Katzistanza
03-03-2006, 00:07
I am soon to have my Black Belt exam in Tang Soo Do, and to reach that rank, I have to write a philosophy and submit that to my instructer. I have a half-done rough draft, and I wanted to post it here for comments, discussion, or suggestions, spacifically on the parts I make a note of wanting to fix. Thanks to anyone who choses to respond, and enjoy!:
History:
I suppose it’s easiest to start with my history in the program. I don’t remember how old I was when I first starting taking class under Phil Hill, or even if it was called Hill’s Hitters at the time. I just have vague recollections of the time. It doesn’t matter; I didn’t develop as a fighter or a martial artist during that time. I was in elementary school. I quit somewhat quickly, as a yellow belt, I believe, because I didn’t like the fighting. I didn’t like getting hit. But like I said, I don’t see that as the important part of my karate career.
In my mind’s recollection, it really started when I rejoined the program in middle school. Sure, I already knew what a round kick, sidekick, and rap, was, but it was like starting fresh. And it’s from that point that I started to progress.
For a while, my progress through the program was steady, certain, and without significant jolts. This time around, sparing was my favorite part, and I enjoyed fighting an opponent just above my skill level. I also mastered the katas and techniques well. In my mind, looking back, that was sort of the prelude, the time of preparation for the real challenges, and real growth I would experience in the karate program.
As a brown belt, I settled into a comfortable nitch. I was in the children’s class at the YMCA, and had been going at pretty much the same spot for a while. I was comfortable, not really challenging myself. Then Phil decided it was time for me to move up to the adult class.
Struggle is necessary to growth. Safety never gained people great things. A bit of suffering is required to truly gain something of importance. If you didn’t struggle, work, sweat, and bleed for something, it can never have the same value to you as something you earned through strength of will, sacrifice, and effort. Babies must leave the safety of the womb before they can become people. Paradise had to be lost before mankind could strive for it’s potential. Carefree childhood must be forever left behind to become a man. Thus is the way of every great gain, weather on a grand, or deeply personal scale. This is one of the greatest lessons karate has imparted onto me.
From that point on, I have never been satisfied with letting myself comfortably cruise along, as tempting as it sometimes is. My karate career since then has been a series of struggles and triumphs, each triumph being the right to a new struggle. Although karate in an art of actions and externals, whether it be in a form, or against an opponent, it has really always been internal. All progress, all struggles, all gains and loses, have always been within me, the external merely being the incarnation of that. If I am at a certain stage mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, my physical externals will reflect it. If my mind is sharp, so is my fight. If my soul is full of energy, so is my form. If I am clouded, unconfident, unsure, or empty, it is reflected in what my body does, and I pay the price. The relationship between physical and mental, between external and internal flows both ways, each interacting with and influencing the other. I feel I am often at my best when paired with an opponent who exceeds me in skill, experience, speed, and strength. It makes me dig deeper, forces me to rise to the occasion, or to lie down and surrender. Thus far, I feel I have rose to the occasion, and that is the real accomplishment, and the real reward I will have gained from being a martial artist. Because in the end, aren’t the most significant, effective, meaningful rewards and consequences the ones we make for ourselves? Because in the end, aren’t the most meaningful standards to accomplish the ones we set for ourselves? (Make this more clear)
An individual’s ego (in the traditional sence) is the source, motivation, validation, and standard for his own existance. (clean up, make more clear).
Stance:
Training:
Continuous training outside the classroom is essential to excel in the karate program. One great thing about karate, is it gives you motivation to take care of your body. I you want to excel, you must be in good physical shape. So, if it is important to you, it thus creates a reason, beyond simple health and general well-being, to train your body.
I don’t know if being in the program has made me more aware of how I treat my body, or if it would be something I’d focus on anyway, but it is a great once a week excersise, and certainly makes me aware of the shape I’m in. It is a good barometer, and also points out problem areas I need to work on. Flexibility has always been a weak point for me, and more recently, quickness of techniques and combos. I take a great sense of personal pride in striving to keeping my body not just in shape, but in good working order, in balance, partly because of my time in the karate program.
