Keeping your Martial Arts knowledge and skills secret

[Tony]

I choose to keep the fact i study martial arts a secret froma lot of my people. Only my friends and family know i do it but not the people i work with or my neighbours. I never show off but time at work i was caught practicing my kicks and did feel very embarrassed. The guy that saw me was very friendly and we did talk about martial arts as he had studied soem karate. Thankgod he didn't ask em to demonstrate or show any self defence techniques as i might have messed up and he would laughed at me. I wasn't that experienced at the time and wasn't doing any sparring but since then i have got a lot better. I was only there a short time anyway as the job didn't work out and if i had stayed i woudl ahve had to have cut my Martial Arts trainign short and theres no way I could ahve let that happen.

No one at my current job know i study Kung fu as I never put that down on my CV as one of my hobbies. The reason i don't like to tell people is i woudl be used as some kind of performing clown for public amusement like i was back at school. Back at school i had no formal trainign but had learnt a little from my sister's friend so i had some decent high kicks and coudl already at 15 do the splits which people loved to see.

Telling people taht i study a martial art can lead to all sorts of unwanted attention and people wanting to prove themselves because they feel insecure that i might be better at something than they are or just dismissive of Martial Arts in general. Today i was at work telling a colleage about te new gym i went to and how i had a fitness test which i did well at. He asked me what i did to keep fit and i said i do some exercises at home but i woudl ahve loved to ahve toldl him i do martial arts but i don't want everyone at work to know. I want people to like me for who i am and not the entertainment value.

The only time any of my work colleagues should find out i do a martial art is if we are in a situation where it is needed and i manage to handle myself adequately but then again i think i keep it a secret because i lack confidence. There was one time when i was just about to enter my Martial Arts class and a work colleague saw me just outside waiting to go on ( a work colleague from a former job) and said Hi to me but I don't think he saw me actually participating as the next day he was in the ofice with the the guy i worked wiht everyday saying he saw me at this kickboxing class (not knowing it was kung fu) to which i said i was just watching after my gym work out.

 

[Kacey]

Most people who know me know that I teach TKD; given that it occasionally conflicts with work (being a teacher, I sometimes need to miss after-school events because they are at the same time as my TKD class) it was inevitable that it come out, and I haven't had any particular problems - in fact, I have held demonstrations at my middle school occasionally and they have been quite popular - and the kids quite well-behaved afterwards.

I do know people who don't tell their friends because they consider it a private part of their lives - I even know one BB who didn't tell his parents he was in TKD until he reached BB, which he did by inviting them to his testing (all he told them was to show up at a certain time and place).

I think that it's up to you - if you want to share, do so, and if you don't, then don't.

 

[Drac]

I think its a personal choice..Most of my brothers and sisters in the LE community know that I study and teach, it's led to some informal demonstrations and hopefully increased their interest in training..My opinion for what its worth..

 

[FearlessFreep]

I don't really keep it a secret. It comes up too naturally in conversation; same as being a musician, being a Christian, being a husband, being a father, being a computer programmer. It's too much a part of my life that it would feel akward and unnatural for me to keep it a secret. I don't go around overtly talking abuot it "Hey, you should've seen that spinning back kick I planted this guy with at sparring class last night" but since class schedules and training impact social schedules, etc... and other kinds of conversations sorta involve what you do with your spare time, I don't hide it either.

Being a 36yo computer programmer working corporate IT though, I don't get requests for 'demonstrations' or anything.

 

[MJS]

For me, I'd say it depends on the situation. If I feel that someone is going to ask serious questions, and not just ask a question for the sake of humor, then I usually have no problem discussing what I do.

Mike

 

[evenflow1121]

There are ups and downs to it, now while you certainly dont want to become an attention whore, there are a lot of positive reasons as to why you may want to share your martial arts training experience with other people.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I'll add that I don't talk about my martial arts training in social contexts among strangers. That could attract attention in a very wrong way

 

[DeLamar.J]

I think its best to keep secret. Some people use the fact that they study martial arts as an identity and there only source of respect. Quite pathetic in a way, and usually those are the ones who cant even fight.

 

[jdinca]

I don't advertise it, but I don't hide it either. I wear MA t-shirts on a regular basis and I practice in the parking lot at work, which was basically like putting out a general e-mail to all employees. There are three ways to get information out, television, telephone and tell a fireman.

