Did your attitude and ego change when you...

[Kenpo man]

Became good at martial arts?

Did you stop taking crap from people and start to get into fights more often than any other time in your life?

Did your ego grow to epidemic proportions due to being good at your martial art?

Thank you for your time.

[Mr. Mike]

not a bit, in fact, it has calmed me down....I don't go looking for trouble any more. How damaging I can be kinda scares me into behaving.

You know as well as I do that our art LOVES to take joints apart...kinda scary to think about in terms of streetfighting. They swing with intent to injure greatly and they end up with a shattered knee or elbow...I jsut keep my eyes open and myself heading in the direction of least resistance.

[Grenadier]

Quite the opposite. It became more apparent, that dealing with some of the more trivial matters simply wasn't worth the time, effort, or most importantly, the consequences.

Sensei's quote, regarding the situation:

You can kick a dung pile, but do you really want to deal with the consequences of having it splattered all over your fine shoes?

Edited May 6, 2005 by Grenadier

[Sam]

Ive always been a really calm person anyway.... so no it hasnt grown my ego, and it has made it easier for me to keep calm...

[TangSooGuy]

Well, to give a slightly different take on things:

I was always the introverted, shy, even geeky wallflower type as a kid.

So, I'd say martial arts helped me develop my ego into something healthier. It helped me to increase my slef-confidence and self-worth. It helped me to know when to be outgoing, when to stand up for myself, etc.

My ego didn't grow to monster proportions or anything liek that.

Martial arts is very much about balance, and I think that ego is one of the things it balances. If you don't have enough of it, MA training helps you develop it.

If you have too much, MA training knocks it out of you.

[karatekid1975]

Sensei's quote, regarding the situation:

You can kick a dung pile, but do you really want to deal with the consequences of having it splattered all over your fine shoes?

I love that quote Anyways, I used to be timid and shy person before MA. I actually think that it helped me out of my "shell" but I never got an ego. I did have a little ego inside the dojang, but it was deflated by my instructor. But never outside the dojang. I never got "cocky" with people or anything like that. I mostly kept my training to myself (other than friends and family finding out).

[G95champ]

Im calm anyhow but it did give me greater confidence. Not to stand up for myself cause I think I always done that but just confidence in anyhting like speaking or being infront of a group, in class or in sports.

BTW I dont consider myself good at MA yet. Ive seen better and I have work to do.

[Uechi Kid]

For me I found that I would and do talk me way out of potentially bad situation rather than get in a fight. I think it has to do with having more self-confidence now than before. Also if I chose to fight my way out of a bad situation the chances of coming out unscaved are slim.

[taiji fajin]

A couple of friends and I went through . . . . . a lot one year. Anyway, during it one of them made up a "ranking" system:

5 - run away at the start of a fight.

4 - try to avoid fights, or break up fights if they happen.

3 - if your friends get into a fight, join their side.

2 - join into any fight.

1 - look for any reason to start a fight.

At the time, all 3 of us were 1's. Now that I practice martial arts a lot? I'm a 4. If martial arts make you a 1, you're not practicing correctly.

[ninjanurse]

I am nothing like the person I was before starting martial arts. Not even close!!! Too many things have changed to list....but I think what most changed was my attitude about myself!