The Twenty Best Martial Arts Quotes of All Time

55 responses so far ↓

• 1 Kungfuguy // Mar 12, 2008

  strike first strike hard and never stop.

  there is always a weakness just make sure you can find it when it appears.

  these are my 2 favorites i don’t know who they are from but

• 2 Rick Matz // Mar 12, 2008

  “The heart of the study of boxing is to have natural instinct resemble the dragon.” Wang Xiang Zhai

  “Begin at the beginning,” the King said, gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
  Lewis Carroll

  “This present continuous practice is nothing other than just that, just committing oneself to continuous practice for no other reason than to practice continuously.” -Dogen in “Continuous Practice”
  (Translation by Francis Dojun Cook in the book “How To Raise an Ox”)

  “Be soft in your practice. Think of the method as a fine silvery stream, not a raging waterfall. Follow the stream in its course. It will go its own way, meandering here, trickling there. It will find the grooves, the cracks, the crevices. Just follow it. Never let it out of your sight. It will take you.”

  Sheng-yen

  Fish traps are for catching fish. When you’ve caught the fish, you can forget about the fish trap. Rabbit snares are for catching rabbits. When you’ve caught the rabbit, you can forget about the snare. Words are for catching ideas. When you’ve caught the idea, you can forget about the words.

  ZhuangZi Chapter 26
  “Philosophy practiced is the goal of learning.”
  Thoreau

  Sorry, I couldn’t stop at just one.

• 3 Thomas // Mar 12, 2008

  I’ve got a few:

  “The best part of falling is getting back up again.” -David Belle

  “Persistence is the twin sister of excellence.
  One is a matter of quality; the other a matter of time.”

  “Don’t ask for it; go win it on your own. Do that and you’ll succeed.”

  “There is no superiority or inferiority of style, only the distinctions between the practitioners.”

  “Every boxer fights to his own music, it provides him with the rhythm for his footwork.”

  “Control yourself, let others do what they will.
  This does not mean you are weak.
  Control your heart, obey the principles of life.
  This does not mean others are stronger.” -Southern Dragon Style Motto

  Me: “It’s just stir fry.”
  KDG: “Ah, Thomas’s approach to life.”
  Me: “Just toss in what you’ve got and hope for the best.”

• 4 John Jr. // Mar 12, 2008

  Thomas, do you practice Parkour?
  mm… I’m eating stir fry right now… bac choy, carrots, onions, apples, pears, blueberries, bell peppers, etc…

  Collecting quotes is sort of a hobby of mine. Not all are about Martial Arts but here are some that are:

  “The one who has conquered himself is a far greater hero than he who has defeated a thousand times a thousand men.” -The Dhammapada

  “There is no avoiding war, it can only be postponed to the advantage of your enemy.” -Niccolo Machiavelli

  “The greatest enemy will always hide in the last place you would ever look.” -Julius Ceasar

  “When the opponent expands, I contract. When he contracts, I expand. And when there is an opportunity… I do not hit… [raises his fist] it hits all by itself.” -Bruce Lee

  “I shall give you a brief taste of death, so that you may recognize it when it comes again.” -unknown

  “Pain is not judgmental, people are.” -me

  “‘Stamp quickly and pass through a wall of iron…’” -Yamamoto Tsunetomo

  “There are few people who will make mistakes with fire after having once been burned.” -Yamamoto Tsunetomo

  “If you change the rules on what controls you… you will change the rules on what you can control.” -Guy Ritchie

  I tried to pick my favorites.

• 5 John Jr. // Mar 12, 2008

  sorry, one more:

  “You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.” -Charlie Parker

  I originally heard it as something like: “First master your instrument, than just play.”

  You get the idea.

• 6 Dunken francis // Mar 12, 2008

  “Be soft on the outside, but hard on the inside – that is the Way of Budo”

• 7 Thomas // Mar 14, 2008

  John Jr.,

  Yes, I practice a bit of parkour, although I don’t have the time to go out and practice as often as I’d like. If you’re looking to pick it up, I can try pointing you in the right direction.

• 8 John Jr. // Mar 14, 2008

  I already do Parkour, but thanks for the offer.

