Nitin Verma

I began my journey at 9 years old, training in my junior school under Sensei John Hurley.  Admittedly my motivation at the time stemmed mostly from Jackie Chan movies I always watched with my father. My first ever lesson was a big shock to me. There I was with classmates messing about when Sensei John walked in for the first time. There was an abrupt silence that swept across the room, as he walked in with confidence and assertiveness. It was an affect that I had not seen before, and I immediately wanted to be able to do the same.

I reached my yellow belt by the time I moved into the main club at the age of 11. I was introduced to more higher grades and enjoyed being taught by a range of people including Sensei Jeff, Sensei Alex and Sensei Eugene. It was transitioning into the main club where I had my first doubts with whether I would continue. Everyone who I had trained with for the last 2 years had left the club after junior school and I questioned whether I should follow suit. It would be the easier option to just quit like the rest and put an end to this chapter of my life, but something burned inside me that made me want to be different. I realised I didn’t want to just float around and follow everyone else, I realised I didn’t like the easy route – where was the fun in that?

My new mentality towards karate seeped into my everyday life and as I grew up, I never liked the easy route. While studying for my GCSEs and A Levels that same flame that drove me to push myself in karate established itself in my everyday life. Without it I would never have achieved some of the things I’ve been able to do so far – even worse I would be too afraid to dream as big as I do now

Perhaps one the best moments I’ve had was when a friend of mine told me I had that same confidence in my step that I saw in my sensei all those years ago. After all these years I finally understand that walk. Karate doesn’t stop in the dojo, it’s not like most sports where it lives merely as a hobby or as pastime, it lives in all aspects of the lives of those who embrace it. If karate has taught me one thing – whether it be in life or in the dojo, it’s that you’ve only lost the fight when you stay down. A true winner will always get back up regardless of pain because pain is temporary but the outcome is permanent.