Well, turns out I'm terrible at self motivation when it comes to writing, though some of you probably knew that about me. I intended to continue to discuss the Tenets of Tang Soo Do, but given how much time it's taken me, I'm going to take this opportunity to change gears a little. Besides, assuming I ever get myself to write regularly, I can always return to the topic.
Today I'm going to talk a little bit about training. This will be the first of my more concrete discussions regarding martial arts.
The crux of a martial artist's ability is how, and what, they practice. For me, from the ages of 5 to 19, I went to karate classes two to three times a week. These were an hour long, and we would focus on something different every day.
In my opinion, there are three kinds of martial arts training categories: technique training, forms (often called kata), and sparring.While none of these can be said to be better or more important than the others, they each intertwined with the others.
The simplest and easiest category of training is technique training. Put in the bluntest of terms, you do a thing over and over again. 50 punches, kicks up and down the floor, these drills are meant to focus on a specific block, kick, punch, stance or habit that you want to improve.
I love me some technique training. Unlike forms, that require more space and more time, drills are short and in general don't require much more than 6 feet of free space. Recently at work, for example, I would have a free 50 seconds before having to take a set of pictures. For 20 minutes I used those 50 seconds to do simple drills, specifically back fist + center punch in a front (or forward) stance, switching after I took the pictures.
The next type of training, forms, is a middle ground between the free-flow of sparring and the rigid repetition of technique drills. A form is a series of techniques put together in a certain order. They are usually about 25-50 moves long, and different style often have different forms. Similar styles, like Shotokon Karate and Tango Soo Do, will have forms that are almost exactly the same but taught with different interpretations. Forms are exceptionally useful in establishing proper technique while moving and teaching you how to tie certain moves together in sequence. Additionally, some forms are built around a certain concept or technique such that they prepare you specific situation, like fighting with your back to a wall.
Forms are one of the most heavily emphasize aspects of traditional martial arts. They are passed down from teacher to student and carry a significant amount of history to them. In my lessons, for example, we were required to learn the origins of the Pyung-Ahn forms. They were created by Master Udos in 1870 in the Hanan providence of China. He was Okinawan. The interesting part of this history is that these are the same forms that make up the bulk of Shotokon Karate. A friend of mine studies this style, and by comparing these forms as they are taught to each of us, we learned about they strengths, weaknesses, and mindsets of our individual styles.
The third type of training is sparring, practice fights between martial artists. In all honesty, sparring is my favorite training method. Unlike technique drills and forms, this sparring is inherently unique to the individuals participating. There is no preset order, to proper way to do things. It is the most restrictive training practice, however, as it is the only one you cannot do alone. Additionally, it is arguably the most dangerous, though in my personal experience more people get hurt in technique drills. The fact that you bring another person into the equation means that some amount of the content will be beyond your control. A lack of control on the part of either one of the participants (assuming you're only sparring one on one) could have serious repercussions for both people.
In my opinion, you cannot properly train as a martial artist without using at least two of the three methods. I refrain from saying all three because depending upon the point in your martial arts career, you may find yourself no longer needing to emphasize a certain aspect of your training, or be unable to find a partner to spar with. I, for example, can't spar more than once every few months at the moment, having no one conveniently located to spar regularly. I do, however, have ample space to practice forms and, as I mentioned earlier, the ability to practice drills more or less wherever I feel.
There is also a fourth component to training as a martial artist, and one which many people fail to partake in: physical conditioning. Martial arts is, at it's core, mastering the use of your body for combat. If your body is in poor condition, your martial art is in poor condition. Without strength, your strikes are ineffective. Without endurance, you may find yourself unable to defend yourself long enough to be victorious. All of the technical skill in the world can only get you so far, and if you wish to be the best martial artist you can be, you need to be fit. I (hopefully) will post pictures of myself from May, when I began this blog. I'll also try to post current pictures to show how far I have come, and hopefully I won't be embarrassed.
That's all for today. I look forward to hopefully posting more content more frequently. We'll have to wait and see.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
The Seven Tenets Part 1
Earlier, I talked about the Five Codes of Tang Soo Do and how I interpreted them. While the Codes serve as rule of conduct, the Seven Tenets list the traits that describe the ideal practitioner of TSD. They are a little more vague at times, but I find that to make them that much more fascinating to talk about.
The Tenets are as follows:
Integrity
Concentration
Perseverance
Respect and Obedience
Self Control
Humility
Indomitable Spirit
I mentioned the 7th in my last post, and I'm going to spend the next few posts talking about these traits in more detail, how they apply to TSD, and what it means to adhere to them in daily life.
The first Tenet is integrity. The dictionary gives three definitions of integrity:
The Tenets are as follows:
Integrity
Concentration
Perseverance
Respect and Obedience
Self Control
Humility
Indomitable Spirit
I mentioned the 7th in my last post, and I'm going to spend the next few posts talking about these traits in more detail, how they apply to TSD, and what it means to adhere to them in daily life.
The first Tenet is integrity. The dictionary gives three definitions of integrity:
1. Adherence to moral and ethical principles.
2. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.
