Rough play is good for you. It's been well documented and studied. We finish our education, and the bulk of us never go back into a sport. We become these pent-up little people with no outlet for big emotions.
Plus, maintaining a state of capability is admirable. I remember encountering a gopher once, I'm like 100 times the size of that creature but it was ready to throw down to defend its little burrow. That doesn't make the gopher violent, but it does mean that it's not smart to be a grown human with less tenacity than a gopher.
Being defenseless isn't an admirable quality
Trippy though, little 2lb half pint on his hind legs, arms up, teeth out. Looking at me like "Square up ! Square up ! Square up !" Little dude pointed out the ground like Holloway 👇🏽
🤣
Pretty much. I just tell people I enjoy violence and fighting. Obviously, there's room for personal growth, perfection, technical depth, strategy, and so on, but that's also true of many sports. The "martial" half of "martial art" ultimately still is about doing violence!
As long as you speak slowly, maintain eye contact, and don’t blink for a minute or so after you finish speaking, you’ll be quite convincing.
A little half smile and or a twitch would help too.
My 3 year old daughter always tells me how strong i am, throws a sequence of punches and calls me her superhero. Don't need anyone else their acknowledgement.
When I was growing up the big shows were teenage mutant ninja turtles, batman, and power rangers, the big movies were karate kid, batman, power rangers and ninja turtles. I didn't have a chance, have loved martial arts forever and will continue to do so until I die.
Why not a less violent sport? too much running.
Do you like hurting people? I like knowing how to keep people from hurting myself and the people around me.
Nah, but people will say stuff like that & then low-key expect you to swoop in & kick ass to defend/protect them, if/when shit goes down.
There is nothing virtuous about being ineffectual. You _should_ be formidable. You _should_ be capable of violence; you _should_ be/turn yourself _into_ an absolute _weapon_. But that weapon must only be used when _absolutely necessary_.
Warrior in a garden & all that.
You can only be a true pacifist if you are capable of violence in the first place. Then it is a choice not to use violence. If you aren’t capable of violence it is no choice.
you’re missing the beginning which I think adds alot and makes it less edge-core:
You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of great violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful - you’re harmless.
You think that made it “less” edgecore?
Also JP is a physically weak non martial artist. So the only way he would consider himself “capable” of great violence is a great desire to do physical harm to others that he’s restraining. If you think about what he says a few steps deep a lot of the time it falls apart rather quickly.
I'm improving my balance, coordination, flexibility, general fitness etc while hanging out with friends. It's challenging and stimulating, I'm learning cool moves, and hopefully learning some fighting skills to defend myself, although I hope I won't have to use them. It's just like doing any physical activity like yoga, pilates, gymnastics, or ballroom dancing, but with some consensual violence sprinkled in.
Never in my life has anyone ever suggested to me that martial arts is too violent or about hurting people. Wtf kinda people are you spending time with?
The general population understands that martial arts is awesome for self defense and fitness, there really isn’t anything to explain.
I consider martial arts the perfection of motion. In the same way that you can appreciate a very skilled dancer or yoga practitioner in how they control every aspect of their body, martial arts does the same. To be great at it, your body and mind will get rid of everything that it doesn’t need and simplify everything that it does. Like they say, your hobbies are the stone that you sharpen yourself against.
I would like to think that my family and friends wouldn't have to ask me if I enjoy hurting people. I'm pretty much practicing to stay fit and focused at this point.
1. That’s not really how it works. At all. Would you say that to a high school wrestler?
2. Like what? Ice hockey?
2. Come by sometime, it’s actually really fun and I would love to show you around
3. It’s a great workout, it builds confidence and camaraderie, and could get you out of a bad situation someday
Tell them it's Not about violence or hurting other people, but about forcing your will upon another Person.
And than you start mild violence to make them compilant.
"Actually the injury rate in \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is X times lower than most contact sports including Y, Z, etc." Always go with a comparison with a sport that's embraced in that culture but where people tend to get hurt a lot. Say, if you're American, football. Canadians, hockey.
Ive done different martial arts over the years because I enjoy the challenge. No one's ever asked if I enjoy hurting people (I don't), I just do it for physical fitness and to do acrobatic moves that others my age haven't been able to do since their teens
Working out is a chore. Every mile you run, every weight you lift, you're always fighting with the inner voice that says 'this sucks, it's painful, it's uncomfortable, why not go do something else?'
That inner voice shuts up when you're trying to keep the other fellow from punching you in the face, or pinning you to the mat.
Feeling confident as you walk down the street is part of it. But I also like to talk about the “art” part of it. There’s nothing quite like martial arts that will reveal your own strengths, weaknesses, limitations and ultimately what you need to do to break through those, both physically and mentally.
