By:Timothy Lazier
When I was eleven and twelve I studied Tae Kwon Do and my teacher often took our class to a Shotokan Dojo run my a friend of his. Our classes would cross train and once it was decided that the highest ranked junior students should spar. I was a newly promoted yellow belt and the other student was I believe a purple belt in Shotokan.
Of course impressed by belts at this young age I was concerned the other boy was better than I was and I feared being defeated in front of my at least two dozen witnesses. My heart pounding I faced off with my opponent and went through the beginning rituals. Watching was my teacher, the Sensei of the Shotokan Dojo and the under instructors and students from both schools. Including both my older brothers.
Well we began and the other boy attacked first with a foreward punch at my head followed by a reverse punch at the body. I blocked both of these and grasped the boy who was smaller than I by the front of his gee. I barely overcame my instincts to grapple him and released him by pushing him back.
The boy then turned his right side toward my and launched a hoping side kick at my body that was badly telligraphed. I blocked the kick down and away with my left arm and stepped back with my right leg at the same time. Then as my opponent was off balance I kicked him hard and fast with a front kick low in the body. He folded in half and was knocked backward into a heap on the floor.
I learned two things that day. One is that I have to be careful when sparring, control is a must or you hurt people. Two is that belts mean nothing if the person who has the belt does not know how to apply what they have learned.
I quit Tae Kwon Do a couple months after that and eventually turned my
studies of the Martial Arts to Kung Fu and Japanese Bugei Jutsu. Those arts fit
me better, but I will never forget that early lesson in control and about belts
from my Tae Kwon Do class.
By:Unknown
Put me in your best headlock, and don't let me get out of it. 5 minutes later the instructor gets up and goes on like nothing happened-Happened while instructing a class
By: Shawn Armstrong
Black belts are human too. I was teaching a beginners class, explaining kicking. Roundhouse, side kick, front kick, all went well. Then I decided to demonstrate an axe handle kick, when my knee came up, hit me above my right eye, and almost knocked me out. Talk about embarrassed, but luckily, the students were just awe struck at how high I could lift my leg. Then again, I had to go to work the next day, and explain to 100 people as to how I got the bruise over my eye. They weren't quite as impressed.
By: Christina Crank
Smoker.
I had been after my dad to quit smoking for I can't even remember how long.
He was a heavy smoker, two to three packs a day. He was always polite about not smoking around others that
hated the smell of cigarette smoke. In cars, places we ate, he would always show others respect. He was getting
short winded more and more every day. My dad was almost fortyseven years old when I walked up to him one
evening between kids class and adult class.( he always comes to watch me train, for almost six years, he still
comes and watch me train ). As usual I said to him,
" I would do anything if you would quit smoking, please ? " He reached out to hug me, he put his arms around me
and said, " If it really means that much to you, I'll tell you what. I'll stop smoking if you take the national kumite
title in the USAKF National Championships next month in Canton, Ohio. " I looked up into my dads tired gray
eyes and I asked him if he was serious, and he replied, " have I ever lied to you ? " He never has. I looked at him,
smiled, told him that I loved him and get the nicotine patches ready. For the next five weeks I trained like a mad
person going totally nuts. Well time was up and the championship was about to start, the day was here. Kata's
was first, BAM, FIRST PLACE, weapons Second place, dad went for a smoke, I followed him out." Kumite is
next dad and then you quit smoking forever, " I said. Only one strange thing was going on. I had already won two
National titles in the past two years, and every girl in the country in my advance division was hungry to take it
all away from me. Two hours later my dad was back out side with my mom and some friends, I walked out to
him, put my arms around him and we both cried a little. He threw the pack in the trash and has never touched
them since over a year now. By the way, I won my third straight National title in kumite.
