achieve the ultimate goal of perfection of our characters.
I am confident my karate training will enable me to become more self reliant in future years. Karate-do teaches one to think for oneself; seek out and find your own solutions to problems. There is an old Chinese proverb,
So many people in today's society expect free handouts to solve their problems. If everything in life was simply handed to you unmerited you would have no sense of purpose; no self respect. Eventually you would become afraid to attempt anything yourself, totally reliant on other people. Unfortunately many of society's problems are a result of peoples negative selfish attitudes.
When I first started my journey in karate-do the only benefits I could see were physical ones. I could see my body was looking more toned, my cardiovascular aerobic fitness was improving, my flexibility was increasing and the list goes on. Of course these are all valuable benefits of karate training and contribute to my overall feeling of health and well being. Karate-do promotes healthy living, motivating the karate-ka like myself to eat in moderation and look after our bodies. I intend to continue to foster these physical benefits of my karate training for the rest of my life. Being physically fit enables us to cope better with the stresses of daily life and it protects us against degenerative diseases. I believe regular karate training combined with supplementary training, (jogging .aerobics etc...), will positively add value to my life and may even prolong it.
Another important component of karate-do is quiet meditation, za-zen. This involves empting the mind of busy thoughts and concentrating on breathing in life giving 'ki' energy. 'Ki' energy permeates all living creatures ; it is our life force. To be effective the breathing should be slow and regular, the air inhaled through the nostrils and pushed down to the lower abdomen, ('hara') , then exhaled slowly through the mouth. I hope I can develop my meditation skills in the future to enable me to alleviate stress, improve my focus, ('kime'), and unite my mind and body so I can be prepared for anything and remain calm.
There is one side to my karate training which I could not see in my early years of training. I could not see it because it develops from within ; it is inner strength. It is about emotional control and physical discipline. Inner strength is not arrogance or ignorance, it's acute awareness of oneself and an understanding of the world around. It's the ultimate calm when no matter what happens you remain in control. It takes many years of dedicated training to begin to experience this inner strength and harmony. I hope I can nurture and develop this quality in myself through future years of training and teaching others along the way.
I would like to convey the spirit and traditions of karate-do to future generations of students in years to come. Through constant training myself along side lower graded karate- ka, I can set an example of diligence, dedication and self discipline. Also demonstrating loyalty and humility to my sensei. I will endeavour to pass on the knowledge I have learned through my years of training to ensure the continuance of karate-do; not only the physical techniques, but the acts of common courtesy, respect and generosity which are sadly lacking in many people today.
As for me I look forward to continuing my journey along the way, training, teaching and working towards perfecting my character through helping others, showing love and respect, becoming less selfish, less impulsive, more tolerant, more confidant and finding the ultimate goal of inner peace and harmony.
I hope I can extend my knowledge of karate-do and other martial arts through reading, attending short courses or seminars and assimilating further skills and knowledge from my sensei. I will have new goals to aspire to after black belt, always striving to improve my techniques and perfect my character and above all embrace the friendship of my karate peers and my love of karate-do.