Just Sweat

What’s the secret to becoming good at karate?

The answer is simple: there’s no secret. If you want to become great at karate you just need to practice hard and often both at the dojo and at home.

When I was a little boy, I wanted to be like my teacher and the other black belts. Their basic form was beautiful, their kata was crisp, and their fighting was strong! However, my basic form, kata and fighting didn’t look like theirs and I became frustrated.

One day my mom suggested that I discuss this problem with my teacher. So, the next time I went to the dojo I asked my teacher to tell me the secret of how to be become a great karateka. “There’s not secret,” he replied. “Just come to the dojo and practice hard.”

But how would I know if I were practicing hard enough? “That’s easy,” he said. “If you sweat during class, then you’re practicing hard. If you don’t sweat, then you need to practice harder.”

I liked his answer because it meant that I, too, could become a great karateka. However, what if my teacher were wrong? I shared my concern with my mom and she said that sometimes we have to trust what our teachers say.

I liked mom’s answer and decided to follow my teacher’s suggestion. Every time I went to class, I made sure that I practiced hard enough to sweat. If my dogi (uniform) was dry at the end of class, I hadn’t worked hard enough. However, that rarely happened. I usually went home with a wet dogi and a big smile on my face.

Eventually, my basic form improved, my kata became crisp, and my fighting became stronger! So, my teacher was correct, and all it took was trust and hard work.

So, don’t waste your time searching for some “secret” to becoming great at karate. Just come to class often, practice at home and make sure that you always sweat. Just sweat! OSU!

Note the Challenge Words in blue italics:

1. Crisp – clear, precise, quick
2. Frustrated – upset, discouraged, annoyed
3. Concern – a reason to worry
4. Suggestion – an idea or proposal that we make to another person