If You Weren't in Martial Arts......

[beauty_in_the_sai]

Hi everyone! I was just wondering....If you weren't in martial arts, perish the thought but, what sport or hobby would you be in? Or if you are lucky and have the funds and time to do something else too, what are you into?

I would like to do so many things but time and money are short. I'd like to do figure skating, ballet, or gymnastics. With gymnastics, it was actually a silver lining in the cloud. My mom wouldn't let me do gymnastics as a child though I wanted to because she believed they starved you to make you more thin. Since I couldn't do that, a couple years later, at 13, I started martial arts. Mom was against that too, as she thought I'd get hurt, so thank God for my dad, who said I'd be ok, so my mom finally gave in. Anyway......

My only other current hobby is belly dance which is a good ab worker!

Becky

[terryl965]

Well first off I cannot imagine not being involved in Martial Arts, now for what else I would be doing sailing, canoeing, skiing, and going to more renasance activities all over this country of ours and maybe over sea's. I always wanted to take up movie producing but not enough money and all i would want to produce would be old B martial art movies with everybody flying over house and able to do 50000000000 kicks without stopping.

Terry

[OnlyAnEgg]

for myself, I am involved with two wonderful things (martial arts being the one). the other is music. i play trombone and do some scoring, as well. there's nothing else cooler than these two things, to me.

[arnisador]

I'm not much for physical activities...if it weren't for martial arts, walking would be all the exercise I'd likely get. Of course, with two kids, who has time for other hobbies anyways?

[tshadowchaser]

As terry1965 said it is hard not to imagin myslef in the martial arts but if I wasn't i think I would have been one of those people that played various sports in the local leagues.
I do pan for gold and look for gems on occasion but time and $$ have slowedthat hobbie down

[clfsean]

I would've focused on music instead of just sidelining with it.


Plus I'd probably really fat by now...

[Flying Crane]

I have been doing martial arts since I was 13, and can't really remember now what life was like without it. Before that, I do remember that I had an interest in running, so I would probably be doing that for exercise, and maybe competitively. I have continued to do some running, but it has always taken a back seat to my martial arts.

I have been a scuba diver since about 1990 or so, and was an instructor for a while. I stopped being an instructor because I am not in a position to be able to do it economically. My wife and I dive the northern California coast, and occasionally take trips to tropical places like Belize and Thailand.

I have been developing an interest in metal arts, primarily in rebuilding Chinese style swords. If I can find a blade of decent quality, then I will build a new hilt. I carve the handles out of exotic hardwoods and cast the guard and pommel from solid bronze or silver alloy. I have also begun building new scabbards for the swords. I carve the scabbard from exotic hardwoods and add metal fittings made from bronze. Since this interest sprung up from my kung fu training, i suppose I probably wouldnt be doing this had I not been a martial artist already.

[Martial Tucker]

Other than MA, by far the biggest physical activity in my life was (back in the day) football. I played from jr. high thru college, and even though that was over 25 years ago, I never want to lose the feeling of being in good shape physically. So, while I'm far from being a gym rat/musclehead, I do try to make time to lift weights and run 3 times/week.

Other than that, for exercise I LOVE to ski, and I also like wilderness backpacking/camping.

As for non-physical hobbies: reading, cooking, astronomy, piano

[Gemini]

I got into martial arts because of a high stress job with long hours. I've been in sports my whole life, but could never seem to find something available in the hours I had time to commit. If I weren't doing martial arts, I'm sure I'd be quite dead.

[Bigshadow]

I have a few things I enjoy doing. Let's see, I would like to continue flying (have private pilot's license), I enjoy paintball, hunting, fishing, camping, and off-roading in my Jeep. Any of these or combinations of these I could probably be found doing.

I especially enjoy being outdoors (not to be confused with WORKING in my yard, YUK!)

EDIT: Someone mentioned Astronomy, YEAH! That is alot of fun! Speaking of which, last night I was out after dark and noticed a very bright "star" in the South/West sky. Based on it's brilliance, I am guessing it was either Jupiter or Venus, and it looked to be Mars just below it. I was going to drag out the telescope to see, but I had just finished mowing and didn't bother.

[mantis]

soccer

[Loki]

No martial arts? Besides the universe ceasing to exist, I'd probably have gotten much further on the fantasy story I was writing plus some more creative writing, have a slightly larger piano repertoire and I would have read enough books to justify the name "Human Encyclopedia".

[Solidman82]

Well I played some basketball in elementary and highschool but I don't think that would've gotten anywhere. Recently I got into climbing though and found it to be very enjoyable (despite my phobia of heights). And as it is, I'm still getting very passionate about film.

[Cryozombie]

i play trombone
GEEK.

