Beyond Limitations: Matthew's Inspiring Martial Arts Journey at Shuhari

My journey to becoming a martial artist has not been a straightforward one. While many people begin martial arts because they want to become stronger, learn self-defence, or challenge themselves, my motivation comes from something a little deeper and more personal.

Living with a mitochondrial disease has meant facing challenges that others may not always see. It has affected my energy, my physical abilities, and the way I approach everyday life. However, rather than allowing my condition to define what I can achieve, I have chosen to use it as motivation to keep moving forward.

Mitochondrial disease can make physical activity difficult because the body struggles to produce the energy that muscles need to perform normally, this alongside diabetes and severe bilateral hearing loss means that things other people might take for granted can require much more effort. Training can be exhausting within minutes and progress is not always predictable. There are days when my body feels capable and days when it reminds me of its limitations. At times, this can be frustrating and really discouraging. It would be easy for me to look at those difficulties and decide that martial arts is simply not possible for me but after seeing my son take on a few sessions and reminiscing of doing Judo in my younger years (Before the genetic disease triggered), I decided that I would give it a try.

Shuhari Self Defence & Martial Arts has been the perfect platform for me to start this journey. My Sensei’s and Senpai’s have been supportive and adaptable to my needs but also encouraged me to push further and as such I have broken my own mental limitations and been able to push myself physically beyond what I thought possible.

Being active in the dojo has taught me that strength is not just about how hard you can punch or how long you can train. Real strength is also about patience, determination, and refusing to give up when progress is slow, which due to my condition is inevitable. I have had to learn to listen to my body and understand that pushing myself does not always mean pushing until I have nothing left. Sometimes, the strongest decision for me is to rest, recover, and return another day. Being able to train alongside my son has been a dream and Shuhari has given me the platform and space to be who I am, not just who they want me to be. As such it has ignited something in me and shown me that progress is still progress, no matter how small it may appear to someone else.

My journey is still continuing. I do not pretend that overcoming mitochondrial disease means making it disappear, it never will. It means refusing to let it decide the boundaries of my life. There will always be challenges, and there may be days when I need to take a step back, but taking a step back does not mean giving up. Sometimes it is simply part of moving forward. Therefore I’d like to take the time to thank all involved in my development at Shuhari and I can highly recommend martial arts, if like me, you are looking to overcome your own mental or physical boundaries.

Matthew