An answer to Tommy in Singapore’s question - …the best martial art for a youngster
Our Canadian friend, Howard has sent an answer to Tommy in Singapore. Tommy and his friend argue back and forth about the best martial art(s) for kinds growing up. Here’s Howard’s answer:
In my opinion the best martial art is the best martial art for you. It is like saying what is the best car, ice cream flavour, or website (hopefully for martial artists it will be www.martialartsexplorer.tv :). [EDITORS NOTE: Thanks Howard! We continue working on the project which is taking much longer than we anticipated.]
To give you some background on me,
- I did Judo in Montreal when I was in grade six, did it for one year and hated it, I was trying to use strength and was too young to understand leverage.
- Started Karate (Shorijiryu Kenkokan Karatedo) in grade nine, liked it but had a great deal of difficulty
- Three years later got my green belt and had to learn throwing forms, did ok but didn’t like it
- Four years later was a shodan candidate, and was told I had to teach throwing forms to the green belts at the university dojo. I had an odd number of students, so the odd man out when they paired up was a large bodybuilder and I had to demo with him. Using pure strength, he was able to throw me like a rag doll (I was only 130 lbs at the time), until one time I got tired of him not listening to me and when he tried to throw me again I reversed it and throw him. I will never forget the look on his face when he landed, it was a cross between utter shock and sudden enlightenment. I loved throwing forms.
- A year later I went for my shodan and passed. I loved karate and swear that I would do it the rest of my life.
- A year later I quit. We call it the “Black Belt blues”, after getting your shodan you lose a focal point ( nine out of ten shodans quit before sandan). What do you call it? or is this a phenomenon unique to us?
- I tried Aikido my last year of university, liked it but always came home exhausted. Did not pursue it after that.
- I move to Toronto
- Two years later took up tae kwon do, got into a big argument with my instructor at my yellow belt exam and quit
- Two years later started to do JKD, loved it, and did it for three years. I found out that the part I liked best was from Wing Chun.
- Quit JKD and joined Wing Chun, did this for two years.
- Met the woman of my dreams, married her, and had children.
- Quit Wing Chun
- We move to Ottawa
- Nine years later, my oldest daughter decides she wants to do Karate. I research schools in Ottawa and find out there is a dojo teaching my original style. So we decide to go there.
- I watched her classes for a year, and get bitten by the bug again, and returned to training.
- In the course of the last two year, I have come to realize that everything I was looking for, was always there in my original karate; the locks from Aikido and JKD, the principles from Wing Chun, and our Judo-like breakfalls are evolving to more like Aikido’s.
- I am now a nidan candidate and Karate is the bet martial art for me
My answer to Tommy is: you are both right
Cheers
Howard Rosenblum
July 15th, 2008 at 4:46 am
Hi Howard!
This is “Tommy from Singapore” as named by Scott. (lol)
Thanks for sharing! i know its July already but i just saw your reply on this site (i download the podcasts through iTunes feed).
for me, i had gone to do Shaolin kungfu [new class in town] for a year when i was 7 but all the instructor did with a bunch of kids was katas, katas, katas: mass kata drills for children without explainations for weeks and months.
of course now that im older i know the usefullness and purpose of drilling in katas for those already having some foundation, but for a kid who’s just starting out i thought it was pointless to go to a class and join other newbies as a mindless zombie waving hands and legs in the air, having no idea what im doing.
Even at that young age i was looking for more self defense and practical instructions. that horrible experience made me quit and my mum thought i wasnt interested anymore but it was in fact bad coaching. i never had another chance until about 2 years back when a friend introduced me to the boxing gym he goes to (another story for another day).
however boxing is still more of a sport and less self defense (i.e. krav maga). up till know i still havent found what i wanted, maybe im not actively looking for it real hard.
another point though, correct me if im wrong, but i guess its hard to find an ideal instructor or school in a small place where i live (equivalent to the size of Calgary but 4 times its population).
as for the debate of “which martial arts for kids”, i was thinking along the lines of self defense for kids in a critical situation, but nothing fatal as kids might not exercise self control nor understand the legal/ethic consequences behind beating the shit outta someone who-all-that-dude-did-was-pissing-you-off. that statement is a paradox, i know.
regarding the “if you found one discipline you kinda like, become an expert on it” from your own personal experience, i agree totally.
once again, thanks for sharing your own personal experience!
Tommy.