Did your attitude and ego change when you...

[karate_woman]

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.

The short answer is no; I was never one to pick fights. I always want to do my absolute best, and while I don't give myself any negative self talk, I don't underestimate my opponent, either. I'd rather be wary than cocky.

The comments you make make me think about things I've observed , though (at least in karate, jujitsu and judo): shortly after people start - when they've been training for about 6 months to a year - and are at or approaching the "intermediate" belt levels of their training (in traditional MA), I've noticed students have a lot more confidence in their abilities, sometimes to the point of cockiness - where they'll playfully kick/punch at other students, or even non students. I actually noticed the same thing in a T'ai Chi setting as well, though the competitiveness there was more focused on who had more of a heightened sense of awareness. (after a handfull of classes or so!)

Usually, after another period of training, when they become aware of how many different things there are to learn, both spirtually and physically, they humble somewhat, and start observing their opponents more, and becoming aware that even though they've trained for x months at their art, there are some people out there better than them at certain things, there is still lots to learn, and improvements to make.

[Muaythaiboxer]

i would agree with that, but i still say walk away to just about any situation.

[Sam]

I guess its down to what your art teaches....

some teach to walk away no matter what - some say always stand up for yourself unless your in serious danger . but then again thats pretty difficult to define.

I'd agree about walking away to any situation, but there's always gonna be a situation you cant walk away from so i guess MA helps you keep your head in this sort of position.

[KarateChick06]

Well when I spar in karate I get angry if the person is beating me then I tend to lose my temper and just go at it as had and aggressivly as i can. So martial arts actually made my temper get higher insted of lower because I used to be really easy going when it came to that stuff...........

My sensei teases me that I have an on/off button. I turn on when I get hit..... lol. That sounds weird but I can't think of another way to say it... lol.

[Sam]

I know the feeling - when i first started sparring alot i used to get really annoyed when i got beaten about a bit, but now even if my instructor completely thrashes me still dont get angry - just learned whenever i got angry made more mistakes and got beaten more....

[KarateChick06]

What I don't understand is, if he means that I try harder once I'm hit or if I get anger. I don't feel anger, but just the urge to try harder not to get hit again..... maybe he interperts that as anger? I'm not sure....

[Sam]

Maybe he does see it as anger - but its usually pretty obvious when some1 is angry.... so he probably just means on / off as in how you apply yourself to it - i.e. before you get hit you just go through the motions, but when you get hit you start trying a lot harder

[wu baitian]

didn't change me at all, though i most probably would react different when i would be the victim of any kind of attack, .. if the opponent would be my size , i'd prolly resist , when i would also be running before i started doing MA

[Chaz]

Just my confidence and pride in my art, nothing more or less...

[back_fist]

I think this is directly linked to the particular school and instructor. For 4 years I trained at a hybrid martial arts school where the instructor was probably the most arrogant person I have ever known. And being his students was like being brainwashed. He was always telling us how great him and his style that he had put together were, and for some reason everyone seemed to treat him like a god. Over my years there I saw him turn many students into ego maniacs because they revered him and naturally followed his example. By the time I recieved my "black belt" I could not take it anymore. I knew there had to be something better out there. Since then I have found a new world of martial arts that I had been blind to before as a result of a corrupted and misleading martial arts school. I thank God that I finally saw the light or I'd still be there today.