Did your attitude and ego change when you...

[Adonis]

I sort of know what karatechick is saying. kind of like when you get hit turns that swith on in your head to dedicate your moves, to be more asertive.

Kind of like doing a full contact bout. You get have that nervousness about doing it and you get in there and get hit. adrinline is already pumping but for some how its like a switch goes off and your into the fight.

some people do it before getting hit though. which is what I prefer. same as you get attacked into a fight and you feel like your in a dream and your not quite sure what happend after wards your still in control just that you react so fast that your councious brain doesn't have time to analyize the situation.

as far as philosophy of art most instructors teach to walk away. It really isn't about the art when it comes to that particular philisophy its more to the instructor and his set of values he pushes on to his students.

some teach to never fight unless attacked. some teach that you walk away but to many times from teh same person your just being bullied and to stand up for your self.

Other say don't go look for it but if some one wants to bully you. Make them pay.

it all depends on the intructor and his personal philisophy he got from his experiences, values, and his perosonal belief system. also how he was training by his instructor and he adopts similiuar values.

then I hear those that talk about it because it sounds good and seems the right thing to do. Buit would be the first to cuss some one out that took there parking spot since he was driving through a parking lot for 15 minutes looking for one and a car polls out and anotehr quickly drives up and takes it from him. He would be the first to cuss the person out end up in an altercation and beat down the guy.

depends on the instructor and there values.

[Muaythaiboxer]

my personal opinion is the walk away, then walk away again, then show them why not to mess with you.

[Sabumnim]

I started Martial Arts very young, so I have never thought of it giving me any power. I just think of it as a natural extention of me.

But my old school was notorious for fighting with other schools and my friends would get involved, so I did.

If people directly challenge me I just smile, look them in the eye and ask them "Are you sure?"

If they attack then you have to defend yourself, no ego there. Unless you get beaten up, then you have a bruised ego.

[Menjo]

Yes and no, for awhile I was a real egotist about it. Anyone who ever made me angry in the past and wouldn't take any crap from. However now its different, now im not nervous or tense to defend myself(even though I can still feel a little bit of nervousnes) and I try to think the situation through without violence.

[Sam]

i wouldnt even ask are you sure.... id just back down from the challenge.... just submit, i take no pride in proving to other people irrelevent of who challenges who.