Was thinking

[terryl965]

Why do we do what we do, so many of us here enjoy and love Martial Arts. I know I do but have you ever really sat back and ask yourself why? I know because we love it, the friendship we build, for exorcise and the most possible answer for self defense.

What I am looking for is those that have study for twenty plus years and also looking for honesty here. My new nieghbor ask me what I did and when I told him he said why, you work out everyday for something that at my age seem funny. He said join a gym or bowling league martial arts is a yound man game even for SD. He stop training ten years ago when he had to look and ask himself that very question.

I know for me I cannot even vision not being able to go and train and teach but I am selfess in that manner, so what is your excuse.

 

[HKphooey]

Terry,

I am one year short that 20 years, but I will give you my take.

At first the training was something I love to do. I love learning new things, gaining the next rank, tournaments, and the prople I have met.

Today, it is more about passing on the knowledge to those who are looking for the above things I mentioned.

I love to see the sparkle in a student's eye when they finally understand a technique. I love to see the smile and sweat when a student achieves a new rank.

Most of all I love the people I meet (and I have met).

(but I still love the discovery that teaching seems to teach me!)

 

[Kacey]

After 21 years... it's a part of who I am. It always will be. When I started, I did so under protest; after the first class, I was hooked... TKD just filled a void I didn't know existed until after it was filled. It has nothing to do with age, or time in TKD - it's just too much a part of me to stop now. I can't explain it any more clearly than that.

 

[Juggernaut]

I do it and live it because of the constant discovery and the never ending learning that takes place from teaching and training. I am never satisfied with my current level of skill or knowledge of the ways of the warrior. Its about living the martial way to me.

 

[morph4me]

I think that for most activities, once you get to a certain point, you stop learning and either quit out of boredom or just cruise along with no improvement. I stay because everytime I think I've got it, I see something or learn something that proves me wrong. I meet people who challange my perspective and make me reexamine my understanding, I love that and as long as it goes on I'll keep training.

 

[arnisador]

For me, I just enjoy it. I'm past looking for self-defense or exercise.

 

[Brian S]

Why do we do what we do, so many of us here enjoy and love Martial Arts. I know I do but have you ever really sat back and ask yourself why? I know because we love it, the friendship we build, for exorcise and the most possible answer for self defense.

What I am looking for is those that have study for twenty plus years and also looking for honesty here. My new nieghbor ask me what I did and when I told him he said why, you work out everyday for something that at my age seem funny. He said join a gym or bowling league martial arts is a yound man game even for SD. He stop training ten years ago when he had to look and ask himself that very question.

I know for me I cannot even vision not being able to go and train and teach but I am selfess in that manner, so what is your excuse.

I think it's just something that has been in me for a very long time. Those who love it know, and those who don't, you just can't explain it to them.

 

[tshadowchaser]

It is and has been a part of my life so long that I feel that something is missing when I am not able to do it. I tried to walk away from it once and was such a different person that my family insisted I get back into the arts.
I still study with different instructors even after all this time to keep learning and to feel that "something" that learning brings to me.
I teach to pass on my knowledge and hope that some of my students will feel that love I have for the arts.
As I said the arts have become a part of my being and I would have it no other way

 

[yak sao]

I remember as a kid we were in the car driving to my grandma's house. We passed a karate school and I made the comment that when I turned 16 and could drive I was going to start taking karate at that school.
Well, I was off schedule by 2 years, I actually started when I was 18, and I have been going at it now for 28 years.
I've been doing some soul searching of late myself, asking myself why I'm still doing this. I know why I started : self defense. As time went on it took on so much more than that. Exercise, camradery, challenge, accomplishment. I can't begin to name everything.
But I'm back to the same question, why am I still doing it? My first school has long since closed down, all my old instructors and classmates have moved on and here I am still plugging away. It would be easier, to be sure to join a gym for the exercise. Self defense is no longer a big concern. I've achieved all the rank I would care to. So why????
When it gets right down to it, martial arts fills a void down inside of me, one I can't quite put into words. But even as a 6 year old kid riding past a karate school, I knew that void was there and knew what it would take to fill it.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Why do we do what we do, so many of us here enjoy and love Martial Arts. I know I do but have you ever really sat back and ask yourself why? I know because we love it, the friendship we build, for exorcise and the most possible answer for self defense.

