JamesDraegun
White Belt
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 0
Hello all, my name is JamesDraegun(pronounced dray-gun), though you can just call me James. I created this profile about a few weeks ago, and have been lurking on this site and reading a lot of the threads here (I love read, what can I say?), but havent posted here yet because I havent much time for anything but school, which just finished for me today! Im 17 and a half years old, of stocky (medium size with broad shoulders) build (though not in decent shape yet
like 59 and 175 lb., and while not fat, not fit either), and have quite a few things to say
To keep this part short, from mid elementary to freshman year in high school, Ive been a bit of victim to lots of bullying, due to being the quiet, nice, dont-fight-back type. Ive only fought back once (In elementary, I had a kid twice my age pick on me constantly during recess, and one day I just snapped and fought like an animal, to this kid twice my age, size, and weight I sent him home with several bruises and cuts (I was quite the biter J)). I felt bad what I did to the kid, and while my parents said it was the right thing to do, I stayed the quiet kid. Forward to middle school, (hell in a building for me), where it was even worse. At one point, (while on a bus) a kid had pushed me too much, and I lunged at him with an Intent to maim (and the bully had a pale face on when he saw mine), though three kids held me back. I instead told on him, and he got punished.
Dad decided he wanted to help me get my confidence back in myself, so at the age of 14, I began to work at the Teen Night Club he managed. Since I had to talk to teenagers (from 15-19 years of age) all the time and had to socialize with others, I became a lot more social (BTW, I would be called a club host, not a bouncer). I also got to see quite a few fights, and got to see another side of my dad (as I saw him get behind a fighting teen, get him a hold, and since the teen was too close to some stairs and some girls he was trying to hurt, my dad tossed him down an entire flight of stairs!). As my dad not only taught me the intricacies of club hosting, he also taught quite a lot of street smarts (and he knew quite a lot of that, working in the club/bar/restaurant business for a good 30 years (hes 50 now)).
My dad, seeing how I was interested in self-defense, showed me to Tom (I was 16 then), our new next door neighbor, a friend of dad, and a serious (but great spirited) martial artist. Tom had been doing all sorts of different martial arts, but has recently been going to martial art class called: Krav Maga. Since me and my younger brother (who worked at teen night club as a big promoter, and was interested in martial arts, too) was interested, Tom took us over to a couple of free classes. Let me tell you, it was different than I expected, first off, the class was small (mostly about 5-6 people a day, not including the instructor), and the feeling of it was very informal, and not as strict as I thought of martial art classes. The class itself was fun, and it just clicked as something useful for self-defense, and felt like something I could enjoy for a long time.
After those first couple of days, me and my brother signed up, and we went to the class for roughly 3-4 days a week that summer, and went a little during winter, but had to cut it mostly out during these last 3 months, due to immense homework. But this summer, me and my brother, along with my dad, my friend (a tomboy), and another (tall TKDist that needs something to do over the summer before college starts up and he can then get back to TKD), well be going to Krav MUCH more during this summer.
Even though I only took Krav for roughly 6 months time, it helped me in my confidence during that time as much as the Teen Night Club thing did and has made me made a new long-term goal in myself (which I make very few of): to dig MUCH deeper in the world of martial arts, in as many ways as possible .
(I realize that this is long, but Im a fast and long typer, so excuse the huge story )
So, now that school is out, Ill be able to visit this site a great deal more, and if anyone has any questions on Krav (like, how it is/works, what it feels like, etc.), street smarts (though dont think Im full of myself in either this or Krav Maga, Im by no means a master, but Im by no means a fool and I would love to answer any questions) or anything else about me, just ask .
Shalom.
To keep this part short, from mid elementary to freshman year in high school, Ive been a bit of victim to lots of bullying, due to being the quiet, nice, dont-fight-back type. Ive only fought back once (In elementary, I had a kid twice my age pick on me constantly during recess, and one day I just snapped and fought like an animal, to this kid twice my age, size, and weight I sent him home with several bruises and cuts (I was quite the biter J)). I felt bad what I did to the kid, and while my parents said it was the right thing to do, I stayed the quiet kid. Forward to middle school, (hell in a building for me), where it was even worse. At one point, (while on a bus) a kid had pushed me too much, and I lunged at him with an Intent to maim (and the bully had a pale face on when he saw mine), though three kids held me back. I instead told on him, and he got punished.
Dad decided he wanted to help me get my confidence back in myself, so at the age of 14, I began to work at the Teen Night Club he managed. Since I had to talk to teenagers (from 15-19 years of age) all the time and had to socialize with others, I became a lot more social (BTW, I would be called a club host, not a bouncer). I also got to see quite a few fights, and got to see another side of my dad (as I saw him get behind a fighting teen, get him a hold, and since the teen was too close to some stairs and some girls he was trying to hurt, my dad tossed him down an entire flight of stairs!). As my dad not only taught me the intricacies of club hosting, he also taught quite a lot of street smarts (and he knew quite a lot of that, working in the club/bar/restaurant business for a good 30 years (hes 50 now)).
My dad, seeing how I was interested in self-defense, showed me to Tom (I was 16 then), our new next door neighbor, a friend of dad, and a serious (but great spirited) martial artist. Tom had been doing all sorts of different martial arts, but has recently been going to martial art class called: Krav Maga. Since me and my younger brother (who worked at teen night club as a big promoter, and was interested in martial arts, too) was interested, Tom took us over to a couple of free classes. Let me tell you, it was different than I expected, first off, the class was small (mostly about 5-6 people a day, not including the instructor), and the feeling of it was very informal, and not as strict as I thought of martial art classes. The class itself was fun, and it just clicked as something useful for self-defense, and felt like something I could enjoy for a long time.
After those first couple of days, me and my brother signed up, and we went to the class for roughly 3-4 days a week that summer, and went a little during winter, but had to cut it mostly out during these last 3 months, due to immense homework. But this summer, me and my brother, along with my dad, my friend (a tomboy), and another (tall TKDist that needs something to do over the summer before college starts up and he can then get back to TKD), well be going to Krav MUCH more during this summer.
Even though I only took Krav for roughly 6 months time, it helped me in my confidence during that time as much as the Teen Night Club thing did and has made me made a new long-term goal in myself (which I make very few of): to dig MUCH deeper in the world of martial arts, in as many ways as possible .
(I realize that this is long, but Im a fast and long typer, so excuse the huge story )
So, now that school is out, Ill be able to visit this site a great deal more, and if anyone has any questions on Krav (like, how it is/works, what it feels like, etc.), street smarts (though dont think Im full of myself in either this or Krav Maga, Im by no means a master, but Im by no means a fool and I would love to answer any questions) or anything else about me, just ask .
Shalom.
