What Does The Martial Arts Mean To You

[hellfire]

THIS IS PROBABLY A TOPIC YOU GUYS HAVE COVERED BEFORE, IF SO SORRY TO BORE YOU.

WHAT DOES YOUR TRAINING MEAN TO YOU?
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
WHAT DISGUSTS YOU?
WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK FOR MORE BRUISES AND BEATINGS !!!


THIS IS A STRANGE THREAD FOR ME CONSIDERING I HAVENT TRAINED IN A CLUB ENVIRONMENT FOR OVER A YEAR, I STILL TRAIN ALONE (PATHETIC AINT I!) AND READ CONSTANTLY.

FOR ME TRAINING ISNT JUST ABOUT THE PERSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL, ITS ABOUT THE PEOPLE I TRAIN WITH. STARTING FROM SENSEI TO WHITE BELT, IN FACT THE FIRST THING I JUDGE ON A CLUB ISNT WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE LATEST HI-TECH EQUIPMENT OR WHAT DAN GRADE THE INSTRUCTOR IS I WATCH A CLASS AND SEE HOW THE STUDENT REACT TOGETHER AND HOW THEY RESPOND TO THE SENSEI.

WHAT INSPIRES ME
WHAT GETS ME GOING NOW ISNT WHAT USED TO WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, GONE ARE THEY DAYS WHEN THE FIRST FEW BARS FROM EYE OF THE TIGER FROM ROCKY HAD ME DOING PUSH UPS
TEN TO THE DOZEN, NOW TO TRAIN WITH SOMEONE WITH A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARTIAL ARTS GETS MY JUICES FLOWING (YEURGH!).

WHAT DISGUSTS ME:
BAD INSTRUCTORS, BY THIS I DONT MEAN
ANY BODY UNDER 3RD DAN IN FACT IVE LEARNED AS MUCH FROM 1ST DANS ASI HAVE FROM 5/6TH DANS!!.
WHAT GETS ME ANGRY ARE THOSE INSTRUCTORS WHO LACK UNDERSTANDING IN THERE CHOSEN ART AND STILL TEACH, ENDANGERING THE SAFETY OF THOSE BELOW THEM, INSTILLING A MISGUIDED CONFIDENCE IN THERE STUDENTS WHICH COULD GET THEM INJURED IN COMPITION OR ON THE STREET.

WHAT KEEPS ME GOING BACK,
PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO LOVE THE ARTS, THE FREINDSHIP AND NEVER ENDING KATA TRAINING!!


JEEZUZ I GO ON A BIT DONT I!!

I DONT EVEN THINK THIS MAKES ANY SENSE, OH WELL HOPE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU

LIAM

[waya]

I'm not sure how to describe what training is to me.... Outside of working, it's all I do. I train in class, and at home alone. It's more a way of life for me than anything else. Nothing could make me give it up.
People who see the arts as a get rick quick thing are what disgusts me. Or anyone with an egotistical attitude that doesn't understand that everyone is the same, no matter what rank they hold, all are beginners in an overall sense.

[Melanie]

Hiya Liam,

WHAT DOES YOUR TRAINING MEAN TO YOU?
I suppose my training is about the only 'thing' I do for myself. I am normally someones friend, daughter, work colleague and then I started martial arts and started to find out more about myself. My patience/tolerance, my drive and ambition that sort of thing. It means a great deal basically...as I have started to personally identify with it.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Many things really. I have two fantastically open-minded Sensei and after reading comments on several forums, I consider myself lucky here. I really do enjoy a good team kata too and watching 5-6 people performing a kata in time, with precision, there is nothing more beautiful IMHO. (I love kata)

WHAT DISGUSTS YOU?
People who join MA for the wrong reasons, trying to impress their friends or just to become 'hard'. The politics around MA - though I obviously don't have much to do with it so far - it can filter down to the lower Kyu that there are problems. I haven't been doing this long enough to be disgusted by much yet...give it another few years - I'm sure I'll turn cynical... ;)

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK FOR MORE BRUISES AND BEATINGS !!!
The passion of MA, my Sensei belief (bless 'em) that I might actually get it right one day and my classmates who are just as eager to get hit as I am...maybe the adrenaline rush too I suppose..

Melanie

[Thomas Vince]

Martial Arts training and knowledge first of al goes way beyond words and since I am not a professional at this I cannot even begin to tell you what it means to me with mere mortal words but I'll try. It means :
Being a Master of myself
Working through my own fears,
pushing myself to be a better human being,
pain and it's rewards.
It means:
Control of my own power through the control of the awesome power of Kenpo,
Being a capable first line of defense for my family.
It means:
Forging my body through a baptism of fire,
It means:
being more concerned for the success of my association and my student's rather than my own,
and after 20 years nothing should change except for my understanding, my ability to teach and my ability to execute techniques which should always improve as I quest to improve myself into a better person.
Sincerely,
Yours in the Spirit of Kenpo
Thomas Vince
5th Degree Black Belt
IKKA

[wayofthedragon]

To me, and in my own words, the martial arts mean a lot to me. As for my training, it means that I am getting better, or learning something new, each time I trained, or at least that is the objective of my training. This is what inspires me, because I know that the training will make me better, and I want to be the best that I can be physically, mentally, and spiritually. That is the only reasons, I keep going back for more. To better myself, to discipline myself, to gain self knowledge that I can use to help me in various ways. Be it defending myself if I should ever get in a fight, or just for something to do in spare time, or excersise even, or just to express my self through some movement. This is why I train. The martial arts is what I love. It is like a part of me, and when you love to do something, you just do it, not because you have to, but because you want to.