I played trombone (in highschool)... so I am a geek Too!

To answer beauty_in_the_sai's question,

I have several rereational activities that I guess if I didnt do martial arts I would do more often. The top 3 in no particular order are Rock Climbing, Homebrewing, and Riding my Motorcycle...

[Navarre]

I've already answered about my dream job in the "What Do You Do For a Living" thread. I also spend my time writing. I mostly write scripts for comic books. I've submitted a few but haven't been picked up yet.

I want to write a book but haven't hit upon my moment of inspiration yet. In fact, my inspiration has dwindled horribly because I have (tried) to abandon my fascination with my muse. It's a long story.

[Flying Crane]

I want to write a book but haven't hit upon my moment of inspiration yet.
yeah, i'm right there with you.

[Lisa]

I would be devoid of life's light, I would float aimlessly in a void of despair and wander the world without direction...

nah, truthfully I would probably have been suckered into shooting in rifle competitions with the rest of the family. All I can say is... thank god for MA! :D

[Navarre]

My latest reputation point came as an inquiry on what would happen to my writing without my muse. The point was not signed so I didn't know to whom I should respond.

The answer is that my writing has stopped. That's my problem.
My muse inspired me to write certain things. It is in my best emotional interest to abandon my interest in my muse (as in, "Stop thinking about her before you end up divorced!"). Thus, at this moment I have nothing to inspire me to write.

[karatekid1975]

I did a few things when I was younger. I also used to write. I just recently got back into it with a few small articles. I also played drums, which is now my other hobby again.

If I didn't do MA, I'd probably would have a band (and never quit playing drums), and/or would have written a book or two.

Other than drums amd MA, my other current hobbies are cooking, the outdoors (camping, fun in the sun, gardening, ect), computers, and hanging out with friends.

[Ceicei]

Well, if MA had to stop for whatever reason (hope that never happens), if I am physically able, I will do more caving and go back to doing team sports. If I become physically unable, then I guess I will look more to music and the arts. It's hard to say really what I will do since I have always been into action of one thing or another. I just cannot imagine life without the ability to move.

- Ceicei

[Shaolinwind]

Hi everyone! I was just wondering....If you weren't in martial arts, perish the thought but, what sport or hobby would you be in? Or if you are lucky and have the funds and time to do something else too, what are you into?

If you're looking to hear about hobbies, I spend a good deal of time building model railroads and painting chinese calligraphy and watercolors. I also have some rather nice marine aquariums.

No martial arts?? Perish the thought indeed, I probably wouldn't be doing any sport, or anything at all for that matter, lol. I'd be smoking, getting high, playing video games, and turning into a right fat bastard. :uhyeah:

[mj-hi-yah]

I love the ocean so anything to do with that...I have been trying to fit in scuba and would like to learn how to sail or at least have a boat to float around on. I also like skiing and could use more time on the slopes as the kids :xtrmshock without poles still whip by me! I would also love to make a short film. I think it would be fun to learn claymation. If money were no object I'd go back to film school. Navarre for creative people it's important to have a muse...so long as you don't abuse! It's probably a good thing you gave yours up. Maybe you can find another somewhat less musing muse. :)

[Navarre]

Maybe. .. My muse should inspire me, not consume me. (sigh) I'm strong though. I always do the right thing. Too many years training in honor and too many years reading comics. It probably saves me from myself sometimes.

[MA-Caver]

Meh, it's pretty obvious with me... caving. With my good buddy Ceicei and her kid(s). But if not for MA I think my caving ventures would indeed be different. The way I move about and think while I'm underground has been heavily influenced by Martial Arts.

Honestly I can't see NOT having MA in my life at some point or another.

[arnisador]

I always wanted to speak a few foreign languages. If I only had the time...I'd love to read Dante in the original.

[bignick]

Honestly, sitting on couch somewhere weighing 450-500 lbs and eating a pizza while playing guitar, watching tv, or playing video games....

[Shaolinwind]

sitting on couch somewhere weighing 450-500 lbs and eating a pizza while playing guitar.
Heehee! Kinda like rock guitaurists will put their cigarette in between the upper strings, you can smash a slice in there and munch in between playing licks. Of course you'd have to play some fat licks.

[bignick]

Yeah, exactly...same idea...and of course, all that grease would really speed up the action on the neck..

This may call for further experiments....

[Kenpobldr]

I would try to do more hiking, fishing or white water rafting (thats fun) and some pick up hockey or soccer games.

In reality though I would proberbly spend more time on my three kids activities... hockey, soccer, swimming and the dreaded homework.

[mj-hi-yah]

I would try to do more hiking, fishing or white water rafting (thats fun) and some pick up hockey or soccer games.