What I am looking for is those that have study for twenty plus years and also looking for honesty here. My new nieghbor ask me what I did and when I told him he said why, you work out everyday for something that at my age seem funny. He said join a gym or bowling league martial arts is a yound man game even for SD. He stop training ten years ago when he had to look and ask himself that very question.

I know for me I cannot even vision not being able to go and train and teach but I am selfess in that manner, so what is your excuse.

Terry,

I have 22+ years of formal training.

I enjoy it. It is a passion for me. I enjoy the movement. I enjoy the teaching. I enjoy the learning and the puzzle solving.

Most people just smile and nod when they find out I train. They do not understand. But, I do not collect model trains. I do not travel to globe collecting shot glasses or spoons. I assume to those that collect stamps and coins and the previous items mentioned that it is a passion for them as well.

 

[Twin Fist]

24 years here

I am wayyyyyyy past self defense or exercise

for me it is as natural as walking or talking, it just clicks with me. It is theonly thing I have ever been a natural at, other than maybe dancing.

 

[Kwanjang]

Wow! reading the above response to Terry's post is what I expected from such dedicated, refined, responsible, educated, disciplined, respectful folks who frequently post on this forum.


(Sorry... major flashback- long story coming) When I started at fifteen- it was two fold #1. I got into some bad trouble and was grounded till I was thirty. Part of my parents discipline was (you punish out of anger you discipline out of love) I couldn't go any where but to school and right home. The phone and TV were taken out of my room. #2. Even though I got along with people, I was a quite, skinny red head- a typical target for bullies. After an incident one day at school, and to get out of the house, I ask my mom if I could take Martial arts lesson. She talked it over with my Dad and he agreed. I did not do any sports in school. until then I had seen a little martial arts on TV, like Kung Fu the series, Bruce Lee in some old episodes of the Green Hornet and some other guest appearances on TV he had done.



There was this one guy in my town who was suppose to be the best so my Dad took me and two of my friends. We went in and watched class- the instructor had been expecting me. So after a while he came over to me and asked me what I thought, and I naturally said, Yeah...I like it! Then the instructor looked at me ad said, "I don’t think you will make it." I think he was trying to use reverse psychology on me? HOWEVER, my self-esteem and confidence was at an all-time low, it CRUSHED ME and ticked my Dad off! So he said, Come on son, let’s go." In the car he said he knew of another guy in town who had a school and took me there. Like before, I watched with enthusiasm. I'll never forget the Huge difference in the atmosphere-including, it was more structured. At the first school...the students were doing there on thing. Some were sparring, some were doing kata, some were just kicking, others were stretching.



The second school was doing basic techniques from formal stances while the main instructor counted in Korean with a Kihap on count 5 and 10.Then came time for Poomse. They did Chon Ji- staying in time... the black belts in class and the other advanced students sleeves "Popped" on the Kicks punches and blocks. Then they did sparring, I thought....WOW! After class the instructor came over and shook my hand and asked me, what did I think about class (after the first guy, I was a little gun shy if ya know what I mean) Once again, I said, I LIKED IT! The instructor looked at me and said, "You have some long legs, you look like you are built for martial arts" (I liked to have fallen over when He said that!)



I started class, it was a way get out of the house. I quickly fell in love with the formality, customs and courtesies-it was a very traditional school. My instructor’s GM, was the late Great GM Lee Hyung Park. He was freakn awesome. Any how, I was about a green belt when my teacher asked my to take some beginners to the back and show them how to do high blocks and side kicks. What a RUSH! Then I started thinking, I want to be a martial art teacher! For the first couple of years I was pretty consistent- then sporadic the third year. Then not attending formal class at all- but still working out with some close friends under carports and backyards