[Spike]

WHAT DOES TRAINING MEAN TO YOU?
It`s one of the few things I do that I actually enjoy and don`t do simply because it`s part of my routine. I`ve done it for a wee while and can`t imagine not doing it.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Seeing little people throwing big people around. Training with tintin makes this a regular occurence. Bless the little short-arse.

WHAT DISGUSTS YOU?
Seeing people who train because someone they know does, or because it seems kinda cool. There are some of these people who are okay but a number of them just seem aimless when you train with them, so you can`t train properly with them since they aren`t commmited in their attacks and don`t try. Also people who train on despite being injured. Training on when still injured is okay so long as you know you`re limits, those who don`t waste everyone`s time and end up really hurting themselves.

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK FOR MORE BRUISES AND BEATINGS?
I ask my instructor this same question every week, and he always just says "Because you love it." As yet I haven`t found an argument for that.

[Fuzzy Panther]

WHAT DOES TRAINING MEAN FOR YOU?
Well, mostly learning self-defense which means more to me than some people since I got a "unpleasant" person in my house who can cause damage. A lot of the time I feel like I NEED to get better so I have a better chance to come out on top if things get crazy.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
My sensei is a great friend and he is always so encouraging! He inspires me a lot and so do other people in my class. I also feel inspired when I come onto sites like this and I get "excited" reading about other peoples experiances.:D

WHAT DISGUSTS YOU?
What Melanie said---"People who train for the wrong reasons!"
I have a friend (whom I love dearly) but she drives me crazy because it seems like her whole life is showing off her Martial Art skills and saying, "Look at me!!!" and acting superior to other people!:( :mad: I HATE that!!! :mad: She's been doing MA longer than I have (a differant art from me too) but she just doesn't have the true martial/humble spirit. She's also younger than me so maybe she just hasn't matured yet.:confused: She keeps telling people that she's supposed to be a black belt by now if such and such happened as it was supposed to but I am SO glad that she is NOT because that's the last thing she needs for her ego!:mad:

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK FOR MORE BRUISES AND BEATINGS?
Partly knowing that I have to keep with my art otherwise I might not be able to defend myself and my mom. Mostly now though, I just fell in love with MA's that I can't even imagine not doing it! It's so much fun (most of the time) and I love it!!!:love: It's worth getting bruised!!!!!

Fuzzy Panther
:Angel:

[Freeform]

WHAT DOES YOUR TRAINING MEAN TO YOU?

Its probably the thing that defines me the most, its what I do and if I could get payed to train I would. Having to start training to pretty much stay in one piece hammers home the benifits of MA. It allows me to be in control of myself in most situations.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

The old guys who know so much that you just know you'll never be at that level, but you've gotta try. Also the students who come into the class who aren't naturals, but persivere and strive for perfection no matter how many times they get it wrong, you can't help but admire that.

WHAT DISGUSTS YOU?

Bigoted idiots who can't see past the blinkers of their own style/methods (this includes a lot of the so called 'modern' schools). People who nancy about and don't get down to it. I'm there to train and train hard, I don't mind getting plowed into the floor or taking a shot, if your not willing to train at this level, for real not health or stress relief, get the hell out of my way/dojo.

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK FOR MORE BRUISES AND BEATINGS !!!

The fact that one day I might be good enough to not recieve any!

[pgm316]

WHAT DOES YOUR TRAINING MEAN TO YOU?

Its an important part of my life, its more than a hobby, its what I am. Life is all about training, just to feel you’ve improved yourself that little bit each time.

And hopefully martial arts will always be a part of my life, in one form or another.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

A Kung Fu teacher that won 25 full contact fights with 15 KO’s back in the 70’s. People I train with, sometimes for fighting ability, sometimes for philosophy. Famous martial artists from Bruce Lee to Frank Shamrock. Many great books about martial arts or artists. Sometimes you’ve just got to inspire yourself to be the best you can, to be a seeker of knowledge, a true master of the fighting arts and philosophy :)

WHAT DISGUSTS YOU?

Not much really, think I’m too easy going(most of the time). People more interested in beating other people than learning. People so narrow sighted that anything other than the gospel that is their martial art, is wrong. People that just accept what there told and replay it like robots. :(

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK FOR MORE BRUISES AND BEATINGS !!!

Train hard, fight easy. :woo:

[NielStewart]

WHAT DOES YOUR TRAINING MEAN TO YOU?
Inner Calm, the 'buzz/high' after a good session, constant personal improvement, striving to be better than "I" am. Confidence, fitness.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
the fact that I am not as good today as I will be tomorrow If I train now.

WHAT DISGUSTS YOU?
People who only strive to be better than other people not better people themselves, people who have no time for others or who think they are somehow more important.

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK FOR MORE BRUISES AND BEATINGS !!!
A question I keep asking myself!! I feel lost when I don't train.