Like any other subculture, martial artists have a lot to take in: insane training partners with anger issues and psychological problems, head cases with eating disorders and bizarre weight-cutting strategies (plus a personality disorder or two—YAY!), power-mad instructors strutting around and hitting on the attractive students, plus high-pressure sales pitches that offer lengthier, more expensive gym contracts modeled after unethical pyramid schemes, all thrown together into this toxic cocktail. Let's mix it up!
Since it's fighting, it's a dog-eat-dog world: envious partners who want to hurt you (badly) to take you out of the game, shameless ass-kissing for belt promotions, bitchy gossip, nasty rumors, locker room hookups and budding romances, mat funk, dojo stank, suffocating heat, injuries, pain, humiliation, occasional bouts of pride and ecstasy followed by crushing defeats, and did I mention envy? Thick as thieves, indeed.
With a little bit of luck and some real experience, you might actually find a place with the right "budo": a school with heart and spirit that instills a sense of honor and respect among its students, not through words but through its' actions, too. You'll know the real deal when you find it because you'll feel it. Until then, take comfort knowing we waded through the same shark-infested waters together because everyone learns from the pain. Welcome to our world. "Keeeeeyaaahhhh!"
