Favorite Martial Arts Memory

[Lisa]

My favorite Martial Arts Memory was the first time I tapped someone out with an armbar. I hadn't been grappling very long and was sparring against another student who had some wrestling experience. We were rolling around pretty hard and I finally found the opportunity and took it. Finally, everything fell into place and I worked the armbar and made him tap out. The memory still makes me smile to this day.

What about you? What is your favorit MA memory? Is it a belt grading you found particularly hard? A sparring match up against an oponent who had previously dominated you? A moment of completing a form or kata and finally "getting it?"

 

[stickarts]

Watching a sparring class conducted by my future teacher.
I was a white belt and not allowed to spar yet so i stayed and quietly observed from the corner of the room under a small tree.
He was amazing to watch and listen to and a little voice in my head said "if you want to be good, follow that man."

 

[IcemanSK]

I've always been a bit suspicious about athletes of any kind that talk about their "glory days." I always figured that they kinda "peaked at that point in their lives & that they felt it was down hill from there.

But I must admit, I have a story like that. (Forgive me, I tell the long version) I was at an low point in my life & decided I wanted to become a kickboxer. Watching Jean Yves Theriault, Rick Roufus & Benny Urquidez had given me courage to try it. Living in suburban Chicago, I had heard of Marek Pioitrowski, a Polish fighter who had beaten Don Wilson, Rick Roufus & Bob Thurman. I wanted to train where he trained! That was Superkick Gym in Maywood, IL. I'd trained in TKD for about 10-11 years when I started there. I felt like a white belt my 1st day. After 3 months, I had my chance at kickboxing stardom. (Well, as much stardom as one can get in the booming fighttown of Sugar Grove, IL. If you don't know where that is, don't worry, no one else does, either). It was the perfect night: I was in great shape, I had the right people in my corner, & an opponent I knew I could beat. The fact that I didn't win, was a sad side note. I lost by 1 point! But, for 1 night, I got to experience my MA dream.

Since then, testing my 1st group of my own students 2 weeks ago ranks up there, too.

 

[Sam]

:-d

This is a good thread. I like it already.

One of the first memories that comes to mind is a sparring class when I wasnt wearing my contact lenses because I had ordered new ones - one of my last pair tore.

I bowed to the instructor who had invited me to "call him out". He's a 7th dan and the best fighter at our school. Someone said something to me from the sideline and I turned my head to respond. When I looked back, the instructor was coming towards me with a hand blitz.

Without thinking, I leaned my head back and did the best (and hardest)defensive side kick I have ever thrown. As he stumbled back I realized I just kicked a 7th dan instructor as hard as I could... But he laughed and told me good job... and my instructor saw this happen, and told me it was just beautiful...

I was quite proud of myself.

Another good memory happened just recently, where as a green belt I fought a black belt and won in a tournament.

Many more to come, I hope

 

[Swordlady]

My first time doing tameshigiri (cutting tatami mats) at last year's Swordfest. I think I was unnecessarily worked up about it. I tried cutting through a half-mat at a Ren Faire the year before. I didn't know what I was doing, and wound up getting the sword stuck in the mat. I felt like such an idiot.

Anyway...with a little bit of coaching from my sensei, I successfully cut through a whole mat. For reference purposes, a single rolled tatami mat is roughly the equivalent of a human limb. Seeing what a sword is actually capable of doing to a human body brought a new perspective to studying a JSA. I wish that we could test cut more often, but tatami mats are NOT cheap (roughly $3/mat), and most of us at the dojo aren't exactly made of money.

Oh yeah...I recently cut through a double mat at a fellow student's dojo last month. I was quite proud of myself.

 

[Grenadier]

Two events, both involving the same person:

The first was when I had "raised" my first own black belt student in Shotokan Karate. This fellow, at the time, was 15 year old, and had been training in only my classes ever since he started. I was a shodan at the time, and we were both promoted in the same ceremony: I went to nidan, he went to shodan. While he was an excellent student, with a lot of talent, and would have succeeded under just about any reasonably decent teacher, it was still a moment to treasure.

The second was when I came back to visit the old Shotokan dojo, several years down the road. I had left as a nidan, and came back to watch my old student testing for his sandan. After he passed with flying colors, seeing my old student eclipse me was yet another moment to treasure. While some people may chide me for not being upset that he has surpassed me in Shotokan Karate, I simply disagree with them, since it should be a teacher's greatest joy when the student eclipses him.

