Aren't I Jealous?

Quality You Can Enjoy

As has already been said, be sure you find a club that is providing applicable instruction for persons with disabilities. Cosmetic adaptations are not enough, the techniques must remain effective. Also, it's more the artist than the art. What ever choice you make, be sure you'll enjoy it. If you're not going to have fun you won't stick with it. Best of luck to you in your search.

 

um, how old are you?

 

Me? I'm nineteen. And bubbly. Why?

 

would you mind me asking why you are so disabled?
It might be hard finding an instructor that knows sigh languae to.

 

From the way you asked the question, it sounds like you asked why Im so stupid. But that's okay with me, I'm stupid because I fell asleep in my college class.

All sarcastic asid e, I'm disabled because I was born with it in one of my genes/chromosomes. It d idn't take much affect until I was about 5. It's called Friedreich's Ataxia, a rather unique kind for the way I am. I'd have been in an electric wheelchair and soooo twiggey. But lucky i didn't end up like that. I also wrote some stuff in a journal entry on MAP titled "There Is Hope". You can check it out. I'll also answer anything.

 

Don't forget bro, it's not impossible to overcome those difficulties and achieve what you set out to achieve, I would have no doubt to hear that you became more than an able MA'ist, I've seen it by many people before that have come from such backgounds and I will see it again.
As I said, we teach a guy now who has such and have done so before and will again.
Never let anyone tell you you can't do anything...

 

twistingtiger4

Being disabled does put certain limitations on you, that is true but don't let it stop you.

I have a very good friend who is disabled from a car crash, in that he lost the use of one arm, one leg (still has both limbs) & partial brain damage, who studied Mordern Arnis in the same class as myself.

Like he might not ever do flying side kicks, but his front jab & front kick are extremely fast, plus he is very quick with one arnis cane.

I was also I attended the 9th Shotokan Karate International World Championships in Shinjuku, Japan in November 2006, there was a man from New Zealand there who only had 20 percent of normal brain use who did a kata called "Tekki Shodan", now he wasn't great as katas go, but considering
his condition he was extemely brave (properly more so than myself) & he still didn't let his condition stop him.

I was just wondering what are you wanting out of martial arts, because you mentioned jealousy of how cool people looked doing kata & hunger to do weapons.

If you want self-development & basic self defence with a basic weapon to follow in time, then consider doing some martial art.

But if you just want to look cool, buy some new clothes, to statify the hunger for weapons buy a gun (not that I recommend you get a gun)

Good luck with things, I know it seem a very hard path, but I have seen other disabled people tread it & made the most of their limitations.

 

haha na i wasnt asking why are you so stupid. its just not everyday you hear of someone so young and different as you.

 

Yes, I said it in the beginning when my disability started "limiting" me that I wasn't going to let limitations get in my way. Since then I've worked to turn my "can'ts" into "cans". So even when my parents say "You have to accept the fact that you have limitations" I just throw that out the window and keep on going.

And it isn't coolness I'm after, I'm after the ability.

To all "disabled" people, there IS a way. Prove that there IS a way. Be like a lion, fierce and strong, and let nothing block that way. There is always hope, and there is nothing our Creator cannot do. So stand up! Let the world know what you're made of!

 

Great post

 

Alright my man, where do I start? *cracks nuckles in preparation for a long speech.* First thing. Just to give you all kind of a short background on me, I was born in Ireland the year 1985 with Mild fool Cerebral Palsy. When my parents found out they immediately put me into physical therapy which went from the time that I was about 1 1/2 years old to about 4 years of age. At the end of that time my mustles still were not entirely what they needed to be. Meaning I could only close my hands partialy into a fist, and I couldn't hold myself up on my own for long periods of time. I was in a wheel chair for the most part on the time in my life. I started studying martial arts at the age of 8 and have been doing it ever since. I am now almost 22 years old. You told in the beginning on this forum about your dissability. I also believe it was either you or someone else saying that there are no barriers, I would agree with that. When I was 13 I broke my left foot and couldn't stand for 6 months at all. At that time I still went to the classes, and even know I couldn't stand I chose to practice my punches and other hand strikes...just to let you know my instructor was very impressed by my determination . I will get back to this, but I have to get back to work

 

Time for the second part of my rambling...oh and feel free if you get tired of reading this go ahead and :bang: Where was I *scratches hairy chin*...ah yes. Barriers. When I was 16 one of the most horrific moments happened in my life. On a wednesday night my parents and I were on our way home from a night at church, when a drunkard was driving and hit our car...my parents were killed and I was put into the hospital. Since then my emotions have been changed...I get upset often...and just really don't feel the same as I did. My uncle was the only other member of my family other then myself, and it was decided to put me up for adoption. Now the reason for this is because my uncle was not abled bodied either, and not capable to take care of me for long periods of time, and I was not able to take care of myself because of age and not being abled bodied. I was adopted, and was brought to the USA in Denver Colorado, and I've been living here ever since except for a year that I spent in South Carolina in college. I can't say how many times I thought of suicide because of my past events, but I didn't kill myself. You know why? I saw that as a way of giving up, and being people with dissabilities, we don't have the luxury of giving up. We need to press on and fight. And for these thoughts I have been awarded. I've kept on fighting, and I can now walk for long periods of time like an able bodied person, I can even complete my fists among other things . I've continued with martial arts, graduated from High School, gone to a year of college, and became a security officer for 26 different schools. Now I had another chance at giving up...and i'm telling you, this next reason took alot from me not to give in. Just a little less then a year ago I got a phone call saying that my uncle had passed away...the last member of my family from Ireland. I'm the last one...and you know...when you think about it, that's one of the worst times of your life. You feel dangerously alone...you don't know what to do. I still have those thoughts now. It's basicaly the same story with Clay Johnson who has posted on here. Both of his parents have died in the past few years, and I know it's been hard on him. By the way, I think he's a great man for just continueing on with all the past things that has happened to him. That's something that he and I have in common. We haven't stopped and said our lived our done, there's nothing else. We've kept fighting. Right now I don't know what martial art would be good for you, but never give up on anything that you want to do, no matter what happens.

Please email me if you want to talk, or PM me.

Also one more thing. I right now attend a martial art here in Denver that is specificaly made for people with physical, and developmental dissabilities. They might have something like that where you are. I found mine in google. I just typed "disabled martial arts in Denver Colorado" and a lot of different types of schools appeared, not just in Denver, but in other places all around the country. Check on a website like google, or whatever. Again if you want to talk go ahead and reach me by those two ways that I already put down. Talk to you later

 

Wow dude, I'm honstly sorry about alot of that.
But it sounds like you have the right perspective and are a good example for people of all abilities in how they should function and behave.

My prop's to you bro
You have my honest/sincere respect and best wishes