Attitude survey - all answers welcome!!!

[amedia]

I'm trying to get a handle on how people feel about martial arts - it's one of the ways I can become a better ninjutsu teacher. If you can take a minute and answer these questions, I'd *seriously* appreciate it!

If you are into martial arts...

Before you got into martial arts, what did you think about it? What kind of positive/negative ideas or impressions did you have of it? What was the positive idea that finally prompted you to become active?

If you're not into martial arts...

What's your impression of martial arts? Both good and bad impressions are valuable to know about. Is there anything you've heard/seen about martial arts that makes you want to try it? Is there anything you've heard/seen about martial arts that makes you not want to try it?

Comments

[gnulfy.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted to learn martial arts, anything really, except Judo, because that seems to be mostly about body contact and one of the reasons for self defense would be for me to be able to avoid too close contact.
I've done one semester Jujitsu (spelling?) for women, in a once a week meeting. It was mostly centered on 'how to get free if someone grabbed and held you' and I liked it a lot, but there wasn't a follow up course.
I love swords and the likes and really would love to do something where sometimes in the future weapons would be involved. I've just been to a Tai Chi lesson (taking a look) and there they used a fan, that was the most complicated of lessons, but the one I liked best.
Still, the reason I don't go to a club to learn something: I've the feeling most schools only have starter courses for children. Or mixed courses. I'm not really good in sports and would feel uncomfortable around people who are trained and slim and already know what they have to do. Sigh.

[amedia.livejournal.com]

I'm not really good in sports and would feel uncomfortable around people who are trained and slim and already know what they have to do.

I hear you! One of the things that helped me enormously when I was a beginner was that one of my teachers was a 60-something grandfather. He was only a little taller than me, at least as pudgy as I am, and even less flexible, with more arthritis. But he had earned his black belt! I looked at him and said, "Wow, if *he* can do it, *I* can do it!"