My Martial Arts History in Brief

I plan to start including posts about martial arts and thought I should share a brief outline of my training history.

Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash

I began my martial arts journey at university when I started my undergrad years ago. I hadn’t been interested in training before but I learned about the fencing team and thought that learning how to sword fight would be “cool”.

Fencing was fun, but it wasn’t quite what I wanted. I trained for about a year, participated in a couple tournaments, but overall, felt that something wasn’t working for me. I also had trouble fitting in with the team. One day my friend suggested I join her for Taekwondo.

Immediately, I fell in love with the martial art. There were always new moves and tricks to try. I didn’t have to spend as much money for equipment and the team was a better fit for me. I embraced Taekwondo wholeheartedly for many years. I eventually earned my red/black stripe belt, but left for graduate school before I could earn my black belt.

During graduate school, I took time off from martial arts. I was swamped by my studies and couldn’t afford the cost. Once again, I returned to fencing with the school. Everyone was welcoming and kind. I enjoyed fencing again and participated in a few more tournaments. However, it still wasn’t the right sport for me.

I returned to Taekwondo eventually. I couldn’t stand not training anymore. The club, while full of nice people, was again not the right fit for me. I felt it was better suited to training children rather than adults and left.

That is when I joined my current dojo, St. Catharines Martial Arts, and began my training in Goju-Ryu Meibukan Karate. I have been with my dojo for around 8-9 years now and I enjoy the traditional style of martial arts offered there. Our dojo community is welcoming and I have learned so much, not just about karate, but about myself since working with them.

During my time there, I have studied more than just karate. Through seminars and guest Senseis, I have learned about Wing Chun, Kung Fu, Shodokan Karate, Kali, and more. I’ve also learned an extensive Tai Chi set.

Just before Covid and lockdowns changed everything, I earned my second degree black belt. Unfortunately, because of those lockdowns, my training has been a bit scattered. Hopefully when things stabilize, I can fully return to training.

 

 

Thanks for reading! 

Want to keep in touch? Sign up for my newsletter or Find me around the web

Want to support my writing? Buy one of my books or Support me on Ko-fi

 


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Monthly Microfiction - December 2021 - Billy's Special Blanket

Announcement: Publication: Debut Collection - Thin Slices

Ten Short Stories I Read in 2024 That Stayed With Me