True story.... Christina Crank
By:Kristy Warren
I have a personal martial arts story that has stayed with me for many years. When I was a green belt in 1987 I tore all the ligaments in my left knee, leaving me still to this day with a torn anterior cruciate ligament that could not be fixed. I had just competed in a karate tournament the day before and won first place in sparring and was scheduled to take my purple belt test the following month. I rode a new horse that my father had bought and the horse ran me into a light pole and then preceded to tear down a barb wired fence and bend a steel gate before he came to a halt. I underwent total knee reconstruction. I was advised by my doctor not to continue with the martial arts because I could reinjure my knee and end up with another serious injury that could cause more damage. Even while in the hospital I had already made up my mind that I would return to karate as soon as possible. It was a year before I could resume karate again. I had tried to start back sooner but it was too painful. I have many limitations from my knee injury. No pivoting, no splits, no squats....I can't bend my left knee all the way back. When I started back to karate I was very depressed from my new limitations and also from seeing students that were lower ranks than me now wearing a higher ranking belt. My instructor saw that my spirits were low and asked me to help him instruct karate to the mentally and physically challenged children in our state. He wrote for permission to take me out of my school for the day. After spending the day with those remarkable children my attitude quickly changed. They were just outstanding. They gave 110% of themselves. I decided that if these children can overcome their limitations, some in wheelchairs, some on crutches, some missing limbs, that I could overcome obstacles in my life also. And the end result, I now hold the rank of second degree black belt and preparing for my third. And I owe it to my wonderful (first)karate instructor, John Chioco and the beautiful children that were at the "Special Arts in the Park" in 1988
By:Sensei Fred Parker
Here is a short story that I tell at least once a year to my younger students; most of them know it well enough now to repeat it back to me nearly word for word.
One nice fall day in the jungles of China, just as the fruits were ripening and the weather was cooling, a lion was seen wandering about. This lion was stopping every animal in his path to ask a question of him or her, and soon enough he came upon a pair of iguanas lying in the sun on the rocks by a riverbed. The lion snuck up on them and, when he was right behind them, roared his question at them "WHO is the KING of the jungle?!!" Well, the iguanas nearly jumped out of their skins in fright, and a bit confused and certainly more than a little frightened they both replied "What?" Their confusion did nothing but anger the lion and with his enormous front paw he slapped one of iguanas off his rock and into the river and repeated his question "WHO is the KING of the jungle?!!" This time the remaining iguana immediately replied "You are, of course!" Happy with this answer the lion trotted off smugly deep into the jungle. He soon encountered several sloth eating in a small tree, as soon as he noticed them the lion ran to the base of the tree and shouted up to them "WHO is the KING of the jungle?!!" And being sloth?s they ignored him, content on the treasure of food that they had found. As you can guess this angered the lion greatly and he seized hold of the base of the tree and shook with all his strength, shaking all residents of the tree to the ground. With one sloth underfoot and another in one of his great paws he asked his question again "WHO is the KING of the jungle?!!" Stammering, all of his captives said "Whwhy, yyyou are lllord." Again happy with the answer he received he sauntered off deeper into the jungle. Soon he came upon a rather small monkey sitting in a tree eating coconuts, and the lion again decided to have a talk with one of his subjects. He first tried to get the monkeys attention staring at him, but the monkey ignored him. He then tried by shaking the tree, but the monkey still ignored him. Finally the lion screamed "WHO IS THE KING OF THE JUNGLE?!!!" And the monkey still ignored him. Again and again the lion screamed out his question, and each time the monkey ignored him and kept eating his coconuts. The lion decided that the monkey must be deaf, for who could ignore the king of the jungle! As the lion was walking away the monkey piped up and asked, "What was it you wanted?" This did nothing but anger the lion and right then and there the lion decided what his next meal would be. Seizing the base of the tree between his paws he shook furiously and shouted "I was ASKING you WHO is the KING of the jungle, but now because you ignored me I plan to make you my mid-day snack." At this the monkey just chuckled and swayed on the tree, for the tree was too large for the lion to shake to the ground, and the monkey was to smart to try and get down to run away. This did nothing but anger the lion more, and the angrier he became the harder he shook the tree- all the while screaming out his question, and the monkey laughed harder. Finally realizing that he had to be back with his family soon, the monkey stopped laughing and shouted "Lion, I think I have an answer for you, but I need to see you in a better light, so step back from the tree a bit." Glad that he would finally get an answer out of this pest the lion stepped back, puffed out his chest, shook his mane and asked "Well?" With that the monkey threw a ripe coconut down and hit the lion soundly on the head, knocking him out cold. Shaking his head the monkey climbed down the tree and was off to meet up with his family. Several hours later the lion awoke with a monstrous headache and disappeared into the jungle, not bothering to speak to anyone he saw on the way.