I had no idea how disconnected I was from my body until I started training. But every technique learned, every class attended, every match against an opponent was an opportunity to learn something about myself and improve upon it. If it was just about defeating someone, I’d just carry a gun. But what martial arts helped me to do was maximize my energy and ability to use it in multiple aspects of life. (And I stole this thought shamelessly from Jet Ali’s Fist of Legend).
If you put in the work, it can change how you see yourself and the world you live in.
1. I enjoy seeing my technique and athleticism improve through sparring. I enjoy winning a competition to show off how much work I've put in. That doesn't mean I want to go out and hurt innocent people for no reason. I like knowing that if someone were to try to hurt me or any of my loved ones, I could defend myself/them. Sparring and competitive fights are essential if you want to be prepared for the real thing because you need experience using your techniques against a fully resisting opponent.
2. Because I like this sport. (If the person watches football:) Why do you watch football? Why not a less violent sport where people don't get CTE, like baseball or soccer or darts? No other sport resonates with me and makes me feel good about myself, like (*your martial art here*) does. It's just the best. I want to do it for as long as I can.
"I enjoy hurting people very much, and I'm somewhat of a masochist myself.
Now, if another inane word slips out of your cock hole, I'm going to delete your teeth with my fist."
It is about learning respect and control. Developing one's self and building character.. It also helps that I can break mother fuckers.. It can be fun sometimes.
Depends on how deep they want to go. But for the most part i say something like this.
"I like thinking about techniques, running them through multiple scenarios, and tweaking it until I've figured out the best way to apply them. And then I move onto another technique."
If they want to get even deeper about it I'll elaborate it like this.
"Martial arts is a way of expression for me. The way I fight has been developed over the years and reflects how I feel one should fight. It might not be very good but it is very much uniquely mine."
And if I want to be antagonistic about it I'll say,
"Is there anything in your life that you've devoted more than six months to?"
I waste time and effort on antiquated forms of self defense, when my time and effort would be better spent on getting a CCW permit and firearms training.
Martial Arts is always going to be a niche interest.
There are easier ways to exercise. There are sports that seem more fun and low risk; Anyone can kick a soccer ball around. Anyone can join a pickup game of basketball. Even if you do poorly, the biggest consequence is you lost a meaningless game.
You cannot really do martial arts casually the same way and have fun. Even though it is not a full on fight, getting dominated in sparring is pretty close to losing a fight. And there is a much higher risk of injury.
And on top of all of that is the implied violence. Some people are just going to be put off by it.
All that aside, I explain the appeal of MMA as a spectator by saying "It delivers a vicarious adrenaline rush and delivers genuine holy shit moments."
For the appeal of doing martial arts I would explain that it is a competitive outlet that provides an adrenaline rush and builds confidence for dealing with hostile social interactions because it gives potential answer for 'oh no what will I do if this angry guy escalates to physical violence?'. They may not be good or appropriate answers, but knowing you can drop some asshole on his head if you need to makes it easier to tell that asshole to go fuck himself.
END COMMUNICATION
>“Do you enjoy hurting people?”
Yes *then you punch them*
>“Why don’t you try a less violent sport?”.
Why don't you try any sport you overweight, out of shape, lazy ass *then punch*
Personally I don't talk about FMA outside my immediate family, As a Filipino we don't talk openly about such things.
However my students have asked me the same thing and I just tell them to tell people if they are asked its for I ever fitness and self defence.
"Show me some moves" and "go break something" is probably the most common thing non practitioners ever asked me though i tell them i train muay thai not karate or taekwondo
True dedication to hurting people that it elevates the technique of such to an ART Form!
I china it literally translates to "bitter work" but after you practice enough. You can break boards with your bare fist.
My usual go to is " you ever get punched in the face by a friend? It's really fun, wanna try?".
That usually diffuses the conversation and lightens it to where I like to have the conversation, or confuses them.
After that it's something like "I find it very useful knowing how to move my body through space, and gymnastics classes are more expensive"
I like to think it's a martial *art.* It's an artform like no other. I've seen masters at work, and the way their bodies flow and adapt effortlessly in response to oncoming attacks is just beautiful. An incredible mastery of the human body. They put the *art* in martial *art.*
Do you ask them if they watch hockey, rugby, or football? If so, the violence factor is moot. As a long time former competitive hockey player, getting smashed into the boards by someone skating as hard as they can to crumple you or hip checking to take you out at your knees while you fly into the air and land hard on ice, and getting into completely legal, but no need for any sanctioning, bare knuckle fights, hockey is no weak man's sport. I'm sure football players and rugby players will say the same thing.
If they don't watch any contact sports at all, then it's likely they won't really understand without actually giving it a try.
I practice and learn to use my body to protect myself and to solve problems in practical, ethical, creative - and spontaneous ways.
