What is the Martial Arts Lifestyle?

Simply put, the martial arts lifestyle is an approach to daily life built on the principles of self improvement through physical, mental and spiritual growth.  While that may be a pretty broad definition, once you understand what you must put in to progress through the ranks and be able to call yourself a true martial artist, the details will become clear.

The martial arts lifestyle is about motivating yourself to take those first steps into a new adventure.  From that first decision to contact your dojo to the commitment to join, this shows that you’re willing to be a part of something that you can participate in for the rest of your life if you want.  Now that’s a lifestyle.

It’s not just about joining up, it’s about joining in. Life is a team sport, and so are martial arts.  The martial arts life is about getting to your school every day and on time.  This is so that you can make the most of your practice time and you don’t hold others back from making the most of theirs.  The martial arts lifestyle is about punctuality and courtesy. These are things you can, and should, apply to many other aspects of your life.

The martial arts lifestyle is about continuous growth.  We don’t become masters of anything we do by learning it once.  Any form or kata is just like anything else we make a part of our life.  We become good by having someone show us, then we practice it over and over again.  Though, practice itself doesn’t make perfect.  It’s when we can teach others as well that makes us masters. The martial arts lifestyle is about learning and sharing your knowledge.  You believe in your MA style for a reason, so give others a chance to believe in it as well.

The martial arts lifestyle is about getting in touch with that part of yourself that can get lost in the modern world.  We can communicate instantly with someone on the other side of the planet, but unless you can communicate with your inner self, what do you really have to say?  Getting in touch with yourself through daily meditation and learning how to breathe are just a couple techniques of the martial arts lifestyle that come in handy in daily life.  Why not learn more?

In essence, the martial arts lifestyle is about defining your purpose and connecting with others to share in it. Your purpose may be self defense or just a family activity.  Either way, the martial arts lifestyle has something for you as well.