Past, Present and Future

[DWx]

Taking a look at your Martial Arts journey, where were you physically, spiritually, mentally 5 years ago? How have things changed for you and your style over the years? Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now? How about 10 years? 20 years?

[bushido_man96]

Hmmm, good question.

Five years ago, I was in a bit better shape. Now, I am in worse shape, but think I have a better understanding and a different outlook on aspects of self-defense, and various ideas on techniques in the style.

Five years ago, I was attending more classes per week. Now my time constraints provide new challenges to making it to classes.

In 10 to 20 years, I really still see myself plugging away at TKD. I hope to expand my training some, as well, back into Combat Hapkido, and perhaps back more to Aikido.

[Harkon72]

I was out of MA 5 years ago, I was unfit mentally, spiritually and Physically. In five years I'll have a shodan in a second style. In 10 years I'll be an instructor in my local Dojo, in 20 years I hope to be a Director of my Sensei's association.

[Wastelander]

5 years ago I was 1.5 years into my martial arts journey and a freshly tested brown belt in Shuri-Ryu with a green belt in judo. Since then, I spent 2 years training judo at a dedicated judo club while only practicing my Shuri-Ryu on my own and doing a great deal of research online, which opened my eyes to a great many things I had never considered before. From there, I joined my current Shorin-Ryu dojo and kept building my personal style and my knowledge, which I continue to do now.

In 5 years, I will likely be a shodan in Shorin-Ryu, and possibly a nidan if I am skilled enough. I hope to continue teaching at my dojo training as much as possible, including going to as many seminars as I can.

In 10 years, I might make nidan if I didn't in the first 5 years, and I would like to be teaching some of my own students somewhere, in addition to teaching and training at my instructor's dojo and going to seminars to keep expanding my knowledge. In addition, I would like to get some cross-training in another stand-up style--probably Goju-Ryu or Silat.

In 20 years, I hope to be running my own dojo, but otherwise the same things as above are true. My instructor is constantly learning and cross-training, so there is no reason that I shouldn't be able to keep learning under him. I would still be going to seminars and cross-training, as well.

The general theme is that I plan to keep training and learning! Teaching is an added bonus because I enjoy it and learn from it, myself, but mainly I want to keep training and learning.

[JusticeZero]

Five years ago, I had just gotten back from Australia and had nobody to train with.

In five years, I hope to be at the least job hunting or to be starting at somewhere else. I'd like to think that I can have my rank looked at by then. (I have horrible luck with being able to get to the retreats where cords are reviewed and awarded.) I'm really just going to be keeping on as my side thing.

[Tzu-Logic]

What a great idea for a thread.

5 years ago I was just I hadn't actually started MA yet. That came a year later. I was physically overweight and very out of shape. Mentally I had recurring bouts of depression. Spiritually I was angry and bitter.

It seems like a lifetime ago. I was a completely different person. My life was totally different. Different city, different job, different spouse.

ha ha ha wow so much has changed in the last 5 years

Now here I am a fresh brown belt in Shaolin Kempo, and about that same level in Eskrima (doesn't have traditional belt system). Physically I am much more fit, and not overweight at all. Mentally I am focused and achieving my goals. Spiritually I am at peace with the universe.

5 years from now I hope to have quite a bit of world traveling under my belt. Which will definitely be black by then. Possibly a second degree black belt with enough practice. I hope to continue training as much as I can.

20 years from now I hope to still be learning as much as I am now. I would really like to learn Aikido. I am also interested traditional Tai-Chi. Whatever roads I go down over the next 20 years I'm sure I'll continue practicing MA in one form or another. I may be living in a different country by then. Who knows what kind of interesting things I will find to learn out there.

[tallgeese]

Great call on the thread idea is right! It's really cool seeing everyone's journey summed up and their long term goals.

For me, 5 years ago I was just starting BJJ. I had been doing MMA for quite some time and on the ground via that, and some shootfighting study and comps before that, but I really hadn't delved into pure, in the gi, BJJ before.

I was a new white belt again. It was great. I had just given up coaching at the MMA place I was and moved on to a laid back, technique heavy, awesome jits gym which was a radical departure from a training vibe.

I loved it.

Still do.

Now, I've been recently awarded a brown belt in BJJ and have gone on to study it almost to the exclusion of all else. I try to do just enough maintenance work in my other arts to keep a hold of that skill set, even it they might not be quite as sharp in some areas. I had to move BJJ gyms due to logistics. Luckily, the switch was very amicable and I've maintained good relations and love my new gym as well.

Now, I'm focused on polishing everything. Locking down some loose ends. And getting ready for the Pans in March.