3. A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition.
I personally believe that the first definition is the one meant in the Tenets.The ideal TSD practitioner should be moral, inside and outside of the dojang. By its nature, martial arts is something violent, and like a gun or a knife can be used to hurt others. What differentiates the martial artist from a a thug is understanding and respecting violence. My instructor was fond of the saying "Karate doesn't teach you how to fight, it teaches you how not to fight." What we learn in the dojang is a skill that one avoids using. It is the last resort, to be used when words fail, or when you don't have the option to run. That's right, run. Just because you can put that person in their place with your fists does not mean that you should.
This ties closely to self control, the fifth Tenet. No matter how angry you get or how badly you want to hit someone, Doing so for such selfish and petty reasons isn't right. A proper martial artist does not bow to their own whims and always remains in control. Like the gun or knife, an accident or unintended abuse of martial arts can have severe consequences.
Integrity and self control aren't reserved for the dojang, though. If you avoid immoral use of violence seriously, but are otherwise predisposed to bad behaviors, you have only taken the surface of the Tenets to heart. If you keep your use of violence in check, but are not otherwise disciplined, you haven't truly learned self control.
This is the hardest part of the Tenets. It can be easy to just keep the good behavior in the dojang, never use your skills at all, but outside of practice you are rude, angry, and immoral. I've seen it dozens of times, even by those who reached the rank of black belt. A belt, a uniform, and a few years of doing drills in a class doesn't make you a martial artist, it makes you a dabbler, or at best just an athlete.
I've internalized integrity very strongly. I have a distinct opinion of right and wrong, and I do my best to stick to it. Self control, however, has never been my strong suit. I am a lazy glutton who likes to sleep. But I'm working on it. The key to the Tenets is that they give you something to aspire to. No one is born with a complete martial artist mindset. It is something grown, nurtured, and maintained over time.
Next time, I'll try to cover concentration, respect and obedience, and humility.
This ties closely to self control, the fifth Tenet. No matter how angry you get or how badly you want to hit someone, Doing so for such selfish and petty reasons isn't right. A proper martial artist does not bow to their own whims and always remains in control. Like the gun or knife, an accident or unintended abuse of martial arts can have severe consequences.
Integrity and self control aren't reserved for the dojang, though. If you avoid immoral use of violence seriously, but are otherwise predisposed to bad behaviors, you have only taken the surface of the Tenets to heart. If you keep your use of violence in check, but are not otherwise disciplined, you haven't truly learned self control.
This is the hardest part of the Tenets. It can be easy to just keep the good behavior in the dojang, never use your skills at all, but outside of practice you are rude, angry, and immoral. I've seen it dozens of times, even by those who reached the rank of black belt. A belt, a uniform, and a few years of doing drills in a class doesn't make you a martial artist, it makes you a dabbler, or at best just an athlete.
I've internalized integrity very strongly. I have a distinct opinion of right and wrong, and I do my best to stick to it. Self control, however, has never been my strong suit. I am a lazy glutton who likes to sleep. But I'm working on it. The key to the Tenets is that they give you something to aspire to. No one is born with a complete martial artist mindset. It is something grown, nurtured, and maintained over time.
Next time, I'll try to cover concentration, respect and obedience, and humility.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Dealing with a Stumble
As you may have noticed, I haven't posted in a very long time. Almost a full month, in fact. This is due to several different occurrences, some good and some bad, that left me tired and distracted. Over the last month, I barely exercised, ate poorly, but was more social and busy doing twelve different things at once. While I left off preparing to talk about Tang Soo Do's Seven Tenets, I think I have a better idea for a post today. I can come back to that later, but I think now is a good time to discuss what to do when you seem to have fallen off the wagon.
This sort of thing happens frequently to people who are trying to make serious life changes. Smokers trying to quit, someone trying a new diet, it's very easy for one little cheat to turn into a return to old habits. For me, my attempt to delve into serious martial arts training and practices is very similar. My personal weakness is laziness. If don't feel like the choice is beyond my control, that it's at my own discretion and not being demanded of me by someone else, I usually won't do it. I like to sleep, I don't like filling out forms or applications, and I'd rather sit at a computer and do nothing all day, if given the chance. My endeavor into martial arts is partially about trying to break that lazy streak, to get myself going and moving on my own, but as we have evidence of from the last month, I kind of really, REALLY suck at it.
So what do you do when you fall off the horse? You get up and try again.
This is a sentiment that is so frequently repeated there are multiple clichés for it. Falling off a bike, the wagon, a horse, stumbling, tripping, so on. I like clichés, because they tell us that this isn't an original problem. Having trouble keeping up a new, healthy habit or simply reverting to old ways isn't something that's only ever happened to me (or you). People have tripped up and lost their way since our ancestors were living in caves, which brings me to my first reflection on what to do when you have a hiccup in your diligence.
You have to remember that it's ok.
I won't lie, when it finally hit me that I'd slacked off so hard over this last month, I felt like someone had stabbed me in the heart with a rusty knife. That stinging guilt of failure by your own hands is something that's I'm familiar with, but never get used to. I'd let people down, if only a few, but I'd also let myself down. When I sat down to write this post, I was telling someone how crappy my day felt because of how disappointed in myself I was. I'd let more than just my blogging fall to the wayside, and I'd neglected to do many things over the last month that I had needed to get done, or promised someone I'd do. However, as I continued to write I realized that what I need to do isn't to feel angry at myself but to accept that it happened and move on. This happens to plenty of people, and I'm not any better or worse than anyone else because I did it too.
