# Your First Day



## OnlyAnEgg (May 2, 2006)

How did you feel the first time you walked into you dojo?  Dojang?  Kwoon?

Were you intimidated?
Were you nervous?
Were you immortal?

The first day I walked into the dojang, I was so anxious.  I didn't really know what to expect; so, I puffed out my chest and called forth all the military discipline I could and stood as stiff as possible and did exactly what I was told.

My first sparring, too, was stiff and formal because I was certain I was going to go home with a broken bone or bloody something.

Naturally, I learned I could relax and I never got a broken bone; though, I have had several bloody somethings since then.

How was _your_ first day?


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## terryl965 (May 2, 2006)

My first day was son put on your shoes we are going to the beach got there and my father started to teach me, it has never stopped for me 43 years now, heck that is longer than both marriages?
Terry


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## OnlyAnEgg (May 2, 2006)

terryl965 said:
			
		

> My first day was son put on your shoes we are going to the beach got there and my father started to teach me, it has never stopped for me 43 years now, heck that is longer than both marriages?
> Terry


 
now, THAT is cool...you're Dad teaching you   I hope to pass some skills on to my daughter, as well.

Thanks, Terry


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## terryl965 (May 2, 2006)

Yea it was a blast around the house, now I do as my dad did teach my wife and three wonderful sons. I only hope I can be as great of a teacher as my dad was.
Rest in peace father
Terry


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## bluemtn (May 2, 2006)

I was nervous (not intimidated), and felt like I had 2 left feet.


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## tshadowchaser (May 2, 2006)

I was nervous but excited to finaly get to train with someone


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## Rich Parsons (May 2, 2006)

OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> How did you feel the first time you walked into you dojo?  Dojang?  Kwoon?



Excited



			
				OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> Were you intimidated?



No, a friend of mine told me I needed to work off some steam and took me to a class. 



			
				OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> Were you nervous?



 Only of possible huritng someone by mistake. 



			
				OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> Were you immortal?



Nope! I knew my limitations. The Steam I needed to work off was being a witness to a bad stabbing, so no immortality for me. 



			
				OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> How was _your_ first day?



GREAT! I never stopped training after that.  I also worked off some steam.


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## theletch1 (May 3, 2006)

My first day at my first studio I was curious and a bit anxious.  When I left that style and walked into my current dojo for the first time the only way I can describe my feeling was "I'm home".


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## bobster_ice (May 3, 2006)

I cant actaully remember the first time I stepped into a dojo, but I know that I loved it.


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## Carol (May 3, 2006)

My first day was horrible.  So was my second, and third...the first classes were not a lot of fun at all...I felt so horribly lost.  The assistant instructor working with me was doing her best to keep me encouraged...but...I've never done well in group exercise and I was starting to feel that Kenpo was no different.

My first class with the senior instructor though...totally different.  I was stumbling through a block set when my instructor came over to me and asked me how I was doing.   I wasn't doing well and let him know precisely that.   By the end of that class he had transformed my attitude, as well as my performance.  He had zeroed in on my learning block and overcame it.  He tried to tell me to hang in there or something like that.  The only words that came out of my mouth were "I trust you."   

I think that was the beginning of my addiction to Kenpo.


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## Brandon Fisher (May 9, 2006)

I personally was scared to death.  I didn't want to once I got there at first but I fell in love with once I started in.  Haven't stopped since then.


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## Grenadier (May 9, 2006)

I had some training from a friend before I started formally training in Karate (age 14).  A friend of mine ran a series of free classes, twice a week, over at the church, and had trained us in Tae Kwon Do.  He showed us the basic techniques of the style, as well as some elementary stances, and a decent array of kicks.  Basically, what I learned from him in those 6 weeks, was what got me started in Karate.  Nobody was intimidated, since we were all newbies, no experience, etc., and he still found a way to give some good instruction.  To be able to do teach newbies like we were, and to still get the message across and make everyone feel pretty good about this, is a wonderful ability that every instructor would certainly like to have.  

I wanted to train in his dojang, but unfortunately, the school was a good distance (he only came to that church because of family ties).  The only reasonable place was over at the local "Y," where a good Shotokan instructor was teaching classes for a minimal amount of money.  

When I started there, it was somewhat intimidating.  I was only one of four white belts in a class full of all sorts of ranks, and many of these higher ranks were significantly younger.  I did have an advantage, though, that the previous training fit in quite nicely with the cirriculum, and the previous fundamentals taught very closely matched what the sensei wanted.  

Overall, I certainly enjoyed my first day, once I got past the initial apprehension.  


A more recent experience of "my first day," though, was when I took my first Jiu-Jitsu class, after having over a dozen years of Karate experience.  I was in pretty good shape even then, and accepted an offer to come train with another friend, who was taking Jiu-Jitsu, for a month.  

Now THIS was a time of apprehension.  Here I was, doing things that were very unfamiliar.  I had already learned various breakfalls, takedowns, locks, throws, in Karate, but compared to these guys, what I had learned was nothing more than a couple of breadcrumbs in a picnic basket.  The hardest part was forcing the body to relax when taking that impact from all sorts of positions that I had never dreamed of doing.  