In 5 years, I want to still be doing BJJ. Probably not competing anymore, but still at it (okay, competing if I'm not injured- sometimes). I'd like to have started iaido by then as well. I'd really like to study something with NO overlap into combatives and then work. I just don't have the time now with my other martial goals.

I'd also, 5 years out, like to have taken the time to codify my core art as well and document the growth its gone thru in the time from when I started it to where all its practitioners have taken it now.

What ever comes 5 years from now, I hope I'm still a martial artist with an ever evolving mindset.

[Lupin1]

5 years ago I was a junior in college and hadn't done martial arts since middle school. I was probably 40 or 50 pounds heavier than I am now and not in the best shape, although I did swim laps twice a week. Spiritually I was weird-- that was during my "crazy Catholic" phase-- I was crazy Catholic. I went to daily Mass when I could, prayed liturgy of the hours, helped with RCIA and even spent my spring break that year in a convent to experience religious life. Looking back on it, I feel like it should have been unhealthy, but I felt fine spiritually-- I was fulfilled and in a good place. I'm not religious any more and try not to talk about it too much, but it suited me at the time.

Now I'm nowhere near where I was then spiritually-- I don't pay much attention to my spirit at all. I should pay a little more attention, but it's not my inclination anymore. I'm in about the same place mentally-- I entered sort of a "renaissance of learning" 5 years ago and I'm still basically in it-- I'm always looking for something new to learn and I just soak it all in, but I'm very scattered and prone to aimless mental wandering that can make me restless and stressed at times... Trying to learn too much at once and never being satisfied-- wanting to learn everything and do everything but still feeling like I'm lacking when I do. Frustrating.

For MA, I just got my brown belt in Isshinryu, so my training in that just started getting more serious, and I just started Judo a few months ago, so I'm still a white belt in that.

Five years from now, I hope to have my black belt in Isshinryu and, assuming I'm still in this area, hope to be maybe starting to work towards becoming an instructor (it's a long process at my school, but all our instructors are in their 50s and 60s and we don't have any young guns coming in, so I'm hoping they might make an exception for me to the "you have to have been training for 15 consecutive years before you can even start instructor training" rule). I'm not sure where I want to be with Judo in five years. Right now my goal is to work on learning more ground fighting and complementing my standing art, so the furthest ahead I'm looking is for the rest of 2013. I want to continue doing it for the entire year and then I'll reassess.

10 years from now (again, assuming I'm still in the area) I'll probably still be doing instructor training in Isshinryu and still learning all I can.

20 years from now maybe I'll have taken over our program if I'm still here since right now I'm the only one even remotely (and it is remote right now) in line to do so. Otherwise, assuming I get through instructor training, I guess I'll start a program wherever I am-- probably just a small free program for kids-- like the one we do here-- and maybe work with some adult friends myself... Who knows...

[sensei8]

Tough questions for me to answer right now. But I'll try!!

5 years ago, I was physically, mentally and spiritually stronger. I've endured some deep heart aches since then that I may never recover from.

I've transitioned from one heralded responsibility to another; both of which I'm deeply honored and thankful for. Our style, Shindokan, has also endured some trials and tribulations that have scarred us beyond reconciliation, but we've held onto one another while we rebuild a tattered and torn Hombu in which we weren't prepared for nor were we expecting in our wildest dreams and/or nightmares.

God willing...

In 5 years...in 10 years...in 20 years...I've no idea what the future holds for me; I'll take it one day at a time, and in that, I'll be so very thankful to honor those who've made all the difference in my life.

[kensei]

Lets see, 5 years ago I was only 26 years into my training and was a strict shotokan trained instructor who had just given up a club to teach for my aging instructor and to have more time for my family. My daughter was going through weekly medical checks and we were on a neurology rollerchoster ride and told some scary things about her condition and knew very little about Ponto Cerebral Hyperplasia, I was starting to get unfit as the stress of family and my daughters medical diagnosis had been adding to my stress levels and had been melting away my drive and motivation to train.

Five years later (today) I am a refocused instructor teaching with my instructor and starting to get back into fighting shape and realizing how hard it is for a 41 year old to train and get rid of weight...so much easier when I was 20 to drop a few pounds. I am working on my blue belt in BJJ and also happy that my daughters medical conditions have been solved for the most part. I am a happy and motivated parent of a special needs daughter that is so happy about life that its catchy and I often train with her in the "home dojo" known as the house of pain by those that train with me.

Five years from now, well I hope to have my purple belt or brown belt in BJJ and have passed my next Dan grade in Shotokan and I hope to be back in the same shape I was in when I was in my ealry 30's...