People are complex things that don't make sense, and I can make less sense than most. People will set goals and then we'll sabotage ourselves, then feel angry for it. But in the end, we aren't lesser for having done so. When you lose track of yourself and your goals, so long as you recognize that it happened and are willing to try again, it's ok. It's not the end of the world, you aren't a piece of trash, and you shouldn't get angry at yourself. Which brings me to the next reflection on this situation, deciding what to do next.
One of the most common Einstein quotes is "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." When you want to get back into your desired life change, you have to pinpoint where you went wrong, or else you will lose your way again. Part of my stumble was external, that the gym was closed for the last half of May and I hadn't known, thus throwing my workout routine for a loop. This is only half of it, because my personal philosophy on exercise is that if you want to do it, you don't need a gym. My habits fell apart because I let the gym closure stop me. Once I ceased exercising, everything else followed. My sleep schedule changed because I wasn't expending as much energy during the day, my eating changed because I'd wake up at a different time or wouldn't make food because I didn't feel like it, as my lethargy increases when not exercising. I was out of my house most of the day for 6 days a week, which helped my mood stay up, and I was social and making progress with certain projects, but I wasn't spending my time efficiently, another side effect of not including a daily workout in my routine.
Moving forward, I'm going to try to be more aware of this weak point. I am a creature of habit, and if I let my new habits slide, my old ones will perk up at the first opportunity. Starting this afternoon, I'll try to get my lazy butt back into gear, even if it's a low one.
I can close off this post by bringing up the Tenets, like I had mentioned before. This is a little out of order, but I feel it is appropriate. The seventh Tenet of Tang Soo Do is indomitable spirit. A martial artist doesn't let mistakes bring him or her low. Defeat is not complete until you accept it within yourself, and this setback is not truly a defeat for me. I have stumbled, yes, and lost some progress, but in doing so I have learned more about how I function and what I need to do to succeed, and I can take that knowledge and turn towards the path again with new vigor and confidence.
No battle is lost if you can still imagine victory.
This sort of thing happens frequently to people who are trying to make serious life changes. Smokers trying to quit, someone trying a new diet, it's very easy for one little cheat to turn into a return to old habits. For me, my attempt to delve into serious martial arts training and practices is very similar. My personal weakness is laziness. If don't feel like the choice is beyond my control, that it's at my own discretion and not being demanded of me by someone else, I usually won't do it. I like to sleep, I don't like filling out forms or applications, and I'd rather sit at a computer and do nothing all day, if given the chance. My endeavor into martial arts is partially about trying to break that lazy streak, to get myself going and moving on my own, but as we have evidence of from the last month, I kind of really, REALLY suck at it.
So what do you do when you fall off the horse? You get up and try again.
This is a sentiment that is so frequently repeated there are multiple clichés for it. Falling off a bike, the wagon, a horse, stumbling, tripping, so on. I like clichés, because they tell us that this isn't an original problem. Having trouble keeping up a new, healthy habit or simply reverting to old ways isn't something that's only ever happened to me (or you). People have tripped up and lost their way since our ancestors were living in caves, which brings me to my first reflection on what to do when you have a hiccup in your diligence.
You have to remember that it's ok.
I won't lie, when it finally hit me that I'd slacked off so hard over this last month, I felt like someone had stabbed me in the heart with a rusty knife. That stinging guilt of failure by your own hands is something that's I'm familiar with, but never get used to. I'd let people down, if only a few, but I'd also let myself down. When I sat down to write this post, I was telling someone how crappy my day felt because of how disappointed in myself I was. I'd let more than just my blogging fall to the wayside, and I'd neglected to do many things over the last month that I had needed to get done, or promised someone I'd do. However, as I continued to write I realized that what I need to do isn't to feel angry at myself but to accept that it happened and move on. This happens to plenty of people, and I'm not any better or worse than anyone else because I did it too.
People are complex things that don't make sense, and I can make less sense than most. People will set goals and then we'll sabotage ourselves, then feel angry for it. But in the end, we aren't lesser for having done so. When you lose track of yourself and your goals, so long as you recognize that it happened and are willing to try again, it's ok. It's not the end of the world, you aren't a piece of trash, and you shouldn't get angry at yourself. Which brings me to the next reflection on this situation, deciding what to do next.
One of the most common Einstein quotes is "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." When you want to get back into your desired life change, you have to pinpoint where you went wrong, or else you will lose your way again. Part of my stumble was external, that the gym was closed for the last half of May and I hadn't known, thus throwing my workout routine for a loop. This is only half of it, because my personal philosophy on exercise is that if you want to do it, you don't need a gym. My habits fell apart because I let the gym closure stop me. Once I ceased exercising, everything else followed. My sleep schedule changed because I wasn't expending as much energy during the day, my eating changed because I'd wake up at a different time or wouldn't make food because I didn't feel like it, as my lethargy increases when not exercising. I was out of my house most of the day for 6 days a week, which helped my mood stay up, and I was social and making progress with certain projects, but I wasn't spending my time efficiently, another side effect of not including a daily workout in my routine.
Moving forward, I'm going to try to be more aware of this weak point. I am a creature of habit, and if I let my new habits slide, my old ones will perk up at the first opportunity. Starting this afternoon, I'll try to get my lazy butt back into gear, even if it's a low one.
