angelica d Posted June 10, 2004 Posted June 10, 2004 Also, since I was 13 years old I had an eating disorder. It had tapered off a little bit after I turned 19 or so, but it was still very present in my thoughts. I would turn to disordered eating activities when I was seriously upset, or even mildly upset, but with no better way to cope. Similar situation to myself, Beka. I started karate after having suffered from an eating disorder and depression for years. I was out of the 'danger-zone' but was still a control freak when it came to food. Beginning karate really helped me build up my confidence and gave me something to look forward to each week. I began to stop punishing my body and enjoy myself. My obsession with controlling my diet gradually faded out and has been replaced with an obsession with karate (I'm an obsessive person by nature!) , which in my opinion is way more healthy! "Weaseling out of things is what separates us from the animals . . . except the weasel."- Homer J Simpson
Jade Posted June 10, 2004 Author Posted June 10, 2004 Oh well... i see some of you mentioned stress and depression. Yeah...some times martial arts training has been the only precious moments to feel my inner peace. I used to be very loner and shy...but now people can say i'm one of the most friendly person. We all pass bad situations in this life...and Karate halped me to go on happily. "With a bit of imagination, kata can be deadly." - Hidy Ochiai
ninjanurse Posted June 10, 2004 Posted June 10, 2004 Well, a lot if interesting opinions flying around here to say the least! But I think that one can only speak for themselves. I myself feel that the journey is different for each person and they will get out of it what they choose to seek. Each one of us begins the journey for different reasons and each one of us takes a different path to the intended "prize". Sometimes we find that we may take a different path than we originally intended, or take several detours that eventually lead us back to our original goal. Some of us will find our way, others will remain lost. Personally, my journey has been full of experiences that have changed the way I look at myself and the world around me and I am most certain that I would have never experienced these things if it had not been for martial arts. You can kick and punch all you want and it is not going to change your heart or your spirit; or you can take to heart the lessons learned, keep the traditions pure, and live the philosophies of the art. If that changes you for the good...well done! "A Black Belt is only the beginning."Heidi-A student of the artsTae Kwon Do,Shotokan,Ju Jitsu,Modern Arnishttp://the100info.tumblr.com/
Dijita Posted June 10, 2004 Posted June 10, 2004 Well, a lot if interesting opinions flying around here to say the least! But I think that one can only speak for themselves. I myself feel that the journey is different for each person and they will get out of it what they choose to seek. Each one of us begins the journey for different reasons and each one of us takes a different path to the intended "prize". Sometimes we find that we may take a different path than we originally intended, or take several detours that eventually lead us back to our original goal. Some of us will find our way, others will remain lost. Personally, my journey has been full of experiences that have changed the way I look at myself and the world around me and I am most certain that I would have never experienced these things if it had not been for martial arts. You can kick and punch all you want and it is not going to change your heart or your spirit; or you can take to heart the lessons learned, keep the traditions pure, and live the philosophies of the art. If that changes you for the good...well done! OSU! That was well said!
