ANNOYING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TRAINING MARTIAL ARTS
It’s quite normal for people to feel intimidated or nervous to start a combat sport and bringing up the topic with new people can be a strange experience. Whether they practice themselves or not, often a large number of misconceptions arise and many people act either defensive, self-confident or a weird mix of both.
Learning martial arts could be one of the most rewarding things you could do with your life. Here, we debunk into some of the most common and most annoying misconceptions that people have about martial arts.
- #1: You Have To Be Fit Or In Good Shape To Start
That is similar to saying that you have to wait until you are smart enough before you go to school. Beginners will definitely find it challenging when starting out. But just like anything in life, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
In fact, most people start taking up martial arts with the goal of losing weight and also to have a fun training experience. Martial arts is one of the best sport that gets you into the best shape of your life.
- #2: All Martial Arts are the SAME
Most people associate martial arts with a lot of flying kicks and punches like Jackie Chan or Donnie Yen style. And that’s fine. Striking is a major component of martial arts but there is more than that. Different types of martial arts are so different from one another they are pretty much incomparable. Some are all about punches and kicks, others about grapples and throws. Some are contact-based, and some are weapon based, and some are even all about mediation.
#3: It’s Violent & Dangerous!
Contrary to popular belief, being violent is not the foundation of martial arts. People don’t practice martial arts because they are aggressive and violent by nature. Truth be told, martial arts teach practitioners how to actively avoid danger, ending physical conflict without the need for violence, or at least a very minimal amount of it.
Our Coaches are always mindful about the students’ wellbeing. Proper precautions are always taken to ensure safety. There are risks involved in any sport, however martial arts have always gotten a bad rep.
This is probably the most absurd one of all when you think about it logically. Due to this myth, many parents are stressed about enrolling their kids in such classes, and some adults avoid the sport because of the effects they believe it might have on their personality. Sure, there are risks of injury when you are doing something that involves physical exertion, but that could be said about any sport or form of exercise.#4: You Have To Start Young
Martial arts is for everyone, no matter the age. For instance, Elaine Wynn started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at 69 years young. She is known as the ‘jiujitsu grandma’ and is also a competitor! So, what’s your excuse again? Since that’s only one example, we’ve attached a link of senior practitioners who prove that age is INDEED just a number.
It’s never too late to learn a new practice and gain an incredible life skill. The best time is NOW.
#5: It’s Not Suitable For Girls
Welcome to the 21st century! You’d be surprised in this era there are still people who think girls or women should stick to the ladylike stuff. Training martial arts gives girls and women a sense of empowerment and confidence, and the benefits are too many.
Take Rhonda Rousey. She is a former UFC Champion who changed the martial arts scene for women. Rousey paved the way for so many female martial artists to compete and dissipate this annoying misconception.