There is a lot debate going on in the martial arts on the virtues of competition-type training versus "traditional" training methods. For clarity, let's define competition-type training as sparring, especially high speed and/or heavy contact sparring. Let's put everything else: hitting pads, double stick patterns, trapping drills, etc. in the other category.
One of the virtues stressed by proponents of sport/competition style training is that, by continually testing your abilities against various other opponents, whether in the gym or in competition, you become aware of "where you're really at," which has great benefits for your character. These same folks would argue that, since most traditional training is "cooperative," you don't get the same feedback, which will inevitably will lead you to believe that you're "better" than you really are.
I'm not going to argue the values of one type of training versus the other in this post. My perspective is, as long as it's fun and you're improving, why not do both? Also, remember that improvement and success are not always measured by the number of trophies on your shelf or whether you tapped this person or that person out on a given day!
What I'd like to discuss is the supposed connection between training hard in a sport-type environment and developing character. While some would argue that the two go hand in hand, I would disagree, and I'll give two reasons for this:
1. I've met just as many, if not more, competitive martial artists (read "fighters") that were complete @$$holes as I have traditional martial artists who were @$$holes. And for the purpose of this article, I'll define an @$$hole as someone who you actually feel worse for having been around, rather than being uplifted or happy to know them.
2. If competing automatically ensured you'd become a person of higher character, then every NBA and NFL star would by that rationale be a model citizen. And we know that ain't true!!!
That being said, I do think that sport training does have beneficial aspects to one's character, and develops real-world skills in a way that pretty much no other single type of training can ilicit. But these benefits, in my opinion, are subject to the following caveats:
1. Sports are beneficial to character only in an environment wherein coaches, high level competitors, and less-experienced competitors value each other more than they value "winning." I won't elaborate on that one, I'll just let you marinate on it a while.
2. Using the "Big Fish in a Small Pond" analogy, unless the training group/team/school holds to the first caveat, you can pretty much guarantee that only the "big fish", i.e. the most genetically gifted folks, will improve at a high rate. The "small fish," on the other hand, will at best suffer frustration and the occasional humiliation, and at worst, they'll get injured and/or give the training up completely.
Having been a "small fish" in some circles and a "big fish" in others, I think I can lend a little insight into the best practices for each. Think about which one you are, answer each of these questions, and consider whether your behavior inside the gym accurately reflects your answers.
Big Fish:
What matters to you more? Winning or having good friends and healthy training partners?
When it's time to spar, do you look at it as a competition or a learning experience?
Do you only feel good about your training if you're "winning" at sparring? (i.e. tapping other people out, taking them down, hitting them without getting hit)
Do you typically feel crappy about your training if you aren't "winning" at sparring?
How many people have been injured sparring with you?
How many times have you been injured during sparring?
Small Fish:
What matters to you more? Winning or having good friends and healthy training partners?
When it's time to spar, do you look at it as a competition or a learning experience?
Do you only feel good about your training if you're "winning" at sparring? (i.e. tapping other people out, taking them down, hitting them without getting hit)
Do you typically feel crappy about your training if you aren't "winning" at sparring?
How many people have been injured sparring with you?
How many times have you been injured during sparring?
Now, if you're particularly observant, you'll notice that the list of questions were the same for Big Fish and Small Fish. And there is a reason for that.
The fact of the matter is, we all swim in different ponds in life (not just including the martial arts school). We're guaranteed that in some we'll be Big Fish, and in others, we'll be Small Fish. Whether we're a Big Fish or Small Fish in the pond, for that reason, really doesn't matter at all.
What matters is the experiences we have, how we treat each other, and the lessons we learn along the way.
