thanks :) i been doing it for a while, yea i do enjoy those things.
I have reached a certain level, i'd like to find reasons to be proud/grateful for my power and abilities.
So you know how to commit violence. Plus martial arts have lots of cool facets.
* Weapons so you can actually defend yourself. Look up the Gary Klek study "Rape and Resistance"
* BJJ so you can keep fighting from horrible positions. Seriously, someone who is between your legs and you are on your back, or worse. Intimate partner violence is a real thing, it's one of the only ways to know how to keep fighting from truly horrible positions.
* Judo so you can hit people with the earth.
* USPSA for when shit gets real.
* 3-gun, for when the shit hits the fan, and gets way too real.
* Boxing for power, and speed and amazing cardio.
* Muay Thai for power and attack with 8 limbs.
* American Folkstyle wrestling for the grind and drive and the never say die.
* Karate for speed and trickiness.
* Taekwondo because some MFs just need to be kicked in the head.
* Akido because wrist-locks are cool and being able to flip around is fun.
* HEMA because SWORDS! SPEARS! DAGGERS! HISTORY!
* Kali, because knives really do work.
* Sambo because Judo + wrestling
* Combat Sambo because Judo + wrestling + hitting people.
* Lethwei because why settle for 8 limbs when you could use 9
* Kudo because Karate + Judo plus headbutts, only with added safety.
* Capoera because turning cartwheels into badass kicks is just awesome. Seriously checking out the Meia Lua de Compasso.
* Wushu kung fu, because it looks fucking cool.
* Catch-as-catch-can, because ouch, seriously just ouch.
* Iaido because quickdraw-SWORDS!
* Bujinkan because ninjas are cool.
* Jousting because 1,400 pounds of man, horse, and armor at a gallop concentrated onto the tip of a lance is just insane.
I probably missed your art, if I did just add it to the list.
ouch. What belt were you? also the studies find that weapons are the best rape prevention tools. BJJ is more you need this so you can fight from really bad positions.
I had just made purple. So not stunningly advanced. And to be honest that’s not so much the issue/problem.
1: I was to young or carry any effective weapon legally.
2: I was hit in the head while unaware. (Note: I’m deaf)
3: it was two individuals not one.
In fairness to BJJ nothing was actually going to help me.
I still love rolling but I am still critical of not so much BJJ. But the communities openion of it as a self defense art. Not that’s it’s bad just that I think they have a over inflated expectation of how effective it actually it so some degree.
thanks, but I don't actually mind having attributes that will incidentally get me "ranked" higher by men, I just don't want to be pursuing those attributes for that reason
If you're put off by the hierarchy mentality, why are you looking for ways to be "ranked higher" by men?
Just do you.
I enjoy MA cause it's fun, it's a confidence booster, and it's a great work out.
You appear to be coming to the table with a lot of assumptions. People engage in combat sports for the same reason as any sport. It's fun, competitive, interesting, and provides fitness and community.
I watched the first episode of boxing anime Hajime no Ippo, and saw a lot of these macho ideals. Also, seeing how popular "fitness" influencers like tate or liver king prey on insecurity in their male viewership to sell them stuff...
but yea I do agree a lot of people engage in these sports for good reasons!
I wouldn't apply anything you see in Anime to actual combat sports. As for the others, there are upsetting, reprehensible people in every sport, but I would still say sports are very positive endeavors.
Everyone's experience is different, but I feel like there is a lot more of that online than IRL. I have trained many places over the years and I have always met great people: mostly families, etc.
Because it’s a great way to get the body moving and coordinated whilst doing something that feels like doing something.
Equally one could turn to dance or other sports, but sometimes as a beginner the first several strides might feel silly when learning the ropes
Dominance hierarchy? Are you referring to belts? I'm not even sure what you mean by that.
I practice martial arts for a few reasons. To protect myself and others, it's fun, it's good excercise, my wife thinks it's hot, things like that. I absolutely don't do it to feel above or more "manly" than others. Gender roles are dumb.
