Why Should a Person Study Karate? (Page 3)

Subconsciously we are setting up within the student the rules for entrance to our school. They have to accept the rituals, they have to be pleasant because everyone else is polite and helpful. Even if the new student were a bully, they would feel out of place in a good Dojo. They would quickly fall into line and would be comfortable about it.

So in summary, the only requirement for admission really is that the student accept our rules. Their reasons are their own and are meaningless in the overall tradition of Karate. The applicant screens themself in the final analysis. If they are not ready to change positively, they will not be able to do exercises and movements that are seemingly not important to self defense. They will quickly become impatient and leave.

A person who really needs the training comes to the school faced with many frustrations and problems. They can go either way. They is ready to give up; call it quits and do whatever people do who give up. As this person studies, their whole lifestyle, attitude and personality has to change as their Karate develops. As this student progresses and reaches various plateaus, they are faced with the decision of advancing or backing off. Invariably their Karate training parallels their personal struggle. If they are not ready to face up to their personal problems they will find the Karate discipline too much for them also. Ironically, it is this lack of discipline and self control that got them into trouble in the first place and in attempting to correct it, brought them the the Karate school. If they are ready to change their lifestyle, they will also be ready to master Karate.

When we talk about Karate changing a person, we really are saying that the person changes themself. Karate gives you the means by which change takes place. The physical and mental transformation that you feel carries over to the rest of your life.

As the person develops, they become the kind of person we want as a student. The student may pretend that they are the kind of person we want initially to gain entrance to the school. If they stick to it, they quickly become that person.

Hopefully, people reading this book will sense a deeper purpose to Karate that they may be searching for.