Martial arts practitioners, and dojos and clubs, range from the intimidating or scary to the welcoming and friendly—and everything in between. As a woman in this male-dominated world, you might imagine I’d be drawn to the less intimidating end of … Continued
There’s nothing like martial arts training to show you your garbage. Even in a dojo that cultivates respect and camaraderie, jealousy and pettiness can creep in.
Sometimes the reason is clear. Perhaps a new beginner is learning faster than you ever did. Perhaps you’re the sensei, but one of your senior students is better at engaging with the teenagers. Perhaps you envy the student who has been blessed with a stronger and more flexible body than you.
But sometimes, there is no reason – or at least not one that makes any logical sense […]