chrismay101
Green Belt
Just wanted to know why everyone took up there martial arts???
Just wanted to know why everyone took up there martial arts???
There's another thread somewhere asking why we got into the art, and one I remember asking why we do the art we do.
However I have a different answer to both of them pushing the above questions to one side. I do it because I can feel myself getting better and improving at every lesson. Sometimes I have setbacks, but these are usually followed by jumps forward. I do it because when I practise it makes me happy. I'm learning something useful, getting fit, being with like minded people I like, and it's combatting stress by giving me physical excercise and emptying my mind of everyday turmoil.
When I'm doing my art nothing else matters, there is no outside world just me and my art.
I'm happy.
Why we got into the art?
Oh why we got into the art is an ENTIRELY different thing.
Why I got into martial arts to strike fear in the hearts of my fellow man of course, is there another reason I am unaware of ??? :uhyeah:
Oh yes why I got into it, as I previously explained, was because I'd been a battered "wife". I wanted to learn self defense in more than just a "ladies class" setting, I didn't just want to be able to get out of a situation quickly and run, if someone I knew got me in a situation where I couldn't run again and tried to kill me, I wanted to know how to kill em right back before they got me.
Being on the receiving end of a purposefully potentially lethal action alters your perception a little.
I hate hearing stories like this :angry: I remember you mentioning this before Shaderon . This is why I got into teaching the arts. When people are empowered to defend themselves (reasonably well--nothing's failsafe), especially women and kids, it can be lifechanging. :enguard: I love to watch this transformation. Really gratifying.
Mentioned on another thread (re: low kicking, I think) a local news story I saw this week. 16 year old girl, attacked by intruder in her home, at first submitted. He threw her onto the couch and fell on top of her. She then decided to fight back, and they wrestled to the floor then to a standing grapple. She then kicked him in the knee (no training, just reflex), he dropped like a rock, she ran out the front door screaming for help. Police busted him about 4 minutes later. Good outcome, but with a little training she could have skipped the wrestling and just done the knee kick. Much more fun for her.
GO that girl!!!!
These are the people I want to target when I get to be an instructor. I feel a lot of the abused women need a female instructor, at least to start with as it's less threatening.
Yeah, I often wonder what I'm doing teaching elementary girls (only one of my four cohorts, but still). But if it gives them a chance to escape the bad man, then so be it. But, yeah, a female instructor would be great!
I started MA to get in better physical shape and to share an activity with my wife. I think it has grown beyond that now but I'm not clear exactly how to define it beyond that it is becomming more than a hobby.
Maybe this topic has been discussed before but I find it interesting. Thanks to all for participating in it.
for girls I think martial arts/self defence is totally and absoulutely vital because it affects so much more of their lives!
To use a cliche it does empower girls being able to fight, I watch the girls I teach grow in confidence in all parts of their lives and it's a wonderful thing to see.