One of the more important life lessons that karate can teach you is about yourself. Everyone should know what they are capable of, who they are and what they would like to achieve. Imagine if kids actually thought about what they want and how to achieve it. Imagine if kids where challenged to become better, stronger, faster and smarter. Hmmm?
Well I’m just down the street! NOT JUST ME. Any city, town or burgh has a quality martial arts school. Even a bad martial arts school is better than letting your kids hang out with some of the collection of knuckleheads that you see on the street.
Some people actually say well their 5 yr old gives them trouble about coming to class and they’ll have to take them out. Hmmm? Who’s the parent here? If a parent decides that a karate black belt is something that their child is going to achieve then what is wrong with teaching them the meaning of dedication. I ask a simple question. If you can’t tell a 5 year old child what to do, then how are you going to tell a 15 year old what to do? I give my son credit, he brings his son (my grandson) into karate and on occasion I’ve noticed that he’s less than enthused about training. I’ve mentioned it to my son, that I was afraid that he might want to quit and he’d say it doesn’t matter cause he’s not quitting. My son is 5’9″ 160 and my grandson is 6’5″ 175 and he still listens to his dad. He gets grounded on a regular basis. Parents be the parent!
Imagine the time and effort that goes into achieving a black belt even in a quick advancement school. Imagine the work ethic they develop in that time. Is that of value. Would that change a persons life.
Imagine the self confidence developed by a child who attains that black belt! Would self confidence play a role in their life. How about that job interview that they aced because they sat up straight, looked the interviewer in the eyes and talked confidently. When you a seasoned fighter, veteran of tournaments, a kata competitor or just performing the usual katas self defense moves and sparring that goes along with karate training, imagine the interview! Do you think that an interviewer will intimidate a true martial artist? How about a bully. They are not stupid, they do not pick on someone who’s going to beat them to a pulp. How about a mugger? Muggers are a lot like bullies, when they sense that a person is a bad one to pick on, they move on to easier prey.
How about the interviewer that looks at you and asks, so you’re a black belt? They are thinking about the hard work, dedication and perserverance that, that person must have exhibited to become a black belt. I was in a managment position for 17 yrs, do you think that I had to mention that I was a black belt? Never. Did it help me? Everyday! Did it help me when I interviewed? Absolutely! Did the interviewers ask about me being a black belt. Yes! Every time!
How does that apply to knowing ourselves? When you are trained and then tested time and time again, you begin to know yourself. You begin to understand who you are. A confident you will do what you really want to do in life instead of being afraid to try.
Do you want your child to become someone that not only you but they themselves can be proud of, Karate’s not a bad place to start.
Talk about knowing yourself, with the life lessons in karate a person learns much and learns about themselves at the same time. My Uncle who had polio as a child and is handicapped physically but never mentally, told me that he felt that with all the benefits that karate have to offer that not only should karate be offered in schools but it should be a prerequisite.
If you don’t even know yourself then how can you know others. First defeat your own inner demons before you try to figure out someone else.
Written by:
Sensei Perry Culver Sixth Degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate and 1st Degee in Syu Sin Do
