Strange Behavior

[tshadowchaser]

What behaviors have you developed during your practice of the martial arts that people that do not study might find strange?

I know that even after all these years of study I still tend to bow when walking into strange places or when greeting people for the first time

 

[CoryKS]

Sometimes I will catch myself at work doing little bits of whatever kata I'm working on. Like when I'm waiting for an elevator or something. Usually just a few circular movements w/ my hands, but performed a knee sweep once (not on anybody). That was a little embarrassing.

 

[terryl965]

I'm like you Tshadow at times I bow when entering and leaving certain places. I also sometimes wehn in along line I will tend to do calf raises or work on certain blocks, people look at me like I'm nutts.

 

[theletch1]

We do a prescribed set of wrist stretches during our warm-up in aikido class. I catch myself doing those when I'm standing still for any length of time. I've had many folks ask me if I had injured my wrists because it's something I do when I'm talking to someone that I'm not really interested in talking to.

 

[foot2face]

I know that even after all these years of study I still tend to bow when walking into strange places or when greeting people for the first time

I do the exact same thing. I sometimes get funny looks but I can't stop it. It's ingrained in me, I do it without thinking.

 

[Drac]

Yeah its a bowing thing with me also...Wife took me to a dance studio once for a day of swing lessons..The studio was laid out like my old dojo, carpet border and a hardwood floor..Found myself bowing everytime before I stepped off the carpet onto the wood floor...

 

[Guardian]

LOL, I imagine we all can come up with some good ones.

Like the others, I work on my blocks and strikes when it's a slow day, I'll stop in a back alley and do about 5 minutes worth of workout, I'm sure some of the citizens that happen to look out their back windows or notice think this dude is crazy, but heck, if the time is there, why not, no one has called in yet LOL, so I'm still good to go.

 

[Kacey]

I bow... I aim hand (and occasionally foot) strikes at walls and lockers in the middle school hallways... and I refer to everyone as "sir" and "ma'am".

 

[Xue Sheng]

get me in a long line and watch the stance training begin

 

[still learning]

Hello, A few months ago...while at work, I met another sales person...who happens to be a "Qigong master"

He mention about the way to stand straight...you life will be straight..and things in your mind will be straight...

Since then I have being correcting by stance as I stand anywhere.....BAD habits are hard to quit....and everywhere I go....I have been correcting the way I stand.....(learning to stand on both legs,knees bent,,and body straight up (spine in correct posture)...

We just had a sparring tournament for the Kids...the whole time from morning to 3 pm...(NOT enough refs) ....we stood in the rings, non-stop, and with everyone watching.....I made sure I was always standing straight up...no leaning on one leg, or slouching, or straight as a soldier standing at attention......A ROLE MODEL ....

Not sure if this is a strange behavior....for me...this was..because of old habits of years and years...not standing straight as an arrow..

Today....I am so much aware of this....still have to correct myself time to time.....

Yes...bowing is habit.........Aloha

 

[Empty Hands]

I always wear my gi home after class since I don't want sweat soaked clothes all over my stuff. I get weird looks if I have to gas up on the way home or go to the ATM. One time a kid in a Panda Express took one look at me and went crazy, saying "Karate man! Karate man! I wanna be a Karate Man when I grow up!" to his Mom. Then he showed me some credible kicks and hand swords. He may have a future.

 

[Omar B]

I kick a lot. Just standing around waiting somehwere I find my legs throwing really low roundhouse, front snap and side kicks. Nothing higher than the knee and when people notice is usually sayy "my foot fell asleep."

 

[grydth]

If I have my hands full and a door starts to close, I'll put a leg out to front or rear and gently push it back open. People at work have been floored and have taken me for a great martial artist - which I most definitely am not!

 

[tshadowchaser]

strange but after starting this thread I was driving down the road and realised I was doing a hand excersise over the shifter. My family has told me befor thae i do this when my mind is wondering

 

[IcemanSK]

I have been known to unconsciously work on blocks or punches in the air. At home is one thing. At work, it's quite another.

 

[newGuy12]

Once I was working in a restaurant, and the General Manager walked into the kitchen. I immediately stopped what I was doing, and executed a FORMAL bow. And, I mean, it was one righteous bow. Slow, correct.

Afterward, I felt very strange, but no one said anything.

Also, once, someone touched my shoulder and started me. I turned in the same fashion that we turn in class, Dwee Ro Dora. And, I did give a kia, which I tend to do loud.

This time, I really started the person. Their eyes went wide, as did mine (I was started first, them second).

 

[newGuy12]

Has anyone else ever had a dream during sleep that you were doing some kicking and you end up in real life kicking the covers off of the bed? I used to do that almost on a regular basis! To the point where it was annoying to me.

Or, if not that hard, to kick such that the bed will shake and wake you?

 

[Cirdan]

I tend to stretch my forearms, wrists and fingers.. even when in meetings. I also open doors using stikes or locks against the handle.

Not really a problem tho. People at work know I am into the arts and besides, if I have to put up with their talk about football and cars I can stretch a little.

One time I was walking along the street thinking about proper breathing and without thinking yelled out a loud KIAI. Got me a lot of shocked glances.

 

[qi-tah]

If i'm waiting for a train and i don't feel too observed, i'll often run through some footwork drills, or pick a pole and throw a few forearms at it. I am expressly forbidden from doing this if i'm out with my best mate though...

There is also the scenario where you almost walk into someone on the street and you both do the "this way, no that way" dance... so far i've refrained from using the ba gua "green dragon turns it's head and shows it's claws" manoevure to get around that situation, but it's certainly flashed through my mind!

 

[tshadowchaser]

Has anyone else ever had a dream during sleep that you were doing some kicking and you end up in real life kicking the covers off of the bed

No but I quess I used to do elbow and hand drills
The result was a few broken ribs for my wife and my getting slugged by her
I do not think to this day she belives I was totaly asleep