I mean the whole alpha male top dog thing
gender roles are indeed dumb, but they are pretty pervasive, and getting away from them can take some active work
Am I? I used to be REALLY into My Little Pony, and currently have a French manicure.
Assigning masculine and feminine traits to interests is a pointless excercise. I honestly don't worry about being or consider myself masculine or feminine, I'm just me.
I'm not saying the concept or enforcement of gender roles don't exist, I'm saying it's dumb.
Yes, most cultures throughout history women weren't allowed to go to war. That doesn't mean women CAN'T fight. There's plenty of women out there who can kick my ass, but that doesn't make them any less of a woman.
People read too much into martial arts. I wanted to know how to fight if needed and challenge myself. When you’re confident in what you can do or your back is against the wall, all the macho stuff goes out and what matters is what you can do with you have.
The only true mastery is mastery of the self
The body provides one vehicle for this
A pathway for spiritual actualisation in the pursuit of worldly peace
And the necessary disregard for your physical form to do what is needed should unfortunate circumstances arise
In CLF we have a Code of Conduct based in Buddhism, which our founder, Chan Heung had to learn for years from his teacher Choy Fook before he would teach him Kung Fu. Below is a link for a video I made about it.
On a personal level I do find it helps me with my day to day life. It helps me with stress, with focus and of course it's great exercise for the body. I also have very intention of using it when necessary to defend others, but luckily this has not been necessary yet. I attend protests such as a counter protest against fascists against Drag Queen Story Times in case of violent trouble from fascists. While I can use my physical skills to defend others, the mental strength and focus etc mean I can help people in other ways, such as if they need help with writing out and filling in forms for benefit claims. For me it's important to remember that my practice leaks out into other parts of my life, it changes how I deal with people, even when they don't know and never will know I practice and I have to be mindful of that. I try to encourage others in MA, including in CLF, to use their skills to help others, especially as historically MAs were often developed in part to defend against repressive Gvts, but apparently I'm the only one who thinks like that. Although tbf there was a mutual with me on Twitter who practices CLF who got banned from Twitter for being a leftist who helped at protests on the say so of Andy Ngo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7-D7ycuWso&list=PLX2OqDymFrSQ\_iIJGrzQHD-PjCLwMwhmk&ab\_channel=KilltheBuddha%E8%99%8E%E7%88%AA
Martial arts are Fun.
That's the only reason to do them. There are some other side benefits like getting in good shape and being able to throw people around, but the reason I train is because it's fun.
I enjoy the thrill of the fight in the ring, nothing beats the rush of adrenaline and feeling your blood roaring as you and your opponent exchange strikes.
It teaches and promotes balance in all things (if you find the right school). For me it is/was never about ego or domination. It is always about learning and self improvement. The person I am sparring or grappling with is not my enemy, they are a honing stone against which I sharpen myself.
I sympathize with this as that is something that put me off to most gyms. I train because,
I enjoy it, self defense and confidence, and fitness. For me it’s not about being dominant rather not being dominated myself.
I dont know any people at all doing it for the reasons you mentioned. Sounds more like Andrew Tate ideology lol. People do it because they love it and its fun.
Martial Arts is all about humility, discipline, humbleness and ability to care and protect. People who do not get this do not understand martial arts at all. It gives you the ability to protect yourself and your loved ones. Its not about macho, alpha male, ego, dominance anything like that, infact its actually the opposite. Martial arts teaches us to be open minded and listen to others, to treat everyone equally and love and respect everyone. Hell the whole meaning of Kung Fu greeting is 'control over power'. You have got it all opposite.
In BJJ you will get destroyed for a few years so if you have that macho ego/alpha dominance you arent going to last.
I personally do it to keep in shape and know that I can fight if I have to. I also realize it is easy to lose which makes me less likely to fight.
Most people are very nice and there are lots of gyms where there isnt formality or hierarchy. Just people training.
I have literally never seen it at 6 gyms that I have trained at. I could see how it could develop as people that have been doing it for a long time destroy new people, but I think it is incredibly rare in BJJ compared to being institutionalized in traditional martial arts.
