The Best Karate Skill You Can’t See

“What’s the coolest thing you’ve learned from karate?” Awareness.

Recently my sister and I were asked: “What’s the coolest thing you’ve learned from karate?” Stuck on the word “cool,” I started thinking about moments or techniques that have made me feel impressive. My sister, on the other hand, answered almost immediately: “awareness.” I can’t think of a better way to summarize it.

I feel that every child should learn self defense, even just a tiny bit. The world is a highly unpredictable place for anyone these days, but I think there is a certain necessity for young people especially to have awareness and be confident that they can protect themselves. I think it is important enough to share some thoughts and reflections on it. 

After my sister said this, I quickly thought about how empowering it is to feel comfortable walking back to my college dorm after dark or riding a bus in a new part of town. I thought about the responsibility I feel when out and about with friends to keep them and myself as safe as possible. Because I grew up training in martial arts, these feelings are very normal to me. I understand the importance of awareness and paying attention to my surroundings. It is easy to start thinking about karate as kicks or punches, but at its core it is about principles like this one. 

When teaching, talking about, or training karate, I think it is important to bring those ideas to the forefront. I feel more confident in my ability to protect myself because of the training I have done. I hope that the students we teach at MEKA understand the importance of that feeling and what an amazing thing it is to touch it. It’s the coolest part of what we do.

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