The Karate Kid

it wouldn’t be karate without some blood, sweat and tears.All of those things would ultimately lead me to my final destination : The Black Belt Test. After twelve years of taking Martial Arts classes I can now look back at how much I have learned and grown as a person. Martials Arts has taught me so much more than knowing how to defend myself and keeping active. It has taught me skills such as confidence,respect,teamwork skills, determination and focus ,but most importantly karate taught me to…

It is human instinct to protect one’s self in the event of being threatened, just as it is natural for animals to fight over their territories and mates. Now fighting isn’t often seen as beneficial, humane, or mature, but in a life or death situation, one must know how to survive. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the art of being able to control one’s opponent with simple techniques involving holds, chokes, joint locks, and leverage to subdue an attacker, has been proven countless times to show dominance…

was an example of the undeniable truth that every other male in the parking lot already knew, resistance is futile when you get the “mommy voice”, it does not matter how old you are. Joshua never really stopped talking as she straightened his white karate gi; confirming to herself the newly purchased brown t-shirt that peeked from beneath the gi was up to her fashion standards. As I was pulling Joshua’s gear bag out of the back of the car, enjoying this moment with some amusement, I glanced at…

The goal of every taekwondo olympic fighter is to master a kick you know will knock out your opponent. The most common one and the I am testing is a Round kick, is a kick where the attacker swings their leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the top of the foot. There is a lot more that goes into the perfect kick than most think. What is the perfect angle? What is the perfect distance away from the opponent? What is the perfect speed of the kick? These are all things that go into a…

Black Tip Test A large part of human life is facing challenges and doing things that you feel with great conviction you cannot do. One of the most intimidating tasks I have ever faced was performing Retreating Dragon during my black tip test in Karate. From the sheer intricacy of the form, my absence of confidence as well as the actual test all play a role in the course of events. To begin with is the fact that Retreating Dragon is the most complex and challenging forms I have ever dealt with…

I would say that achieving the level of black belt is liberating in a way, because not only is it a regression to the basics, it removes the material aspect of the game. Learning karate transcends from a race to the next colour, to an intimate experience of the self. This is something I experienced when I got my black belt three years ago. I feel like at that point, learning Kata was not a step towards getting my next belt; it was…

In addition to the physical aspects of any martial arts, i.e. combat and self-defense, their spiritual aspects such as meditative practice and healing dimensions are fundamental. The nature and importance of “internal energy” (qi, ki, prana) has been among the many topics,* discussed by serious practitioners. However, the emphasis on the mystical transformation (altering an individual’s customary [what does this word mean here?] experience and self-awareness in the world) associated with the…

#3: Karate Karate has originally appeared in Japan and nowadays it is being practiced primarily for sports and recreational purposes... This martial art consists of such fighting elements as the typical kicking, punching, elbows and also incorporates open hand techniques. The main focus is on deflecting an attack, which makes it a primarily self-defense art, as opposed to MMA. #4: Aikido This yet another Japanese fighting technique literally translates as "the harmonious spirit" and it is…

I absolutely love the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. It’s a great way to get into shape and cleanse your body of bad foods that you may have eaten over the years. I feel the sport is a good way to know how to defend yourself; when the time may come. Last, I think it’s exciting and a great adrenaline rush when you get a chance to compete in the sport. MMA is many different forms of fighting. It will teach you how to defend yourself wherever a fight might happen. It teaches you boxing skills,…

The Past: It's been quite a road to get this achievement. I've been taking karate classes for ten years. Throughout this time period, I've gotten 16 belts, taken 9 tests, taken three different classes for different age levels, and the dojo has changed locations 3 times. As a four year old, I was shy, scared, sensitive, bad with change, and a bit of a coward. Taking these classes has helped me to learn confidence and determination. I grew in so many powerful ways and I feel that I wouldn't…