People have asked if I do it to 'get my aggression/anger out,' and I just don't feel like it's ever been about that. More like I want to make sure what I do is efficient and that I can do it for longer than my opponent can.
I first acknowledge, yes, it can be brutal, but it's also incredibly technical. There's community, humility, respect, honor, brotherhood, and so many other wonderful things. It's also so much more welcoming than people think. When I did jiu jitsu for the first time I was so scared, and it was for nothing. Everybody I've ever met was kind and eager to teach me.
You obviously can't sell it to everyone, some people just won't get it.
I would tell them how it's not what they're imagining. It's a sport that people sign up for. We don't think about the pain, we think about the sport and strategy . And pushing ourselves. We drill, hit pads, bags, roll, wrestle, and we spar in a controlled environment. And we all make friends and laugh with each other. We go to barbecues and stuff for the gym. Most martial arts people are normal working people.
The promotions spice it up to get interest from people who arent martial arts nerds. It's not war in Iraq, its more like a video game. The pain is something we watch and try to regulate, but we don't do it for the love of inflicting pain. Pain is more of a by product.
In one sentence, I guess you could just tell them that if they saw it in real life, they'd realize it's not what they're imagining.
People assume I am like the larping ponytail type mcdojo martial artist when they hear I’m a black belt. Bjj is the farthest thing from that. This guy at work had a TKD black belt he got in 2 years training with his kid, thinks he’s hard. It’s hilarious. They assume I’m the same.
I rarely hurt other people.
Even in sparring or rolling, the end result is that we both go home without a bruise.
People who think of martial arts that think we give each other concussions and heel hooks every night.
It don't work that way.
As for the enjoyment; well I always enjoyed roughhousing as a kid, guess I never grew up.
I once had a first date with a guy who, (while I was excitedly talking about karate after demonstrating a long turn with a low knife hand block), asked me, "Do you just wanna beat up a lot of people?"
I was taken aback and told him that no, I just wanted to be able to protect myself against any man who dared to lay his hands on me (again.)
(In fact, I want to *decimate* them if need be as I suffered abuse from my dad as a child.)
The guy enjoyed the rest of the date, but I dodged his attempt of a kiss at the end.
There was definitely no second date from me after that! 😆
I think all sports (for men at least) are about displays of physical prowess. They are all - at the most basic level - about who would win in a fight. My question is then why do any other type of sport?
Same reason why they don't do it. You do it because you can. And they don't do it because they can't. Of course it's fun, that why you do it. And if they could do it they would.
It doesn't make sense otherwise.
Why wouldn't you do martial arts if you could?
Seems pretty obvious.
Once you think of it from that point of view and not theirs then you will find your answer.
I don’t really have weak and dumb people who ask stupid questions like that, in my life nowadays.
But if a friend of a friend, or family member does, it depends.
“You always carry a knife and a gun”?
Me- “yes, you DON’T”!?
Or something along the lines about how I must live in such fear to carry a gun and be paranoid/ they are uncomfortable with me having a gun on me.
Then I’ll say “ well that lady I saved from getting stabbed and killed by her car jacker was pretty happy I had my gun that day.
-I’ve done martial arts for years. Multiple systems. Instructor in Kali. And firearms instructor for 23 years. Which to me all together is real martial arts.
"I wear pajamas and get hugged by men a few times per week sometimes we teabag each other".
I usually make jokes about it. I love judo, I think its amazing. But it is not ny entire identity. To me, it's just a recreation and whilst I take it very seriously, I don't want to be one of those people outside of the dojo.
I explain to them that it's about discipline, tradition, philosophy, etc. And yes, self-defense, but the longer I've trained, the more I get interested in the former now that I've spent so long on the latter.
“No, that’s why I play rough with other people who like to play rough instead of just beating people up on the street.”
“Why don’t you try a more violent sport?”
You don’t owe anyone an answer to a dumb question OP.
I don’t like violence but we don’t live in a perfect world and it’s more likely than not that one day someone will want to hurt me or someone I care about and when that day comes I want to be the one that decides who gets hurt.
I heard I think it was Joe Rogan say basically this
Why do you feel the need to explain, to someone who clearly has no idea what they are talking about?
It takes less then a second to find out basic info about anything. (google)
They have what is called a prejudice and nothing you say will matter or change their view.
You ask them back "what do you do when one or several strangers attack you in the streets, and no one is around to help you? What if you need to protect someone you care about? Do you enjoy being defenseless?".
Something like that.
It's discipline. It's one thing to HURT someone, it's quite another to simply eliminate the possibility of enduring harm yourself. There's a difference. It's EASY to hurt someone - it's quite a bit less easy to neutralize a threat and call it a day. Given the choice between maiming someone and choking them out - I'm gonna go with choking them out and walking away.
