Karate can be many things to many different people.
To some it is a sport.
To some it is a way to keep fit.
To some people it is a fun activity (yes, these people are crazy!)
And to some it may be all of these and more.
We each have different aims when we start training, and different ideas about what karate can do for us.
But did you know that to some people karate is actually about mountain climbing?
Imagine you are standing at the bottom of a very tall mountain. It is so tall in fact, that its top is always covered in cloud. You have made up your mind to climb this mountain.
You take a deep breath and take your first step.
We all take that first step as we enter our first karate lesson. How long we climb for, how fast we climb and how high we get before we stop is down to us.
I’ll let you in on a little secret though, just so you can’t say I didn’t warn you.
Nobody ever reaches the top.
Even the greatest grand master ever known didn’t reach the top.
So why do we keep climbing this mountain if we’re never going to reach the top?
Good question.
In karate we focus on the journey, not the goal. It doesn’t matter if we reach the top or not, because the point is that we are gaining a lot just from climbing. Its getting us fit. Its keeping us healthy. Its making us more disciplined. And remember those crazy people I mentioned before? Well, they’re actually finding it fun!
Karate is something we do because it is good for us. It can help keep us fit and healthy not only physically, but also mentally and morally too.
Depending on how high we are willing to climb, karate can help us to fight our weaknesses and become the best that we can be.
So when you take that first step into your first lesson remember you’ll not only be a karate student, you’ll also be a mountain climber. And even though you’ll never reach the top ...
KEEP CLIMBING!
GANBAROU!
