What Else Is There?

[Kaygee]

I really do thank everyone for their responses. I see that member's like Kemodisciple are starting to swing this conversation in a different direction, and I don't want that to happen to this thread, as so many of my threads have in the past, so I think we should just end it.

Thank you all! Everyone have a great holiday! May you and your loved ones be safe and jolly! I hope you all get what you want!

 

[Tony Dismukes]

The bad news: You are going to find politics in any situation where you have more than 2 or 3 people gathered together, regardless of the activity involved. You could quit the martial arts and be doing civil war reenactment or volunteering in a soup kitchen and you will find politics.

The good news: 98% of the time you can choose not to let the politics have any important effect on you, by the simple expedient of not feeding any emotional energy into it. Are less qualified people being promoted because they jump through extra hoops to get on the instructor's good side? So what! If you train hard for 20 years and never get promoted to black belt, then you still have what counts - the skills and discipline that come from 20 years of hard training.

There are plenty of good reasons for taking a temporary or permanent break from martial arts training. The biggest are as follows:
You no longer enjoy the training.
You have other areas of life that are a higher priority for you in terms of spending your time, energy, and money.

I've been training martial arts for about 30 years now. Only about 20 years of that has been spent receiving official dojo instruction. The other 10 years were spent on various time-off breaks due to finances or injuries or losing interest in a particular art or needing to devote myself to other prorities. Even during my breaks from instruction I found myself reading about martial arts, watching videos, practicing what I knew solo or with friends. That's part of how I knew that I was always coming back to training. If you quit your training because it is no longer rewarding for you perhaps you'll discover that what you really love to devote your free time to is painting watercolors - and that would be awesome. There are a huge number of cool things to do in life. Martial arts training is just one of them.

Happy holidays!

 

[chrispillertkd]

Philadelphia, PA. (Northeast area of city)

If you're interested, I know a good Taekwon-Do instructor in Norristown. PM me and I'll send you his contact information.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Flying Crane]

I only have 2 1/2 years of knowledge. I am nowhere near qualified to do such a thing.

but, you've learned some things and there is nothing stopping you from continuing to practice that material to the best of your ability. You don't need to stay connected to the school in order to keep practicing what you've learned.

If what you've been taught has merit, then the basic stuff is the most important and the most useful. For 2 1/2 years I'd expect that is what you've been working on. There really is no magical "advanced" stuff that is going to elevate you above what you can do if you really work your basics and make them solid. The advanced stuff, again if what you've been taught has merit, should just reinforce how you can use the basics.

 

[arnisador]

Put an ad on Craigslist or similar and find some like-minded souls to work out with.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Put an ad on Craigslist or similar and find some like-minded souls to work out with.

It was before Craigslist existed, but at one point I was between dojos and put an ad in the local alt-weekly looking for training/sparring partners. I found a couple of people to work out with for a year or so until I found a new dojo I liked.

 

[arnisador]

I used to check those for just that reason!

 

[Mark Lynn]

I won't have to remind many of you of my past threads on these boards. Most of you did not agree, nor really understand for that matter, my reasoning behind the posts.

Kaygee
After reading thru several of the past threads you started about your study of TSD, your adventurers in MMA, your complaining about the rate increase ect. ect. Your right I don't really understand your reasoning behind your posts. You are all over the board.

In any event, I am wondering if there are people out there on these boards that have moved on from martial arts and what they are doing now...
I have been thru so much stress and BS over the past couple of months with the politics and such of the karate studios in my area, that I think I am going to give up martial arts all together! It is weird because up until this moment, I could never envision myself not practicing a martial art because it became so much of my life over the past few years. And even before I started studying one, I always wanted to.

I sorry but what stress have you be under? Earlier this month you were singing praises about going back to your TSD school.

You wrote on another thread (I edited a lot out of your post)
"So, I was welcomed back with open arms last night and it was good to train with my FRIEND Mike again.

