How long...

[skyguy]

did you feel like a bumbling fool?

I had my first class the other night. Second class coming up in a couple hours.

Everything I did felt awkward, jerky, and wrong

While I'm reasonably certain that most newbies must feel this way to one
degree or another, I'd love to hear from some of you folks that felt like this
but have come a long way since then.

 

[Sapper6]

no sweat man. it's perfectly normal. i think alot of your apprehensions come from doing the stuff in front of folks you don't know. :idunno: i can also bet everything works fine and dandy in the comfort of your home but once in the studio with others, you kinda lock up. don't worry about it. that, like all other "first time jitters" will go away. be confident in what you are doing, even if you think you did it wrong. it will also help to talk to other students before and after your class (if it is indeed a class atmosphere). get comfortable with your peers there. that always eases the tensions a little. if you have serious doubts about doing something "wrong", then pause for clarification. but most likely, just a lack of confidence in doing something for the first time. it happens to all of us. before long you're going to be moving much quicker, your strikes will have more *snap*, and you're going to feel great. you'll look back on your predicament now and wonder what you were thinking. keep us posted. would love to hear how things progress for you.

:asian:

 

[Bigshadow]

I think that is normal. I think all of us went through that when we started. Also it helps if the class environment is supportive. Another words, if your peers geniunely want to help you train and you help them train, and leave the ego at the door, then that will help also. Fortunately for me, everyone was supportive.

 

[MJS]

did you feel like a bumbling fool?

I had my first class the other night. Second class coming up in a couple hours.

Everything I did felt awkward, jerky, and wrong

While I'm reasonably certain that most newbies must feel this way to one
degree or another, I'd love to hear from some of you folks that felt like this
but have come a long way since then.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm sure that everyone, when they first started, had that nervous feeling. Of course its to be expect, especially if you're doing something that you've never done before.

Keep training hard, have fun, and most important, go at your own pace! :ultracool

Mike

 

[CMS]

I still feel that way at times, and I've been training for 23 years.

 

[arnisador]

Round numbers: It takes a year or so to feel comfortable, I think.

 

[searcher]

It has been many years and I still feel this way. It is a never-ending process. Just when you think you have it, you don't. It lessens over time, but never goes away. It is what keeps you humble.

 

[karatekid1975]

OMG!!! You should have seen me on my first class ..... I felt like such a dork, cause I couldn't do ANY of the stuff. And my flexibility (or lack there of) was bad (couldn't even touch my toes). I was tripping over my own feet!

It took me about 6 months to get in the swing of things. I mean, feeling like I can somewhat do what the rest of the class did. But then my technique got better, and I felt almost "normal."Then when I got my green belt, my technique really shot up, so that's when I felt "in place" with the rest of the class.

 

[Raewyn]

I felt very self conscious when I first started, and was made worse as I did not know anyone. My co-ordination was non existant and my flexibility was not happening at all!!!But over time things have become easier in that regard. But as I am always learning its always going to be hard, and challenging which is half the fun of training!

 

[arnisador]

Sounds like a great idea to me. Anyone getting it yet?

 

[Jonathan Randall]

did you feel like a bumbling fool?

I had my first class the other night. Second class coming up in a couple hours.

Everything I did felt awkward, jerky, and wrong

While I'm reasonably certain that most newbies must feel this way to one
degree or another, I'd love to hear from some of you folks that felt like this
but have come a long way since then.

I think we all felt this way (and often still do, at times). Right now I'm working privately with a student who is probably going through the same exact thing.

BTW, even though you are new and you feel that your movements are "jerky", please understand that an untrained student often has a better chance of taking a black belt by surprise than a green belt or brown belt does. Right now you have what is called "broken rhythm" and it can be an advantage in some circumstances.

Good luck in the arts and persevere in your studies.

 

[Drac]

did you feel like a bumbling fool?

I had my first class the other night. Second class coming up in a couple hours.

Everything I did felt awkward, jerky, and wrong

While I'm reasonably certain that most newbies must feel this way to one
degree or another, I'd love to hear from some of you folks that felt like this
but have come a long way since then.

Speaking for myself, I've been there..It seems that I couldn't do ANYTHING correctly..I didn't even know how to stand correctly..Looking back now it's laughable...

 

[Grenadier]

My awkward moment was when I first started taking some Jiu-Jitsu lessons. While I had some fundamentals of falls, throws, and locks from my Karate and Tae Kwon Do teachers previously, this world was still very unfamiliar, and seeing all of these really big guys effortless gliding through the air, and doing some pretty nice fall moves. After a few more lessons, they were encouraging me to try a few of the more advanced techniques, and after I attempted the first technique, I ended up landing on my back, with the wind knocked out of me. Another time, I didn't tuck in my chin, and gave myself a crick in the neck. Fortunately, the sensei was quite adept at massage therapy, and helped straighten things out quite nicely.

