What’s the difference between a fighter and a martial artist?
I want to avoid a frustrating back and forth based on semantics. Instead, I want to explore the difference between these two labels by looking a bit deeper and examining what each might mean for the bigger picture of a person’s life.
On the surface, a fighter is someone who fights and a martial artist is someone who practices martial arts. What else is there to it?
What else distinguishes these two identities from one another? Also, which one are you – a fighter, or a martial artist?
The Main Difference: Fighter vs Martial Artist
Georges St-Pierre is a legendary mixed martial arts champion who has played an enormous role in popularizing the sport around the world.
This is what one of the greatest combat athletes of all time has to say about the difference between a fighter and a martial artist:
“There is a difference between a fighter and a martial artist. A fighter is training for a purpose, he has a fight. I am a martial artist. I don’t train for a fight. I train for myself. I am training all the time. I am training for perfection. But I will never reach perfection.”
Goal-Setting
A fighter has a date in mind, while a martial artist has a lifetime in mind.
Sure, a martial artist might also be getting ready for a competition, but that doesn’t necessarily dictate their training regimen year-round.
A martial artist is likely to continue to train for years after their competitive career is over. At that, a martial artist can train for years and not have a competitive career at all. In this sense, it is clear to see how martial arts is a lifestyle – a journey and not a destination.
One way this difference might manifest is through emphasizing different types of goals.
Read the full article HERE.
