2025-06-02

Teaching my regular classes at the Ross Farnsworth - East Valley YMCA.

A young woman came to visit after class with a strong interest to join, but lots of questions. She asked about the schedule, uniforms, attendance policy, etc. Then she asked if there were any additional classes she could attend on the weekend, or if I offered private lessons. She was concerned that, as a beginner, she’d be way behind everyone else and wanted to “catch up” as soon as possible. I don’t offer additional classes, but I let her know that she wasn’t really “behind” and she didn’t need to “catch up.” Being the new person is a feeling as old as time, and largely unavoidable. But it’s okay to be the new person. On the bright side, if everyone around you is “better” than you, then you have no choice but to improve and everyone can help you.

She also expressed a concern about “first time jitters”, and I undertand that too, but I explained that getting over that feeling is part of the training too. Karate isn’t just about punching, kicking, and blocking. It’s also about learning how to keep your composure under pressure. I explained that, if she ever found herself in a position where she needed to use the physical skills she’s going to learn in karate, she would absolutely be in a nerve-wracking situation, and learning to compose your self and perform under stress is one of karate’s lessons.