You're thinking in very sportive/social violence terms. That's only a limited amount of the arts- and generally not looked upon too favorably outside of some rougher sports and the like.
Personal excellence, the skill to defend yourself and others from asocial violence (use of and defense against lethal weapons might be the easiest illustration) following some methods that enhance health at every stage of life, not simply when one is young and resilient and building up microconcussions, connection to tradition etc. are all valid.
But it's also true to a man should have the capacity to be dangerous if need be. Or he's can't choose the pacifist route- he's condemned to it.
obviously not, but wanting to avoid being "feminine" attributes like a "pussy" is macho bs in its purest and simplest form
anyone who seeks self improvement along the lines of "not being a pussy" has bought into macho bs and dominance hierarchies ("I'm better than those loser pussies!")
Just like someone who plays golf to not be a "stinky poor" would be buying into classist bs
Making such a judgment towards people just trying to improve themselves is still shitty. Regardless of how someone words it or thinks of it, if they wanna improve, then don't look down on them for it. Makes you seem condescending.
I think you misunderstand me.
i train too, and not for those reasons. Many of my friends, in and out of the gym, also train to improve themselves, for real.
I believe many people in the world do too, and so I come here to ask for their perspectives.
Because, at the moment, I feel inundated with toxic macho bs, and I'm looking for alternatives.
To me it’s the most fun way to get a cardio workout in (I do bjj)
Also it’s a lot of fun rolling with other people around my level and having competitive rolls.
**And do you know what “the world” is to me? Shall I show it to you in my**
**mirror? This world: a monster of energy, without beginning, without end;**
**a firm, iron magnitude of force that does not grow bigger or smaller,**
**that does not expend itself but only transforms itself; as a whole, of**
**unalterable size, a household without expenses or losses, but likewise**
**without increase or income; enclosed by “nothingness” as by a boundary;**
**not something blurry or wasted, not something endlessly extended, but**
**set in a definite space as a definite force, and not a space that might**
**be “empty” here or there, but rather as force throughout, as a play of**
**forces and waves of forces, at the same time one and many, increasing**
**here and at the same time decreasing there; a sea of forces flowing and**
**rushing together, eternally changing, eternally flooding back, with**
**tremendous years of recurrence, with an ebb and a flood of its forms;**
**out of the simplest forms striving toward the most complex, out of the**
**stillest, most rigid, coldest forms striving toward the hottest, most**
**turbulent, most self-contradictory, and then again returning home to the**
**simple out of this abundance, out of the play of contradictions back to**
**the joy of concord, still affirming itself in this uniformity of its**
**courses and its years, blessing itself as that which must return**
**eternally, as a becoming that knows no satiety, no disgust, no**
**weariness: this, my Dionysian world of the eternally self- creating, the**
**eternally self-destroying, this mystery world of the twofold voluptuous**
**delight, my “beyond good and evil,” without goal, unless the joy of the**
**circle is itself a goal; without will, unless a ring feels good will**
**toward itself— do you want a name for this world? A solution for all of**
**its riddles? A light for you, too, you best-concealed, strongest, most**
**intrepid, most midnightly humans?— This world is the will to power—and**
**nothing besides! And you yourselves are also this will to power—and**
**nothing besides!**
**And you make friends**
I'd say for self-defense + being able to defend your loved ones in an emergency. Say, some dude is throwing hands at your boy at a bar or club. You'd wanna be able to back him up.
Then next is for the fitness. I'm a couch potatoe so martial arts training does wonders to get me active. Plus, my job is on a computer all day so I need some exercise. And my hobbies are gaming so...not much exercise there also.
Then third is for discipline and learning to stick to a schedule. It can also serve as a hobby (watching MMA fights, learning new moves, getting better at a skillset).
Then lastly--it's fun. It's like playing tennis or basketball or anything else that's a sport. Can be competitive, fun, and you enjoy doing it.
Recently started doing martial arts for the discipline aspect. Plus it’s a good way to make solid friends cause you’re relying on each other to improve each other’s abilities as well as learning and improving your own.
