The thought of Karate as a hobby came to me as I was sweeping the Dojo floor. As I played with the thought, I realized how true it is to call it a hobby, for most, and how such a thought could offend the more serious practitioners out there. But, it shouldn’t. With all of the benefits Karate and Martial Arts offer, there could be worse activities to get into.
When we think about the meaning of the word and how most people practice, Karate IS a hobby to most. What does this word mean?
hobby:
1. A small European falcon of the genus Falco and subgenus Hypotriorchis, H subbuteo.
2. A strong active horse of medium size having an ambling gait; a pacing horse; a nag; a garran.
What?!
Let’s try that again…
hobby:
1. an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.
2. a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation
noun: pastime, relaxation, leisure pursuit, sideline, diversion, etc
Martial Arts in general were “created” to prepare one for battle and self-defense situations. How many of today’s practitioners have been in a true battle, let alone the military? I hear so many speak of training “for real”. Do they really? When this was said in a FaceBook post, I made the comment: How many people actually do eye gouges to each other while training? Joint or bone breaks? That is what real training would be, right? There would not be anyone left to train with. If they really trained like that, I would not want to train with those folks. The thread suddenly became quiet. Serious practitioners train for the worst situation they can imagine. It is only imagination. The truth is we never know if we are ready for reality until reality is present. We can only do our best to prepare.
Let’s face it. Many people do treat the Martial Arts as a pastime or leisure pursuit. At our Dojo, some were almost ashamed to admit they enjoy coming because it relaxes them or they have fun. For the parents of students, it is a relaxation time for them while their child works out. To me, there is nothing wrong with this. I have come to realize that not everyone sees the deeper value of the Martial Arts as I do; they don’t take it as seriously as I do. And that is ok. They enjoy the training and fellowship of working, learning and growing with others. And, that is also ok. Those who enjoy tend to go on to find deeper treasure.
Think about those who come to the Dojo. Lately the sale’s pitch is that “it is more than kicking and punching”. It is. We at KSKD have a mission of doing our small part to help others improve. This “hobby” for some is their chance to challenge themselves to: lose weight, learn self-defense, improve concentration, improve discipline, or simply to find out who they are (See the thoughts in The Secret of Martial Arts). A FaceBook post by William Kilindi Brown shows why one particular parent brings their child (click on the link to see the full post):
So, if I am not paying for karate, what am I paying for?
– I pay for those moments when my child becomes so tired and feels like quitting but doesn’t.
– I pay for my child to learn to be disciplined.
– I pay for my child to learn to take care of herself.
– I pay for my child to learn to work with others and to be a proud , supportive, kind and respectful dojo member.
– I pay for my child to learn to deal with disappointment, when he doesn’t get that score he hoped for, or fell during a move my child has practiced a thousand times, but still gets up and is determined to do his BEST next time…
– I pay for my child to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create a champion, and that success does not happen overnight.
This is the feeling we try to instill in all participants. Not everyone will go on to be a teacher, a Black Belt, a world champion competitor, or even a warrior. Some will simply not become so serious and only make Karate a hobby. This is reality. No, it doesn’t make me upset. I have learned to enjoy everyone on their journey for which I am a small part.
For those who don’t know, I have been practicing Martial Arts for over 50 years. I am a second generation Martial Artists as I was fortunate to have a Father and Mother who practiced. I have grown up with a mentality of “healthy mind, body and Spirit” before such thinking became selling points in the exercise industry. Yes, I live, eat, breathe and think about moving almost 24 hours a day. The warrior spirit has been passed on to my children and grandchildren. It shows up with their unapologetic lack of fear in working with others.
No. Karate is not a hobby for me. Just recognize it may be for some and that’s ok. Everyone should be happy doing what they do.
