Would you ...

[ghostexorcist]

The other day I was skimming through an ESPN magazine at work and read about an extreme long distance runner (we are talking hundreds of miles) with surprising dedication to her sport. She had her toenails removed because they tend to rupture or slice open her surrounding toes during her marathon runs.

Would you be willing to mutilate your body if it gave you some sort of advantage or solved some problem in your quest for martial superiority?

I personally have no idea on how to answer this for myself. I, of course, would like to be the invincible master portrayed in films and literature, but I don't want to cut anything off in order to reach my goal.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by ghostexorcist

The other day I was skimming through an ESPN magazine at work and read about an extreme long distance runner (we are talking hundreds of miles) with surprising dedication to her sport. She had her toenails removed because they tend to rupture or slice open her surrounding toes during her marathon runs.

Would you be willing to mutilate your body if it gave you some sort of advantage or solved some problem in your quest for martial superiority?

I personally have no idea on how to answer this for myself. I, of course, would like to be the invincible master portrayed films and literature, but I don't want to cut anything off in order to reach my goal.

I wouldn't do it, but she's right. If you are going to be an ultra-marathon runner, might as well have them removed. I've lost toenails from running before, usually at 10+ miles and with hills. It's an annoying, usually somewhat painful process (for the first few hours), and it takes forever for them to grow back, only to come off again.

[No_Know]

Her body was hurting its self. That is different from cutting off your eyelids that are a benefit or cutting off your left arm that works fine.

Mutilating to improve performance in martial arts might only have a place if you didn't have to have a life outside of the use of martial art.

No_Know

[SPJ]

Originally Posted by ghostexorcist

Would you be willing to mutilate your body if it gave you some sort of advantage or solved some problem in your quest for martial superiority?

in order to condition your body for MA purpose

we are damaging our body parts on a small scale daily in order to harden them.

I am not so much into mutilate body parts

however I have relatives that had surgery done on the hands to widen the space between fingers

so that they may play piano or grab a basketball, mind that they are professional piano player and basket ball players

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[Hardwork108]

Originally Posted by ghostexorcist

The other day I was skimming through an ESPN magazine at work and read about an extreme long distance runner (we are talking hundreds of miles) with surprising dedication to her sport. She had her toenails removed because they tend to rupture or slice open her surrounding toes during her marathon runs.

Would you be willing to mutilate your body if it gave you some sort of advantage or solved some problem in your quest for martial superiority?

I personally have no idea on how to answer this for myself. I, of course, would like to be the invincible master portrayed in films and literature, but I don't want to cut anything off in order to reach my goal.

Hey, I thought being a good martial artist depended on how well you mutilated your enemy's body and stopped him from mutilating yours.

Seriously, I believe that sometimes it is necessary to "mutilate" oneself up to a point, as long as it does not effect your general health. A slightly strange looking hand is acceptable to me as long as it keeps on functioning normally during my life span.

For example, conditioning one's hands may change the appearance but you don't want not to be able to hold a pen when you are older. There are ways and there are intelligent ways of getting the same results.


HW108

[ghostexorcist]

Originally Posted by SPJ

however I have relatives that had surgery done on the hands to widen the space between fingers

so that they may play piano or grab a basketball, mind that they are professional piano player and basket ball players

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Wow, that's some crazy stuff. I've never heard of people doing that before.

[SPJ]

yes some how widen your grip

you may grab the basket ball with one hand.

you may stretch your fingers wider to play difficult notes on the piano

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[TenTigers]

The body adapts.
I play guitar, and there are exercises that increase your reach.
I swam competively in High School. As a result of heavy cardiovascular repiratory endurance training in my formulative years, I have an unusually large lung capacity, as told to me by my doctors. I also have a low resting pulse.
My back, specifically my lats are well developed.
I think I would've liked to have had gills if possible...
Boxers usually have the cartilige from their nose removed, although I don't think this is a surgical procedure as much as a result of a good right cross...

[MasterKiller]

[TenTigers]

wow, times have changed since the 70's. What is that siver cyllinder thing and what did he put in the end of the joint?

[kfson]

In high school, I ran 880, mile and two mile, and sometimes 10K. Practices would run 5-12 miles a day. My right big toe would always have an ingrown toe nail. I did my own operation.

[ghostexorcist]

Originally Posted by kfson

In high school, I ran 880, mile and two mile, and sometimes 10K. Practices would run 5-12 miles a day. My right big toe would always have an ingrown toe nail. I did my own operation.

I'm sure that involved some pliers. My dad used the same method when me or one of my siblings had a loose tooth.