Nine years ago I was in Shanghai and saw chinese people practis various kinds of martial arts in the parks. I was impressed by their physical strength, their control of their bodies and their composure. I thought it would be great to learn something like this. Actually, my entire life I have had the desire to learn a martial art, however, I never did so. And all of a sudden you have the feeling that you are too old to do so. I was in my 40s by then and I had problems with my knees as well. But when I came back to the netherlands, I saw an ad for karate in the newspaper. I went to have a look - and since them I've been regularly practicing.