Why we do, this thing we do....

shujika · Yellow Belt

As I was browsing the topics in the forums, reading responses to various questions, it got me wondering just “Why” (we) practice these various forms of martial arts? For some, it's a matter of “job proficiency” and the fact that they are likely to be involved with altercations ie. Police, security personnel etc of which, most individuals in those professions rarely go beyond their agency's teachings . But for the average “Joe/Jane”, who (odds are) will never be involved with a situation in which this training will be of little to any direct value what-so-ever, what exactly makes them choose to participate (pay money, spend time, sweat, be sore, risk the many possible minor injuries ect.) in an activity which frankly, they will never utilize or even be presented with the situation to “justify” the use of ?
For myself, I enjoy the teaching and learning aspects (I also find the subject very interesting). I have never made any “real” money out of teaching it. But I have a great time learning new techniques and teaching classes, seminars ect. I was curious, what are most individuals motivation to “training”?
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"If your breakin' a sweat, your doin' something wrong"

fleasome · Yellow Belt

It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.....

REASON ONE: COOL FACTOR OK. When I was a young one, grade school, there was a Y.M.C.A. near my house and my parents would drive past it all the time. A big huge sign was out front that said Karate. I must of seen a movie at some point and thought it was cool and wanted to do it. I begged and begged but my overprotective mother was afraid her runt would get hurt.

I checked out every Karate book that was in the grade school library and got made fun of a lot. My parents enrolled me in little league baseball instead. Which I hated. I was pretty much a runt back then, though I'm not huge now.

So flash forward all the way to highschool, and I decided I'd get some lessons from a guy I knew that allegedly studied something. I basically learned a few blocks, horse stance, and some punches. Don't think that guy really knew much more than that but he talked a good line.

REASON TWO: SURVIVAL

Further forward now and I'm working at Kmart in security and always getting in fights. Somehow the big shoplifters didn't like stopping for the 5'5" 110lb kid. I ended up getting hurt because we were not allowed to use handcuffs which led to Kmart thinking I was going to sue them. So they allowed me to get us all trained on handcuffs by the expert in the town I was working. Enter my first instructor, and Ryukyu Kempo.

REASON THREE: COOL AGAIN

After the handcuffing seminar I joined the Association and their classes. Pretty much it was the continual wow factor that got me through the pain of training. It was totally amazing to see how tweaking a little spot on the body could send someone crashing to the ground.

REASON FOUR: OTHER THRILLS

19 years later it is still thrilling. I still learn from my elders, my peers, my students, and myself. I love to teach, it accelerates my learning so much. It is an amazing thing to know the power of the human body, and its weaknesses.

Oh, and then there is that whole being a cop thing, so survival is still a part of it.

Lee
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Lee Richards
Kenshukai
A Ryu Te(R) Ren Mei School

Throwdown0850 · Green Belt

tori · Orange Belt

Years ago, when I was a little kid, my parents had a little drinking problem. I did anything to get out of the house, including follow a friend to a Kung Fu class. I was hooked immediately. My instructor at that time, saw what I was going through at home and never asked me not to come to class, even though my mom wasnt paying the small tuition. I loved it. It was my life. All the anger I had towards my life was worked out in Martial Arts. Now years later as an adult, I continue my love for the Art. It is a different style for me now, but my heart is still there. I will admit, I still have a bit of an anger problem, but I think I do my best to keep it under control. I probably would not be the person I am today without my training. That is why I go and continue to train.
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Live life, train hard, but laugh often.

Shotokan-kez · Black Belt

Tori i'm much the same. Although my parents didn't have drinking problems they were fighting a lot and hence divorced. I wanted to go to karate for fun at first...although i did enjoy it. As an adult now i have never looked back, even though i did have around 10 years out. It has always been in my heart and i absolutely live for it (next to my sons of course).
It helps me reduce stress levels and any anger. It also helps with self awareness and confidence. Achieving my black belt was one of the best things that have happened to me and it just makes me want to learn and achieve more.
I also get a sense of pride when i get to teach the children in classes and a sense of acheivement when i see them do well.

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Walk away and your always a winner. www.shikata-shotokan.co.uk

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

I always had an interest in the MAs. In the 8th grade, a friend invited me to the class, and I have been with it ever since.

Now, It is just a part of me. It is "my thing."
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Success is where preparation meets opportunity.

www.chiefswarpath.com

brokenswordx · Yellow Belt

(This reminds me of a topic I made. . . ) Anyways why? To have a connection to the past. Even though Martial Arts have in a way taken a back seat in modern times, the history and lessons that come with them are important. One major thing I've gained from my training is to be more confident and sure of myself. I stopped worrying so much of what others like of me and took on a more "I can do it!" attitude. I also love the exercise I get from MA's and it motivates me to better my cardio and strength training.
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One word: Muffins

The BB of C · KF Sempai

I used to do it for self defense because of problems at school.
Then I found out that I loved it so I pursued.
Then I found www.zgmain.com and figured out that I love performing and that there was a way to mix the two together. So now I do it to try to build a career in myself for that.
I've also been going for self defense again more recently. Where I work there's a lot of inner city "tough guy" kind of deals that like to challenge the karate kid

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There is little honor in going down. There is no honor in going down without a fight. --- Victory dwells in the individual, not the style.

KarateEd · KF Sempai

When I was a kid I guess I thought it was cool (seeing The Karate Kid is partially responsible for this, along with those Saturday afternoon dubbed Kung-Fu movies).

Now that I am older I have discovered that MA allows me to remain physically active, express myself physically, and blow off steam (when I am doing MA I don't worry about outside problems) among other things. I have also found that the pursuit of MA goals has helped me to attain non-MA goals. The discipline and effort needed to succeed in MA spills over into my everyday life.
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"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness."
-- James Thurber

pittbullJudoka · KF Sempai

Personally I study martial arts because I'm addicted. But seriously it seems I learn something new every time I step into the dojo. The guys I train with are all black belts and we have diffrent but similar views on our techniques. But my self confidence is very high as is my awarness. I took for ways to better myself through the studies.

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