People want to know what positive effects martial arts can have on their lives or the lives of their children. Let me share with you the positive effects it has had on my own life, and by the time we get to the end of this post, I hope that you can identify with a few of my points and stories, as well as come up with a few of your own.
Healthier Me
The first and most obvious effect martial arts have had on my life is the healthy lifestyle that it perpetuates. I feel in more shape in some sense, than when I was younger, and I definitely wish that what I know now about health, fitness and martial arts, I knew 10 years ago. It is a process though.
When I miss a few days of training I can feel the difference in my body, from fatigue to flexibility and even speed and agility. Right now I don’t miss many days of training; especially since I teach 5/6 days a week, but when I am injured and such I find a way to do some sort of training. There is a terrible dread of starting from scratch and working the body back in shape, so I do what I can as much as I can.
Teaching
Martial arts have given me the awesome opportunity to teach, to change lives one student at a time. Not everyone has a wish to teach, and not everyone has a gift for it, but I am glad it is one of my gifts and passions, because it has been most rewarding. I look forward to every day, because I know the students are ready and willing to learn, bright eyed and bushy tailed no matter their age.
I also make it a point to keep learning and keep training on my own and with my teachers so that I can 1) become a better martial artist, and 2) so that I can pass it along to my students. John C. Maxwell’s Law of the Lid always comes to mind, I am the “lid” in my school and my students will only go as high as I am right now. So in order to raise the bar… I must continue to push myself to new levels.
Friendship
Ohh the friends I have made during my time as a martial artist. WOW. From my students to other teachers and their students I have encountered… so many people, so many places. You can form some solid relationships putting in hard work next to some great people. I am sure it is because of the way you motivate each other to kick harder, do one more pushup or congratulate each other on making it through a tough session.
Having friends in class and around the world is one of the main reasons that people continue training. It is definitely not because everyone wants to train hardcore every day, there are only a few those crazy folks in the world (me included). Generally, people truly look forward to seeing their friends in class.
Memorable Experiences
As a martial artist I have experienced a plethora of amazing events and people. From visiting or having my own teachers visit, Mestre Sucuri for Capoeira, Sensei Martin Suarez for Yudansha MMA, to training with Mestre Acordeon for two workshops in Tokyo and even being personally trained by the UFC’s top Strength and Conditioning Coach, Kevin Kearns (Burn with Kearns), it has been amazing. Not to mention all of the fights, tournaments, championship bouts, flying to different locales and staying in great hotels (or not so great), performances and demos for cultural events, colleges, schools, parades and festivals, interviews for radio and tv commercials, the list goes on.
I think the most memorable point about all of these happenings, is the smiles on the faces of parents and students. That is what makes it truly special and memorable.
These are the significant, positive effects martial arts has had on my life thus far, and I looking forward to many more great things to come in the future. I hope that martial arts is having the same effect for you, and if you don’t have all of these points, keep pushing forward and I am sure you will have lots of your own stories soon.
v/r
Benjamin “Sensei” Moriniere
Capoeira Academy Okinawa / Yudansha MMA
Okinawa, Japan
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