In the end, I am glad things worked out the way they did, because everything happens for a reason! That is why I am going to remain positive and have faith that my master will see that I never stopped practicing and still know my criteria, inside and out, and deserve that chance to test! If I fail, then I fail! It is MY fault if I fail! But I do not believe that I will!

I will miss the boxing, the full contact sparring, and the feeling of being surrounded by other students of my age. I will also miss the head instructor there....this guy was down to earth and he did a lot for the community and really cared about his students! But sometimes we have to make tough decisions in our lives, and sometimes we have to be humble and admit that we made the wrong choice and ask for forgiveness!

But I really like how my opinion on MMA has changed now that I experienced it.
And I really like how I missed TSD from being away from it.

Let's face it, there is a reason I have all of those trophies and medals....I am good at this! Why mess up a good thing?

I did mess it up though. Hopefully I do not get punished too much for it. I want to start my journey to obtaining my black belt as it will be a huge accomplishment!"

Take away all of the whining about the test the next day or that you get bored etc. etc. and it seemed to me that you were glad to be back at your old school again. Not even 30 days later and now your thinking of quitting again. What gives?

Didn't you post a link of you doing a form (Bassai?) during a tournament?

You posted you took 1st place, why are you whining? Obliviously you've had some decent instruction, because you had good form doing your kata. I'm not questioning your skill or work ethic here, rather I'm questioning your attitude.

Reading through your threads, and posts; I understand that you get bored, I understand that you feel like you should be able to test but your instructor was holding you back from testing, I get it that you are on a tight budget, I get it that other dojos are far away, I get it that you don't agree with the way your school is run, I get it that you would like more adults in your class, etc. etc.

Oh well that's life, all of us who have been in the martial arts for any period of time have had similar issues. The only thing that you have control of in all of the above is your attitude. How you choose to approach or solve the problems. So far it seems you want to run away from anything that doesn't fit your way and whine about it on a forum(s). Franky from reading your posts I don't think you are mentally read to test, certainly not for 1st gup nor black belt. Just watching the video above I thought you looked like technique wise, like a 1st dan; but attitude wise you have some serious growing up to do.

How would you have dealt with learning one form for 3 years, before you might get taught the next one. What about learning the footwork for the kata, and breathing exercises for months before you learned the upper body part. How about being shown the footwork or the kata and then being left by yourself as you worked on it by yourself as the instructor would leave you to figure things out for yourself. How about being separated from your wife so you could pursue or promote your martial art, or travel to a far off land to learn martial arts? How about training late at night, through the night and then walking home several miles and (reportedly) falling asleep on your doorstep from exhaustion (as part of your regular training), passing blood in your urine? How about being beat with a shinai as a correction method, or by seniors and fellow classmates for wanting to quit or leave the dojo.

All of these things took place as part of normal training as the martial art systems (Okinwan karate, Japanese Karate and TKD) were being created and passed on. Instructors and students back then saw a much bigger picture and valued their training much more than we do today. Years ago your instructor saw you evaluated your skill, abilities, and attitude and would decide when you rank you. Now we whine if we miss a test and have to wait 6 months.If we aren't learning something new and exciting then we leave chasing a new system. Seriously it is like like religion if a person thinks we have it all so bad, if life is just so tough, the church is being so perscuted, read a book on the Christian Martyrs. Likewise if you think your training is so bad read and study the lives of the older marital art masters and their training. Training today isn't so bad, like having religious freedom and living in a free country (the USA) compared to the days past.

Not to leave on a negative note here Kaygee, here is some positive suggestions. Get your brother (the one who also studies the martial arts), your friend Mike, carve out some work out space at home and study bunkai for your forms. I now this has been discussed to death on some other threads, but I think you would be well advised to seriously check it out.

Here are my suggestions
1) go here http://www.bushido-kai.net/budoya/current_sale.html go to Karate DVDs and get Sudden Attack Defence series. On a personal note I would spring for the book as well as the DVDs, since he references the book through out the DVD so the DVD backs up the material in the book. Or Get the Bassai video.

