Why Martial Artists Care About How They Treat Their Families
by Black Belt Training Group- Tags:
- Respect
A key component in the teaching of martial arts is respect. This is clearly demonstrated in the respect shown to the instructor before, during, and after the lesson. However, the lessons of respect also spill over into everyday life and lead to kids and adults alike gaining a deeper concern about how they treat their families and loved ones. Showing respect for people is an important skill in life and can lead to a happier home environment and a more successful social life. Here are some of the ways in which martial arts training can promote respect and generate a positive attitude in respect to the family, loved ones, and peers:
A Disciplined Environment
During martial arts lessons, respect is paramount, and the formal environment of a class encourages both the instructor and the students to maintain both discipline and respect throughout the lesson. At the beginning of a class, when the students first enter the room, they often bow to their instructor and their peers, showing both a mark of respect and signaling they are ready to focus on the day’s training. These practices demonstrate respect for both the lesson and the space in which the teaching is being conducted. An agreement to halt participation in outside life while training is taking place is a significant sign of respect.
Aside from the mark of respect shown to the lesson and each other, martial arts also promotes discipline in other ways. Controlled movements, continuing training when fatigued, and holding back force when sparring are some examples of practices which require control. Only showing respect to others in the class also requires discipline. Even if frustration creeps in during a lesson, respect and discipline are to be maintained at all times. These lessons easily spill over into life outside of the martial arts class and increase respect and discipline towards family members.
Engaging with Others
Trying to get along with a group of people in a social setting can be quite difficult at times and respect is essential for maintaining harmony. During martial arts classes, when students interact with instructors, some may not see eye to eye at all times. Perhaps a particular skill is difficult to master, and frustration creeps in and holding back an outburst is necessary to maintain respect for the class. Through training in martial arts and experiencing these frustrations, students learn how to keep their cool in difficult situations despite making mistakes. They learn to find other solutions and ways to improve their skills. Once again, this is transferable to real life situations and can help people treat their families with the same respect as they would show in a martial arts class.
Humility
Everybody makes mistakes at times and everyone loses a match up in a martial arts class. There is always someone who possesses greater skill or strength and so humility is an important trait to possess. Students learn humility in martial arts by understanding they must work hard to reach the level of others, especially those who are very talented. Being humble is an important part of respect and is an essential lesson learned in martial arts. This humility once again transfers out of the classroom and into home life. People who learn humility in martial arts are more likely to show humility at home which will reduce frustrated outbursts against family members and increase respect and the way they treat love ones.
Self-Respect
It is impossible to respect and treat others in a gracious manner if you have no respect for yourself. Martial arts teaches respect not just for your family and loved ones, but also for yourself. Self-respect must be obtained if you are to respect others and true to this, students are encouraged to develop self-respect by taking care of their appearance and etiquette. It is a student’s responsibility to maintain cleanliness, clean their own uniform, and keep tidy both at home and in classes. Students are also encouraged to groom themselves and maintain high hygienic standards. Poor eating habits, smoking, lack of discipline, over consumption of alcohol and other lack in standard indicate a lack of respect for oneself. As students learn to respect themselves they will also learn how to treat their families, elders, peers, and superiors with similar respect.
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