I've been thinking about pulling my belt down off the hook again. It's been a long time, and I honestly thought I'd hung my belt up for the last time. I can still remember all the patterns up to Choong Moo, and I can remember Po Won and most of the other two first Dan patterns - I went through them the other night while I was trying to sleep. The thing is, it's been such a long time since I did any training. It was wierd, last time I was doing TKD three nights a week and Kung Fu once a week. I just have this wierd urge to go back. The trouble is all the complicated reasons I haven't been training over the last 3 years still apply. I never stopped because of some major revelation, I broke a metacarpal and by the time it healed I was spending every night and weekend trying to build the house. We've moved in now - the gardens not finished but we're not in so much of a rush for that... Our little girl is 2 years old now, and life in some ways should theoretically be easier - at least enough to faciliate me fitting some TKD into it, at the same time I really need to start doing something positive and trying to improve my state of mind. The thing is I can't bring myself to train without having a reason, I firmly believe you should do everything for a reason and to do something without a reason is pointless because you can't understand how to do something well if you don't understand why you are even doing it in the first place. So why did I find myself doing TKD after all those years? I can't remember why I started - I can only put it down to it seeming like a good idea at the time. For a good while I went because I enjoyed spending time with the people who went to the same clubs as me. I stopped first time around because I was about to take 2nd Dan and got Chicken Pox at the age of about 21 the week of the grading. I never really got well for months, I was constantly ill with one thing or another and I just couldn't get myself back up to standard. It was a pity - because I think I was probably at my peak just before the grading when I got C P. I started back years later, different organisation, same instructor - partly at my wifes suggestion, because I always felt annoyed that I didn't get 2nd Dan. Okay so I succeeded and graded 2nd Dan, but the people had changed so much since the 'good ole' days' - I was thinking of grading 3rd at some point, I had a reason to keep going. When I had to stop I never really got a reason to go back. If I do go back, I don't think I will be able to grade again. The most time I can allocate to TKD at the moment would be one night a week. Knowing this - is it really worth trying to go back? I still feel like doing a weapons art, perhaps Gumdo, or Kendo - failing that some Kung Fu that has Nunchuku and swords and what not in it... But I don't know, it's been so long - I think it would feel awkward just speaking to my old instructor again. I know some people who I was always senior to are now 3rd and 4th Dan and knowing that I really can't expect to grade unless it's in about five or six years time, all I can hope for is a bit of fitness, learn the patterns again and do a bit of sparring... I could even join another organisation - there is a TAGB club that is even more local to me, but I think it's almost 100% populated by children. Not wanting to be offensive but I would prefer to train with adults... I dunno... What do you reckon, go back - do a bit and see how it goes or try something new? (IE- Kendo probably as I've found a local club.)
So it's Kendo for a couple of years cross training with TKD once your daughter has grown out of Little Ninjas at about 6
Lol... Maybe - I think I need to do SOMETHING... Not so sure about the daughter bit though - I don't entirely agree with teaching young children to fight...
You can go back to training without the need to grade - no one says you have to test for your next belt. Ever. The sooner you go back, the less you will regret it later.
Making the initial step and overcoming that psychological barrier is the difficult bit. Once you're back you'll love it. Get in touch with your old Instructor and go train Mitch
I could hide in the shadows and jump out and mug you occasionally so you have the incentive to go back and do some self defence? no help? Purely the fact you write here means you want to go back. Your old instructor would love to have you back no doubt. Make the call. Then I'll see you at some ITF open, we'll bust some heads and have a beer and a laugh. What, you mean thats not what TKD is about?
You'd think so, wouldn't you? But I can tell you it seems to get harder and harder as they get older. They just get smarter and smarter and find more ways to get into trouble...meaning more supervision. And they also get more fun. On the weekends my daughter and I (3+) are joined at the hip (wife needs a break) and we have fun. I have her come and watch a DVD while I work out and then the deal is we go to the park/bike riding/whatever for the rest of the day. I think you should go back if you want to. Don't worry about 'I used to be senior to so and so'. Sometimes I really wish I could be senior to no one and just show up for the workouts!
