Why haven't you started?

I believe the majority of these people are interested in martial arts but that's about the extent of it. They get a vicarious sense of training here and have no idea what they are really missing.

There are also a goodly number of posts bad mouthing this style and that; people who don't know any better can become confused about what to believe and worsen their indecision.

Ultimately, I do agree that they need to go out and start training. Trial classes can get them in the door at no monetary cost; they should repeat this as often as they can at as many different places as they can find. Once they've exhausted the search they can decide which they want to train at.

That approach may have it's own troubles if you are easily pressured as many mcdojo/mcdojang follow the gym membership high pressure sales tactics. It could also give a new comer too many options, making it nigh impossible to pick a single school when many great schools have been visited.

I'm definite no longer counting out any of the Hendricks drivers or Smoke for that subject. These are men who have been racing plenty longer than Kyle & mostly they do not begin making their transfer till it will get right down to the Chase. Look on the consistency from Junior. He's held it within the best 10 all season thus far.( Give me the thumbs down...I stated Junior.) When push involves shove, the groups fairly begin displaying their force. There's plenty of the drivers who realize it is time to knuckle down and get within the Chase. Right now I'm no longer counting any individual out. It's exhibit time now! =o`)

I feel this question relates and is indirectly aimed at me.

Why haven't I started...laziness and shyness at the fact that I am overweight and don't want to make a fool of myself.

I asked you questions that I put in the forums because I wanted your advice away from everyone else and to start a dialogue. However I forgot that I had asked about those schools in the past. I went to other avenues (I was doing Boxing for a few months) before returning to them. I apologised for that, we all make mistakes and forget things from time to time.

After your stern go at me, I decide to take your advice and stick it to you. I went and joined a martial art school (I will not say which as you don't care) and spoke to the instructor. Now I have started my training and am happy with what we have planned.

I respect that you are a teacher and master of your chosen martial art. I understand that many MMA fanboys upset you. I respect that you may have had a hard life or circumstances like your nerve damage. I understand that you may just be grumpy. However you do speak to many of us younger than you often in a negative and condescending manner. It isn't nice or helpful. In fact I was shy to ask an instructor about his school and what I could achieve there because I expected him to talk to me like you have done to me and others. Why discourage us who want to do a TMA instead of MMA? Why attack people who do not understand what this question is about? How could they when it is between you and specific individuals. You imply we are immature. Perhaps you should look at your actions too. If you were my teacher, I would be disappointed. As a teacher you should always use positive encouragement even in face of hostility. Would the great martial artists act like this?

If you are so angry then why don't you leave Yahoo answers or focus on your training and teaching. You may not be getting here what you want.

I hope I have not insulted you, that is not my objective. This is simply how I feel. And I will refrain from talking/emailing/chatting with you here. There are other members who are more supportive and not so demeaning in their advice and language. Perhaps this would have been better to have been said by email but you blocked me.

Hi there

Yahoo answers and well the whole of the internet for me just proves one thing? That the internet is no place for martial arts other than club contact details. The thing is you only need a hand full of people to understand it from the tens of thousands who are interested?

I always say that there are many people who train in martail arts but most of them are not martial artists! In this field we have fan boys, nerds, thugs, mma guys, koryu and tma people. I cringe at the crazy people ive seen in my art alone never mind whats going on outside my organisation.

The big problem with the trolls and time wasters and most of the younger generation is that we live in the now era where if it takes longer than a micro second to learn then its not worth investing your time and money. Also if its not cool then they dont want to know. Would you really want students like that knocking on your dojo door anyway?

Let the muppets train else where. Ive said it before and ill say it again the Mcdojos do us all a valued service in that they are a filter. They provide somewhere for bad students to train. Harsh but true!

You want honest, keen students that are interested in learning the art for the right reasons. let the fanboys and trolls ask their silly questions. They will only hear what they want to hear. :)

Best wishes

iadai

I would imagine that some find starting a martial art pretty intimidating since they know very little about them and hear some of the horror stories that others have encountered. Besides this many are looking for a "magic bullet" I think that will give them an easy answer and solution to every situation and why they might be interested in martial arts while one does not actually exist. You also have to remember that its summer and school is out and also you have a great many more young people on the net and using it. Some do it just for fun or to irritate others and get some kind of reaction I think as well.

Given the current economic and job situation out there probably many would like to start taking martial arts but lack the money to or are to intimidated and lack the commitment or are just trying to learn something about it or get a reaction. Don't take it personal-most of it is not meant to be.

Why have I not started? I started nearly 70 years ago, and my choices of schools were limited at my birth place. I moved extensively, so I soon found many schools for many different styles of martial arts. Eventually, I met other men who studied many different styles. The men I know best are too busy to be using this website very much. It takes time to remain in top condition. I am past my prime, so it is ever more difficult to remain in good condition. Now, it requires twice as much work to remain in half as good a condition as was the case in my prime about 35 years ago. I have been retired for some years.

There is freedom of speech, and no user of this website owns or bosses it, so try to calm yourself. I have patience with people, and that is a rare virtue many people need to cultivate. Any person can ask any question he likes, and you are not the judge of him. I give anyone the benefit of the doubt. I try to help people and understand them. Such a proprietary attitude you display now helps no person, neither you nor the people you criticize. If you do not like a question, it is simple to merely move on to another one. Emotions must be controlled to be good in martial arts. You deny being angry, but your behavior refutes your words. It is any person's personal affair how many times he asks a question. I see no point of being upset by it. Allow the Yahoo staff to concern themselves with such occurrences. That is their job, not yours.

I don't really care what people here do with their life. If they want to make something positive and work for it, great. If they want to be negative and do nothing or use drugs or kill themselves fighting, that's great too.

But I usually only pay attention to questions where the answer that I provide can help people. If people don't want to be helped, why should I waste time worrying about it.

Also known as giving people free rent space in my head. My head doesn't have rent controlled Section 8 housing for just anything.

You may be a top contributor in the martial arts section but don't get cocky like you own anything . This is a public forum for everyone. Anyone can ask a question on here regardless of how obvious,repetitive,stupid or "fake" the question may sound. Just because you have more experience in Martial Arts then some(or many) other people on this site it gives you no right to govern the rules and mannerisms of question asking on this site. Experience DOES NOT give right and leadership especially on something as insignificant as an internet forum.

Who are you to judge a person on the time it takes them to make a decision or the amount of times they ask a question ? Money is tight all over the world and since this is an American site it is fair to say that the majority of the people on this site will be Americans. America is facing a MASSIVE financial crisis and you have the audacity to tell someone "So why have you been wasting time, instead of getting your feet wet??? ". Not everyone can afford to invest in something that they don't know if they will be doing it long term or not. Hence the many questions from a single user. Sometimes people need to be 110% on what they are getting themselves into ( and not necessarily just due to financial matters )

We live in a world of options and entertainment. It has made people lazy procrastinators. They expect to be able to take shortcuts to get to their goals. They obviously want someone to hold thier hand.

Its annoying reading the same questions everyday. Just remember this FACT of LIFE and accept it. There are 2 types of people in this world... People who do things and people who talk about it.

Yesir! you make me wanna start another MA, but I just remembered I already do 2...

But yeah, I have noticed this to, they are so caught up trying to find the right art, they don't start until they are almost too old for it, or to arrogant from reading about it.

Also, it would probably be better to just flame them in you're answer for a bit, then give them an answer, that might be better than wasting everybody Else's time, when half of them won't read this question/