I can close off this post by bringing up the Tenets, like I had mentioned before. This is a little out of order, but I feel it is appropriate. The seventh Tenet of Tang Soo Do is indomitable spirit. A martial artist doesn't let mistakes bring him or her low. Defeat is not complete until you accept it within yourself, and this setback is not truly a defeat for me. I have stumbled, yes, and lost some progress, but in doing so I have learned more about how I function and what I need to do to succeed, and I can take that knowledge and turn towards the path again with new vigor and confidence.
No battle is lost if you can still imagine victory.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Mind of a Warrior: The 5 Codes of Tang Soo Do
Briefly, for those of you who were curious, the lack of any updates for the last week is an example of what I mentioned previously. When I'm doing things for my own sake, I have a tendency to ignore them if I feel like I'm busy or am not really up for it or any other minor excuse. I just found myself going to bed without writing up an new post.
This is a habit I want to break. Too much of my time goes to waste because I just didn't feel like doing something. In my pursuit of becoming a better martial artist, I can't keep doing things the way I have. So, from now on I'll be trying to update here M-W-F at midnight. Feel free to pester me if I fail to meet this schedule. Now, with that out of the way, onto what I wanted to talk about a week ago! It's gonna be a long one to make up for my laziness.
Many martial arts styles have a core code of conduct that is taught to the students. These teaching are intended to create the mindset and moral rigidity expected of practitioners of that particular style. Therefore, in order to be as great of a martial artist as I can, it makes sense that I would have to follow such a creed. My personal martial arts foundation is Tang Soo Do, so it is only natural that I use that styles teachings as my starting point.
In Tang Soo Do, there are two sets of moral doctrine: The Five Codes, which describe behavioral rules, and the Seven Tenets, which are traits that a practitioner should strive to achieve. Because of their more vague nature, I'll be devoting more time to the tenets individually, but today I want to outline the Five Codes. They are:
1. Loyalty to Country
2. Obedience to Parents
3. Honor Friendship
4. No Retreat in Battle
5. In Fighting, Choose with Sense and Honor
I would like to note that these are as they were taught to me, in English, in a school unaffiliated with any of the international organizations. Being a Korean style, that means there is a chance that someone reading this has been taught 5 slightly different translations, which could have different meanings. It happens.
As a student of TSD, it is my responsibility to understand these codes and internalize them as part of my own world view. That isn't to say that it's always cut and dry, though. I'm going to break down how I, personally, interpret each code.
The first code, loyalty to country, is pretty interesting. As a kid, the idea that you could be disloyal only really manifested itself in the concept of treason, someone who goes out of their way to betray their country. However, as I am now (supposedly) and adult, the intricacies of this statement are a little more numerous. I'm not a soldier, I am a citizen. As a citizen, yes, I shouldn't commit treason. Duh. But I also shouldn't ignore my country. Being a loyal citizen means taking an interest in what is going on in my country, and caring about how I can help. I'm a good little sheep most of the time. I pay my taxes, I obey the law, I avoid selling nuclear secrets to Iran. But I also believe that our public schools are in need of a structural overhaul, I believe that your ability to be treated at a hospital shouldn't depend on your income, and by the first code, it is my duty to try and help my country be the best that it can be.
I am not an overly political person. I won't get on here and rant to you, my few, dear readers, about what I think is right or wrong in America, but I do feel strongly that, especially to adhere to the first code I must not only care but act on what I care about. That is what it is to be a loyal citizen.
The second code, obedience to parents, is much less vague. Historically speaking, eastern cultures have put a significant amount of emphasis on filial piety (go high school world religions and cultures class!). In the context of growing up learning TSD and having to recite the codes every class, I can also understand why a martial artist should respect and obey their parents. Being indignant and disrespectful to your parents can in many cases, but not all, lead to immorality, something which should be the antithesis of someone studying something as structurally rigid as martial arts. Teaching bad kids how to better beat up on people just sounds like a poor life choice. I did specify that this is not the case 100% of the time, as it's not uncommon for the parents to spread harmful habits to their children, but even if your parents aren't the most perfect of human beings, it is usually a good call to listen to them. Though, I will say that you should trust in your judgement. If you think they're telling you to something that you shouldn't, sometimes you're right.
Now, onto the third code: Honor Friendship.
Many of you reading this who know me well already know how strongly I care about my friends. We all do, on some level. That's what being a friend means. However, a lack of honor in friendship is something I've had the unpleasant experience of dealing with in the past. I have yet to find the source of the quote, but it sums up the concept quite nicely: "The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies... It comes from friends and loved ones." To be a friend is to give someone the gift of trust and violating that trust is one of the most heinous things you can ever do to someone. I like that this code exists, but I really don't like that it would ever be considered a necessity to spell out for people.
The fourth code is another one that can be misleading. No retreat in battle doesn't mean you aren't allowed to take a step back. I've found that a lot of what we think of as "running away" isn't really what we think it is. Got a hard class? Think you might fail? To drop a class, change your major, to change your careers isn't retreating from that battle, as much as it might feel like it. A fight and a battle are different. A fight is something between you and your goal. A battle is a few hundred things between you and your goal. Never lose sight of what your real battle is. The daily battle of life is to be happy. That has to be the first and foremost battle you fight. That could mean having the courage to talk to someone about why you're not happy. It could mean you have to stand up to a bully. It could mean you need to spend 10 minutes every day making silly faces at yourself in the mirror to make yourself laugh. Picking your battles doesn't mean picking when to back down, but what's just a fight in the bigger battle.
