Without martial arts...

[Spartacus Maximus]

Has anyone ever taken time to think about what they might be doing or where they would be if they were not training in martial arts? Personally, martial arts training has been an anchor of sorts, without which dangerous and self-destructive habits might have lead to serious problems. Ill health or incarceration due to bad choices might have been a consequence without the focus and dedication of karate

[sensei8]

I've thought about what I might be involved in if the MA wasn't in my life. To be frank and honest, for as long as I've been in the MA, both as a student and as a CI, including the Administrative segments within the SKKA, I can't even begin to answer that question with any certainty.

I suppose, there was a time where I was interested in Law Enforcement because I had tons of LEO's as students over the years, and I was particularly interested in working for the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department). But, it was just a thought, a thought that never really materialized.

I thought that with my Administrative experience as well as owning my own MA supply store, that I might try my hand out in Retail, more specifically in the Field Operations field as either a District Manager or Regional Manager. However, I felt that I was already, in sorts, doing that, and more, at the dojo as well as the SKKA.

I originally went to college to earn an MBA (Master of Business Administration), but due to my schedule with me operating my own dojo, time constraints were compatible as my student body increased.

The MA and its Administrative side is all that I've ever known, and all that I'm cut out for, and in that, the MA is all that I'm good at. Things happen for reasons, and I believe that the MA happened, and I'm completely satisfied, and pleased that things worked out the way it did.

Shoot, I even wanted to be a pilot once, my Uncle Earnie was a pilot in the private sector, but I changed my mind right after I took a trial flight, and the pilot did one stall after another, and I thought for sure, that we were going to crash if he didn't get the darn engine started up each and every time that plane stalled...ON PURPOSE!! No no no no no no...not me...not this boy...no way and no how...I was baptized to remain on the ground from that very moment by kissing the ground, literally, when the trial flight ended.

[DWx]

Great topic Spartacus.

I honestly don't have an answer for this. I started TKD aged 10 and it has been such an integral part of my life. I train 3 to 4 times a week, including driving 3 hours on a Sunday to train with others from around the country. In university I'd travel away nearly every weekend to train TKD and now I'm working I use virtually all of my annual leave on TKD. All of my good friends are from within my TKD circle.

I guess then I'd probably be a very different person.

I wonder how different the answers to this question will be from people who grew up doing MA and from the people that were already adults when they started and already had other interests.

[Alan Armstrong]

Being something other than martial arts I would be a dancer/teacher Hip Hop to Batuka to Flamenco.

Real story:

Was attending a Zumba class and arrived early.

The class before was a Karate class that was in progress, so I just sat down and watched.

A black belt came up to me and asked if I would be interested in joining in on the class. I said no, I'm just waiting for the next Zumba class.

He asked me again to join in on the class. I said OK.

I didn't let on that I'm a martial artist, the black belt thought that I was just a Zumba dancer.

So we were doing some one step sparring techniques. The black belt was getting very impressed on how quickly I caught on.

I just didn't have the heart to tell him that I'm a martial artist. So I played along doing the karate moves but with a flowing dance style.

The look on this black belt's face was priceless, he was in amazement. He started to tell me that I would be good at martial arts.

Then he asked if I would be interested in joining, he was very convinced that I would be terrific at karate.

Oppps! Perhaps I had taken the joke too far, then he handed me all the details to join.

I thanked him and sat down again, while they bowed out.

[LLLEARNER]

Has anyone ever taken time to think about what they might be doing or where they would be if they were not training in martial arts? Personally, martial arts training has been an anchor of sorts, without which dangerous and self-destructive habits might have lead to serious problems. Ill health or incarceration due to bad choices might have been a consequence without the focus and dedication of karate

Since I started less than a year ago, I would probably be watching Netflix instead.

[ninjanurse]

I can't imagine!

[tallgeese]

I don't have a good answer for that, like most people who have been doing it so long they don't know another way.

I can venture a guess that I'd be far less athletic than I am. Probably have less of a mindset. That might even mean that I never ended up in my current job since most of the people that kept telling me I should do it were martial artist.

Wow, that might have had major repercussions!

[bushido_man96]

I wouldn't have met my wife if I hadn't been in Martial Arts.

[JR 137]

I've thought about what I might be involved in if the MA wasn't in my life. To be frank and honest, for as long as I've been in the MA, both as a student and as a CI, including the Administrative segments within the SKKA, I can't even begin to answer that question with any certainty.

I suppose, there was a time where I was interested in Law Enforcement because I had tons of LEO's as students over the years, and I was particularly interested in working for the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department). But, it was just a thought, a thought that never really materialized.

I thought that with my Administrative experience as well as owning my own MA supply store, that I might try my hand out in Retail, more specifically in the Field Operations field as either a District Manager or Regional Manager. However, I felt that I was already, in sorts, doing that, and more, at the dojo as well as the SKKA.

I originally went to college to earn an MBA (Master of Business Administration), but due to my schedule with me operating my own dojo, time constraints were compatible as my student body increased.

The MA and its Administrative side is all that I've ever known, and all that I'm cut out for, and in that, the MA is all that I'm good at. Things happen for reasons, and I believe that the MA happened, and I'm completely satisfied, and pleased that things worked out the way it did.

Shoot, I even wanted to be a pilot once, my Uncle Earnie was a pilot in the private sector, but I changed my mind right after I took a trial flight, and the pilot did one stall after another, and I thought for sure, that we were going to crash if he didn't get the darn engine started up each and every time that plane stalled...ON PURPOSE!! No no no no no no...not me...not this boy...no way and no how...I was baptized to remain on the ground from that very moment by kissing the ground, literally, when the trial flight ended.

Don't sell yourself short. From what I know about you/seen from you, you would have been successful in just about anything you put your heart and mind to. It just happened to be MA (in a good way). If you had the same passion for, say, architecture, you'd have been a very good architect. Or anything else. For the most part, I think we all say we do what we do because we understand it and relate to it well. I genuinely think we'd come to that feeling in just about anything if we had the same passion for it.

Granted, not everyone can be a neurosurgeon, no matter how determined and passionate they are about it, but you get my drift.

[JR 137]

I was that guy without MA for about 15 years. I took a break to pursue grad school, my career, and my family. What did I do with my downtime? I didn't really have any. The little downtime I had I spent sleeping:)

Now that I've got a little more downtime, I can pursue my second favorite thing (after my family) - karate. But like everything else - balance, Daniel San.