Are You a Recreational Martial Artist or Something More?

Are You a Recreational Martial Artist or Something More?

Are You a Recreational Martial Artist or Something More? For those of us who take up a Martial Art, we all have different reasons for doing so, and none of us really know where it will take us. Not at first, anyway.

The overriding factor for starting the journey is usually to gain confidence, to learn the physical skills needed to look after ourselves and our loved ones. Some of us are just so sick and tired of the fear, the beatings and the daily path of avoidance. Avoiding our local pubs, avoiding the high street and avoiding the misery that violence brings.

Dedication will speak for itself.

Personally, I found that avoiding the latter misery only brought about another type of misery, and that was the misery of solitude, staying in my bedroom so that I could go another day without the fear of the punch, the kick and being spat at.

Others, though- well, others might take up a Combat Sport just for the hell of it, for the fun of it, the friendship, the social aspect, and all that is perfectly fine. I know of some people who enter the dojo purely to get the first belt, just so they can say they did, and there is nothing wrong with that.

It’s a one, maybe two-day-a-week affair, two hours dedicated to that rush of the yellow belt, and then they maybe move on to other avenues, other pastimes.

Then some stick around long enough to get their black belt, and that is a wonderful achievement, but at some point on your road, you will need to make a decision. Are you a recreational Martial Artist, or is this now a serious part of your life?

From Bullied to Black Belt. It takes effort, sacrifice and time.

There is nothing wrong with either, but be aware the two don’t go hand in hand. If you join a class for two, maybe three hours a week and that is the level of your commitment, then all praise to you.

However, if this is to be your life, maybe even your livelihood, perhaps reaching the standard where people call you “class”, then you must do more. There is no beating around the bush about it: class takes time, class takes sacrifice, and class takes pain.

The minimum amount of time you need to train in a class to get class is four/five sessions a week, and that is without your extras. Running, lifting, round after round on the bag. Training when all your buddies have gone to the pub. Going solo requires dedication, effort and sacrifice.

It demands your very best; it requires your money, it insists upon your time, and it will reward you for it all.

Recreational Martial Artists are the heartbeat, the bread and butter of our community, but to make that leap into class, well, that requires a lot more.

Either way, full respect for learning, respecting and living your Martial Arts.

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