Finally, number five. In fighting, choose with sense and honor. This one is kind of self explanatory. Think about your choices, and when push comes to shoves, choose the right choice over the easy choice. That's all there is to it. Now, as a particular friend is fond of reminding me, there is no such thing as a fair fight, and I agree. If push comes to shove, you need to do what it takes to win, but winning honorably means, more often, that both parties get to fight another day. It means not bringing bystanders into your fight, and treating your opponent with the respect they deserve.
These five codes of conduct have been, for the majority of my life, a subconscious metric to which I've held myself. However, that doesn't mean I've always succeeded, nor that my interpretations of the codes and the situations were accurate. To be the best martial artists I possibly can, I can't assume I am already following the codes. A portion of my daily training will include reflection on the codes and how they apply to the things going on in my life.
I know this one was the longest post I've written, and kudos to anyone who stuck it out to this part. A lot of this particular post was my personal feelings on the codes, and I'd like to hear what you guys think. If you have any reflections on the codes, disagree with part of my interpretation, or have a story you'd like to share about trying to follow these or your own personal doctrine, leave a comment bellow!
This is a habit I want to break. Too much of my time goes to waste because I just didn't feel like doing something. In my pursuit of becoming a better martial artist, I can't keep doing things the way I have. So, from now on I'll be trying to update here M-W-F at midnight. Feel free to pester me if I fail to meet this schedule. Now, with that out of the way, onto what I wanted to talk about a week ago! It's gonna be a long one to make up for my laziness.
Many martial arts styles have a core code of conduct that is taught to the students. These teaching are intended to create the mindset and moral rigidity expected of practitioners of that particular style. Therefore, in order to be as great of a martial artist as I can, it makes sense that I would have to follow such a creed. My personal martial arts foundation is Tang Soo Do, so it is only natural that I use that styles teachings as my starting point.
In Tang Soo Do, there are two sets of moral doctrine: The Five Codes, which describe behavioral rules, and the Seven Tenets, which are traits that a practitioner should strive to achieve. Because of their more vague nature, I'll be devoting more time to the tenets individually, but today I want to outline the Five Codes. They are:
1. Loyalty to Country
2. Obedience to Parents
3. Honor Friendship
4. No Retreat in Battle
5. In Fighting, Choose with Sense and Honor
I would like to note that these are as they were taught to me, in English, in a school unaffiliated with any of the international organizations. Being a Korean style, that means there is a chance that someone reading this has been taught 5 slightly different translations, which could have different meanings. It happens.
As a student of TSD, it is my responsibility to understand these codes and internalize them as part of my own world view. That isn't to say that it's always cut and dry, though. I'm going to break down how I, personally, interpret each code.
The first code, loyalty to country, is pretty interesting. As a kid, the idea that you could be disloyal only really manifested itself in the concept of treason, someone who goes out of their way to betray their country. However, as I am now (supposedly) and adult, the intricacies of this statement are a little more numerous. I'm not a soldier, I am a citizen. As a citizen, yes, I shouldn't commit treason. Duh. But I also shouldn't ignore my country. Being a loyal citizen means taking an interest in what is going on in my country, and caring about how I can help. I'm a good little sheep most of the time. I pay my taxes, I obey the law, I avoid selling nuclear secrets to Iran. But I also believe that our public schools are in need of a structural overhaul, I believe that your ability to be treated at a hospital shouldn't depend on your income, and by the first code, it is my duty to try and help my country be the best that it can be.
I am not an overly political person. I won't get on here and rant to you, my few, dear readers, about what I think is right or wrong in America, but I do feel strongly that, especially to adhere to the first code I must not only care but act on what I care about. That is what it is to be a loyal citizen.
The second code, obedience to parents, is much less vague. Historically speaking, eastern cultures have put a significant amount of emphasis on filial piety (go high school world religions and cultures class!). In the context of growing up learning TSD and having to recite the codes every class, I can also understand why a martial artist should respect and obey their parents. Being indignant and disrespectful to your parents can in many cases, but not all, lead to immorality, something which should be the antithesis of someone studying something as structurally rigid as martial arts. Teaching bad kids how to better beat up on people just sounds like a poor life choice. I did specify that this is not the case 100% of the time, as it's not uncommon for the parents to spread harmful habits to their children, but even if your parents aren't the most perfect of human beings, it is usually a good call to listen to them. Though, I will say that you should trust in your judgement. If you think they're telling you to something that you shouldn't, sometimes you're right.
Now, onto the third code: Honor Friendship.
Many of you reading this who know me well already know how strongly I care about my friends. We all do, on some level. That's what being a friend means. However, a lack of honor in friendship is something I've had the unpleasant experience of dealing with in the past. I have yet to find the source of the quote, but it sums up the concept quite nicely: "The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies... It comes from friends and loved ones." To be a friend is to give someone the gift of trust and violating that trust is one of the most heinous things you can ever do to someone. I like that this code exists, but I really don't like that it would ever be considered a necessity to spell out for people.