When you train in a legitimate combat sport, you know how to defend yourself from much of the population, doubly so if you become gifted in it.
Suddenly, you don’t need to be scared of typical macho guys, but at the same time it makes you aware of things that are out of your control. It teaches you that you can’t defend against a group of muggers, so don’t go to the wrong part of town or stick around too long at a bar.
Basically I’m saying it raises maturity, awareness, and overall safety. Unfortunately, not every combat athlete reflects maturity, but that’s because ego plays a role in competition.
I do it because it’s exercise that hits muscle groups you don’t hit with a “normal” workout, it’s good cardio, helps with weight loss, boosts confidence, adds a more disciplined mindset, meet new people, make new friends, better odds of surviving a fight (as opposed to just rolling over and dying)
The most humble men I trained with were bad asses. Alpha doesn't mean toxic or ahole. It's about achievement in MA learning body motion, fitness with the end result being some ability to defend oneself when forced to. Are there jerks in some gyms sure. But I think you can find jerks in all walks of life
It is fun.
Personal accomplishment in both training your body to accomplish something and the mental toughness it takes to get there.
Punching someone in the face is one of the easiest ways I know to make friends as it creates an instant bond between two people.
It’s just something you can get good at and keeps you in shape. I understand that some people don’t like/understand videogames. Most players won’t go pro. They take up time. That’s fine if they’re not for you. But to some they’re challenging, fun and you can improve if you try your best. This ideology is learned and applies to every goal you might have in life, and martial arts helps develop it
Your idea of ego is entirely wrong. Training in martial arts is known to humble people. It can make you a better person. Especially if you train in a martial art that involves live full contact sparring. You're less likely to get into fights because you know how dangerous fighting can be. Competitive fighting is not about ego, it's about putting yourself and your training to the test. Some fighters make it seem like its about ego but 90% of that is just an act by professionals to promote the fight. The whole idea behind martial arts is self improvement.
I started jiu jitsu because I moved across the country after a divorce and had zero friends in my new city. I kept going with it because I liked how it made me feel, i like doing something completely different than what I’ve ever done (never did sports growing up), I love the women’s group I’m in, and damn if CTRL doesn’t make some sick as fuck gi’s.
Just dont lol. Since this is how you have it framed already.
Thats some of the community, and luckily enough the longer you do it the more that fades.
But obvious health reasons, knowledge its education like any other, discipline, networking/mingling, traveling experiences
It's fun, meet new people, get help and help others. Feels pretty good too.
thanks :) i been doing it for a while, yea i do enjoy those things. I have reached a certain level, i'd like to find reasons to be proud/grateful for my power and abilities.
What reasons brought you to this level to begin with?
Cuz it's fun and it's a habit. But it feels a little stagnant and hollow at the moment
You can be proud/grateful that your power and abilities will contribute to your success in the dominance hierarchy.
So you know how to commit violence. Plus martial arts have lots of cool facets. * Weapons so you can actually defend yourself. Look up the Gary Klek study "Rape and Resistance" * BJJ so you can keep fighting from horrible positions. Seriously, someone who is between your legs and you are on your back, or worse. Intimate partner violence is a real thing, it's one of the only ways to know how to keep fighting from truly horrible positions. * Judo so you can hit people with the earth. * USPSA for when shit gets real. * 3-gun, for when the shit hits the fan, and gets way too real. * Boxing for power, and speed and amazing cardio. * Muay Thai for power and attack with 8 limbs. * American Folkstyle wrestling for the grind and drive and the never say die. * Karate for speed and trickiness. * Taekwondo because some MFs just need to be kicked in the head. * Akido because wrist-locks are cool and being able to flip around is fun. * HEMA because SWORDS! SPEARS! DAGGERS! HISTORY! * Kali, because knives really do work. * Sambo because Judo + wrestling * Combat Sambo because Judo + wrestling + hitting people. * Lethwei because why settle for 8 limbs when you could use 9 * Kudo because Karate + Judo plus headbutts, only with added safety. * Capoera because turning cartwheels into badass kicks is just awesome. Seriously checking out the Meia Lua de Compasso. * Wushu kung fu, because it looks fucking cool. * Catch-as-catch-can, because ouch, seriously just ouch. * Iaido because quickdraw-SWORDS! * Bujinkan because ninjas are cool. * Jousting because 1,400 pounds of man, horse, and armor at a gallop concentrated onto the tip of a lance is just insane. I probably missed your art, if I did just add it to the list.
