What were your first expectations of Martial Arts?

Justin Chang

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When I was 8 years old my parent's got me my very first Martial Arts lessons for Christmas, I remember opening an envelope on Christmas day and learning that I would be taking Ishin Ryu Karate lessons. At the time the only thing I knew about Karate or Martial Arts was from watching The Karate Kid, for whatever reason I thought that my classes were going to be just like the Cobra Kai and beat me senseless, I was pretty scared for my first lesson. Obviously it was nothing like that and I really enjoyed my lessons.

What (if any) expectations did you have before starting Martial Arts, and what was the reality like? This goes the same for starting a new Art as well.
 

Ademadis

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I first started Tae Kwon Do aged 7 or 8 purely from a self defence perspective. I was being bullied at school and wanted to learn to stand up for myself.
The bullies moved on to pastures new and I kept with it for few years before quitting. I was a kid and I lost interest.

When I decided to start studying Karate a lot more recently I don't really know what I expected, I wanted a fun way to get fit. I think the thought process was 'I did it as a kid, how hard can it be to get back in to'.

It wasn't hard to get into but it WAS hard work. I didn't expect the bruises and I don't think I expected the ear to ear smile on my face either ;) .
 

oftheherd1

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I don't even remember exactly why I started TKD. I had recently returned from a tour on Okinawa, and never darkened a dojo door. But martial arts were getting a lot of attention, and I think I wanted to be one of those mysterious people who knew as well. Also self defense as I didn't consider myself to know anything about that, and I was working in an Army stockade.

My Hapkido was the result of having been shown some cool techniques from a Moo Duck Kwan instructor. I didn't follow up until my 3rd time in Korea, having seen it demonstrated the first time I was in Korea. Amusingly, my first impression was that Hapkido was just being faked.

I was at the gym on post and heard a martial arts class being taught. I looked in the handball court where they were practicing. I decided that was for me; called the wife and told her I would be late getting home. Hapkido never stopped being fun for me.
 

Kickboxer101

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I didn't really have expectations. It was just something to do to keep fit and was like a 5 minute walk from where I lived
 

KangTsai

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(MMA) It looked fun, I was unfit, I had just started enjoyed watching the UFC, and the place was a 10min bike. I was expecting pads, bags, technique etc. That was what I got, although my particular class did striking more often.
 

Gerry Seymour

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When I was 8 years old my parent's got me my very first Martial Arts lessons for Christmas, I remember opening an envelope on Christmas day and learning that I would be taking Ishin Ryu Karate lessons. At the time the only thing I knew about Karate or Martial Arts was from watching The Karate Kid, for whatever reason I thought that my classes were going to be just like the Cobra Kai and beat me senseless, I was pretty scared for my first lesson. Obviously it was nothing like that and I really enjoyed my lessons.

What (if any) expectations did you have before starting Martial Arts, and what was the reality like? This goes the same for starting a new Art as well.

I'll cover the big 3 starts, since there were other starts, and some short-term study in other arts, as well.

When I first started MA (Karate, Shotokan I think) I was 12, and it was 1982. I probably expected to become Chuck Norris in The Octagon. The reality wasn't quite that.:(

When I started Kodokan Judo, I was...14? 15? Something like that. I knew the instructor well (one of my dad's rock climbing buddies), and expected to have fun and learn something like what I'd seen in high school wrestling (one of my best friends was a wrestler). Both turned out to be fairly true. While the techniques were different, the basic concept was the same as wrestling. Rob and I even rolled together (though nobody called it that back then), and I was able to hold my own with him, even though he was a couple of weight classes above me and about 3 inches taller.

When I started NGA (1988), I was expecting something fairly specific. The instructor had come into my Physical Education class and done a 1-man demonstration. When he asked if anyone had any MA experience and I told him I had studied Judo, he used me to demonstrate a couple of throws. I was impressed by what I felt, and also by the control I saw when he was demonstrating something on a muscly wrestler (the instructor was about 5'7" and wiry, so the wrestler outweighed him) who tried to resist. He was able to control the wrestler without much effort and without hurting him. I signed up the next week, and saw more of the same in the school. It took longer to get to competency than I'd expected, but the reality matched the expectation, for the most part.
 

Tez3

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I really don't remember that far back!
 

Kevin__Huang

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When I was a kid, I thought that if I learn martial arts, I can be Power Rangers. Beat the hell out of bad guys and save the world!
And I started to learned kyokushin karate.
But the reality didn't turn like what I expected...
I'm tired of training, enduring the pain, and can't save the world... Pretty childish right :-D

Sent from my D2305 using Tapatalk
 

marques

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I was expecting to learn something like kickboxing + joint locks, self-defence... (influenced by movies, of course). Things that could work against big and resisting guys... Fortunately, the only option available was that. :) Although not perfect, it was the best I found so far in a few countries.

