assessing if u r a true M.ARTIST

well who consider himself a true martial artist,who is full committed to the game,who has the asked descepline,composure,consistencies,calmness.
And what have you achieved?

 

I consider myself an individual who happens to foster an interest in the martial arts.

I suppose I'm a "martial artist" to the same extent that I'm a "guitarist" - I can play the guitar, but I'm no Jimi Hendrix. If you consider that a "guitarist" then I'm a martial artist by the same criterion.

 

Strider, please stop using the text speak. If you can't be bothered to spell out "you", people are not going to look on your posts kindly. I have a headache just from reading your question.

And no I don't consider myself a martial artist. I'm just a guy who practices martial arts. I find the whole "way of life" argument kinda pretentious. Yes, it's made an indellible mark on my life. But I don't feel any great need to be "a man apart" about it. I'm just a guy.


Stuart

 

Standard MAP Response:

I'm a truly mad Martial Artist! I love MA. I love MA. I think about it ALL the time. Even when I'm at school/work/college I'm like, doing stomach exercises in horse stance.

MA has taken entirely over my life.
Sometimes I train for a whole hour at a time.

I am only 2 years away from my blackbelt!

 

I disarmed a Samurai in full armour once in Oxford high street. He tried to get it back so I had to break his neck.

Does that count?

 

Sometimes I'd love to push you off a cliff. :Angel:

Anyway to answer the question, I can never say its anything I've put any thought into.
I am a person who studies a martial art and because I've done it so long it now seems natural to me, I'm not the best at what I do and never will be.

So in effect no I don't think I do, I make the choice to train not the other way round (if that makes sense ).

 

I consider myself a martial artist, because I practice martial arts.

That doesn't mean that I live on a mountain, growing rice and herding cattle. I have a family, I have friends. I just happen to practice and occasionally teach Martial Art's.

I wish people would just stop making such a fuss about it.

James

 

i once caught a fly with chop sticks

 

I threw my chopstick at a cat trying to steal my food... Do I qualify?

James

 

Assessing whether or not you can speak the English language

Who considers themselves proficient in the use of the English language? Who is fully committed to creating sensible documents and speaking properly? Who has the discipline to type you instead of "u", or are instead of "r"? Who has the composure to keep from quickly flaming trolls with stuff like "u suk dood!"? Who is consistent enough to refrain from making constant spelling and grammar mistakes in the face of wave after wave of illiterate chavs? And who has the calmness to keep from flaming everyone who can't put together a coherent post? (not me apparently)

I don't consider myself a martial artist. I consider myself a partial artist! I'm working on it. Personally, I do try to incorporate the teachings of my martial art into every aspect of my life, but I'm definitely not there yet. I don't have the discipline to practice as much as I should. I don't have the composure to keep from making mistakes and getting hit by my instructor. Etcetera.

 

Pfft. Whatever. I caught a cold. Bare handed.

 

I have one other serious thing to say here:

My MMA coach once said something that went along these lines:

You can practice martial arts without letting it define you.

He was of the opinion (and many martial artists are) that martial arts is something that you do in your spare time. For the rest of the day, you assume other roles: father, teacher, doctor, whatever. I think his idea is that you are yourself and that martial arts are just part of your life.

My SPM teacher tells us the exact opposite. He wants us to take the things that he teaches in class and apply them to the rest of our life. Part of the training is to learn the system, internalize it, and basically let it's principles define you.

 

LOL- my chp suey fu is no match for your "sickly" bared handed gar

 

I prefer the MMA coach's view. But I do think that internalizing a sense of self from martial arts is fine. We internalize a sense of things from lots of different sources. That doesn't mean we need to label it so though.

If I were to dissect my personality, I'm sure I could identify lots of things that I would attribute to martial arts. But statements like "it's who I am" sound silly to me. Martial arts carry weight in my life. But like your coach said, I'm a father, brother, son, friend, employee... as well. And those things carry weight too. I don't feel the need to profess that being a father is a "way of life" (even though it's far moreso than being a martial artist, in my view).

Sounds like a smart man, your coach.


Stuart

 

I can't even claim to be a hobbyist any more.

My current self defense training consists of cardio only, so I can run away fast and look great while I'm running.

 

Nor my fearsome kiai.

"AHHHH-CHOOOO!!!"

 

bows and presents master Cho with

 

Until you reflexively seal the meridians of people who annoy you...? Seriously, martial arts doesn't really define how I live my life in any significant way other than maybe a small increase in confidence. It does, however, define the way I move, I've noticed. It's kind of embarrassing, but I can't even help but let a little of it creep into the way I dance (not very well).

 

You're a good friend, Grasshopper.

 

dittos