Aptitude?

[traz]

I was just curious about how you guys felt natural skill related to martial arts. For all the masters browsing these forums, were you guys always "gifted" martial arts students? Or when you first started, were you average or even below-average students who worked very hard to be excellent?

 

Just curious and thought it would be an interesting discussion

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Well, I'm certainly no "master", but I'll tell you about myself anyway.

 

I was a band and choir *stop laughing out there * student all through high school and college, and still sing *I hear you guys giggling out there* 2nd bass in a community choir.

 

When I joined karate, I had just been out of a stint in the Army for about a year and was in pretty good shape. I've never been an athlete or a fighter. Still aren't.

[karatekid1975]

Good topic. I'm not a master (I'm just a lowly 2nd gup), but I can answer your question, I think.

 

I took to martial arts like fish to water. As a white belt in Tang Soo Do, I was pretty bad, technique-wise. But It didn't take me long to learn all the forms, ect that I needed to (even past my rank). My technique really started to improve in 6 months time (according to my instructor). I was learning even the fancy stuff early hehehehe

 

But my master instructor was strict on technique and I'm a perfectionist, sort of (when it came to MA, that is). I still strive for good technique. And I still think I suck LOL.

 

I hope this answered your question.

[krzychicano]

I am pretty quick in learning my forms and techniques doesnt take me long to get it all down and I spend quite a bit perfecting them (always working to perfect them) but so far I have enjoyed the MA ride.

[1kickKO]

When i went into the martial arts, I was (and still am) quite the athlete...baseball, football, skateboarding, and any other sporting activities that i could. I remember my first class like it were yesterday...my sensei was very impressed and had me fight only the black belts so he could observe my fighting more, and I took to forms quite fast, and my weapons form (sai kata) I learned in 1 week before a competition. I'm nearly no where to a master, but my instructor is 10th dan in karate, 10th dan in jujitsu, and 6th dan in judo...and he has taught me very well.

Edited February 21, 2005 by 1kickKO

[Shorin Ryuu]

I'm not a master, but I play one on TV. Okay, I can't back that up.

 

I've felt I've been in the "above than average" category. Some of it may have come from a natural aptitude, but I attribute it mostly to dashing good looks, charm and a knack for handling the ladies. Okay, I can't back that up either.

 

I've felt I've been in the "above than average" category for years spent in training. I also have a knack for picking up and remembering kata. For that matter, I'm really humble too...

 

I think most of this is due to trying my darndest to apply critical thinking skills to my training, trying to get a better understanding of the martial arts as opposed to simply practicing, having had rather amazing teachers and opportunities, and long, long hours down at the dojo or elsewhere in and especially outside of class time. I've also read vociferously about the martial arts as well, which I think has helped to shape how I view them as well. Of course, "above average" for 5 1/2 years of training isn't exactly saying much, in the grand scale of things.

 

When I started taking martial arts, I joined at around the time when I was in peak physical condition (17 years old). Since then, I've probably gotten stronger but not as all-around great shape as I was in those years. More of it is specifically tailored martial arts muscles as well. But since I was in great shape when I got into martial arts, I didn't necessarily have to tackle that hurdle as well, which may have helped things.

 

Lastly, I would be quite remiss if I didn't mention my best friend from college, Skeptic2004. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have had anywhere near enough the opportunity to try out new often half-baked theories and techniques. Nor would I have been able to learn from the often half-baked theories and techniques he'd try on me. From simple discussion and hashing out ideas to practicing kata and techniques, or whatever crazy stuff we were trying out...he was always there to help me train. That, and I'm wasn't about to let HIM beat ME...

 

*sniff*

 

I love you man. Er...in a manly, let's go watch football way...

 

*AHEM*

 

Anyway. Yeah. A little bit of aptitude, a strong dose of critical thinking, good teachers and training partners, and a heck of a lot of time and effort.

[ninjanurse]

This certainly is a subject that has many angles to it. Personally, I feel that hard work and dedication are the only ways to achieve mastery over the ego and learn the humility that a true "master" possesses. To simply be a prodigy (in the physical sense) does not allow for this kind of character development. On the other hand, there are those martial artists out there (and I have met a few in my travels) that have a special ability to acheive this level seemingly without effort. There is an "understanding" that martial artists come to in their journey and maybe some sooner than others but I still believe that it is the effort and dedication that separates the true masters from the rest of the crowd-regardless of age. Who are we to say what is in a mans (or womens) heart?

 

[Skeptic 2004]

I'm not a master, but I'll throw in my two cents anyway.

