How late in life can you leave this?

Discussion in 'Karate' started by KarateMum, Oct 7, 2014.

  1. Theidiot

    Theidiot New Member

    I know this thread is about a year old, but I like it.

    First of all, well done to karatemum for doing one of the hardest tests of all in martial arts, which is to turn up for your first lesson when you're older than a kid.

    In (very late) answer to the quoted point though, yes there is a lot of value in sparring a higher grade. You learn from them. Test their defences. Test your own strategy ideas.

    And in time, you realise you're not the newbie anymore. You realise you're passing knowledge on to those coming up behind you.
     
  2. KarateMum

    KarateMum Valued Member

    So, I've finally remember to come back and update things - you've had a forum 'paint job' in my absence I think - the pages are looking great!

    So and possibly against the odds, I've stuck with it. Still doing 2x2hr sessions a week (probably why so little posting). I'm probably fitter now than I've been for some time - this I think is the best 'takeaway' of the whole process. I also sometimes turn up for the occasional 'squad sessions' held at our dojo where what they do really tests my (often mental!) fitness and agility and can just about last for the 3-4 hours that these last.

    To my surprise our teachers have continued to feel that I've made progress and I am now personally proud to wear wear a green belt (we do, red, white, yellow, orange, green, purple, various grades of brown and then black belt Dan grades) - not only that, but I've been told they are running a grading for us so I can try for purple tomorrow! "Purple, So what?" You might ask, well purple is a big deal for me - I never expected Karate to be something I was capable of learning this late in life - however, once I saw that I had, unexpectedly, progressed I kind of wondered what might be achievable. When I started I was in awe of how good even a purple belt was and so this was what I wondered if I could aspire to by the time I was 50! If I get this tomorrow or even in the next 12 months, I will have achieved what I thought was quite a difficult personal goal - the next thing will be where do I go next with it - just what might be possible in my later age?
     
    Simon and Smitfire like this.
  3. Travess

    Travess The Welsh MAPper Supporter

    First off, congrantulations on your continued commitment and progress.

    Secondly, try to take each step that follows as they come, rather than looking at them as 1 long (seemingly unsurpassable) line of obstacles, and I am sure you will successfully manage what ever they throw at you.

    As an anecdotal side note: We had a broken and battered (life time of broken bones, ongoing arthritis issues) 50 year old in our ranks, that had been adamant that ever grading he would pass would probably be his last, as the requirements for the next seem to great a task for him to achieve - Fast forward 4 years, and the same battered, (yet mentally stronger and more motivated than ever) now 54 year old, stands wearing a brown belt, facing down both barrels of his run up to 1st Dan...

    ...Does he still have doubts? Of course! Hell, I'll be knocking on for 43, when I attempt my 2nd Dan, and at this point have no idea what to expect - Though I do trust that my instructors would not ask anything of me, if they did not already believe that I was equipped to deal with it (regardless of my own self doubts on the matter)

    How ever long it, or however the journey changes (or changes you) I wish you all the best, and look forward to hearing all about your Purple belt success, come the weekend.

    Travess
     
    KarateMum likes this.
  4. GaryWado

    GaryWado Tired

    Good stuff,

    When the group I belong to has courses divided into senior and junior grades for example - the senior grades are usually those with purple belt and above.

    So it IS a big deal and well done for keeping your shoulder to the wheel.
     
    KarateMum likes this.
  5. KarateMum

    KarateMum Valued Member

    Ok, grading is over and I feel entirely privileged (with maybe a small amount of personal pride thrown in - well I am only human!) to now be wearing a purple belt, alongside my son who also passed Now the hard work gets even harder. It sounds a big leap to brown and we are not graded at our own Dojo, instead we are sent away to be graded by our top Sensei. It all sounds a bit more ownerous. I can certainly start to work on this grade, but I don't know how it will all pan-out!
     
    EmptyHandGuy likes this.

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