What got you into martial arts?

[BTittel]

To beat up my bullies, but the more I learned, the more I and "practiced", the more i changed. I may have practiced Tai Chi wrong, but even if i did, i changed to the Jedi side, and gained inner peace, so continued to study every thing I could, every chance I got, and practice as best I can.
(I practiced Tai Chi as a way to "shadow box" not having a partner)

 

[ks - learning to fly]

I got jumped in Detroit in 2003 and took the beating of a lifetime.. In 2009, I made the decision to start TKD because I was tired of being scared. This June 2016 will mark 7 years and I'm never going to stop.

 

[Skullpunch]

Dragonball Z (I'm being completely serious)

 

[Xue Sheng]

What got me into martial arts...watched a friend of mine in a Jujutsu demo in a mall and I was hooked.... waaaaay back when Enter the Dragon was a new movie

 

[ozm8ey]

I had been suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, deralization and psychosis. I started karate and after about 4 months my deralization went away, I no longer get panic attacks and psychosis is gone. It pretty much saved my life. that with the medication though

 

[Spinedoc]

I was 12, and going through a rough time. I had lost my father at age 6, and at 12, lost my hair. Nowadays, thankfully, the bald look is in....but in the early to mid eighties? Not so much, got made fun of a LOT in school, got into more than a couple of fights, and after coming home with a bloody nose and a black eye, my mom said "That's it!", and enrolled me in the local TKD club. Studied it for about a year or so...Then did some wrestling in junior high, and started boxing a bit in high school and right after.

One of my best friends was a boxer. His dad went to school in Michigan on a boxing scholarship, and both of his sons boxed. The one son was even golden gloves champ in his weight class in the state of Ohio. Anyway, his father built a boxing ring and gym with bags in the basement. We would both box and kickbox, and they taught me a lot. To the point, where even to this day, I feel comfortable with punching and trading punches.

Anyway, I went into the military and was in the Navy, but as a corpsman, assigned to the Marines. Second Recon, where I learned military combatives.. Also, my father was a black belt in Okinawan Karate (don't know what style) before he died when I was six. So, while I was in the military I studied Uechi Ryu Okinawan Karate for a couple of years. I also studied Hapkido for a limited time (about a year or so).....

Then to be honest, I kind of forgot about the martial arts, well, not really forgot, but was so busy with school, work, then getting married, having a child, etc. that I simply didn't have time or resources to pursue any arts for awhile.

Several years ago, my daughter enrolled in the local TKD class, and it got me thinking. I noticed that there was a local Aikido school nearby, and I had always been fascinated with it. So, decided to go take a class and see if I survived. Fast forward....and I'm also studying BJJ as well.

It's a journey....never a destination. And, I've enjoyed learning along the entire way.

Mike

 

[Runs With Fire]

I wanted to learn hand to hand combat. My dream was to be a merc. I figured it would come in handy.

 

[Tez3]

I wanted to learn hand to hand combat. My dream was to be a merc. I figured it would come in handy.

Why a Merc what's wrong with BMW or Jaguar, all very fine cars.

 

[Runs With Fire]

Why a Merc what's wrong with BMW or Jaguar, all very fine cars.

I'd prefer a 64 vette.

Eventually I was offered a long term contract in Afghanistan. Oddly enough, and against everything I thought I wanted, I found a reason to stay.

 

[Tez3]

I'd prefer a 64 vette.

Eventually I was offered a long term contract in Afghanistan. Oddly enough, and against everything I thought I wanted, I found a reason to stay.

That's not a 'merc' job though it's security. I know loads of people who went (and are still going), martial arts doesn't help you, you need to have been in the military.

 

[Runs With Fire]

Military background wasn't required, either you needed military or you had to know the right guy. Me, I knew a guy. A true merc position required a good amount of experience. I found a starter position, and martial arts certainly couldn't have hurt. Anyway, now I am a sunday school teacher. Quite the change of direction.

