This message will self destruct... now BOOM!!

[Pacificshore]

My martial arts training has always been a part of me. When I was out of training for sometime, things seemed out of balance. I figured it was my lack of training and went back to it as soon as I found a place to workout. After that I found the art I wanted to study and have been with it ever since. I do talk "shop" with all my friends who are into martial arts, but for the most part just keep it to myself. Like everyone else, I do think and practice techniques, katas, etc., but I also make sure to have balance in my life as well. Good topic of discussion!!

[karatekid1975]

I'm always thinking about Martial Arts. If I have to have time off from training (like I did with my hammy), I go nuts. I don't know what to do with myself LOL.

 

I'm always thinking about ways to improve my technique, sparring compos, forms, ect. I day-dream about karate. Like today, I went to class, got my butt kicked in sparring by a few people, but yet I kicked butt in a few other matches. I was thinking about what I did wrong in the matches I lost, and what I did right in the ones I won. I was thinking like this at work ..... eeekkkkk LOL.

 

 

[Taikudo-ka]

You're not nuts, just enthusiastic.

 

The energy (obsession, you call it) that you feel is what people use to excel in a field, and become truly great. Without that obsession, everything just becomes work, a grind. With it, working or training for 12 hours straight becomes easy - its fun and what you want to do so you don't notice how much effort you're putting in.

 

Modern society, with its emphasis on crushing excess productivity and innovation, calls this "obsession" and suggest that you "get a life"... An "obsession" indicates that you've already found something that makes life worthwhile... People WITHOUT a life have to sit around in bars and clubs waiting for someone else to bring it to them, or entertain them...

 

Think about it a minute.

 

[Bon]

Taikudo-ka, very good post. =)

 

 

[Bon]

I live and breathe martial arts. I don't have to find motivation to train, it's there, unlike with my studies. The only time I talk about martial arts is with other martial artists. I find other people who don't do martial arts don't understand, however some people think it's cool and one person even told me it's a fashion now, it's the done thing!

 

When I did kickboxing and came home limping from the leg kicks, my family would laugh at me and say I'm an idiot. To me, the martial arts are sublime, pain isn't pain, pain to me means I am getting better, there is no easy road to being a great martial artist and the challenge is so rewarding. I truly believe to be able to give out pain, you have to feel and understand pain. I never had much appreciation for the side kick, it was a hard kick so it didn't seem too practical, I didn't like the look of it at first. Then in sparring I side stepped my instructors front kick, he put his foot down on the ground, then proceeded to plant this side kick right through the thick padding I was wearing (we liked going hard) and through my gut. Right then and there is when I started to appreciate and respect the side. I've now got a pretty solid side kick & I do the exact same thing to people that my instructor did to me 'cause it was so effective. =p I believe this is how you grow as a martial artist, experience something, appreciate & respect it, then you set about learning how to do it 'cause you know how effective it is. I believe pain is essential to self-growth, the cliche no pain, no gain applies. =)

 

I've rambled a bit, sorry.

 

 

[Eye of the Tiger]

Martial Artists are a certain breed of people.

 

Like racing drivers, swimmers, runners, sports or Arts are activities without teamwork and soley rely on you. These people crave to be the best and feel teamwork as pulling them down, this might suggest shellfishness to be the best and not share it with anyone.

 

I remember that off Speed.

 

 

[ckdstudent]

Racing drivers: I guess the pit team and design team count for nothing.

 

Runners: dieticians, coaches, running partners

 

Swimmers: see runners

 

There's teamwork everywhere.

 

 

[Eye of the Tiger]

No, I mean in the actual sport. For example football is a team sport, Karate is not.

 

I am talking about the physcioligical aspect of sports.

 

Anyway I am bringing up scientific anylis on sports, its not me talking so you cant say I'm wrong for bringing it up. This is physcioligical findings, so if you think diffrerently then your blaming sports physcology.

 

 

[ckdstudent]

In that case I've got no argument with you, except on the racing one.

 

 

[Blade13]

hahaha, I can totally understand what you're saying. Before I hurt my leg (I pulled my hamstring about a week after karatekid did. Apparently I pulled mine really badly. I still cant run with full strides yet or side kick to chest level. IM GOING INSANE!! AAHHH!!!), I would practice for many hours every day. I just know that I can be better and I do everything I can to become better. All of my book covers on my schoolbooks have drawings of various martial arts practicioners on them and my notebooks are covered in Japanese and Chinese characters for various things that matter to me. Have you ever seen the list "How To Know You're Too Obsessed With Karate"? I fit almost every description on there. Its quite sad, actually, lol. My friends say I need to get more of a life. This is my life though.