Black Belt Essay Requirement Submitted on 12/10/08 by
David Magluyan, 11 yrs old, Monrovia resident,
6th grade student-St. Luke Catholic School of Temple City
"How Karate Has Changed My Life"
The study of Shotokan has affected my life in many ways. It has made me mentally and physically stronger. I have acquired teaching and leadership skills. I have also made new friends. Most importantly, my studies have made me more confident, disciplined, and focused.
Karate has made me mentally and physically stronger in a couple of ways. I am mentally stronger because I now know a lot about Shotokan. I am confident that I can perform Kihon, Kata and Kumite correctly (to the best of my ability) because of the knowledge I have gained over my years of training. I have also become physically stronger. I am three years older now, and believe I have continued to strengthen my techniques through my years of training.
I have also gained teaching and leadership skills from my Shotokan training. I have gained teaching skills by helping other students during some of the many classes that I have attended. I even want to become a Sensei! I know that karate has given me leadership skills because I am very comfortable making decisions and acting as a group leader when school projects require me to work in a group.
I have made new friends in my karate classes. I have become good friends with Nicholas, Vincent, Masato and others. I feel totally comfortable having a conversation with these friends. It is very easy to talk about school or any other topic with them. I am even comfortable to talk with older students or Sensei’s now. When I first began training, I felt a little bit shy when talking with the Senpai’s and Sensei’s.
Karate has also made me more confident. I am more confident when answering questions at the dojo and at school. In fact, I am much less shy now than I was when I began my training. Also, I am more disciplined now. I know this because I can control my power and perform more accurate techniques now (and I can stand still for a longer amount of time, too). Because I am more disciplined, I am more focused in all my activities. I am able to complete many tasks in a day, because I have learned to work more quickly and efficiently. I like to participate in many different things, but can only keep my busy schedule as long as I am able to complete the tasks each activity requires.
Karate is just one of the many things I like to do. I also play piano, write for my school newspaper, am working my way towards becoming an Eagle Scout, and maintain straight A’s at St. Luke’s. I also learned to ski when I was six years old and snowboard when I was seven, so during the winter season I go to the slopes nearly every weekend with my dad and my sister.
Because all of these things are important to me, I have also had to learn how to prioritize and balance my work schedule. I would not be able to succeed at all these things if it weren’t for the discipline I have gained from my Shotokan training. I will not end my training after I earn my black belt. Shotokan will always be an important part of my life. Karate has been a very life-changing experience for me.
