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The 6 Most Important Things Martial Arts Taught Me About Life
The Journey Is What Matters
In our culture, we tend to focus on outcomes. Winning versus losing.
In the martial arts, process is growth, regardless of outcome. As we grow old we need not stop growing.
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Key Ideas
Breathing Is Everything
How you breathe will dictate everything from the type of athlete you are, to how you sleep, to how your body feels and looks.
At the core of breathing is connecting with our core. Our breath does not originate in our lungs or in our chests, but from deep within.
Slow It Down
Being proficient at anything at full speed takes the willingness and patience to first go slowly, literally and figuratively.
Any professional athlete will tell you that the ritualistic nature of slowing down your craft is the key to success in that craft. You have to walk before you can run.
Words Only Have the Power We Give Them
Words inspire, words inform, and words can destroy - if we let them.
The martial arts will teach you not to react to other’s problems, but to pay attention to your own. Learn not to react to words that are meant for harm.
Awareness Is Everything
The ability to be present in a given circumstance means the difference between success and failure and potentially life and death.
Nothing brings you to the present moment quite like a fight, whether it’s a practice fight or a real one. The difference from a practice like meditation where you slow down and find awareness, is that the martial arts not only slows down, it speeds way up.
The Greatest Battles Are Fought Within
Even in actual fights, the greatest obstacle we face is our own fear, our own breath, or our own tension.
Battles will be won when we’re willing to face ourselves.
The Journey Is What Matters
In our culture, we tend to focus on outcomes. Winning versus losing.
In the martial arts, process is growth, regardless of outcome. As we grow old we need not stop growing.
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There’s more to Bruce Lee than martial arts
He was also a philosophy badass.
From a very young age, Bruce Lee was obsessed with learning how to make the most out of his life - by the age of 30, he possessed thousands of tit...
Self-discovery
By learning to fight, he was able to better understand who he was — he could force himself out of his comfort zone, test his limits, and confront his fears.
Be like water
Bruce Lee saw life as being in constant change.
Unless we learn to adapt to it, we’re bound to experience tremendous resistance that will entrap us in a constant state of suffering.
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Bruce Lee as a philosopher
He studied poetry and philosophy in school. He focused his studies on Asian and Western philosophy, incorporating elements of Jiddu, Buddhism, Taoism, and Krishnamurti.
This helped h...
Bruce Lee's impressive life
- He wasn't a master of any standard form of martial arts. He was closest in mastering Wing Chun.
- He invented his own style of martial arts. He based his style on the teaching of Man and what he learned of Wing Chun. He called his style Jeet Kune Do "the style of no style"
- He starred in 20 films in Hong Kong before the age of 18.
- He popularized the "1 Inch Punch" as seen in Kill Bill Vol. 2
- He was a prolific poet and philosopher. He studied poetry and philosophy in school and was even published several times.
- He was so fast, his moves were often too fast for a camera to catch.
- He only made 5 feature films in the US, his last released posthumously.
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The Benefits Of Tai Chi
- Improved lower and upper-body strength. Practiced regularly, it’s comparable to resistance training and brisk walking.
- Boosts flexibility and strength of upper and lower-...
Getting Started With Tai Chi
- Find a tai chi branch that matches your needs.
- Check with your doctor before starting if you have a physical limitations or take medications that affect your balance.
- Watch and take a class.
- If you'd rather learn at home, you can get tai chi books or videos.
- Talk to the instructor. Experienced teachers who accommodate individual peculiarities are ideal.
- Dress comfortably with nonrestrictive loose-fitting clothes.
- You can practice barefoot or in lightweight and flexible shoes.
- Most tai chi programs last at least 12 weeks, with instruction once or twice a week and practice at home. By then, you should know if you enjoy tai chi.