What you know now, would you have made any changes in any aspect of your training? This could range from the art that you initially picked, to methods of training, to the school you first trained at.
If You Knew Then....
- Thread starter MJS
- Start date
14 Kempo
Grandmaster
If I could go back ... hmmm
Besides the obvious, starting earlier in life, there are a few things that I wouild do differently. First of all, I'd quit smoking years earlier. Secondly, I would be a bit more dedicated to the arts. I had a chance, when I was younger, to be a pretty darned good MAist (not that I'm horrible now) ... but I was a smoker, and since, at the time, it didn't seem to have a detrimental effect on me, I kept on puffing. Well, after an extended break, I came back, right after I quit smoking, now it definately has an effect. I have been a no-smoker for going on 5 years now, but I still have a terribly hard time breathing. Well, wish I never smoked, but since I did, wish I would have quit long, long ago.
Besides the obvious, starting earlier in life, there are a few things that I wouild do differently. First of all, I'd quit smoking years earlier. Secondly, I would be a bit more dedicated to the arts. I had a chance, when I was younger, to be a pretty darned good MAist (not that I'm horrible now) ... but I was a smoker, and since, at the time, it didn't seem to have a detrimental effect on me, I kept on puffing. Well, after an extended break, I came back, right after I quit smoking, now it definately has an effect. I have been a no-smoker for going on 5 years now, but I still have a terribly hard time breathing. Well, wish I never smoked, but since I did, wish I would have quit long, long ago.
kidswarrior
Senior Master
Woulda gone straight to where I am now, but not sure the linear route would really be an improvement over the circuitous, longer one. Learned an awful lot that was caught, not taught. Also resulted in cross training that I never would have intentionally chosen, but worked out for the best.
tradrockrat
2nd Black Belt
I would have used bag gloves EVERY TIME and I would have protected my knees more when sparring.
I might have have gone to college in Edinboro (40 min away) instead of Lock Haven (4 hours away) and made it to class during my college career instead of just the summers and christmases
Blotan Hunka
Master Black Belt
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2005
- Messages
- 1,462
- Reaction score
- 20
Spent less less waving my limbs around and more time actually hitting and getting hit. Getting pushed until I felt like I couldnt swing another punch.
michaeledward
Grandmaster
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2003
- Messages
- 6,063
- Reaction score
- 82
I would have started sooner.
I hit the jackpot. My wife picked out the school where I study from the phone book for my younger daughter. The school she choose was headed by a long-time student of Huk Planas. There are no comparable quality schools in American Kenpo in the area.
My daughter studied for three years before I got onto the mat.
I was always a bit of a pacifist. And I believe long past the point in my life where I would need self-defense skills. I remember when I started studying, I said I have no desire in hitting anyone; I was going to study for the 'ballet of motion'.
Well. ... years later.... I like hitting people. I like getting hit by people. I like the physical activity. I like the mental activity.
And, consistantly, I still feel better leaving the mat, than I felt when I entered the training area. Why on Earth would you stop something that produces those results.
I hit the jackpot. My wife picked out the school where I study from the phone book for my younger daughter. The school she choose was headed by a long-time student of Huk Planas. There are no comparable quality schools in American Kenpo in the area.
My daughter studied for three years before I got onto the mat.
I was always a bit of a pacifist. And I believe long past the point in my life where I would need self-defense skills. I remember when I started studying, I said I have no desire in hitting anyone; I was going to study for the 'ballet of motion'.
Well. ... years later.... I like hitting people. I like getting hit by people. I like the physical activity. I like the mental activity.
And, consistantly, I still feel better leaving the mat, than I felt when I entered the training area. Why on Earth would you stop something that produces those results.
You know I can honestly say nothing, I mean I have had the priveledge to train with some of the greatest of our times. Some where great moment and some not so great but the one thing they all did was formed me as I am now. So I would not change anything.
If I could "go back" and change something? The only thing if I could change would be to train harder. Otherwise than that, the journey I took and am now going is where I want to be... What I've learned along the way at the time they happened were what I needed to learn, even the bad moments. I'd leave this as it was... I am what I am because of what I've learned.
- Ceicei
- Ceicei
Because the school I started in was the only one around I guess I would have still stated there.
How ever if I had known of some of the quality instruction less than an hour away I might well have studied elsewhere to begin with.
I have an idea that my path would have led me to the same place in the end .
I have said before that a place of employment was the difference between the two systems that I wanted to study and the two instructors I wanted to study under. If a job had come up in the other location first I would have started studying Pai Lum insted of Sikaran as it was Sikaran became my main system although I do try to get with and study with Pai Lum people when ever I can these days.
How ever if I had known of some of the quality instruction less than an hour away I might well have studied elsewhere to begin with.
I have an idea that my path would have led me to the same place in the end .
I have said before that a place of employment was the difference between the two systems that I wanted to study and the two instructors I wanted to study under. If a job had come up in the other location first I would have started studying Pai Lum insted of Sikaran as it was Sikaran became my main system although I do try to get with and study with Pai Lum people when ever I can these days.
I agree and go further..I wish that I had never started...That's about the only real regret, that and not starting formal training earlier..
grydth
Senior Master
I would not go back at all.....that is not to say I don't have an entire long trainload of stupid things I've done in life.
But often the dumb stuff that lands you flat is what motivates you, makes you tougher and better. Edit out the goofs and all you have an egomaniac with a glass jaw. That, and maybe I'd mess up some of what I had originally done right.
No thanks. Somebody else can take my turn in the Time Tunnel.
But often the dumb stuff that lands you flat is what motivates you, makes you tougher and better. Edit out the goofs and all you have an egomaniac with a glass jaw. That, and maybe I'd mess up some of what I had originally done right.
No thanks. Somebody else can take my turn in the Time Tunnel.
Guardian
Black Belt
I have to agree that I'm pretty satisfied with where I'm at. I too would say I wish I hadn't ever taken up smoking.
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
If I had to go back I would start in the same place. There are a few bumps along the way I might avoid and some places I would train much harder but in general I would do the same thing.
Oh there is 1 thing I would DEFINITLY change I would NOT stand under that DAMN tree again :disgust:.
Oh there is 1 thing I would DEFINITLY change I would NOT stand under that DAMN tree again :disgust:.
My training has become so much more alive and realistic over the years...I wish I had known better training methods way back then.
grydth
Senior Master
I believe it was tennis champion Jimmy Connors who said that by the time you are old enough to know what to do, you are too old to do it.:mst:
newGuy12
Master of Arts
Youth is wasted on the young, period!
I have made many mistakes in my life, but I refuse to let myself be brought down into a state of despair over that! I ask myself what I can do today, not just in regards to martial art training, but regarding life in general.
I wish to leave the past behind. It is regrettable to me, the bad choices that I have made!
I would not trade my Teachers for anyone. I believe that I have had the best Teachers in the world. That is not something that I can take credit for. I did not seek them out. I just happened upon the school.
I agree. I would not go into any Time Tunnel. There is a chance that some choice that I would make the second time around would produce a worse outcome!!! There is no benefit to such thinking!
I would not change anything - if I started sooner, I'd have had a different instructor; he started teaching shortly before I started studying, and a different instructor would not have led to the same experience. Anything I change would make me a different person - and how can I know if that would be better or worse?
