Why Fight?
By Jimin Kim
In an age of cops, lawyers and computer wizzes, the point of fighting, specifically training to fight seems to go overlooked. Martial arts is taken for granted.
Yes, in this day and age, one of the dumbest things you can do is to get into a fight. The law is merciless to blips on the radar of society.
As Bruce Lee once said, "A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough."
As cool as an experienced fighter beating the hell out of a loud-mouth punk may look in a YouTube video, what they don’t show you is the slew of lawsuits and broken hands that follow the “epic” encounter.
So why fight?
The simplest answer is self-defense.
There are times as a college student when I feel like I’m training for a fight that’s probably never going to happen. “Why do I put myself through this?”
Oh, the agony
But deep down, I know I’d rather have martial arts and not use it than need it and not have it.
Yet, martial arts doesn’t guarantee that you’ll leave a fight unscathed, or even win. Someone who’s boxed his whole life can dominate as easily as he can get sucker punched or stomped in the head. So, if a lifetime of martial arts could amount to nothing, again, why fight?
Martial arts puts the odds in your favor.
When a fight breaks out, anyone can be shaky. But when a trained fighter is ready with a protocol, most are ready to swing madly. The fighter has an inherent edge.
As gregarious as you may be, as much as you surround yourself with mature individuals, trouble can find anyone and everyone.
One of the most terrifying things to watch is a person crumble in the face of danger. In these rare fight or flight moments, “cop” isn't always an option and fighting becomes the only resort — it might save your life.
Ironically, martial artists are the least likely to choose physical violence.
Sun Tzu, the great ancient Chinese general and writer of “The Art of War,” said, “Appear weak when you are strong and strong when you are weak.”
If you know you’re tough, what do you have to prove, who do you have to impress? Why fight?
Martial arts doesn’t just silence your ego; it hurts it so bad it never wants to show its face again.
When you constantly get punched in sparring, you discover how vulnerable you really are and why you shouldn’t start fights. Fighting weeds out the arrogant and embraces the humble.
Martial arts is grueling. It requires tremendous focus and a commitment to tedious repetition.
One of the many things I love about muay thai lies in the repetition. Unlike other stand-up styles that showcase a plethora of moves, the beauty of muay thai lies in its simplicity. No flashy kicks, no animal stances. It’s all about sharpening a handful of techniques to a scalpel’s edge.
Muay thai legend, Buakaw Banchamek
Put in the numbers and you’ll marvel at your gradual improvement. You’ll realize the height of your physical and mental potential.
Miyamoto Musashi, considered by many to be Japan's greatest swordsman, once said, “If you
know the way broadly, you will see it in everything.”
When you find success in anything, you can achieve the same success in whatever you pursue. The devotion it took for one to become a master pianist will allow the same person to become a virtuosic swimmer. Dedication carries itself into new endeavors.
Musashi wasn't just the finest swordsman in Feudal Japan, but also an artist
Like all things, fighting must be taken in moderation.
According to New York City boxing trainer, Lyte Burly, “Boxing is a fire. When you walk into a boxing gym they look at you like they want to eat you. That’s because they’re always hitting something. You’re hitting pads, you’re hitting men, you’re hitting the heavy bag. That builds up a lot of fire in you. Without some type of ‘soothingness’ of I would say a water style to bring you back, you can walk around with your ass on your shoulders and get into a fight real quick.”
Whether it’s through meditating — a favorite method of Bruce Lee — walking your dog or visiting a museum, balancing that fire will not only make you a better fighter, but a better person.
Martial arts doesn’t discriminate. It’s open to anyone to practice and to reap its rewards.
So at the end of the day, fighting isn’t everything. It’s about making the most of a life enriched by martial arts.
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