Effects of your MA(s) on your job, and vice versa

[Kacey]

How does your involvement in martial arts affect how you perform your job? I don't really mean how LEOs or those in various security professions use their skills in the course of their job; I mean, how does what you learn in your study of the martial arts affect how (or possibly what) you do for a living? How has what you do for a living affected how/why you train?

Here's what it's done for me: I started teaching TKD in 1991, as an assistant for another instructor. After about a year, I decided that I truly enjoyed teaching, and that I really did want to go back to school to become a teacher. As I got further into my teaching certification program, I found things in my classes that helped me as an instructor; likewise, as I started teaching, I found things in instructing that helped me teach school. The two are so inextricably intertwined at this point that it's hard to say which teaching skills and methods came from which environment.

[terryl965]

Me it allowed me to become a better teacher, the confidence alone makes up any hardship tere was during training.

[Jai]

It has taught me that not everyone learns as fast as I do, and some learn faster then I do. We all have areas in life that we struggle with and that the best way of dealing with it is patience.

[championmarius]

When I first started teaching, it was a very hit or miss proposition, fraught with much frustration on both my part and those I was working with...

The company I worked for at the time spent a great deal of time and effort training me how to teach a skill to others. Once I put two and two together and started using the methods taught to me by the job, it made teaching martial arts much more predictable and efficient.

[KenpoTex]

Teaching martial-arts has helped me in a few areas. It has refined my ability to present information in a logical progression, it has improved my public-speaking skills, and it has increased my level of patience and helped me to understand that different people learn in different ways (for example, visually, aurally, kinesthetically).

[Xue Sheng]

How does your involvement in martial arts affect how you perform your job? I don't really mean how LEOs or those in various security professions use their skills in the course of their job; I mean, how does what you learn in your study of the martial arts affect how (or possibly what) you do for a living? How has what you do for a living affected how/why you train?

Doing martial arts (sadly) has little or nothing to do with what I currently do for a living. As a matter of fact I see what I currently do for a living as a major road block to maintaining health and training martial arts. Chalk it up to lack of confidence in my gut feeling when I was young or to being drawn to the lure of computers like just about everyone else regardless I feel it mostly gets in the way. And to make matters worse my first Sifu pretty much told me I would end up feeling this way if I kept going the way I was going. Just in a Northern Chinese round about use of few words way.

When I was security it seemed more applicable but it still did not influence my choice to go into security.

However my training, some self study (ok a lot os self study) and one of those unexpected life type events has pushed me to decide that I REALLY need to change my career and start over (scary yes but I choose life over sickness and early death) in something that is more in line with my MA training, my desire to teach others my desire to be healthy and my desire to help others be healthy. And of course being around long enough to see my kids graduate college and since one has yet to start Pre-K I have a ways to go.

As a matter of fact I am applying to a college to pursue a "career changing" MS degree today.

[Ahriman]

For me, my work and the arts I study support each other very much. I make arms (everything except firearms) and armour (both "archaic" and modern). I can constantly improve my skills at designing these with more and more understanding of body and weapon mechanics and kinematics, while I can just as constantly improve my fighting skills with getting more and more understanding the capacities of any given object. These are so integral to each other in my mind that I sometimes can't even separate them clearly.

[Tez3]

Doing martial arts (sadly) has little or nothing to do with what I currently do for a living. As a matter of fact I see what I currently do for a living as a major road block to maintaining health and training martial arts. Chalk it up to lack of confidence in my gut feeling when I was young or to being drawn to the lure of computers like just about everyone else regardless I feel it mostly gets in the way. And to make matters worse my first Sifu pretty much told me I would end up feeling this way if I kept going the way I was going. Just in a Northern Chinese round about use of few words way.

When I was security it seemed more applicable but it still did not influence my choice to go into security.

However my training, some self study (ok a lot os self study) and one of those unexpected life type events has pushed me to decide that I REALLY need to change my career and start over (scary yes but I choose life over sickness and early death) in something that is more in line with my MA training, my desire to teach others my desire to be healthy and my desire to help others be healthy. And of course being around long enough to see my kids graduate college and since one has yet to start Pre-K I have a ways to go.

As a matter of fact I am applying to a college to pursue a "career changing" MS degree today.


Good for you! it takes courage to get up and change things. Sometimes it's easier to carry on even though you're unhappy. The best of luck and I'm sure you'll be succesful.

[FearlessFreep]

It helps quite a lot.

I write software for a living. I win *all* the discussions with the users over requirements...

[Flying Crane]

Mostly, I find myself getting irritated when my job interferes with my ability to train...

[Hand Sword]

Well, The MA's on the job have allowed quite a few, who didn't deserve to do so, walk away in one piece. On the flip side, the job gives me quite a few instances and circumstances to practice the higher learning of the arts.

[Cirdan]

hmm.. I can breakfall and avoid injury when blowing up something in the lab?

[Joe917]

I can't work as much overtime at my real job.

[Drac]

The door of my locker is decorated on a regular basis with any martial arts based cartoons..

[Ybot]

I am a Lifeguard, and Swim instructor. I have also taught Lifeguarding, CPR and First Aid classes. My martial art is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

So, to answer the question, I have found loads of cross over and connection between my martial art and my job. Besides the connections mentioned already about teaching, I found the kinetic awareness, and anatomical awareness gained through Jiu-Jitsu have helped enormously in teaching smaller people to rescue larger people, and in just streamlining the rescues I have learned over the years.

[YoungMan]

Allows me to deal with all the idiots I work with. The ones that know I practice keep their distance; the others I just breathe and let it roll.

[meth18au]

Allows me to deal with all the idiots I work with. The ones that know I practice keep their distance; the others I just breathe and let it roll.

Too right!

It definitely has a calming effect on me. My job is as an accounts manager- so a large chunk of it is keeping a cool, calm and collected head whilst solving problems that arise. If I get wound up at work- I breathe and think of training after work-then any frustrations can come out on the pads/bags instead of my mood at work!!!

[JustAVisitor]

Effects of my MA on my jobs:
- comments on bruises and hand calices from coworkers...
- judgemental comments on MA and violence from coworkers...
- no overtime during harder training periods
- self-confidence and charisma
- determination and endurance
- professional integrity
- many interesting dialogues with coworkers practicing different MAs

Effect on my jobs to my MA:
- tight schedules
- early morning wakes up...
- money to pay for classes
- a professional perspective
- a brain
- different group perspectives
-

[jkembry]

I am finding that my focus on the task at hand is improving. I am also learning to realize the point that I need to ask for assistance with a particular task...or for another set of eyes to take a look.

The physical side, I am finding I have more stamina and don't tire as easily.

- Jeff -

[kidswarrior]

As a matter of fact I see what I currently do for a living as a major road block to maintaining health and training martial arts.

As a matter of fact I am applying to a college to pursue a "career changing" MS degree today.Good luck and keep us posted. :asian:

[kidswarrior]

My experience kind of counterpoints yours, I think, Kacey. :) I'm coming to the end of my teaching career, and as some people on MT know, my students often lack functional parents. This means the kids are shocked the first time I tell them 'No' (since no one ever has). As in, No, you can't eat during class; No, you cant' leave in the middle of school and go to the store to get something to eat, then come back; No, you cant' *sock that guy* who bugs you.

This culture requires a major test of wills (theirs vs mine) an average of 3-5 times every day with some guys who are often physically imposing as well as conditioned to lawlessness (or *street law* :D). While I never worry about the physical threat, the emotional wear and tear can be draining. My MA training over time has strengthened my resolve and intentionallity, and so really helps with these encounters.