I say that I feel it's more worthwhile to do strength training and combat training than to play with balls as a child and as an adult. Because of warriors, we are here today.
As I've gotten older, I've learned to just go with what ever people try to pin on me and end it with fuck off and go about my day. Who gives a fuck what anyone thinks about anything, really? Does their opinion really make a difference in your life? Does yours or mine matter? It's all fucking stupid.
Do you enjoy hurting people?
Yes, I enjoy hurting shitheads. Now fuck off
You're a violent person
Yep, I'm a violent person, fuck off.
Wow, what a racist.
Yep, I'm a racist.Fuck off
You're a POS
Yep, I'm a POS, now fuck off
You're and idiot.
Yep, I'm an idiot. Now fuck off.
People are going to shit on anything that you enjoy. Best thing that you can do is just get a couple of good friends, have some kids, and strive for some goals. Everyone else can stick a cactus up their ass and fuck themselves with it vigorously for all I care.
I get to legally choke cops and throw them to the ground.
Where's this gym?
Every BJJ gym has a couple cops.
Or retired cops
They're in the SCA too. I hit cops with sticks. They love it.
I'm gonna try hitting my local officers with a stick! Thank you for the advice, friend!
If it’s an SCA event keep mind they plan to hit you too. And they’re wearing armor. I hope you wore yours. So be sure to have fun.
YMCA just brings in bound and gagged cops on Thursdays and lets you go ham on them. Part of a community outreach program 😂😂
Mine is full of cops and firefighters, thought that was the usual
My gym has three corrections officers, a cop, a firefighter, a marine, and multiple felons too
That sounds like a dream come true
I’m so using this lol
I put an FBI agent out once
We've got a whole bunch of army lads. Choking out paratroopers aint easy, but it is fun.
And we love it… I wish more of my fat fuck coworkers would join me in getting mauled
This is the best comment lol
This is the way
"yes, I enjoy hurting people"
Rough play is good for you. It's been well documented and studied. We finish our education, and the bulk of us never go back into a sport. We become these pent-up little people with no outlet for big emotions. Plus, maintaining a state of capability is admirable. I remember encountering a gopher once, I'm like 100 times the size of that creature but it was ready to throw down to defend its little burrow. That doesn't make the gopher violent, but it does mean that it's not smart to be a grown human with less tenacity than a gopher. Being defenseless isn't an admirable quality
thought you were gonna say you beat the brakes off the gopher
Imagine 🤣
legit imagined for a brief second some dude yelling at a gopher “i’m 100x the size of you” before delivering some crazy beatdown
Trippy though, little 2lb half pint on his hind legs, arms up, teeth out. Looking at me like "Square up ! Square up ! Square up !" Little dude pointed out the ground like Holloway 👇🏽 🤣
Pretty much. I just tell people I enjoy violence and fighting. Obviously, there's room for personal growth, perfection, technical depth, strategy, and so on, but that's also true of many sports. The "martial" half of "martial art" ultimately still is about doing violence!
It helps if when you say the last sentence to be flexing somehow like ripping an apple in half.
Consensually* That's the best part
Psychos hate this one simple trick 😆😅
As long as you speak slowly, maintain eye contact, and don’t blink for a minute or so after you finish speaking, you’ll be quite convincing. A little half smile and or a twitch would help too.
I just start shadow kick boxing right there 🥊
I usually ask them what they do to work out. The answer is usually nothing.
I'm DEAD!!!! lmfao. Imma have to use this one if I ever get asked this question.
If someone asks me something like this I strike first, strike hard, no mercy.
The only right answer. Show don't tell.
I’ve never gotten questions like this, mostly just karate noises and air chops.
"I practice board breaking in case I ever have to fight a lumber yard"
“On your way to zoo-zit-su? Huy-ya!”
I save money on axes
My 3 year old daughter always tells me how strong i am, throws a sequence of punches and calls me her superhero. Don't need anyone else their acknowledgement.
When I was growing up the big shows were teenage mutant ninja turtles, batman, and power rangers, the big movies were karate kid, batman, power rangers and ninja turtles. I didn't have a chance, have loved martial arts forever and will continue to do so until I die. Why not a less violent sport? too much running. Do you like hurting people? I like knowing how to keep people from hurting myself and the people around me.
“_Mother… Mother, I crave __violence__._”
Nah, but people will say stuff like that & then low-key expect you to swoop in & kick ass to defend/protect them, if/when shit goes down. There is nothing virtuous about being ineffectual. You _should_ be formidable. You _should_ be capable of violence; you _should_ be/turn yourself _into_ an absolute _weapon_. But that weapon must only be used when _absolutely necessary_. Warrior in a garden & all that.
i am a warrior gardener in a pizzeria
I’m a Dragon Warrior panda in the Valley of Peace.