Ripper Posted June 16, 2004 Posted June 16, 2004 Haven't been here for a while and see what happens....making better and perfecting are two very different things. 'perfect' is an absolute. 'making better' is not. you can't approximate perfecting of character. either she said perfect or she didn't. in this case, she didn't. my point still stands. To me they are not very different. Making better is trying to become better. Perfecting is also trying to become better. When I am training I try to make a better punch or in other words I am perfecting my punch. That's all I was trying to say. You asked what my point was. Was this your point? To me this is not important for this thread so please give this a rest. Then your other issue about 'exclusive to MA'. I used other sports to make a comparison. Many people think MA perfect ones character....oops! make ones character better. In other sports they don't ask this question. And then someone said this: I think Karate is much different then many sports like tennis or soccer... because it doesn't have the same mental training. I was explaining that there is not much difference between MA and other sports. And another one of your problems solved. Now again about the real issue. in what way you've changed since you started training karate? and then Jade goes on about being less shy and so on. My point was (and still is) that you cannot say that your character changes because of doing karate or any other MA. There are so many things happening in your life besides karate that you cannot say that you are less shy because of doing 100 front kicks. You have all kinds of relationships, you grow older, you marry/divorce, you go to school, you work, you get fired, etc. All these things together make you in what you are today and not just by training a MA. I do believe however that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. So if someone picks up any sport and does it regularly they also feel good about themselfs and when someone feels good about themselfs their surroundings probably will notice that too. Furthermore someone who does a MA and sticks with it for at least a few years is a certain type of person. For example, you need to have a certain degree of self discipline to do hundreds of punches and kicks or doing that same kata again and again. But that self disicpline was already there and is not something that is due to MA. René
Drunken Monkey Posted June 16, 2004 Posted June 16, 2004 my point? that you put words into her mouth then argued against these words that she did not say. no one said anything about this being exclusive to MA. again this is something that you said.... post count is directly related to how much free time you have, not how intelligent you are."When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."
Jade Posted June 17, 2004 Author Posted June 17, 2004 Ripper....you're going on with your discussion...if you find that MA did not change you or is not because Karate that someone change positively...then why you still go on? You already said your point of view...why are you tring to change other people mind? "With a bit of imagination, kata can be deadly." - Hidy Ochiai
BJJShotoshe Posted June 17, 2004 Posted June 17, 2004 Let me see here Shotokan Karate has changed me a lot, but I also believe STONGLY that it also has to do with the people who teach you. Shotokan Karate and my Sensei (Jerry Bomay) have changed my life by: 1. Giving me strength to conquer what I want 2. Giving me a diff. perspective on Life and the World 3. Giving me much more respect 4. Giving me self control 5. Helping my self-esteem 6. Gives me the extra push to achive greatness 7. Well, I could go on for hours, but I will spare you all Just Remeber the Dojo Kun! Seek Perfection of Character Be Faithful Endevor Respect Others Refrain From Violent Behavior shodan - ShotokanBlue Belt - Jiu-JitsuWhoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care the themself without that law is both. For wounded man shall say to his assailant, if I live I will kill you, If I die you are forgiven-- such is the rule of Honor.
wing chun kuen man Posted June 18, 2004 Posted June 18, 2004 Ripper, One of the ways that Karate (if not all martial arts) change us is in the way they increase our selfconfidence. All human beings have an inbuilt instinct for survival and that includes survival against violence which has always been part of our history. This instinct may manifest itself in either running or fighting when faced with danger. The more trained a person is in the martial arts the more likely he or she is to survive a violent confrontation. In many cases martial arts practice brings us face to face with our own fears relating to violence and handling of it as such. This is different from other sports. The acquisition of martial/fighting abilities and SPIRIT that improve their odds of survival, gives many martial artists a type of self confidence that one does not get playing badmington, tennis etc. That is a fact. This a major factor in personal improvement that is only achieved in MA training. And yes gaining this kind of confidence will help people in other areas of their lives. Martial fighting spirit is not only for fist fights, it is for life. Many people practicing martial arts increase their general assertivenes because of this self confidence. For some their increased martial ability results in them "cooling down" and eliminating the need to prove themselves by violent acts. "Martial" selfconfidence combined with self dicipline and fitness, makes us better people in a different way than that of other non martial sports. Wing Chun Kuen Man Real traditional martial arts training is difficult to find.....most dojos in the west are Mcdojos....some are better and some are worst....but they are what they are....do you train in one?
Ripper Posted June 20, 2004 Posted June 20, 2004 Ripper....you're going on with your discussion...if you find that MA did not change you or is not because Karate that someone change positively...then why you still go on? You already said your point of view...why are you tring to change other people mind? As you said it yourself; we are just discussing each others point of views. I am not trying to change other peoples minds; I am just trying to clarify my point of view. Why do you ask this? Do you want me to shut up because I have another point of view? René
Recommended Posts