My Martial Arts History in Brief

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


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.

 


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