In reality though I would proberbly spend more time on my three kids activities... hockey, soccer, swimming and the dreaded homework.Welcome to MT! :wavey:

[mj-hi-yah]

Maybe. .. My muse should inspire me, not consume me. (sigh) I'm strong though. I always do the right thing. Too many years training in honor and too many years reading comics. It probably saves me from myself sometimes.The grass is always greener... stay:jedi1: strong!
Bignick I'm glad you do martial arts! :)

[Grenadier]

Hi everyone! I was just wondering....If you weren't in martial arts, perish the thought but, what sport or hobby would you be in? Or if you are lucky and have the funds and time to do something else too, what are you into?

I'll answer this in a different manner. Instead of what would I do, I'll tell you what I did do.

I was out of the martial arts for a somewhat extended period of time, since I couldn't yet find a school to my liking in my new area. During that time, I would pass some of the time by going to my other hobby of working with computers, and even getting into the thick of online gaming. Very addictive stuff (online gaming), as expected.

I became more heavily involved with some of the other online discussion boards, such as Glocktalk.com, Thefiringline.com, etc., and got to meet some really good folks, some in person.

All of this came at a terrible cost, though. When I went to the doctor's office for the first time in many years to simply get a prescription for Allegra filled, a routine blood pressure check showed something alarming, that I was getting some very high diastolic readings. So, they scheduled a routine physical exam, and the bloodwork showed some skyrocketing cholesterol levels (300), elevated triglycerides, in addition to the blood pressure. Very unusual for someone 6' 0", and 170 lbs.

300 mgs of Avapro a day has calmed down the blood pressure to normal levels. I know that this is something that will be with me for the rest of my life, since it runs in the family. I don't mind this too much, since I don't experience any side effects from this.

I tried modifying my dietary habits for a while, taking in saturated fats and cholesterol very sparingly, eating very healthy diets, but this only knocked down the cholesterol to 285.

At that point, I was getting pretty discouraged. Here I was, a yudansha rank holder in two martial arts styles, being described as a candidate for having a heart attack while still in the early 30's. Not nice, and certainly depressing.

Then one day, while doing some shopping, I accidentally saw a Karate dojo that taught Wado-Ryu, so I stopped by and observed a class. I liked what I saw, that they drilled their students with some strong fundamentals, that the instructors had very watchful eyes, and all of the students had great discipline. While the instructors were sometimes blunt about things, they never belittled anyone, and you could see that they commanded a healthy respect from the students (not fear).

I hit it off very well with the chief instructor, and they let me come in as an advanced student (Shotokan and Wado are similar enough), and let me wear my old brown belt in an unofficial manner until I took the test for shodan in this style. I signed up that same day for a long term, stuck with it since then, becoming a yudansha there as well, training on a regular basis, and becoming an instructor at this school.

During the spring of this year, the physical I took this year showed a drop in cholesterol to 215 (despite stopping the near-vegetarian diet I was trying to use earlier), and I know that this has been a life saver.

Anyways, I hope this answers your question. I don't intend on ever going through another stretch of time without the martial arts ever again. While I did enjoy the world of computers and online communities for a good period of time, it could have cost me my life, literally.

[karatekid1975]

bignick just reminded me of something. Before MA, I didn't do much activity at all (except play drums). So I'd prolly be a pot-bellied, beer drinkin, stuck in a bar for life (no career out of it anyways) drummer. I was over weight before I started MA as it was LOL.

As far as stuff I'd like to do. Learn a foreign language, go hiking or start running/biking, travel, and learn to play taiko (Japanese) drums.

[kempoguy71]

I have been practicing martial arts on and off since I was about 6 years old(I'm now 35)... so I would also find it odd not to practice... as it's part of my lifestyle.

Now, in addition to Martial Arts I'm an avid practitioner of sleight of hand Magic (impromptu magic with cards and coins for the most part), and spend quite a few hours every week on honing this skill (and if I didn't spend so much time on MA I would probably focus more time and effort in this area).

If I didn't spend so much time on magic and martial arts I'd spend more time on my writing (I've written a few manuscripts and like others would like to write a novel); as well as drawing (pencil drawing of portraits); and perhaps get into amateur bodybuilding. I also play the flute (Native American Flute and the Shakuhachi) and would spend a bit more time here as well.

Other things I'd probably take up if I wasn't focused on these arts would be Shodo (Japanese Calligraphy) and Chado (Japanese tea ceremony), and brush up on a few languages as well...

KG

[searcher]

Well, I used to be a football player and track athlete, but they were not for me in the long term. I would most likely be spending more time doing personal training or something that would keep me moving. I can'tsay that anything really sticks out as to what I would be doing. Maybe just ripping out my hair from boredom. I can't even imagine a world without training in the martial arts.