The martial arts and you

[Minghequan]

How if at all has the pursuit of the martial arts had an impact on your life or changed you and your life in any way?

In what ways has it changed you as a person? What about how you deal with others in everyday life? In what ways has it made you a better person?

Hoping for some genuine and honest discussion.

[tsuei08]

Apart from the obvious being in better shape, knowing how to take a fall when I slip, etc. I was diagnosed as mildly bipolar and medication was suggested. Through the practice of Tai Chi I was able to get the problem under control.. not cured mind you, but under control and I was able to do without the meds. I am also ADD..ooo look at the bird... what? oh yea, ADD, I have found recently that if I do a few Tai Chi postures when I get mental overload from course work (back to school at 40yrs old!) I am then able to relax and refocus my mind... it works, I got a 4.0 this quarter, first time in my life... Tai Chi wasn't the only factor there, but it certainly helped. I think that with the practice of Kung Fu I am able to maintain my composure in stressful situations better than I could before, again, maturity is a factor as well, but my martial art training is important in how I look at things and react to adverse situations.

[uki]

How if at all has the pursuit of the martial arts had an impact on your life or changed you and your life in any way?it has given me the self confidence and self esteem i was lacking prior to taking up martial arts.



In what ways has it changed you as a person?more physically fit, faster, stronger... it has made me stand tall, to walk with integrity and dignity.


What about how you deal with others in everyday life?i deal with others personally without fear... before martial arts, my reactions witth peoplw were limited by my low self esteem and near zero self confidence; it would seem that i was afraid to be myself around other people because perhaps i was intimidated by them or felt that they were better than me in more ways than one...

In what ways has it made you a better person?i am an overall confident, secure, and honorable person... a far cry from being a little dipsh!t punk just out to cause trouble at everyone elses expense... it has given me true purpose in life, to be the silent watcher, a protector of the people simply waiting for a chance to lend a helping hand... a white blood cell of humanity, a part of a community immune system that will go out of it's way in times of need. of people who know me or the places i frequently go, there is definitly a level of respect for my presence... word of mouth travels quickly, people talk... it's nice to add a level of security to all whom are around me. :)

[David Jamieson]

Well for starters, it takes up most of my basement for space to work out and places to have my training equipment.

it has kept me somewhat fit over the years.

It's created a stack of magazines in my bathrooms that would strike fear into any readers digest.

It has increased my dvd chop sockey flick collection and also burdened me with many vhs that need conversion.

It has helped me to meet some very interesting people and has also exposed me to some of teh most difficult personalities I have ever encountered.

It changed the way I dressed back in the eighties forward.

and most importantly of all it gives me a connection with brothers in the art.

[Lucas]

i hear that about the space DJ. the only livable room in my apartment is my bedroom. the rest is just training area. and my neighbors love it :D

otherwise. ma training has changed me in about every aspect in my life. I developed what may have been a mildly un healthy obsession with kungfu and devoted nearly every free minute I had to studying. if I was at work or in transit or in bed i was reading, if i was able to, i was doing something physical to help my development.

its something i constantly think about and can never stop. you stay up late at night in your bed in the dark just running over scenarios, material, techniques, etc. till you finally pass out.

completely and utterly destroyed my social life. i consider it a fair trade though.

other than that, its been the usual. Confidence, physical fittness, comraderie, many lessons in humility, understanding more clearly my limitations. those are a few of things that come to mind right away.

but to me martial arts are just part of me. i think its like that for most people who stick with it over the years. Nearly everything single thing i do has in one way or another been influenced by my relationship with martial arts.

[SPJ]

I picked up CMA practice since kuo shu club in high school.

It stayed with me ever since.

Part of my daily life and weekend life are reserved for practice.

It just becomes part of me.

but all in all, it is a "chore".

just do it and have fun.

:)

[SteveLau]

Martial art training has made me stronger both physically and mentally. It also has made me a better person overall (including morally).



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[TaichiMantis]

It has made me more aware of how important body structure and posture is for everything we do. If something is off in the kinetic chain, it affects a lot more up and down. ;)

[SPJ]

I picked up CMA practice since kuo shu club in high school.

It stayed with me ever since.

Part of my daily life and weekend life are reserved for practice.

It just becomes part of me.

but all in all, it is a "chore".

just do it and have fun.

:)

my point was that MA becomes part of you and you become part of MA

or MA practice is you.

:)

[Ray Pina]

My relationship with martial arts keeps changing.

When I was a child it taught me that I could achieve anything with time and effort. I personally saw the results of those who focused on their training and those that went about business casually.

I learned to focus my mind and body.

Later on, when training with an old Chinese veteran, my thinking was challenged. I don't think a day goes by when I don't hear one of my master's lines in my head.

Now Martial arts has become very physical for me. Expanding my range of movement, conditioning and the dimensions in which I fight.

I'm sure three years from now martial arts will be something else for me.