I want to ask the women here that really love the martial art they are in (art doesn't matter) when did you find out that the MA are for you? My niece just started a martial arts class a couple of months ago (finally someone else in the family is in it). I'm very happy that she decided to get involved. I wish more women would get into some kind of MA just to learn how to protect themselves if need be. Most women I have seen throughout my experiences just come to class & just kind of go through the motions. Take a test and move on. Some drop out some stay in. Some have different motives to join than others. Regardless of the reasons my question still stands. Did you realize after a couple of months, or years you knew the MA was for you.

I'm a bit of a late bloomer. I only started training when I was 30 years old. Had to get past the stereotypes of Martial Arts not being for "girls".

But I knew it was for me right after the first class. After too many attempts at gym memberships that never panned out. I had found something that would challenge me physically and mentally. No more boring hours on the cardio machines, now I can Beat the crap out of a punching bag or maybe even a fellow student or two. ;) Though truth be known I think I get beat up more than beating up, but that's al part of the fun.

When I thought I had to quit because of my knee injury, I litterally broke down and cried. Luckily I decided to give it another go after a years hiatus and things are going well, knees give me hell but I'm dealing with it. And I'm not quiting again unless something happens that makes it impossible to continue.

Dot

From day one......I was hooked.

dki girl

I read a book with a female character who happened to be a martial artist. The martial arts weren't a real integral part of the story, but they were an integral part of who Diana was as a character. And, being ten years old, I thought she was SOOOO cool. And if you're ten, you want to be cool too. So, I pestered and pestered and pestered my parents, until they finally let me train (mainly so I'd shut up about it, I think). I've been hooked on it for the last...gosh...almost 14 years (hi. I'm Kris and I'm a kenpoholic). Damn. I'm a few weeks shy of 24 now, so I've probably spent like 60 percent of my lifetime doing martial arts...(but I suck at math, so the percentage is probably wrong. lol).

In case you're wondering, the book was "Children of the Night" by Mercedes Lackey. Diana Tregarde is a paranormal investigator/professional romance novelist (hey, a girl's gotta make a living...ghost hunting doesn't pay well) who happens to stumble into a nest of vampires...It probably wasn't something a 10 year old should be reading. Blood and vampires and really scary bad guys, and a slightly more than passing mention of sex (not nearly as much as a romance novel, but still slightly shocking for a rather naive 10 year old, but my parents figured that heck, as long as I was reading SOMETHING, it was probably a good thing, and they were right). Its an excellent book, and I still have it on my bookshelf and reread it about once a year. One of those timeless books I could never get sick of. If you haven't read it (or any of Mercedes Lackey's books) its probably at your local bookstore (or on www.amazon.com), and its definitely on my top ten list of recommended reading. Diana's kind of a Harry Potter for grown-ups.

-Nightingale

Originally posted by nightingale8472

(hi. I'm Kris and I'm a kenpoholic). Damn. I'm a few weeks shy of 24 now, so I've probably spent like 60 percent of my lifetime doing martial arts...(but I suck at math, so the percentage is probably wrong. lol).

-Nightingale


Cool story. :) However, (I'm Jason & I'm a kenpoholic) admitting it is the first step towards recovery. HMMM Does this mean I need to stop practicing 7 days a week.:(

I admitted it... I never said anything about recovery, though...

you have to WANT to recover... and I'm quite happy with things the way they are. Even if I don't do a whole lot more than work and kenpo. LOL. life? what life? I don't need no stinkin' life! :D

Oh, no way. I don't want to recover from anything. I'm not old enough yet. he he:) I've got many more kenpo yrs. left and a lot yet to learn (and I do mean ALOT).

But seriously, still most of the women I've taught along the years all had different reasons for joining the class. I've heard quite a few losing weight, toning up, physical protection, the one cute guy in the class (not me) and so on. Most of them didn't want to hurt a nail or the hair and absolutely didn't want to sweat. I really believe more women should be in a martial art but what do I know. Keep the stories coming though. :) :D ;)

And wanted to start ever since I was 23 but thought as a young mom in college I couldn't do it.

Then when my baby girl was 5 I put her in tots so she could lern self-defense- now I know it was me living vicariously thru her.


Finally, when I was 25, drinking way too much, out of shape, and depressed in general, I saw a young instructor do a kata. He was so beautiful in his precision, strength, and passion for the sport. I wanted to do that SO BAD.


SO a few weeks later, when i actually had the guts to bow into the dojo for the first time, with my little white belt, I knew I could never leave.

