Whats your reason for training?

[Tigerwarrior]

Just got done with a workout. And afterwards I'm sitting here reflecting, and I asked myself what is my reason for training? My reasons are self defense, health, meditation and I love my art. What are your reasons everyone? Just thought it would be cool to see what others say.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You try to develop at least one MA skill that you can do better than everybody else on this planet.

You may never achieved your goal. But you are working toward that direction any way.

 

[skribs]

It's more fun than running or lifting weights.

 

[Jared Traveler]

I have always done it for self-defense, and the investment has paid off on many occasions. Definitely saving me from being shot at close range. It helped me daily for may years at staying calm under pressure and continuing to think when others were overwhelmed by the events taking place. Often significantly contributing to my ability to stay calm and use humor to deescalate with potential violent people.

It also gives me the ability to give back and invest in other people's safety and lives in general.

 

[michaelbiancardi]

For me, it's a fun way to keep active and in good shape. As so many of us (myself included) lead fairly sedentary lifestyles, it's important to have some physical activity in your life. And if you want to keep moving and active for your entire life, you need an activity you enjoy. To me, at least, martial arts is a lot more fun than, say, a weightlifting and cardio machines or a CrossFit or Zumba class. I actively look forward to martial arts training (well, most of the time).

There are other reasons I train, too. Seeking to master an art is a worthy pursuit in and of itself. Gaining at least rudimentary self defense skills is certainly a plus. Training can be relaxing, like a form of moving meditation. But the main reason I train is that I enjoy it and it keeps me active.

 

[JowGaWolf]

1. Health - It's one of the few things I can do anywhere
2. Self Defense - Training for self-defense helps improve #1
3. I want to be a good representation of Jow Ga Kung Fu.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It's more fun than running or lifting weights.

This may not be true for some people. Today I feel lazy and don't feel like to train MA. I just finished my 3 miles running 10 minutes ago.

IMO, running is the laziest exercise that one can find. I can predict that I may stop MA training one day. But I will never stop my running as long as I'm still alive.

As for weight lifting, if I don't lift weight for 2 days, I can feel something is missing in my life.

 

[Holmejr]

At 67 primarily for health. The combination of strength, flexibility, balance, gracefulness and reaction time affect so much in my life. This allows me to keep up with the Grandkids and still play fairly aggressive singles tennis.
I suppose in my youth it was probably 60/40 self defense. Now, pretty much the opposite.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you can still do this when you are 80 years old, you will never have to worry about falling down during old age.

MA is excellent for "health maintenance".

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Just got done with a workout. And afterwards I'm sitting here reflecting, and I asked myself what is my reason for training? My reasons are self defense, health, meditation and I love my art. What are your reasons everyone? Just thought it would be cool to see what others say.

All the same as yours, plus these:

Give something back. I'm not a great martial artist, but I'm a reasonably good teacher.

Give kids a positive adult role model. I remember every positive role model I had growing up. They influenced my life in good ways. You nearly never know what small thing you may do which a child will admire, adopt, or take something from. I want to be that person.

It is my path. I do one thing well; I persevere. I'll do this until I can't, because it is what I do. I need no other reason, although by happy coincidence I have other reasons too.

 

[Tigerwarrior]

If you can still do this when you are 80 years old, you will never have to worry about falling down during old age.

MA is excellent for "health maintenance".



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I couldn't do that now and I'm in my early 30s. But I have some time to work on my flexibility and stuff like that.

 

[Tigerwarrior]

All the same as yours, plus these:

Give something back. I'm not a great martial artist, but I'm a reasonably good teacher.

Give kids a positive adult role model. I remember every positive role model I had growing up. They influenced my life in good ways. You nearly never know what small thing you may do which a child will admire, adopt, or take something from. I want to be that person.

It is my path. I do one thing well; I persevere. I'll do this until I can't, because it is what I do. I need no other reason, although by happy coincidence I have other reasons too.

That's a good viewpoint, I need to stop thinking about what I can get from martial arts all the time, and start thinking what I can give with my art.