I do not try to attach a specific moral to this story, I tell it as an example of brain over coming brawn.
Fred Parker
Yoshioka/Kyo-Hachi Ryu Kenjutsu
By:Sifu Vacthé Bartekian
This story is about a dear friend of mine who joined
my self-defense club less than a year ago in order to
learn the wonderful art of Shaolin Kempo and to train
his mind and body for perfection. From the first class
I gave him, I could tell that he had the dedication
within himself to excel to the highest levels of the
martial arts and attain his goals. Throughout the many
months that I have been teaching him, I will never forget
the time when he took his first belt test.
The test lasted for a grueling 2 hours, only having the
chance to wet his throat with one water-break and a few
seconds of rest between drills. At one point, he couldn't
take the intensity of the test and started feeling extremely
sick and was obliged to go to the the washroom (twice).
However, when all the signs seemed to point to his failure of
the test, he came back with more focus and energy and
determination, and completed the test with flying colors. And
now, I am happy to say that he recently passed his second test
(for orange belt) and is on his way to fulfilling his goals.
This true story shows how effort and determination are the pinnacles
of the martial arts. It doesn't matter if you can't do 100 push-ups...
as long as you do 50 of them and give 100% of all your effort, that's all
that really matters. The martial arts are not only a tool to learn
self-defense, they are also a tool to develop character and honorable
values wihtin an individual. That is why I am proud to have this
particular student as my apprentice, for he shows others the potential
a martial artist can hold in order to live a good way of life.
By:Herman Li
My young kid learn karate and tkd simultaneously. The 2 arts are very
similar to each other, this made him confused with their styles frequently
in the first few lessons.
Usually , the requirement of a beginner should over 6 of age. Because I
had trained him at home when he was 3 of age, also my Philippine domestic
helper know some martial art, she taught him some flexible exercise.
So during his interview with his karate and tkd masters, he did full splits
,8 repitions of push-up and 10 times sit-up, then they accepted the 4 years
old kid's application. The 5 dan black belt said it is queit difficult for
a young kid to understand the complex style, but his basic skill may help
him to does so.
In the past 6 months, he trained 5-6 days per weeks, after consulting the
doctor and a physical instructor in the health club, he does some dumbell
exercise and trained with sandbag. Also swim can help him to improve his
stamina.
My kid can does the roundhouse kick well, his tkd master said he is the
best one among the novice. He is a white-yellow belt holder in tkd now.
By:Rodney Austin
I took kenpo a long time ago and made it up to 3rd degree brown
belt. After couple of years of training and never using any of what I learned.
Unfortunately two days after talking about this with one of my friend I had to
use what I had learned. Jean I guess wanted to show off for some friends so he
took a swing at me. Well in the end Jean ended up with a broken cheek bone.
After that I realized that martial arts should only be use when they is no other
choice.
By:Frank Garza 2nd Degree Kenpo Black Belt
When I was an orange belt, my Sifu(Mr Rick Fowler 6th dan) went to a mall and we had our
school t-shirts on. A big kind of fat guy walked up to us and said "So yall study that karate crap eh?" and my sifu says
yes it's good exercise. The gentleman told us how he thought all karate guys were jerks and he asked my sifu if Rick
Fowler was any good. My sifu said he's ok, but he's trying to get better everyday. In the end the gentleman said we
were nice guys for kara e people and he introduced himself as "john" as he shook my sifu's hand and my sifu said
"Nice to meet you, I'm Rick Fowler" and the guy almost fainted...:)
Send in your martial arts storys to,
geckok@yahoo.com
© 1998-2005 geckok@yahoo.com There has been a recent trend of people pulling stories off of my site without asking. These were all submitted to me by the above mentioned authors. SO, if there are any stories you would like to use just drop me a quick e-mail geckok@yahoo.com and ask permission, I am a nice person. I just feel very strongly about protecting the trust and name of these brilliant Martial Artists.
Histories | Mission Statement | Stories | Articles | Tournaments | Webrings | MA Links | MA Quotes | Martial Arts Books and Product Review | Monthly MA Poll | Awards Won | Awards we give out | Enlight'n Award Winners | Enlight'n The Globe Winners | Achievements | Club Listings | Style Descriptions | Techniques | Visitor Questions & Answers | Sign My Guestbook | View My Guestbook
Get your own Free Home Page