There is a difference between a fighter and a martial artist. A fighter is training for a purpose: He has a fight. I’m a martial artist. I don’t train for a fight. I train for myself. I’m training all the time. My goal is perfection. But I will never reach perfection.
— Georges St-Pierre
Unbelievable Martial Artist quotations
The biggest gift I received as a martial artist is without a question the capacity to be in peace.
The best part of falling is getting back up again.
A fight is not won by one punch or kick. Either learn to endure or hire a bodyguard.
It isn't the mountains that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe.
The man who is secure within himself has no need to prove anything with force, so he can walk away from a fight with dignity and pride. He is the true martial artist--a man so strong inside that he has no need to demonstrate his power.
Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light.
The true Martial Artist is not the one who fears change, but the one who causes it to happen.
A good martial artist does not become tense, but ready.
Not thinking, yet not dreaming. Ready for whatever may come. When the opponent expands, I contract; and when he contracts, I expand. And when there is an opportunity, "I" do not hit, "it" hits all by itself.
Don't fear failure. Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.
A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence.
He who is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.
In my view, Zhang Lanxin is one of our best female martial artists, and I can't rate her highly enough.
A quality martial artist is always ready for any move, and trains oneself invincible.
I have always been a martial artist by choice, an actor by profession, but above all, am actualising myself to be an artist of life.
The real self of an artiste lies in art, so when an artiste performs, all the pain, trauma and tension get released through art, be it dancing, painting, singing, writing or even martial arts.
If mere mechanical efficiency can make everyone a martial artist, then all is well. Unfortunately, combat, like freedom, is something that can not be preconceived.
A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself and accept the consequences of his own doing.
A good martial artist does not become tend but ready, not thinking but jet not dreaming. Ready for whatever may come.
To be bound by traditional martial art style or styles is the way of the mindless, enslaved martial artist. But to be inspired by the traditional martial art and to achieve further heights is the way of genius.
If you don't want to slip up tomorrow, speak the truth today.
The best fighter is never angry.
A good martial artist does not become tense, but ready.
The second-hand artist blindly following his sensei or sifu accepts his pattern.
As a result, his action is and , more importantly, his thinking become mechanical. His responses become automatic, according to set patterns, making him narrow and limited.
Some people think a martial artist has to be tough against everybody - that's not true at all. A martial artist has to be strong against bad people. But we must also be able to know and understand the feelings, moods and mentalities of good and bad individuals before we can comprehend when to be strong and when to be gentle.
The true martial artist yields to the weak, while withstanding the strong.
Each person may see a fight in different ways.
.. They can see more to a primal way. Others they can see in a pure artistic way... For me I see the pure artistic way, the way that a true martial artist can show his art.
I hope martial artists are more interested in the root of martial arts and not the different decorative branches, flowers or leaves. It is futile to argue as to which leaf, which design of branches, or which attractive flower you like; when you understand the root, you understand all its blossoming.
Take what's useful, discard what is not.
I want to use every second of my life, every time that I have in my life, to make me a better fighter. That's why I'm a martial artist. For me, it's more than a job - it's a way of living
In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail.
I don't think I'm in any position to call myself a martial artist.
I'm a student of the martial arts.
I was a martial artist. So, for me to be able to do all of the fights is a blast. It's so fun. It's like dancing, but more bad-ass. I really enjoy doing it.
A true martial artist, in my books anyways, is someone who is going to do the right thing and lead by example.
I'm still a martial artist at heart. I believe in controlling yourself... I think that's huge in life-to be a good man.