The importance of MA in your life right now

[IcemanSK]

I've been training for a long time. In that time, MA has had varying degrees of importance in my life. When I was younger (& single) it was the most important thing to me. I gained a great sense of myself from training. There have been times when it was less important to me. Through school, work (depending on what I did) & other things: it would need to take a back seat. Now, as a school owner it's very important. I just love training & teaching. But, I don't count because I run a school.

I'm not judging anyone. But I'm curious. For those who DON'T run schools/gyms (but maybe teach for others) & all students of MA....How important is MA in your life, now?

 

[terryl965]

Iceman martial Art is the cornerstone of my life I eat drink and crap MA. It has been this way for as long as I can remember and it will always be that way. It is more than a workout it is the equilvalent to being born, you have to be able to finish what you stated and for me it will never end.

Once I saw an old man practice a downblock for hours and hours, finally I had to ask why he said it is the pursuit of perfection and we are nevr going to reach that goal but we can work on it everyday.

That says it all to me.

 

[INDYFIGHTER]

I've been back and forth. Sometimes it's been everything and other times it's been just a small part. Since I've started I've never stopped completely for any length of time. Even if I'm only showing up for my 1/2 hour private lesson one night a week I've kept one foot in the door. Recently though I've seemed to balance out a little. I do what I WANT to do but I have also been finding time to train a little here and there. I have an edge when I bounce if I've been training even if just a little. When I go all week without throwing a single punch or doing a few pushups I go to work I'm not as confident. Some train for fun, some for compitetion. I've always trained for life and I've never thought I should stop living to train if that makes since. I'm not an instructor just a student who wanted to learn to protect himself and that is what I've done.

 

[zDom]

Critically important. It keeps me well — mind, body and spirit.

 

[IcemanSK]

Iceman martial Art is the cornerstone of my life I eat drink and crap MA. It has been this way for as long as I can remember and it will always be that way. It is more than a workout it is the equilvalent to being born, you have to be able to finish what you stated and for me it will never end.

Once I saw an old man practice a downblock for hours and hours, finally I had to ask why he said it is the pursuit of perfection and we are nevr going to reach that goal but we can work on it everyday.

That says it all to me.

Of course you do, Terry. You own a school. You & I don't count because we own schools. I'm more interesting in knowing about students & bb's who teach occasionally for their instructors.

I'm why ya, tho:ultracool

 

[Touch Of Death]

I'll chime in. The Martial Arts have pretty much kept me out of trouble my whole life. I'm very aware of who I am when faced with choices of violence or even relationships in general. Who wants to explain an idiotic choice to your teacher or fellow martial artists? I find my training has helped me identify weaknesses in others. Some times I come right out and tell them what I think the problem is and how to solve it just to see how they will react, or i hint a solution. Eitherway a fight is usually avoided because they recognize empathy when they see it.
Sean

 

[terryl965]

Of course you do, Terry. You own a school. You & I don't count because we own schools. I'm more interesting in knowing about students & bb's who teach occasionally for their instructors.

I'm why ya, tho:ultracool

Iceman even before I was a school owner the above post is me. Wheather I own a schoolor not it is the cornerstone of my life and has been since I could remember, As my father said without the guideness of a MA life one can only wonder what other have felt.

 

[RED]

TKD started off as something to do to give me a little more confidence in standing up for myself. Helped me out of my shell. Then it turned into a way of staying healthy. Now after leaving a very radically devoted church (almost cult like) I wanted to fill my life with something. I haven't found a church to fill me spiritually since I left the radicals. So MA teachings have helped to fill that spiritual emptiness. I go through the training rollercoaster a couple times a year, but I keep my focus on the big picture of a life long commitment. Something I do every day is, do something small towards greatness / goals.

 

[Kacey]

TKD is part of who I am. When I don't have time to practice or go to my instructor's class and work out, I feel like I'm out of touch with myself - even when I teach my own class, as I have twice a week for the last 12 or 13 years.

From Mr. Holland's Opus:

It's almost funny. I got dragged into this gig kicking and screaming, and now it's the only thing I want to do.