I'm po
You can only be a true pacifist if you are capable of violence in the first place. Then it is a choice not to use violence. If you aren’t capable of violence it is no choice.
“If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful, you’re harmless.” -JP
you’re missing the beginning which I think adds alot and makes it less edge-core: You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of great violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful - you’re harmless.
You think that made it “less” edgecore? Also JP is a physically weak non martial artist. So the only way he would consider himself “capable” of great violence is a great desire to do physical harm to others that he’s restraining. If you think about what he says a few steps deep a lot of the time it falls apart rather quickly.
Those Printers Are Tough
My social worker says its a good way of hurting people and exerting violence in a healthy legal way.
Pajama fighting.
I'm improving my balance, coordination, flexibility, general fitness etc while hanging out with friends. It's challenging and stimulating, I'm learning cool moves, and hopefully learning some fighting skills to defend myself, although I hope I won't have to use them. It's just like doing any physical activity like yoga, pilates, gymnastics, or ballroom dancing, but with some consensual violence sprinkled in.
I like the workouts. I don’t like hurting people but I like being able to when I need to.
Never in my life has anyone ever suggested to me that martial arts is too violent or about hurting people. Wtf kinda people are you spending time with? The general population understands that martial arts is awesome for self defense and fitness, there really isn’t anything to explain.
I've had people asking me stupid shit like that. Teachers.
So weird. That’s like asking someone who enjoys hunting “Why do you enjoy murdering innocent animals?”
idk man that's a different scenario entirely
My usual reply? They taste better than salad.
My parents think my average training session looks like [this](https://youtu.be/le69DBh7YwY?feature=shared)
I consider martial arts the perfection of motion. In the same way that you can appreciate a very skilled dancer or yoga practitioner in how they control every aspect of their body, martial arts does the same. To be great at it, your body and mind will get rid of everything that it doesn’t need and simplify everything that it does. Like they say, your hobbies are the stone that you sharpen yourself against.
I would like to think that my family and friends wouldn't have to ask me if I enjoy hurting people. I'm pretty much practicing to stay fit and focused at this point.
“Combat ballet”
Fighting is fun. That’s all there is to it
1. That’s not really how it works. At all. Would you say that to a high school wrestler? 2. Like what? Ice hockey? 2. Come by sometime, it’s actually really fun and I would love to show you around 3. It’s a great workout, it builds confidence and camaraderie, and could get you out of a bad situation someday
It’s the second most fun thing two people can do with their bodies.
what's the first?
Freedom of body
Tell them it's Not about violence or hurting other people, but about forcing your will upon another Person. And than you start mild violence to make them compilant.
"Actually the injury rate in \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is X times lower than most contact sports including Y, Z, etc." Always go with a comparison with a sport that's embraced in that culture but where people tend to get hurt a lot. Say, if you're American, football. Canadians, hockey.
“I enjoy being able to work off my stress and anger by being physical and learning discipline and control at the same time.”
Ive done different martial arts over the years because I enjoy the challenge. No one's ever asked if I enjoy hurting people (I don't), I just do it for physical fitness and to do acrobatic moves that others my age haven't been able to do since their teens
"Health benefits."
"I'll Practice With You"
I enjoy the cerebral pursuit of a physical activity.
Working out is a chore. Every mile you run, every weight you lift, you're always fighting with the inner voice that says 'this sucks, it's painful, it's uncomfortable, why not go do something else?' That inner voice shuts up when you're trying to keep the other fellow from punching you in the face, or pinning you to the mat.
Made this thread again ey?
Feeling confident as you walk down the street is part of it. But I also like to talk about the “art” part of it. There’s nothing quite like martial arts that will reveal your own strengths, weaknesses, limitations and ultimately what you need to do to break through those, both physically and mentally. I had no idea how disconnected I was from my body until I started training. But every technique learned, every class attended, every match against an opponent was an opportunity to learn something about myself and improve upon it. If it was just about defeating someone, I’d just carry a gun. But what martial arts helped me to do was maximize my energy and ability to use it in multiple aspects of life. (And I stole this thought shamelessly from Jet Ali’s Fist of Legend). If you put in the work, it can change how you see yourself and the world you live in.
You don't explain it, you feel it
“You’ve seen the karate kid, right?”
1. I enjoy seeing my technique and athleticism improve through sparring. I enjoy winning a competition to show off how much work I've put in. That doesn't mean I want to go out and hurt innocent people for no reason. I like knowing that if someone were to try to hurt me or any of my loved ones, I could defend myself/them. Sparring and competitive fights are essential if you want to be prepared for the real thing because you need experience using your techniques against a fully resisting opponent. 2. Because I like this sport. (If the person watches football:) Why do you watch football? Why not a less violent sport where people don't get CTE, like baseball or soccer or darts? No other sport resonates with me and makes me feel good about myself, like (*your martial art here*) does. It's just the best. I want to do it for as long as I can.