The fourth code is another one that can be misleading. No retreat in battle doesn't mean you aren't allowed to take a step back. I've found that a lot of what we think of as "running away" isn't really what we think it is. Got a hard class? Think you might fail? To drop a class, change your major, to change your careers isn't retreating from that battle, as much as it might feel like it. A fight and a battle are different. A fight is something between you and your goal. A battle is a few hundred things between you and your goal. Never lose sight of what your real battle is. The daily battle of life is to be happy. That has to be the first and foremost battle you fight. That could mean having the courage to talk to someone about why you're not happy. It could mean you have to stand up to a bully. It could mean you need to spend 10 minutes every day making silly faces at yourself in the mirror to make yourself laugh. Picking your battles doesn't mean picking when to back down, but what's just a fight in the bigger battle.
Finally, number five. In fighting, choose with sense and honor. This one is kind of self explanatory. Think about your choices, and when push comes to shoves, choose the right choice over the easy choice. That's all there is to it. Now, as a particular friend is fond of reminding me, there is no such thing as a fair fight, and I agree. If push comes to shove, you need to do what it takes to win, but winning honorably means, more often, that both parties get to fight another day. It means not bringing bystanders into your fight, and treating your opponent with the respect they deserve.
These five codes of conduct have been, for the majority of my life, a subconscious metric to which I've held myself. However, that doesn't mean I've always succeeded, nor that my interpretations of the codes and the situations were accurate. To be the best martial artists I possibly can, I can't assume I am already following the codes. A portion of my daily training will include reflection on the codes and how they apply to the things going on in my life.
I know this one was the longest post I've written, and kudos to anyone who stuck it out to this part. A lot of this particular post was my personal feelings on the codes, and I'd like to hear what you guys think. If you have any reflections on the codes, disagree with part of my interpretation, or have a story you'd like to share about trying to follow these or your own personal doctrine, leave a comment bellow!
Monday, May 12, 2014
The Ideal Martial Artist
In the early stages of this type of endeavor, a clear understanding of what I intend to achieve can only make the decisions along the path easier, or at the very least less vague. Therefore, I have to pose the question:
What is my definition of a martial artist?
If my end goal is to be the best martial artist, I can't just sit with a vague idea of what those words mean. Do I want to be an Olympic gold medalist? Do I want to win an MMA title? Maybe I should be the hermit in the mountains, doing nothing but meditation and practicing all day, every day. In the end, it isn't so important to me that other people recognize my greatness, so long as I have an adequate appreciation of where my skills are, where I've come from, and where I have yet to go. So, to return to the question, I must define what a martial artist is in my mind. I've narrowed it down to three aspects.
The first aspect is simple: one must practice martial arts to be a martial artist.
Next, a martial artist must constantly work to improve their craft.
Finally, a martial artist is one who takes the craft seriously.
The next step is to understand what it takes to bring these aspects to their extremes. The best martial artist is not one who no longer feels the need to practice, but has built a solid foundation and routine that does not end. This naturally flows to the third aspect, that a martial artist is constantly trying to improve. This means that they are looking at all aspects of themselves and looking for ways to improve. This, in my opinion, is what leads to the second aspect.
The mindset of a martial artist is different than the mindset of someone who knows martial arts. Over the last few years, I transitioned from the former to the latter, a man who knows Tang Soo Do but never practiced, rarely thought about it, and hardly ever sought to improve upon it. Here, my friends, is where I am going to be focusing my efforts.
Another way of phrasing this topic is to say that a martial artist must have the mindset of a martial artist, and to be the greatest martial artist possible, one must never leave that state of mind.
That sounds nifty, but what the hell does that even mean?
For starters, that ideal is different for different styles of martial arts. Tang Soo Do is different than Krav Maga is different than Wing Chung. However, most of these styles do have a core set of values built into their teachings by which a student can seek to become the ideal practitioner of that style. As this particular post has gone on long enough, I will address the core values I intend to follow as a practitioner of Tang Soo Do in my Wednesday post.
What is my definition of a martial artist?
If my end goal is to be the best martial artist, I can't just sit with a vague idea of what those words mean. Do I want to be an Olympic gold medalist? Do I want to win an MMA title? Maybe I should be the hermit in the mountains, doing nothing but meditation and practicing all day, every day. In the end, it isn't so important to me that other people recognize my greatness, so long as I have an adequate appreciation of where my skills are, where I've come from, and where I have yet to go. So, to return to the question, I must define what a martial artist is in my mind. I've narrowed it down to three aspects.
The first aspect is simple: one must practice martial arts to be a martial artist.
Next, a martial artist must constantly work to improve their craft.
Finally, a martial artist is one who takes the craft seriously.
The next step is to understand what it takes to bring these aspects to their extremes. The best martial artist is not one who no longer feels the need to practice, but has built a solid foundation and routine that does not end. This naturally flows to the third aspect, that a martial artist is constantly trying to improve. This means that they are looking at all aspects of themselves and looking for ways to improve. This, in my opinion, is what leads to the second aspect.
The mindset of a martial artist is different than the mindset of someone who knows martial arts. Over the last few years, I transitioned from the former to the latter, a man who knows Tang Soo Do but never practiced, rarely thought about it, and hardly ever sought to improve upon it. Here, my friends, is where I am going to be focusing my efforts.
