Differences

[hedgehog39]

It's been about ten months since I started going to martial arts class, and I've been doing pretty well with it. Gradually, I've gotten better, to the point where, whenever we put the sparring pads on, I'm better than about 75% of the people there. This is okay, and I don't mind not being on top. After all, there's always someone better than you

Comments

[jr_psykira]

I don't understand why you feel dejected - Sounds like with the improvement that you have noticed that you have a lot of which to be proud.

A friend of mine and I at work were talking about how if you're always competing against the same people at chess then it becomes almost impossible to improve. In order to step up it usually requires a willingness to go outside the realm of players which you would normally play against. That's one of the reasons that I'm a big fan of gameknot.com for community play, and I know back in my shotokan days that martial arts events were often (and I'm sure still are) held in conjunction with the local schools - It provides a chance for each of the styles and students to compare notes. I'm sure you're just expressing yourself and not looking for my overzealous opinion, but some of those events might be something you'd want to look into.

[jiggliusceasar]

And to think, due to "scheduling issues", I never got to find out if I was a better fencer than Mr. Obscene Arm Strength.

(wait three years, and then something like this will happen.)

[hedgehog39]

You need a shave. Where's the samurai sword? eh-hee-hee-hee-heee-hee-hee

In addition to that

[jr_psykira]

I work with a marine who was combat trained and now works part time as a bouncer - He likes to show off and talk about what he can do or has done. I expect that he could EASILY kick my ass, and when I think about it for an extended time, I have to admit that it depresses me. Still, I haven't trained for as long as hard as he has and the fact that I think I could hold him off for a short enough period of time to escape is good enough for me :-)

Re: In addition to that

[hedgehog39]

Interestingly enough, I'm more intimidated by Army Trainer than by Marine Man, who's an active duty member of the USMC. I can actually hold my own against the latter. Not that he isn't also a bloody amazing fighter, but like I said, I can give about as good as I get in that case.

[tiptoe39]

Think about it this way.

Which of the following options is more likely to be applicable in life?

1) To be able to beat the snot out of people who are bigger, stronger, and faster than you just in case people like that happen to have nothing better to do than beat on you,

or

2) To be physically fit with an exercise regimen you actually enjoy and to have friends you could potentially hang out with in and out of the classroom?

:hug:

[jokermage]

Nonetheless, it's a massively humbling experience. And it opens the door to so many doubts and anxieties. If there's one individual that I'm powerless against, there might very well be two. Or three. Or ten. Or a hundred. And if, heaven forbid, I or someone that I care about ever got attacked by someone of Army Trainer's caliber, there wouldn't be a whole lot I could do about it as it stands.

You can probably kick my ass, and that is all that really counts. :P