So I am going to open a new weekly series that I am calling #TrueTalkTuesdays.

Yes, the hashtag makes it legit, lol!

So what is #TrueTalkTuesdays?

Simple – I am going to talk about a subject that is martial arts related, which some people might find controversial. As a result, people stray from having a conversation about it and no progress is made.

So rather than let a wound fester, we are going to cut it open and purge any nastiness out of it. Hopefully this is a positive experience that we all can learn from – myself included.

Because for this to work, I need you to comment and let me know your thoughts, which can possibly create follow up conversations and dialog.

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#TrueTalkTuesdays 1

If you train and you have never competed, you are not being real to the art and robbing yourself of a valuable experience.

I know that the majority of students will never compete. There are a myriad of reasons people will give to not compete, but in my opinion, it boils down to primarily one thing: fear.

Now fear can be either a positive or negative motivational force – depending on how you approach it. If you rationalize the fear and understand it, you can find ways of avoiding the outcome you fear. If you don’t analyze the fear, but instead retreat from it, then you stunt your growth.

I could go all day about fear, but the main point is that as a martial artist, we are preparing for combat. While sparring in the gym is good, it doesn’t quite match the intensity and pressure of competing in a match outside of the gym. Besides the pressures of the actual match, the preparation for it is another important aspect I think everyone should experience.

It’s like school. Training is like going to class and being taught by a teacher. Watching fights and videos (like mine) is like doing homework. Sparring is like taking a quiz and competition is like taking a test.

So if you just train in the gym and never compete, its as if you are going to school and never taking a test. Why would you spend countless hours studying, doing homework, and preparing for an exam that you never plan to take?

Bottom line: if you have been training for at least a year, you should consider competing. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose – you just need to know what it’s like to be in there.

Especially if you are young and fit, because you won’t always be both, lol. At a certain point you might not be able to physically compete any more.

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What do you think? Do you agree or disagree?

Comment with your take on this.

If you agree, let me know. If you disagree, please share your thoughts. Either way, I would be curious to know if you have competed (whether you agree or disagree).