That's not a 'merc' job though it's security. I know loads of people who went (and are still going), martial arts doesn't help you, you need to have been in the military.

 

[Tez3]

Military background wasn't required, either you needed military or you had to know the right guy. Me, I knew a guy. A true merc position required a good amount of experience. I found a starter position, and martial arts certainly couldn't have hurt. Anyway, now I am a sunday school teacher. Quite the change of direction.

I would loved to have seen the job advert for a 'beginner mercenary', I can't imagine quite frankly how you can be a mercenary without military experience since the job is being military. Sounds like 'doctors position available but you don't have to have any medical experience'

 

[Runs With Fire]

I would loved to have seen the job advert for a 'beginner mercenary', I can't imagine quite frankly how you can be a mercenary without military experience since the job is being military. Sounds like 'doctors position available but you don't have to have any medical experience'

The guy I knew didn't start with military either. Though he did go to what he called "mercenary school" basically private boot camp.

 

[Tez3]

The guy I knew didn't start with military either. Though he did go to what he called "mercenary school" basically private boot camp.

Running a private boot camp sounds a very good way to make money out of the naïve as long as you don't feel upset when they get themselves killed on their first job. Personally I would not work with anyone who came out of such training nor would I work for anyone who employed these people.
There's a lot of talk about McDojo's on here and other martial arts sites, it sounds as if these places are the military equivalent only more dangerous.

 

[Runs With Fire]

Running a private boot camp sounds a very good way to make money out of the naïve as long as you don't feel upset when they get themselves killed on their first job. Personally I would not work with anyone who came out of such training nor would I work for anyone who employed these people.
There's a lot of talk about McDojo's on here and other martial arts sites, it sounds as if these places are the military equivalent only more dangerous.

True, But since when was free government training considered necessarily better than private services? Not to bash military, but we know how bureaucratic government tends to run things.

 

[Tez3]

True, But since when was free government training considered necessarily better than private services? Not to bash military, but we know how bureaucratic government tends to run things.

Wow. Really? that is certainly 'bashing' the military. You honestly think that private military training is better than 'government' training? Ok I'll let the Americans sort you out as far as their troops are concerned ( I imagine that they could have a lot to say) but we don't have 'private' military training here because we have some of the best training in the world for our military, we have the Para's, the Royal Marine Commandos, the SBS, the SAS, the RAF Regiment as well as some of the finest regiments in the world. The Royal Navy has been known for it's excellence four hundreds of years. Do you honestly think that any private company can rival what the military can offer? No, they can't. I think you have a palpable lack of knowledge of the world's military, no one simply becomes a mercenary soldier without proper military training and experience in warfare, and that cannot be got from anywhere other than a proper military force.

 

[Runs With Fire]

Wow. Really? that is certainly 'bashing' the military. You honestly think that private military training is better than 'government' training? Ok I'll let the Americans sort you out as far as their troops are concerned ( I imagine that they could have a lot to say) but we don't have 'private' military training here because we have some of the best training in the world for our military, we have the Para's, the Royal Marine Commandos, the SBS, the SAS, the RAF Regiment as well as some of the finest regiments in the world. The Royal Navy has been known for it's excellence four hundreds of years. Do you honestly think that any private company can rival what the military can offer? No, they can't. I think you have a palpable lack of knowledge of the world's military, no one simply becomes a mercenary soldier without proper military training and experience in warfare, and that cannot be got from anywhere other than a proper military force.

I simply see privatization as a viable option, and I do like to consider my options.

 

[Tez3]

I simply see privatization as a viable option, and I do like to consider my options.

Oh dear.

 

[GiYu - Todd]

I would loved to have seen the job advert for a 'beginner mercenary', I can't imagine quite frankly how you can be a mercenary without military experience since the job is being military.

They can always use someone to be on point. No need risking an experienced guy.

 

[Runs With Fire]

They can always use someone to be on point. No need risking an experienced guy.

I was crazy enough for it.