"a true martial artist..."

[nkudahc]

i havent' looked back through all the threads so forgive me if there is already one concerning this.

i'm sure you all have heard or read something simular to "a true martial artist trains 24 hours a day." i've been wordering about this lately. it seems pretty obvious to me that someone can't punch and kick and do kata all day everyday so i was wondering how you guys make your training a 24 hour a day thing?

[random]

This approach is what separates the practice of modern sport karate and those who practice what may be considered traditional or ancient or orthodox karate. Karate becomes a part of ones life. I am not suggesting that we go around in a constant state of readiness, or bowing and kneeling and stuff like that, although some of us do occasionally drop the odd oss into a conversation.

It isn’t about the obvious aspects of karate, punching kicking etc. But allowing every aspect of what we do to influence of daily advancement in our art, even down to sitting properly, eating properly, sleeping properly to allow ones body to become a whole Martial Artist.

This is I imagine is exceptionally difficult and would take years get close to mastering at a basic level.

[nkudahc]

*leaning back in my chair* ;D
yea, i could definately try some of those. especially sitting and eating properly. my posture is pretty horrible and my diet includes pretty much everything. i find myself thinking about karate a lot, does that count?

[whitewarlock]

i would say it is yet another means for one person to feel superior to another. Ego gratification via self-imposed titles of 'purity' or 'abstract' dedication. All arbitrary, to say the least.

On another direction, i would never call myself a martial artist. I study the martial arts, and have done so for decades. But it is one aspect of my totality, and does not encompass me. I encompass me, and martial arts is one area of knowledge i've absorbed and made a 'part' of me. So too do a write, but i do not feel comfortable calling myself a writer... even if the definition of both martial artist and writer, at least as presented by most, encompasses what i do.

It is just that neither encompasses who i am.

[whitewarlock]

Btw, to examine the 'honesty' of any title... pose the exact opposite and apply it to 'everyone else.'

The exact opposite of a 'true martial artist' is a 'false martial artist.' So, do you consider yourself, and everyone you know, to be 'false' martial artists?

I gather the answer would be, "heck no," which then gives light to the gross fallacy of the original title, and the inference of an ego-generated classification.

[AngelaG]

nkudahc said:

i havent' looked back through all the threads so forgive me if there is already one concerning this.

i'm sure you all have heard or read something simular to "a true martial artist trains 24 hours a day." i've been wordering about this lately. it seems pretty obvious to me that someone can't punch and kick and do kata all day everyday so i was wondering how you guys make your training a 24 hour a day thing?

I'm not sure it's a 24 hour thing butmy friends' eyes DO glaze over when I start to talk about karate. ;D

I guess this also relates to the soft skills thread, in that someone who is trained in the martial arts should be aware 24/7, assessing and evaluating various situations.

Perhaps it's something we constantly strive for, without ever really achieving. A bit like the whole "perfection of character" thing.

[random]

To describe oneself as something never describes the whole anyway, and all titles are capricious, I am many things and it includes studying martial arts, therefore I am a martial artist.

I have never really liked circular arguments, because the honesty behind a ‘false martial artist is a ‘true martial artist’ and the honesty behind that is…well you get the picture.

Out of my many facets there are probably two or three which do occupy my waking hours and I do suffer the glazed eyes if I talk about one with the wrong crowd. But if one is walking along the right path then there should be an element of humility and if someone has attained a good balance then that is something that should be aspired to, if however that achievement is being as you suggest used as an ego boost, then it isn’t an achievement and it isn’t something one should aspire to.

An interesting point is how would one describe themselves. It happens on quizzes for instance, describe yourself in briefly, or give an interesting fact that the audience may find interesting. So, in the sphere of martial arts, how would we describe ourselves, and how to we come to that conclusion.

[AngelaG]

I still think this quote is about awareness etc. rather than some sort of egotistical balm.

Remember the traffic light system we talked about. One would hope that a trained martial artists would never let themself wander around in a state of "white", instead being aware of their surroundings at all time.

Anyway, I think and dream about karate all the time! It can be quite exhausting!!! I guess this is inevitable whenever you dedicate a large proportion of your life to anything. I wouldn't say karate is my life, but it certainly is a large chunk of it at the moment.

[Aefibird]

angelag said:

I guess this is inevitable whenever you dedicate a large proportion of your life to anything.

Yes, I'd say it is.

When I was a teenager I used to regularly compete in showjumping and horse trials (eventing) competitions. I used to live, eat, sleep, breathe, dream, horses and competing, especially during the competition "season". Nowadays I don't compete in equestrian events and don't spend as much of my time riding as I once did, so it no longer occupies my thoughts like it used to.