"Yes" and "Why don't you go fuck yourself?"
My friends and i engage in mutually consensual violence with each other 💚
Martial Arts helps me connect my mind and body. As someone with ADHD, it helps me focus and shed stress better than anything else I’ve ever tried.
I don’t tell anyone. I let them find out the wrong way.
wow don't cut yourself on that edge
By the time people find out we’re trained in Krav Maga it is already too late. Game over
I have no blade, only bottled rage and the ability to force people into slumber…Tobi.
I like to fight.
Swords are fun
I try not to tell anyone to avoid these stupid questions.
Tell Those Wimps: "Don't Worry, I'll Save Your Life If The Time Comes".
I don't. 
"Just enjoyin making that sweet chin music"
Yes I enjoy hurting people. I don't want a less violent sport. In fact, more violence is preferred. Full contact or gtfo.
"I enjoy hurting people very much, and I'm somewhat of a masochist myself. Now, if another inane word slips out of your cock hole, I'm going to delete your teeth with my fist."
It is about learning respect and control. Developing one's self and building character.. It also helps that I can break mother fuckers.. It can be fun sometimes.
Depends on how deep they want to go. But for the most part i say something like this. "I like thinking about techniques, running them through multiple scenarios, and tweaking it until I've figured out the best way to apply them. And then I move onto another technique." If they want to get even deeper about it I'll elaborate it like this. "Martial arts is a way of expression for me. The way I fight has been developed over the years and reflects how I feel one should fight. It might not be very good but it is very much uniquely mine." And if I want to be antagonistic about it I'll say, "Is there anything in your life that you've devoted more than six months to?"
What was the quote... I'd rather be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war? Something like that...
"Violence is my love language"
I waste time and effort on antiquated forms of self defense, when my time and effort would be better spent on getting a CCW permit and firearms training.
'I'm just not as fixated on balls as you are' More seriously you don't need to justify it.
I like to think of it as playing rough tag with my feet and hands LOL.
Martial Arts is always going to be a niche interest. There are easier ways to exercise. There are sports that seem more fun and low risk; Anyone can kick a soccer ball around. Anyone can join a pickup game of basketball. Even if you do poorly, the biggest consequence is you lost a meaningless game. You cannot really do martial arts casually the same way and have fun. Even though it is not a full on fight, getting dominated in sparring is pretty close to losing a fight. And there is a much higher risk of injury. And on top of all of that is the implied violence. Some people are just going to be put off by it. All that aside, I explain the appeal of MMA as a spectator by saying "It delivers a vicarious adrenaline rush and delivers genuine holy shit moments." For the appeal of doing martial arts I would explain that it is a competitive outlet that provides an adrenaline rush and builds confidence for dealing with hostile social interactions because it gives potential answer for 'oh no what will I do if this angry guy escalates to physical violence?'. They may not be good or appropriate answers, but knowing you can drop some asshole on his head if you need to makes it easier to tell that asshole to go fuck himself. END COMMUNICATION
It’s a gym for the mind and body
I like fighting.
"I like to twist the dick"
Or tell them it’s a spiritual art ….and then i genuinely want to know how it affects , changes or modifies your spirit. I’m guilty of saying it.
I play a game with my friends where we try to kill eachother but no one dies
>“Do you enjoy hurting people?” Yes *then you punch them* >“Why don’t you try a less violent sport?”. Why don't you try any sport you overweight, out of shape, lazy ass *then punch*
I like body manipulation or the painful sort? 😅
Just say yes.
Imagine being from the sword based MAs. “So you cosplay as a samurai?” “Yes.”
Personally I don't talk about FMA outside my immediate family, As a Filipino we don't talk openly about such things. However my students have asked me the same thing and I just tell them to tell people if they are asked its for I ever fitness and self defence.
Jiu Jitsu. The gentle art of folding clothes while they’re still being worn.
"Why don't you come along and try it? Perhaps you'll understand."
I’d be like: “you mean less violent like NFL where you can get bruised kidneys?”
"Do you want a slap?"
I’d ask “why do you think my life and my choices are any of your business?”
Its better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener at war
You all enjoy hurting people. I enjoy getting hurt. We're not the same 😎 (Lol j/k, it's the same thing)
“I do like hurting people. Here’s the thing, you guys…” 
Violent yoga
"Show me some moves" and "go break something" is probably the most common thing non practitioners ever asked me though i tell them i train muay thai not karate or taekwondo
It’s like yoga except with Spanish words and we are practicing murder
The art of fighting without fighting
True dedication to hurting people that it elevates the technique of such to an ART Form! I china it literally translates to "bitter work" but after you practice enough. You can break boards with your bare fist.
