Liam,
I was interested to read your introduction. Your experience may resemble my own: I began to train in martial arts as a teenager, went away to college, then joined the military and moved every couple of years. As a result, I started and stopped in several styles: Shotokan and Isshinryu Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu, Western Boxing, Tai Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do, and Military Combatives. For me also, training has become more about budo than bujutsu. I have been impressed that Gichin Funkakoshi claimed no dan rank for himself. The modern martial arts business so often encourages validation-seeking behaviors such as belt rankings and tournaments; I am more interested now in the self-satisfaction I find in training and discipline than in external rewards.
Best regards,
Airdog