The interesting thing about this, though, is that my former student still insists on bowing first, and calling me "Sir" or "Sensei" whenever I visit the old dojo. We had a tradition there, that when initiating a conversation, the lower rank should bow first.

He has stuck with the school, becoming one of the senior instructors there. He still refuses to call me by my first name as well. I asked him why during a recent visit, and he said "As my academic father, I will always be obliged to defer to you."

I then said to him "As your academic father, then, I order to you call me by my first name, and to stop trying to bow first!"

He said "Sorry, sir, but that's one of the few orders I'll ever refuse from you."

I didn't know whether to be irritated at him for this (in a good way), or to be thankful that he's a character who has a heart of gold... I decided on the latter.

 

[terryl965]

My greatest memory ofall time over forty years was the 1st student I actual gave them there Black Belt seeing that glow for the first time was ans still is priceless.
Terry

 

[beau_safken]

Was at a TKD point fighting tourny. Basically got all the way thru the whole
thing to the finals. It was me versus one of my classmates.

Score: Me 2 Him 1
This classmate thought it would be a great idea to kick low and decided to knee me in the groin. Granted I was wearing my gear but it rattled the hell out of me. He didn't even lose a point for dropping me with a knee to the groin.
Score: Me 2 Him 0
So......

The next round I went in with a flurry of easily blockable kicks to get him looking down. As soon as his head went down from my eyes, I stepped in with a elbow across the forehead. Dropped his *** and I got nailed for -2 points.

Score: Me 0 him 1

This was best to 5 points fight, so I took my time with this guy. He thought it would be a great idea to keep attacking my groin, so I played the averages. Win 3 points, lose 2, win 3, lose 2, win 3 and the match was mine. It was such a nice feeling to see my master berating the other guy for trying to hit me in the groin the whole time. Course I got my *** whipped hard for that little stunt. But it really was a eye opener for me. Just how far people will go to win or attempt to at least. I learned a lot about myself and pretty much made the change from competative martial arts to combat martial arts at that point. That really was a turning point in my career.

 

[trueaspirer]

My favorite ma memory is when one other student and I were the only ones in the class that day, and our instructor told us he would teach us things that were beyond our rank normally, because we were ready for it and no one else was there. That felt pretty cool.

 

[matt.m]

My first Judo tournament I was nervous. I was used to wrestling and freestyle wrestling but judo randori was different. I was just a white belt at the time. I went in thinking if I place I will be happy.

So, I knew there was 10 people in my division. I won all that day. I only did a shoulder throw. Pull tight, off balance, go low and the rest is magic. I didn't do anything else. Just shoulder throw. I won 5 matches by ippon.

 

[painstain]

at the end of my whitebelt test, master ceth jordan told me i would be a great instructor some day.

 

[Kacey]

I have several:

- when I promoted my first student to I Dan

- testing for III Dan in front of 4 masters (3 VII Dan, one VIII Dan) at the same testing where my instructor tested for VI Dan

- testing for IV Dan at the same testing where another of my students tested to I Dan (the second one to earn that rank) - and testing in front of my students (my III Dan test was out of state, because that's where the testing was held - so by IV Dan, it had been 10 years since I tested where my students could see)

- being promoted to IV Dan and given a legacy: when my instructor was promoted to IV Dan, his instructor gave him his IV Dan belt; when I was promoted, my instructor gave me a pair of stripes from that belt

 

[still learning]

Hello, We live on a separate Island from the Professor and his top Instructors. Our schools on the Big Island invited the Professor and his top Instructors for a weekend Seminar. They pitch tents.

As a fairly new student....meeting the the "Professor and his top Instructors was a huge "Highlights" for all of us. It turn out to be a very successful seminar. That seminar turn out to be very usually....we share some special thoughts/feelings, besides the daily training.

Was held on a Ranch with a club house(club house was use for cooking and toilet only). We also train with NO Belts for everyone...this was special too. Everyone slept in tents, using sleeping bags including our Professor.

During the seminar....we became very close friends with the Professor and his top Instructors...which still last today.

When camping/training for three days together,sleeping,cooking,eating,talking storie,sharing stories,the fellowship...this seminar was special and it will always be a special memory for all of us who were there.

Everyone help in all parts of the Seminar......everyone was treated the same.

