Blog Post #2: Martial Arts Training

It first happened in elementary school.  I was pushed around quite a bit. The bullying left me feeling exposed, scared and that I wasn’t able to defend myself.  Enough was enough.  I decided I wanted to try martial arts.  I thought martial arts would give me the extra skills I needed to protect myself if anything like that ever happened again.

I thought about what kind of martial arts I would like to study and narrowed it down to what I would feel comfortable doing, what skills I would need to know and whether the environment itself was a good fit for what I wanted to learn.  

After some initial research we visited one particular gym where the main instructor offered me a free class to see if I would like it there.  I really did!  That was the beginning of my martial arts training.  I studied Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, some Judo, kickboxing, and a little bit of Muay Thai.  I trained at that gym for three years.

I learned a lot of moves and gained a lot of strength, but I also learned a lot of valuable lessons.  Fear is a barrier that your mind puts in place.  It can be conquered through breathing, and increased self control.  For example people think if you end up on your back in a fight, then it’s over.  But if you remember your training, and by using your breathing, you can change the direction of an encounter to your advantage.  There are always options, if you can remain calm enough to use them.

As you continue in martial arts training you will notice an improvement in your balance, and an improvement in your reflexes.  I enjoyed my training tremendously, interacting with other people who liked the same things I did.  I found that gym to be a very welcoming environment, with no bs attitudes, just other people who wanted to learn and get better at the skills.

After the first gym, I continued with my training.  I tried Akido, but it wasn’t a good fit.  Then I found Karate, and it was a great fit.  I am currently working toward my Yellow Belt, and loving every session!

It doesn’t matter if you’re young or older, you can still do martial arts, certain techniques can be adapted to suit different abilities.  Try it, you never know you might really enjoy it!  I know I did and it improved my life tremendously.

Happy Travels!