Whenever I talk to people about martial arts, (I do this a lot) they often tell me they always wanted to take classes, but never did because of certain fears.

Mainly they say "I'm worried I might look foolish."

You don't need to worry about that. You WILL look foolish, at some point. Everyone does. It might be on your first day, it might be long after you earn your black belt.

You see, there's no such thing as a 'perfect' martial artist. There are no 'naturals'.

If you practise martial arts long enough, eventually you will...

... fall down. In front of a lot of people. They will laugh. Hopefully, you will too. Get back up, and try it again.

... feel pain. It may be from a harsh wrist lock applied by an overzealous training partner. It may be unbelievably sore muscles from overdoing it in class. Rest up, and get back in there.

... accidentally fart in class. Experienced students in class will pretend they didn't notice. That's because it's happened to them. Ignore it, and keep training.

... freeze up, and forget what you were supposed to do. This can even happen during a formal testing. Calm down, take a deep breath, and it will come to you. If it doesn't, ask for the instruction again.

... get frustrated, maybe even to the point you want to quit. Calm down, shake it out, and know that you will improve. Everyone progresses at a different pace.

So if you're new to the martial arts, remember that everyone - the student next to you, your instructor, Bruce Lee - was a beginner at some point.

There's nothing wrong with looking foolish. Like I said, we all do eventually. It's part of learning.

What else can we add to the list?

Excellent post, ZZ! You certainly covered most of the common ones. Absolutley true that everybody has gone through the same things at one time or another.

I like your viewpoint and was thinking something similar earlier today. I'd also like to add that I have never needed any help from the martial arts to look foolish, hurt or embarrass myself, or forget what I'm doing. All of these things happen in all walks of life. I may as well get on and train, then...

I just thought I should add some of the more 'positive' things that will happen.

If you practise martial arts long enough, you will...

... walk a little taller. Not in a cocky way, you'll just have more confidence.

... make a ton of new friends. Pretty easy to do when you're going to a place where there's a bunch of people who have the same interest as you.

... get in great shape. For instance, I'm no longer out of breath when I go up a flight of stairs.

... become happier. Good exercise leads to good energy, which leads to a good mood.

That's just a few of the many benefits martial training has to offer.

I hate farting in class, especially during the splits.

I like this topic.

-eventually you will get kicked in the gonads

-kick someone in the gonads

-accidentally get poked and poke someone's eye

-get a fat lip and/or bleed somewhere

-tear something

-lose patience with a newb

-get to experience someone develop because of what you contributed

-come across some real crazy karate people

-hear a lot of smack talk about what you do

-convince someone who was a doubter

there's more!!!

I hate other people farting in class, paricularly when they have my head in a hold between their legs...

If you practice Martial Arts long enough...

- you will become a great master such as myself

If you practice martial arts long enough...


You will self defense against a high five.

If you practice martial arts long enough, you will eventually...

...hear someone ask if you could beat up Bruce Lee.
...hear someone ask why a woman would want to do "something like that" in a tone of disgust.
...get knocked down or out and get up and hug the person who did it to you.

...have someone ask you "can you break this?"
...be asked if your hands are registered lethal weapons.
...be asked, "Can you jump up in the air, spin 180 degrees and kick me in the back of the head?... right now here in this store"

Quote:

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...be asked if your hands are registered lethal weapons.

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I get that alot

Hello Zombie:

<<Whenever I talk to people about martial arts, (I do this a lot)



Long as you are ~soft spoken~ about it I guess... a lot of silly people seek/want to physically do something to/with ~karottty guys~... (sic martial arts people)


Fear of hurting themselves...

Fear of BEING hurt...

Fear they will need to become a "monk" or required to "convert" to some belief/religon/philosophy something unnamed and insidious...

Fear they will never get anywhere with it, (ie it will take more than 60 seconds...)

Fear they cannot "be themselves" in the uniforms (ie no fashion, jewelry, shoes, nothing external to make them "special" )

Fear they will be required to remove their nails

Fear they will have to fight guys (ie they being tiny, everyone else far larger, heavier, angrier than themselves)

Fear they will explore their anger...

Fear it will take them away from their few minutes of "family time" they now have per week...

Fear it will cost too much (eg "...the place down the street cost my buddy $1,200 for the full year contract...")


There are lots of amusing, odd, bizarre fears...
Jeff

if you practice martial arts long enogh you will eventually...

fart in class and blame it on somone else

If you practice martial arts long enough, you'll cease to care about belts. Your belt, what belt someone else has, your next testing (if there is one) and just practice becuase you like it or it becomes part of what you do.

If you practice martial arts long enough, you will eventually lose

* your temper

* your initiative

* your train of thought

* a match

* control of a weapon

* parts of your clothing

HOWEVER -

The longer you practice, the less that stuff will happen, and the less you will worry about it.

you will see some really cool stuff.

Keep going and...

You will do some really cool stuff.

Ha,ha...