Respect for martial artists

[Headhunter]

So this is something I see a lot. People always say "I have respect for anyone who steps in the ring not everyone could do it" and that is true but I think it should go further to me I respect anyone who turns up to a school and trains because that's never easy, starting something new with new people and learning things you've never seen before and knowing you won't be good at it straight away but still taking that plunge and giving it your all. Just a point I'd like to make as so many times on forums (not this one more just uneducated people) but they say oh that guy never fought so he's not legit or not any good. That's bull they still had the balls to get off the couch and get into a club and pay their money to learn. I know a lot of martial artists who never stepped in the ring but I know they could destroy me, stepping in the ring isn't a sign of skill there are plenty of guys with 0 talent who've fought (cm punk one example) but some just don't choose that like Bruce lee. Bruce never thought but punk did by some people's logic that means punk is better than Bruce lee.

Fighting is simply a choice of what you want to do it doesn't make you better than any other martial artist who chooses not to.

 

[frank raud]

Hardest belt to get in the martial arts is your white belt, because you have to walk into the dojo/dojang/ kwoon that first time. But the reverence is for the black belt, even if means you have completed the beginner ranks.

Respecting some one who steps into the ring, the vast majority of people who train wouldn't do it. Friend of mine has been doing Dog Brother fights for a few years. He has black belts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate and Jiu Jitsu. Competed in all of them, has the trophies to prove it. Ask him about why he does Dog Brothers, it scares the hell out of him. That's why he does it. Most, including me, wouldn't do it. I respect him.

 

[kuniggety]

stepping in the ring isn't a sign of skill there are plenty of guys with 0 talent who've fought (cm punk one example) but some just don't choose that like Bruce lee. Bruce never thought but punk did by some people's logic that means punk is better than Bruce lee.

In a sanctioned match or what? Because Bruce Lee certainly did fight. Aside from that, concur.

 

[Kevin__Huang]

I'm just 16 years old and am I counted as martial artist?

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[Kickboxer101]

I'm just 16 years old and am I counted as martial artist?

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Depends if you do martial arts

 

[MI_martialist]

Attitude and Attendance...the first and most important things we look for in a student.

 

[Blindside]

I'm just 16 years old and am I counted as martial artist?

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Yes, there are five year old martial artists as well.

 

[wingchun100]

It is a hard road to walk, and unless you are in a family of martial artists or live in a commune populated by them, I have found you will walk it alone. To many people I know, martial arts is just a "hobby" that one ought to engage in only if you have extra money burning a hole in your pocket. They don't see it as a way of life, and they will never understand why I bother going back to class over and over again.

 

[Blindside]

It is a hard road to walk, and unless you are in a family of martial artists or live in a commune populated by them, I have found you will walk it alone. To many people I know, martial arts is just a "hobby" that one ought to engage in only if you have extra money burning a hole in your pocket. They don't see it as a way of life, and they will never understand why I bother going back to class over and over again.

Hmm, I certainly don't walk it alone, most of my closest friends are the martial artists that I have met over the years.

 

[Buka]

I do not believe everyone can train Martial Arts. It's too difficult, too taxing on the body, and much too violent. I'm not speaking of uncontrolled violence as in the clichéd back alley, but violent just the same. I am not talking about being physically skilled, physically gifted, athletic, I'm speaking of a willingness to push, a willingness to take as well as give, a willingness to live in uncomfortable zones, to survive and triumph, to fight tooth and nail, and to do so for quite some time.

I think Martial Arts is one of the most difficult things in life you can ever do on purpose. I have great respect for Martial Artists.

 

[pgsmith]

Anal semantics alert ...
Sorry, it happens to be another of my button issues, but I respect individuals that have earned my respect. I can be polite to people I don't know. I can admire someone's dedication to training. I can admire someone's fighting ability. However, I have met several advanced martial artists that were absolute cretins, and I have no respect for them as people at all.

I do not believe everyone can train Martial Arts.

I agree completely. One of the important lessons I learned early on was from an older Japanese instructor. He told me "The hardest part of learning any martial art is going to the dojo regularly. If you can master that one part, everything else will take care of itself." The years have taught me that this is what the vast majority of people that try martial arts fail at.

 

[wingchun100]

Hmm, I certainly don't walk it alone, most of my closest friends are the martial artists that I have met over the years.

Hence why I said the "commune" comment. What I mean is, unless you are surrounded by other martial artists.

 

[Kevin__Huang]

Depends if you do martial arts

Yes I do

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[Balrog]

It is a hard road to walk, and unless you are in a family of martial artists or live in a commune populated by them, I have found you will walk it alone. To many people I know, martial arts is just a "hobby" that one ought to engage in only if you have extra money burning a hole in your pocket. They don't see it as a way of life, and they will never understand why I bother going back to class over and over again.

Actually, the "hobbyists" are a good thing.

