Training for who?
 

YO!! Uhhh...so who are you training for...I mean like who are you training to fight...if anyone at all...just wondering...:confused:

PS I know this is loaded question but without bringing philosophy into it, I like to think I'm training to protect myself (and others if need be) from "bad men", like in 28 days later (the scene with the soldiers; sorry for the vague movie reference). However, as I think about this I really should throw in some type of grappling training since I'm pathetic in wrestling...whoa, sorry for rambling...what do you think?
LATE!! :) :cool:

Re: Training for who?
 

I train for myself. (See my signature).

Regards,

Re: Training for who?
 

Training for "fighting"? Isn't that antithetical to the entire spiritual philosophy of aikido?

As much as I enjoy grapplin and wrasslin, I'd have to say I train for myself, so as NOT to fight myself OR anyone else.

Re: Training for who?
 

I think that we train for self and others, much the same as the why of why we live at all.

In gassho,

Mark

Re: Training for who?
 

I train for me, I train to fight no one.

regards,

Mark

Re: Training for who?
 

I train to train.
Not necessarily for anything or anyone.
Just enjoy the process.
Best way I know to reach and surpass any goal is set a direction and enjoy the trip

Re: Training for who?
 

Ah no, the principle of Budo is you train for war to have peace.

If you have a country of Oompa Lumpa, and next door is a country of Klingon's, guess what's going to happen if the Oompa's just make candy? That's right, eventually the Klingon's have a lovely meal, and some candy to boot after wards.

Re: Training for who?
 

Not if the Oompa Lumpans have been selling the Klingons candy for many years, thereby building a tidy stash of cash, which they use to buy big scary weapons from the neighbouring country of Jedi, then tell the Klingons, that if they step one foot over their border, then they will blow their ugly butts to kingdom come ( another country much further away) as well as cutting off their supply of candy! ;)

Re: Training for who?
 

So that's the "martial way" of the Oompa Lumpa! Their superior candy making skill has enabled them to harmonise with the Klingon's and blend with the Jedi. Sounds like Aikido to me :D

Edit.

This is like the story of the tea master. He attracted the attention of a ronin, who challenged him to a duel. The tea master tried to decline but since he was wearing his daisho he had to accept, even though he had never learnt to use them. The duel was arranged for the following day. So the tea master went to the local sword sensei and asked him to teach him. The sensei said let us have some tea. After which the sensei said, "I can teach you nothing." So the next day at the duel, the tea master asked the ronin to have tea with him first, due to his perfect technique when performing the ceremony the ronin ran away.

Re: Training for who?
 

I train to become strong, should I need to impose my strength on other I will.

'Heiho wa heiho nari' - Otake Risuke
The methods of war are the methods of peace.

Osu

Re: Training for who?
 

As for me, there's no difference whether you train for yourself, to become stronger, for self-defense or anything else, because if you train, then obviously you do have a goal and you are trying to reach this goal. Of course, it would be sad if your goal is to break somebody's neck once you've got enough experience in Aikido or any other martial art :D

Re: Training for who?
 

I would love to be able to say that I train simply to improve myself as a human being, and to bring an end to conflict in my life and etc. However, I of course daydream about saving everyone with my uber (but not real) Aikido skills and about throwing knife wielding baddies Steven-Segal-movie-style across the room. :hypno:

But hell, I'm young still, I'm allowed to think that. :p

Re: Training for who?
 

I prefer "The art of war is the art of peace."

Re: Training for who?
 

Jess,

I'm an old soldier and I've been a cop.And I was a stupid kid who thought I had a clue. I've fought "bad men" (and Good Men), in many situations.

Budo ain't got nothing to do with fighting like you seem to think it does.

Seriously.

Re: Training for who?
 

Yo!!
First. I'm not referring to regular old soldiers (hell I was in the USMC), I'm talking about you know like rape (see said film; by the way Selina kicks ass). Sorry I had to be so blatant but obviously subtly didn't work.:o

Second, thank you to those of you who actually answered the question. We all train for ourselves but there has to be more of a motive to it than just that. It takes guts to say the truth. :cool:

Third. Martial Arts are for war. Get with reality or you'll lose when Mother Earth's Apocalypse finally comes. :dead:

Fourth. If there's Jedi around then the Sith are not far behind and we're all doomed regardless of any training (unless of course you have the Force).;) :p

Re: Training for who?
 

I train for those I knew yesterday, those I'm meeting today, and those I will meet tomorrow. Some I will help, some I will hinder, but I train so that it is the right choice either way.

Re: Training for who?
 

I train to improve my character.

Re: Training for who?
 

I just train so I'd have a purpose. Yay.

Re: Training for who?
 

Word.

Re: Training for who?
 

The act of bowing saves the world.

In gassho,

Mark

Re: Training for who?
 

Doesn't seem to be doing much over here...

Re: Training for who?
 

What's your goal? Mastery over self, exercise, self defense, learning budo?

Re: Training for who?
 

The answer I've given someone training with me was to ask him another question. Do you really need some sort of functional, long term necessity to appeal to in order to make it worthwhile?

No one asks me why I enjoy tennis. Or hiking. Or collecting sword fittings. Or playing hide and seek with my daughter. What's the point of all that?

For me the real question is "what is the alternative?" Sitting on one's flabby butt contemplating your own naval lint?

*Do* something. Anything. If you find you enjoy the process (as Lynn Seiser already pointed out) then that should be good enough.

I train in Aikido because I train in Aikido. I like it. I enjoy the process. Stay long enough and you realize that you don't really have any "long term goal" hanging way out there in the future. The beauty of the hike in the countryside isn't the end of the trip but the path along the way...

Re: Training for who?
 

Onegaishimasu. Even so, you have to try. The act of bowing in class communicates your intention to save the world.

In gassho,

Mark

Re: Training for who?
 

Well, at any given moment I'm training for something fairly specific, but overall, i'm training to "fight" everyone; anywhere; any time...and that usually means I'm training to "fight" myself since everything I do and all the subsequent results tend to stem from me, myself, and I...that is to say, I can't control the world around, only the way in which i interact with it. i find when I work on personal development, the world around becomes easier to deal with.
Ogenkide,
Matt