Why do I fight? Why should you?

The answer is simple: To form a bond between the body and mind. A bond that will make you both physically and mentally stronger and more aware. We spend so much of our lives focusing on one or the other that it's easy to lose touch with who we really are...what we really are.

Think of all the time you spend on the phone, the computer, watching television, etc...All of these activities are almost completely mental, therefore no bond between the body and mind occurs. Now think of when you get up and go to the gym and mindlessly pump out reps on an exercise machine or blankly run for miles on a treadmill. These activities are all physical with little to no brain power required to execute.

"But when I'm running on the treadmill I watch the T.V. doesn't that count as both?" Hah, indeed you are using both your body to run and your mind to analyze what you are watching on the T.V. screen but you are using them both almost completely independent of each other. No bond occurs there either. So where does this elusive bond between body and mind occur?

That's where martial arts come into play. Any martial arts, including all combat sports if you don't consider them martial arts (personally, I do). This can be anything from Western Boxing to Kung Fu, from Freestyle Wrestling to Jujutsu. The reason this bond forms during a Martial Arts bout is because you must use both the body and mind in unison to triumph over your opponents body and mind. A failure to use one or the other to its fullest extent will put you at a major disadvantage. Think of it as a physical chess match. In any Martial Arts bout, if both competitors have similar athletic attributes and experience, the one who fight smarter will always win. Vice-versa if both competitors are of similar intelligence and experience, the more athletic one will always win. This is why when training in Martial Arts of any kind it is important to keep both your body and your mind at their sharpest. Doing so will also be highly beneficial to your daily life outside of whatever Martial Arts you are practicing. You should notice definite increases in your overall health, confidence, and self esteem. Think of it as a pleasant side effect.

The importance of bringing your body and mind together stems from awareness. Awareness of what you, as a human being, are capable of. Awareness of how much you can take. Awareness of who you are. Just like a painter may be very emotional and aggressive with his brush strokes, a martial artist may fight with emotion and display a very aggressive style.

This is why I fight. I played the guitar for a few years, took a bunch of art classes in high school, but nothing would motivate me to keep both my mind and body in tip-top condition. I also found myself trying too hard to write music or paint a picture but for me fighting seems to just come naturally. It puts me in a semi do-or-die situation where I must act and re-act as quickly as physically and mentally possible or I will immediately feel the consequences(like a swift knee to the face). This is also why I choose MMA as my Martial Art of choice. The rules (or lack thereof) allow for complete expression of what kind of figher (and person) I am and the freedom to display all of the techniques I have learned from Martial Arts all over the world.

So which Martial Art is right for you? Let me assure you that there is a Martial Art out there for everyone and not all Martial Arts require you to train 8 hours a day or take a swift knee to the face (in fact most of them don't). Martial Arts such as Jujutsu which place heavy emphasis on technique are great for people who, even at their best, aren't very physically imposing. On the other side of the spectrum Greco-Roman Wrestling which places heavy emphasis on physical strength and conditioning and abides by a strict rule set and point-based scoring system are great for the natural athlete that prefers a structured, no non-sense approach to martial arts.

Whatever you decide on let me put a heavy emphasis on sparring! After a few training sessions don't be afraid to get in on the action. At first you may get your arse kicked a few times but don't give up! Let that motivate you to train harder and learn more! Don't Be discouraged when you lose. View this as just another learning opportunity. When you win always be humble and respectful to your opponent and appreciative towards your coaches and teammates. These are qualities both your friends and enemies will come to respect and admire.

I hope this has motived you to become aware of how far you can take your body and mind. Martial Arts have dramatically improved my lifestyle and since I started I have completely revised my diet for the better and am motived to exercise and/or train every day. I look better, feel better, and am aware and satisfied with what kind of person I have become.