  Here’s another quote:

  “Embrace the pain, and you will win this game.” -Guy Ritchie

• 9 Roger // Apr 2, 2008

  “The Blind seem weak, until fought in the dark”-me
  “War does not determine who is right; it determines who is left”-Author unknown
  “Either war is obsolete or men are”- R. Buckminster Fuller
  “Philosophies of war are useless when under fire”-Unknown Author
  “When you accept pain, never forget to also give it out”-me

• 10 everything // May 27, 2008

  “When you feel pain, you know that you are still alive.”-Bruce Lee

  “First you have to be hit to know how to defend.”-unknown

  “Pain is your friend. It shows you that you made a mistake.”-me

  “Patience is your great friend. It helps you to accomplish what you want.”-me

  “Train hard to fight soft.”-me

  “Using no way as way, having no limitations as limitation.”-Bruce Lee

  “Warn your opponent with look and then with fist.”-me

  “Difference between man who can see and hear and smell and man who is blind is that blind man sees, hears, smells and feels.”-me

  “Those who strive to learn quick will be those who will learn last.”-me

  “Honour is something that can be taken or lost and never regained”-me

  “When you take life to your opponent, you become a criminal. When you humiliate your opponent with winning over him, you gave such a blow that can not be compared to punch or kick.”-me

  “There is no great fighter.You build your own.”-me

  “Do not learn one thing.Learn many to know what to use in certain situations.”-me

  “Fearful will hide. Fearless will fight.”-me

  “When you are young, fight power with power. When you are old, fight power with energy.”-me

  “Training is your life.Lazines is your enemy.”-me

  “Faith and hope will drive you to rise up.”-me

• 11 be better // Jul 1, 2008

  i was bored so made some up on the spot lol
  http://www.myspace.com/perry_padina

  having a fight
  watching the fight
  starting the fight
  will not open doors
  wining is the key…me

  to follow
  to become
  to teach
  dont be your self
  be better…me

  if you dont fear me you are stupid…me

  the way of the fist is your way of life…me

  be it feel it but dont fear it..me

  power and speed will go but my mind will stay internal ..me

  i am i will i was i still i wish i would i might i FIGHT…me

  power and greed is not right but power and greed will be the only thing left…me

  im not strong im not fast im not a very good fighter
  but i have never loss a fight
  the stongest muscle is the heart…me

  i am the best
  i am the king
  i am god
  then i wake up
  and i am
  myself
  be better
  push your self
  become the best
  be the best
  and beat the
  best
  by becomeing
  better
  we can always be better
  this quto can be better
  better can be better …me

• 12 Wraith // Jul 28, 2008

  hi

  here is a couple of my faves.

  ” pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living”- unknown

  ” Be more afraid of a army of sheep led by a wolf, then a army of wolves led by a sheep”

  “even though you hold a sword over my heart, i will not give up”.

  “everyone lies, even me”

  “when the student is ready, the master appears”- Buddhist proverb

  ” A good sword is left in its scabbard”

  “The use of a weapon Guarantees wear, tear and rust
  that’s a real waste”

  ” never give a sword to a man that can’t dance”

  ” Fighting is always last answer to problem” – Mr miyagi

  ty

• 13 Randy // Jul 29, 2008

  here is a quote i made up

  ” An injury in martial arts is much like wrecking on a bicycle as a child. You slowly build up the courage and ride better than before, or you never ride again.”

  ” The body does as the mind says”

  ” When your arms get sore from pushups, think of the arms as bones, bones dont become sore.”

  “What is power without the knowledge to use it.”

• 14 Terry // Oct 8, 2008

  One my sensei liked to use:

  “Pain is weakness leaving your body.”

• 15 Thunderbird // Nov 9, 2008

  “HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• 16 Thunderbird // Nov 9, 2008

  “Waaaaaaattaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!”

• 17 Thunderbird // Nov 9, 2008

  regarding post 13: tht doesn’t make sense because the muscles do the work, and they get sore. Thats like saying imagine water is money so when you need more just go turn on the faucet. The problem though is money isnt water so the incorrect premise led to an incoreect conclusion.

• 18 Anonymous // Nov 11, 2008

  “One becomes a beginner after 1000 days of training. One becomes a master after 10,000 days of practice.”

  -Master Mas Oyama-

• 19 ROCHELLE // Nov 14, 2008

  in every martial art
  there is always a bright day that
  full of happines, joy, and full of inspiration;
  on the contrary,
  some might feel lack of willingness to
  know what is right…

• 20 Taekwondo Daddy // Nov 15, 2008

  “A Black Belt is a white belt that never gave up.”
  -Sa bam Nim Justin Taylor

• 21 steven // Nov 24, 2008

  A teaher is like a big turkey he may have a lot of knowledge but if there is no knifes or forks whats the point of the turkey

• 22 steven // Nov 24, 2008

  whats it to you to do 1,000 techniques once? now what would someone think of you for doing 1 technique 1,000 times.

