Why do you / don't you fight competitively?

[3moose1]

Oh I see teenage angst.

Damn, i guess this isn't acceptable, being that i am a teenager, and what not.

Hahahahaha Thanks this part is really funny in an ironic sort of way.

Haha, no, its just, for once i posted something that was really serious, and quite introspective, and having some noob come through and single out a MINOR point of my long post, made everything i said seem trivial, IMO.


But, as i have said numerous times on here, this is the internet...

:/

[gothamator]

A gent in my BJJ class asked why I don't compete(because I'm "good for a old guy"), my answer was along the lines of Risk vs. Reward.

I'm a white collar, father of two with a history of injuries. I'm never going to be a professional fighter, so I don't see a solid justification to risk my health (and my family's financial security) by fighting competitively.

That said, if is wasn't for the kids and my back I'd love to give it a shot.

[3moose1]

I agree with Moose, I do it as a way to unleash my fury, so that I don't unleash it on unsuspecting civilians like me and Moose did that one time. We'll never forget it. It changed us forever.

Haha, no fury, i'm a chill dude in person, i don't get angry, and avoid fights.

Its just, ****, man, how many trillions of people have been alive, in the 50,000 years we've been on this Earth? And how many of them died content, and happy?

[Kid Miracleman]

Oh I see teenage angst.


Hahahahaha Thanks this part is really funny in an ironic sort of way.

Aww, lay off moosey, will ya? It was a good post.

[It is Fake]

Aww, lay off moosey, will ya? It was a good post.

Never said it wasn't did I?
Hey at least I added to the thread how about you?

Oh and no.

It is ironic and his reaction is funny. He has done the exact same thing to other posters. So, it is funny to me that a noob, did exactly what he has done to piss off a few serious posters.


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[DdlR]

I did pretty well in TKD competition when I was a teenager - gold and silver medals at the national level. Never enjoyed it, though. I'm just not that competitive, in the sense of sporting competition.

[Deadmeat]

I work in acquired brain injury rehabilitation, and most of my co-workers are horrified at the prospect of me fighting. They think it's brutal, barbaric, etc. However, I have been involved in martial arts in one way or another throughout my life, and I honestly don't think I would be the person I believe myself to be today, if it wasn't for that.

I am lucky in that my job is relatively flexible. I work long hours, but am able to alter my own roster to accommodate my training.

I strongly believe in the importance of sport, and physical well being as a component of overall well being, and I can't think of any sport I would prefer to spend my time in than martial arts (whatever incarnation of MA you choose).

I attend many youth justice conferences and interventions, and often work with young people who have committed violent crimes. I bring along my clients, and make the kids spend time with people who have suffered the consequences of poor decision making, or been victims of crime, and try to make them see that they aren't in fact immortal. And more importantly, that their actions do have consequences for others, not jsut themselves.

Ironically, I have attended a couple of youth/violent crime prevention conferences with a black eye. Generally, after explaining that it was a "sporting injury", people tend to be politely indifferent, with the occasional exception.

Jigoro Kano had some pretty strong ideas about the value of martial arts in building better communities. I think he was definitely on to something. Many of the bully types I have encountered generally lack the discipline to last long in martial arts, and often learn only enough to augment their bullying skills before fading out. The people who have trained extensively and with regularity and commitment generally are among the politest, and friendliest people I have met, with some notable exceptions.


Edit: Also, there's something inherently humbling in getting your ass handed to you on a regular basis. It's a "grounding" experience, and it teaches you to respect the capabilities of others.

[It is Fake]

Interesting Job.

I attend many youth justice conferences and interventions, and often work with young people who have committed violent crimes. I bring along my clients, and make the kids spend time with people who have suffered the consequences of poor decision making, or been victims of crime, and try to make them see that they aren't in fact immortal. And more importantly, that their actions do have consequences for others, not jsut themselves.

Nice.


So, these exceptions, do they give you the "setting a bad example" speech?

[Deadmeat]

So, these exceptions, do they give you the "setting a bad example" speech?

Surprisingly, not. Two guys were interested for more information about the "sporting injury". One was a police officer who doubles as a boxing instructor at a PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Club), and the other actually suggested that he thought martial arts would be a positive outlet for some of the kids.

I was taken aback.

[Petter]

Its just, ****, man, how many trillions of people have been alive, in the 50,000 years we've been on this Earth?

About a tenth of one -- 0.1 trillion (source).

And how many of them died content, and happy?

Most of them died too soon to really consider it ("Life expectancy at birth probably averaged only about 10 years for most of human history"; ibid.)


Myself, I practice for fun, for exercise (as a programmer, I need it), and because having some fighting skills help me balance out my picked-on-nerd violence phobia. (I rationally recognise that I'll never be a good fighter; also that I'll likely never "need" my martial arts "skills". My lizard brain, fearing the str33ts, is appeased by martial arts. This is a tertiary reason at best, though.) I practice combat sports specifically because, hell, if I'm to practice martial arts, why would I not pick ones that demonstrably work?

I expect to eventually participate in grappling competitions, to put my skills to the test and see what it feels like, but probably no more than that.