Martial Artists
Martial artists are an interesting group and include many different people. Many know famous martial artists like Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, and several others who are famous for their films and their work to promote martial arts as sport and as a form of self defense, but few understand what it means to be a martial artist. Many martial artists struggle with it themselves and in the opening few years of a new century their role in society has never been more unclear. There was a time when martial artists were warrior leaders and valued members of a society. We may have stumbled some, but let us take back the reputation one student at a time, and begin preparing them for the dangerous world in which they live.
Martial artists have to begin looking at their chosen styles differently. Most martial arts styles are now sports, and when that happens to a style of martial arts it becomes almost completely useless in a fight because a student isn’t ready to deal with the unexpected and unfair tactics they will encounter on the street. If you train or teach Muay Thai for example you already know how to strike and probably can do a lot of damage, but do you know how to deal with an attacker wielding a weapon or how to grapple? You’re probably not because they aren’t allowed in the sport, but you can include self defense training along with your regular workouts. There are a lot of great weapons being used in martial arts, but how many of them can be carried around without breaking some kind of a law. Don’t stop training, but find out what ones you can carry around without any difficulty. Make training better rounded and prepare for the unknown not just what you expect to encounter.
As martial artists the training never stops, and you have to continue to study and improve your existing knowledge. Be the example everyone looks to when they want to learn, and whose teachings assisted someone when they needed them most. Don’t just be the one in the best shape you need to be the one that understand everything backwards and forwards, and knows there is always more learning to be done. The real proving ground for a martial artist isn’t on a mat, but on the streets and battlefields of the world. Even if you haven’t experienced combat you still need to prepare like it can occur at any time.
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