I'm up to blue now and i am still in love with the sport and always will be.

Whenever I get aksed what the hardest thing to do in karate is, I always say 'To step into the dojo for the first time as a student."

For me, stepping into the studio was easy...

the hard part was coming back the next day when I had aches in muscles I didn't even know I had, and even walking hurt!

I'm addicted to Martial Arts. I knew about after a month or so that I wasn't quiting. I loved (still do) it. If I go two or three days without going to class, I feel it. I feel like s**t. Not just physically, but mentally. I get banged up and bruised, but I get right back in there for more (maybe I'm nuts, but it's fun hehehehe) :D

Originally posted by karatekid1975

I'm addicted to Martial Arts. I knew about after a month or so that I wasn't quiting. I loved (still do) it. If I go two or three days without going to class, I feel it. I feel like s**t. Not just physically, but mentally. I get banged up and bruised, but I get right back in there for more (maybe I'm nuts, but it's fun hehehehe) :D

karatekid1975,

If you are nuts, then I must be also. It is fun. :D

Train well every one.

Originally posted by girlychuks
Finally, when I was drinking way too much

Oh please...as if that was even possible!
:rolleyes:

Hmmm well I always had an interest ever since HS.. but never took the opportunity til I met Seig to actually give it a try.. I grew up sailing. skiing.. and outdoorsy sports.. .. so when I started training.. I thought .. Hey this is great stuff.. I can do it even at my age.. Even after my first class and I ended up with a smashed hand from backfist drills.. duh me~! Went back with my cast on and had at the 6'4" dude that gave it to me.. *chortles*
I'm 42 now and never felt better.. sure wish I had started earlier in life .. but oh well .. Better late then never.. :)

Tess

Originally posted by KenpoTess

Hmmm well I always had an interest ever since HS.. but never took the opportunity til I met Seig to actually give it a try.. I grew up sailing. skiing.. and outdoorsy sports.. .. so when I started training.. I thought .. Hey this is great stuff.. I can do it even at my age.. Even after my first class and I ended up with a smashed hand from backfist drills.. duh me~! Went back with my cast on and had at the 6'4" dude that gave it to me.. *chortles*
I'm 42 now and never felt better.. sure wish I had started earlier in life .. but oh well .. Better late then never.. :)

Tess
In addition to giving us another commonality, it has had some other major positive influences on her!:)

Hey all.. sorry for my hiatus... ive been a busy girl..

Anywhoo.. in answer to your question...
HEre's my little story..
I originally started in MA.. not in the style that I currently practise.. i took it to learn some self defence.. but got so deeply involved with it spritually.. I realized that MA would always be a part in my life.. I too started MA late.. 24... I started in Aikido.. but after a devistating back injury.. had to stop.. and now at 27 im taking Hon Sang Mu Sa Hapkido.. I love it im addicted to it.. I see the people at the Dojang more than my family.. and i wouldn't give it up for anything.. even if you take away my legs.. i'll still be there... i believe its a fire within me that will never burn out...

I think that more and more girls and women are starting to take some type of MA.. and not just becuase of the self defence benefit of it.. but mentally and spiritually as well..

I have the highest amount of respect for everyone who gets involved with MA..

When I first started I was 15 and had always been a bit of a tom-boy and had been interested in MA since I was a little kid. I thought it would be cool to be strong and tough and do some of that stuff I saw in the movies. :karate: Once I actually started class and found out what it was really about I liked it even more, right from the first class.

I did that style for 2 years but had to stop because I was too busy with school. I took about 3 1/2 years off and really missed it so finally last January I started TKD at my University. I absolutely love it and will never give it up again unless I get seriously injured and have no choice.

I love the feeling of getting mentally and physically strong and it never hurts to know that I'm learning to defend myself in case anything ever does happen.

The only problem? We only have class 3 times a week and
I WANT MORE !! :mad:

As for me.......I came upon the opportunity to join a Kenpo Karate class in my hometown when I was 13. It was just after having spent two years in gymnastics and quitting that after being told I really would not be able to go much further in tournaments, etc. because of my height.

So, I was looking for something else and saw a demo. at our local fairgrounds. I just thought it was so cool cuz it was a man and a woman doing the demo and there weren't a whole lot of women in the martial arts back then. She was pounding him as much as he was pounding her!! They were handing out free trial offers so I took them up on it and have been hooked ever since. It was a busy week for me.......all in one week, I turned 13, got braces and started Kenpo karate.