Did I feel like a stumbling clutz in that Jiu-Jitsu class for those first few months? Absolutely. It wasn't just the techniques, but also the type of conditioning.

These guys were well trained, and would go through the entire class and still have plenty of energy left over to go out and slam down some rounds of cold beer. At the same time, I'd be able to finish the classes, but by the time the class was over, I could have probably curled up on the dojo floor, and fallen asleep. I still managed to drag myself along to the local pubs, and enjoy some cold beers afterwards.

I'll tell you this much, though; I wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the world. Those few months of Jiu-Jitsu training made me a better Karate practitioner, and made me overcome my aversion to ground fighting as well. More importantly, those lessons re-emphasized the importance of keeping one's feet on the ground (figuratively), remembering that there's always something to learn from everyone else.

My friends in the Jiu-Jitsu class wanted the same thing, so they started coming to my Karate classes. Suddenly, those guys that flew through the air with the greatest of fluidity and ease, were finding it awkward to kick, and had a devil of a time learning some of the footwork. These guys were very well conditioned for their Jiu-Jitsu classes, but at the same time, the type of conditioning for Karate classes was certainly a good bit different, and they were feeling quite spent by the end of the class. Some had experienced muscle soreness that they swore was absolute fire, and others had aching lungs the next morning.

I'll say this much, though; they still forced themselves to go out and have some rounds of cold beer afterwards, claiming that I left them with no choice, and that this was medically necessary.

To this day, I still keep in contact with many of those old friends, and still try to train with them when I pay a visit. Good times, for sure.

 

[Bigshadow]

I would also like to add another thing that many will probably agree with. Even after you have been training for years, if your training breaks into a new found knowledge (going to the next level), you will feel that way again. At each new level there is a feeling of clumsiness and awkwardness, as the steps before, in time that feeling will go away as you grow through that level of training.

Just last night at my dojo, I felt like a beginner on some things. Just flow with it, it is natural. I always see it as "ah... I am at a new level now".

 

[arnisador]

Luckily for me my first Karate instructor always emphasized to me that "The only battle is to improve yourself" and that comparing your progress to others' was not sensible--they were different people, with different goals and abilities, etc.

You're there for you. If you are improving, keep at it!

 

[shesulsa]

I would also like to add another thing that many will probably agree with. Even after you have been training for years, if your training breaks into a new found knowledge (going to the next level), you will feel that way again. At each new level there is a feeling of clumsiness and awkwardness, as the steps before, in time that feeling will go away as you grow through that level of training.

Just last night at my dojo, I felt like a beginner on some things. Just flow with it, it is natural. I always see it as "ah... I am at a new level now".

Good and important advice. I think sometimes people reach a certain level and think to themselves, 'man - I feel like I don't know what I'm doing and I've been at this for X months/years - should I even be here?'

This is a good thing! A testimony to one's ability to learn new things and grow.

So ... that feeling will go away and come back and go away again and .........

Enjoy your journey!

 

[karatekid1975]

Man, I felt like that when I got to the advanced class (2nd gup and above). I felt like I did when I was a white belt. Wow! It was the weirdest feeling. But like you said, it is definitely a new level (the training is a lot harder in this class). I've been in this class for 10 months, and I still feel like a clumbsy goof.

 

[terryl965]

I believe every Ma'er fell that way every time they learn a new technique weather just starting or been around for years. I myself have been there and to this day I have those moments.
Terry

 

[Jonathan Randall]

did you feel like a bumbling fool?

I had my first class the other night. Second class coming up in a couple hours.

Everything I did felt awkward, jerky, and wrong

While I'm reasonably certain that most newbies must feel this way to one
degree or another, I'd love to hear from some of you folks that felt like this
but have come a long way since then.

How's the training coming? Can you give us an update? I'd be happy to hear how the first month has gone. Thanks.

 

[beauty_in_the_sai]

Well I was a 13 year old, shy, skinny girl when I first started TKD. Needless to say, I was scared to death. All the black belts were, to me, intimidating. In reality, they weren't. I just thought they were. I remember trying to do a side kick on my 4th night and falling flat on my back. My instructor didn't laugh though and told me to keep trying. Now, as a black belt, when I teach a new student, I remember that 13 year old, shy, skinny girl and how scared and stupid she felt, and know that they pry feel the same way. My only problem is, when they fall, I laugh inside since I remember that I did it.