# Why did you get into Martial Arts??



## Frank The Tank (Feb 28, 2007)

Ok Why did you want to get into MA??? i wanted to because when i was about 9 or 10 i was walking with my little sis who is a year younger we were going to the dollor store and this guy who looked about 18 or 19 started to follow us we ran into the store and he and his friend traped us in a cornor  and he started to tell me sis "come on u know u want me im hot just come with me and ill show u the world" i was scared $hi*less i was to scared  to do anything or try lucky someone in the store helped us and told them to leave us alone then me and my sis ran home but i wanted to get into MA so i would NEVER have that feeling again


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## Drac (Feb 28, 2007)

Frank The Tank said:


> Ok Why did you want to get into MA??? i wanted to because when i was about 9 or 10 i was walking with my little sis who is a year younger we were going to the dollor store and this guy who looked about 18 or 19 started to follow us we ran into the store and he and his friend traped us in a cornor and he started to tell me sis "come on u know u want me im hot just come with me and ill show u the world" i was scared $hi*less i was to scared to do anything or try lucky someone in the store helped us and told them to leave us alone then me and my sis ran home but i wanted to get into MA so i would NEVER have that feeling again


 
NOT a bad reason...


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## Frank The Tank (Feb 28, 2007)

well its the truth im in the Arts and wrestling all because of it i would LOVE to see those guys now lol:ticked:


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## Drac (Feb 28, 2007)

Frank The Tank said:


> well its the truth im in the Arts and wrestling all because of it i would LOVE to see those guys now lol:ticked:


 
Just be careful what you wish for...Many of the "tough guys" are NOW carrying firearms...


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## Frank The Tank (Feb 28, 2007)

well good point but still things i wish i would have known back then so y did u get into it?


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## Shaderon (Feb 28, 2007)

There is another thred on this topic active at the moment, but for me it was a similar thing to you, except it was ME that was in danger but from a closer source, my partner.  Like you I didn't want to feel helpless or that scared again.


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## Drac (Feb 28, 2007)

Frank The Tank said:


> well good point but still things i wish i would have known back then so y did u get into it?


 
HAd mu butt beat one to many times as a teen...10 years later on of the worst antagonists I ever had came into the bar I was a bouncer and got stupid and the tried to fight me as I was showing him out..


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 28, 2007)

I saw a friend of mine in a Jujitsu demo so I started in Jujitsu and the rest is a long history that leads to CMA which I will not get into


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## JBrainard (Feb 28, 2007)

Frank The Tank said:


> Ok Why did you want to get into MA???


 
"Mostly because of my father, I guess."
Actually, that is where it started. As far back as I can remember, my father has been into Zen philosophy and Japanese culture. That started my interest in all things Asian.
When I was a boy, two of my cousins were taking Karate (can't remember what ryu). I loved watching them but was too scared of confrontation to try it myself.
MUCH later in life, after I had been married for 2 or 3 years, and was going to group counceling for... well if you really want to know, PM me... I finally worked up the nerve to try out the "karate" class (it was actually streamlined Wing Chun, but that's besides the point) that was offered at the gym I went to. I've been hooked ever sense.


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## IWishToLearn (Mar 5, 2007)

Frank The Tank said:


> Ok Why did you want to get into MA??? i wanted to because when i was about 9 or 10 i was walking with my little sis who is a year younger we were going to the dollor store and this guy who looked about 18 or 19 started to follow us we ran into the store and he and his friend traped us in a cornor  and he started to tell me sis "come on u know u want me im hot just come with me and ill show u the world" i was scared $hi*less i was to scared  to do anything or try lucky someone in the store helped us and told them to leave us alone then me and my sis ran home but i wanted to get into MA so i would NEVER have that feeling again



I always wanted to when I was younger, but my parents thought an ADD kid like me would just go around kicking everyone. When I turned 18 my buddy convinced me to start training with his instructor. I trained there for 7 years, and I'm currently training there part time and teaching full time.


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## flashlock (Mar 5, 2007)

IWishToLearn said:


> I always wanted to when I was younger, but my parents thought an ADD kid like me would just go around kicking everyone. When I turned 18 my buddy convinced me to start training with his instructor. I trained there for 7 years, and I'm currently training there part time and teaching full time.


 
One of my most memorable moments in MA was teaching taekwondo to children with ADD.  It was such a struggle, but they had such heart and such enthusiasm, it was worth it.  The parents believed the training helped their kids outside the dojo.