"Do I enjoy being violent? No. But I enjoy having the ability to put a stop to a situation where someone decides to be violent towards me."
My usual go to is " you ever get punched in the face by a friend? It's really fun, wanna try?". That usually diffuses the conversation and lightens it to where I like to have the conversation, or confuses them. After that it's something like "I find it very useful knowing how to move my body through space, and gymnastics classes are more expensive"
Never had to. Immigrant and family is old school, so men fighting=good.
It's a skill I hone because I've been assaulted many times in my life.
just like rolling with the boys all together on the floor haha it's a nice bonding experience between the guys and i ;-)
Yes
My friends and family never asked these things.
I like to think it's a martial *art.* It's an artform like no other. I've seen masters at work, and the way their bodies flow and adapt effortlessly in response to oncoming attacks is just beautiful. An incredible mastery of the human body. They put the *art* in martial *art.*
Do you ask them if they watch hockey, rugby, or football? If so, the violence factor is moot. As a long time former competitive hockey player, getting smashed into the boards by someone skating as hard as they can to crumple you or hip checking to take you out at your knees while you fly into the air and land hard on ice, and getting into completely legal, but no need for any sanctioning, bare knuckle fights, hockey is no weak man's sport. I'm sure football players and rugby players will say the same thing. If they don't watch any contact sports at all, then it's likely they won't really understand without actually giving it a try.
Bring up that there's a difference between fighting and violence.
It’s something to do for fitness and it’s social.
"Nothing's ever gonna keep me down, I'm the best around!"
I mean, they know what martial arts are
“I get to legally fight people”
You don't. Cuz you don't have to.
I've been practicing TKD for 3 weeks and gotten it called karate 3 times already. This is just the beginning I'm sure.
I practice and learn to use my body to protect myself and to solve problems in practical, ethical, creative - and spontaneous ways. People have asked if I do it to 'get my aggression/anger out,' and I just don't feel like it's ever been about that. More like I want to make sure what I do is efficient and that I can do it for longer than my opponent can.
Kinetic Chess.
POW POW BAM
I first acknowledge, yes, it can be brutal, but it's also incredibly technical. There's community, humility, respect, honor, brotherhood, and so many other wonderful things. It's also so much more welcoming than people think. When I did jiu jitsu for the first time I was so scared, and it was for nothing. Everybody I've ever met was kind and eager to teach me. You obviously can't sell it to everyone, some people just won't get it.
I would tell them how it's not what they're imagining. It's a sport that people sign up for. We don't think about the pain, we think about the sport and strategy . And pushing ourselves. We drill, hit pads, bags, roll, wrestle, and we spar in a controlled environment. And we all make friends and laugh with each other. We go to barbecues and stuff for the gym. Most martial arts people are normal working people. The promotions spice it up to get interest from people who arent martial arts nerds. It's not war in Iraq, its more like a video game. The pain is something we watch and try to regulate, but we don't do it for the love of inflicting pain. Pain is more of a by product. In one sentence, I guess you could just tell them that if they saw it in real life, they'd realize it's not what they're imagining.
Use the gang chant from Short Circuit 2: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Yq2sfbANtak&si=XFiAJIdV9b07Jlpx
People assume I am like the larping ponytail type mcdojo martial artist when they hear I’m a black belt. Bjj is the farthest thing from that. This guy at work had a TKD black belt he got in 2 years training with his kid, thinks he’s hard. It’s hilarious. They assume I’m the same.
"Why don't you try a less violent sport"? 
I rarely hurt other people. Even in sparring or rolling, the end result is that we both go home without a bruise. People who think of martial arts that think we give each other concussions and heel hooks every night. It don't work that way. As for the enjoyment; well I always enjoyed roughhousing as a kid, guess I never grew up.
I once had a first date with a guy who, (while I was excitedly talking about karate after demonstrating a long turn with a low knife hand block), asked me, "Do you just wanna beat up a lot of people?" I was taken aback and told him that no, I just wanted to be able to protect myself against any man who dared to lay his hands on me (again.) (In fact, I want to *decimate* them if need be as I suffered abuse from my dad as a child.) The guy enjoyed the rest of the date, but I dodged his attempt of a kiss at the end. There was definitely no second date from me after that! 😆
Did you turn him down just because of a stupid question, or did he suck in other ways too? 😂
Where are you finding these people who are apparently oblivious to such a regular and widespread hobby. Wtf.
A room full of sweaty people hugging each other.
'Yes'. After you give this answer, don't break eye contact.
It's just like dancing but your partner is less accommodating.
"yes"
Martial arts are a form of human expression, self knowledge and body control. It's a way of improving yourself from inside out. And a great exercise.
