What’s the Most Important Thing That Martial Arts Has Taught You - In One Word?

What’s the Most Important Thing That Martial Arts Has Taught You - In One Word?

The one word that I think of when I am asked this question is: PASSION. The reason why is because this is the one word that I seek from my students, my instructors, and my audience. Martial Arts pulled me in from my very first class back in 1987. I was small for my age at the time, and I was very timid. I remember how my instructor would teach his heart out and take many “risks” for the sake of making me smile. His passion for not only teaching me how to kick and punch but how to enjoy it in the process was something that kept me a lifelong member of the arts. I knew before my first testing that I wanted to teach Martial Arts too.

If I can generate powerful or compelling emotions from my students during class, then I have accomplished my goal. There is nothing cooler than seeing my students smile from ear to ear, while at the same time learn something valuable. They are comforted by my passion and they absorbed it whole-heartedly.

My instructors are like soul mates. They bring another dimension to passion on the mat. From the very youngest STORM Team member – to my adult instructors – my emotions really hit home when I see them teach their heart out as well. They project their voices, they use dramatic body language, and they take lot’s of “risks” with their personalities. They sometimes make me laugh harder than the students. We can look at each other and know what each other is thinking. We can also look at the students and know what they are thinking. We are all connected through more than just our belts and uniforms – we are connected through the biggest emotion there is: PASSION.

Let’s not also forget the audience, particularly the parent’s. I like to take my teaching to the next level and also bring out passion in my parents while they watch their children. Yesterday I was off the mat working on my computer, but I was interrupted by the cheering from the parent’s as they watched their children taking class. I took a break and watched my instructors teach class and I glanced over at a parent while his daughter was attempting to break a board. I noticed him twisting his shoulders right as his daughter was striking the board as if he was sending her additional energy – he was sending his passion to her.

Do you have passion every time you are on the mat? Do you pull passion out of each and every one of your students? Do you pull passion out of your audience? If you answer “yes” to all three questions, then Martial Arts has served you well.

I had a candid classroom photo shoot last Wednesday for my monthly C4K drills. My graphics designer comes in and takes random pictures the entire day while we run classes. Last night I looked at the pictures and it reminded me of Datis’s question posted in the CW Community last week: What’s the Most Important Thing That Martial Arts Has Taught You - In One Word? PASSION was the first word that came to mind, and it’s the exact same word that came to mind when I looked at my pictures. Take a look at the pictures in my photo album when you have a second. Share them with your instructors. Remind them that Martial Arts are more than just a physical, intellectual, and social activity – it’s an emotional one as well.

And REMEMBER: A parent’s job is to nurture their children, a teacher’s job is to educate, an entertainer’s job is the make people smile, and our job is to do all of the above.

Everyone have a wonderful and PASSIONATE week!