Thanks to everyone who participated in last week's poll about gradings and promotions! I enjoyed the insight into the practices of other schools and styles. Unsurprisingly, the most popular policy seems to be a formal grading exam. What I found most interesting was how many teachers seem to mix and match different ideas about promoting students, creating unique blends of requirements. This week's question is a more personal one. How has martial arts training affected your lifestyle? Since you started practicing a martial art, have you started exercising more? Changed your diet? Let your fellow MAPers know by responding to the poll, and by posting your thoughts below.
Not necessarily! Depends on the art in which you train, your personal goals, and (most importantly!) how much free time you have to devote to things like diet and exercise.
I can't really remember what my lifestyle was like before I took up MA (I was 14 when I took up karate properly) so I think the main change has been when I started driving to aikido classes in other towns instead of cycling or walking to the local karate club. Diet hasn't changed at all - I still eat everything in sight and I'm still built like a rake.
What about lifestyle now such as disciplined, respectful, confident, enthusastic about promoting and passing on your skills to non martial artists to encourage new blood .......
I picked number three but I guess it's really a chain of cause and effect. I do martial arts, thus I exercise to be in good shape for that, thus I eat better to fuel the exercise.
I have to stay in shape, just because my training partners are in good shape. The diet thing comes more from having to make weight. However, I'm far more into ice cream than I am into running. Eating better and conditioning myself more are byproducts of not wanting to get worn out by the newer guys who are less technical. "Ego left at the door" or not, getting owned in sparring because I got worn out after two minutes is a terrible feeling.
I picked #1 because the place I train puts a fair amount of emphasis on physical fitness. They condition you to be a better fighter. I eat a lot tho
Wait until to you cross 35. I'm not sure exactly which year I changed, but somewhere between 35 and 40 the metabolism stopped. :cry: I miss the old days! Ooooh, now that I can affirm! :happy:
Definitely exercise more because of MA. Diet comes into line with that, especially as my metabolism slows with age.
I was never able to convince myself to work out until I started thinking of it as my job as a martial artist to stay in shape. For whatever reason, health was never enough of a motivator on its own.
I chose #3 - although I'm a fairly healthy eater, I'm definitely more conscious about post-workout meals now. I'm not quite as young and resilient as I used to be, so recovery and therefore proper nutrients are definitely something I'm very aware of. As for fitness - again, I've always been somewhat active and fitness-oriented. But now the wheels are spinning in my head in terms of what kind of exercise I can do that will complement and enhance my MA training. For example, I've been thinking about extra cardio work, as I find that I'm getting gassed in the middle of my classes.