Fighting:
*****************************************************
NOTE: I don't know if this conflicts with the "no homework help" rule, if so I apologize. As it is not homework, but a personal project, I figured it would be alright. My apologies in advance to the mods if you concider this a violation.
History:
I suppose it’s easiest to start with my history in the program. I don’t remember how old I was when I first starting taking class under Phil Hill, or even if it was called Hill’s Hitters at the time. I just have vague recollections of the time. It doesn’t matter; I didn’t develop as a fighter or a martial artist during that time. I was in elementary school. I quit somewhat quickly, as a yellow belt, I believe, because I didn’t like the fighting. I didn’t like getting hit. But like I said, I don’t see that as the important part of my karate career.
In my mind’s recollection, it really started when I rejoined the program in middle school. Sure, I already knew what a round kick, sidekick, and rap, was, but it was like starting fresh. And it’s from that point that I started to progress.
For a while, my progress through the program was steady, certain, and without significant jolts. This time around, sparing was my favorite part, and I enjoyed fighting an opponent just above my skill level. I also mastered the katas and techniques well. In my mind, looking back, that was sort of the prelude, the time of preparation for the real challenges, and real growth I would experience in the karate program.
As a brown belt, I settled into a comfortable nitch. I was in the children’s class at the YMCA, and had been going at pretty much the same spot for a while. I was comfortable, not really challenging myself. Then Phil decided it was time for me to move up to the adult class.
Struggle is necessary to growth. Safety never gained people great things. A bit of suffering is required to truly gain something of importance. If you didn’t struggle, work, sweat, and bleed for something, it can never have the same value to you as something you earned through strength of will, sacrifice, and effort. Babies must leave the safety of the womb before they can become people. Paradise had to be lost before mankind could strive for it’s potential. Carefree childhood must be forever left behind to become a man. Thus is the way of every great gain, weather on a grand, or deeply personal scale. This is one of the greatest lessons karate has imparted onto me.
From that point on, I have never been satisfied with letting myself comfortably cruise along, as tempting as it sometimes is. My karate career since then has been a series of struggles and triumphs, each triumph being the right to a new struggle. Although karate in an art of actions and externals, whether it be in a form, or against an opponent, it has really always been internal. All progress, all struggles, all gains and loses, have always been within me, the external merely being the incarnation of that. If I am at a certain stage mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, my physical externals will reflect it. If my mind is sharp, so is my fight. If my soul is full of energy, so is my form. If I am clouded, unconfident, unsure, or empty, it is reflected in what my body does, and I pay the price. The relationship between physical and mental, between external and internal flows both ways, each interacting with and influencing the other. I feel I am often at my best when paired with an opponent who exceeds me in skill, experience, speed, and strength. It makes me dig deeper, forces me to rise to the occasion, or to lie down and surrender. Thus far, I feel I have rose to the occasion, and that is the real accomplishment, and the real reward I will have gained from being a martial artist. Because in the end, aren’t the most significant, effective, meaningful rewards and consequences the ones we make for ourselves? Because in the end, aren’t the most meaningful standards to accomplish the ones we set for ourselves? (Make this more clear)
An individual’s ego (in the traditional sence) is the source, motivation, validation, and standard for his own existance. (clean up, make more clear).
Stance:
Training:
Continuous training outside the classroom is essential to excel in the karate program. One great thing about karate, is it gives you motivation to take care of your body. I you want to excel, you must be in good physical shape. So, if it is important to you, it thus creates a reason, beyond simple health and general well-being, to train your body.
I don’t know if being in the program has made me more aware of how I treat my body, or if it would be something I’d focus on anyway, but it is a great once a week excersise, and certainly makes me aware of the shape I’m in. It is a good barometer, and also points out problem areas I need to work on. Flexibility has always been a weak point for me, and more recently, quickness of techniques and combos. I take a great sense of personal pride in striving to keeping my body not just in shape, but in good working order, in balance, partly because of my time in the karate program.
Fighting:
*****************************************************
NOTE: I don't know if this conflicts with the "no homework help" rule, if so I apologize. As it is not homework, but a personal project, I figured it would be alright. My apologies in advance to the mods if you concider this a violation.