I study martial arts in order to get better at life. I get better at life to be a better martial artist.

How I carry myself when I fence is an expression of how I physically carry myself as a human being. This comes both through the physical strength I practice to carry myself with poise and confidence and the mental and deeper internal strength I practice to allow me to stand proudly in my space.

If you want to become a greater martial artist you can never stop practicing your art. Every time I walk down the street I work to embody the proud and graceful characteristics that are the epitome of these arts. This does not mean I’m always the picture of grace but I see all my moments as opportunities to practice. If I’m going to have a powerful lunge, great extension in my cuts, decisiveness in my parries, I need to be supporting the physical training I do at the school by practicing those same qualities of balance, good alignment, and strong and well-ordered movement when I’m climbing a set of stairs, walking down the street, or waiting for the bus.

This mindfulness of practice each day helps me be a better martial artist but it also helps me carry myself better in all the other areas of my life. I am perhaps most attuned to the payoff here at the school because I have a set of techniques I’m seeking to master and I know when I’m getting closer to the proficiency I’m looking for, but the true longterm payoff comes more slowly yet I’m experiencing it everyday.