The Sudden Attack Defense is 3 DVDs and it was a seminar that he did (at his dojo) prior to the release of the book (so the material backs up the book) and it is excellent. There is enough material here for you to be kept busy for months if not years. It is not your normal one step sparring DVDs. It is an excellent systematic approach for learning, and that is the key the way he approaches it; there is so much material on different types of blocks, distancing, concepts, principles all with drills that end up dealing with sudden attack defenses. This DVD will cover more material than you will probably get from your classes from the sounds of it over 6-8 months if not years if not ever.

The Bassai DVD is about the kata and bunkai found within it. It too is excellent. I have both of them plus many more DVDs of his material and I will attest to the quality of it. I was at the seminar that the Live Bassai DVD that was filmed in Texas, and I have the one that was filmed at his dojo, get the normal oneflmed at the dojo. I hae not seen the seminar in Tx one but since I was at it, I believe the other has more content.

Oh and the You Tube clips disregard, they show a technical montage of footage at the beginning of the DVDs, the instruction on the DVDs is far superior.

2) Check out http://shop.iainabernethy.com/acatalog/DVDs_UK.html Iain Abernethy and his DVDs, again I have several including the Bassi/Tekki (Nahanchi) DVD. Iain's videos are different than sensei Annesi's but still great instruction. Iain tends to have everything start from grabs so the Bunkai relate to self defense from gabs but they are excellent. The good thing about the Bassai/Tekki DVD is that both katas are represented.

You Tube clips of Iain Abernethy represent his material.

Because you are studying a more traditional KMA (TSD) I suggested material here to help you in your study of the arts in the long haul not just boxing or workout type material. I highly recommend that you check out this material since it will educate your brain as well as your body. Also if needed, PM me and I'll send you a code to get a one time discount off of sensei Annesi's material, if you are serious aboout ordering from him. (I believe I still have the coupon).

But I wonder if it would be better for my sanity, my anxiety, and my wallet, if I just took up a new hobby. Maybe join a gym or something.........I don't know.
But I was wondering what other ex-martial artists do in their life after martial arts......if there is one.
Thanks!

Like I said before, you need to adjust your attitude if you are going to stay in the martial arts. Just because you might not understand how your forms can be used for SD, doesn't mean they can't, you have to think about it and apply your self and be willing to learn. Someone before on another thread said you need to "Empty you Cup" I couldn't agree more. You can take up a hobby like bike riding, jogging, weight lifting, wood working, flower arranging,etc. etc. all can be good hobbies. However the martial arts are a life time of growing, learning, of seeing things old become new again. Constant change physically and mentally, I FRANKLY WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE AN EX MARTIAL ARTIST OR WHAT LIFE IS LIKE AFTER THE ARTS, it's why I have been studying for 30+ years and why I'll probably go to the grave still trying to learn more.

Forget about politics, forget about others testing in front of you, forget about not testing, it's all nothing anyway in the big scheme of things. Stay focused on the martial arts remember "I'm (your) good at this", why would you do something else?

 

[Prostar]

OK, I've sat and read all of the posts and tend to agree with many of them...if you want to stay in martial arts. I'll mention a couple of things.

I found that I would get what I called the seven year yucks. I got tired of it every seven years. I finally noticed the pattern the third time around. I got past it each time. Then I retired from MA after 35 years.

Then I moved on to SCUBA diving. It turns out that the person who sorts out your side kick is the same kind that teaches you to clear a mask or recover a regulator (the breathy thing in your mouth). You don't have to become an instructor but it is fun being down there looking at all the critters.

Hey, you asked.

 

[Kaygee]

Kaygee
After reading thru several of the past threads you started about your study of TSD, your adventurers in MMA, your complaining about the rate increase ect. ect. Your right I don't really understand your reasoning behind your posts. You are all over the board.



I sorry but what stress have you be under? Earlier this month you were singing praises about going back to your TSD school.

You wrote on another thread (I edited a lot out of your post)
"So, I was welcomed back with open arms last night and it was good to train with my FRIEND Mike again.

