Smoking?

[ParryPerson]

Was wondering if anyone smokes? What kind? Does it hurt your practice?

[Chris McKinley]

It would have no less deleterious effects on martial arts practice than it would anything else physical.

[Harvey]

The chinese smoke like trains, never seems to effect them.

[Ron Panunto]

The chinese smoke like trains, never seems to effect them.

I've heard that they have a very high death rate from smoking related illnesses.

[Chris McKinley]

Yes, the Chinese aren't magical qi elves or anything.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

smoking causes emphysema, cancer and a host of other cardio-pulmonary diseases.

It's shit, you should quit, if you can't, get help.

unless of course you like the long slow suicide with really shitty quality of life towards the end.

the chinese suffer the ill effects of smoking as well, same as everyone else.

[internalenthusiast]

smoking tobacco.

it's bad. i don't smoke as much as i used to. it does affect your wind, and of course your health.

i'm not proud of this, it's one of my failings.

so, yes: it does have negative consequences, on many levels.

there are no magic solutions. just quit, or don't start.

once, i quit for a number of years. i woke up one morning and thought "doing this enables me to *not* follow what i really want to do." that worked for a number of years. it was an epiphany i hope to recapture.

many of us have self-destructive habits which are hard to shake.

if you don't smoke, then don't start. if you do, then i hope you find a way to stop.

this is just my honest response...not meant in a moralistic sense at all (i hate that). but if you can avoid it, do.

if my post prevents one person from smoking, it's worth it. even though i do. at least today. that may change.

best to all...

[qiphlow]

i stopped smoking in 1999, after 12 years of anywhere from 6 cigs to 2 packs per day. i feel much better for it, haven't smoked since, and lost all desire for it after about 3 months. it's really not good for you at all. really.

[internalenthusiast]

thanks, and good for you! i think all reports from those who have quit, are helpful to those of us who have not, as yet.

[kreese]

Very honest post, internalenthusiast.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

addiction is difficult, but not insurmountable.

you can, because you think you can.
you will, because you desire to do so.

[Strange]

i smoke my pipe when i have my whisky. but not into the lungs.
i make it a point to control my poison; not the other way round.
yes best is not to start, cheers. S.

[Ian]

my friend recently quit. went from two packs per day to nothing over the course of three weeks.

she has a jar where she deposits the money she would've spent on cigs.

her teeth are no longer yellow, her skin is better, she smells normal, and her asthma has all but disappeared.

also the confidence thing and not having her life revolve around smoking.

pretty cool I think.

[Michael]

Isn't tobacco a very important herb to some Native Americans? Did they inhale?

[David Boxen]

Whether they inhaled or not, I'd say whatever tobacco the Native Americans had for ceremonial purposes was a far cry from the cancer sticks that are modern cigarettes.