• 23 steven // Nov 24, 2008

  I asked Roy Goldburg “What do you think of a student that comes to martial arts classes everyday” He told me “There are 2 types of people that do that 1 is they justn want a belt 2 was they wanted t learn badly”

• 24 steven // Nov 24, 2008

  If your in marial arts just for a black belt dont waste your money and time just go out and buy your self a black belt

• 25 Steven // Nov 25, 2008

  regarging post 17 saying about 13 that makes complete sense i dont know waht your thinking you dont know anything about Martial Arts at all!!!!!
  <HTML

• 26 Thunderbird // Nov 27, 2008

  Ya! I dont know anything at all Naa naa nee boo boo! and there! LOL

• 27 *sigh* // Nov 27, 2008

  Regarding post 25 saying about 17 saying about 13. It would kind of make sense in the zen proverb sort of way except that bones do get sore.

  Also, it seems to me that many people are writing their own proverbs/poems and posting them here. I’m pretty sure this is about good quotes related to martial arts. A quote is a repetition of someone’s words. So, I suppose if you were to write a proverb and than rewrite it here it could technically be considered a quote but it shouldn’t be advertised as such. Especially if you just made it up.

  Example 1:
  “I am scary monster
  I have no fear.”

  I just made that up and it doesn’t really say anything worth caring about. It’s kind of boring actually.

  Example 2:
  “Moving heaven and earth without putting forth effort is simply a matter of concentration.” -Hagakure

  This example, on the other hand, was taken from a famous book about the Samurai. Since it is an idea which can be applied to the martial arts it is interesting to us. Not to mention the Samurai were heavily involved in martial arts training.

  So, no more boring quotes which are actually proverbs that you just made up. What am I saying? You can write whatever you want.

• 28 steven // Nov 27, 2008

  to post 27 but i have never herd any one say my bones hurt and that guy even said he dont know what he is talking bout

• 29 *sigh* // Nov 27, 2008

  Re:28

  In younger people bone pain is often called growing pains.
  Causes of bone pain (from about.com):

  “Bone pain can occur with many injuries or conditions:

  * Cancer in the bones (primary malignancy)
  * Cancer that has spread to the bones (metastatic malignancy)
  * Disruption of blood supply (as in sickle cell anemia)
  * Infected bone (osteomyelitis)
  * Infection
  * Injury (trauma)
  * Leukemia
  * Loss of mineralization (osteoporosis)
  * Overuse
  * Toddler fracture (a type of stress fracture that occurs in toddlers)”

  Because of the strength of the muscle and tendon tissues it’s common for a bone to be stressed, or broken, before the muscle. Or if the muscle is being stressed it may also be stressing a bone which isn’t used to the force. Building muscles also builds bone density. These are just a couple examples of bone pain.

  The person named Thunderbird said he doesn’t know what he was talking about but the person who posted the quote about bone pain was someone named Randy.

• 30 Cobra-Kai // Nov 28, 2008

  a martial art without pain is’nt a martial art – an old friend of mine

• 31 steven // Nov 28, 2008

  post 30 thats ture and sign your making this to complicated were talking about martial arts its not health class

• 32 Chris // Nov 30, 2008

  I think it is a martial artist’s business to know all the ways a body can be injured, and protected. Martial arts is a health class.

• 33 *sigh* John Jr. // Nov 30, 2008

  I found a new martial arts quote:

  “I think it is a martial artist’s business to know all the ways a body can be injured, and protected. Martial arts is a health class.” -Chris

  

  ‘Tis very true. Also, one more point on the bone thing; from my experience, bone pain (from overuse) is more like an ache.
  Health and martial arts do go hand in hand. I read something interesting about soldiers recently. Obviously they need to be fit and healthy to do what they do in battle but, their fitness is also very important for their survival in the event that they are captured. It’s not likely that a POW will receive treatment for infections or other illnesses when being held captive.
  This could be applied to anything and it could be called “preparedness”. The training of martial arts and maintenance of health are excellent preparedness practices.

  “In approaching for the attack he does not forget to wait for the right moment. In waiting for the right moment he never forgets to attack.” -Hagakure

• 34 *sigh* aka: John Jr. // Nov 30, 2008

  ^
  |
  |

  What I meant to put for my name was: *sigh* aka John Jr
  In other words… I’m no longer sighing. s)

• 35 NBC // Jan 4, 2009

  HE WHO SPEAKS DOES NOT KNOW, HE WHO KNOWS DOES NOT SPEAK. -FRIEND OF MINE (B.L.)-

• 36 NBC // Jan 4, 2009

  HE WHO KEEPETH HIS LIPS KEEPETH HIS LIFE HE WHO OPENS HIS LIPS TOO WIDE BREEDS HIS OWN DESTRUCTION.

