You Think Karate Loves You. Let’s shape the conversation in a manner that will bring to light a few issues. This will help you to look at a few ideas may have not considered in our karate training. This, of course, includes other martial arts. For our purposes, we are going to engage in the anthropomorphizing of karate. Karate lets you think it loves you, but it doesn’t.

Athlete, Adventure, and More

Athlete, adventure, and more. The karate knows you love it – but karate doesn’t love you. Your karate provides benefits. The benefits are in three broad categories. Mental, Physical, and Spirit. And this part of why you think karate loves you.

The constant mental challenges of learning and reforming patterns are part of a healthy mental function. A sedentary body makes for a dull mind. Many studies and experience in watching people age serve as proof.

Physical activity helps keep the brain clean. The mechanism of the brain gets a cleaning of sorts.

Not Innate to Karate

In the meditative aspect of karate, the seated meditation is not innate to karate. But meditation can still be a valuable addition. Yes, I said meditation and these types of practices, are not inborn to the karate curriculum. They can be helpful but and their value should not cast aside. Meditation wasn’t in the primordial development of fighting.

Flexibility and essential mobility are powerful parts of the karate experience. The ability to move through the world and without hindrance. This is a gift karate training grants you. This is a wonderful attribute and it requires respecting and tending to. No karats-ka should ever have the occasion to say the line from the old commercial, “Help I have fallen and I can’t get up!”

The deadly couch potato. And the difficulty of coming back from the horrific sedentary lifestyle.

Bone density and how and why it is part of the practice. The classic endorphin rush and why we seek it. (Hint it feels good)

The Impending Injury

The impending injury. It’s coming. And you are responsible. Your karate doesn’t care. I am fortunate in my lack of pain. I am trusting you are having the same experience. Now the story of the Doctor who was way out of bounds. I had a Doctor after I dislocated some toes, declare I was going to walk with a limp for the rest of my life. He was wrong and should go pound sand.

A broken hand is not a good thing and not smart on my part as the list of injuries accumulates.

Your teacher is leaving you and it is going to be a cold shot of loss if you are not aware it is always coming. The natural response is often unsatisfactory, as you see them as lesser quality. Even if the quality and quantity are greater than what you once had.

It’s not what it once was, your karate left you.  Now what act, what actions, what are you going to do about it. The world of martial arts is before you and the choices are abundant.

David Kahn & Krav MagaMartial Arts & Life Clip ShowZach Zinn – Addicts & MA

See how we can connect. Click on my picture.

KRIS WILDER

Kris Wilder is a martial artist based in Seattle Washington.