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Finding her mojo at the dojo
When the phrase “martial arts” is uttered, visions of board-breaking, swift-kicking, power-punching legends such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li often come to mind.
Or the word “karate” may evoke the thought of Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-san from the “Karate Kid” movie series.
But for 16-year-old Martika Moore, of Ashburn, karate is not a hobby or just another seasonal sport -- it's a lifestyle. And it's a lifestyle in which she excels, having won a gold medal at a national karate tournament last month.
“I used to dance for two years, and I did cheerleading for a week, and I didn't like it,” Moore said. “I just got bored with it. Karate is my passion.”
Moore's dojo – or karate school -- is Williams Martial Arts and Fitness (WMAF) in Ashburn. She began taking karate lessons as an 8-year-old second-grader. By age 11, she had earned her black belt.
Last month, Moore competed in the 2008 Amateur Athletic Union Junior and Senior National Karate Championships in Albany, N.Y. While it was her sixth straight time qualifying, she had yet to win a medal at the national tournament.
At this year’s tournament, however, Moore won for the first time -- a gold medal in the 16-year-old female division for kumite.
Kumite is the part of karate that involves sparring against an opponent.
“It's like tag -- you have to hit them first or do a technique first, and certain techniques get certain points,” Moore said. “The person with the most points wins.”
Moore's rigorous training regimen for the tournament began in early March. Preparation included one hour of cardio and one hour of karate five days a week leading up to the tournament.
“She was hungry this year to really do something, not just go out there and go through the motions,” said WMAF instructor Christina Murto, who has been with the club for seven years and has worked directly with Moore for four years. “When I first met Martika, she was very shy and quiet. She didn’t have the fire that she has now.”
Both Murto and Moore agreed that part of Moore’s success at this year’s tournament was due not only to hard work and determination but to a boost in confidence as well.
“There are a lot of girls in my division who are really good, and for a long time I didn’t think I was near them,” Moore said. “And it took me until last year when I almost medaled [to realize] that I was on their level. I knew if I just put in in a little more time and effort, then I’d be there with them.”
Time and effort comes in many different forms for Moore, who spends every day at the center. When she’s not training, she's teaching karate to younger kids, and she also works at the WMAF summer camp. Her daily routine continues even during the school year.
“I have absolutely no social life,” Moore said. “I’m here every single night. I think I am here more than I am at home.”
But Moore is more than just karate. A rising junior at Stone Bridge, she maintains a 3.8 GPA and plans to attend college with her focus being in art. Her plan is to continue karate, even if it is not competitively. Moore also wants to continue teaching karate to younger kids.
“Competition for me is extra. I love karate in general,” she said. “If we didn’t have competitions I would still keep at it. It’s something I love to do.”
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