Getting Hit In The Martial Arts

At some point in the training, I noticed that I no longer really cared about getting hit.

I can’t really say when and at what point, but it wasn’t because I suddenly became special, or developed some kind of ability, it still hurt when I got hit.

Somehow it had become normalized.

Bear and I once ran a rough back-of-the-envelope calculation of how many punches we threw a class.

Not counting a special class that reviewed some specific striking skills, or one of the dedicated sections of striking training.

Just an average number of punches in each class as we practiced techniques back and forth for three hours.

It was around 300 punches.

Times three classes a week, not counting workshops on the weekends.

Just through the compounding repetition punching became normal, as did getting hit.

Things that seem impossible become possible in the dojo through the repetition of training.

The tempering of training.

It still hurt when I get hit, but not the attachment of getting hit.