Regrets

[Akira]

I regret not blocking that step up knee that broke my sternum last year

 

[K-man]

My martial arts adventure has been an awesome one. Many mile stones, but only one regret. I started training in my early 20's and recently took a long hard look in the mirror and there was a senior citizen looking back. Time flies when your having fun, and I have many wonderful memories to ponder, they say youth is wasted on the young. My only regret, I got old.

Yes, but look at the alternative. At least we're alive, and fit and healthy enough to keep training!!

 

[Guardian]

My only regret was not starting earlier. Other then that, I'm pretty darn happy about where I'm at.

 

[Stac3y]

Thanks for being Frank with us

I thought he was being Sid with us.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

I was stationed on Okinawa and I worked with Angi Uezu. I could have spent my free time learning Isshin-Ryu where it began, instead of drinking at the club every night. Wish I had.

I think that there are several people in your same shoes having been stationed on Okinawa and having had the opportunity to train but didn't.

 

[Bruno@MT]

I did western jujutsu when I was in college, and in the end I trained 6 times per week. I also spent a lot of time with my sensei. My skill and technique were increasing rapidly and I was going places

In the final year of my masters degree I tried to combine that with finishing my degree and doing an internship at an engineering firm. After a while, my body told me in no uncertain terms that this was not sustainable and I was close to burning out.

I quit jj cold turkey. I never tought I'd do it but there you go.
I could have kicked back my pace instead, but I didn't. Now, 10 years later, I regularly feel a pang of regret that I didn't stick with it in a way that was sustainable. I'd be a 3d or 4th dan BB by now.

A year ago I finally found myself in a JJ / ninpo dojo in which I instantly felt at home. The club just started and despite being low grade, I am one of the 2 senior students I promised myself to stick with it this time, but in a way that is sustainable.

 

[Omar B]

omar, what is a reverse round kick?

It's a Korean style kick that is done a couple ways but the end result us what looks like a roundhouse kick but coming from the opposite side you would expect it. It's proper name is Peet Cha Gi.

To execute you chamber the foot in front like a front snap kick but with the knee as high (close to the chest as possible). As you extend the foot your hip moves forward the knee is turned at a 45 degree angle towards the inside of the body and the toes pulled back to strike with the ball of the foot.

It's a good kick, when chambered people think front kick and usually block low or middle. It can be executed with a turn, step, spin, reverse, rear leg. It's pretty versatile but tough, not many people teach it ... I've never come across it in Japanese kicking.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Wait a minute, let me get this straight. You knew and had a working relationship with Angi?

I gotta say I'm pretty flabbergasted by that. He's one of the guys I admire greatly. I can only imagine how you feel not taking advantage of the opportunity back then.

Now you know, seize the day. I once had chuck Norris correcting my reverse round kick when I met him leaving a tournament.

Yeah, it's true. He was a Japanese Security Guard (JSP) at Camp Foster when I was stationed there as a Military Policeman in 1983/84. I was introduced to him by some of my coworkers who were his students and urged to sign up for classes, which I declined. I used to see him on duty every night - I was generally the 'Desk Sergeant' and in charge of touring my troops and the area nightly. He did some weird tricks for me once, showing me the 'unbendable elbow' and his ability to shove his hand directly (and slowly) into a bucket of sand up to his wrist - made it look easy, but I could not even insert my fingertips in the same bucket! He taught us (the MP's) some basic non-lethal locks and holds, but that was all. I could have, and should have, signed up for after-hours Isshin-Ryu classes at his dojo. That is a regret.

I also found out recently that I used to live a few miles from the great Sensei Sherm Harrill when I lived in Omaha, NE for a few years in the late 1980's. However, I did not know who he was or where he was at that time, so I don't kick myself so much over that one.

 

[Omar B]

Always works out that way man. I remember as a kid living in Miami playing guitar, being obsessed with shred metal. Little did I know that Yngwie Malmsteen, one of my heroes not only lived less than a mile from me, but my aunt knew him well. He was a customer at her luggage store and she saw him often when he was preparing for tours.

 

[Stac3y]

It's a Korean style kick that is done a couple ways but the end result us what looks like a roundhouse kick but coming from the opposite side you would expect it. It's proper name is Peet Cha Gi.

I think my style calls that an inside roundhouse kick.

My regret is that I didn't start karate until I was 38 years old.

 

[blindsage]

I regret not training more consistently during my 20's.

 

[Grenadier]

I had been out of the martial arts from 1995-early 1997, due to moving to Columbia, SC, and enrolling in a different graduate school.

In 1997, with things being awfully busy, I found a way to get back into martial arts training, and I started up my training in Shuri Ryu Karate Do with Shihan Ridgely Abele.

My biggest regret in my martial arts career was that I did not take advantage of the vast opportunities that Hanshi Abele (at the time Kyoshi) had given to me. There were opportunities to train at various symposiums and seminars, where some truly excellent martial artists were giving clinics on many subjects. There were tournament opportunities that I missed out on, simply because I thought my schedule was too packed to try such a thing.

