White Belt Story: #2. The Person

My name is Louis, and I am 18 years old. I currently reside in Wales, UK. Just outside of Cardiff to be specific.

The idea of starting Karate for me was in the pipeline for long time, I used to do TKD when I was a lot younger but the Dojo moved and I didn't want to continue training in the new place so I quit. I was aware that there were Karate classes in the same leisure center where I did TKD but for whatever reason I did not persue starting Karate at that time. (The same Sensei as I have now was teaching back then as it so happens. I wonder where I would be now if I had started all those years ago?)

Fast forward 8 years, I am 18 years old and trying to piece my life back together after dropping out of high school almost 2 years ago. I decided to join the gym to get into shape, get a part time job routine going, start some college revision sessions (And start college full time come the start of the new term - September in the UK) and generally get a healthy lifestyle with prospects. I also used to be a member of my local tennis club and I decided that now would be as good a time as any to rejoin.

And then it clicked. Why not start up a martial art?

My current brand spanking new gym complex offered a few martial arts based sessions such as Tai Chi and something ambiguous called 'Combat Training' neither of these were what I was particularly after (Although I would love to try Tai Chi sometime) so I rang my more local Leisure Center and asked about Martial Arts. The woman on the phone said that they 'only' do Karate, I said 1 is enough for now.

So, I asked a few friends if they were interested in joining up with me. (it is always eaiser to start something new with someone you know and who is just as much as a beginner as you, I find...) 2 of them were interested so a week later I made my first journey to the Dojo...