What Karate Means To Me
My Karate journey started when I was 6 and I went to my mate’s birthday party at fighting loins in Niddrie. I enjoyed it that much I had my next birthday party there. It was then that I knew I wanted to do Karate and I asked dad if I could join fighting loins. Dad said, if I was going to join Karate, I had to train with Shihan and Sensei, so my grandpa contacted Shihan and found out that I could not start until I was 9. After my 9th birthday I joined Shushin Kai Goju Ryu Karate club and my Karate journey began.
Karate has changed my life dramatically, in the way of giving me mental confidents and making me feel like I can defend myself if needed. It has also taught me to walk away from arguments and only to use my karate training as a last option. I have never been in a situation where I have needed to defend myself and believe that this is a result of learning Karate and being able to walk away from these situations or stop them from occurring before it happens.
Karate has also helped to improve my other sports such as Basketball and Football by teaching me how to have greater balance, stability and how to lock up while moving. This has given me an advantage over other kids as it allows me to get bumped and knocked without falling over as easily as others.
Karate has changed my character by teaching me how to listen, act, receive instructions and ask questions when I am unsure of things. This change has helped me with my school work by giving me the confidents to ask my teachers what I don’t understand. It also has taught me how to focus, pay attention to my teachers in any class, which helps me understand my work better and allows me to get better marks.
If I wasn’t able to train anymore, I would feel I have lost an important part of my life. This is because karate helps clear me mind and I enjoy learning the meaning of the techniques. I really enjoy learning the technical side of our karate, for example I like how specific all our techniques are and if you don’t get them right, then they will not work. This kind of challenge is why our style is so interesting and why you will never get bored.
I believe my karate will help me in the future, especially when I start work. I believe I will be able to receive criticism and feedback from my bosses without getting offended. I have learnt in karate that all criticism and feedback is constructive and you should not take offence to it, but use it to make yourself better.
Finally, I would like to thank Shihan and Sensei Lincoln for spending the time and putting in the effort to train me and teach me their style of karate. I hope they can see the results of their training through my progress from white belt up until the level I am at today.
By Jack Daws 1st October, 2019
Jack Daws began training at karatedo on 1st February, 2016, at age 9 years. He was graded to Shodan on 5th October, 2019, at age 12 years.