lol@qeysus, your humbleness glows 
Martial arts are great fun and a wonderful foundation. They support the main aspects in life that I really enjoy and let me express myself physically, mentally, spiritually as well as just enjoying myself and relaxing. Yes, people do seem to develop definite stereotypes about you though, and my family for a while though that tai chi was making me anti-God boggles.
my family thinks wing tsun is a hobby, some friends think it’s a sport and can’t wait for me to start competing, and the rest have no clue because they know i’m always in class (can never get ahold of me) and they know i teach four nights per week, but they don’t see me practicing constantly or challenging people or any of that. about the only people who understand that martial arts isn’t just a hobby for me - that it’s a life - are my roommates and my ex.
however, considering that i have a very special and healthy core group of friends that i’m very close to, and they like me just as a person without knowing exactly what makes me this type of person, then i guess i’m living up to my own expectations of what it is to be a martial artist. sure, i practice my techniques and skills a lot, but that’s nowhere near everything. i help out my friends constantly, make sure the people i care about are well off, work hard at my job, am friendly to everyone i meet - that kind of stuff. if people regard me as a good person, but i can still keep what i know to myself, i think i’m doing a good job.
and i think that goes for a lot of you folks, too. sure, we can banter with each other about martial arts for days on end, but we don’t go out of our way and say, “i’m a martial artist. look at me!” we all know that we study, and we all respect that, and we just chat, banter, occasionlly rip on, and just enjoy each other’s company. in that, i think we’re each doing something right.
-rtb
and now back to our regularly scheduled insults, jabs and jokes.
-rtb
My family looks down on kung fu as an art of hooligans and Triads.
Even my granduncle, a former closed door disciple of one of Chiang Kai Shek’s lesser known bodyguards, is doing his best to discourage me from practicing kung fu. He says that “kung fu ruined him” and is hoping that I’ll quit.
My younger brother used to think that my kung fu was BS, but now that he’s seen me do my current style he has become very supportive of my goal to one day open a kwoon.
I’ve been very fortunate in real life that people automatically assume that I know kung fu because I’m Chinese. People used to mess with me before I started training - not anymore.
Huang,
Why does your grand uncle say that it ruined him? Physically, mentally or what.
If you dont mind me being curious.
Shaolin36
They always tease me and say that I’m “The Warrrior” ready for war.They say how they wont ever try to scare me because I won’t know that is is them and I will break thier neck.That is not the case.I’ve accidentaly hit them in the face before when they tried to scare me when I walked into a dark room.And when they hit me it never hurts.One guy broke his toe on my shin before. Sometimes I pierce cantalopes and watermelons with my fingertips just to amaze my cousins. And at one family gathering I let everyone throw hard hits at me for 15 seconds fu so yeah they think I’m crazy…Maybe i am :eek:
---------------------------“uh oh, what is going to happen next?”
My step dad hates the idea that I study martial arts…he says that it is a waste of my life…he says stuff like,"you don’t need to learn Kung-fu you need to study about god…he can defeat any opponent"what a way to encourage your son
:rolleyes: :mad:
---------------------------“uh oh, what is going to happen next?”
Hate to disappoint your Step Dad, but God isn’t going to step in when some guy is coming at your girlfriend with a knife to rape her and all that stands between him and her is YOU.
Depending on God to pull your nuts out of the fire aren’t the kind of odds I’d like to take to Vegas–if you know what I mean.
K. Mark Hoover
always the same. “friends” (like i say i never have many people who i consider a real friend) think it’s wierd that when we were in the bad area’s of town, i used to take a maglite concealed in my jacket. my parents and family think that i am over reacting. when i walk with girls at night, walking them home or whatever, they ask why i turn around and look behind me every short while. people think i’m over reacting when i say i don’t drink incase i get into a fight and i don’t want to have that handicap. ppl ask why do you train all the time, life isn’t al about fighting, you can’t spend all your time dedicating your time to training for somethign that might never happen/happen rarely.
plus a million other things. the only person who doesn’t ask me these questions and give me a hard time, is my brother. like i said we alwys been best friends, true friends, but he 10 years older than me, and he knows what it’s liek growing up in the grimey manors. He’s had it worse than me.
so anyway, when people ask me these questions, i have learnt to lie. saves me the hassle.
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What we really need is chicks with a whole new kinda orifice - Fish
Sharky, I should expect this level of immaturity from you after seeing your post titled “Hm.” regarding the woman that lives next door to you. I think everyone who unfortuneatly read that post is a bit more ignorant now for doing so. - Spectre
All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.
No, but I don’t brag about bruises. I brag about how good my hot chocolate is. (serious)
“Alright you primative screw heads listen up, see this, this is my BOOM STICK! 12 gauge double barrel Rimington, S-Marts top of the line. You can find this in a sporting goods department. Thats right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids Michigan. Retails about, 109.95, its got a walnut stock, kolbolt blue steal, and a hair trigger. Thats right, shop smart, shop S-Mart, YOU GOT THAT?!? Now I swear, the next one of you primates, even touches me…” - Bruce Campbell, Army of Darkness.
what i am saying is - now i don’t tell anyone that doesn’t need to know that i train in anything, and i don’t tell them why i do certain things, just so i don’t have to go down that road in the conversation.
