by Leon Li

Created on: August 14, 2009

Martial arts is an excellent way to maintain a good body. Among children and immature adults, it's a great way to improve discipline and respect. In several martial arts, discipline is one of the main focuses. A dedicated instructor will kick a student out if they show lack of discipline or respect.

Martial arts is also a great way to build character. Some, like kung-fu, can build solitude. Taekwondo and karate both build especially on respect and discipline, and having a big ego is greatly frowned upon. There are several reasons for this.

When a student thinks they know everything, it really puts a strain on teachers. Not only in martial arts, but for any subject, one of the things a teacher dreads is an egoistic student. Martial arts is not about fighting; it's about defense. The kung-fu bow, an open hand over a fist, is a symbolic gesture. The open hand represents a friendly hand, a hand that will not hurt. The fist represents power, something to defend with. The open hand is over the fist, and implies that this person will offer peace first, but if you knock that hand away, then you will have to deal with the fist.

In any martial art, it is recognized that ego is a dangerous thing. It can disrupt peace and create violence, and it can anger others if displayed too much. Always be humble; that's one of the most important lessons in martial arts. As well, ego may display yourself too much, and may show any potential enemies an opening or a weakness to exploit.

When teaching martial arts, however, an instructor must not have an ego. If he does, it can cause a problem with his teaching. A teacher must make sure that everything he teaches is what he learned from his own teacher, and that he understands everything that he learned. If they forget something and make something up, then their students will be learning the wrong things.

A student should be taught not to show off or try to impress. You will notice that with any martial arts, the most senior student in a class seems the most silent and humble, at least during a session. As well, instructors are often unhappy with students who show off to their classmates and talk a lot.

Overall, ego is widely shunned in any martial arts group. Be humble when you're practicing any martial arts, and don't display too many of your weaknesses.

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