Why do people join Martial Arts

[Shaolinwind]

Funny thing is I always liked the Cobra Kai better for some reason.

Yeah man... Weren't they tough?? And they had black uniforms with a SNAKE on it, oh man.

Off topic.. TSD Grandmaster C.S. Kim's favorite movie is Karate kid.

 

[MMAfighter]

The first thing i trained in was kyokushin karatge at the age of.....9 i think...i did it till i was about 11 and just lost some motivation. It was because i had always been interested in martial arts because when i was little my grandpa was always into these kung fu movies and i got int it becaus ehe always babysat us and we use to watch it with him...then it added on my seeing my brothers and cousins do a kenpo class and finding out that i was too young to join, plus shows liek power rangers and superhuman samurai came out+ninja turtles...so i got really into the stuff. I left karate at 11....now i train because i'm into MMA....i know i;m into it for sure cuz i've been into it for the passed few years and it's taken over a lot of stuff i use to be into....so...that's why i train hehe.

 

[lll000000lll]

Why do people join Martial arts? Is it to get in shape? Is to gain confidence? Is it to know how to defend yourself? Is it because they saw a movie, thought it was interesting and decided they wanted to learn how to do what they did in the movie? I think people join for all these reasons. I also know that a movie about martial arts is NOT neccesarilly the way you practice a martial art because in a movie the fight scene is rehearsed many times.
what is your perspective?

for me it was all of thee above,
and to strengthen my spirit.

it was for me to strengthen my overall being.

 

[gardawamtu]

First of all, since I was a Star Wars freak, I always wanted to do something. After the Karate Kid, I really did want to take karate. My mom said I could if I also took gymnastics. As an unenlightened 8-10 year old boy I didn't want to do a girls' sport (like I said, I was not enlightened -- now I think it would have helped me tremendously).

I finally started taking Kenpo at age 30. It was mainly to get in shape and build confidence. I don't fear being put in a self-defense situation, so that was not my main intent, but I really did like the applicability of kenpo.

Now I continue in it to stay in shape and get that mind-body connection (which is why I also added Tai Chi).

 

[RheaHS]

myself.
The judo, at age 6 because I wanted to get out of ballet, which was otherwise a required "sport" for girls.
The second time, because partly I wanted to defend myself (after experiencing an attack which ruined years of my life) and partly becuase I felt I was getting lazy.
Trust me to walk into such a tough syllabus and organisation...and now I am loving everything I do. Its brought such a change to my life, and the people have been my support and a major influence to my confidence and life

 

[Flatlander]

Off topic.. TSD Grandmaster C.S. Kim's favorite movie is Karate kid.

Do you have a source for this claim?

 

[zenfrog]

just wanted to say hi to all the martial arts enthusiasts around roanoke va give me an email and we'll talk martial arts,
later

 

[bookworm_cn317]

I joined for several reasons:
- To lose weight
- I was interested since I was 12 (Power Rangers)
There were other reasons, too.

 

[N 2 Combat]

I wanted to learn to beat people (not random people just people looking for victims). Then I started to transform and that part of me started to get smaller. I'm at a point that I enjoy training others for personal protection. To see their eyes and minds light up when they start to get what you are doing is great. I keep doingit because now I see options in doing what I love. Plus the whole movie thing...I'm stil like that.

 

[ldgman1970]

Well I started doing it again at the ripe "old age" of 34 because I had always wanted to learn a martial art. I had started several times in TKD when I was a child and for financial reasons had to drop out each time so when I reached a position in my life in which I could afford it and had the focus and committment I decided to go for it.

Specifically I like the challenge of learning tecniques and forms and I like the fact that there is always room for improvement and more to learn. I chose Kenpo is particular because I felt it's aggressive style would help me to be more assertive and confident in other aspects of my life, which it has.

 

[Loaded Luke]

Why do people join Martial arts? Is it to get in shape? Is to gain confidence? Is it to know how to defend yourself? Is it because they saw a movie, thought it was interesting and decided they wanted to learn how to do what they did in the movie? I think people join for all these reasons. I also know that a movie about martial arts is NOT neccesarilly the way you practice a martial art because in a movie the fight scene is rehearsed many times.
what is your perspective?

I did martial arts to learn how to fight.

If someone does MA cos they saw a movie n they wanna copy what they do, or wanna show off, thats cool. People have their different reasons. You say in a movie the fight scene is rehearsed many times and that this differs from 'MA', but actually a lot of MA (patterns etc) is rehearsed and repeated many times. I dont think theres a difference as far as that goes.