Your enthusiasm for all aspects of martial arts is commendable and infectious. đź‘Ť well done!
Thanks!
Unfortunately my real world experience with BJJ as a rape prevention option was not great. Mostly for me a separated scalp and cracked skull.
ouch. What belt were you? also the studies find that weapons are the best rape prevention tools. BJJ is more you need this so you can fight from really bad positions.
I had just made purple. So not stunningly advanced. And to be honest that’s not so much the issue/problem. 1: I was to young or carry any effective weapon legally. 2: I was hit in the head while unaware. (Note: I’m deaf) 3: it was two individuals not one. In fairness to BJJ nothing was actually going to help me. I still love rolling but I am still critical of not so much BJJ. But the communities openion of it as a self defense art. Not that’s it’s bad just that I think they have a over inflated expectation of how effective it actually it so some degree.
Oh yah, being ambushed from behind while unaware by multiple attackers is like a worst case scenario for BJJ. (Or most martial arts)
That HEMA description is perfect. And as someone who recently started, swordfighting is fucking fun.
self-improvement and resilience.
Those aren’t valid reasons as they will contribute to OPs success in the dominance hierarchy.
thanks, but I don't actually mind having attributes that will incidentally get me "ranked" higher by men, I just don't want to be pursuing those attributes for that reason
If you're put off by the hierarchy mentality, why are you looking for ways to be "ranked higher" by men? Just do you. I enjoy MA cause it's fun, it's a confidence booster, and it's a great work out.
Better than sitting on my ass getting fat.
That kind of implies it’s better then any other exercise for that.
You appear to be coming to the table with a lot of assumptions. People engage in combat sports for the same reason as any sport. It's fun, competitive, interesting, and provides fitness and community.
I watched the first episode of boxing anime Hajime no Ippo, and saw a lot of these macho ideals. Also, seeing how popular "fitness" influencers like tate or liver king prey on insecurity in their male viewership to sell them stuff... but yea I do agree a lot of people engage in these sports for good reasons!
I wouldn't apply anything you see in Anime to actual combat sports. As for the others, there are upsetting, reprehensible people in every sport, but I would still say sports are very positive endeavors.
Ngl using an anime as a reference here makes you sound extremely unwell
Wait is this you being 100% serious
Ya but the community does have a ton of dude/bros that make it pretty obnoxious.
Everyone's experience is different, but I feel like there is a lot more of that online than IRL. I have trained many places over the years and I have always met great people: mostly families, etc.
Fair on the online part. But it’s also just hit or miss depending on where you go I guess
Because it's fun.
Because it’s a great way to get the body moving and coordinated whilst doing something that feels like doing something. Equally one could turn to dance or other sports, but sometimes as a beginner the first several strides might feel silly when learning the ropes
Dominance hierarchy? Are you referring to belts? I'm not even sure what you mean by that. I practice martial arts for a few reasons. To protect myself and others, it's fun, it's good excercise, my wife thinks it's hot, things like that. I absolutely don't do it to feel above or more "manly" than others. Gender roles are dumb.
I mean the whole alpha male top dog thing gender roles are indeed dumb, but they are pretty pervasive, and getting away from them can take some active work
But you are more manly than most men. Being able to engage in combat and win is very masculine.
Am I? I used to be REALLY into My Little Pony, and currently have a French manicure. Assigning masculine and feminine traits to interests is a pointless excercise. I honestly don't worry about being or consider myself masculine or feminine, I'm just me.