Another way of phrasing this topic is to say that a martial artist must have the mindset of a martial artist, and to be the greatest martial artist possible, one must never leave that state of mind.
That sounds nifty, but what the hell does that even mean?
For starters, that ideal is different for different styles of martial arts. Tang Soo Do is different than Krav Maga is different than Wing Chung. However, most of these styles do have a core set of values built into their teachings by which a student can seek to become the ideal practitioner of that style. As this particular post has gone on long enough, I will address the core values I intend to follow as a practitioner of Tang Soo Do in my Wednesday post.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Where I'm Starting
My instructor would frequently remark that there wasn't much worse than an out of shape martial artist, and after having spent a significant amount of the last few years on my butt and eating poorly, I can definitely attest to that. Thus, my endeavor is going to begin with changing my lifestyle into not just something healthier, but to allow for the best physical conditioning I can manage.
I've started things similar to this before, though not with as clear an intent. In the summer of 2010, I weighed 170 lbs. While working at Sesame Place, a fortuitous series of events led to what I assume to have been on the order of five hundred Twix ice cream bars to be given out to the employees. One of my coworkers handed me a box and gave me the ambiguous order "do something with this." Eventually, I found myself sitting in the back room about to eat my eighth bar when I read the packaging. There were about 360 calories in each bar. I was hungry enough to eat maybe another three or four of them, after having already eaten over 2500 calories in about a half our. No amount of sugary goodness was going to make me feel okay about that, so I put the box down. I went home that day and looked in the fridge and took stock of what we had. I changed my diet and carefully considered the foods that I was eating. Two months later, I was down to 150 lbs.
College took a toll on me after that, and I put on weight over the next few years. In January of 2013, I weighed 180 lbs. This time, though, a more childish inspiration took over. I had spent the entirety of my winter break attempting (and more or less succeeding) and consuming every Batman animated media produced since the 1990s. This was a lot of Batman. As a result, I found myself noticing a little voice in the back of my head going "come on, do it, be Batman." I started exercising 5 days a week, doing weight lifting three days a week and running two days a week. I went back to a similar diet to the one from 2010, and over the next six months I lost 35 pounds.
Then August rolled around. I took a series of trips and got out of the habits I'd built up. It is now May of 2014. I put on 10 lbs (though I've been told I look healthier now), and have lost all of the strength I built up. While not what I'd like, and not something for me to brag about, I have definitely proven that I at least know how to make the types of changes needed to make significant physical growth possible.
I have returned to my routine of serious exercise, though I am try a different regimen. Whereas last year I focused on 5 by 5 lifting workouts and separate days for running, which in the end only produced mild results over 6 months, I am lifting more frequently (still only 5 days of workouts) with 3 by 10 structure, am running every day, and am including significantly more core exercise. I am on a reduced carb diet consisting of a buttload of eggs, milk, and fish. I'll be posting some specific workout info later on, including day 1 pictures I took on Wednesday (I really hate taking pictures of myself, but I felt it was necessary).
Martial arts is, obviously, a physical pursuit, and you can't just know the moves. I can't curl 25 lb dumbbells 10 times, I can't bench the bar+60 lbs, I can't squat the bar+70 lbs. It doesn't matter how perfect my technique and form is, I simply can't hit hard, I have minimal endurance, and I'd probably break easily.
There may be very little worse than an out of shape martial artist, but at least I have no where to go but up from here.
I've started things similar to this before, though not with as clear an intent. In the summer of 2010, I weighed 170 lbs. While working at Sesame Place, a fortuitous series of events led to what I assume to have been on the order of five hundred Twix ice cream bars to be given out to the employees. One of my coworkers handed me a box and gave me the ambiguous order "do something with this." Eventually, I found myself sitting in the back room about to eat my eighth bar when I read the packaging. There were about 360 calories in each bar. I was hungry enough to eat maybe another three or four of them, after having already eaten over 2500 calories in about a half our. No amount of sugary goodness was going to make me feel okay about that, so I put the box down. I went home that day and looked in the fridge and took stock of what we had. I changed my diet and carefully considered the foods that I was eating. Two months later, I was down to 150 lbs.
College took a toll on me after that, and I put on weight over the next few years. In January of 2013, I weighed 180 lbs. This time, though, a more childish inspiration took over. I had spent the entirety of my winter break attempting (and more or less succeeding) and consuming every Batman animated media produced since the 1990s. This was a lot of Batman. As a result, I found myself noticing a little voice in the back of my head going "come on, do it, be Batman." I started exercising 5 days a week, doing weight lifting three days a week and running two days a week. I went back to a similar diet to the one from 2010, and over the next six months I lost 35 pounds.
Then August rolled around. I took a series of trips and got out of the habits I'd built up. It is now May of 2014. I put on 10 lbs (though I've been told I look healthier now), and have lost all of the strength I built up. While not what I'd like, and not something for me to brag about, I have definitely proven that I at least know how to make the types of changes needed to make significant physical growth possible.
I have returned to my routine of serious exercise, though I am try a different regimen. Whereas last year I focused on 5 by 5 lifting workouts and separate days for running, which in the end only produced mild results over 6 months, I am lifting more frequently (still only 5 days of workouts) with 3 by 10 structure, am running every day, and am including significantly more core exercise. I am on a reduced carb diet consisting of a buttload of eggs, milk, and fish. I'll be posting some specific workout info later on, including day 1 pictures I took on Wednesday (I really hate taking pictures of myself, but I felt it was necessary).