And since I left that organisation (because of 'politics') I never kept a long time anywhere. My expectations now should be very high or very singular... The maximum I did was a year training with friends (until moving abroad) or 6 months in a club where actually I was free to manage my own training (having partners and equipment)...
 

Tez3

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When I was a kid, I thought that if I learn martial arts, I can be Power Rangers. Beat the hell out of bad guys and save the world!
And I started to learned kyokushin karate.
But the reality didn't turn like what I expected...
I'm tired of training, enduring the pain, and can't save the world... Pretty childish right :-D

Sent from my D2305 using Tapatalk

If it's not fun, stop doing it and find something that makes you sing with joy.
 

donald1

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Ha! Me too. Got martial arts lessons for a Christmas gift too. 6 years ago. One day my mother asked if I wanted to take karate. And I said sure okay. I assumed all martial arts used swords... and jumping in the air kicking people In the head. that changed real quick.

And he had students but I rarely met them. for they had already had students of their own now and trained in different locations. There was one other student at the time. Named Wesley though he often missed class. One day just stopped showing up. (I remember hearing he got kicked out; he thought he deserved a refund, got angry, and decided to attack the instructor) and yet he was a white belt picking a fight with a 6th dan. I think the outcome of that is pretty self explanatory. For almost a year I was the only student in that class. We eventually got more students. A lot quit some stayed.
 

Kevin__Huang

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If it's not fun, stop doing it and find something that makes you sing with joy.
Nope, I'm still doing it.
I'm understand that it isn't as expected in reality. It's just a childish thinking.
And now I'm really enjoying doing it [emoji1]

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Balrog

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I started as a freshman in college in 1966. My main reason for joining was that I had been bullied horribly throughout high school, and I was determined that would never happen again.
I got up to Brown Belt, then stopped training. In 1987, I started back with the ATA and I've been at it ever since.
 

Hyoho

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When I was 8 years old my parent's got me my very first Martial Arts lessons for Christmas, I remember opening an envelope on Christmas day and learning that I would be taking Ishin Ryu Karate lessons. At the time the only thing I knew about Karate or Martial Arts was from watching The Karate Kid, for whatever reason I thought that my classes were going to be just like the Cobra Kai and beat me senseless, I was pretty scared for my first lesson. Obviously it was nothing like that and I really enjoyed my lessons.

What (if any) expectations did you have before starting Martial Arts, and what was the reality like? This goes the same for starting a new Art as well.

I was naive enough to think it was some kind of body building, character building art that could be used for self defense. But I did enjoy it and traveled thousands of miles to do it. and... still do it 51 years later.
 

Jenna

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Wow. I remember just about everything. I wanted to be Jackie Chan, but my very first introduction was the Kung Fu, TV series...
.. so? Finish the story and do not leave me with cliffhanger!! did you be Jackie Chan in the end?? I want to know how it finishes! :) x
 

Jenna

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If it's not fun, stop doing it and find something that makes you sing with joy.
I like this a lot! is something to live by :) xx what are you doing coming up with wonderful phrases like this? you have to get back and be serious missy! Britain expects!! :D I am just joking with you.. I like when you are like this.. is more lovely Brown Owl less gruff sergeant major.. that is not how you spell sergeant? :) x
 

Tez3

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I like this a lot! is something to live by :) xx what are you doing coming up with wonderful phrases like this? you have to get back and be serious missy! Britain expects!! :D I am just joking with you.. I like when you are like this.. is more lovely Brown Owl less gruff sergeant major.. that is not how you spell sergeant? :) x

Ah my posts just reflect others lol.

I'm not a Brown Owl though, I'm Tawny Owl to my Brownies lol (and 'Sparkle' to my Rainbows but if you tell anyone that I'll be upset :D)
Sergeant is correct unless it's the Light Infantry and the Rifles regiments then it's serjeant.
 

JowGaWolf

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Watching Kung Fu Theater back in the 70's. For all of you "young bucks" This was considered quality tv. We didn't have the 50 million tv networks nor the internet. Star Wars was considered Special effects history. Now that you have some context. This was cool and everyone wanted to kick butt.

There wasn't a kid on the block who didn't pretend to do kung fu fighting lol. And everyone knew you were tough if you took a Martial Art. That was back when people didn't hand out black belts, and where child safety was lax. lol. Compared to my childhood, kids today live in a bubble. lol.
 

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