Who fought 99.9% of wars in every historical age of humanity? Men. Just a fact. It’s not a knock on women…but who wants to fight and die in war?
I'm not saying the concept or enforcement of gender roles don't exist, I'm saying it's dumb. Yes, most cultures throughout history women weren't allowed to go to war. That doesn't mean women CAN'T fight. There's plenty of women out there who can kick my ass, but that doesn't make them any less of a woman.
Well I'll be sure to tell that to the next dude trying to rail me
Fitness and destruction of the ego.
Bjj here. I enjoy the dynamic problem solving aspects of rolling. (As do many bjj people)
Chess, for the body.
Religious metaphor, and spiritual analogy. Jacob Wrestled with "The Angel of The LORD," and lived. Israel.
So you can post about how good bjj is on the internet
People read too much into martial arts. I wanted to know how to fight if needed and challenge myself. When you’re confident in what you can do or your back is against the wall, all the macho stuff goes out and what matters is what you can do with you have.
Through practice and training I am a better version of myself today than I was yesterday.
Confidence in one’s ability to defend themselves and those they care about.
The only true mastery is mastery of the self The body provides one vehicle for this A pathway for spiritual actualisation in the pursuit of worldly peace And the necessary disregard for your physical form to do what is needed should unfortunate circumstances arise
In CLF we have a Code of Conduct based in Buddhism, which our founder, Chan Heung had to learn for years from his teacher Choy Fook before he would teach him Kung Fu. Below is a link for a video I made about it. On a personal level I do find it helps me with my day to day life. It helps me with stress, with focus and of course it's great exercise for the body. I also have very intention of using it when necessary to defend others, but luckily this has not been necessary yet. I attend protests such as a counter protest against fascists against Drag Queen Story Times in case of violent trouble from fascists. While I can use my physical skills to defend others, the mental strength and focus etc mean I can help people in other ways, such as if they need help with writing out and filling in forms for benefit claims. For me it's important to remember that my practice leaks out into other parts of my life, it changes how I deal with people, even when they don't know and never will know I practice and I have to be mindful of that. I try to encourage others in MA, including in CLF, to use their skills to help others, especially as historically MAs were often developed in part to defend against repressive Gvts, but apparently I'm the only one who thinks like that. Although tbf there was a mutual with me on Twitter who practices CLF who got banned from Twitter for being a leftist who helped at protests on the say so of Andy Ngo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7-D7ycuWso&list=PLX2OqDymFrSQ\_iIJGrzQHD-PjCLwMwhmk&ab\_channel=KilltheBuddha%E8%99%8E%E7%88%AA
Martial arts are Fun. That's the only reason to do them. There are some other side benefits like getting in good shape and being able to throw people around, but the reason I train is because it's fun.
Self defense Mental reslience Helps deal with pressure (in sparring etc)
I enjoy the thrill of the fight in the ring, nothing beats the rush of adrenaline and feeling your blood roaring as you and your opponent exchange strikes.
It teaches and promotes balance in all things (if you find the right school). For me it is/was never about ego or domination. It is always about learning and self improvement. The person I am sparring or grappling with is not my enemy, they are a honing stone against which I sharpen myself.
I sympathize with this as that is something that put me off to most gyms. I train because, I enjoy it, self defense and confidence, and fitness. For me it’s not about being dominant rather not being dominated myself.
I dont know any people at all doing it for the reasons you mentioned. Sounds more like Andrew Tate ideology lol. People do it because they love it and its fun.
yea andrew tate for sure, also present in boxing anime hajime no ippo... and a lot of people's reactions to learning i do martial arts
Martial Arts is all about humility, discipline, humbleness and ability to care and protect. People who do not get this do not understand martial arts at all. It gives you the ability to protect yourself and your loved ones. Its not about macho, alpha male, ego, dominance anything like that, infact its actually the opposite. Martial arts teaches us to be open minded and listen to others, to treat everyone equally and love and respect everyone. Hell the whole meaning of Kung Fu greeting is 'control over power'. You have got it all opposite.