Martial arts is, obviously, a physical pursuit, and you can't just know the moves. I can't curl 25 lb dumbbells 10 times, I can't bench the bar+60 lbs, I can't squat the bar+70 lbs. It doesn't matter how perfect my technique and form is, I simply can't hit hard, I have minimal endurance, and I'd probably break easily.
There may be very little worse than an out of shape martial artist, but at least I have no where to go but up from here.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
The Journey Begins
The date is May 7th, 2014.
I am twenty three, to be twenty four next month. Like most twenty-somethings fresh out of college, I've recently struggled with getting my bearings. Job hunting, considering graduate school, working and trying to find some sort of direction have all made this first year of "adulthood" pass by like a bad hangover. I have until now been very hesitant to make any sort of decision regarding what I want to do with my life. Nothing has really struck me as better than anything else, and making a choice would feel like turning my back on any number of opportunities.
I have spent a significant amount of my time lamenting over my options and my indecision. In an effort to take a step forward, I have been trying to evaluate what it is that is important to me and how I can use this information to make sense of my situation. This recently came to a head in several ways, one of which is this blog.
Today, I became inspired during a discussion with a friend of mine. With my advice and support, he recently turned his lifestyle around and has gone from a depressed, 250+ lb unemployed man to one of the greatest success stories of fitness and mental health I have had the joy of knowing. One of the passions he and I share is combat. He practices weapon fighting (his current favorite being the naginata) frequently and has a keen interest in traditional martial arts, whereas I have practiced Tang Soo Do, a traditional Korean martial art, since I was five. It was the knowledge and experience I gained from this history which allowed me to help him find his direction and focus, which caused me to think that perhaps the key to those things for myself lay there as well.
Thus, I began to think about where I stand as a martial artist. I have practiced sparingly over the last several years, I am out of shape, and I have never competed in a tournament. I have, however, achieved the rank of third degree black belt. In Tang Soo Do, my next test would gain the title of 'Master', but there are some politics between myself and that test. While my instructor could test me and give me the degree and title, it wouldn't be "official".
So where does that leave me? Well, it leaves me with ground to cover, that's for sure. But merely using the training as a side activity will make it just that much easier for me to fall into my old habits of slacking off. If it's just a thing to do, I may not do it. What I have always had a knack for, however, is taking things to extremes. The more absurd I make my task or goal, the longer I tend to stick with it, which finally brings me to this blog.
I am going to begin training to become a world class martial artist. I will eat, sleep, and breath this goal. Within what I can do, I am going shoot for being the best martial artist in the world.
And I'm going to put my progress right here.
Thus begins my journey. I am excited and a little scared. This blog makes me accountable to something more than just my own conscience, which is more pressure I've had associated with my training since I entered high school.
Today is May 7th, 2014. It is the day I take the first step.
I am twenty three, to be twenty four next month. Like most twenty-somethings fresh out of college, I've recently struggled with getting my bearings. Job hunting, considering graduate school, working and trying to find some sort of direction have all made this first year of "adulthood" pass by like a bad hangover. I have until now been very hesitant to make any sort of decision regarding what I want to do with my life. Nothing has really struck me as better than anything else, and making a choice would feel like turning my back on any number of opportunities.
I have spent a significant amount of my time lamenting over my options and my indecision. In an effort to take a step forward, I have been trying to evaluate what it is that is important to me and how I can use this information to make sense of my situation. This recently came to a head in several ways, one of which is this blog.
Today, I became inspired during a discussion with a friend of mine. With my advice and support, he recently turned his lifestyle around and has gone from a depressed, 250+ lb unemployed man to one of the greatest success stories of fitness and mental health I have had the joy of knowing. One of the passions he and I share is combat. He practices weapon fighting (his current favorite being the naginata) frequently and has a keen interest in traditional martial arts, whereas I have practiced Tang Soo Do, a traditional Korean martial art, since I was five. It was the knowledge and experience I gained from this history which allowed me to help him find his direction and focus, which caused me to think that perhaps the key to those things for myself lay there as well.
Thus, I began to think about where I stand as a martial artist. I have practiced sparingly over the last several years, I am out of shape, and I have never competed in a tournament. I have, however, achieved the rank of third degree black belt. In Tang Soo Do, my next test would gain the title of 'Master', but there are some politics between myself and that test. While my instructor could test me and give me the degree and title, it wouldn't be "official".
So where does that leave me? Well, it leaves me with ground to cover, that's for sure. But merely using the training as a side activity will make it just that much easier for me to fall into my old habits of slacking off. If it's just a thing to do, I may not do it. What I have always had a knack for, however, is taking things to extremes. The more absurd I make my task or goal, the longer I tend to stick with it, which finally brings me to this blog.
I am going to begin training to become a world class martial artist. I will eat, sleep, and breath this goal. Within what I can do, I am going shoot for being the best martial artist in the world.
And I'm going to put my progress right here.
Thus begins my journey. I am excited and a little scared. This blog makes me accountable to something more than just my own conscience, which is more pressure I've had associated with my training since I entered high school.
Today is May 7th, 2014. It is the day I take the first step.
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