Interestingly - because we've moved a few times my old club is now a long way away and there are several clubs in between here and there. I was actually entertaining the idea of training at one of the satellite clubs which is a lot closer, but not frequented by the man himself. The closest one I believe is run by a Stacey Weatherall, who ironically I remember starting as a white belt! She's now 4th Dan and World Champion or something... She was always a good laugh - she was starting her club up at the time when I left so there are probably red belts there now... I dunno, I could go back to my old club, I definately want to do something - I emailed the guy who runs the most local Kendo club and I'm waiting for a response. I might even do one night of Kendo and one night of TKD if I can barter with the time off with the wife... I did want to start Piano lessons soon, I self taught myself a few pieces, but I really want to learn to read music...
Give it a go, at least! Try out both the weapons and the TKD, and decide which one you enjoy more. Don't worry about "used to"s. Past is past, and now is now. As for "teaching children to fight", I hear that a lot, but I think MA actually helps develop self control, etc. I know the more I learn the more I respect how easy it is to cause harm to the human body, and this takes away any idea that fighting/brawling would be "fun". Besides, one must learn to control everything one does. You don't refrain from eating simply because you might overeat, do you? Learning to defend one's self is a very good thing, and should be taught with proper responsibility, etc. Also, I believe many dojos will throw you out, or at least not let you take classes for a while, if the teacher finds out you have been bullying or whatever (I know my Coach would take action if I started bullying).
Life also has a way of filling in any gaps in time, kinda like water. its a case of you simply have to make time again! Totally agree. Also, if yo cant remember what your original reason for starting a martial art was.. find a new one.. its obviously there as the feeling that you wanna return is there also! Stuart
Do you mean his arguement for allowing children to learn to fight? Yes, it is a good arguement. I don't think the tpical arguement of teaching children self-defence is very valid though - without teaching children incredible extreme techniques, going for vital spots they probably won't be able to reach, they will not be able to defend themselves against a determined adult attacker. They simply won't have the means to generate enough power to do any damage. But your arguement is quite sensible - perhaps I will let the littlun learn TKD, not yet though - she can't talk and isn't out of nappies yet :s
It can be daunting resuming training when you have taken a long break. I'm with TDKMitch on this one. Once you're over the initial hurdle you can start enjoying your training.
+1 on this one, ive recently done it. was funny watching people look at me when i come to my first lesson and line up in the front row....
I took a long time out of TKD, I left an organisation and went off and did a variety of things, and then eventually stopped training. Some years later my children asked to watch a local TKD class..... I had no intention of training due to some long term injuries, although missed it a lot. Suffice to say, I’ve been training 4 to 5 times a week for the last year and LOVE IT!!! It’s easy to fall back in a habit of not training. It takes quite a bit to jump back into it, and often train for very different reasons as to those one had when first starting out. Yes, there is a lot of ‘I used to be able to....’ but accept this is not then, it’s now and enjoy the training, and soon you’ll be back in the habit of training. All those that left and came back had our reasons for doing so, but I couldn’t imaging my life without TKD now, and bring greater level of maturity to my training. You have nothing to lose by going to a class, try it and see how you feel. As Nike say....’Just do it’ All the best, and good luck in whichever decision you make. Andy
I'd suggest (much in line with others' opinions) that you posted here, so, a part of you clearly wants to go back to TKD. I would try a different club, maybe even a different association - a slightly different take on things, fresh faces etc may bring back the old feelings that you had when you trained. Let your new instructor know what you're there for. You pay your money, you deserve to train for whatever objectives you choose - not for the objectives of your new instructor. The most important aspect of training, is to enjoy it. It's a hobby, not a job or a chore!
I think you're being a bit harsh there. The fact is when you thnk about why you train , the answer is going to be different if you are training and if you are not. I think in hindsight, I spent too long thinking about the reason to train, when in reality ill health and life circumstances were making it very difficult to train at the time anyway. There's nothing more irritating than wanting to do something but not having the capacity. If you really don't have the capacity there is certain merit in convincing yourself you don't want to do something. A student and an instructor is a relationship, it doesn't happen overnight and if you don't train long enough will never really happen. What he's saying is that it's important to take that first step and be in a position where you are training. You can't decide you want to take 3rd Dan nd enter the world championships before you've decided you want to actually be training. Personally as an instructor I would want my students to have a clear idea of what they are training for, but I'd be happy to give them time to decide that if they didn't know. A lot of junior grades aren't going to know, these things take time. Being an instructor is largely about being patient.
