As a child I always wanted to escape a fight because my parents told me that fighting is bad, inform us of any trouble in turn we will inform your teacher. Fitness had nothing to do with me. Carrying strange stick type objects and pretending at war was the game that I loved the most. Diwali was a delight, guns, bigger guns where real exciting. Aiming at every one and pressing the trigger was the most satisfying movement.

As I grew into my early teens, Bruce Lee and Shaolin became hot properties. Video machines for rental with three cassettes were my dream life then! Sundays, late nights where all mine... I used to convince, cry, threaten and do everything possible to get to the video parlor to get movies related to martial arts.

Then came the big day - my own hand weights, my own skipping rope and my own punch bags! I still remember the first 15 days where I eat, drank and slept with these new found friends of mine.

All these might be common to many of my age in mid thirties who read this article and maybe it is also relevant and relate to many youngsters today to some extent.

Indian culture some how does not appreciate fitness as part of growing up. Non-weight training streams like martial arts inculcate respect for mind body limitations and strength. And if you are lucky to find a good and disciplined teacher you also will gain confidence and the right way to live life. The teacher will not substitute your interests in martial art training to academics but instead tell you how important academic progress and performance is for overall well being and prosperity. He or she will also teach you to be a multitasking expert which is the way of corporate life which all of us head for the rest of our lives.

Even today my respect is to all the experiences that I had (good and bad); also to all the strong people that I befriended who still make me feel proud when I sit alone and recall my days of youth when - all that I did was not good but great. Its how all of us are when we are in our cusp of teen and youth....

The martial way of life still drives me to work with a degree of confidence higher than many of my colleagues who not go to gym or to the ultra modern fitness centers popping across all cities. My confidence is because I discovered my limitations and strengths at a very early age. My confidence is because I had some real good students who are today my family friends. Some of my second generation students are also my family friends and are still in touch. Many of them have accomplished great performance in studies - doctors, chartered accountants, lawyers, management professionals, etc. Its not because of me as a teacher that they have performed academically but because their parents gave them the right push on both academics and extra curricular activities of their personal interest - in this case Taekwondo.

What am I trying to state in all this while? Is it making sense? Maybe YES : Maybe NO

For people who read this article once again from the beginning I am sure would appreciate that it requires an environment of many players to bring out the good in you and make you understand your limitations. Today martial arts is religion to me and not fighting. Fighting was just the start. No I am and we are all still fighting the fight for survival and progress and believe me a martial spirit helps...

Get your kids to join at early age, if they like make them do it with academics as long as possible and possibly they will inherit the martial way in their life......
 
Biju Nair | Head Marketing @ JSTARC
The author has completed - Diploma in Sales and Multimedia also MBA, plans to do doctorate in marketing.
He is also a seasoned corporate professional, currently part of management team at one of India's leading home entertainment company.
Feel free to write to him on biju@jstarc.in