When did you KNOW
- Thread starter Big Don
- Start date
FearlessFreep
Senior Master
when I found out I was going to be working in DC on a contract for six months and I was looking for dojangs before I was looking for apartments
punisher73
Senior Master
For me I had always wanted to take karate. I tried Judo and Aikido, but after my first class I knew that was what I wanted. I enjoyed the other arts as well, but it just wasn't for me. My first instructor was great. He was VERY good at breaking things down into easy to understand and apply concepts.
I did things in the reverse of Punisher. I studied the external style first and then took up the aikido. The kempo hooked me the first time I took a good hard shot to the ribs and smiled. I knew, right then, that there was something wrong with me. The aikido cemented the deal. The first time I walked into Sensei McCraw's dojo to watch a class I just felt like I was home.
Yes. The first time I watched a class that my fight teacher taught. I was a white belt and not allowed to take his class yet so I sat in the corner out of the way and watched and listened to everything that he said.
From that time on I knew that this was the beginning of a new journey and that he would be my teacher.
From that time on I knew that this was the beginning of a new journey and that he would be my teacher.
An interesting question, Don.
As I've had two 'career paths', so to speak, in the martial arts (one pre-accident and one post) I have two answers.
Both are similar in a way.
My first class of Lau Gar, I was run ragged by all the physical warm-ups (despite my being in very good condition at that time). Then our instructor introduced us to the delights of stretching and the splits
!
He had us try to get as low as we could, which was not very low for most of us (ROFL) and came around the class inching peoples feet out wider still. He got to me and I reckoned I couldn't possibly get my feet any further apart so, as he went to stretch me that little bit more, I said something you should never say to a martial arts teacher ... "Don't you dare!". He looked me in the eye and said "You're always capable of more than you think you are" and hoiked my feet a few inches further apart.
Nowadays I would consider that to be a little reckless, after all, altho' I was very fit, I was also not very flexible and he could've popped a tendon doing that to me. At the time tho', that homespun philosophic line did the trick. I was hooked and until an Audi tried to kill me I never thought there would be a day i wasn't training.
My experience with MJER was similar in that it was finding that my determination exceded my body's limits that told me I was on the right path.
In this case, it was finding at the end of a three hour class that the white karate gi I'd bought only four hours before now had red knees. That proved that all that wincing I'd been doing wasn't just me being a jessie as I got my introduction to fighting movements in seiza and also proved that I might be educated but I can also be very stupid sometimes
. There's a reason why knee pads are worn for Iai :lol:.
As I've had two 'career paths', so to speak, in the martial arts (one pre-accident and one post) I have two answers.
Both are similar in a way.
My first class of Lau Gar, I was run ragged by all the physical warm-ups (despite my being in very good condition at that time). Then our instructor introduced us to the delights of stretching and the splits
! He had us try to get as low as we could, which was not very low for most of us (ROFL) and came around the class inching peoples feet out wider still. He got to me and I reckoned I couldn't possibly get my feet any further apart so, as he went to stretch me that little bit more, I said something you should never say to a martial arts teacher ... "Don't you dare!". He looked me in the eye and said "You're always capable of more than you think you are" and hoiked my feet a few inches further apart.
Nowadays I would consider that to be a little reckless, after all, altho' I was very fit, I was also not very flexible and he could've popped a tendon doing that to me. At the time tho', that homespun philosophic line did the trick. I was hooked and until an Audi tried to kill me I never thought there would be a day i wasn't training.
My experience with MJER was similar in that it was finding that my determination exceded my body's limits that told me I was on the right path.
In this case, it was finding at the end of a three hour class that the white karate gi I'd bought only four hours before now had red knees. That proved that all that wincing I'd been doing wasn't just me being a jessie as I got my introduction to fighting movements in seiza and also proved that I might be educated but I can also be very stupid sometimes
. There's a reason why knee pads are worn for Iai :lol:.Yep. About 3 months in. My teacher seemed a little down, and after enquiring he replied that he sometimes considers chucking training altogether. The idea that someone could just put aside a passion they'd had for at least 20 years was inconceivable to me...and I said so.
'You could never do that....just quit! What would you do?' He jokingly replied that there were lots of things. Perhaps a little facetiously, he joked about starting piano. And I just 'knew' right then. I must have sounded like an addlepated old fool, but out blurted:
'Well...if you learn piano...well...then I'll learn piano too.'
'You could never do that....just quit! What would you do?' He jokingly replied that there were lots of things. Perhaps a little facetiously, he joked about starting piano. And I just 'knew' right then. I must have sounded like an addlepated old fool, but out blurted:
'Well...if you learn piano...well...then I'll learn piano too.'
OP
OP
Big Don
Sr. Grandmaster
For me, it was also during sparring. Specifically, the first time I sparred one of the Black Belts at my school. He, as an intimidation tactic, puts his hands on his knees and thrusts his chin out, just begging for you to hit him. So, being a complete newbie, and really not knowing any better, I clocked him, I hit him faster than he thought I could and dropped him! For a second there, I felt like THE MAN, then, he popped up, like he was on springs. Then he hit me, right above the eye, I staggered, then brought my hands back up, He was stalking twoards me. At that point our Sifu yelled "STOP!" and everyone froze, except for the black belt coming at me slowly. He yelled "STOP!" again, and we froze. I dropped my hands and could just feel everyone staring at me. I looked down, there was blood on the floor. Where did that come from? I looked up, into the mirrors that line one wall of the dojo and see blood pouring down the side of my face, soaking the formerly ash gray tank top I had on, from a cut just above my left eye.
He, the black belt that got me, took me into the bathroom and cleaned me up. We were given Sifu's Speech #3, which is about using control and the Holy Writ of sparring: NO one gets MAD! Class over, I went to pick my son up from his Monday evening kids program at the church, and got some aghast looks for being covered in blood. Inspiration struck and I raced home to get my camera. Back to the dojo I went. When I arrived, they were just locking up and the black belt who had opened the cut over my eye thought it was pretty cool that I wanted a picture of the open wound. May Ninth, will be three years since that night. In that time I have earned my Third Brown Belt, learned much, and especially learned not to fall for cheesy tricks like sticking the chin out...
He, the black belt that got me, took me into the bathroom and cleaned me up. We were given Sifu's Speech #3, which is about using control and the Holy Writ of sparring: NO one gets MAD! Class over, I went to pick my son up from his Monday evening kids program at the church, and got some aghast looks for being covered in blood. Inspiration struck and I raced home to get my camera. Back to the dojo I went. When I arrived, they were just locking up and the black belt who had opened the cut over my eye thought it was pretty cool that I wanted a picture of the open wound. May Ninth, will be three years since that night. In that time I have earned my Third Brown Belt, learned much, and especially learned not to fall for cheesy tricks like sticking the chin out...
newGuy12
Master of Arts
The first time my brother and I saw our Sabum, he was standing there, giving us a private lesson. I can still remember that very clearly. The Dobok, the flags. The dark Dojang.
The look of him in the horse stance. Everything was so perfect.
He got us both -- hook, line, and sinker, and I am so happy. We only learned some simple motions and stances, of course, but we were both very sure that this Man could teach us Awesome "karate". We knew very well that he was quite the "Real Deal".
The look of him in the horse stance. Everything was so perfect.
He got us both -- hook, line, and sinker, and I am so happy. We only learned some simple motions and stances, of course, but we were both very sure that this Man could teach us Awesome "karate". We knew very well that he was quite the "Real Deal".
Empty Hands
Senior Master
Hey, you dropped him. Sounds like he fell for the cheesy trick, not you.
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