In the end, I am glad things worked out the way they did, because everything happens for a reason! That is why I am going to remain positive and have faith that my master will see that I never stopped practicing and still know my criteria, inside and out, and deserve that chance to test! If I fail, then I fail! It is MY fault if I fail! But I do not believe that I will!

I will miss the boxing, the full contact sparring, and the feeling of being surrounded by other students of my age. I will also miss the head instructor there....this guy was down to earth and he did a lot for the community and really cared about his students! But sometimes we have to make tough decisions in our lives, and sometimes we have to be humble and admit that we made the wrong choice and ask for forgiveness!

But I really like how my opinion on MMA has changed now that I experienced it.
And I really like how I missed TSD from being away from it.

Let's face it, there is a reason I have all of those trophies and medals....I am good at this! Why mess up a good thing?

I did mess it up though. Hopefully I do not get punished too much for it. I want to start my journey to obtaining my black belt as it will be a huge accomplishment!"

Take away all of the whining about the test the next day or that you get bored etc. etc. and it seemed to me that you were glad to be back at your old school again. Not even 30 days later and now your thinking of quitting again. What gives?

Didn't you post a link of you doing a form (Bassai?) during a tournament?

You posted you took 1st place, why are you whining? Obliviously you've had some decent instruction, because you had good form doing your kata. I'm not questioning your skill or work ethic here, rather I'm questioning your attitude.

Reading through your threads, and posts; I understand that you get bored, I understand that you feel like you should be able to test but your instructor was holding you back from testing, I get it that you are on a tight budget, I get it that other dojos are far away, I get it that you don't agree with the way your school is run, I get it that you would like more adults in your class, etc. etc.

Oh well that's life, all of us who have been in the martial arts for any period of time have had similar issues. The only thing that you have control of in all of the above is your attitude. How you choose to approach or solve the problems. So far it seems you want to run away from anything that doesn't fit your way and whine about it on a forum(s). Franky from reading your posts I don't think you are mentally read to test, certainly not for 1st gup nor black belt. Just watching the video above I thought you looked like technique wise, like a 1st dan; but attitude wise you have some serious growing up to do.

How would you have dealt with learning one form for 3 years, before you might get taught the next one. What about learning the footwork for the kata, and breathing exercises for months before you learned the upper body part. How about being shown the footwork or the kata and then being left by yourself as you worked on it by yourself as the instructor would leave you to figure things out for yourself. How about being separated from your wife so you could pursue or promote your martial art, or travel to a far off land to learn martial arts? How about training late at night, through the night and then walking home several miles and (reportedly) falling asleep on your doorstep from exhaustion (as part of your regular training), passing blood in your urine? How about being beat with a shinai as a correction method, or by seniors and fellow classmates for wanting to quit or leave the dojo.

All of these things took place as part of normal training as the martial art systems (Okinwan karate, Japanese Karate and TKD) were being created and passed on. Instructors and students back then saw a much bigger picture and valued their training much more than we do today. Years ago your instructor saw you evaluated your skill, abilities, and attitude and would decide when you rank you. Now we whine if we miss a test and have to wait 6 months.If we aren't learning something new and exciting then we leave chasing a new system. Seriously it is like like religion if a person thinks we have it all so bad, if life is just so tough, the church is being so perscuted, read a book on the Christian Martyrs. Likewise if you think your training is so bad read and study the lives of the older marital art masters and their training. Training today isn't so bad, like having religious freedom and living in a free country (the USA) compared to the days past.

Not to leave on a negative note here Kaygee, here is some positive suggestions. Get your brother (the one who also studies the martial arts), your friend Mike, carve out some work out space at home and study bunkai for your forms. I now this has been discussed to death on some other threads, but I think you would be well advised to seriously check it out.

Here are my suggestions
1) go here http://www.bushido-kai.net/budoya/current_sale.html go to Karate DVDs and get Sudden Attack Defence series. On a personal note I would spring for the book as well as the DVDs, since he references the book through out the DVD so the DVD backs up the material in the book. Or Get the Bassai video.

