By Scott Buchanan
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Many people of all ages try karate but most never stick around to find out what this art is all about. There could be many reasons why they choose to leave or move on but I think that a lack of self-discipline is a major factor. When everyone starts to learn something difficult and unfamiliar, self-control is very hard to achieve. But what I have found is that karate-do helps us create and develop our own ability to apply ourselves and become successful in what we choose. Master Funakoshi, the father of modern Karate-do once said that a karate student ‘should not think of Karate practice as a fight against an opponent but a battle against oneself’. This is a great example of how the mind and the body work together to create such a beautiful and powerful art that karate is. If it wasn’t for the dedication and discipline of many karate masters before us there would be no such thing as martial arts in today’s world which would be an absolute shame. I do believe in the great importance of self-discipline in karate but it’s not the only thing that helps us aspire to achieve.
Starting at Tai Shi Kai at such a young age was very hard as my development had basically only just started and I had the discipline of a typical 9-year-old boy. It didn’t take me long to realise that as a student I was to be focused at all times and I was to always do as I was told to the best of my ability. From day one the expectations are very high and the understanding of what we are actually doing is very low. All I remember from my first lesson is watching Sensei question Sempai Mark about the first four blocks and their Japanese names for them. When Sempai Mark stated all four correctly it made me want to learn them too. This was my first taste of self-discipline and the way of karate life…and I loved it.
Karate helps us to develop in every area possible. My training has helped me to build confidence, strength, skill, fitness, endurance, flexibility, agility, balance, passion, emotion, but most of all I feel it has helped me to become very self-disciplined and controlled. Not only do I feel all of this building inside me when I train but I see it in others as I have travelled this journey to my black belt with many of my fellow warriors under the brilliant teaching of our Sensei. The companionship that is built between students is amazing and it’s wonderful to be apart of such a great group of people all striving for the same goal. We all look up to someone when we are training and this gives us the drive to stay focused and disciplined as we travel our path.
The battle with oneself in the martial arts lifestyle is sometimes unbearable as we find limitations in our bodies and in our minds. But these battles give us strength to excel in the areas that we are capable, therefore achieving what we dream. This then gives us strength in mind and body, which establishes an overall well-being and a dedicated, disciplined mind. Developing our physical and mental strengths help us to keep pushing towards our goals and our dreams. This helps us to create an inner harmony and a sense of internal satisfaction and fulfilment. The Wado-Ryu style of karate is about living in ‘the way of peace’ as the name translates to. Living in society where there are many different views and opinions it is easy to become overly emotional but through training the mind as we do in our karate practice, we can develop self-discipline and a strong sense of self-control that helps us to live peacefully in today’s world.
When times get tough in my training I just look to those around me and their determination and discipline gives me strength to go on, as do the thoughts of those who have travelled the path before me who are no longer with us. The thoughts of those who established this art are so encouraging and motivational it gives me all the strength I need to bury my fears and live through true karate spirit. Karate spirit gives me the discipline to make choices about my safety and also my ability to grow. I know I may never be perfect at karate but this inner spirit gives me everything I need to strive towards perfection, and to do my best and also help others to be the best they can be.
This journey I have travelled over the past 10 years has been amazing. There has been blood, tears and a lot of sweat but I have finally come to the day that I have been training towards for so long. It’s been hard, there have been highs and there have been lows, but I wouldn’t change any part of it as it’s crafted me into who I am today. Self-discipline and our own strengths are not all we have to make it through the journey to obtaining perfection. We are never alone along this gruelling path, we have many people before us leading the way and we have others following us and looking up to us. Karate is a major part of my life and I can’t imagine living without it. I will continue to aim my dreams higher and I will never give in as I discipline myself to strive for them.