Ever Lie About Your Training?

[Xue Sheng]

Lie, no not exactly.

I once worked with a guy that was about 6'6" tall with biceps the size of my thighs when he was incredibly angry at me and about to take a swing at me, that he would feel real guilty tomorrow when he had to come visit me in the hospital... he laughed and all was well

 

[bydand]

Outright lie, no not yet. Have glossed over training many times just to circumvent the usual BS associated with people finding out you "Think you are the next Bruce Lee?" and other equally stupid remarks. Plus the simple fact that doing Ninjutsu is just too darn hard to try and overcome the crazy sterotypes people have. If they want to call it karate that's fine with me. Karate by the way is the generic term people use up here for any MA training, I am not trying to demean a very effective system that has been around as long as it has.

 

[jks9199]

I don't advertise my occupation or my hobbies in grossly apparent ways, especially in places where it's likely to cause me headaches. Ask me what I do, and I work for the town. Push me -- depending on the context, I'm a garbage collector or something equally innocuous. As to martial arts -- if it comes up, it's probably because of mutual interest and we'll chat. I may invite you to the class I teach. If it's a more unpleasant situation... "I'm still learning" or "I don't know much yet." Or... sometimes just a flat, deadpan "Yes, I could." Confidence lends so much authority...

For the original poster... I'd recommend a similar approach. In a situation like that -- be a teacher. They don't need to know the specific details of what you teach...

 

[ares]

I don't lie, but I usually don't even bring up the subject. If someone gets in my face, I try to get out of it with kind words, but in the times I've had to use my art, I do as little as possible and try to make it look like I stumbled on to something. Most people looking for a fight couldn't tell anyone what you did anyway. He did a left half moon and executed a block and gave you a right thrust punch to the floating ribs, right back two nuckle punch to the temple and threw you on the floor. He did what? so I leave it at that. as simple as possible.