Hobby Focus
How martial artist RACHEL NELSON discovered a pastime that changed her life
When Rachel Nelson nervously attended her first karate class, she could not have imagined that one day she would be a black belt…
Twelve years later, she achieved what had once seemed the impossible, and is now working hard to achieve her goal of being a teacher with her own class.
A freelance graphic designer, Rachel’s
interest in sport had been limited to gymnastics at school and “a little bit of cycling through the woodlands”. But in October 2000, after a series of traumas including bereavements and other stresses had left her “in a bad place”, she decided to try karate.
“I didn’t really come at it from a sport
angle,” she said: “I was told by my doctor to seriously consider counselling but I didn’t feel comfortable with that. At that time, it was hard to talk to people in general, let alone a complete stranger. I decided to take up a team activity instead. I had always fancied karate and was advised by my doctor that the exercise and social contact would be beneficial, so I went along to the information centre in Maidstone and they gave me details of classes.
“At that point I wasn’t very co-ordinated and
I was also extremely shy and self-conscious. I looked like I would jump out of my skin if you had said boo to me. I was also tiny – between seven to eight stone so I looked pretty fragile. I thought it was really hard, but despite all this, I really loved it.
Karate kind of holds you
together. You do change as you learn and it’s about changing your mind and your spirit as well as your body. I felt as if I was taking back control of my life.”
Rachel, who lives in Maidstone,
continued at the Shizendo Martial Arts school run by Steve Martin, attending once a week to begin with. Despite many tears and setbacks along the way, she increased her classes, and with the mentoring of her instructor Tony McWilliams, achieved her third brown belt (1st Kyu) and began teaching others.
“I found it very rewarding,” she
says. “Tony got me teaching to help with my confidence, to show me that I really knew what I was
Mid Kent Living 27
talking about. It is really rewarding to see the people I am teaching grow in confidence.”
In 2012, Rachel achieved a peak of success –
a coveted black belt, which she says is considered just the first rung on the ladder. She attends several classes a week and is working towards having her own class.
“My ultimate aim is to encourage more people, and particularly women and girls, to take it up.”
“There is always another level you can
work for”, she says, “and being a martial artist is to never give up.”
Rachel says that karate can build
confidence and help in many different ways. She uses some of the skills including voice projection and stances to help train her rescued dog, Molly — a collie- German shepherd cross.
She says: “The experience of my journey has enabled me to help others facing a similar journey, particularly women who don’t think it would be suitable for them.”
For the last two years Rachel has been closely involved in coaching Abbi, who is now a 1st Kyu, and has enjoyed seeing her confidence grow. With Tony, she also teaches a weekly class with hearing impaired children, as well as self-defence courses for women in refuge.
Her advice to anyone interested in karate is: “Go along and watch or have a go and see if you like the teachers and the atmosphere, because it’s like joining a family. Karate is something that everyone can do.”
Getting started
Rachel’s club, Shizendo, holds karate classes throughout Kent for children and adults. All children’s training sessions last 45 minutes. Venues include The Angel Centre, Maidstone; Swanscombe Leisure Centre, Brunswick Primary School, Maidstone; Cygnet Leisure Centre and Cascades Leisure Centre, both Gravesend; Cliffe Woods Primary School, Medway, and Larkfield Leisure Centre. And if you find you don’t like karate, Steve also teaches Tai Chi.
For more details, visit
www.shizendo.co.uk. or contact chief instructor Steve Martin on 01634 720098.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72