I am in the 7th grade and I am just beginning to explore my future career, what are some careers and helpful next steps I should consider based on my love for Martial Arts?

i can tell from my experience, you can become full time martial arts trainer post becoming master in martila arts. you can play a role in movie. you can use your skills in martial arts cartoon. you do best in what you like, then you career will come to your door.

Hey Kelvin, it's great that you are being proactive and following your dreams in Martial Arts. After you graduate from high school you can go to college and study Martial arts and get a Martial Arts studies BA degree. After that career paths are endless. You can get a job as cool as professional fighter. Keep fighting to achieve your dream!!!!

You can become a physical fitness trainer, a neutritionest or a teacher depending on your love! I think it’s amazing you want to better your body as well as your mind. It truly takes discipline. Keep striving for greatness!

Hi Kelvin,

I cannot answer you based on my knowledge of martial arts as a career, but I can say the same rules of going after your passions apply.

First, never quit. No matter how hard it gets, no matter what people say, no matter all the negative things you might feel or hear, never quit if you truly love it and want to do it for a living.

Next, take every piece of positive advice from the people who are already doing it for a living, whether that is a gym owner or a competition trainer or even an instructional video maker... ask questions and listen to the answers. Every answer might be different but that will be because every person is different and took different journeys.

Finally, take a good look at the world around you - look in places you never thought to look for Marital Arts, like a college. Yes, a college for example. Locally here as part of a fitness degree program, one of the colleges offers a series of credit granting programs that include 2 semesters of Karate.

If there is just one more thing I can add... look at where there is nothing, where your passion fills a need. Bruce Lee came here and brought Kung Fu - his brand, Jeet Kun Do and began teaching Americans, to which the traditionalists were not happy. But what he did was he found a need to which he was willing to risk filling. So as you grow up, keep your eyes open and look around you.

And... practice, practice, practice.