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What we really need is chicks with a whole new kinda orifice - Fish
Sharky, I should expect this level of immaturity from you after seeing your post titled “Hm.” regarding the woman that lives next door to you. I think everyone who unfortuneatly read that post is a bit more ignorant now for doing so. - Spectre
All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.
Yep. I’m very involved with the church (Anglican) over here & I sometimes get the pathetic “Chrisians shouldn’t get into MA, they’re evil” debates. It really pi**es me off. My family think I’m a bit loopy for quitting work to train MA full time, but at least they’re supportive of it. And the paranoia thing. When asked by one of my churchy friends (another person completely ignorant of MA and the principles behind it) if I was paranoid because I don’t walk down dark unfamiliar streets late at night, don’t approach large abusive drunk groups outside pubs, etc I said:
“If you don’t try to look after yourself by learning Martial Arts or even simply being aware of your surroundings then you are walking through this world hoping that nothing bad will ever happen to you. That’s a huge gamble, and I’m not a gambler anyhow. Do you look both ways before crossing the road? Or do you just walk out hoping that there are no cars coming? Same principle.”
He now practises MA.
It’s worth the flak though 
“Forfeit the game
Before somebody else takes you out of the frame
And puts your name to shame
Cover up your face
You can’t run the race
The pace is too fast,
You just won’t last!”
Straight Blast
I don’t think ma arts are againts Christianity.I think God would want you to learn how to protect your self and your loved ones and live a healthy life.Christianity is againts violence but not againts the belief of protecting your life and the life of others.
On a post a while back somone mentioned that Israel means Soldier of God.
Sharky-
Same thing here bro.I don’t drink at all for many reasons.Only time I drink is at mass and that’s not much!
“Always be ready”
“right, that’s it!you’ve insulted me, and you’ve insulted the shaolin temple!”-Fish of Furry
I believe I’ve mentioned before that my friends drastically overestimate my fighting ability. They think because I’ve been doing martial arts for barely a year and a half that I can take on six football players at once or something.
I explained a kimura to them once, and offered to demonstrate on one of them. None of them would let me - despite the fact that I gave them numerous assurances that they would not be hurt, that they could tap at any time, and so on…
It’s not like I’m a fighter or anything, I’ve never been in a fight in my life. Having them be afraid of me is equal parts flattering and irritating.
“I believe I’ve mentioned before that my friends drastically overestimate my fighting ability. They think because I’ve been doing martial arts for barely a year and a half that I can take on six football players at once or something.”
Same. People actually feel safe when i’m there, like i’m superman. If only they knew 
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What we really need is chicks with a whole new kinda orifice - Fish
Sharky, I should expect this level of immaturity from you after seeing your post titled “Hm.” regarding the woman that lives next door to you. I think everyone who unfortuneatly read that post is a bit more ignorant now for doing so. - Spectre
All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.
Yes, my freinds think I’M NUTTS!!!
But that has nothing to do with Kung Fu mind you, I was nuts long before then!! 
Royal Dragon
Those that are sucessful are also the biggest failures. the difference between them and the rest of the failures is this, they keep getting up over and over again, until they succeed. “The more they try, the more they fail, BUT, the more they try & fail, the more opertunity they have to succeed, and succeed they do!!”
Check out the Royal Dragon Web site & Message Board.
http://www.Royaldragon.4dw.com or http://www.dreamwater.net/biz/royaldragon/
My family thinks I’m nuts for buying a lot of weapons like swords, staffs, and a chain whip. My friends also think I’m psycho cause I have all of this in my room. I must admit though, the chain whip is badass.
My Friends
I have been doing MA for quite a long time that when I lived in Canada I ran a school for a few years and taught allot of my childhood friends.
Now that I live in CA most of my friends are Martial Artist’s so we all have a common interest.
Most of my friends however are astonished at the intensity and amount I train with exception to my training partners and competing friends.
“Life’s a great Adventure, Mate”
Jacko Jackson
Always have, probably always will. Though, after 27 years, most of em have had time to get used to it.
Now what they REALLY think is weird is what I call my “voodoo”…all my energy medicine stuff.
Nice topic…(i think i’ll rate it a 4)
I, as u may know, do not actually study what some would say a “REAL” art…but i beleive i am a martial artist in a way…
I train in many ways(as many as i can)…wether its strenght training or technique training(also speed)…i am extremly devoted to learning martial arts, i scan the internet all the time(ATLEAST 1nce a day, twice if im not working out)…even if its just coming here…but i do know much more than the average bear, i wouldn’t say i know more than a true martial arts student though(cuz i dont)…
But to the question, Do my friends think im weird? Well, 2 of my friends know i train hard, as do they…1 of my friends i spar with(sorta) but i dont think he knows i train on a regular basis(he’s in for a big suprise next time he see’s me ), The rest of my friends, and alot of my aqquaintances(not really friends, but like me n talk to me), just think i got really really quick hands, and its like natural or something, and im actually feared (by my aqquaintances, hah)…i think its kinda funny, cuz i dont pose any threat, im kinda like, an educated/nice thug…picture that, hah, i beleive(and can assume) i can fight 3 times better than i could before i started training, maybe people can jes sense it or something…
Keep this thread going, its interesting to hear peoples stories
—The Educated/Nice Thug— :mad:
“True victory is giving all of yourself without regret”-Ryu
“Your best move is the move you regret not doing”-Fei Long
“Are you prepared to fight today? Someone else is as we speak”-Apprentice