Reasons why people get into the martial arts

Bill Mattocks

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And yes, I've been through ABQ. I spent one night there as I drove the Rt. 66 circuit, and I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

That's too bad - ABQ is a great place! We lived there for several years. Great place for photography, and there is not much better than genuine New Mexico green chile.
 

BLACK LION

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I am a warrior by blood... I just picked up the phone when the call came.

I had no specific reason to begin and 25 years later I still dont have a specific reason why I train. It is just in me to do so . I consider it a higher part of myself or my "super ego" that guides me down this path. I feel as if it is a Godsend and part of the lords plan for me to be able to stand up and protect the weak and those who cannot protect themselves.
 

FearlessFreep

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Well when I tested for first dan in TKD, my instructor made me write a Bio. Here's an except that sums it up

Q: Why did you start Tae Kwon Do?
A: Well...I watch a lot of movies, documentaries if you will, that involve zombies, androids, aliens from some time in the distant future, and similar day to day challenges. It occurred to me that if I were ever to find myself in such a situation, knowing martial arts skills would be of value when being pursued by the axe-wielding fiend or her husband through the woods at night in the fog. Tae Kwon Do was the obvious choice given it's virtue of being the easiest to spell and pronounce. It also gave me an excuse for wearing pajamas in public.
 

FearlessFreep

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That's too bad - ABQ is a great place! We lived there for several years. Great place for photography, and there is not much better than genuine New Mexico green chile.


Amen! I try to make it down a few times a year (I'm in Colorado Springs now). Double Ranchero Supreme green chili cheese burger from Bob's Burgers and a breakfast burrito from Blake's are always on the menu at least once. A trip to Garcia's is a given too.
 

Flea

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Black Lion, that's really poetic. Thanks for that.
 
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rdonovan1

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Amen! I try to make it down a few times a year (I'm in Colorado Springs now). Double Ranchero Supreme green chili cheese burger from Bob's Burgers and a breakfast burrito from Blake's are always on the menu at least once. A trip to Garcia's is a given too.


Your making me hungry. I wonder what ever happened to that waiter. I placed my order for that ham on rye a long time ago and that silly waiter still hasn't delivered it as of yet. LOL.
 
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rdonovan1

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I am a warrior by blood... I just picked up the phone when the call came.

I had no specific reason to begin and 25 years later I still dont have a specific reason why I train. It is just in me to do so . I consider it a higher part of myself or my "super ego" that guides me down this path. I feel as if it is a Godsend and part of the lords plan for me to be able to stand up and protect the weak and those who cannot protect themselves.

I've always viewed myself as a warrior, but because of my interest in the dating, mating, and relating game I am learning to become more of a lover.

I guess that you could say that I have that whole Casanova, Don Juan mentality going on with me as I am always trying to find new and improved ways of not only meeting and relating to women, but also in improving my interactions and relationships with them.

I don't know if I've gone a little overboard with it all or not and maybe I've even been trying to run away from my true self by becoming just a little too passive. All that I know is that is an important area in my life and it is one of the reasons as to why I am looking at getting back into the martial arts as I know that the martial arts can and will improve my confidence level and that just by itself can and will improve my overall attractivness to the opposite sex as women tend to find self confidence in a man very, very attractive and sexy.

I think it is was bill that hit it right on the head when he said that it's that whole Alpha male thing that women tend to find so attractive in a man as they tend to want a guy who is not only very self confident, but who can also protect them and any children that they may have while at the same time being an excellent lover and provider to them and any children they may have together.
 

Nolerama

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I always had some kind of MA growing up. It was a way for my parents to deal with their hyperactive kid. As I grew up, it became a cultural thing (especially for my brother and sister, who stuck with the FMA's a lot better than myself). I took one semester of Tai Chi in college because I thought I needed that sort of thing to help with an anger problem only to realize that waking up at 5am isn't good for me.

Ultimately, I've been a fan of the process of technique. Finding it. Understanding a fundamental and then adding in a functional style. You learn that really quick if you ever were a skateboarder/rollerblader/breakdancer. Strangely enough, I was. It wasn't until a pretty savage beating that I realized that I needed something to replace an activity that I weened myself off of (replaced by a party lifestyle) with some form of self defense.

I found a FMA coach. Trained a little, and it was suggested to me that I might want something more athletic, and was pointed to a number of boxing gyms and MA studios.