That pretty much sums it up... the guy I was dating at the time dragged me to a TKD class, under heavy protest, and something just clicked... 20 years later, I'm still here, and I've never taken a significant break from it - even when I've been injured, I've continued teaching and learning what I could.

 

[Xue Sheng]

ahh it means nothing at all :uhyeah:

OK if you believe that I have a bridge to sell you.

It is not really a separate thing from my life so I guess it is rather important.

But there are things that are more important, my family is by far more important to me.

 

[Drac]

Very Important..It's what helps keep me alive on the streets.. I pass that knowledge on the newer officers so they can go home at the end of their shifts unscathed...

 

[Shaderon]

In the beginning it was a way for me to learn self defence and perhaps stay fit. now I've learned in order to STAY fit I had to GET fit.... I'm still trying to get there. If I can once keep up with a warm up and not get out of breath then I can say I'm fit(ter).

MA is my life now, it's given me a goal, it's given me a common interest with my daughter and it stops me worrying about many things.

I can't see me giving up now until I'm too old and decrepit to carry on, or I get KIA. (Can't see that happening around here somehow though).

 

[JBrainard]

I had always thought that martial arts were "cool." So, about 7 years ago I jumped in. And I'll never be the same
At this point in my life, martial arts are very important to me. I am emerging from quite possibly the worst 3 years of my life (ok, second worst) and martial arts, being one of the few things that I am passionate about, gives me something to hold on to when the chips are down. That just about sums it up.

 

[MJS]

I've been training for a long time. In that time, MA has had varying degrees of importance in my life. When I was younger (& single) it was the most important thing to me. I gained a great sense of myself from training. There have been times when it was less important to me. Through school, work (depending on what I did) & other things: it would need to take a back seat. Now, as a school owner it's very important. I just love training & teaching. But, I don't count because I run a school.

I'm not judging anyone. But I'm curious. For those who DON'T run schools/gyms (but maybe teach for others) & all students of MA....How important is MA in your life, now?

Training in the arts is very important to me. Due to RL, I'm not able to train as much as I'd like, but I do what I can. I've gained so much from my years of training, everything was well worth it. I don't foresee myself stopping anytime soon.

Mike

 

[charyuop]

I don't really know...
I eat coz I have to, I work coz I have to, I drink coz I have to.
I play with my daughter coz I like it, I read coz I like it, I have sex coz I like it, I do Martial Arts coz I like it.

Are all these things part of my life? Yes they are. Could I live without any of the non vital things? Well, I'd say I could give up all of them except my family.

I could say that MA is something like taking a shower or putting on cloths. Something that I do daily without thinking about it too much. The excitement of the first weeks is gone and now that I have seen that I really like it I just included it into my life as part of it. Don't give to it excessive importance nor I treat it as a soccer match with friends to fill in a day. It effected me physically and mentally (awareness and confidence), but it hasn't changed a bit my character. When my daughter has the right age (now she is 2) I will try to introduce her to MA too hoping that she will like it like I do, if not it will be ok.

To sum up it is kinda hard for me to answer the question of the topic. I could say MA to me is very important and not important at all.

 

[Fuzzy Foot]

These days it's one of the few things that makes me happy, although I don't get in as much time as I'd like. About 3hrs per day would be about right.

 

[Bigshadow]

I don't own a school. I am just a student who has a small training group for extra training on Saturdays and I get to occasionally do a little teaching in class.

To me my martial arts training is the "Cornerstone" as Terry put it. That doesn't mean I am in the dojo practicing techniques every day (there must be balance, too much of anything can be bad). I train when I can and as often as I can, balanced with the rest of my life. I actually train twice a week (in the dojo) plus seminars and such, however, every day is training on some level of my existence (Mind, body, and spirit).

My martial arts has as much importance AND influence on my life as religion does for many people. To me, it isn't a hobby, or some idle fascination, it is a life guiding influence.

 

[Langenschwert]

MA are very important to me right now. I end up training 3-5 times a week. For me, a good part of it is getting in touch with the world of my ancestors, and my way of honouring them as well. A lot of the European arts died out with the advent of firearms and sport fencing, and I'd hate to see them fade into oblivion again. With that in mind, I hope to eventually share my knowledge with others, and one day open up my own Salle.

Best regards,

-Mark