 

I sucked. Physcially, coordination-wise, weakness, everything. I was the proverbial 95 pound weakling, and I got picked on and bullied in elementary and junior high school. Luckily, I managed to talk my way out of every physical confrontation I was thrust into, outsmarted my tormentors, or played mind games with my would be attackers (there was a fight I almost got into, where I grabbed the guy's throat and pushed him back screaming, "Bring it, B****!". I was a pretty shy and geeky kid at the time [i NEVER cursed], so it really messed him up and he decided to leave me alone).

 

I got into karate in high school via my best friend from high school whose dad taught AKS at a local gym. I had been wanting to get into the martial arts since junior high (the confrontation I described above had me wondering how much longer I could mentally stay one step ahead), and now that I had the chance, it was something I wanted so badly that I put 110% into it. I practiced all the time. Literally, ALL THE TIME. At home I was doing drills in the backyard. At school I played around with some techniques on my buddies. When I worked part time, when there weren't customers in the store I practiced kata in a corner where no one would see me (my boss saw this one day and decided to exploit me as "theft deterrence", telling every would-be shoplifter that I knew karate). When karate class was cancelled, I showed up at the gym anyway and practiced on my own. I ate, slept, and breathed karate.

 

Co-ordination I never knew I had suddenly came. Weakness left. My flexibility doubled in a matter of weeks - I was doing the splits after a month! I was surprisingly quick and more powerful than I ever thought possible. I was constantly surprised at what I was capable of. One day, my instructor pit me against my best friend (a brown belt at the time while I was still a yellow belt), in a tournament style matchup. I lost, of course, but I had the satisfaction of knowing that he wasn't holding back when he fought me and that I gave him a run for his money. The instructor said that it was the best fight he'd seen in years and wanted to know if I wanted to compete. It was all the result of work. I was never "gifted", but I wanted it badly.

 

And then, I met Shorin Ryuu and our traditional karate club in college. Rather than merely doing drills and practicing kata, basically going through the motions, I was forced to think critically about what I was doing at all times. Most of what I learned came from developing these thinking skills and applying them to kata.

 

A huge chunk of my learning also came from my training partner. I learned a whole lot from Shorin Ryuu wanting to try some thing he'd read or seen or had just thought about. I also learned a lot from a lot of the half-baked ideas I got from reading, observation, or something I'd just thought about. Without Shorin Ryuu as my training partner to bounce ideas about kata, principles from kata, or techniques, I wouldn't be anywhere near as half as "good" as I am today. And, we had something of a little friendly rivalry going on...(we have LOTS of interesting stories about some of the crazy things we did because I wasn't going to lose to HIM). Don't know why that last sentence is in past tense....

 

I am also fortunate to have had a plethora of really AWESOME instructors who were so willing and open to share their knowledge with me freely.

 

So, in summary: desire, LOTS of practice, critical thinking skills, an awesome training partner, and awesome instructors.

[vertigo]

I was a band and choir *stop laughing out there * student all through high school and college, and still sing *I hear you guys giggling out there* 2nd bass in a community choir.

 

No laughter here, I'm the exact same... even the choir part!

 

Anyway, back to topic... again, I am no where NEAR a master... but I'll try my hand at the question anyway. (by the way, good topic, traz)

 

I really don't consider myself a natural athlete or a natural at karate for that matter. The only real "sport" I consider myself skilled at is golf (but when you have been surrounded by the game your whole life, that's what it does to you ).. I do consider myself to be in relatively decent shape, though.

 

There is one character trait I have that I attribute to any success in anything I do - I'm stubborn. "Now wait? Isn't being stubborn a bad thing??" Well.... maybe But concerning, in this case, MA, I find it to really help me out. I hate quitting, plain and simple. If I can't do something right away (say a new technique or kata), it frustrates me, and forces me to work harder until I get it right.

[monkeygirl]

Not a master, but a 1st dan.

 

I think that some natural athleticism is helpful in the execution of martial arts techniques...however, most martial arts are a very different kind of mental exercise than most sports...to make a fairly broad generalization.

 

Many good athletes will excel in martial arts...but unathletic individuals can also excel. Perhaps more slowly in the physical aspect, but perhaps faster in the mental.

 

I think what is wonderful about martial arts is that no matter where you start from, if you work hard enough you can become very skilled.

 

Personally--and I feel like a big egotist saying this, but hey--I guess you could say I was very naturally talented. The materials came very easily to me and I performed them very well. I would consider myself moderately athletic. I don't really play other sports other than pickup games, but I'm not too shabby at those.