That's how I got into MMA. I really like the physical aspect of it alonside the SD/competitive edge it gives me.

It's a catharsis. The MAs, especially MMA, to me is my release. I find my peace and clarity through learning how to fight, and fight better.

Anger issue: out the window. The same goes for my Defacing Public/Private Property tickets from skating. I don't get into fights anymore. I've been in the best shape of my life.
 
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rdonovan1

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I always had some kind of MA growing up. It was a way for my parents to deal with their hyperactive kid. As I grew up, it became a cultural thing (especially for my brother and sister, who stuck with the FMA's a lot better than myself). I took one semester of Tai Chi in college because I thought I needed that sort of thing to help with an anger problem only to realize that waking up at 5am isn't good for me.

Ultimately, I've been a fan of the process of technique. Finding it. Understanding a fundamental and then adding in a functional style. You learn that really quick if you ever were a skateboarder/rollerblader/breakdancer. Strangely enough, I was. It wasn't until a pretty savage beating that I realized that I needed something to replace an activity that I weened myself off of (replaced by a party lifestyle) with some form of self defense.

I found a FMA coach. Trained a little, and it was suggested to me that I might want something more athletic, and was pointed to a number of boxing gyms and MA studios.

That's how I got into MMA. I really like the physical aspect of it alonside the SD/competitive edge it gives me.

It's a catharsis. The MAs, especially MMA, to me is my release. I find my peace and clarity through learning how to fight, and fight better.

Anger issue: out the window. The same goes for my Defacing Public/Private Property tickets from skating. I don't get into fights anymore. I've been in the best shape of my life.


What is FMA? I have never heard that term before.

I've heard of MMA, but I have never really studied it at all. The closest that I can really relate to MMA is what Jean Claude Van Damme said in the movie Bloodsport in which he portray's Frank Dux.

I don't know if you or anyone else can recall the part in which he asks his shidoshi to teach him after Shingo died and Tanaka San refuses because he is not Japanese. He retorts by saying that Tanaka San taught him to always keep an open mind and to use any tactic that works.

Tanka San then responds by asking him as to why he would want to do that and he responds by telling Tanaka San that it is to honor him.

I don't kow about you, but I personally liked that part of the movie and I personally thought that was probably one of the best parts of the movie. There were other parts of the movie that I liked, but that is one of the better parts that I liked about it as I believe that what he said is true when it comes to both the martial arts and to life in general.
 
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rdonovan1

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"Pain heals, chicks dig scars and glory is forever." ~Shane Falco from the movie "The Replacements" :uhyeah:

My reasons for getting into MA evolved over the years...

First as a means to keep getting my *** beaten everyday by the thugs at school -- this started in grade school about the 5th or 6th grade and didn't come to fruition until my first (and only) year in college.

Then it evolved as a means to finding myself, finding my center and dealing with the beast within.

Now... well, to keep me in shape, to insure the beast is caged and my center stays as close to the center as possible and to live with confidence in myself and have my spirit at rest.


I like your ending message about not being wronged or insulted. It is pretty cool and it is how I feel.
 

sgtmac_46

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I got into the martial arts because no man is fully functional unless he understands violence and how to inflict it on others if it becomes necessary to defend his land, women and children.


"I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain." John Adams


Sic vis pacem, para bellum
 

Dragon Soul

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Wow this really takes me back. I remember when I first got into martial arts, my mom had Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon on VHS and I used to watch it constantly. Bruce Lee and Jim Kelly became my idols. Not just based of martial skill, but because of their attitude. I was bullied a LOT as a kid and watching kung fu flicks helped me gain confidence, and without confidence, what point is martial arts? I also loved power rangers and many other heroes like captain america and avengers, I wanted to become strong so that I could protect myself and those around me from harm, and develop my body and test my limits.

As I began to learn more about martial arts, I began to understand how it was more about "not fighting" or better yet "knowing when to fight or when not to fight". I learned that violence is NEVER the solution or cure to an issue, it's kinda like tylenol or a minor pain killer, it just takes care of the symptom, not the ailment.

All in all, martial arts taught me so much more than simply kicking butt, but then I realized that martial arts is just that kicking butt. As Bruce Lee said: At first a punch was just a punch, then I learned that a punch was more than a punch, and finally he realized that a punch was just a punch.
 

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