Obligation Doesn't Trump Fun

Zaine · Black Belt

This weekend I attended a tournament. It was the first tournament that 2 of my students attended (they did great), and the 3rd for my daughter (she also did great!). I signed up for kata and points sparring, as well (I didn't place, but the competition was very tight and I had a great time). The whole time I was there, I was dreading the points sparring. I love doing the kata. I feel like performing kata for competition is a totally different beast than doing it for testing or practice, and I love how it challenges me.

However, I dislike points fighting. In fact, I dislike it quite a bit.

This is not to say that I think that it is somehow lesser. I fully understand its purpose and use. I understand why it's a good choice for competitions. I just don't like doing it. Matsumura Seito taught me to be okay with being hit first and that doesn't mesh well with points fighting. That isn't the fault of the event, nor of my style, it is just a fact of my training and life.

I had competed and gotten first in points sparring at the previous 2 competitions with this organization, so I signed up for a 3rd time. However, during the tournament, while I was judging, something in the back of my head was stewing with worry. I felt anxious about fighting. I wondered if I thought that I was going to get hurt, but I knew that I wouldn't, everyone there was very safe. I wondered if I didn't feel well, but aside from some allergy issues, I felt great. Still something ate at me until I realized what it was. I came to this competition to have fun. I don't find points sparring fun and I was dreading it. This was taking away from the usual fun that I have while judging and participating in the competition. Once I realized this, I quickly went to the organizers and asked to be removed from the event, which they did with no questions. Afterwards, the day began to move quickly! I was having fun. I was enjoying judging without anything else going on in my head. I did kata with no worry, and judged the specialty kata event for my fellow adult black belts afterwards.

I was letting a sense of obligation to get in the way of how I have fun with karate. I felt that I had to do 2 events, and that one of those events had to be sparring. Once I realized that I was there to have fun, and removed the thing that was causing me discomfit, I became more relaxed and was able to throw myself into the processes of the day with more vigor. Don't forget that what we do should be fun. We continue to do this because we find it fun and if there is something that we do out of a sense of obligation that makes us miserable, then we don't have to do that thing. Sometimes, things can be less fun (I'm not usually the first to jump up in excitement about step drills), but still enjoyable. However, if we get in the habit of doing things that makes us miserable, our love for the martial arts will wane.

Remember to have fun.
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aurik · KF Sempai

I'm glad you were able to have fun and realize that you don't HAVE to do both events if you don't want to. I personally hate points fighting too -- I'm not quick enough either. I tend to be more reactive when I spar. I'm the guy who lets a guy get the first strike in, and then I'll grab the arm/leg on the way out and pummel the heck out of them. Very effective in free-form sparring, but not so effective in points sparring. I love kicks to the thigh and calf, leg sweeps, and other grappling moves. As a bigger guy, I'm all about closing the distance and using my weight against the opponent.

Whenever I sign my son up for a tournament, I tell him 2 things: "Have fun and do your best". I don't care if he wins or loses, but I just want him to go out there and show me the best he can do. I've not done a tournament in a long time, but that's my philosophy as well. I don't care about winning. I just want to go out there and show the best I can do. It sounds like that's what you and your daughter both did, and I applaud both of you for it.
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sensei8 · KF Sensei

There is never any obligation, well, there shouldn't be. Training, and competition is part of training, has to be fun for every practitioner. Otherwise, then why do any of it at all.

By what you mentioned on how Matsumura Seito taught you, I can see how Kumite at any tournament would be fun whatsoever. I'm sure that you're very much so involved in Kumite at the dojo you train at.

If Kumite is a drag for you at tournaments, then stay away from that, and no student should feel obligated to do anything. If Kata and the Judging is a blast, than do that.

After all, tournament sparring is nothing more than a game of tag, and can be quite ineffective where true Kumite is concerned. Let's be honest, tournament sparring is a game, and true Kumite is not.

Sure, in by tournament sparring days I thoroughly enjoyed every division as well as the judging and arbitrating said tournaments. That was me. I had a blast!! As the years went by, some of the newer divisions were not fun whatsoever, made no sense, and made me feel that the respect for the MA was without any honor.

I applaud you for your decision because the betterment of the MA and its journey is completely up to you and for you and not for anyone else!! Stick to your guns and train hard.

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R5ky · Orange Belt

DarthPenguin · Pre-Black Belt

Yeah good on you for doing what is right for you. I always remember getting pressure from some prior instructors to enter every possible event in competitions, and even when i had entered forms, sparring, multiple breaking events, getting told off for not entering them all - effect it had on me was i pared back my competition entries.

Martial arts are an inherently risky pastime. Competitions even more so since adrenaline is added to the mix. Entering a competition out of obligation seems to me like it is a easy way to increase the risk of injury too.

Zaine · Black Belt

Zaine · Black Belt

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

Kudos to you, Zaine. I think there are times and places for challenging oneself, or putting oneself in a situation of discomfort, in order to battle though it, and this is especially useful early on in an MA career. But after one has been seasoned, it's important to not get burnt out, and pushing to do things that aren't enjoyable is a sure-fire way to do that.
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Zaine · Black Belt

I really like the way you said that, Brian. It's important to season ourselves, but once seasoned, we don't want to burn under unnecessary flame.
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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

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