Hi guys. Im doing a casual analysis essay for my english class and the topic has to do with martial arts. I need some opinions and answers on some of you readers on why do you take martial arts and how it impacts your everyday life. It would really help me to complete my essay. Thanks! 
i grew up white trash, got beat at home, beat up at school… i have glasses, need two hearing aides, was skinny, and had asthma growing up in school. LOL… i took up martial arts to put an end to my low self esteem, my low self-confidence and all that fun stuff… now i am a stone mason, iron ball juggling madman, that likes to walk in circles, chase the wind, and catch some comets by their tails. martial arts has become my lifestyle in every sense of the word.
[QUOTE=uki;994126]i grew up white trash, got beat at home, beat up at school… i have glasses, need two hearing aides, was skinny, and had asthma growing up in school. LOL… i took up martial arts to put an end to my low self esteem, my low self-confidence and all that fun stuff… now i am a stone mason, iron ball juggling madman, that likes to walk in circles, chase the wind, and catch some comets by their tails. martial arts has become my lifestyle in every sense of the word. :)[/QUOTE]
I know who you are, in your past life you were:
Perhaps a better or at least different question is:
Why SHOULD people train in a MA ?
Hi ManilaCrane,
Im happy to provide you input for your essay, as long as you let us know how it went after you get it back! =)
I began martial arts as a kid because it was supposed to be “hard knox”. I grew up in a nice area, never had problems with bullies or any of what many people attribute to their starting. But yet, martial arts seemed like something to keep me safe–to be honest, its difficult to recall that many years back.
Over time, after taking breaks here and there, I always went back because I enjoyed what I got out of it, despite the fact that hard training can often be uncomfortable. While some people were interested in the path, I was often interested in the destination. I enjoyed the learning and the philosophy and the medicine and such, but what really enamored me was the skill that came with the effort.
Things have changed a lot over the years, primarily because one of my teachers from the recent past did a real job of making class just simply miserable. He rarely taught new material, did not engage well during class and would often spar with us at a level far beyond our capability, making it difficult to get anything out of the encounter save for a bloody nose. It was after years of this sort of thing that I decided, hey, if Im not having fun then what is the **** point? After sleep and work take their share of hours, we only have so many hours in the day to do what we enjoy. If youre not enjoying in some way what youre doing then theres really very little point in continuing with it.
So today, I train what I train because I yearn, every second of the day, to get out there and do what I love. Loving what you are doing is what fuels your motivation to spend the time and improve, and tapping into that (IMO) is one of the keys to optimal improvement. Enjoyment feeds the skills and the skills feed the enjoyment. If you dont love what youre training and your mind is not in it, then youre wasting your time…
As to how it effects my daily life: Like most activities, really pushing yourself is about self-discovery and self-improvement. I work to live by the same guidelines of the systems I study because they are meant to produce growth physically, mentally, and emotionally. And like I said above, if a person doesnt feel that these things fuel their growth day in and day out, then its probably time to switch to something else! =)
One must be able to regulate all aspects of the self to understand the self truly.
If you don’t learn about yoru physicality or your fight/flight response and how to regulate it to your benefit, then you are not developed as an entire human being.
Too much intellect and no physical = no good in my view
Too much physical and no intellect = no good either
The entirety of the being (yourself) is brought together in an understanding of the whole through various practices both arcane and widespread.
Martial arts is part of these methods.
For me, I do martial arts to be a whole person. One who is non-violent, but can be if need be. One who can build or destroy both physically or mentally.
It is satisfying to know myself through martial arts practice. It is satisfying to recognize skill and achievement and it is satisfying to know and understand where failure is because that is the deepest understanding.
If you really want to learn about yourself as a true human being, then martial arts is a great path when it is pursued fully from seed to blossom.
Self-defense.
[QUOTE=ManilaCrane;994118]Hi guys. Im doing a casual analysis essay for my english class and the topic has to do with martial arts. I need some opinions and answers on some of you readers on why do you take martial arts and how it impacts your everyday life. It would really help me to complete my essay. Thanks! :)[/QUOTE]
For me martial arts was a means to learn to fight when I was in my teens and early 20’s. As I got older, I realized that I can’t give a beat down to everyone I meet and martial arts became a way to keep fit and relieve stress.
I don’t even consider it a solid mean of self defense. Hence I carry a gun. I would use martial arts to get to my gun.
In the beginning, MA was a good excercise for me to gain gross coordination of my movement. I had trouble to walk slowly and steadily. I had wild movement when I was a kid.
Later on, the practice of MA become a habit.
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more later on, I become a collector.
one of my friends is a collector of hand guns, especially Chinese made ones. He treated them as valuables. he never fired with these guns. he just polished them. imagine that we were using these in the 1930s to fight Japanese etc–
he does have modern hand guns and goes to firing range in east LA all the time.
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in a sense or alone a similar vein, I collected and polished some old CMA, well mostly are curriculum from guo shu guan era in the 1930s.
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I do keep up with update or modern wushu—
–
In short, I am sort of a collector for both old and “new” CMA.