Little did I know- that birthday present would last so long- I am now 30 and still hooked on Kenpo!! I have been thru many instructor changes, times where I could not train (blew my knee out on my 2nd brown test), etc, but I am always drawn back to Kenpo. I have also tried out Goju, Arnis and Wu Ying Tao.....but Kenpo is my true addiction!!

As for how I knew it was for me? Well, pretty much from day one- I fell in love with it and have never lost that love.

:asian: :karate:

I started Kenpo in college when I was 19 and loved it! I went to practice almost everyday. I stayed in it until 21 and moved out of state for 18 months. I then moved back home and got back into it trying to find a good dojo to call "home". I went through a few dojos and didn't quite feel I fit in. I got married and continued with martial arts anyway with the closest dojo. When I started a family, I attempted to stay in training but my health didn't permit. It wasn't until after 4 kids, I know I'll be able to finally stay in martial arts for good. At 37, I found a terrific Kenpo school with awesome instructors. I'm not going anywhere else now. I love where I am and my sons love being in Kenpo too. My daughters will probably join once they get old enough.
- Ceicei

I've always been intrigued. MA has so many different sides to it, philosophy, physical exertion, competition etc...It makes for lots of variety. Besides that, there's all the benefits that just come with the package, weight loss, being in better shape, better endurance, feeling younger, lots more self-confidence, etc.. I knew that I was in it for life from the first day I tried a class. I've never looked back. The more I sweat the better, the harder I spar the better!

I've always loved the martial arts since I was a little girl. My older brother was always in to Bruce Lee movies and it fascinated me. I had always asked my parents to take me for lessons, but my father told me that wasn't something for little girls.

Needless to say, as soon as I was old enough and could afford to put myself through classes, I did just that. I love martial arts and have since I was young. I'm addicted, and like any addict can't go with out for more that a certain period of time. Bruised, battered and beaten I still continue to go back for more. My mom always asks me why I put myself through all that, and the only reply I can give her is that I love it.

If you have a passion for the arts, or for any type of sport, there's no limit to how far someone can go. Reach for the stars and eventually you'll get to outer space.

Well, I start MA my freshman year of college with Seig and KenpoTess. I always wanted to get into it, my father has studied different arts but with being the Army brat that I am we moved around so much that I just never was stable enough to start when I was younger. I guess I knew before I started that I would love it. I've always have had this desire to to do and have loved it all the way even the downs. I've been studying with Seig for almost 3 years now, not only has he and everyone else in there taught me alot about MA but they've also taught me alot about myself and have been great friends over the years too.

so I wanted to start karate when I was really little, but my parents didn't allow me to start until my freshman year of high school (they were afraid that I would get hurt and cry). I absolutely loved it!! However, I broke my foot summer before my junior year.

Now my foot is all healed and I joined a karate club at my college. I enjoy this a lot. I put maximum effort into all that I do, and have currently been made an officer of said club (super cool:supcool:) I am also, apparently, the unofficial female recruiter for the club. When I joined at the beginning of last semester, I was one of two females that regularly trained, and sensei's wife also trained at another dojo. So at training and competitions it wasn't unusual to see me surrounded by 10 guys with no other girl in sight. Now beginning of second semester we have 6 or 7 girls that come most of the time! We have black belts that come in for testing and they pretty much told my parents that belt color means nothing to me because though my belt is white I have the heart of a black belt and "blamed" me for the female attendance level... I went red in the face.... ^_^

so I wanted to start karate when I was really little, but my parents didn't allow me to start until my freshman year of high school (they were afraid that I would get hurt and cry). I absolutely loved it!! However, I broke my foot summer before my junior year.

Now my foot is all healed and I joined a karate club at my college. I enjoy this a lot. I put maximum effort into all that I do, and have currently been made an officer of said club (super cool:supcool:) I am also, apparently, the unofficial female recruiter for the club. When I joined at the beginning of last semester, I was one of two females that regularly trained, and sensei's wife also trained at another dojo. So at training and competitions it wasn't unusual to see me surrounded by 10 guys with no other girl in sight. Now beginning of second semester we have 6 or 7 girls that come most of the time! We have black belts that come in for testing and they pretty much told my parents that belt color means nothing to me because though my belt is white I have the heart of a black belt and "blamed" me for the female attendance level... I went red in the face.... ^_^

Cool story - thanks for sharing! Enjoy!

Because my parents wouldn't let me play football.

