Martial arts/sports: your therapist, psychologist, or priest?

How much have your motivations for training shifted from when you first started compared to where you are now?
For me, these mandatory two-month summer breaks are brutal. I can actually feel the lack of a regular routine weighing on my mental state.

To be honest, I can't even remember why I picked this up in the first place—that was ages ago. But today, I train because of that sense of peace and pure happiness I get after every session.
Every single summer, I realize just how much being skilled at something truly matters to me.

So, have you all successfully traded in your priest for a martial art?🙂

It’s been a long time coming. At the end of the day, everyone is their own priest. These training sessions are pure—no pretension, no acting, no fake personas. There is only peace and total satisfaction. You get out exactly what you put in. You aren't buying progress; you are building your own Bohemian Rhapsody, brick by brick. And once you start feeling that connection—that sense that there’s something greater at play, that your body is actually just a conduit for energy... man, it’s incredible. In one short sentence: Trainings rock!!

Richard Hall5 said:It’s been that way for a long time. You are essentially your own guide. These training sessions are pure; there’s no pretense or acting involved. It’s just peace and satisfaction. You get out exactly what you put in. You build your own > through grit, because you can't just go out and buy progress. Once you start sensing that there’s something greater at play—that your body acts as a conduit for energy—everything clicks. It’s incredible. To put it simply: Trainings rock!!

It’s beautiful how honest this skill is with everyone who practices it.
No one can do the work for you except your own effort.

placidbison20 said:How much have your motivations for training shifted from when you first started until now?
Personally, these mandatory two-month summer breaks are killing me; mentally, I can really feel the absence of a regular routine.

I honestly can't even remember why I picked this up in the first place—it was ages ago—but nowadays, I train just for that sense of peace and clarity I get after every session.
Every summer, I realize all over again how much these skills actually mean to me.

So, have you all successfully traded in your priest for a martial art? 🙂

Not much has changed on my end.

I mostly train because it makes me feel better and helps me manage my edge. It’s an interesting moment when you realize physical pain isn't actually that big of a deal. Plus, the women at the gym are pretty great. 👍

placidbison20 said:How much have your motivations for training shifted from when you first started until now?
For me, these forced two-month summer breaks are a real struggle; mentally, I can truly feel the void left by a lack of regular training.

I honestly can't even remember why I picked this up in the first place—that was ages ago—but today, I train for that sense of peace and happiness I feel after every session.
Every single summer, I realize just how much these skills actually mean to me.

So, have you all successfully traded in your priest for a martial art? 🙂

🙂 This is an intriguing topic.
I stumbled into training purely by accident—just some fun with a great group of people, which is what really hooked me. Looking back many years later, I see so many people dropped out along the way, and my entire perception of martial arts has transformed since the beginning.

At first, it’s pure euphoria over every tiny realization; you see that boundaries exist only in your mind, a whole new world opens up, and you're just captivated by everything. Then, the crises hit. You deal with coaches who cause more harm than good, you clash with others, and you face the less glamorous side of the sport. You have to decide what you actually want from all of this and which path to take...

Now, I train because it is simply a part of my life. It fulfills me. It is total honesty with oneself—a place where I am at peace. I no longer hold onto those idealistic views; I am much more realistic now. You get out exactly what you put in, and it requires a massive amount of effort, dedication, and willpower. Even so, it remains one of my favorite things in life... It keeps me 🙂 balanced, clears my head, and enriches my life.😍

urbanstag89 said:... and that's how I end up fueling my own aggression.

And there you have it—just one more unexpected side effect of training.

crimsonbison10 said:So, that’s one interesting side effect of training.

I was actually wondering about the exact meaning of 😕

placidbison20 said:I was actually wondering about the same thing—what exactly does 😕
mean?

Well, we'll just have to wait and 😬

It’s funny you say that, because my experience was almost the exact opposite—it actually dialed back my aggression, yet somehow managed to crank up my confidence and sense of resolve

This summer is absolutely killing me—I seriously miss training and that feeling of actually being pushed.
A few times I tried hitting the gym solo, but it’s just not the same (I can't exactly spot myself on the heavy lifts), and honestly, it gets boring.
Anyway, only one more week until official training kicks off, so...
As for my motivation, the reasons remain the same; I doubt they'll change, nor am I likely to forget them.

Since I started back when I was just ten years old, I honestly can't even remember what sparked it. But today? Sports are just part of who I am. It’s probably the one real passion I’ve held onto that hasn't faded away over the years.

How did I get started?

To be honest, martial arts have been on my mind since I was a kid, though I only actually stepped into the ring recently. Since I didn't grow up in Washington, D.C., I didn't really have a place to train back then. There were some Kyokushin and Taekwondo options around, but I always figured I wouldn't fit in; there was always a bunch of kids who had been bringing home medals since kindergarten.
That was basically how elementary and high school passed by.
Once I got to college, I stumbled upon the fact that a few people I knew were taking Kung Fu. It turned out they were all students and total beginners too. I showed up with a sort of "let's see if this counts as exercise credit" attitude, and somehow, I got hooked. The requirement was two sessions a week to get the sign-off, but I ended up showing up to five whenever I possibly could. Over the summer, I even started doing private lessons with a master, and so on...