 

[TheBattousai]

I don't advertise it, but I don't hide it either. I wear MA t-shirts on a regular basis and I practice in the parking lot at work, which was basically like putting out a general e-mail to all employees. There are three ways to get information out, television, telephone and tell a fireman.

I'm with you on this, unless its someone close (cause I try to get them to join). Or if I over hear someone looking for a school among friends and co-workers, then I tell them. I don't train in public places, but I wear a t-shirt from time-to-time. Its definalty advised not tell everyone.

 

[Swordlady]

I never really kept my MA training a secret, but I didn't publicly advertise it either. Some of classmates back in high school *did* figure out I was taking Tae Kwon Do (I got into a minor confrontation and instinctively went into a fighting stance - though no punches were thrown). Most of my friends and acquaintances know I'm training again, but I don't disclose too much of what I'm learning. I don't let people know my exact skill level in a given martial art.

 

[Phoenix44]

I'd find it very hard to keep it secret. Like FearlessFreep, it's what I do: kids, work, martial arts.

 

[Grenadier]

For me, there's no need to exhibit the skills if they're not needed. My private life isn't anyone else's business (unless I want them to know), and the fewer details that I give about it, the better, as far as I am concerned.

Amongst friends, eventually, someone might find out what I do. Since they're friends, I really don't have to worry about them, since they respect my wish for privacy. Most of them are trained in the martial arts anyways, and think in similar manners.

 

[tshadowchaser]

i don't kep it a secreat but I don't go tellong everyone I meet that I study in the first minute after meeting them.
I wear martial art related shirts from many schools and systems and ususly tell those who dont know me that the school( on the shirt) is located in in whatever town and I know people from the school. If questioned if I study I usualy tell them i have a little experence but that i am just a student learning the arts

 

[terryl965]

I really do not let people know, but at the same time most people know I'm in the Art because of the school. Kinda of a double edge sword some people try to use it in a way that makes them feel better inside and some just do not care for there training is a journey and not for show.
Terry

 

[TigerWoman]

I always thought that TKD was the best biggest secret in town. Nobody knew about it. At first I didn't tell anyone either, especially about my humble beginnings. Then as others have said, it comes out in conversation as in I can't go to lunch these days because of classes. Or they say, hey, I saw you at that demo. Actually the newspaper wrote me up when I tested for black belt at age 50 with a picture of me looking wasted at the end. People are curious about it. I found the more I talk about it, the more they get interested and come in or send their children in. I guess I am a walking advertisement as to why they can't also be in TKD. But I drew the line in class when the master wants me to put my age down at each and every class on the sign-in sheet. I suppose to show parents and 30 somethings, it is not too late but...really!

Yes, it is a private journey, and I don't regale everyone with all my details. Even my relatives in town, don't know much more than that I am in it. And, I don't advertise it to strangers who might want to prove something. But on the other hand, most people don't think they have what it takes to even start and they don't understand what it is all about. So I talk about it to those interested. And I don't talk about it because I'm pathetic, or want attention, or don't have self-worth, as martial arts is only one facet to my life. I wouldn't be in TKD unless it gave something to me, but if I didn't share it, I wouldn't be carrying on the tradition of bringing it to others. Share what you love, others may love it as well. Its kind of like being on MT. For awhile I thought it was a real time blackhole (maybe still is), it does bring information and support to those that are interested. After all, it was one of the reasons I've stayed in my much loved TKD. TW

 

[evenflow1121]

Sometimes you just draw connections with people. For example a very good friend of mine is quite proficient in the Jhoon Rhee system and when I had just met him, he was wearing a TKD shirt. So one question led to the other and all of a sudden he knew that I studied kenpo and I knew about his TKD background. However, at the same time, I would never go around flaunting or telling everyone I know what I study.

 

[Henderson]

It may be off topic, but the other day a co-worker of mine had an acquaintence come into the store. This acquaintence was wearing one of those stupid "A Black Belt isn't something you wear..." sweatshirts, had the cheesy little 2" obi key-ring, and was telling Brian about preparing for his "4th-degree" test. Brian says to the guy, "Oh, Frank does karoddee too". I could have killed him.:whip: The guy asked "what style?" I just said that I train in a few different arts and acted like I was really busy.

 

[jbclinic]

depending on what you say determines you saticfaction of the system/art you practice that anyone should know in depth

 

[Henderson]

depending on what you say determines you saticfaction of the system/art you practice that anyone should know in depth

I'm not sure I understand what you meant by this. Can you elaborate please?