I’ve heard this said a thousand times and I suppose to many the answer is yes. Karate has something for everyone and can definitely be practiced simply as a hobby.
I remember starting out on my Karate journey some 33 years ago when I was around 9 years old and I must say I was hooked, line and sinker straight away. I would train at the Dojo (place of training) twice a week and train at home almost every day I wasn’t at the Dojo. When not training I watched badly dubbed kung fu films and spent countless hours doing Karate moved in my head.
An obsession
What started as a way for me to toughen up and build some strength (I was a small sickly child living in a relatively rough and tumble part of the city) soon turned into an obsession that remains in my blood to this day.
Some benefits of Karate
Karate for me is much more than just a hobby. Aside from the obvious physical benefits, it also helps build mental strengths such as confidence, commitment, perseverance, and determination to name a few. These skills transfer over into your daily life and in my opinion, can have a positive impact on the practitioner both inside and outside of the Dojo.
Is Karate just a hobby?
So, would I say Karate is just a hobby? For me personally the answer is no, I believe it’s much more than that!
Thanks for reading
David Shaw – Sheffield Karate Club