PS: The Professor use my Sleeping army cot(had two),instead of sleeping on the ground in his tent...and we found out he like Diet Coke...which I was the only one who had some...."boy" I was proud to share with him my private stash of diet coke. We had lots of jucie, water and regular sodas. Those days...everyone was younger and only a few of us drink diet sodas. Just wanted to share this.......Aloha

PS: Since that time...we had NO other seminars on the Big Island....it seems to have been our last one. Today the organization is very large and the Professor is always on the go.

 

[Lisa]

Watching a sparring class conducted by my future teacher.
I was a white belt and not allowed to spar yet so i stayed and quietly observed from the corner of the room under a small tree.
He was amazing to watch and listen to and a little voice in my head said "if you want to be good, follow that man."

That is a cool story. How long have you been practicing with him now?

 

[Lisa]

My greatest memory ofall time over forty years was the 1st student I actual gave them there Black Belt seeing that glow for the first time was ans still is priceless.
Terry

That is so wonderful, Terry. I can understand why that would make you feel good and why it would be such a lasting memory.

 

[Lisa]

My favorite ma memory is when one other student and I were the only ones in the class that day, and our instructor told us he would teach us things that were beyond our rank normally, because we were ready for it and no one else was there. That felt pretty cool.

There is nothing better then a compliment that is unexpected and that means the world to you. That is a great memory to have.

 

[Lisa]

:-d

This is a good thread. I like it already.

One of the first memories that comes to mind is a sparring class when I wasnt wearing my contact lenses because I had ordered new ones - one of my last pair tore.

I bowed to the instructor who had invited me to "call him out". He's a 7th dan and the best fighter at our school. Someone said something to me from the sideline and I turned my head to respond. When I looked back, the instructor was coming towards me with a hand blitz.

Without thinking, I leaned my head back and did the best (and hardest)defensive side kick I have ever thrown. As he stumbled back I realized I just kicked a 7th dan instructor as hard as I could... But he laughed and told me good job... and my instructor saw this happen, and told me it was just beautiful...

I was quite proud of myself.

Another good memory happened just recently, where as a green belt I fought a black belt and won in a tournament.

Many more to come, I hope

Thanks Sam, I am enjoying this thread too.

Your MA stories always put a smile on my face. You have such a desire in you when it comes to your training.

 

[Xue Sheng]

When I was about 12, sparing in my Jujitsu class, 3 against 1... I was the 1.

I did pertty.

 

[Lisa]

I have several:

- when I promoted my first student to I Dan

- testing for III Dan in front of 4 masters (3 VII Dan, one VIII Dan) at the same testing where my instructor tested for VI Dan

- testing for IV Dan at the same testing where another of my students tested to I Dan (the second one to earn that rank) - and testing in front of my students (my III Dan test was out of state, because that's where the testing was held - so by IV Dan, it had been 10 years since I tested where my students could see)

- being promoted to IV Dan and given a legacy: when my instructor was promoted to IV Dan, his instructor gave him his IV Dan belt; when I was promoted, my instructor gave me a pair of stripes from that belt

That is cool about the stripes, Kacey. Are you planning to had them down to your first IV Dan?

 

[Lisa]

I've always been a bit suspicious about athletes of any kind that talk about their "glory days." I always figured that they kinda "peaked at that point in their lives & that they felt it was down hill from there.

But I must admit, I have a story like that. (Forgive me, I tell the long version) I was at an low point in my life & decided I wanted to become a kickboxer. Watching Jean Yves Theriault, Rick Roufus & Benny Urquidez had given me courage to try it. Living in suburban Chicago, I had heard of Marek Pioitrowski, a Polish fighter who had beaten Don Wilson, Rick Roufus & Bob Thurman. I wanted to train where he trained! That was Superkick Gym in Maywood, IL. I'd trained in TKD for about 10-11 years when I started there. I felt like a white belt my 1st day. After 3 months, I had my chance at kickboxing stardom. (Well, as much stardom as one can get in the booming fighttown of Sugar Grove, IL. If you don't know where that is, don't worry, no one else does, either). It was the perfect night: I was in great shape, I had the right people in my corner, & an opponent I knew I could beat. The fact that I didn't win, was a sad side note. I lost by 1 point! But, for 1 night, I got to experience my MA dream.

Since then, testing my 1st group of my own students 2 weeks ago ranks up there, too.

What a wonderfully inspiring story IcemanSK. I hope you share that with your students.