All my life I had been very very much a tomboy. I remember for my sixth birthday I had gotten like 6 or 7 Barbie dolls, I threw a tantrum, I wanted cars. When I was 9, I used to wrestle with the boys my Grandma babysat.The list can go on and on. When it came to sports I didn't stick with it;soccer, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics, weight-lifting, etc., etc.. After three children, two ruined relationships, a couple of heavy medical situations, I was a 140 pounds overweight and in therapy. I seriously needed to find some way to redirect my children and I lives. My 11 year old had wanted to go to karate two years before we actually started. I checked out so many, many, many places. I wasn't happy with any of them!! I tried joining a gym, took dancing classes, went horse back riding, swimming-nothing stuck! One day I was taking my kids to get their haircuts, next door was a karate studio, two of my boys while waiting their turn went to watch the class. The older of the two came back and told me: this is it. After rolling my eyes at him I went to check it out; we've been going there ever since. My 11 year old started immediately the next day, my 7 year old a month later and I started 5 months after him. I can't think of doing anything else doesn't feel right. In case your wondering: Ed Parker's American Kenpo Karate with some ju-jitsu and kickboxing.

As I was never allowed to be anything but "girly" by my over protective parents I grew up thinking that MA was for boys not girls, but I still always wanted to do it. My favourite films were ones in which the bad guys got beaten up with amazing MA moves, and if women did it, that was even better. I shelved the idea of doing an MA for years because I could never find a class near enough, cheap enough (I was always broke) and at the right time until I got married a few years ago. I started Aikido, gave up for reasons listed on another thread, and stated TKD last year.

The thing that kept me in the lessons, was primarily the instructor to start with. He treated me like a tough person, not a girlie girl which everyone else seems to think I am. (Before I started weight training I used to be of slight build). I appreciated being treated like everyone else, he spoke to me like I had a brain, used me for demonstrations, and still does..for instance last night I got a full power elbow slam to a pad I was holding and thrown a few steps backwards, I just laughed in shock as I wasn't expecting it to be so hard. :mst:

The thing that keeps me there now, is the knowledge that I can be as good as anyone else and being taught in a way that is right for me. Even though I wear nail polish and lipstick and have long hair, I am still a tough person and I like to be acknowledged for that. People treat me with respect in the Dojang.

I make it sounds like I act like a Bimbo, I don't, I just look a bit like one, plus I sit on a reception desk... :uhyeah:

I was the only girl amongst three boys, cousins, their friends etc as well. I grew up playing with the boys and being a little hell raiser. (I was orchestrating wars between the children till grade four when I was caught :p) I had an interest in martial arts since I first heard of it, and my interest grew into a passion.

I did MA workshops but was never allowed to join a club, and a few years back I read a book called "Ancient Future" By Traci Harding with a female character that did TKD. Immediately I went and researched it, and researched it. Love at first sight.

My school offered a TKD workshop, which I HAD to do. So I paid for the classes myself, walked two Km there and back without my parents knowing... (they wouldn't let me) I was sprung but allowed to continue after many arguments before it was cancelled.

The year after a new friend admitted she did TKD so I pounced her an demanded to be taken. That was the beginning of the end.

It was an all girls class with a female third dan instructor. It was bliss. I was at first a reluctant sparrer... then aggressive which turned to focused. I developed a scary poker face. :p

The higher belts left due to emotional, work or physical problems. Until I remained, completely infected. Then the instructor had to cancel classes at the end of last year. D: So I ended up in the master's class...

This once was very different. Filled with blackbelts fourth dan and down and hulking sadistic instructors... it's awesome. The girls I had been with had been too consumed by emotional 'traumas' to go at it.

So now, fifth kup and grading this month for blue belt I can honestly say I would never dream of being anything else.

In everything but arm strength I can keep up, and I am a lot more flexible than anyone else there so that's a compensation. I'm working on my strength though.

My first instructor will be starting classes again next year, and wants me to be her jr instructor. :D I'll be training four times a week then instead of a measly two! *cheers*


Hope this helps!

I think martial arts has interested me throughout my life but not enough for me to ever really go after it until last year. I've tried a few different things and now it's my turn for martial arts. I knew after a few classes that this was a long term interest - I wouldn't have bothered registering if I didn't think I could stick with it (I hate quitting). I try to put a lot into my training but I think the rewards (and I don't mean the coloured belts) far outweigh my effort.

Shell

I think I realized the martial arts were for me by my second lesson.:)