{"id":42634,"date":"2016-08-22T12:30:30","date_gmt":"2016-08-22T20:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=42634"},"modified":"2017-05-27T08:48:41","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T16:48:41","slug":"want-to-become-stronger-sharper-and-more-confident-try-karate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/want-to-become-stronger-sharper-and-more-confident-try-karate\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to Become Stronger, Sharper, and More Confident? Try Karate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n

Think back to your playground days. Remember giving up your swing, head down in defeat, to the neighborhood bully? Feeling powerless, you wanted more than anything to be stronger, faster, and more confident in yourself.<\/p>\n

Maybe you still feel that way sometimes. After a stressful day, you feel sluggish, unbalanced, and out of control.<\/p>\n

Not me. I\u2019ve been doing karate since I was 4 years old, and over the past eight years, I\u2019ve learned that it\u2019s more than a sport. Karate is a lifestyle. It teaches self-defense, sure, but it also transforms your mind, building confidence, coordination, friendships, discipline, and so much more.<\/p>\n

Growing Up a Karate Kid<\/b><\/p>\n

When I started at USSD<\/a>, karate gave me the chance to make friends and be myself. My classmates and I did backflips, broke boards, and created lasting bonds.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve grown up, I\u2019ve gotten even more into karate. I\u2019ve started teaching younger kids, helping my sensei in classes for 5- to 10-year-olds. One day, my teacher said something that stuck with me: \u201cYou rise by lifting others.\u201d<\/p>\n

For me, that\u2019s what karate is all about. The past two years of karate have been my favorite. When I help kids who are just starting out, I feel happy \u2014 I\u2019m helping build their brains, their muscles, and their hearts.<\/p>\n

Karate for Body and Brain<\/b><\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019m a brown belt and about to become a teenager, I look back on all that karate has given me.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m fit and healthy thanks to karate\u2019s intense, four-day-a-week workouts. My coordination is great, and I\u2019m definitely <\/i>not afraid of playground bullies.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just karate\u2019s hard hits that have made me stronger. In the dojo, respect is everything. My friends and I bow before and after each class, and making fun of one another is not cool. We respect our sensei, ourselves, and one another.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve climbed karate\u2019s ranks, I\u2019ve also learned to set goals. To earn each new belt, I have to know all the current rank\u2019s forms. That\u2019s tough, but karate teaches you that you have to work hard to get what you want.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t think karate\u2019s all work and no play, though. My friends and I have loads of fun playing games to master new moves, build trust, and learn teamwork.<\/p>\n

Karate\u2019s Character-Boosting Benefits<\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve already decided to continue with karate at least until college, mostly because it\u2019s made me a better person. My journey toward a black belt has taught me:<\/p>\n

1. Leadership<\/b>.<\/b> As a teacher\u2019s assistant, I\u2019ve been lucky enough to teach karate to a new crop of kids. And my sensei was right \u2014 I\u2019ve truly grown by helping others. I\u2019ve learned to take the lead in groups, speak in public, and be a better problem solver.<\/p>\n

2. Friendship. <\/b>Karate isn\u2019t all about protecting yourself and using weapons; it\u2019s also about being a friend. When I get knocked down in the studio, my friends help me up. If my frustrations boil over, classmates calm me down. It\u2019s a great group that\u2019s taught me to be a better friend.<\/p>\n

3. Self-confidence. <\/b>Training in the dojo helps me feel good about myself, and that\u2019s not something all kids have. I approach math problems and karate kicks with confidence, knowing that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.<\/p>\n

4. Awareness<\/b>.<\/b> Part of martial arts is seeing the dangers of the world. During karate practice every Friday, I do something called demo. The class involves skits of kids standing up for themselves, reminding us that there are bad people out there and that self-defense is an important skill.<\/p>\n

For kids and adults, karate is an incredible learning experience. So if you\u2019ve never set foot in a studio, why not start today? After a year \u2014 or a lifetime \u2014 of karate, you\u2019ll walk away with new skills, great friends, and a body and brain ready to tackle anything that comes your way.<\/p>\n

\n

Kenan Pala is a guitarist, triathlete, trumpeter, traveler, poet, and martial arts enthusiast. At 12 years old, he\u2019s juggling his education and his passions for music, entrepreneurship, and staying active; he enjoys going on business trips with his mother and exploring historic cities. Triathletes, as well as his entrepreneurial parents, inspire Kenan.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Think back to your playground days. Remember giving up your swing, head down in defeat, to the neighborhood bully? Feeling powerless, you wanted more than anything to be stronger, faster, and more confident in yourself. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11604,"featured_media":43536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[205,6],"tags":[5407,234,1267,66,207,4629],"yoast_head":"\nWant to Become Stronger, Sharper, and More Confident? Try Karate<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Feel powerless? Do you want to be stronger, faster, and more confident in yourself? 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