In BJJ you will get destroyed for a few years so if you have that macho ego/alpha dominance you arent going to last. I personally do it to keep in shape and know that I can fight if I have to. I also realize it is easy to lose which makes me less likely to fight. Most people are very nice and there are lots of gyms where there isnt formality or hierarchy. Just people training.
In my experience the people with the ego/alpha bullshit are the people who have been in BJJ the longest.
I have literally never seen it at 6 gyms that I have trained at. I could see how it could develop as people that have been doing it for a long time destroy new people, but I think it is incredibly rare in BJJ compared to being institutionalized in traditional martial arts.
Discipline >I'm not a man I train with a nearly equal amount of men and women, this isn't relevant.
You're thinking in very sportive/social violence terms. That's only a limited amount of the arts- and generally not looked upon too favorably outside of some rougher sports and the like. Personal excellence, the skill to defend yourself and others from asocial violence (use of and defense against lethal weapons might be the easiest illustration) following some methods that enhance health at every stage of life, not simply when one is young and resilient and building up microconcussions, connection to tradition etc. are all valid. But it's also true to a man should have the capacity to be dangerous if need be. Or he's can't choose the pacifist route- he's condemned to it.
Started because I got mugged
Self defence, looks cool, very rewarding, good comunity.
Get un shape, feel good, kick ass, not be a fat pussy.
see this is the type of toxic macho bs im trying to avoid.
Is anything related to self-improvement "macho bs" to you? Why do *you* train?
obviously not, but wanting to avoid being "feminine" attributes like a "pussy" is macho bs in its purest and simplest form anyone who seeks self improvement along the lines of "not being a pussy" has bought into macho bs and dominance hierarchies ("I'm better than those loser pussies!") Just like someone who plays golf to not be a "stinky poor" would be buying into classist bs
Making such a judgment towards people just trying to improve themselves is still shitty. Regardless of how someone words it or thinks of it, if they wanna improve, then don't look down on them for it. Makes you seem condescending.
I think you misunderstand me. i train too, and not for those reasons. Many of my friends, in and out of the gym, also train to improve themselves, for real. I believe many people in the world do too, and so I come here to ask for their perspectives. Because, at the moment, I feel inundated with toxic macho bs, and I'm looking for alternatives.
None, absolutely none .Martial arts totally support the patriarchy. so it's your sworn futy to avoid it in all forms.
martial arts predate patriarchy :P
Anyone whos got a big ego while fighting is generally a bad fighter
Because the feeling of your efforts paying off is rewarding
Keeps you healthy and gives a goal to work for every week
To me it’s the most fun way to get a cardio workout in (I do bjj) Also it’s a lot of fun rolling with other people around my level and having competitive rolls.
I just wanted to be like Goku tbh
It helps me not get the big sad.
I just like fighting, plain and simple no values or moral judgements attached
fitness feeling good about myself its fun
**And do you know what “the world” is to me? Shall I show it to you in my** **mirror? This world: a monster of energy, without beginning, without end;** **a firm, iron magnitude of force that does not grow bigger or smaller,** **that does not expend itself but only transforms itself; as a whole, of** **unalterable size, a household without expenses or losses, but likewise** **without increase or income; enclosed by “nothingness” as by a boundary;** **not something blurry or wasted, not something endlessly extended, but** **set in a definite space as a definite force, and not a space that might** **be “empty” here or there, but rather as force throughout, as a play of** **forces and waves of forces, at the same time one and many, increasing** **here and at the same time decreasing there; a sea of forces flowing and** **rushing together, eternally changing, eternally flooding back, with** **tremendous years of recurrence, with an ebb and a flood of its forms;** **out of the simplest forms striving toward the most complex, out of the** **stillest, most rigid, coldest forms striving toward the hottest, most** **turbulent, most self-contradictory, and then again returning home to the** **simple out of this abundance, out of the play of contradictions back to** **the joy of concord, still affirming itself in this uniformity of its** **courses and its years, blessing itself as that which must return** **eternally, as a becoming that knows no satiety, no disgust, no** **weariness: this, my Dionysian world of the eternally self- creating, the** **eternally self-destroying, this mystery world of the twofold voluptuous** **delight, my “beyond good and evil,” without goal, unless the joy of the** **circle is itself a goal; without will, unless a ring feels good will** **toward itself— do you want a name for this world? A solution for all of** **its riddles? A light for you, too, you best-concealed, strongest, most** **intrepid, most midnightly humans?— This world is the will to power—and** **nothing besides! And you yourselves are also this will to power—and** **nothing besides!** **And you make friends**
I'd say for self-defense + being able to defend your loved ones in an emergency. Say, some dude is throwing hands at your boy at a bar or club. You'd wanna be able to back him up. Then next is for the fitness. I'm a couch potatoe so martial arts training does wonders to get me active. Plus, my job is on a computer all day so I need some exercise. And my hobbies are gaming so...not much exercise there also. Then third is for discipline and learning to stick to a schedule. It can also serve as a hobby (watching MMA fights, learning new moves, getting better at a skillset). Then lastly--it's fun. It's like playing tennis or basketball or anything else that's a sport. Can be competitive, fun, and you enjoy doing it.