In 1989 I met zDom through a mutual friend, the late Mike Baker. We became friends. He just had move from St. Louis where he had attended broadcast school and I worked as a DJ at a local radio station. zDoms air name was Scott Thursday and mine was Scott Chase. (Those were some good times!) zDom would come over to hang out at my house and He saw my Ma trophies and said, "I always thought MA was cool why don't you teach me some of that S***. I said OK. By this time it was about 1990. Before you know it I had ten guys training in my front room of the small house I rented. Sabo was there too. This sparked my interest in getting formal training again. So I looked up my old school. There was a new young 2nd degree teaching there, his name was Steve Dunn. I was impressed by this guy and the next time we met to train at my house, I told the guys listen, I am going to train at my old school with this impressive 2nd Dan-you guys can come if you want. We pretty much doubled his adult class, and he was excited we were there. Even though I was introduced to hapkido early on in my training, I got to meet and become a HKD student and trained techniques up to blue level under Master Mike Morton (then a third degree)



In TKD, I earned my way to a leadership position rather quickly and started teaching for Mr. Steve Dunn when I was a purple belt. It ignited my passion for ALL of it again (thanks zDom!) After leaving MSK School in 1996, and opening my first school in New Madrid, Mo, A town of three thousand- 19 miles south of my home town. (I had been teaching there for my old school) I joined the United States Chung Do Kwan in 1998. In 1999 zdom and I opened up a school with his little brother who had become a student of mine and was my first black belt at my New Madrid School. Like many others, there have been many ups and downs in my life. After the death of my mother in 1998 to lung cancer, then loosing my Dad to suicide on fathers day 2001. Though my dad left us decently well off financially (He was a thrifty hard working man!) my world was spinning.


(spiritual moment coming) late one night a couple of month's after he passed away, I ask God like others have, since the beginning of time -what am I supposed do with my life...why I am I here. (At the time I was a also a radio salesman, voiced commercials, plus color commentary for high school sports) He spoke to my heart and said, put your uniform on and look in the mirror-that’s who you are. It made since, because I had been fired from other jobs where the bosses told me, you are obsessed with martial arts (like that’s a bad thing).


Since then, I have experienced more of life’s ups and downs. God, martial arts, and my Current instructors GM Edward Sell along with his wife GM Brenda have been there for me always. I know what martial has done for me and others. Like others have mentioned- I like seeing the spark in my student eyes when they "get" something I have been teaching them. I still get a RUSH practicing and teaching MA. On the floor I am like the freaking Crocodile Hunter, Stevo-God rest his soul. You see you can't fake enthusiasm and passion to your students- they will see right through it. I am still big on the customs, courtesies and traditions of classic TKD, especially the SD aspect. I teach others how to teach, also very rewarding to see the spark in the eyes of my teaching black belts, some have moved on to start their own school, their success is my success.



In some small way, I can be a small part of TKD's history by passing on what I have learned- to others. Though I have promoted 33 students to black belt and above (a relatively small number) and have many stripes on my sleeve, a badge that says Master Instructor... I tell my students when you look at my stripes it is merely recognition for my dedication and sacrifices, for each stripe, there was a physical test, including my 4.5 hour test for my 5th dan. (At 43 I was in better shape than some of the guys in their late twenties. Honorary 5th my Butt!) I also tell them the gold badge that says Master Instructor they read... I see the words “master servant” I serve my art, my association and most importantly, I serve my students. I am STILL a STUDENT with more to learn, trying to grow more as a person and as a teacher... and leader every day. I read a quote some where- "The greatest gift martial arts has to give, is the ultimate destruction of the ego." The current quote underneath my picture on my page on the schools website complements the aforementioned quote. Simply stated, "I don't think (for humility sake) martial art IS my path in life, but merely a part of my path, and should it take me to the end of my life- only then can people say it was my destiny."



My cup is still empty and I am still thirsty. I had some ask me why I still do martial arts at my age, and I say to them TKD and the martial arts is just as much a part of me as is the heart beating in my chest- I take what I do seriously because there are people that look up to me, and to some, I might “possibly” be one of their heros. To some it up, everything happens for a reason. There have many contributing factors that brought me to this point my life. I get to add value to people’s lives. Like Albert Einstein Said, “Try not to be a man of success…..But rather a man of value.” This is why I am a Martial artist and an Instructor.
Sorry for being wordy Terry :asian:

 

[YoungMan]

What has inspired me to keep practicing? Twenty five years ago, when I was 14, I was lucky to find a Korean Taekwondo instructor who was passionate about the art and one of the most talented men I've EVER seen do it. He also came from an impeccable background (studied under Mr. Uhm, University Team, Army Team etc.).
He always drilled into us "don't use Taekwondo to make money" and use traditional Taekwondo to help make a good life for yourself and others.
Even now, I'm inspired to use Taekwondo to pass along what he taught and counteract some of the negative pre-conceptions about martial arts.

