Do you ever get laughed at for doing martial arts?

Question

I have to wear my gi to the sports club to train, as the changing facilities are rubbish. The problem with this is, everytime I go in there are stupid kids hanging around outside the doors who make remarks, call me names and shout "hiyahhh!!!!" and stuff. I know they are just morons, so I usually just ignore them. It does get me down sometimes though. Has anyone else had a similar experience? How should you react to it? Thanks

Answer 1

The best thing to do is ignore them.  They are just looking to get a reaction out of you anyway.  You aren't doing martial arts for anybody but yourself, so why bother with what other kids think or do or say.  If they keep it up, they are even bigger idiots.

Answer 2

Just know that most of these kids are cowards with no heart.

Answer 3

u know ive had similiar experience with people making fun of me because i know martial arts. people would make fun of me the way they made fun of u. people would consider fighting would settle the score but they r not worth it. deep down inside they r just cowards who wish they know what u know. those kids who make fun of u either have poor grades, spoiled, pedophiles, or they r just jealous. these kind of people talk trash to other people just to make themselves feel better. knowing that ur better and that u can beat the living daylights out of them should be enough to satisfy u. if u throw a fist at them, then what makes u any different from them. i cant even count how many times i wanted to kill the kids who made fun of me but i took the advise of my friends the same advise i just gave u and i turned out alright. never let these types of kids put u down cause they cant control what coming out of their mouths, just know that ur better then them.

Answer 4

Don't react.

Answer 5

yea I do Judo and BJJ though so anytime somebody starts talking c**p I challenge hem to a grappling match. They say no they look scared tghey say yes I stomp them and they look stupid.

Answer 6

Yeah happens to me alot. Just don't pay attention to them. And, you'll always know that if one of them touches you, you can kick their *** lol.

Answer 7

try brazilian jiujitsu, people would respect you, and if they dont, you hurt them lol.

Answer 8

I agree with the dude above. Its basically a test for self control. Self control is important physically and mentally in martial arts and you will need to learn that. The reason they laugh is because of ignorance, and for that, you should feel sorry for them.

Answer 9

Ignore them...

One of the basics that you are attempting to master is SELF CONTROL.

Answer 10

if you can just wear a shirt there and put the Gi jacket over the top when you get there.

or just go ask them ot stop if they try anything try hurt them but make sure they attack first so its self defence.

Answer 11

Kick one of them in the face or grab the biggest one and hip throw him to the ground.  Who cares if they're kids?  This is all part of the learning experience.  You're doing them a favor, they will thank you for this later in life.  because one of these days Chuck Lidell's kid will be walking in there with a gi, and guess what happens next............

Answer 12

no because they'll know whats coming to them

Answer 13

I agree with petrochirus.

They're obviously idiots with nothing better to do, so try to ignore them and brush it off.

(Or you can do what I did and keep enduring it until you eventually snap and beat the **** out of them. lol Wouldn't recommend it but it felt gooood)

Answer 14

it has happened to me. who cares? its the uniform they are laughing at. not the art. the simple fact is...they just dont get it. they probably couldn't even tell you why they're laughing. take pride in knowing you have one up on them. and prove it by not beating them up.

Answer 15

people who usually try to say stupid stuff i shut up fast

i tell them i do martial arts

i dont tell them i cross train in muay thai, boxing, savate, a little TKD, and BJJ

i just tell them martial arts

when they start with the hiiyah stuff, i put my foot right across the front of their face

not making contact but close enough to where they can feel the air

usually a cresent kick, occasionally a round house to really scare them

it usually scares the c**p outa most

some are like oh you do bjj i wrestle i bet i can beat you and i end up with a modified grappling match in the backyard which always results in a choke by me

Answer 16

You need to change your way of thinking. Think of it this way: You are there to learn an art. Wearing uniform is very normal. Nearly every martial artist in the world is doing what you are doing. Most of them wear uniform. Some of them want to, but they can afford uniform. For them to laugh at you, only shows that they are ignorance. Sometimes, they just want to make some smart comments to entertain their friends. Don't let it bother you. Use it as a motivation to train harder. At the end of the day, it is about how skillful you are, how much you have learn, how good a fighter you are, so just train, train, and train.

One, when they get into trouble and get knockout, they will wish that they have learn some martial art like you.  

you got laughed at for wearing a uniform, that is nothing. Some people get laughed at for being different (racially different). So don't take it to heart. Just laugh it off, just think that you feel sorry for there guys, because they are ignorance and stupid as well. You should be the one laughing.

You want to train your martial art seriously to a stage when you are confident about your training and techniques. Example, blackbelt or 2nd dan for karate and taekwondo, or 2-3 years of training seriously of 3 hours per day..  when people want to make trouble, you can tell them to "f**k off" and if they want to get physical, you give it a go" It is no good to just train yourself without any fighting experiences. To be a good Fighter you must fight in tournaments or in the street. Give it a go to see your strength and your weaknesses. That is the way to see what you need to work on. Fighting for real is very different from what you train in class. you will find out how well you handle pressures.

Train hard because there are lots of idiots out there. Strength training in the morning, and skills training at night or evening.

Don't forget to kick or punch boxing bag. That is the only way to increase your power and to condition your weapons and to feel close to what it is like to hit a target.

Try not to fight when you are not ready, it would be like going to an exam when you have not study or prepare for it.

Answer 17

Hi.

You have a few options.  

You can continue to ignore them and not let them get to you.  Eventually they might go away.

Or you can laugh back at them (sounds to me like them making idiots of themselves by trying to make fun of you).  Though it might work and you would get to release a little of that frustration I personally wouldn't as it would be a little immature...

You can try talking to them; though I wouldn't question their behavior rather I'd just ask how they are doing or ask casually what brings them to that location, small talk basically.  Once they are forced to interact with you it may take all the fun out of making fun.  You may even become friends with these kids.

Or you could just have some fun with them; when they yell "hiyahhh!!!!" you can smile and do the same.  Turn it into a game of sorts and either you'll become friends after a while or it'll take all the fun out of it for them.  Just try not to take yourself seriously and it’ll stop bothering you.

And because you asked, I did get made fun of by my sister for taking Karate.  I mostly just played along and purposefully didn't get offended and when she realized that I really didn't care what she said she eventually stopped.  Though you'll need to kind of gauge how you should react for yourself.

I hope this helps :)

Answer 18

You should challenge one of those idiots to fight you. I wonder how hard they will laugh when you make them tap out.

Answer 19

I had similar experiences throughout my life Now I am a 6th dan and I have 3 other black belts.  It does not matter what they think or how they act but how you React that counts.

Answer 20

The best thing to do is ignore them you have a goal in life and they dont. so they are jeaulous of you

Answer 21

Lol, BULLIED!

Aw come on, there's no reason you should feel down. You're doing the right thing by ignroing them. If it does get you down, well there's nothing really you can do about it. Just take it.

They say suffering makes you more strong-minded anyway.