Right now, unfortunately, I'm taking a break.
I've got some things shifting in my head, and I'm dealing with some internal "demons" I need to clear out. Because of that, I'm considering trying out a few different disciplines and sports, just to be certain about what truly suits me. rustyangler02’s stance against being a "jack-of-all-trades, master of none" is a solid one, but since I'm a bit too old to—and frankly, don't want to—pursue a professional career in this, I'd rather try everything first. Then, I can decide which path to stick with for as long as my body allows.

placidbison20...I feel the exact same way...Every summer when I leave Washington, D.C., I start missing my training sessions...As soon as I got back, I headed straight to the gym to meet up with the guys...It felt damn good to be back...

placidbison20 said:So, did you guys actually pull it off—swapping out the priest for some martial arts? 🙂

Heh, nothing for me to swap out here. 😬
What kind of priest are we even talking about here? Give me a break. 😁

I’m telling you—my first run-in with MA completely flipped the script on how I see everything. It was a total paradigm shift. Also, I realized... what? Honestly, it was the first time in my life I actually sat there and faced my own bullshit.
That post-workout feeling is... mmmmm. 🙂

Ashley Smith5 said:And honestly, I train because it’s just part of who I am—it fulfills me. It's about being real with myself, finding that headspace where I'm finally at peace. I've dropped the whole idealistic fantasy act; it's more grounded now. You get out exactly what you put in, which means a massive amount of sweat, dedication, and sheer willpower. But even so, it’s still one of my favorite things in life... Keeps me 🙂 balanced, cleanses the soul, and makes life feel a bit fuller.😍

What I love most about the MMA sessions is that people actually do what they're there to do. No fluff. Everyone stays true to themselves in their training, too. There isn't that constant pressure to conform—unless you let it get to you. The level of mutual respect among the practitioners is honestly insane. You wouldn't believe 😬
It creates this killer atmosphere. Sometimes I feel like a kid again, back in that phase where we'd just scrap around and laugh about it 😁

Oh, man, I’ve missed it so much. The dojo, the sensei, my training partners, the sweat, the muscle fibers... everything! I seriously can't wait to get back into it.

It really isn't surprising that martial arts and spiritual growth are so deeply intertwined—it's all about that balance between mind and body—true peace of soul! 😁

Since I’ve been training for well over a decade now, staying active isn't just a hobby—it's practically part of my DNA, so during the summer months, I tend to stick to a more "improvised" style of conditioning. I love hitting the trails on my mountain bike and riding up some steep hills, but I also incorporate functional strength by lugging the bike over rocky terrain, lifting it alternating between hands as if it were a heavy kettlebell, or just grabbing a large stone along the way to grind out a few sets. Of course, shadowboxing is a fantastic solo exercise, and I never skip the basics like push-ups, pull-ups, or squats...
....and if you're wondering what originally sparked this obsession, it all started because I wanted to make sure that if I ever walked out of a movie theater right after watching Bruce Lee, I’d be more than capable of handling any guys looking for trouble.😁

Christian Miller68 said:So, why did I actually start training? It was pretty simple—I walked out of a theater right after watching a Bruce Lee flick, and I just decided that if some guys tried to jump me, I wanted to be able to handle them without breaking a sweat.😁

Haha! 🙂 I had a similar experience—I remember watching that old martial arts marathon on TV and suddenly felt this intense urge to start smashing things around the house just to see if I could fly (I was about five). Then my dad took me to see *Ninja: The Five Elements* at the local theater, and that’s when the obsession really kicked in. I started hunting down every book on black belts and secret ninja lore I could find. I even fashioned my own "stealth gear" out of a wool beanie—I’d pull it down over my eyes and try to sneak through the park at night like some kind of shadow operative.

You can find the rest in the official biography—"Larry Harris54: The Journey of an Unsung Hero." Hahaha. 😁

Larry Harris54 said:haha! 🙂 I was the exact same way—spent five years watching those old Wu Tang clips and basically trying to smash everything in my house just to feel like I could actually fly. Then my dad took me to see "Ninja Elements" at the local theater, and that was the spark. I started obsessing over all those "black belts" and "secret ninja lore," even went as far as carving out my own wool beanie just so I could creep through the park at night looking the part...

I've always been hooked on that flashy Eastern martial arts vibe😁
But back then, I was a total amateur. I figured mastering a skill like that was way too abstract for someone like me. Turns out, I was dead wrong.

quietpilot87 said:I always found myself drawn to that polished Eastern aesthetic.😁
But I suppose I was just being naive. I used to think mastering a craft was far too abstract for someone like me. Then I actually tried it.

Man... if I had a dollar for every person I know who felt that way...
I’d probably have enough for a decent burger...
😬