After that first class was over, I didn't want to get up from the mats.  Sore, exhausted, and ready to fall asleep right there.  

My friend cheerfully said "Hey!  Come on!  We're going out for a few beers.  We need to kill off this excess energy!"  I mumbled something about leaving me there to die in peace, but did end up managing to pull myself off the floor, get changed, and enjoy a few rounds of cold brew.  

Despite all of the aches and pains, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Jiu-Jitsu school.  As part of the deal, my friends had to come over to the Karate dojo, and train in Karate for a month.  Halfway through the first class, they were winded.  At the end of the class, one wanted to puke, especially after I offered to buy him several rounds of cold beer.  Still, everyone enjoyed that month as well.


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## Tarot (May 9, 2006)

I was really nervous.  It was a style that I knew very little about.  I knew I could do whatever was thrown at me but my concern was more along the lines of wondering if people would want to work with a newbie.  My concerns were put at ease as soon as warm-ups were over.  The class was very relaxed and fun.  No one minded working with a new person and everyone was very nice.  I've been hooked ever since!  I was so excited about class that my husband decided to check it out and now we both train together.


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## Drac (May 9, 2006)

tkdgirl said:
			
		

> I was nervous (not intimidated), and felt like I had 2 left feet.


 
All that plus I realized that I didn't know my right from my left...lol


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## mantis (May 9, 2006)

i guess i was nervous but wasnt aware of it
my shoulders were really stiff that the teacher came over and grabbed me from my shrugs saying "RELAX"


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## beau_safken (May 9, 2006)

Hmm All I can remember is putting on my crisp new gi and falling on my *** from a overzealous side kick.  That was pretty embarrassing...


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## splazzatch (May 9, 2006)

I was very nervous because I had never done it before and thought it was something I could try. I was instantly in love with it and have never lost it.


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## Tony (May 11, 2006)

Well when i was young I always wanted to study kung fu and when i ws in my teens I was very shy so the thought of turning up to a formal Martial Arts class was very intimidating. I was lucky enough to have a friend of my sisters teach me s a little kung fu but not much! A couple of years later a friend of my mums took me to a taekwondo class but i didn't like.
When i was 21 i realised that the little training and knowledge i had was a joke because i used to train myself and though i had trained myself so i was pretty flexible I needed help. I decided to seek out classes and after going to a couple and getting a panic attack as soon as I reached the door I nearly gave up! The last time was when i went to a Tang soo do class but only made it as far as the door as i was too shy to introduce myself. As I left I spotted a poster for a Kung fu class and determined not to fail again I called the number and went to the class!_ I was greeted by a friendly instructor and i have enjoyed it ever since!_


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## IcemanSK (May 22, 2006)

I was totally lost. Even tho I was 14, I might as well have been 6. One of the BB's actually said to me (in a joking way) "No, your other left leg." The mixture of English & Korean didn't help either. I think I misheard the English commands, too.:uhyeah:


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## matt.m (May 29, 2006)

The first time dad took me to show me what he did when he wasn't being dad and laying brick.  I went to his hapkido class and was just awe struck.  I guess now 21 yrs later I still am by my dad.


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## elder999 (May 26, 2022)

June 29, 1971. A present for my 11th birthday.

There were no "kids classes," and I trained with scary grown men-legends, some of them.

And I never looked back. Quit trumper lessons, eventually quit Boy Scouts, but kept on training.....51 years next month.


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## isshinryuronin (May 27, 2022)

elder999 said:


> Quit trumper lessons, eventually quit Boy Scouts, but kept on training.....51 years next month.


We've all had interests that came and went, like infatuations or affairs with this or that thing or person.  But MA training for many is more like a marriage.  It may have started as just a fling, but grew and matured into something of greater depth and satisfaction.  Those that have found a lifelong companion that can help your grow and keep you centered are lucky.  Master Motobu Choku used a term, "_meotode," _referring to one's two hands being like a husband and wife.  Perhaps this analogy applies to MA even more than he realized.


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## Ashworth (Jul 2, 2022)

To be honest, I don't really remember my first class, I was 5, I have random memories from my first dojo but not enough to know what I was feeling at that time. 

I remember the first time I sparred with a girl in that club though, she was a blue belt, I was nervous about fighting a girl... she kicked my butt!


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## SifuLarry (Jul 5, 2022)

OnlyAnEgg said:


> How did you feel the first time you walked into you dojo?  Dojang?  Kwoon?
> 
> Were you intimidated?
> Were you nervous?
> ...


Even though my first day with my teacher, the guy to the (left of me) in black in my bio picture was 27 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday. My friend suggested that we should check out a school we drove by. He wanted me to check it out with him because I had prior martial arts training. 

One thing led to another and I found myself being hit harder than I had ever been hit. So hard in fact I saw a white flash while he was hitting me and I felt it for a month after. I have been training with him ever since. He beat me up like i can only imagine happens in the movies.


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## Buka (Jul 5, 2022)

The first day I walked into a dojo I thought, "I'm going to do this for the rest of my life."

So far so good.


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