# Where does spirituality fit into the grappling arts?



## Freestyler777 (Jul 7, 2007)

I used to play judo and now I train BJJ and love it.  Judo happens to be an olympic sport, and the focus is on competition and following the mind-boggling rules and regulations of the sport.  

BJJ has a more flexible approach, being both sport, self-defense, athletics, and character development all at the same time.  You take what you want to get from it.

But the initial reason I wrote this thread was to ask the others on this website, where does spirituality fit into competitive grappling arts?  To me it seems that many are only concerned with winning matches or with self-defense.  

The question is, how can competiyive fighting and the development of the character go together?  BJJ is a martial art, MMA is a martial art, Sombo is a martial art.  How can we develop minds as well as bodies?


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## Andrew Green (Jul 7, 2007)

Freestyler777 said:


> The question is, how can competiyive fighting and the development of the character go together?  BJJ is a martial art, MMA is a martial art, Sombo is a martial art.  How can we develop minds as well as bodies?





Stay calm, think about what you are doing, play fair and respect the person punching you in the face or choking you out.

People that do that have strong character IMO.

People that fight and bicker over who out ranks who, don't like to train and spar with people "under" them and care more about the stripes on there belt then actually training have weak character IMO.

Yet it seems that very often the more a style goes on about the importance of character the more likely they are too have a person in the second group at the head of there school / organization.


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## Jin Gang (Jul 15, 2007)

Spirituality fits wherever you put it.  A style doesn't have spirituality inherently, you do.  Teachers can try to teach morality and spiritual practices along with their martial arts, but they cannot force anyone to accept them.  A person needs to be honest with themselves; if their spirituality cannot be reconciled with participating in fighting competitions, then something will have to change.  A shift in perception, a shift in attitude, a shift in behavior.
  It all depends on what "spirituality" means to you.


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