As a school owner, I have to compete with two attitudes, especially from parents, that are difficult to overcome. 1) Martial arts training is brutal and I don't want little Johnny doing it. This comes from watching cage matches on TV and thinking that's what m.a. is all about. 2) Martial arts, football, baseball, soccer, basketball - they're all just a sport that I can let little Johnny try so that he can blow off steam. Once I can overcome those attitudes and show Johnny and his parents the benefits of martial arts training, they will get into it more. They'll upgrade to a higher level of training, they'll start going to tournaments, etc. They are now like hobbyists - they are willing to spend more time and effort doing something they like. And yeah, spend more money, too. I gotta make a living, after all.

And from those hobbyists will develop the ones that really take it to heart and make it become a lifestyle. Those are my future instructors.

 

[wingchun100]

Actually, the "hobbyists" are a good thing.

As a school owner, I have to compete with two attitudes, especially from parents, that are difficult to overcome. 1) Martial arts training is brutal and I don't want little Johnny doing it. This comes from watching cage matches on TV and thinking that's what m.a. is all about. 2) Martial arts, football, baseball, soccer, basketball - they're all just a sport that I can let little Johnny try so that he can blow off steam. Once I can overcome those attitudes and show Johnny and his parents the benefits of martial arts training, they will get into it more. They'll upgrade to a higher level of training, they'll start going to tournaments, etc. They are now like hobbyists - they are willing to spend more time and effort doing something they like. And yeah, spend more money, too. I gotta make a living, after all.

And from those hobbyists will develop the ones that really take it to heart and make it become a lifestyle. Those are my future instructors.

Right, but what is the ratio of hobbyists that drop out compared to those who become future instructors? My point is, not a lot of people see it as a way of life.

 

[Balrog]

Right, but what is the ratio of hobbyists that drop out compared to those who become future instructors? My point is, not a lot of people see it as a way of life.

Correct. If I can get someone to the hobbyist phase, so to speak, I'll have them for quite a while. Most of the dropouts occur early on, when they realize that there is actually hard work involved and they're not going to become Bruce Lee in three lessons.

 

[wingchun100]

Correct. If I can get someone to the hobbyist phase, so to speak, I'll have them for quite a while. Most of the dropouts occur early on, when they realize that there is actually hard work involved and they're not going to become Bruce Lee in three lessons.

Exactly. I saw many people come into my first Sifu's Wing Chun school to observe class and ask him questions. When they didn't see us sparring, they would ask, "Don't you spar?" Many times, these people would come in when class consisted of mostly beginners, so Sifu would explain to them that he did not make people leap into that until they were ready. 9 times out of 10, those people never came back.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

So this is something I see a lot. People always say "I have respect for anyone who steps in the ring not everyone could do it" and that is true but I think it should go further to me I respect anyone who turns up to a school and trains because that's never easy, starting something new with new people and learning things you've never seen before and knowing you won't be good at it straight away but still taking that plunge and giving it your all. Just a point I'd like to make as so many times on forums (not this one more just uneducated people) but they say oh that guy never fought so he's not legit or not any good. That's bull they still had the balls to get off the couch and get into a club and pay their money to learn. I know a lot of martial artists who never stepped in the ring but I know they could destroy me, stepping in the ring isn't a sign of skill there are plenty of guys with 0 talent who've fought (cm punk one example) but some just don't choose that like Bruce lee. Bruce never thought but punk did by some people's logic that means punk is better than Bruce lee.

Fighting is simply a choice of what you want to do it doesn't make you better than any other martial artist who chooses not to.

That first point is something many people miss. To me, what earns my respect first is that someone shows up, and keeps showing up. That's true for sports, business, and - yes - martial arts. I'm not into flashy demos, but I respect those who can deliver them because it took a lot of "coming back" to get to that. I'm not into competition, but I respect those who can compete effectively (win or lose) because it took a lot of "coming back" to be capable.

I also have that same basic respect for effective Yoga instructors, the way-too-energetic guy who teaches the Zoomba class just before our Yoga class (dude teaches Zoomba and something else IN A ROW some days!), and teachers who are good in the schoolroom. The first two rules of success: 1) Show up. 2) Come back. If you do those two, you beat most people, and now you just have to work at getting better at whatever it is you showed up for in the first place.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Right, but what is the ratio of hobbyists that drop out compared to those who become future instructors? My point is, not a lot of people see it as a way of life.

Actually, many "hobbyists" actually do see it as a way of life, but only for a part of their life. Life goals change, even for those who are highly committed. And I don't see a transition to instructor as a necessary component of life-long study or commitment. Frankly, there are people who shouldn't make that transition, but do it because it's the only model they see for "what's next".

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Hardest belt to get in the martial arts is your white belt, because you have to walk into the dojo/dojang/ kwoon that first time.

This. I don't add many students to my program (all but one of my current students have been with me about a year or more), and I don't lose many once they start (two, in the history of my tiny program). I've had more not show up than I've had quit. Heck, I've had 3 commit to coming to their first (free) lesson in the last month, and none ever showed their faces again. I always tell my students when we expect a new student (it changes that class day dramatically), and I tell them not to expect them ever to show up if they don't make it that first day.