 

[airdawg]

I joined, not out of interest, but because it was required at my high school. It has become a lifestyle. Wouldn't give it up for anything.

 

[Block]

I joined because it was a course offered at my high school in 1989. My phys ed teacher was a black belt and teacher in Taekwondo. I remember asking my Mom “What’s Taekwondo?” I stuck with it and eventually branched out to study other martial arts.

BTW, in my training I’ve learned that people sign up for a martial art for a variety of reasons. But there are only two reasons why the stay with it: to learn and to have fun…and if they aren’t doing one then they aren’t doing the other.

_______________________________________________________________
“Conditioning and guts take over where knowledge and skill end.” Mr. Ed Parker Sr.

 

[Hand Sword]

Why? The real secret? Because, getting caught in your PJ's is embarrassing, and people want to learn how to be tough in them!

 

[Cirdan]

I just like to punch, kick, throw and strangle people whithout getting arrested afterwards :boing2:

 

[airdawg]

I just like to punch, kick, throw and strangle people whithout getting arrested afterwards :boing2:

Maybe you should look into doing the arresting.

 

[InnerMountainMartialArts]

Hello to all who practice martial arts, I offer my respects. I am new to this internet community. As I read the posts of several martial artists of various styles and beliefs, I see a common thread that binds all of you together. You have all chosen, for one reason or another, to better your self and others through the teachings of martial arts. A greater sense of self and purpose is hard to find in life and as such you practice this every day in your chosen art. Be ever-mindful of this journey and end each day knowing that, as you continue your practice, you become better than yesterday's challenges and tests in life. My best wishes to you all.

 

[myusername]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread, its interesting to have a peek at different peoples roads in life.

For myself I think I became initially aware of Martial Arts because I was an impressionable young child in the 80's whos two favourite films were Rocky and the Karate Kid! When I was an older child I loved films like Bloodsport and The Kickboxer! (fond memories!)

When I was a kid I tried to convince my mum to allow me to join martial arts but she would often let me start the free initial lessons and then not want to pay when those ran out. So through my childhood I sampled very small amounts of kickboxing, kung fu and karate but of course never getting anywhere past the first few lessons for financial reasons.

When I came of age so to speak and had my own money I was still keen to start martial arts as I felt it was something I always wanted to do so I tried Judo (wasn't for me) and Goju Ryu Karate. I loved Goju Ryu Karate! I quickly started feeling the benefits that others have talked about on this thread - improved stress levels, confidence, inner strength. Unfortunately after three months I had to quit as I started working in a restuarant that demanded unusual shift patterns (the club only trained two nights a week so I would sometimes go weeks without a class so dropped out).

Never went back for years as there was always a reason why I couldn't join (nurse training, working shifts as a nurse, moving towns etc etc). Now I am 28 and out of shape! I have started to eat healthily and wanted to fit some exercise into my routine and remembering the psychological benefits of karate looked towards martial arts again.

Unfortunately as a nurse I still work weird and wonderful shifts but where I live now there are lots of clubs that train in excess of 5 nights a week so making two a week is achievable. I tried my local Goju Ryu club but didn't like the way the sensai ran the class (Hardly any teaching going on - we would warm up and then play fight with the instructor doing the same at the front without even looking around at the beginners to see if they are doing it right). I tried some BJJ and MMA clubs because of the good things I was hearing about them on the internet but again felt that my local clubs were not particularly interested in novices and it was often just like having a punch-up with no attempt to teach me how to fight. I finally walked into my current Tae Kwon-do class and found my perfect fit!

It's interesting as when I was researching which martial art would be best for me TKD was at the bottom of my list due to the bad mouthing on various forums and internet sites (not this one I may add). But I have discovered that its not the style that is important its the way that its taught. My Sabum is wonderful and takes a lot of pride in his teaching and I have found my particular class to be much more self defence orientated than I was led to believe from *********.com! I am enjoying the challenges, the improved fitness, the structure of the lessons and all of the psychological benefits that I remember from my brief stint at Goju Ryu. I love Tae Kwon-do and can't imagine ever leaving martial arts behind again now.

 

[gkygrl]

I joined MA because I wanted to challenge myself physically (I have MS) and mentally. I joined to improve strength and balance. I also wanted something that my partner and I could work on together and be challenged together with. We also wanted a system of MA that would allow us to earn belts and progress.

Simple reasons -- but we are HAVING SO MUCH FUN! I am being challenged to the maximum and when I am on that mat (bumps and bruises and all) I forget that I have MS and feel that I don't have any physical limitations.

It's very, very cool actually.

One of the best things I could be doing for myself right now.

 

[Kingindian]

i train to protect myself and to loose weight..