As for me, I started MA because my father was a brown belt in karate.  I was always surrounded by shuriken, nunchuka, tonfas, and sais.  We would watch karate movies then me and my brother would battle our dad.  I joined a karate school when I was in second grade, so it has always seemed to be with me, even when I took breaks....


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## 14 Kempo (Mar 5, 2007)

Well, I think it's a funny story, but we'll see what you think ... 

Back in 1985, I was still playing baseball, but during the off-season had no physical activity. My sister had suggested, over and over, that I attend her aerobics class. Finally one day I agreed to watch a class. While watching the rather boring class, I noticed a Karate studio a few doors down, do I wandered over that way and ended up talking to the instructor for 30-40 minutes.

My thoughts as I left the studio that night were that I could be learning something while getting exercise. Much better than just jumping around (of course I didn't take into account the ratio of women to men in the different activities, but that's another story). I thought about it over night and returned to the studio to sign up the next day.

I stuck with it through Nidan, taking a 10+ year break from 1992-2003. Here I am again, having just earned my way back to Nidan. A bit older, hopefully a bit wiser, and probably here to stay this time.


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## Last Fearner (Mar 6, 2007)

Frank The Tank said:


> Why did you want to get into MA???


 
Actually, I was born into it.  My father was a Professional Wrestler in the 1950s and 60s, and became the Chief of Police in the village of Stevensville, MI.  His brother (my uncle) was a former U.S. Marine, and a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Judo.  I was born in January of 1960 wearing a red belt (turns out, it was my umbilical cord!).

I was exposed to various aspects of combat techniques from the time I was born (my mom and dad were at a Professional Wrestling Match the night I was born, but had to leave for the hospital), but it all came to a point of personal instruction when I was five years old in Kindergarten (1965).  I had a bully who picked on me *every* - *single* - *day*!  He was mean, and he was relentless.  Before school started, at recess, after school - - he was a *nightmare!*  I usually ran and hid in the bathroom till the teacher arrived.  On the playground, he would grab me in a bear hug from behind, pick me up and throw me down.  He was a kindergartener just like me, but he was nasty.

One day, I told my dad about it, and he started showing me things to do.  the next day at recess, the bully grabbed me from behind.  I looked down, saw his foot, and buried my heel in his instep.  He ran away limping, and never touched me again!

(man that felt good to vent that!  )

From that day on, I continued to learn techniques from my dad, my uncle, and any books on karate, jujutsu, ninjutus, and anything else I could find (mind you, this was in the 1960s so I did not have the internet, or many other resources).  In 1975, I joined the only Martial Art school in my town - a Judo Institute.  The next year, I switched to Taekwondo when a class opened up a the YMCA.  The instructor opened a new school nearby.  I became a student in 1976, and the rest is history (or at least my life story!)  :ultracool 

CM D.J. Eisenhart


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## Shaderon (Mar 6, 2007)

Last Fearner said:


> One day, I told my dad about it, and he started showing me things to do. the next day at recess, the bully grabbed me from behind. I looked down, saw his foot, and buried my heel in his instep. He ran away limping, and never touched me again!
> 
> (man that felt good to vent that!  )


 

YEA Go LAST!   I DO so love stories of bullies getting theirs!


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## RED (Mar 6, 2007)

As far back as I can remember I've been teased about my Red hair.  (RED) I was alwayes the smallest in my class, ect., you get the picture.  As a preteen I played different sports and all of them tore up my knees pretty bad.  Nothing really worked out for me.  My Saturday afternoons where spent watching "Kung Fu theater" and, then, the WWF.  I loved watching those corny movies but on the other hand I wanted to fight like that.  When I turned 13 I heard of free TKD classes at my school in the evenings.  I took classes until I was in my 20's.  (ITF) Then I moved all over the place because I was a military dependant.  I took martial arts where and when I could.  Now that I've settled down, at 40, I'm dedicated to a local (WTF) TKD school in hopes of opening a free school myself someday.  I would love to go back to my original TKD school that has grown to 20+ non-profit schools!!


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## terryl965 (Mar 6, 2007)

I'm in it for this is what I know, I stay because this is what I love. I will be as always because this is my Life.

The thing is Martial Art is what has molded me and keep me sane for this world I live in anything else would be a tragic episode of destuction.

I wish every single person could feel the same as I do.


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