When I look back on those lost opportunities, I think about all the times he had encouraged me to try these things, and it wasn't until I had moved away, that I finally started trying them. After trying the tournament scene, along with attending these seminars and symposiums, I thoroughly enjoyed the experiences, but also regretted not having listened to my old Shihan all of those years ago.

I swore that I'd continue these things, and I have to this date, kept up with things. There are so many great experiences that I've had, and I even wrote a bit of a journal, detailing these good times. There was so much that I wanted to thank my old teacher for, since he had pointed out the benefits long ago, but I just didn't listen back then.

I made several trips back to visit Columbia, and tried to catch him when he was at the dojo, but in recent times, he hadn't been feeling too well, and wasn't there. I kept telling myself that I'll catch him the next time around.

Unfortunately Shihan Abele passed away last month. I realized in a sobering moment, that there was so much I wanted to say to him, about how great these experiences had been, and how grateful I was that he helped me see things in a new light. I wanted to thank him for helping me learn how to be patient and persistant, as I'm now one of the senior instructors at my current dojo. I wanted to thank him for the teaching knowledge that he had given me.

It was also through his symposium, that I met a most wonderful lady, who I have fallen in love with, heart and soul. I wanted to thank him for that, since if it weren't for him, I would not likely have met her. Each time I had been at the symposium, he had asked me if I had finally found the lady I was looking for, and each time I had said "not yet, Shihan..."

Sadly, the time for such things had passed all too quickly. There was so much that I wanted to say to him in person, but there was no time left to do so. There had been a couple of chances, but I was in too much of a hurry (or so I thought) to take those opportunities to do so.

It brings a tear (or twenty) to my eye when I think about this, but I can take comfort in knowing that now he knows, and somewhere up there, I can see him with that warm smile as he sees the satisfaction that I've experienced at doing these things.



Learn from my mistakes, folks... If there's something you want to say to your martial arts instructor, then say it while you still can. For that matter, if there's something you want to say to someone you dearly care about, then say it while you still can. Bad things happen to good people, and such events can occur ever so swiftly.

 

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Always works out that way man. I remember as a kid living in Miami playing guitar, being obsessed with shred metal. Little did I know that Yngwie Malmsteen, one of my heroes not only lived less than a mile from me, but my aunt knew him well. He was a customer at her luggage store and she saw him often when he was preparing for tours.

I lived in Ft Lauderdale for years and have met him through Tom Defile from Saigon Kick.

Sad to say he was a huge drunk and when he was drunk he was an @&&.

He got kicked out of the Button South and Summers all the time.

The man could shred though.

 

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I regret not taking up Judo instead of TKD in my early teens.

I regret putting MA on the backburner for a few years.

I regret that an accomidation could not be made with our former Sensei and myself and my partner.

Oh well, Say la vie.

 

[Omar B]

I lived in Ft Lauderdale for years and have met him through Tom Defile from Saigon Kick.
Sad to say he was a huge drunk and when he was drunk he was an @&&.
He got kicked out of the Button South and Summers all the time.
The man could shred though.

I've actually met and worked with him quite a few times, he's great. I always hear these Yngwie's a drunk stories but I've never experienced it myself. Heck, he and I watched football (Giants) and drank beer for hours at the old Hard Rock in NY a couple years ago. Maybe people behave better around a guy like myself who writes for one of the few mags that carries Yngwie news. But then he let me ride on his tour bus when I was in high school too.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

"Too soon old, too late smart." - Old Jewish saying.

 

[Ken Morgan]

We all seem to regret not starting MA earlier, but sometimes life gets in the way, family, work, health and school all need to take priority at times in our lives. And they should.

I’ve missed practice many times because I have something to do with my children, even just bathing them, reading them stories and putting them to bed. I would regret missing out on that quiet time with my children, much more then missing a MA practice.

 

[masurai]

I’ve missed practice many times because I have something to do with my children, even just bathing them, reading them stories and putting them to bed. I would regret missing out on that quiet time with my children, much more then missing a MA practice.

Very true, It all comes down to choices, and you made the right one.

 

[xJOHNx]

Not reading enough books.
My martial path is fine. I could do more, but then other areas would have to give in. Which is nich impossible. So no regrets.

 

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I've actually met and worked with him quite a few times, he's great. I always hear these Yngwie's a drunk stories but I've never experienced it myself. Heck, he and I watched football (Giants) and drank beer for hours at the old Hard Rock in NY a couple years ago. Maybe people behave better around a guy like myself who writes for one of the few mags that carries Yngwie news. But then he let me ride on his tour bus when I was in high school too.

This was back in the late 80s /early 90s so maybe he got himself more together.

I hope so because when he was not blasted he was a nice guy and he is a very talented Guitarist.

I wished he had got together in a real band, with a good songwritter. I like hios classical shred stuff, but it would have been nice to see him have more success.

The man caused thousands to scallope their fret boards.