The Sudden Attack Defense is 3 DVDs and it was a seminar that he did (at his dojo) prior to the release of the book (so the material backs up the book) and it is excellent. There is enough material here for you to be kept busy for months if not years. It is not your normal one step sparring DVDs. It is an excellent systematic approach for learning, and that is the key the way he approaches it; there is so much material on different types of blocks, distancing, concepts, principles all with drills that end up dealing with sudden attack defenses. This DVD will cover more material than you will probably get from your classes from the sounds of it over 6-8 months if not years if not ever.

The Bassai DVD is about the kata and bunkai found within it. It too is excellent. I have both of them plus many more DVDs of his material and I will attest to the quality of it. I was at the seminar that the Live Bassai DVD that was filmed in Texas, and I have the one that was filmed at his dojo, get the normal oneflmed at the dojo. I hae not seen the seminar in Tx one but since I was at it, I believe the other has more content.

Oh and the You Tube clips disregard, they show a technical montage of footage at the beginning of the DVDs, the instruction on the DVDs is far superior.

2) Check out http://shop.iainabernethy.com/acatalog/DVDs_UK.html Iain Abernethy and his DVDs, again I have several including the Bassi/Tekki (Nahanchi) DVD. Iain's videos are different than sensei Annesi's but still great instruction. Iain tends to have everything start from grabs so the Bunkai relate to self defense from gabs but they are excellent. The good thing about the Bassai/Tekki DVD is that both katas are represented.

You Tube clips of Iain Abernethy represent his material.

Because you are studying a more traditional KMA (TSD) I suggested material here to help you in your study of the arts in the long haul not just boxing or workout type material. I highly recommend that you check out this material since it will educate your brain as well as your body. Also if needed, PM me and I'll send you a code to get a one time discount off of sensei Annesi's material, if you are serious aboout ordering from him. (I believe I still have the coupon).



Like I said before, you need to adjust your attitude if you are going to stay in the martial arts. Just because you might not understand how your forms can be used for SD, doesn't mean they can't, you have to think about it and apply your self and be willing to learn. Someone before on another thread said you need to "Empty you Cup" I couldn't agree more. You can take up a hobby like bike riding, jogging, weight lifting, wood working, flower arranging,etc. etc. all can be good hobbies. However the martial arts are a life time of growing, learning, of seeing things old become new again. Constant change physically and mentally, I FRANKLY WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE AN EX MARTIAL ARTIST OR WHAT LIFE IS LIKE AFTER THE ARTS, it's why I have been studying for 30+ years and why I'll probably go to the grave still trying to learn more.

Forget about politics, forget about others testing in front of you, forget about not testing, it's all nothing anyway in the big scheme of things. Stay focused on the martial arts remember "I'm (your) good at this", why would you do something else?

I wish I would have read your post before I quit my old school again. While I do not agree with the way they run things there, I should have spent more time worrying about my OWN training instead of everyone else's. I just felt betrayed I think. Thank you for giving it to me straight!

 

[shesulsa]

I wish I would have read your post before I quit my old school again. While I do not agree with the way they run things there, I should have spent more time worrying about my OWN training instead of everyone else's. I just felt betrayed I think. Thank you for giving it to me straight!

Dude.

Seriously?

Okay ... look ...

*Any* relationship you have either with a person or a pursuit or anything else for that matter is just that - a relationship. A path. A journey. It won't all be fun and games, wine and roses and all that crap. Nor should it all be rough going, unpleasant mire ... but seriously, so much of this has to do with *YOU.*

Commitment means taking the good with the bad and riding out the hum-drummery of the day-to-day grind. This goes for your training.

Sorry, but you can't seem to decide which leg of your pants to put on first.

I recommend - with all sincerity and only the best wishes for you and your future - that you take some time off of martial arts training and pursue NO new endeavors and establish some goals for yourself, examine your commitment vehicle and conviction and decide on exactly what makes a deal-breaker for you. I'd also recommend a life coach or mentor to bounce things off of - I think you have a potential to overreact and misplace importance. You can't fix that in a decision you change more often than your underwear.