I've came across a photo online i would post it but i didn't want to be to offensive also i know nothing of the school or discipline . Anyhow, it was a picture of an obese girl maybe around 300+lbs with looks like a black belt, im like wtf how did she get one of those buy it. I know it sounds messed up im not trying to make fun of her or anything.
Since it is easy to poke fun at people who are overweight/out of shape/etc, I respect the fact that you're not trying to post her picture for us to scoff at. But I get what you're saying about the initial "gut" reaction you get when you see something like that. However, it's kind of pointless to judge since we know nothing about her situation or the school she attends. She might have thyroid issues that cause her to have really poor metabolism--something beyond her control. Or maybe she is doing sumo wrestling in which case most successful participants have some extra baggage. Or maybe she did basically just "purchase" her black belt. Who knows. In any case, if she really did put in honest effort I think it's cool that she isn't letting people get her down and stuck it out to get her black belt. For different people martial arts training means different things. I have some people in my school that are intellectually disabled, have cerebral palsy, etc. For them I think just having that self-esteem and sense of perseverance and accomplishment is more valuable than anything else. For others that don't have such obstacles, we really should be pushing ourselves to our own personal limits, whatever that might mean. I think what matters more is that we focus on our own training and if we are happy with what we've gained. If not, dig deeper and train harder.
ReplyDeletePhysical ability and athleticism is usually something we can visually see and many use that as a baseline judgement on whether or not somebody has developed to a proficient level within the Martial Arts. But the intellectual and inner spiritual growth is not something we can visually see, for many people who have great darkness and negativity within they do not deserve the "blackbelt" just as much as the people who are not physically capable. If a person possesses power, it does not matter whether or not that person is physically capable or not, what matters most in my eyes is whether that person is responsible with that power and whether or not that person abuses that power. Many will frown upon the obese out of shape "blackbelt" but I am more concerned about the athletic violent egoistic "blackbelt" who is waiting to exert his power and authority to all those around him. I am more concerned about the athletic sadistic blackbelt who instructs masses of students to be like himself. If a "blackbelt" is spiritually corrupted but yet athletic, I see that to be a greater danger to society than the "blackbelt" who is simply unfit but spiritually advanced. Socrates himself was very unfit and ugly but yet he was one of the wisest men to ever live. Too much emphasis is placed on athleticism within the Martial Arts and not enough emphasis is placed on intellectual and spiritual development.
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