Is competition required to bring out the highest skill levels in a martial artist? I'm not talking about sparring in class. I'm also not talking about competing to win, per se. What I mean is, does a martial artist who aspires to reach the utmost in their craft REQUIRE stepping outside of their comfort zone, and is competition the best way to do that? If not, how?

I voted yes.

The first and only yes so far

Yes, most definitely. By competing you test your skills and you find weak points. You deal with more realistic resistance. You learn to face fears. You learn to calm down and control your adrenalin and work on technique. Competition is like 10 intense classes ... or more.

I personally think that competing in tournaments gives you a better guage of your skill rather than sparring the same people in class. I'd rather figure out in a ring that a certian kick or combo doesn't work rather finding out on the street.

Casey

I voted yes, though i am thinking more in terms of competition with yourself being the most important factor. using yesterdays 'you' as a benchmark to best as the 'you' of today is the key to getting the most out of everything, including MA.
Competition against others is often just a tool to create motivation for this to happen. If you are a lunatic like me who looks forward to finding new ways to make myself puke with exhaustion, and who will go through any discomfort to improve yourself, then the need for an external oponent may be less than in others.

well that depends on what yo define as the goal of martial arts training. if your talking about the sharpest technique, then the guys who compete will because they need it to win. but learning is not the goal of the arts is it? beaing able to win is not what its all about? having the ability to scratch your self an ich can;t be it. a tourniment will not test your passion for the arts, or its philosophy. all it tests is if you can win a fight under rules, and how intense a feeling you can project and how sharp your movements are.

tourniment fighting is about testing how much you have, not about testing how much of a man you are. i supose we all want for something, and even looking to see how good yor are is a desire. i kind of ego jerking by saying "who has the smallest ego!"

competetions teach something, but are not as core to the arts and our development as something like the makiwara or wooden man, if itosu thought competetion would be best, then so would have funikoshi. competetion is just that, you can take from it what you want.

i guess you can summize i voted no, even though i compete?

yours in life

No, I will give two examples- Miyagi Chojun and Higaonna Morio - neither competed. I think competition is useful to some but not necessary for all. A good teacher will bring their student out of their "comfort zone".

I think it was not just the talent. It was the dedication; circumstances; and other factors including luck. Their teachers, also pushed them to the extreme. The teacher really makes a difference.

I agree with your last post Mike, the Instructor can make the difference. Mine pushes me and when I pick up on things he recognizes this and then takes it to the next level and that means I have to as well. He also wanted to know where I was so suggested competition. First I was fearful but I faced those fears and I found it a whole different world and I was better off from the experience and will continue to constantly "challenge myself". Challenging myself took me to new levels that were very noticeable by others when I came back to my regular training. Not only that within the grappling community there are some great people that want to share stuff with you and you want to share with them. I've made some friends this way that I've received invites to come and train at their schools which I plan to in the near future which will also add to my game. Seminars I go to as well I am starting to see many of the same faces which is great.