Swift, Swagger and a Shrewd Smile

As the cliché goes, it was an inner call, something that I always wanted to get into. After an year of gymming with dumb instructors and stale crowd, I lost the interest in it. Sure I built up some stamina and lost quite a bit of weight, but beefed muscles and a stiff body isn’t my idea of fitness. Some enquiry with friends and I landed up in demo kickboxing class wid Sid in Independent Shootfighter, and of course I had my bundle of apprehensions and arrogance which came from gymming. The very first class and I knew that gymming can just make u look better, but when it comes to flexing those muscles.. well, it’s a different ball game. Just a minute of Iron man and I was no more under the impression that I have good abdominal strength. Few minutes of running, crawling and jumping; and all the ‘stamina’ vaporized away.

The humbling experience and lovely muscle pain (yeah, I am one sadistic pain lover) was my first introduction to the world of martial arts and I knew I have fallen for it. Now that I have completed 3 months (well, almost!) and will be going for belts very soon, its great time to reflect over my experience in these months. No, I have not become a master or anything, I have not even started the learning process (cliché, again!), I am just in the process of taking the very 1^st step.

Sure enough when I joined Kickboxing, like anyone I wanted to be able to beat pulp out of anyone who dares to mess with me. Who wouldn’t want kick butt in a cool and stylish way? But, just a few months of training and now I know that last thing I would want to do is engage myself in a cheap brawl, for the very simple reason that it will debase the sanctity of this great art form. Martial art is not just about beating hell out of someone but it actually is an art as it is rightly called, with its own elegance and grace quotient. Very much like any other art form, it requires constant involvement, innovation and most importantly rock solid determination with humility. It’s a study of most sophisticated machine and greatest weapon ever invented; human body!

Now that I have talked about my perception change about martial arts, let me share some of the things I have learnt in this very short span.

Be very objective about your goal:

Want to lose some weight and tone up?? Well, never mind, yeah it’s a great workout, u will love it. Come to the class, sweat and feel happy, you are on your way to a healthy body and confident living. Let me know when you get compliments! Probably you can skip rest of this blog.

Want to be an artist?? Once a great martial art guru told to one of his students, “come to my class everyday for 3 years, then I might believe that you are serious”. So I myself have not proven the seriousness as yet. However, I have learnt one thing for sure, being an artist is not a 1 hr, 4 days a week job, you are an artist 24 x 7 x 365 or you are not an artist at all! The way a photographer sees everything in a photo frame or a musician seeks rhythm in everything, you have to put conscious effort to blend every single movement of yours with the concepts taught in the class.

Too much of “gyaan” and no “bullet point” info ?? Yeah I know, but hey.. What do you expect? I am just a beginner, I neither have authority nor knowledge to write “Dummy’s guide to martial arts”, all I am telling you is the mindset change that I have gone through and you might experience as well.

Dump your Ego in a trash yard:

Fear of being ridiculed is probably biggest challenge you will face. The moment the question “what if I failed” flashes in your mind, rest assured you will fail. I strongly believe that ego leads to complacency, and humility makes you curious and makes you think. Hear some bells ringing? No? Ah.. well, never mind, you will hear them in the class.. the hard way, the way I did.

Be curious about yourself:

Want to get that killer roundhouse right? Or, want to know why the hell those rolls are not happening? Answer is simple; you have got to understand your body has to work in tandem with your mind. Remember, unlike gymming it is not about brute force but harmonizing your whole body and mind. Play the action in your mind before actually doing it, and while executing, ‘feel’ the harmonized energy flow happening in your whole body. Understand how body reacts to gravity and use this force rather than being limited by it.

Ever noticed what all happens in your body and when you walk, or do simple maneuvers like holding something in your hand, or swinging your hand while walking? Too simple to notice? Try designing a robot (yeah I know most of you are techies) which could do these “simple” maneuvers and then tell me it is simple.

So, whether you are practicing in a class or doing anything as trivial as watching movie, notice your actions and reactions. These are your instincts and martial art is a scientific extension of these instincts.

These three months I have spent wondering at the vastness of knowledge and diversity of martial arts and realizing it is much more than what meets the eye. I know that my journey will just start after few years of dedicated practice and I am game for it!