Martial arts training is so much more than just self-defense, exercise and cool weapons moves. The benefits of habitual martial arts practice go far beyond physical fitness and technical skill. All the things we learn at the dojo are important for self-development and enhance our concept of self.
Fighting skills are inherently dangerous and therefore must be practiced and demonstrated with an acute sense of personal responsibility. This responsibility is to three distinct people or groups of people:
- Ourselves: We must recognize what we have done, or failed to do, as we progress through the ranks. We cannot blame anyone but the person in the mirror for lost training time or a lack of discipline. We must be accountable to ourselves for our own decisions and actions.
- Our Sensei/Sifu/Guro: Our instructor is a guide, a leader, a role model, and has sacrificed many things to achieve a high level of skill. Our teacher is also our helper. He or she pushes us to succeed and expects us to work hard. Once we have learned the skills that the teacher asks us to practice, we are obligated to follow through. It is our responsibility to respect the knowledge that is given to us and honor our teacher with our hard work.
- Our Classmates: We owe it to our training partners and fellow classmates to train safely and to be competent in all areas of skill. Our own lack of skill can limit our training partner’s ability to progress as well.
Responsibility cannot be learned from a textbook or a video, it is something we must practice by making good choices and respecting those around us. In martial arts training, there are no excuses. What defines our success or failure is our own level of personal responsibility.