 

[Hyper_Shadow]

I'm quite a ways short of 20 years, or at least I don't remember training at the age of 0. What I do know is that I'm a martial artist through and through. It's not a phase that will wear out as I grow older and it certainly isn't something I do do for instant gratification and a pat on the back (hell teaching is sometimes a thankless task).
I have asked myself this question a few times and to be honest I've never found any majorly philosophical ansers. I train simply for the sake of becoming stronger and in turn fighting stronger opponents.
It sounds selfish but I train for me. I spent a lot of time when I was really young being a victim and not being able to manage what was happening to me. Now I try to become as strong as I can so that I don't have to worry about getting pushed around by life anymore.
Don't get me wrong there are many good things about my training that I can say has happened as well. Y'know, I can protect my family and my friends should I need to. I'm capable of holding my own should I come under threat. There are a multitude of good things, but they're just side benefits.
Fact is I enjoy the fighting. I like the rush and I like they way that I can push myself to my limits when I fight in a way I can't in anything else. I like to test my strength and I like to grow constantly and learn from others around me. To me martial arts aren't something I do so I can't have a solid reason that I can explain in words. They are what I am.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

When I first started training I wanted to be able to protect myself and be effective and efficient with my body. While I am rapidly approaching thirty years in training this is still the main reason as to why I train. Of course I love it, of course I enjoy it and the comradeship that comes with it but when I think carefully about it then it always comes back to wanting to be effective and efficient and able to handle myself in the moment. The difference now is that instead of just wanting to protect myself now I have a family that needs me to protect them and be there for them at a moments notice!

 

[Mimir]

I will start by saying I know this sounds like a shameless plug for Kwanjang's school, but I just have to say that what Master Instructor Wall (Kwanjang) said in his post is exactly how I feel about his teaching and passion for Martial Arts. He can and often does get very excited while teaching. :asian: I could go on, but I will stop there...

 

[Shicomm]

I think it depends most on why you've plunged into this thing for a start.
When walking towards goals then i think you can have this tought like ; "okay , now what ? "
But when it's about having a good time, feeling good and not have a clear goal at all , then what does it matter ?

For me it's a thing that took off as an activity to break the circle of work, work and more work.
Very soon i got lost in a world filled with questionmarks, today ; there's no clear goal, it still is a walk trough a world loaded with more questionmarks but it still feels great

 

[qwksilver61]

two names; Mas Oyama,Kwon Jae Hwa

 

[Nolerama]

It passes the time away, I guess.

Plus, training time equals daydreaming about the day when I get taken out of the Matrix... I won't have to say something stupid like "I know jujitsu!" like Keanu Reeves did. I'll already know it. It's a training program I'll already have figured out!

Or working out my biceps for all the lovely ladies out there...

Seriously. I'm no 20-year vet, but it's fun, is my exercise regimen, and pretty cool to know I can defend myself in certain situations.

It's like this: I asked an old Tai Chi guy in the park why he did it every morning. I asked him if it was for meditation. He said No. He was once a boxer, but wanted something a little more graceful. So he picked up Tai Chi a few years back. Besides, it was a great way to meet women.

 

[Sukerkin]

What an interesting question and some very interesting answers too :rei to all:.

When I was young (I started in Kung Fu in my 'teens after seeing Enter the Dragon) I felt much like HS has said above i.e. relishing the physical challenges and testing myself against others.

Now, after a near-fatal accident that still pretty much cost me my right arm (or so I thought), my challenge in the arts comes from mastering myself, mentally, physically and emotionally. This is especially so due to one of the side effects of the brain damage being a loss of my previous iron control over my emotions. I went from Vulcan to Klingon in two easy high velocity blows to the head. Iai gives me my control back.