10 More Lessons Learned from the Karate Kid Movie

Mr. Han putting Dre through his paces

Last weeks post 10 Lessons Learned from the Karate Kid Movie got the ball rolling. We came up with ten more life lessons learned from watching this movie. Thanks to all who contributed.

Lesson #11—Focus on the task at hand. By constant drilling and practising, you are gaining “muscle memory”, so even the simple things like putting a jacket on and taking it off in a certain way will become second nature, becoming life skills we can use without even thinking. Contributed by Tayla Meath.

Lesson #12—Never judge a book by its cover. The old mild-mannered maintenance man is not what he appears to be; a kung fu expert. Mr. Han was clearly capable of doing more than just “fixing a tap”. How would you ever know? Contributed by Wendy Leeming.

Lesson #13—Balance is important in life. You cannot always just work, work, work. Dre pulled Mei Ying away from her music practice for a few hours, which re-charged her spirit and helped her relax during her stressful audition. You need rest and social time to balance out your hard work. Contributed by Sinem Kileci.

Lesson #14—What you name a movie contributes to its success. Although this movie was about kung fu, not karate, the name Karate Kid taps into the success of the earlier movie. The older generation, now parents of children who will see the movie, are very familiar with it. Contributed by Grant Hogan.

Lesson #15—Everyday movements can contribute to what we learn in class. Putting on the jacket, avoiding something thrown at you, or waxing a car (first Karate Kid Movie) can make martial arts movements second nature. Contributed by Nathan McCarney.

Lesson #16—Honour your word. If you say you are going to do something, do it. Dre promised to attend Mei Ying’s audition. Despite great hardship, he got there. He was true to his word.

Lesson #17—The only person you need to control is yourself. The wise Mr. Han counseled Dre on this. Dre could not control what the bullies or Mei Ying’s parents did or thought, but he could control what he did. A wise person does not worry about what is out of his or her control.

Lesson #18—The teacher can learn from the student. Mr. Han learned a lot about living life from Dre. He put some of his sadness about the past aside and put his energy into the building of Dre’s spirit.

Lesson #19—The martial arts can teach you respect and manners. Mr. Han did not like how Dre showed a lack of respect for his mother. By forcing Dre to do the jacket drill, he was also teaching him to have better manners and respect for his mom, and the importance of doing the right thing.

Lesson #20—The martial arts can build your confidence. Dre’s mother was amazed by the difference in his confidence at the end of the movie. The martial arts is about getting out of your comfort zone, which builds your self esteem and self confidence.

Sensei Matt Klein

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