  HE GUARDS HIS MOUTH AND HIS TONGUE KEEPETH HIMSELF FROM CALAMITY. -KING DAVID-

• 37 Rob // Jan 25, 2009

  He who can best strike a blow in a boxing match or in any kind of fighting best able to ward off a blow.

  –Plato

• 38 Mark // Feb 24, 2009

  not so much a quote, as somthing bad ass to say lol

  “ever noticed, how you come across somebody once in a while, that you shouldn’t have fucked with?……..thats me” – Clint Eastwood

• 39 Part Time Samurai // Feb 24, 2009

  Hey #35 NBC, unless you are calling Lao Tsu your friend, the quotes not original in that its in chapter 56 of the Tao Te Ching (about the 6th century BC).

  Here are my two favorite Bruce Lee quotes, sorry for the length:

  Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.

  Knowledge in martial arts actually means self-knowledge. A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself and accept the consequences of his own doing. The understanding of JKD is through personal feeling from movement to movement in the mirror of the relationship and not through a process of isolation. To be is to be related. To isolate is death. To me, ultimately, martial arts means honestly expressing yourself. Now, it is very difficult to do. It has always been very easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, and be flooded with a cocky feeling and feel pretty cool and all that. I can make all kinds of phoney things. Blinded by it. Or I can show some really fancy movement. But to experience oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly, now that is very hard to do.

  both from his “lost” Interview.

• 40 Cobra-Kai // Feb 25, 2009

  Mark I will remember that one next time I kick someones ass.

• 41 alister // Apr 1, 2009

  never turn your back to a downd man he might ge up… me
  look beneffe the underneffe… kakashi hakata
  follow your own path in life becaues there is only second place for copycats… me
  dont hit to just hit your aponit hit to knock his ass out… me
  show fear and you well be broken… me
  have no emotions in a fight they only get in your way… me

• 42 John Jr. // Apr 1, 2009

  This should be changed from best “quotes” to best “sayings”. Or if the sayings are really good, best “aphorisms” or “gnomes” or maybe “mantras”. In the case of a self made aphorism I believe it is not necessary to add quotation marks. Then again I could be just making this all up.

  Here’s a QUOTE:
  “It is because he does not contend that no one in the empire is in a position to contend with him.” -Tao Te Ching

• 43 Shane // Apr 3, 2009

  To show your fighting stance is like showing an opponent your gun, these things are best kemp secret untill you plan to use it. – me

• 44 Shane // Apr 3, 2009

  To be countered is the greatest fear of a fighter, everything you throw at them comes back to hit you – me

• 45 Aaron // May 11, 2009

  An empty barrel makes a loud noise.

  Bloody-mindedness will defeat skill on all occasions

• 46 mma fighter // May 19, 2009

  here are some of my favs: TAPOUT OR BLACKOUT,
  TAP TODAY FIGHT TOMORROW,TAP OR SNAP, PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY

• 47 Roger // May 19, 2009

  about post 45, i wouldn’t think that would be a good idea, a fight is like a game of chess, you must think before you strike, and the empty barrel makes the most noise, meaning yeah one might be louder than the other, but that’s probably all talk, just for show, the thing you should be worried is a fighter with composure, more composure means less room for mistakes, example, Kimbo Slice vs Seth Petruzelli or Brock Lesner vs. Frank Mir, in both cases, the bigger guy that was more eager to fight loss within the 1st minute

• 48 Aaron // May 19, 2009

  The Empty barrel quote means that the people who boast the most are usually the ones that don’t have anything inside them to fight with.

  It’s hard to not get hurt when you have someone attacking you with the single idea of killing you on his mind.

• 49 Roger // May 19, 2009

  well yeah, thats what i said, but as for the fighting a person whose only idea is killing you, its not just about thinking it, its thinking HOW you are going to do it, not just attacking to kill

• 50 Chris // May 19, 2009

  “Those who beat their swords into plowshares will end up plowing for those who did not.” ~Anonymous

• 51 mike // Jun 1, 2009

  “A black belt is just a dirty, over used white belt.” – unknown

• 52 Ricky // Jun 7, 2009

  Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.

  Yoda

  Always two there are, no more, no less: a master and an apprentice.
  – Yoda

• 53 the lover man // Jun 12, 2009

  he who fights with fear fights to lose, he who fights with courage fights to triumpth

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