Living a full life violence free...

Sooo, true most of us train to protect ourselves and our family. That being the case, is it good that a Martial Artist lives a full life not having to defend themselves or family in a violent encounter? Is that a goal to continue a fight free life from either the beginning or from here on out?

I understand that violence is a fact of life and unavoidable at times.

Sometimes we want to test our skills but starting a fight is a stupid sure fire way to get hurt, killed, and or arrested. I don't like violence at all. Certainly would not want to start a fight ever. I feel though that it's difficult for me to train somebody if I don't really have experience in dealing with street encounters besides avoidence. I try to explain that our brain is the first tool used before going hands on.

Hello GojuRyuboy13

<<most of us train to protect ourselves and our family.

Truly? If protection of others were the goal, IMHV weapons usage would be far, far more significant aspect of our practice(s).

Many foolishly believe we MUST have fights to validate the information, technique, concept. A misguided view. If that were the "correct" by extension we would need to kill someone or better yet many to guarantee these techniques and concepts really work. Is that required?

I offer that is a childish and tragic perspective.

<<violence is a fact of life and unavoidable at times.

Really? I am a middle aged, married man, with children, living in the suburbs. While I accept violence does exist it is very unlikely I will encounter it at this point.

I know several who always wear/wore the "white hat" and the sheriff's shiny badge. (ie played the hero) "They" never had trouble, for them it was the places which they went, and always the "friends" who they were with who had the so-called trouble...

Clearly -ssi- they had to get involved in whatever the ignorant, idiotic situation(s). Uhhhh, no sit them out! Or I don't know maybe, maybe go much better places where "blood on the floor" was not either a common/typical event? Silly me... wanting to AVOID trouble. Naaaah, my art is worthless. -SSI-

The mature perspective always has been avoid the avoidable.
But what of serious, or now famous martial artists? If we do not hear of them rolling in the mud, getting into back alley fights? Because we do not hear of them doing so, that make their art, their practice(s) worthless as the result, right? Not even close...

Most practice is not about violence. It is about learning how to generate our mental and physical power at maximum levels for that kind of intensity. Learning how to draw the lines which we will or will not cross.

If how I practice is not meaningfully different from the way I did the exact same things decades ago, something is horribly wrong.... The exterior movements might very well appear the same, but the reasons for them should have changed, evolved with time.

Well put.

Thank you for that reply. It was difficult for me to think of how to even phrase this type a question... Believe I'm still being vague.

I was not trying to say practicing an art without testing it makes it worthless.

what's "-ssi-"???