Bethany's Karate Page

When I Started Karate

I was overweight didn’t like any kind of exercise, short for my age and about to start an All Girls Secondary School!   Then my mum was told about a karate club that was starting at Lympne.  I had always wanted to do Karate but never had the chance so I joined and started going on a Wednesday night.
That was Two years ago, and I can not believe how much I have changed.  Most of my change is to do with starting Karate.  I now train every single day, I have lost nearly three stone in weight and my confidence has really grown.  My dedication to karate has helped me focus on the important things in my life and has helped boost my confidence.  I am no longer shy at school or generally out an about.

Gradings and Belts 

When I first started at Lympne I thought Karate was all about getting different coloured belts but it’s not it is about so much more.  I initially graded as a junior up to my last red belt and when I reached twelve I then started to grade two belts at a time.  During this time I learnt how to defend myself if I got in any difficult situation but most of all I made new friends and had such great fun.  Belt colours became less important because Karate became more about me and my daily life and how it helped me focus and develop.  I am now just taking my last Yellow belt and I went from once a week lesson to two. 

Training at other karate clubs

Lympne is still my main club where I do 2 hours every week and I just love going there but I also go to Pent Valley Leisure centre on a Thursday for an hour and half and have been to Sandwich on a Friday, it’s just a shame Sandwich is so far away for my mum to drive!  Everyone makes you feel welcome were ever you train.  I help out at Lympne in the first class on a Wednesday with the little ones and it was such a great honour for me when Shihan Paul asked me to do this, it really made feel that all my hard work and commitment had been noticed, and also made me train even harder because I would really like to be able to teach Karate one day.   I try to help the little ones with some of the harder stuff but also make sure it’s fun for them at the same time, the same as it was for me when I started.

My competitions and knockdown

During my two years I have entered 2 clicker competitions one at Sandwich and one at Canterbury where I came second and runner up.  I also entered the Knockdown competition at Pent Valley last November.  For me it never has been about the winning but about the taking part and the hard training I have to do all the time but especially more intense about 6 weeks before any competition.  Unfortunately my training didn’t pay off in the Knockdown competition and I fractured my thumb in two places and possibly broke my scaphoid bone in the base of the thumb, I ended up in plaster for three weeks all over Christmas, but this never deterred me from my training and I still turned up to class every week I was just unable to do press ups and sometimes I looked funny with a purple plaster trying to do Kata!!  Everyone was great at this time and helped me make the decision to carry on with Knockdown Tournaments.

Karate gets better

Karate has also given me so many opportunities I would never had the chance to do.  Summer Camp last year was just fantastic and I will certainly being going this year .  I had never been camping before and I got to make so many new friends.   Joss Bay Beach training, in the sand and sea for 2 hours on a cold sunny Sunday morning in February was fantastic. We all had fun and there was a real team spirit down on the beach that day.  I was also one of the lucky/unlucky ones picked to go to Wales for Blue Peter.  I thought we would train in front of the waterfall and then perhaps all stand behind the water and get wet, that was not what it was!  Wet cold raining and sitting in mud doing sit ups and press ups !!! Moving a mile and half in three hours,  But then Kyokushin is the hardest form of Karate.  I didn’t go in the waterfall that day but helped all the younger children and my two sisters when they came out absolute froze to the bone trying to get them dry.  To me Blue Peter was done for fun and that’s was ok, but for me it was not for the true meaning of waterfall training Kyokushin style and for that reason I have since been back to Wales, Easter Weekend and have done my own Waterfall training entering three waterfalls at near zero degree temperatures, snow on the ground and I wouldn’t of changed anything it was fantastic.  I pushed my boundaries, found strength, made myself focus and took my body to its limit until I could not feel my legs anymore because of the cold water.  It was just an awesome experience and I had to call on every part of my karate training. Everything I had learnt from Shihan Paul, Sensei Bobby, Sensei Kevin, Senpai Richard and Sensei Tracey, Senpai Cheryl, and Senpai  Tina helped me get through that day.  My mum, dad and nan were also very proud of me and I felt a real sense of achievement. I am sure there will be many more adventures to come as I continue with my training.

Karate forever

Karate is what you make it, it can just be a club that you go to once a week or it can be part of your daily life,  but for whatever reasons you do Karate everyone is friendly whatever there belt colour and they will always try to help you ……Osu
Bethany Age 13