Most people think it will make them more macho. They lack self confidence and a feeling of personal security. However, most on this forum are only book experienced, and they only play at martial arts, not really able to use it to any real extent. I learned it so that I could force my will upon those beneith my skill level. It works too. However, in these days and times, another form of self defense has taken front stage, and if I am correct it is called, Gun Go Pow?
[QUOTE=Lee Chiang Po;994219]Most people think it will make them more macho. They lack self confidence and a feeling of personal security. However, most on this forum are only book experienced, and they only play at martial arts, not really able to use it to any real extent. I learned it so that I could force my will upon those beneith my skill level. It works too. However, in these days and times, another form of self defense has taken front stage, and if I am correct it is called, Gun Go Pow?[/QUOTE]
why do you deliberatly troll?
most? I’m willing to bet you don’t know anyone here except perhaps one or two others? So how can you make any statement at all in regards to what is or is not know without touching hands?
Also, why would you want to learn how to force your will upon others? That is contrary to everything about Mo Duk and it is also by definition weakness.
The desire to control others denotes weakness.
The desire to control oneself denotes strength.
Maybe that’s a book you can read?
Your kungfu motivation to learn in my eyes, is poor and will fall to a genuine practitioner.
[QUOTE=David Jamieson;994224]
Also, why would you want to learn how to force your will upon others? That is contrary to everything about Mo Duk and it is also by definition weakness.
The desire to control others denotes weakness.
The desire to control oneself denotes strength.
[/QUOTE]
It’s an ideal that people will want to learn to be strong and want to learn control of oneself. But in all my years in the martial arts I find more often than not, that human nature takes center stage. Some of my friends think I’m cynical but it’s just what I have observe. People can talk all they want, but I always llok at their actions. And I’m also referring to the little things a lot of people don’t pick up on. Very few ever learn to control themselves.
As for my reasons for taking martial arts,… because it’s FUN!!!
I started because it was fun.
I tried some other sports, bowling, tennis and so on. They just didn’t do it for me. Martial arts was the most fun.
It’s still fun.
I started for self protection.
I liked the competition and trying to be the best fighter I could be.
Now?
Its fun, its in the blood and I can beat people up at walmart !
Its a win-win for everyone !!
[QUOTE=dirtyrat;994235]It’s an ideal that people will want to learn to be strong and want to learn control of oneself. But in all my years in the martial arts I find more often than not, that human nature takes center stage. Some of my friends think I’m cynical but it’s just what I have observe. People can talk all they want, but I always llok at their actions. And I’m also referring to the little things a lot of people don’t pick up on. Very few ever learn to control themselves.
As for my reasons for taking martial arts,… because it’s FUN!!![/QUOTE]
Yes, very few do learn to regulate themselves in a fashion that replicates itself as a living ideal.
But some do.
You are cynical. lol. You are ready to accept and resign yourself to failure because everyone else is failing. To put it bluntly.
Failure is a great teacher. Once a person recognizes that, they are already a step up from average self awareness.
Work towards the ideal. that is the path. Abandon that and you will indeed fall by teh wayside and have nothing to gain but a little visceral fun.
I take martial arts because its great for the health both physically and mentally, not a lot of sports have both of these.
[QUOTE=David Jamieson;994257]Yes, very few do learn to regulate themselves in a fashion that replicates itself as a living ideal.
But some do.
You are cynical. lol. You are ready to accept and resign yourself to failure because everyone else is failing. To put it bluntly.
Failure is a great teacher. Once a person recognizes that, they are already a step up from average self awareness.
Work towards the ideal. that is the path. Abandon that and you will indeed fall by teh wayside and have nothing to gain but a little visceral fun.[/QUOTE]
lol! 
Alright, Don Quixote, I’ll be your Sancho
To dream … the impossible dream …
To fight … the unbeatable foe …
To bear … with unbearable sorrow …
To run … where the brave dare not go …
To right … the unrightable wrong …
To love … pure and chaste from afar …
To try … when your arms are too weary …
To reach … the unreachable star …
This is my quest, to follow that star …
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far …
To fight for the right, without question or pause …
To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause …
And I know if I’ll only be true, to this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm,
when I’m laid to my rest …
And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach … the unreachable star …
[QUOTE=FightSoc;994264]I take martial arts because its great for the health both physically and mentally, not a lot of sports have both of these.[/QUOTE]juggling has both aswell.
[QUOTE=dirtyrat;994267]lol! Alright, Don Quixote, I’ll be your Sancho
To dream … the impossible dream …
To fight … the unbeatable foe …
To bear … with unbearable sorrow …
To run … where the brave dare not go …
To right … the unrightable wrong …
To love … pure and chaste from afar …
To try … when your arms are too weary …
To reach … the unreachable star …
This is my quest, to follow that star …
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far …
To fight for the right, without question or pause …
To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause …
And I know if I’ll only be true, to this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm,
when I’m laid to my rest …
And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach … the unreachable star …[/QUOTE]
that is simply tremendous.
now get out there and be a brother to all men!
woot!
i do martial arts because i feel empty inside