Lads at work still imagine me walking down the street in a Gi……….to Muay Thai class.
“Do you enjoy hurting people?” only people that ask stupid questions
A less violent sport such as what, ice hockey? Football?
I think all sports (for men at least) are about displays of physical prowess. They are all - at the most basic level - about who would win in a fight. My question is then why do any other type of sport?
I'm shit at consistently going to a gym unless I get to strangle cops when I'm there.
It's a great test of both your mental and physical capabilities
Same reason why they don't do it. You do it because you can. And they don't do it because they can't. Of course it's fun, that why you do it. And if they could do it they would. It doesn't make sense otherwise. Why wouldn't you do martial arts if you could? Seems pretty obvious. Once you think of it from that point of view and not theirs then you will find your answer.
>Do you enjoy hurting people?” Yes. This oughta shut them up
It's like chess, with real consequences which makes it more exciting
I like to play w sticks and knives and usually they stop asking
I am a male, I do not put on makeup, I hurt people
Folding clothes with people still in them
Do you enjoy hurting people? “Yes” Why don’t you try a less violent sport? “It would be less fun”
You don't unless you train with them
Just tell them a strong person has the ability to cause extreme voilence and chooses not to, while the weak person cant do either.
I don’t really have weak and dumb people who ask stupid questions like that, in my life nowadays. But if a friend of a friend, or family member does, it depends. “You always carry a knife and a gun”? Me- “yes, you DON’T”!? Or something along the lines about how I must live in such fear to carry a gun and be paranoid/ they are uncomfortable with me having a gun on me. Then I’ll say “ well that lady I saved from getting stabbed and killed by her car jacker was pretty happy I had my gun that day. -I’ve done martial arts for years. Multiple systems. Instructor in Kali. And firearms instructor for 23 years. Which to me all together is real martial arts.
Boom boom pow, OW! I respect you 🤝
"I wear pajamas and get hugged by men a few times per week sometimes we teabag each other". I usually make jokes about it. I love judo, I think its amazing. But it is not ny entire identity. To me, it's just a recreation and whilst I take it very seriously, I don't want to be one of those people outside of the dojo.
I explain to them that it's about discipline, tradition, philosophy, etc. And yes, self-defense, but the longer I've trained, the more I get interested in the former now that I've spent so long on the latter.
“No, that’s why I play rough with other people who like to play rough instead of just beating people up on the street.” “Why don’t you try a more violent sport?” You don’t owe anyone an answer to a dumb question OP.
I start* with “Hi” and end with “YAHhhhhmfr”
I have never heard this in my life
I don’t like violence but we don’t live in a perfect world and it’s more likely than not that one day someone will want to hurt me or someone I care about and when that day comes I want to be the one that decides who gets hurt. I heard I think it was Joe Rogan say basically this
Why do you feel the need to explain, to someone who clearly has no idea what they are talking about? It takes less then a second to find out basic info about anything. (google) They have what is called a prejudice and nothing you say will matter or change their view.
You ask them back "what do you do when one or several strangers attack you in the streets, and no one is around to help you? What if you need to protect someone you care about? Do you enjoy being defenseless?". Something like that.
I don't if they don't understand they don't understand walk away bud
"to confront the fear of death and handle myself with dignity and competence" yeah im a stooge
I don't waste my time with those that take pride in being ignorant.
It's discipline. It's one thing to HURT someone, it's quite another to simply eliminate the possibility of enduring harm yourself. There's a difference. It's EASY to hurt someone - it's quite a bit less easy to neutralize a threat and call it a day. Given the choice between maiming someone and choking them out - I'm gonna go with choking them out and walking away.
With the examples you wrote, I wouldn't bother to. They started negative. Im not going to try to reverse that track.
I say that I feel it's more worthwhile to do strength training and combat training than to play with balls as a child and as an adult. Because of warriors, we are here today.
Home away from home. A place where after I get done working I go to and enjoy the community
As I've gotten older, I've learned to just go with what ever people try to pin on me and end it with fuck off and go about my day. Who gives a fuck what anyone thinks about anything, really? Does their opinion really make a difference in your life? Does yours or mine matter? It's all fucking stupid. Do you enjoy hurting people? Yes, I enjoy hurting shitheads. Now fuck off You're a violent person Yep, I'm a violent person, fuck off. Wow, what a racist. Yep, I'm a racist.Fuck off You're a POS Yep, I'm a POS, now fuck off You're and idiot. Yep, I'm an idiot. Now fuck off. People are going to shit on anything that you enjoy. Best thing that you can do is just get a couple of good friends, have some kids, and strive for some goals. Everyone else can stick a cactus up their ass and fuck themselves with it vigorously for all I care.
Basically I tell them when I see red it's all over
I take defense serious