Why do you Wushu?

After being a Dragon's-Lister for a little while now, I have seen many arguments over which style is good or not, where to buy tea, what herbs to use, and even who has the most asskicking military friends. I've seen people get brutally destroyed in one thread only to find another thread in which the same people are helping them find an answer to their questions. We all share a common bond despite differences of style and philosophy. Though we all take a different route, we are all making the same journey.

My question is----- WHY DO YOU STUDY MARTIAL ARTS?

Is it the people? The workout? To vent your aggression? For self defense? Self confidence? General asskicking? or spiritual enlightenment? Does it simply feel good?

Personally, I am still trying to find out. Somedays I am so sure as to why. Other days I have no idea why this search consumes my days and nights. Maybe it is the strive for empowerment or to better myself. Maybe I like pain and being sore. There have even been times when I truly felt like putting and end to it all, only to find myself back in the dojo a few days later. In a world of guns and bombs does it even make sense?
The more I learn the less I know and yet I am still here right now typing this in hope that maybe you might know why I train. Maybe I train to fight my real opponent ---the demons of laziness and gluttony inside myself--- and for that one reason all of this would be made valid. Maybe I train because as a child I was weak and I seek the strengh that martial arts provide. Maybe I the only reason I train is to find out why I train. Thats my story. Whats yours?

WHY DO YOU WUSHU?

p.s. Lets keep this an argument-free thread for expression's sake.

I dont know. I have just always loved the look of martial arts while watching them, Loved how I felt when doing them. and just plan enjoy talking about it. Heck my wife's told me she worries that I'll leave her and go join a shaolin temple to train. I tell her not to worry I can train and be with her at same time....LoL

Good news, they let women train at Shaolin temple as well, so your wife can come along!

I think I train for all those reasons, although not so much the general asskicking bit. I used to fight a lot more before I began studying martial arts, part of that was being younger but part of it was this need to prove something to others, not even sure what it was. Plus there's the esoteric part of studying Asian martial arts, and learning about a culture that is very different and sometimes difficult to understand.

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"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

I wushu because I've always been facinated with martial arts. I also like learning new self defense techniques wheather it be a kung fu tech. or a jiu jitsu technique.. I also like the feeling of teaching my art to someone else. I guess those are the reasons why I wu shu.

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Mark

'Cuz it feels so darn good!

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Man for Sale: House-broken, current vaccinations, almost never humps your leg.

I think there's something inherantly exhilarating about single combat. Your ego is completely removed and you have to face your inadequacies head on...At least this is how it should be in a decent gym.

I like all sports, but I have always enjoyed rough and tumble, rustling, sparring, boxing. Training a martial art allows you to play with all those interesting concepts- space, shape, form, timing, agression and in doing so understand a little more about you, how and why you react in a certain way.

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Faith itself, compelled by the Holy Spirit, possesses an inner dynamism that necessitates deeper understanding. ~Thomas Weinandy O.F.M.

“	Originally Posted By: WuSung 'Cuz it feels so darn good!	”

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I really don't know why I like it or signed up - it looked fun, so I tried it, it really was fun, and it's the only thing that consistenly stays fun and interesting and makes me want to keep going (unlike school and work ). When I'm not training, I'm watching other people fight, talking about fights, reading about fights, etc. I can say that I've seen myself grow in so many ways as a person since I started, so that's definitely motivation to keep going.