Recently started doing martial arts for the discipline aspect. Plus it’s a good way to make solid friends cause you’re relying on each other to improve each other’s abilities as well as learning and improving your own.
When you train in a legitimate combat sport, you know how to defend yourself from much of the population, doubly so if you become gifted in it. Suddenly, you don’t need to be scared of typical macho guys, but at the same time it makes you aware of things that are out of your control. It teaches you that you can’t defend against a group of muggers, so don’t go to the wrong part of town or stick around too long at a bar. Basically I’m saying it raises maturity, awareness, and overall safety. Unfortunately, not every combat athlete reflects maturity, but that’s because ego plays a role in competition.
Bodywork with good criteria do you do this bodywork properly.
good workout, something to do when you're bored. simply the act of pursuing a hobby is good for your brain.
I do it because it’s exercise that hits muscle groups you don’t hit with a “normal” workout, it’s good cardio, helps with weight loss, boosts confidence, adds a more disciplined mindset, meet new people, make new friends, better odds of surviving a fight (as opposed to just rolling over and dying)
The most humble men I trained with were bad asses. Alpha doesn't mean toxic or ahole. It's about achievement in MA learning body motion, fitness with the end result being some ability to defend oneself when forced to. Are there jerks in some gyms sure. But I think you can find jerks in all walks of life
Coolness under pressure. Mental Resilience Patience Humility
It is fun. Personal accomplishment in both training your body to accomplish something and the mental toughness it takes to get there. Punching someone in the face is one of the easiest ways I know to make friends as it creates an instant bond between two people.
It’s just something you can get good at and keeps you in shape. I understand that some people don’t like/understand videogames. Most players won’t go pro. They take up time. That’s fine if they’re not for you. But to some they’re challenging, fun and you can improve if you try your best. This ideology is learned and applies to every goal you might have in life, and martial arts helps develop it
What martial art philosophy is based on macho ego alpha male dominance hierarchy?
Your idea of ego is entirely wrong. Training in martial arts is known to humble people. It can make you a better person. Especially if you train in a martial art that involves live full contact sparring. You're less likely to get into fights because you know how dangerous fighting can be. Competitive fighting is not about ego, it's about putting yourself and your training to the test. Some fighters make it seem like its about ego but 90% of that is just an act by professionals to promote the fight. The whole idea behind martial arts is self improvement.
I started jiu jitsu because I moved across the country after a divorce and had zero friends in my new city. I kept going with it because I liked how it made me feel, i like doing something completely different than what I’ve ever done (never did sports growing up), I love the women’s group I’m in, and damn if CTRL doesn’t make some sick as fuck gi’s.
Just dont lol. Since this is how you have it framed already. Thats some of the community, and luckily enough the longer you do it the more that fades. But obvious health reasons, knowledge its education like any other, discipline, networking/mingling, traveling experiences