Healthy competition in martial arts

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[Kung Fu Liane]

Hi,

i'm currently writing an essay about healthy and unheathy competition in martial arts.

does anyone have an opinion that they would like to share? just to give me a few ideas

thanx,

-Liane

[Jonathan Lewis]

Liane,

Try doing a search of this site using competition, tournament, or shiai for relevant previous discussions.

A quick search of the Aikido Journal site on "shiai" turned up these threads, and more:
one (http://65.119.177.201/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=9&t=001491)


another one (http://65.119.177.201/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=9&t=000307&p=2)

[PeterR]

Hi,

i'm currently writing an essay about healthy and unheathy competition in martial arts.

does anyone have an opinion that they would like to share? just to give me a few ideas
There are several articles by Kenji Tomiki who founded a form of Aikido that contains competition.

Take a look here

http://homepage2.nifty.com/shodokan/en/

and also

http://www.tomiki.org

[Abasan]

A quick thought on the matter would lead me to say that an example for unhealthy competition would be when:

You enter it for gratification of the ego. ie. pride. Wanting to show off you're better then someone else, wanting a reward...etc.

Martial arts if left like that would akin itself to sport, or a game even. Doing it not for your self development but for spectator's sake.

A good competition I suppose would be if you enter to learn. Only through trials could you really learn and improve yourself. Learning in class is one thing, but it should lead to tests. And a good competition should come as a test of one's self.

[Kung Fu Liane]

Thanx for the info :)