why did you choose your art?

[whitetiger2001]

Like many who finally settle on a style, I went to several schools before finding the one I wanted. Some were too formalized for me with bows anytime the instructor even blinked. Some had material that I felt wouldn't work for me because of my limited flexibility hipwise. What I finally settled on was a school that offered a range of styles within it that would allow me to strengthen my weaknesses while taking advantage of my strengths which are speed and power. The instructor was knowledgable (which all the others were according to my limited knowledge at that point) but he was also personable. I watched a couple of classes and like the "feel" of them. He was there because he enjoyed not just his art but the art of teaching. The instructor understood that the students were the reason he was there unlike others who seemed to feel that they were there to feed his ego.

 

[HelloKitty]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba

I first wanted karate because it was the most popular MA in every gym in my city. But when I came to try a class, gym's owner suggested me to take taekwondo because they have a good class of girls of my age and karate had no women, and it would be more comfortable for me.

I accepted with doubts, but the class and the instructor were very good, and taekwondo develops all the habilities i'm interested in.

Once a man attacked me when I was coming back home from university and I could beat him easily. I think I really fell in love definitely with this style.

 

[chinto]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba

it was very similer to a style I took long ago, and the instructor is the best in town for combat aplications.
so I went and tried it and have been very very happy with it all since.

 

[matt.m]

I am really wierd in this aspect......I believe that I didn't choose my art. It chose me. It is no secret that my dad is a hapkido master, I am a world champ in judo and am studying ITF/WTF tae kwon do as well as hapkido concurrently while teaching judo.

Anyway, I am a big believer in Pre-Destination. I think it was predestined that I joined the Marine Corps. I believe that you make your choices for better or worse. However, they are yours to make.

I don't care if it is White Crane, Shotokan, Aikido, Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do. Whatever, just train.

I do what I do because it is what I believe in.

 

[Brian S]

Good answer matt m. !

My dad's friend he worked with was starting up a new goju class, he and his brother. I went along to see what it was all about. I was fascinated by what they could do and I wanted to be able to do the same thing. They were both so powerful and precise about what they did. I started and I haven't stopped, never will.

As for the Judo, I just basically wanted someone to train with and sort of fell into it. Not many people get to do martial arts under good instructors, much less two arts under two of them.

 

[Xue Sheng]

just interested to know what made you decide to choose and continue your art
I hope you reply openly

saraba

How many times must I say this?

I chose my art so I could strike fear in the hearts of my fellow man

Why I continue…. I was successful :EG:

 

[theletch1]

How many times must I say this?

I chose my art so I could strike fear in the hearts of my fellow man

Why I continue…. I was successful :EG:

Xue, you must repeat it often because we mere mortals are too busy quaking in fear to hear you correctly when you say it.:uhyeah:

 

[Xue Sheng]

Xue, you must repeat it often because we mere mortals are too busy quaking in fear to hear you correctly when you say it.:uhyeah:

So very true :mst:

:uhyeah:

 

[Traditionalist]

That is pretty cool MattM. that we have a world champ among us. What event did you win? I would love to google it and read some crazy stuff about you.

 

[diamondbar1971]

I chose it because it was my first contact with any kind of Martial Arts period. This was over 40 years ago when Martial Arts was something new to most of us. Through this, I met some wonderful people over the years....Tino Tuiolosega, Ed Parker, James Woo and numerous others that were and still are known worldwide today...As I reflect back to the days when I was just a kid and how Martial Arts was then and compare it to how it is today, a lot has changed and a lot is the same, and the was I see it, Martial Arts is a never ending learning experience.

 

[Guardian]

When I first joined the service, I was a cop (Security Police) LE side of the house and figured I needed something more since I was not street smart and couldn't fight work a dang LOL. I saw an advertisement on our squadron board one day and the class was being taught by one of the members of our squadron and went to it one night and never looked back after that.

Of course as the years went by, we incorporated other aspects of self-defense/attack modes/methods into our training for it was geared for our jobs and going home at night (though being a base cop back then was safer then a) city cop, we took our jobs very seriously and it paid off more then once for me.

 

[Explorer]

I started with western wrestling in grade school even as I idolized Kato on the Green Hornet tv show and Odd Job from the James Bond movies. They just looked sooooo cool. I would pretend I was a 'martial arts master'. There was a little judo thrown in there somewhere. I remember a concussion that caused me to throw up on my parents bedding.

My dad (a Methodist Minister) was a Golden Gloves boxer and he taught all of us to box in our basement. We really had a lot of fun pounding on each other. Dad was the one who taught me to step on the other guy's foot as you punch him. Sure, it's illegal in BOXING but not when you're facing the neighborhood bully! I still use it today!

In high school a friend of mine was a brown belt in Shotokan and I was impressed with his technique ... and belt rank. I always wanted to train but school sports like football, rugby, wrestling, track ... and girls took up all my time.

After college I got busy and didn't train until my oldest son experienced a number of bullying incidents. After talking with the school resulted in exactly NOTHING. I went looking for a martial arts school that offered a broad range of training. I was also looking for an instructor that wasn't a drill sergeant. I found it all at the dojo I now run where classical Shorin Ryu is taught.

I'm glad to report that the bullying incidents ended when Ian started putting up a defense. It seems that bully's really, really hate receiving ANY pain in response to their ... activities. Imagine that.