conflicted?

[Athena]

i have been conflicted for...a few years now, and haven't yet been able to find the right balance.

I enjoy martial arts..right...obviously..'cause i'm here >>

I know that it should be for self-defence only..but i enjoy sparring, and fun sort of challenges too.

so that's my confliction...and i don't know if any of you guys have run into that before...or find it perfectly natural and just live with both sides of the coin.

[Ichi_Geki]

Doesn't sound like a confliction to me...How else do you properly learn self defense, if you dont spar?....

But on that note...just dont think of sparring as a game either.

[RichardZ]

There is no confliction. Sparring is not fighting, but skill sharpening.

[mr_obvious]

.....and also an effective total-body cardio workout

[The BB of C]

i have been conflicted for...a few years now, and haven't yet been able to find the right balance.

I enjoy martial arts..right...obviously..'cause i'm here >>

I know that it should be for self-defence only..but i enjoy sparring, and fun sort of challenges too.

so that's my confliction...and i don't know if any of you guys have run into that before...or find it perfectly natural and just live with both sides of the coin.

Let yourself get into more aspects of the martial arts. You'll find it even more fun.

[bushido_man96]

If you find sparring fun, then do it.

If you find self-defense training important, then do it, too.

Wasn't that easy?

[RichardZ]

If you find sparring fun, then do it.

If you find self-defense training important, then do it, too.

Wasn't that easy?

If you find posting here good, then do it.

Hmmmmn

This seems like a Nike ad or a phrase from Ben Stiller in Starskey and Hutch.

[tallgeese]

I agree with the others. There's no conflict at all. Sparring is a tool to help you learn elements of defending ones self.

[sperki]

I think most martial artists enjoy sparring. It's a chance to test what we've been taught, and for many of us sparring is as close to the real thing as we'll ever (hopefully) get. Athena, it seems like your post raises an additional question - which, I think, is addressed in another topic - but why did you start martial arts in the first place? If it was strictly for self defense then self-taught tai chi might not be the best option. But if you got into it for multiple reasons: fitness, self defense, the formality, personal confidence, whatever else you can think of, then there's no conflict at all. Sparring is part of training, which is part of the martial arts. Enjoy it, or find something you like better!

[sensei8]

Spar spar spar spar spar spar spar spar....and then spar some more!